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personage； with a red face； teeth that were doubtfully genuine； and
hair that was undoubtedly dyed； Dinah left her visitors to themselves
for a few minutes。
〃Well；〃 said Gatien to Lousteau； 〃what do you think of her？〃
〃I think that the clever woman of Sancerre is simply the greatest
chatterbox；〃 replied the journalist。
〃A woman who wants to see you deputy！〃 cried Gatien。 〃An angel！〃
〃Forgive me； I forgot you were in love with her；〃 said Lousteau。
〃Forgive the cynicism of an old scamp。Ask Bianchon； I have no
illusions left。 I see things as they are。 The woman has evidently
dried up her mother like a partridge left to roast at too fierce a
fire。〃
Gatien de Boirouge contrived to let Madame de la Baudraye know what
the journalist had said of her in the course of the dinner； which was
copious； not to say splendid； and the lady took care not to talk too
much while it was proceeding。 This lack of conversation betrayed
Gatien's indiscretion。 Etienne tried to regain his footing； but all
Dinah's advances were directed to Bianchon。
However； half…way through the evening； the Baroness was gracious to
Lousteau again。 Have you never observed what great meanness may be
committed for small ends？ Thus the haughty Dinah； who would not
sacrifice herself for a fool； who in the depths of the country led
such a wretched life of struggles； of suppressed rebellion； of
unuttered poetry； who to get away from Lousteau had climbed the
highest and steepest peak of her scorn； and who would not have come
down if she had seen the sham Byron at her feet； suddenly stepped off
it as she recollected her album。
Madame de la Baudraye had caught the mania for autographs； she
possessed an oblong volume which deserved the name of album better
than most； as two…thirds of the pages were still blank。 The Baronne de
Fontaine； who had kept it for three months； had with great difficulty
obtained a line from Rossini； six bars written by Meyerbeer； the four
lines that Victor Hugo writes in every album； a verse from Lamartine；
a few words from Beranger； /Calypso ne pouvait se consoler du depart
d'Ulysse/ （the first words of /Telemaque/） written by George Sand；
Scribe's famous lines on the Umbrella； a sentence from Charles Nodier；
an outline of distance by Jules Dupre； the signature of David
d'Angers； and three notes written by Hector Berlioz。 Monsieur de
Clagny； during a visit to Paris； added a song by Lacenairea much
coveted autograph； two lines from Fieschi； and an extremely short note
from Napoleon； which were pasted on to pages of the album。 Then
Monsieur Gravier； in the course of a tour； had persuaded Mademoiselle
Mars to write her name on this album； with Mademoiselles Georges；
Taglioni； and Grisi； and some distinguished actors； such as Frederick
Lemaitre； Monrose； Bouffe； Rubini； Lablache； Nourrit； and Arnal； for
he knew a set of old fellows brought up in the seraglio； as they
phrased it； who did him this favor。
This beginning of a collection was all the more precious to Dinah
because she was the only person for ten leagues round who owned an
album。 Within the last two years； however； several young ladies had
acquired such books； in which they made their friends and
acquaintances write more or less absurd quotations or sentiments。 You
who spend your lives in collecting autographs； simple and happy souls；
like Dutch tulip fanciers； you will excuse Dinah when； in her fear of
not keeping her guests more than two days； she begged Bianchon to
enrich the volume she handed to him with a few lines of his writing。
The doctor made Lousteau smile by showing him this sentence on the
first page：
〃What makes the populace dangerous is that it has in its pocket an
absolution for every crime。
J。 B。 DE CLAGNY。〃
〃We will second the man who is brave enough to plead in favor of the
Monarchy；〃 Desplein's great pupil whispered to Lousteau； and he wrote
below：
〃The distinction between Napoleon and a water…carrier is evident
only to Society； Nature takes no account of it。 Thus Democracy；
which resists inequality； constantly appeals to Nature。
H。 BIANCHON。〃
〃Ah！〃 cried Dinah； amazed； 〃you rich men take a gold piece out of your
purse as poor men bring out a farthing。 。 。 。 I do not know；〃 she went
on； turning to Lousteau； 〃whether it is taking an unfair advantage of
a guest to hope for a few lines〃
〃Nay； madame； you flatter me。 Bianchon is a great man； but I am too
insignificant！Twenty years hence my name will be more difficult to
identify than that of the Public Prosecutor whose axiom； written in
your album； will designate him as an obscurer Montesquieu。 And I
should want at least twenty…four hours to improvise some sufficiently
bitter reflections； for I could only describe what I feel。〃
〃I wish you needed a fortnight；〃 said Madame de la Baudraye
graciously； as she handed him the book。 〃I should keep you here all
the longer。〃
At five next morning all the party in the Chateau d'Anzy were astir；
little La Baudraye having arranged a day's sport for the Parisians
less for their pleasure than to gratify his own conceit。 He was
delighted to make them walk over the twelve hundred acres of waste
land that he was intending to reclaim； an undertaking that would cost
some hundred thousand francs； but which might yield an increase of
thirty to sixty thousand francs a year in the returns of the estate of
Anzy。
〃Do you know why the Public Prosecutor has not come out with us？〃
asked Gatien Boirouge of Monsieur Gravier。
〃Why he told us that he was obliged to sit to…day； the minor cases are
before the Court；〃 replied the other。
〃And did you believe that？〃 cried Gatien。 〃Well； my papa said to me；
'Monsieur Lebas will not join you early； for Monsieur de Clagny has
begged him as his deputy to sit for him！' 〃
〃Indeed！〃 said Gravier； changing countenance。 〃And Monsieur de la
Baudraye is gone to La Charite！〃
〃But why do you meddle in such matters？〃 said Bianchon to Gatien。
〃Horace is right； said Lousteau。 〃I cannot imagine why you trouble
your heads so much about each other； you waste your time in
frivolities。〃
Horace Bianchon looked at Etienne Lousteau； as much as to say that
newspaper epigrams and the satire of the 〃funny column〃 were
incomprehensible at Sancerre。
On reaching a copse； Monsieur Gravier left the two great men and
Gatien； under the guidance of a keeper； to make their way through a
little ravine。
〃Well； we must wait for Monsieur Gravier；〃 said Bianchon； when they
had reached a clearing。
〃You may be a great physician；〃 said Gatien； 〃but you are ignorant of
provincial life。 You mean to wait for Monsieur Gravier？By this time
he is running like a hare； in spite of his little round stomach； he is
within twenty minutes of Anzy by now〃 Gatien looked at his watch。
〃Good！ he will be just in time。〃
〃Where？〃
〃At the chateau for breakfast；〃 replied Gatien。 〃Do you suppose I
could rest easy if Madame de la Baudraye were alone with Monsieur de
Clagny？ There are two of them now； they will keep an eye on each
other。 Dinah will be well guarded。〃
〃Ah； ha！ Then Madame de la Baudraye has not yet made up her mind？〃
said Lousteau。