"Pardon me," answered Julien. "I went there to dine once a week with the king's ambassador, who is the most polite of men."
"You went to fetch this cross you see here," said the marquis to him.
"I do not want to make you leave off your black suit, and I have got accustomed to the more amusing tone I have assumed with the man who wears the blue suit.
So understand this until further orders. When I see this cross, you will be my friend, the Duke of Chaulne's younger son, who has been employed in the diplomatic service the last six months without having any idea of it.
Observe," added the marquis very seriously, cutting short all manifestations of thanks, "that I do not want you to forget your place.
That is always a mistake and a misfortune both for patron and for dependent.
When my lawsuits bore you, or when you no longer suit me, I will ask a good living like that of our good friend the abbe Pirard's for you, and nothing more," added the marquis dryly.
This put Julien's pride at its ease. He talked much more. He did not so frequently think himself insulted and aimed at by those phrases which are susceptible of some interpretation which is scarcely polite, and which anybody may give utterance to in the course of an animated conversation.
This cross earned him a singular visit. It was that of the baron de Valenod, who came to Paris to thank the Minister for his barony, and arrive at an understanding with him.
He was going to be nominated mayor of Verrieres, and to supersede M. de Renal.
Julien did not fail to smile to himself when M. Valenod gave him to understand that they had just found out that M. de Renal was a Jacobin.
The fact was that the new baron was the ministerial candidate at the election for which they were all getting ready, and that it was M. de Renal who was the Liberal candidate at the great electoral college of the department, which was, in fact, very ultra.
It was in vain that Julien tried to learn something about madame de Renal. The baron seemed to remember their former rivalry, and was impenetrable.
He concluded by canvassing Julien for his father's vote at the election which was going to take place.
Julien promised to write.
"You ought, monsieur le Chevalier, to present me to M. the marquis de la Mole."
"I ought, as a matter of fact," thought Julien.
"But a rascal like that!"
"As a matter of fact," he answered, "I am too small a personage in the Hotel de la Mole to take it upon myself to introduce anyone."
Julien told the marquis everything.
In the evening he described Valenod's pretensions, as well as his deeds and feats since 1814.
"Not only will you present the new baron to me," replied de la Mole, very seriously, "but I will invite him to dinner for the day after to-morrow.
He will be one of our new prefects."
"If that is the case, I ask for my father the post of director of the workhouse," answered Julien, coldly.
"With pleasure," answered the marquis gaily. "It shall be granted.
I was expecting a lecture.
You are getting on."
M. de Valenod informed Julien that the manager of the lottery office at Verrieres had just died. Julien thought it humorous to give that place to M. de Cholin, the old dotard whose petition he had once picked up in de la Mole's room.
The marquis laughed heartily at the petition, which Julien recited as he made him sign the letter which requested that appointment of the minister of finance.
M. de Cholin had scarcely been nominated, when Julien learnt that that post had been asked by the department for the celebrated geometrician, monsieur Gros.
That generous man had an income of only 1400 francs, and every year had lent 600 to the late manager who had just died, to help him bring up his family.
Julien was astonished at what he had done.
"That's nothing," he said to himself.
"It will be necessary to commit several other injustices if I mean to get on, and also to conceal them beneath pretty, sentimental speeches.
Poor monsieur Gros!
It is he who deserves the cross.
It is I who have it, and I ought to conform to the spirit of the Government which gives it me." _____
CHAPTER XXXVIII
WHAT IS THE DECORATION WHICH CONFERS DISTINCTION? _____
"Thy water refreshes me not," said the transformed genie.
"'Tis nevertheless the freshest well in all Diar-Bekir"—Pellico. _____
One day Julien had just returned from the charming estate of Villequier on the banks of the Seine, which was the especial subject of M. de la Mole's interest because it was the only one of all his properties which had belonged to the celebrated Boniface de la Mole.
He found the marquise and her daughter, who had just come back from Hyeres, in the hotel.
Julien was a dandy now, and understood the art of Paris life.
He manifested a perfect coldness towards mademoiselle de la Mole.
He seemed to have retained no recollection of the day when she had asked him so gaily for details of his fall from his horse.
Mademoiselle de la Mole thought that he had grown taller and paler.
There was no longer anything of the provincial in his figure or his appearance. It was not so with his conversation. Too much of the serious and too much of the positive element were still noticeable.
In spite of these sober qualities, his conversation, thanks to his pride, was destitute of any trace of the subordinate. One simply felt that there were still too many things which he took seriously.
But one saw that he was the kind of man to stick to his guns.