ever mind, he is
going to travel for our oil and starts in a few days; put him down. As
to the Sieur Andoche Finot, what is he to us?"

"Monsieur Anselme says he will be a great man; he has a mind like
Voltaire."

"An author? all atheists."

"Let's put him down, papa; we want more dancers. Besides, he wrote the
beautiful prospectus for the oil."

"He believes in my oil?" said Cesar, "then put him down, dear child."

"I have put down all my proteges," said Cesarine.

"Put Monsieur Mitral, my bailiff; Monsieur Haudry, our doctor, as a
matter of form,--he won't come."

"Yes, he will, for his game of cards."

"Now, Cesar, I do hope you mean to invite the Abbe Loraux to the
dinner," said Constance.

"I have already written to him," said Cesar.

"Oh! and don't forget the sister-in-law of Monsieur Lebas, Madame
Augustine Sommervieux," said Cesarine. "Poor little woman, she is so
delicate; she is dying of grief, so Monsieur Lebas says."

"That's what it is to marry artists!" cried her father. "Look! there's
your mother asleep," he whispered. "La! la! a very good night to you,
Madame Cesar--Now, then," he added, "about your mother's ball-dress?"

"Yes, papa, it will be all ready. Mamma thinks she will wear her
china-crape like mine. The dressmaker is sure there is no need of trying
it on."

"How many people have you got down," said Cesar aloud, seeing that
Constance opened her eyes.

"One hundred and nine, with the clerks."

"Where shall we ever put them all?" said Madame Birotteau. "But, anyhow,
after that Sunday," she added naively, "there will come a Monday."

* * * * *

Nothing can be done simply and naturally by people who are stepping from
one social level to another. Not a soul--not Madame Birotteau, nor Cesar
himself--was allowed to put foot into the new appartement on the first
floor. Cesar had promised Raguet, the shop-boy, a new suit of clothes
for the day of the ball, if he mounted guard faithfully and let no
one enter. Birotteau, like the Emperor Napoleon at Compiegne, when the
chateau was re-decorated for his marriage with Maria Louisa of Austria,
was determined to see nothing piecemeal; he wished to enjoy the surprise
of seeing it as a whole. Thus the two antagonists met once more, all
unknown to themselves, not on the field of battle, but on the peaceful
ground of bourgeois vanity. It was arranged that Monsieur Grindot was to
take Cesar by the hand and show him