Canalis，excessivelydelightedattheideaofarichmarriage，wasdeterminedtoneglectnothingthatmighthelphimtocutoutLaBriere，without，however，givingLaBriereachancetoreproachhimforhavingviolatedthelawsoffriendship。Thepoetfeltthatnothingwouldloweraloversomuchintheeyesofayounggirlastoexhibithiminasubordinateposition;andhethereforeproposedtoLaBriere，inthemostnaturalmanner，totakealittlecountry—houseatIngouvilleforamonth，andlivetheretogetheronpretenceofrequiringsea—air。AssoonasLaBriere，whoatfirstsawnothingamissintheproposal，hadconsented，Canalisdeclaredthatheshouldpayallexpenses，andhesenthisvalettoHavre，tellinghimtoseeMonsieurLatournelleandgethisassistanceinchoosingthehouse，——
wellawarethatthenotarywouldrepeatallparticularstotheMignons。ErnestandCanalishad，asmaywellbesupposed，talkedoveralltheaspectsoftheaffair，andtheratherprolixErnesthadgivenagoodmanyusefulhintstohisrival。Thevalet，understandinghismaster’swishes，fulfilledthemtotheletter;hetrumpetedthearrivalofthegreatpoet，forwhomthedoctorsadvisedsea—airtorestorehishealth，injuredasitwasbythedoubletoilsofliteratureandpolitics。Thisimportantpersonagewantedahouse，whichmusthaveatleastsuchandsuchanumberofrooms，ashewouldbringwithhimasecretary，cook，twoservants，andacoachman，notcountinghimself，GermainBonnet，thevalet。Thecarriage，selectedandhiredforamonthbyCanalis，wasaprettyone;andGermainsetaboutfindingapairoffinehorseswhichwouldalsoanswerassaddle—
horses，——for，ashesaid，monsieurlebaronandhissecretarytookhorsebackexercise。UndertheeyesoflittleLatournelle，whowentwithhimtovarioushouses，Germainmadeagooddealoftalkaboutthesecretary，rejectingtwoorthreebecausetherewasnosuitableroomforMonsieurdeLaBriere。
\"Monsieurlebaron，\"hesaidtothenotary，\"makeshissecretaryquitehisbestfriend。Ah！IshouldbewellscoldedifMonsieurdeLaBrierewasnotaswelltreatedasmonsieurlebaronhimself;andafterall，youknow，MonsieurdeLaBriereisalawyerinmymaster’scourt。\"
Germainneverappearedinpublicunlesspunctiliouslydressedinblack，withspotlessgloves，well—polishedboots，andotherwiseaswellapparelledasalawyer。ImaginetheeffectheproducedinHavre，andtheideapeopletookofthegreatpoetfromthissampleofhim！