ng empty for the most part during the entr'acte； Monsieur Dorlange saw at some distance the celebrated sculptor Stidmann； and went up to him。
〃Have you a note…book of any kind in your pocket？〃 he said。
〃Yes； I always carry one。〃
〃Will you lend it to me and let me tear out a page？ I have an idea in my mind which I don't want to lose。 If I do not see you again after the play to make restitution； I will send it to you to…morrow morning without fail。〃
Returning to his place； Monsieur Dorlange sketched something rapidly； and when the curtain rose and the two gentlemen returned to their seats； he touched the Duc de Rhetore lightly on the shoulder and said； giving him the drawing：
〃My card； which I have the honor to present to you。〃
This 〃card〃 was a charming sketch of an architectural design placed in a landscape。 Beneath it was written 〃Plan for a mausoleum to be erected to the memory of Madame Marie…Gaston； /nee/ Chaulieu； by her husband； from the designs of Charles Dorlange； sculptor； 42 rue de l'Ouest。〃
It was impossible to let Monsieur de Rhetore know more delicately that he had to do with a suitable adversary； and you will remark； my dear Monsieur Gaston； that Monsieur Dorlange made this drawing the means of enforcing his denial and giving proof of your disinterestedness and the sincerity of your grief。
After the play was over； Monsieur de Rhetore parted from Monsieur de Ronquerolles； and the latter went up to Monsieur Dorlange and endeavored； very courteously； to bring about a reconciliation； remarking to him that； while he was right in the subject…matter； his method of proceeding was unusual and offensive； Monsieur de Rhetore； on the other hand； had shown great moderation； and would now be satisfied with a mere expression of regret； in short； Monsieur de Ronquerolles said all that can be said on such an occasion。
Monsieur Dorlange would not listen to anything which seemed a submission on his part； and the next day he received a visit from Monsieur de Ronquerolles and General Montriveau on behalf of the Duc de Rhetore。 Again an effort was made to induce Monsieur Dorlange to give another turn to his words。 But your friend would not depart from this ultimatum：
〃Will Monsieur de Rhetore withdraw the words I felt bound to notice； if so； I will withdraw mine。〃
〃But that is impossible；〃 they said to him。 〃Monsieur de Rhetore has been personally insulted； you； on the contrary； have not been。 Right or wrong； he has the conviction that Monsieur Marie…Gaston has done him an injury。 We must always make certain allowances for wounded self…interests； you can never get absolute justice from them。〃
〃It comes to this； then；〃 replied Monsieur Dorlange； 〃that Monsieur de Rhetore may continue to calumniate my friend at his ease； in the first place； because he is in Italy； and secondly； because Marie…Gaston would always feel extreme repugnance to come to certain extremities with the brother of his wife。 It is precisely that powerlessness； relatively speaking； to defend himself； which constitutes my rightI will say moremy duty to interfere。 It was not without a special permission of Providence that I was enabled to catch a few of the malicious words that were said of him； and； as Monsieur de Rhetore declines to modify any of them； we must； if it please you； continue this matter to the end。〃
The duel then became inevitable； the terms were arranged in the course of the day； and the meeting； with pistols； was appointed for the day after。 On the ground Monsieur Dorlange was perfectly cool。 When the first fire was exchanged without result； the seconds proposed to put an end to the affair。
〃No； one more shot！〃 he said gaily； as if he were shooting in a pistol…gallery。
This time he was shot in the fleshy part of the thigh； not a dangerous wound； but one which caused him to lose a great deal of blood。 As they carried him to the carriage which brought him； Monsieur de Rhetore； who hastened to assist them； being close beside him； he said； aloud：
〃This does not prevent Marie…Gaston from being a man of honor and a heart of gold。〃
Then he fainted。
This duel； as you can well believe； has made a great commotion； Monsieur Dorlange has been the hero of the hour for the last two days； it is impossible to enter a single salon without finding him the one topic of conversation。 I heard more； perhaps； in the salon of Madame de Montcornet than elsewhere。 She receives； as you know； many artists and men of letters； and to give you an idea of the manner in which your friend is considered； I need only stenograph a conversation at which I was present in the countess's salon last evening。
The chief talkers were Emile Blondet of the 〃Debats；〃 and Monsieur Bixiou； the caricaturist； one of the best…informed /ferrets/ of Paris。 They are both； I think； acquaintances of yours； but； at any rate； I am certain of your intimacy with Joseph Bridau； our great painter； who shared in the talk； for I well remember that he and Daniel d'Arthez were the witnesses of your marriage。
〃The first appearance of Dorlange in art；〃 Joseph Bridau was saying； when I joined them； 〃was fine； the makings of a master were already so apparent in the work he did for his examinations that the Academy； under pressure of opinion； decided to crown himthough he laughed a good deal at its programme。〃
〃True；〃 said Bixiou； 〃and that 'Pandora' he exhibited in 1837； after his return from Rome； is also a very remarkable figure。 But as she won him； at once； the cross and any number of commissions from the government and the municipality； together with scores of flourishing articles in the newspapers； I don't see how he can rise any higher after all that success。〃
〃That；〃 said Blondet； 〃is a regular Bixiou opinion。〃
〃No doubt； and well…founded it is。 Do you know the man？〃
〃No； he is never seen anywhere。〃
〃Exactly； he is a bear； but a premeditated bear； a reflecting and determined bear。〃
〃I don't see；〃 said Joseph Bridau； 〃why this savage inclination for solitude should be so bad for an artist。 What does a sculptor gain by frequenting salons where gentlemen and ladies have taken to a habit of wearing clothes？〃
〃Well； in the first place； a sculptor can amuse himself in a salon； and that will keep him from taking up a mania； or becoming a visionary； besides； he sees the world as it is； and learns that 1839 is not the fifteenth nor the sixteenth century。〃
〃Has Dorlange any such delusions？〃 asked Emile Blondet。
〃He？ he will talk to you by the hour of returning to the life of the great artists of the middle ages with the universality of their studies and their knowledge； and that frightfully laborious life of theirs； which may help us to understand the habits and ways of a semi… barbarous society； but can never exist in ours。 He does not see； the innocent dreamer； that civilization； by strangely complicating all social conditions； absorbs for business； for interests； for pleasures； thrice as much time as a less advanced society required for the same purposes。 Look at the savage in his hut； he hasn't anything to do。 Whereas we； with the Bourse； the opera； the newspapers； parliamentary discussions； salons； elections； railways； the Cafe de Paris and the National Guardwhat time have we； if you please； to go to work？〃
〃Beautiful theory of a do…nothing！〃 cried Emile Blondet； laughing。
〃No； my dear fellow； I am talking truth。 The curfew no longer rings at nine o'clock。 Only last night my concierge Ravenouillet gave a party； and I think I made a great mistake in not accepting the indirect invitation he gave me to be present。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃 said Joseph Bridau； 〃it is certain that if a man doesn't mingle in the business； the interests； and the pleasures of our epoch； he can make out of the time he thus saves a pretty capital。 Independently of his orders； Dorlange has； I think； a little competence； so that nothing hinders him from arranging his life to suit himself。〃
〃But you see he goes to the opera； for it was there he found his duel。 Besides； you are all wrong in representing him as isolated from this contemporaneous life； for I happen to know that he is just about to harness himself to it by the most rattling and compelling chains of the social systemI mean political interests。〃
〃Does he want to be a statesman？〃 asked Emile Blondet； sarcastically。
〃Yes； no doubt that's in his famous programme of universality； and you ought to see the consistency and perseverance he puts into that idea！ Only last year two hundred and fifty thousand francs dropped into his mouth as if from the skies； and he instantly bought a hovel in the rue Saint…Martin to make himself eligible for the Chamber。 Thenanother pretty speculationwith the rest of the money he bought stock in the 'National；' where I meet him every time I want to have a laugh over the republican Utopia。 He has his flatterers on the staff of that estimable newspaper； they have persuaded him that he's a born orator and can cut the finest figure in the Chamber。 They even talk of getting up a candidacy for him； and on some of their enthusiastic days they go so far as to assert that he bears a distant likeness to Danton。〃
〃But this is getting burlesque；〃 said Emile Blondet。
I don't know if you have ever remarked； my dear Monsieur Gaston； that in men of real talent there is always great leniency of judgment。 In this； Joseph Bridau is pre…eminent。
〃I think with you；〃 he said； 〃that if Dorlange takes this step； and enters politics； he will be lost to art。 But； after all； why should he not succeed in the Chamber？ He expresses himself with great facility； and seems to me to have ideas at his command。 Look at Canalis when he was made deputy！ 'What！ a poet！' everybody cried out；which didn't prevent him from making himself a fine reputation as orator； and becoming a minister。〃
〃But the first question is how to get into the Chamber；〃 said Emile Blondet。 〃Where does Dorlange propose to stand？〃
〃Why； naturally； for one of the rotten boroughs of the 'National。' I don't know if it has yet been chosen。〃
〃General rule；〃 said the writer for the 〃Debats。〃 〃To obtain your election； even though you may have the support of an active and ardent party； you must also have a somewhat extended political notoriety；