The young man took his seat, and swallowed a few spoonfuls of soup; then pushed his plate away, crying: "No; it's impossible for me to eat anything." "Very well! then talk to me. Look you, while I am eating, as you don't choose to do the same, you have an excellent opportunity to tell me the story of your loves--with the ungrateful Fanny." "Oh! yes, monsieur, gladly. I will tell you all, and you will see if I am wrong to complain of her inconstancy." "Men are hardly ever wrong. Go on, my dear friend; tell me the whole story; I shall not lose a word of your narrative, because one can listen splendidly while eating." "My name is Gustave Darlemont, and I am twenty-five years old. My parents lived on their income; but in order to obtain the means to live more expensively, they invested all their capital in an annuity." "The devil! rather selfish parents, I should say. If everyone did the same, the word _inheritance_ would be superfluous. Here's a fillet that is worth its weight in gold. Just taste it." "No, thanks, monsieur.--For my part, I find no fault with my parents for doing as they did; they had earned their fortune by their own labor, they had given me a good education: what more could I ask?" "You are delightful! Pardieu! you could ask for money. Let me give you some of this Chateau-Leoville.--It's cool and sweet--it will refresh your ideas. Go on, I beg." "My parents died, and from what they left me in furniture, jewels, and plate, I had an income of twelve hundred francs." "A mere trifle! that's not enough to pay one's tailor. To be sure, there's the alternative of not paying him at all." "I was then seventeen; I didn't know just what business to embrace." "And, pending your decision, you embraced all the pretty girls who came to hand. I know all about that." "Oh! no, monsieur; I was very virtuous; I have never been what is called a lady's man." "So much the worse, young man; so much the worse! There's nothing like women for training the young. You may say that they overtrain them sometimes. But think of the experience they acquire! I might cite myself as an example; but we haven't come to me yet. Go on, my young friend--for I am your friend. Although Aristotle said: 'O my friends, there are no friends!' I maintain that there are. And that's simply a play upon words by the Greek philosopher, to whom, had I been Philip, I would not have intrusted the education of my son Alexander, because of that one assertion.--But I beg your pardon; I am listening." "Luckily, I had an uncle, Monsieur Grandcourt, my mother's brother. He took me into his family. He is rather an original, but kind and obliging. He is not an old man: only about forty-eight now." "So much the worse, so much the worse! You certainly have hard luck in the matter of inheritances. Is this uncle of yours rich?" "Not rich perhaps, but very comfortably fixed, I fancy." "What does he do?" "He's a banker." "Everybody is, more or less."