“Which proves that our language is eminently adapted for music,” said Adrien.
“I should like very much to hear the poetry that has cost Naïs her reputation,” said Zéphirine; “but after receiving Amélie’s request in such a way, it is not very likely that she will give us a specimen.”
“She ought to have them recited in justice to herself,” said Francis. “The little fellow’s genius is his sole justification.”
“You have been in the diplomatic service,” said Amélie to M. du Châtelet, “go and manage it somehow.”
“Nothing easier,” said the Baron.
The Princess’ private secretary, being accustomed to petty manoeuvres of this kind, went to the Bishop and contrived to bring him to the fore. At the Bishop’s entreaty, Naïs had no choice but to ask Lucien to recite his own verses for them, and the Baron received a languishing smile from Amélie as the reward of his prompt success.
“Decidedly, the Baron is a very clever man,” she observed to Lolotte.
But Amélie’s previous acidulous remark about women who made their own dresses rankled in Lolotte’s mind.
“Since when have you begun to recognize the Emperor’s barons?” she asked, smiling.
Lucien had essayed to deify his beloved in an ode, dedicated to her under a title in favor with all lads who write verse after leaving school. This ode, so fondly cherished, so beautiful—since it was the outpouring of all the love in his heart, seemed to him to be the one piece of his own work that could hold its own with Chénier’s verse; and with a tolerably fatuous glance at Mme. de Bargeton, he announced “TO HER!” He struck an attitude proudly for the delivery of the ambitious piece, for his author’s self-love felt safe and at ease behind Mme. de Bargeton’s petticoat. And at the selfsame moment Mme. de Bargeton betrayed her own secret to the women’s curious eyes. Although she had always looked down upon this audience from her own loftier intellectual heights, she could not help trembling for Lucien. Her face was troubled, there was a sort of mute appeal for indulgence in her glances, and while the verses were recited she was obliged to lower her eyes and dissemble her pleasure as stanza followed stanza.