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Monsieur de Canalis is one of those men who are destined for the
highest places in the State。 He has more than fortune； he possesses
that which gives fortune。〃
〃He will be minister or ambassador；〃 said Monsieur Mignon。
〃That won't hinder tax…payers from having to pay the costs of his
funeral；〃 remarked the notary。
〃How so？〃 asked Charles Mignon。
〃He strikes me as a man who will waste all the fortunes with whose
gifts Mademoiselle Modeste so liberally endows him；〃 answered
Latournelle。
〃Modeste can't avoid being liberal to a poet who called her a
Madonna；〃 said Dumay； sneering； and faithful to the repulsion with
which Canalis had originally inspired him。
Gobenheim arranged the whist…table with all the more persistency
because； since the return of Monsieur Mignon； Latournelle and Dumay
had allowed themselves to play for ten sous points。
〃Well； my little darling；〃 said the father to the daughter in the
embrasure of a window。 〃Admit that papa thinks of everything。 If you
send your orders this evening to your former dressmaker in Paris； and
all your other furnishing people； you shall show yourself eight days
hence in all the splendor of an heiress。 Meantime we will install
ourselves in the villa。 You already have a pretty horse； now order a
habit； you owe that amount of civility to the grand equerry。〃
〃All the more because there will be a number of us to ride；〃 said
Modeste； who was recovering the colors of health。
〃The secretary did not say much；〃 remarked Madame Mignon。
〃A little fool；〃 said Madame Latournelle； 〃the poet has an attentive
word for everybody。 He thanked Monsieur Latournelle for his help in
choosing the house； and said he must have taken counsel with a woman
of good taste。 But the other looked as gloomy as a Spaniard； and kept
his eyes fixed on Modeste as though he would like to swallow her
whole。 If he had even looked at me I should have been afraid of him。〃
〃He had a pleasant voice；〃 said Madame Mignon。
〃No doubt he came to Havre to inquire about the Mignons in the
interests of his friend the poet；〃 said Modeste； looking furtively at
her father。 〃It was certainly he whom we saw in church。〃
Madame Dumay and Monsieur and Madame Latournelle； accepted this as the
natural explanation of Ernest's journey。
CHAPTER XIX
OF WHICH THE AUTHOR THINKS A GOOD DEAL
〃Do you know； Ernest；〃 cried Canalis； when they had driven a short
distance from the house； 〃I don't see any marriageable woman in
society in Paris who compares with that adorable girl。〃
〃Ah； that ends it！〃 replied Ernest。 〃She loves you； or she will love
you if you desire it。 Your fame won half the battle。 Well； you may now
have it all your own way。 You shall go there alone in future。 Modeste
despises me； she is right to do so； and I don't see any reason why I
should condemn myself to see； to love； desire； and adore that which I
can never possess。〃
After a few consoling remarks； dashed with his own satisfaction at
having made a new version of Caesar's phrase； Canalis divulged a
desire to break with the Duchesse de Chaulieu。 La Briere； totally
unable to keep up the conversation； made the beauty of the night an
excuse to be set down； and then rushed like one possessed to the
seashore； where he stayed till past ten； in a half…demented state；
walking hurriedly up and down； talking aloud in broken sentences；
sometimes standing still or sitting down； without noticing the
uneasiness of two custom…house officers who were on the watch。 After
loving Modeste's wit and intellect and her aggressive frankness； he
now joined adoration of her beautythat is to say； love without
reason； love inexplicableto all the other reasons which had drawn
him ten days earlier； to the church in Havre。
He returned to the Chalet； where the Pyrenees hounds barked at him
till he was forced to relinquish the pleasure of gazing at Modeste's
windows。 In love； such things are of no more account to the lover than
the work which is covered by the last layer of color is to an artist；
yet they make up the whole of love； just as the hidden toil is the
whole of art。 Out of them arise the great painter and the true lover
whom the woman and the public end； sometimes too late； by adoring。
〃Well then！〃 he cried aloud； 〃I will stay； I will suffer； I will love
her for myself only； in solitude。 Modeste shall be my sun； my life； I
will breathe with her breath； rejoice in her joys and bear her griefs；
be she even the wife of that egoist； Canalis。〃
〃That's what I call loving； monsieur；〃 said a voice which came from a
shrub by the side of the road。 〃Ha； ha； so all the world is in love
with Mademoiselle de La Bastie？〃
And Butscha suddenly appeared and looked at La Briere。 La Briere
checked his anger when； by the light of the moon； he saw the dwarf；
and he made a few steps without replying。
〃Soldiers who serve in the same company ought to be good comrades；〃
remarked Butscha。 〃You don't love Canalis； neither do I。〃
〃He is my friend；〃 replied Ernest。
〃Ha； you are the little secretary？〃
〃You are to know； monsieur； that I am no man's secretary。 I have the
honor to be of counsel to a supreme court of this kingdom。〃
〃I have the honor to salute Monsieur de La Briere；〃 said Butscha。 〃I
myself have the honor to be head clerk to Latournelle； chief
councillor of Havre； and my position is a better one than yours。 Yes；
I have had the happiness of seeing Mademoiselle Modeste de La Bastie
nearly every evening for the last four years； and I expect to live
near her； as a king's servant lives in the Tuileries。 If they offered
me the throne of Russia I should answer； 'I love the sun too well。'
Isn't that telling you； monsieur； that I care more for her than for
myself？ I am looking after her interests with the most honorable
intentions。 Do you believe that the proud Duchesse de Chaulieu would
cast a favorable eye on the happiness of Madame de Canalis if her
waiting…woman； who is in love with Monsieur Germain； not liking that
charming valet's absence in Havre； were to say to her mistress while
brushing her hair〃
〃Who do you know about all this？〃 said La Briere； interrupting
Butscha。
〃In the first place； I am clerk to a notary；〃 answered Butscha。 〃But
haven't you seen my hump？ It is full of resources； monsieur。 I have
made myself cousin to Mademoiselle Philoxene Jacmin； born at Honfleur；
where my mother was born； a Jacmin；there are eight branches of the
Jacmins at Honfleur。 So my cousin Philoxene； enticed by the bait of a
highly improbable fortune； has told me a good many things。〃
〃The duchess is vindictive？〃 said La Briere。
〃Vindictive as a queen； Philoxene says； she has never yet forgiven the
duke for being nothing more than her husband；〃 replied Butscha。 〃She
hates as she loves。 I know all about her character； her tastes； her
toilette； her religion； and her manners； for Philoxene stripped