to so powerful a family, and
urged by his privy adviser to win Clotilde, Lucien found the courage of
the parvenu; he came to the house five days in the week, he swallowed
all the affronts of the envious, he endured impertinent looks, and
answered irony with wit. His persistency, the charm of his manners, and
his amiability, at last neutralized opposition and reduced obstacles. He
was still in the highest favor with Madame de Maufrigneuse, whose ardent
letters, written under the influence of her passion, were preserved by
Carlos Herrera; he was idolized by Madame de Serizy, and stood well
in Mademoiselle des Touches' good graces; and well content with being
received in these houses, Lucien was instructed by the Abbe to be as
reserved as possible in all other quarters.

"You cannot devote yourself to several houses at once," said his Mentor.
"The man who goes everywhere finds no one to take a lively interest in
him. Great folks only patronize those who emulate their furniture, whom
they see every day, and who have the art of becoming as necessary to
them as the seat they sit on."

Thus Lucien, accustomed to regard the Grandlieus' drawing-room as his
arena, reserved his wit, his jests, his news, and his courtier's graces
for the hours he spent there every evening. Insinuating, tactful, and
warned by Clotilde of the shoals he should avoid, he flattered Monsieur
de Grandlieu's little weaknesses. Clotilde, having begun by envying
Madame de Maufrigneuse her happiness, ended by falling desperately in
love with Lucien.

Perceiving all the advantages of such a connection, Lucien played his
lover's part as well as it could have been acted by Armand, the latest
_jeune premier_ at the _Comedie Francaise_.

He wrote to Clotilde, letters which were certainly masterpieces of
literary workmanship; and Clotilde replied, vying with him in genius in
the expression of perfervid love on paper, for she had no other outlet.
Lucien went to church at Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin every Sunday, giving
himself out as a devout Catholic, and he poured forth monarchical
and pious harangues which were a marvel to all. He also wrote some
exceedingly remarkable articles in papers devoted to the "Congregation,"
refusing to be paid for them, and signing them only with an "L." He
produced political pamphlets when required by King Charles X. or the
High Almoner, and for these he would take no payment.

"The King," he would say, "has done so much for me, that I