Милый друг
Attainment
Thesoundofstifledsobscausedseveraltoturntheirheads.Mme.Walterwasweeping,herfaceburiedinherhands.Shehadbeenobligedtoyield;butsincethedayonwhichshehadtoldDuRoy:"YouarethevilestmanIknow;neverspeaktomeagain,forIwillnotansweryou,"shehadsufferedintolerableanguish.ShehatedSuzannebitterly;herhatredwascausedbyunnaturaljealousy.Thebishopwasmarryingadaughtertohermother’slover,beforeherandtwothousandpersons,andshecouldsaynothing;shecouldnotstophim.Shecouldnotcry:"Heismine,thatmanismylover.Thatunionyouareblessingisinfamous."
Severalladies,touchedbyherapparentgrief,murmured:"Howaffectedthatpoormotheris!"
Thebishopsaid:"Youareamongthefavoredonesoftheearth.You,sir,whoareraisedaboveothersbyyourtalent—youwhowrite,instruct,counsel,guidethepeople,haveagrandmissiontofulfill—afineexampletoset."
DuRoylistenedtohimproudly.AprelateoftheRomanChurchspokethustohim.Anumberofillustriouspeoplehadcomethitheronhisaccount.Itseemedtohimthataninvisiblepowerwasimpellinghimon.Hewouldbecomeoneofthemastersofthecountry—he,thesonofthepoorpeasantsofCanteleu.HehadgivenhisparentsfivethousandfrancsofCountdeVaudrec’sfortuneandheintendedsendingthemfiftythousandmore;thentheycouldbuyasmallestateandlivehappily.
