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supported； what have we to fear？ The money question is a mere
nothing when this great wheel of fortune rolls for us。 What is a
woman？you are not a schoolboy。 What is life； my dear fellow； if
you let a woman be the whole of it？ A boat you can't command；
without a rudder； but not without a magnet； and tossed by every
wind that blows。 Pah！
The great secret of social alchemy； my dear Paul； is to get the
most we can out of each age of life through which we pass； to have
and to hold the buds of our spring； the flowers of our summer； the
fruits of our autumn。 We amused ourselves once； a few good fellows
and I； for a dozen or more years； like mousquetaires； black； red；
and gray； we denied ourselves nothing； not even an occasional
filibustering here and there。 Now we are going to shake down the
plums which age and experience have ripened。 Be one of us； you
shall have your share in the PUDDING we are going to cook。
Come； you will find a friend all yours in the skin of
H。 de Marsay。
As Paul de Manerville ended the reading of this letter； which fell
like the blows of a pickaxe on the edifice of his hopes； his
illusions； and his love； the vessel which bore him from France was
beyond the Azores。 In the midst of this utter devastation a cold and
impotent anger laid hold of him。
〃What had I done to them？〃 he said to himself。
That is the question of fools； of feeble beings； who； seeing nothing；
can nothing foresee。 Then he cried aloud： 〃Henri！ Henri！〃 to his loyal
friend。 Many a man would have gone mad； Paul went to bed and slept
that heavy sleep which follows immense disasters；the sleep that
seized Napoleon after Waterloo。
ADDENDUM
The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy。
Casa…Real； Duc de
The Quest of the Absolute
Claes； Josephine de Temninck； Madame
The Quest of the Absolute
Magus； Elie
The Vendetta
A Bachelor's Establishment
Pierre Grassou
Cousin Pons
Manerville； Paul Francois…Joseph； Comte de
The Thirteen
The Ball at Sceaux
Lost Illusions
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Manerville； Comtesse Paul de
The Lily of the Valley
A Daughter of Eve
Marsay； Henri de
The Thirteen
The Unconscious Humorists
Another Study of Woman
The Lily of the Valley
Father Goriot
Jealousies of a Country Town
Ursule Mirouet
Lost Illusions
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Letters of Two Brides
The Ball at Sceaux
Modeste Mignon
The Secrets of a Princess
The Gondreville Mystery
A Daughter of Eve
Maulincour； Baronne de
The Thirteen
Stevens； Dinah
Cousin Pons
Vandenesse； Comte Felix de
The Lily of the Valley
Lost Illusions
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Cesar Birotteau
Letters of Two Brides
A Start in Life
The Secrets of a Princess
Another Study of Woman
The Gondreville Mystery
A Daughter of Eve
End