\"IhavenotwrittenalineintheReveilthisweekpast.\"
\"Verywell.Keepmyshortarticlesinmind.Writefiftyofthemstraightoff,andIwillpayyoufortheminalump;buttheymustbeofthesamecolorasthepaper.\"AndFinot,withseemingcarelessness,gaveLucienanedifyinganecdoteoftheKeeperoftheSeals,apieceofcurrentgossip,hesaid,forthesubjectofoneofthepapers.
Eagertoretrievehislossesatplay,Lucienshookoffhisdejection,summoneduphisenergyandyouthfulforce,andwrotethirtyarticlesoftwocolumnseach.Thesefinished,hewenttoDauriat\'s,partlybecausehefeltsureofmeetingFinotthere,andhewishedtogivethearticlestoFinotinperson;partlybecausehewishedforanexplanationofthenon-appearanceoftheMarguerites.Hefoundthebookseller\'sshopfullofhisenemies.Allthetalkimmediatelyceasedasheentered.Putunderthebanofjournalism,hiscouragerose,andoncemorehesaidtohimself,ashehadsaidinthealleyattheLuxembourg,\"Iwilltriumph.\"
Dauriatwasneitheramiableorinclinedtopatronize;hewassarcasticintone,anddeterminednottobateaninchofhisrights.TheMargueritesshouldappearwhenitsuitedhispurpose;heshouldwaituntilLucienwasinapositiontosecurethesuccessofthebook;itwashis,hehadboughtitoutright.WhenLucienassertedthatDauriatwasboundtopublishtheMargueritesbytheverynatureofthecontract,andtherelativepositionsofthepartiestotheagreement,Dauriatflatlycontradictedhim,saidthatnopublishercouldbecompelledbylawtopublishataloss,andthathehimselfwasthebestjudgeoftheexpediencyofproducingthebook.Therewas,besides,aremedyopentoLucien,asanycourtoflawwouldadmit——thepoetwasquitewelcometotakehisversestoaRoyalistpublisherupontherepaymentofthethousandcrowns.
Lucienwentaway.Dauriat\'smoderatetonehadexasperatedhimevenmorethanhispreviousarroganceattheirfirstinterview.SotheMargueriteswouldnotappearuntilLucienhadfoundahostofformidablesupporters,orgrownformidablehimself!Hewalkedhomeslowly,sooppressedandoutofheartthathefeltreadyforsuicide.