Claude and Christine were the first to arrive.  The latter had put on her only silk dress—­an old, worn-out garment which she preserved with especial care for such occasions.  Henriette at once took hold of both her hands and drew her to a sofa.  She was very fond of her, and questioned her, seeing her so strange, touchingly pale, and with anxious eyes.  What was the matter?  Did she feel poorly?  No, no, she answered that she was very gay and very pleased to come; but while she spoke, she kept on glancing at Claude, as if to study him, and then looked away.  He seemed excited, evincing a feverishness in his words and gestures which he had not shown for a month past.  At intervals, however, his agitation subsided, and he remained silent, with his eyes wide open, gazing vacantly into space at something which he fancied was calling him.

‘Ah! old man,’ he said to Sandoz, ’I finished reading your book last night.  It’s deucedly clever; you have shut up their mouths this time!’

They both talked standing in front of the chimney-piece, where some logs were blazing.  Sandoz had indeed just published a new novel, and although his critics did not disarm, there was at last that stir of success which establishes a man’s reputation despite the persistent attacks of his adversaries.  Besides, he had no illusions; he knew very well that the battle, even if it were won, would begin again at each fresh book he wrote.  The great work of his life was advancing, that series of novels which he launched forth in volumes one after another in stubborn, regular fashion, marching towards the goal he had selected without letting anything, obstacles, insults, or fatigue, conquer him.

‘It’s true,’ he gaily replied, ’they are weakening this time.  There’s even one who has been foolish enough to admit that I’m an honest man!  See how everything degenerates!  But they’ll make up for it, never fear!  I know some of them whose nuts are too much unlike my own to let them accept my literary formula, my boldness of language, and my physiological characters acting under the influence of circumstances; and I refer to brother writers who possess self-respect; I leave the fools and the scoundrels on one side.  For a man to be able to work on pluckily, it is best for him to expect neither good faith nor justice.  To be in the right he must begin by dying.’

At this Claude’s eyes abruptly turned towards a corner of the drawing-room, as if to pierce the wall and go far away yonder, whither something had summoned him.  Then they became hazy and returned from their journey, whilst he exclaimed: 

’Oh! you speak for yourself!  I should do wrong to kick the bucket.  No matter, your book sent me into a deuced fever.  I wanted to paint to-day, but I couldn’t.  Ah! it’s lucky that I can’t get jealous of you, else you would make me too unhappy.’