"It is a serious matter, all the same!" said the uncle, after debating with himself as to where he should dine. "He will break her heart as he said, immured yonder within his four walls!--Ah! it was hardly worth while to handle her affairs so cleverly for a Gochard to come on the scenes and spoil everything, the rascal! For myself, I pity the little Marianne!--Her plan of battle was excellently arranged, well disposed and admirably put together! It was superb! And it failed!--Come, it amounts to this in everything: it is said that the pursuit of a great art is to ply the trade of a dupe! Destiny lacks morality! We should perhaps be happier, both, if she were simply a _cocotte_ and I engaged in photography!--But!" the brave fellow added: "one has lofty ideas, as-pi-ra-tions, or one has not!--One cannot remake one's self when one is an artist!" PARIS, 1880-1881. * * * * * _This little, pale, blond man seemed, in the growing darkness, like a portrait of former days stepped forth from its frame._ _His hand of steel again seized Marianne's wrists._ [Illustration: MARIANNE HEARS HER SENTENCE OF BANISHMENT] List of Illustrations PAGE IN THE GREENROOM OF THE OPERA _Fronts._ VAUDREY MEETS MARIANNE IN THE BOIS 216 SULPICE BECOMES SURETY FOR MARIANNE 272 THE BANQUET 376 MARIANNE HEARS HER SENTENCE OF BANISHMENT 544 [Transcriber's Note: Illustrations have been moved to appropriate positions.] [Transcriber's Note: The following apparent misprints have been corrected for this electronic edition: "antechamber"--from "ante-chamber" "knickknacks"--from "knick-knacks" "of the Opera house"--from "of the Opera house" "wings of the Opera"--from "wings of the Opera" "wrote Monsieur J.-J. Weiss in the Journal des Debats"--from "Debats" "The President awaited at the Elysee"--from "Elysee" "above all, my dear Vaudrey, do not fear to appear"--from "Vaudrey, "do not fear" "He shut his eyes to picture Marianne."--from ""He shut his eyes" "asserting the virginity of his efforts"--from "assertting" "There was a council to be held at the Elysee"--from "Elysee" "he took it himself to the President at the Elysee."--from "Elysee" "He had already been informed at the Elysee"--from "Elysee" "Along the grand avenue of the Champs-Elysees"--from "Champs-Elysees" "The solitude of the Champs-Elysees pleased him."--from "Champs-Elysees"] End of Project Gutenberg's His Excellency the Minister, by Jules Claretie