rges, who also supplied Sue occasionally with
money. Dr. Veron drove a fine horse and tilbury, and Sue was not content
until he could do the same. He applied to the Jewish money-lenders, who
replied that if he would sell a lot of wines for them, they would allow
him a handsome commission. As a last resort he sold the wine, and
procured a fine horse and phaeton. Driving out one day very rapidly in
the streets, he ran down a pedestrian, and looking at the unfortunate
man he discovered that it was his own father! The old man was
exceedingly angry and caned him on the spot. He demanded an explanation
of his son for this apparent wealth, and commanded him at once to go to
Toulon and enter the military hospital there, in the practice of his
profession. In Toulon his personal appearance was so fascinating that
the women fell in love with him, and he carried on many shameful
intrigues.
In 1825 he returned to Paris, and found an old friend of his the
director of a little journal. He commenced writing articles for this
little journal, some of them light and others of a _spirituel_
character, which were highly admired. In Paris he was also given to
intrigues with women. In 1826 he made many aristocratic conquests, and
frequented the home of a celebrated female novelist. In his first
romances, his high-born mistresses figure as his principal characters.
The elder Sue now formally declared that he would pay no more debts of
his son, and he was again reduced to poverty. He had recourse to the
Jews, who lent him money upon his expectations from his grandfather. He
plunged again into extravagance, and this time his father placed him as
surgeon in the navy, and in this capacity he made voyages round the
world. Soon after his return, his maternal grandfather died, and his
father a little later left him a large fortune, and he commenced a life
of gorgeous extravagance and sensuality, which has often been described.
From 1831 to 1833, he published a series of sea-romances, which had a
great success, and the French critics called him the French Cooper. He
was very proud, frequented the most gay and fashionable circles, and
assumed airs above his station. He was, however, one day excessively
mortified by the sarcastic allusion of one of his noble friends to the
business or profession of his father. He once more tried the pen to
achieve a name for himself, and this time in history. For the Naval
History of France which he wrote, he received
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