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〃Come； come； Butscha； he is a great poet； he is a gentleman； he is a
man of intellect。〃
〃Your father's eight millions are more to him than all that。〃
〃Eight millions！〃 exclaimed Modeste。
〃My master； who has sold his practice； is going to Provence to attend
to the purchase of lands which your father's agent has suggested to
him。 The sum that is to be paid for the estate of La Bastie is four
millions； your father has agreed to it。 You are to have a 'dot' of two
millions and another million for an establishment in Paris； a hotel
and furniture。 Now； count up。〃
〃Ah！ then I can be Duchesse d'Herouville！〃 cried Modeste； glancing at
Butscha。
〃If it hadn't been for that comedian of a Canalis you would have kept
HIS whip； thinking it came from me；〃 said the dwarf； indirectly
pleading La Briere's cause。
〃Monsieur Butscha； may I ask if I am to marry to please you？〃 said
Modeste； laughing。
〃That fine fellow loves you as well as I do；and you loved him for
eight days；〃 retorted Butscha； 〃and HE has got a heart。〃
〃Can he compete； pray； with an office under the Crown？ There are but
six； grand almoner； chancellor； grand chamberlain； grand master； high
constable； grand admiral；but they don't appoint high constables any
longer。〃
〃In six months； mademoiselle； the masseswho are made up of wicked
Butschascould send all those grand dignities to the winds。 Besides；
what signifies nobility in these days？ There are not a thousand real
noblemen in France。 The d'Herouvilles are descended from a tipstaff in
the time of Robert of Normandy。 You will have to put up with many a
vexation from the old aunt with the furrowed face。 Look here；as you
are so anxious for the title of duchess；you belong to the Comtat；
and the Pope will certainly think as much of you as he does of all
those merchants down there； he'll sell you a duchy with some name
ending in 'ia' or 'agno。' Don't play away your happiness for an office
under the Crown。〃
CHAPTER XXV
A DIPLOMATIC LETTER
The poet's reflections during the night were thoroughly matter…of
fact。 He sincerely saw nothing worse in life than the situation of a
married man without money。 Still trembling at the danger he had been
led into by his vanity； his desire to get the better of the duke； and
his belief in the Mignon millions； he began to ask himself what the
duchess must be thinking of his stay in Havre； aggravated by the fact
that he had not written to her for fourteen days； whereas in Paris
they exchanged four or five letters a week。
〃And that poor woman is working hard to get me appointed commander of
the Legion and ambassador to the Court of Baden！〃 he cried。
Thereupon； with that promptitude of decision which resultsin poets
as well as in speculatorsfrom a lively intuition of the future； he
sat down and composed the following letter：
To Madame la Duchesse de Chaulieu：
My dear Eleonore；You have doubtless been surprised at not
hearing from me； but the stay I am making in this place is not
altogether on account of my health。 I have been trying to do a
good turn to our little friend La Briere。 The poor fellow has
fallen in love with a certain Mademoiselle Modeste de La Bastie； a
rather pale； insignificant； and thread…papery little thing； who；
by the way； has the vice of liking literature； and calls herself a
poet to excuse the caprices and humors of a rather sullen nature。
You know Ernest；he is so easy to catch that I have been afraid
to leave him to himself。 Mademoiselle de La Bastie was inclined to
coquet with your Melchior； and was only too ready to become your
rival； though her arms are thin； and she has no more bust than
most girls； moreover； her hair is as dead and colorless as that of
Madame de Rochefide； and her eyes small； gray； and very
suspicious。 I put a stopperhaps rather brutallyto the
attentions of Mademoiselle Immodeste； but love； such as mine for
you； demanded it。 What care I for all the women on earth；
compared to you； what are they？
The people with whom I pass my time； and who form the circle round
the heiress； are so thoroughly bourgeois that they almost turn my
stomach。 Pity me； imagine！ I pass my evenings with notaries；
notaresses； cashiers； provincial money…lendersah！ what a change
from my evenings in the rue de Grenelle。 The alleged fortune of
the father； lately returned from China； has brought to Havre that
indefatigable suitor； the grand equerry； hungry after the
millions； which he wants； they say； to drain his marshes。 The king
does not know what a fatal present he made the duke in those waste
lands。 His Grace； who has not yet found out that the lady had only
a small fortune； is jealous of ME； for La Briere is quietly making
progress with his idol under cover of his friend； who serves as a
blind。
Notwithstanding Ernest's romantic ecstasies； I myself； a poet；
think chiefly of the essential thing； and I have been making some
inquiries which darken the prospects of our friend。 If my angel
would like absolution for some of our little sins； she will try to
find out the facts of the case by sending for Mongenod； the
banker； and questioning him； with the dexterity that characterizes
her； as to the father's fortune？ Monsieur Mignon； formerly colonel
of cavalry in the Imperial guard； has been for the last seven
years a correspondent of the Mongenods。 It is said that he gives
his daughter a 〃dot〃 of two hundred thousand francs； and before I
make the offer on Ernest's behalf I am anxious to get the rights
of the story。 As soon as the affair is arranged I shall return to
Paris。 I know a way to settle everything to the advantage of our
young lover；simply by the transmission of the father…in…law's
title； and no one； I think； can more readily obtain that favor
than Ernest； both on account of his own services and the influence
which you and I and the duke can exert for him。 With his tastes；
Ernest； who of course will step into my office when I go to Baden；
will be perfectly happy in Paris with twenty…five thousand francs
a year； a permanent place； and a wifeluckless fellow！
Ah； dearest； how I long for the rue de Grenelle！ Fifteen days of
absence！ when they do not kill love； they revive all the ardor of
its earlier days； and you know； better than I； perhaps； the
reasons that make my love eternal；my bones will love thee in the
grave！ Ah！ I cannot bear this separation。 If I am forced to stay
here another ten days； I shall make a flying visit of a few hours
to Paris。
Has the duke obtained for me the thing we wanted； and shall you；
my dearest life； be ordered to drink the Baden waters next year？
The billing and cooing of the 〃handsome disconsolate；〃 compared
with the accents of our happy loveso true and changeless for now
ten years！have given me a great contempt for marriage。