Union　and　oblivion。
  The　anxious　jocularity　of　a　man　who　is　expending　two　thousand　crowns
  sat　on　their　host。　His　eyes　turned　impatiently　towards　the　door　from
  time　to　time；　seeking　one　of　his　guests　who　kept　him　waiting。　Very
  soon　a　stout　little　person　appeared；　who　was　greeted　by　a
  complimentary　murmur；　it　was　the　notary　who　had　invented　the　newspaper
  that　very　morning。　A　valet…de…chambre　in　black　opened　the　doors　of　a
  vast　dining…room；　whither　every　one　went　without　ceremony；　and　took
  his　place　at　an　enormous　table。
  Raphael　took　a　last　look　round　the　room　before　he　left　it。　His　wish
  had　been　realized　to　the　full。　The　rooms　were　adorned　with　silk　and
  gold。　Countless　wax　tapers　set　in　handsome　candelabra　lit　up　the
  slightest　details　of　gilded　friezes；　the　delicate　bronze　sculpture；
  and　the　splendid　colors　of　the　furniture。　The　sweet　scent　of　rare
  flowers；　set　in　stands　tastefully　made　of　bamboo；　filled　the　air。
  Everything；　even　the　curtains；　was　pervaded　by　elegance　without
  pretension；　and　there　was　a　certain　imaginative　charm　about　it　all
  which　acted　like　a　spell　on　the　mind　of　a　needy　man。
  〃An　income　of　a　hundred　thousand　livres　a　year　is　a　very　nice
  beginning　of　the　catechism；　and　a　wonderful　assistance　to　putting
  morality　into　our　actions；〃　he　said；　sighing。　〃Truly　my　sort　of　virtue
  can　scarcely　go　afoot；　and　vice　means；　to　my　thinking；　a　garret；　a
  threadbare　coat；　a　gray　hat　in　winter　time；　and　sums　owing　to　the
  porter。　。　。　。　I　should　like　to　live　in　the　lap　of　luxury　a　year；　or
  six　months；　no　matter！　And　then　afterwards；　die。　I　should　have　known；
  exhausted；　and　consumed　a　thousand　lives；　at　any　rate。〃
  〃Why；　you　are　taking　the　tone　of　a　stockbroker　in　good　luck；〃　said
  Emile；　who　overheard　him。　〃Pooh！　your　riches　would　be　a　burden　to　you
  as　soon　as　you　found　that　they　would　spoil　your　chances　of　coming　out
  above　the　rest　of　us。　Hasn't　the　artist　always　kept　the　balance　true
  between　the　poverty　of　riches　and　the　riches　of　poverty？　And　isn't
  struggle　a　necessity　to　some　of　us？　Look　out　for　your　digestion；　and
  only　look；〃　he　added；　with　a　mock…heroic　gesture；　〃at　the　majestic；
  thrice　holy；　and　edifying　appearance　of　this　amiable　capitalist's
  dining…room。　That　man　has　in　reality　only　made　his　money　for　our
  benefit。　Isn't　he　a　kind　of　sponge　of　the　polyp　order；　overlooked　by
  naturalists；　which　should　be　carefully　squeezed　before　he　is　left　for
  his　heirs　to　feed　upon？　There　is　style；　isn't　there；　about　those　bas…
  reliefs　that　adorn　the　walls？　And　the　lustres；　and　the　pictures；　what
  luxury　well　carried　out！　If　one　may　believe　those　who　envy　him；　or　who
  know；　or　think　they　know；　the　origins　of　his　life；　then　this　man　got
  rid　of　a　German　and　some　othershis　best　friend　for　one；　and　the
  mother　of　that　friend；　during　the　Revolution。　Could　you　house　crimes
  under　the　venerable　Taillefer's　silvering　locks？　He　looks　to　me　a　very
  worthy　man。　Only　see　how　the　silver　sparkles；　and　is　every　glittering
  ray　like　a　stab　of　a　dagger　to　him？　。　。　。　Let　us　go　in；　one　might　as
  well　believe　in　Mahomet。　If　common　report　speak　truth；　here　are　thirty
  men　of　talent；　and　good　fellows　too；　prepared　to　dine　off　the　flesh
  and　blood　of　a　whole　family；　。　。　。　and　here　are　we　ourselves；　a　pair
  of　youngsters　full　of　open…hearted　enthusiasm；　and　we　shall　be
  partakers　in　his　guilt。　I　have　a　mind　to　ask　our　capitalist　whether　he
  is　a　respectable　character。　。　。　。〃
  〃No；　not　now；〃　cried　Raphael；　〃but　when　he　is　dead　drunk；　we　shall
  have　had　our　dinner　then。〃
  The　two　friends　sat　down　laughing。　First　of　all；　by　a　glance　more
  rapid　than　a　word；　each　paid　his　tribute　of　admiration　to　the　splendid
  general　effect　of　the　long　table；　white　as　a　bank　of　freshly…fallen
  snow；　with　its　symmetrical　line　of　covers；　crowned　with　their　pale
  golden　rolls　of　bread。　Rainbow　colors　gleamed　in　the　starry　rays　of
  light　reflected　by　the　glass；　the　lights　of　the　tapers　crossed　and
  recrossed　each　other　indefinitely；　the　dishes　covered　with　their
  silver　domes　whetted　both　appetite　and　curiosity。
  Few　words　were　spoken。　Neighbors　exchanged　glances　as　the　Maderia
  circulated。　Then　the　first　course　appeared　in　all　its　glory；　it　would
  have　done　honor　to　the　late　Cambaceres；　Brillat…Savarin　would　have
  celebrated　it。　The　wines　of　Bordeaux　and　Burgundy；　white　and　red；　were
  royally　lavished。　This　first　part　of　the　banquet　might　been　compared
  in　every　way　to　a　rendering　of　some　classical　tragedy。　The　second　act
  grew　a　trifle　noisier。　Every　guest　had　had　a　fair　amount　to　drink；　and
  had　tried　various　crus　at　this　pleasure；　so　that　as　the　remains　of　the
  magnificent　first　course　were　removed；　tumultuous　discussions　began；　a
  pale　brow　here　and　there　began　to　flush；　sundry　noses　took　a　purpler
  hue；　faces　lit　up；　and　eyes　sparkled。
  While　intoxication　was　only　dawning；　the　conversation　did　not　overstep
  the　bounds　of　civility；　but　banter　and　bon　mots　slipped　by　degrees
  from　every　tongue；　and　then　slander　began　to　rear　its　little　snake's
  heard；　and　spoke　in　dulcet　tones；　a　few　shrewd　ones　here　and　there
  gave　heed　to　it；　hoping　to　keep　their　heads。　So　the　second　course
  found　their　minds　somewhat　heated。　Every　one　ate　as　he　spoke；　spoke
  while　he　ate；　and　drank　without　heeding　the　quantity　of　the　liquor；
  the　wine　was　so　biting；　the　bouquet　so　fragrant；　the　example　around　so
  infectious。　Taillefer　made　a　point　of　stimulating　his　guests；　and
  plied　them　with　the　formidable　wines　of　the　Rhone；　with　fierce　Tokay；
  and　heady　old　Roussillon。
  The　champagne；　impatiently　expected　and　lavishly　poured　out；　was　a
  scourge　of　fiery　sparks　to　these　men；　released　like　post…horses　from
  some　mail…coach　by　a　relay；　they　let　their　spirits　gallop　away　into
  the　wilds　of　argument　to　which　no　one　listened；　began　to　tell　stories
  which　had　no　auditors；　and　repeatedly　asked　questions　to　which　no
  answer　was　made。　Only　the　loud　voice　of　wassail　could　be　heard；　a
  voice　made　up　of　a　hundred　confused　clamors；　which　rose　and　grew　like
  a　crescendo　of　Rossini's。　Insidious　toasts；　swagger；　and　challenges
  followed。
  Each　renounced　any　pride　in　his　own　intellectual　capacity；　in　order　to
  vindicate　that　of　hogsheads；　casks；　and　vats；　and　each　made　noise
  enough　for　two。　A　time　came　when　the　footmen　smiled；　while　their
  masters　all　talked　at　once。　A　philosopher　would　have　been　interested；
  doubtless；　by　the　singularity　of　the　thoughts　expressed；　a　politician
  would　have　been　amazed　by　the　incongruity　of　the　methods　discussed　in
  the　melee　of　words　or　doubtfully　luminous　paradoxes；　where　truths；
  grotesquely　caparisoned；　met　in　conflict　across　the　uproar　of　brawling
  judgments；　of　arbitrary　decisions　and　folly；　much　as　bullets；　shells；
  and　grapeshot　are　hurled　across　a　battlefield。
  It　was　at　once　a　volume　and　a　picture。　Every　philosophy；　religion；　and
  moral　code　differing　so　greatly　in　every　latitude；　every　government；
  every　great　achievement　of　the　human　intellect；　fell　before　a　scythe
  as　long　as　Time's　own；　and　you　might　have　found　it　hard　to　decide
  whether　it　was　wielded　by　Gravity　intoxicated；　or　by　Inebriation　grown
  sober　and　clear…sighted。　Borne　away　by　a　kind　of　tempest；　their　minds；
  like　the　sea　raging　against　the　cliffs；　seemed　ready　to　shake　the　laws
  which　confine　the　ebb　and　flow　of　civilization；　unconsciously
  fulfilling　the　will　of　God；　who　has　suffered　evil　and　good　to　abide　in
  nature；　and　reserved　the　secret　of　their　continual　strife　to　Himself。
  A　frantic　travesty　of　debate　ensued；　a　Walpurgis…revel　of　intellects。
  Between　the　dreary　jests　of　these　children　of　the　Revolution　over　the
  inauguration　of　a　newspaper；　and　the　talk　of　the　joyous　gossips　at
  Gargantua's　birth；　stretched　the　gulf　that　divides　the　nineteenth
  century　from　the　sixteenth。　Laughingly　they　had　begun　the　work　of
  destruction；　and　our　journalists　laughed　amid　the　ruins。
  〃What　is　the　name　of　that　young　man　over　there？〃　said　the　notary；
  indicating　Raphael。　〃I　thought　I　heard　some　one　call　him　Valentin。〃
  〃What　stuff　is　this？〃　said　Emile；　laughing；　〃plain　Valentin；　say　you？
  Raphael　DE　Valentin；　if　you　please。　We　bear　an　eagle　or；　on　a　field
  sable；　with　a　silver　crown；　beak　and　claws　gules；　and　a　fine　motto：
  NON　CECIDIT　ANIMUS。　We　are　no　foundling　child；　but　a　descendant　of　the
  Emperor　Valens；　of　the　stock　of　the　Valentinois；　founders　of　the
  cities　of　Valence　in　France；　and　Valencia　in　Spain；　rightful　heirs　to
  the　Empire　of　the　East。　If　we　suffer　Mahmoud　on　the　throne　of
  Byzantium；　it　is　out　of　pure　condescension；　and　for　lack　of　funds　and
  soldiers。〃
  With　a　fork　flourished　above　Raphael's　head；　Emile　outlined　a　crown
  upon　it。　The　notary　bethought　himself　a　moment；　but　soon　fell　to
  drinking　again；　with　a　gesture　peculiar　to　himself；　it　was　quite
  impossible；　it　seemed　to　say　to　secure　in　his　clientele　the　cities　of
  Valence　and　Byzantium；　the　Emperor　Valens；　Mahmoud；　and　the　house　of
  Valentinois。
  〃Should　not　the　destruction　of　those　ant…hills；　Babylon；　Tyre；
  Carthage；　and　Venice；　each　crushed　beneath　the　foot　of　a　passing
  giant；　serve　as　a　warning　to　man；　vouchsafed　by　some　mocking　power？〃
  said　Claude　Vignon；　who　must　play　the　Bossuet；　as　a　sort　of　purchased
  slave；　at　the　rate　of　fivepence　a　line。
  〃Perhaps　Moses；　Sylla；　Louis　XI。；　Richelieu；　Ro