midst of his dismal room, in his
armchair upholstered in sheep-leather, the sight of the stamped paper
disgusted him.

He was tired of these things, and of restaurants at thirty-two sous, of
travelling in omnibuses, of enduring want and making futile efforts. He
took up the papers again; there were others near them. They were
prospectuses of the coal-mining company, with a list of the mines and
the particulars as to their contents, Frederick having left all these
matters in his hands in order to have his opinion about them.

An idea occurred to him--that of presenting himself at M. Dambreuse's
house and applying for the post of secretary. This post, it was
perfectly certain, could not be obtained without purchasing a certain
number of shares. He recognised the folly of his project, and said to
himself:

"Oh! no, that would be a wrong step."

Then he ransacked his brains to think of the best way in which he could
set about recovering the fifteen thousand francs. Such a sum was a mere
trifle to Frederick. But, if he had it, what a lever it would be in his
hands! And the ex-law-clerk was indignant at the other being so well
off.

"He makes a pitiful use of it. He is a selfish fellow. Ah! what do I
care for his fifteen thousand francs!"

Why had he lent the money? For the sake of Madame Arnoux's bright eyes.
She was his mistress! Deslauriers had no doubt about it. "There was
another way in which money was useful!"

And he was assailed by malignant thoughts.

Then he allowed his thoughts to dwell even on Frederick's personal
appearance. It had always exercised over him an almost feminine charm;
and he soon came to admire it for a success which he realised that he
was himself incapable of achieving.

"Nevertheless, was not the will the main element in every enterprise?
and, since by its means we may triumph over everything----"

"Ha! that would be funny!"

But he felt ashamed of such treachery, and the next moment:

"Pooh! I am afraid?"

Madame Arnoux--from having heard her spoken about so often--had come to
be depicted in his imagination as something extraordinary. The
persistency of this passion had irritated him like a problem. Her
austerity, which seemed a little theatrical, now annoyed him. Besides,
the woman of the world--or, rather, his own conception of her--dazzled
the advocate as a symbol and the epitome of a thousand pleasures. Poor
though he was, he hankered after luxury in its more glittering fo