s, he
flung his arms about Louise, held her tightly to his heart, and marbled
her throat with impassioned kisses. Suddenly he checked himself, as if
memory had dealt him a blow.

"Great heavens!" he cried, "my sister is to be married on the day after
to-morrow!"

That exclamation was the last expiring cry of noble and single-hearted
boyhood. The so-powerful ties that bind young hearts to home, and a
first friendship, and all early affections, were to be severed at one
ruthless blow.

"Well," cried the haughty Negrepelisse, "and what has your sister's
marriage to do with the progress of our love? Have you set your mind
so much on being best man at a wedding party of tradespeople and
workingmen, that you cannot give up these exalted joys for my sake? A
great sacrifice, indeed!" she went on, scornfully. "This morning I sent
my husband out to fight in your quarrel. There, sir, go; I am mistaken
in you."

She sank fainting upon the sofa. Lucien went to her, entreating her
pardon, calling execrations upon his family, his sister, and David.

"I had such faith in you!" she said. "M. de Cante-Croix had an adored
mother; but to win a letter from me, and the words, 'I am satisfied,'
he fell in the thick of the fight. And now, when I ask you to take a
journey with me, you cannot think of giving up a wedding dinner for my
sake."

Lucien was ready to kill himself; his desperation was so unfeigned, that
Louise forgave him, though at the same time she made him feel that he
must redeem his mistake.

"Come, come," she said, "be discreet, and to-morrow at midnight be upon
the road, a hundred paces out of Mansle."

Lucien felt the globe shrink under his feet; he went back to David's
house, hopes pursuing him as the Furies followed Orestes, for he had
glimmerings of endless difficulties, all summed up in the appalling
words, "Where is the money to come from?"

He stood in such terror of David's perspicacity, that he locked himself
into his pretty new study until he could recover himself, his head was
swimming in this new position. So he must leave the rooms just furnished
for him at such a cost, and all the sacrifices that had been made for
him had been made in vain. Then it occurred to Lucien that his mother
might take the rooms and save David the heavy expense of building at the
end of the yard, as he had meant to do; his departure would be, in
fact, a convenience to the family. He discovered any quantity of urgent
reason