"These parties where you talk without saying anything; where you make acquaintances, but not friends; where you go because you have nothing else to do, rather than for pleasure,--I am tired of the whole business. I have been going into society only two years and a half, and I am sick of it already. This is my plan----" "Do you mean to become a hermit?" "No; but I mean to leave Paris for some time; I mean to travel, to visit different countries; in that way, by comparing the manners and customs of the different peoples, by admiring the wonders and beauties of nature, a man can best form his mind and his judgment and increase his store of knowledge; and in that way the heart is made acquainted with pleasures which it could never know in these worldly gatherings, inspired by idleness and governed by etiquette." "Powerfully argued!" cried Dubourg, rising from his reclining-chair; "you must travel, my dear fellow, there is nothing better for the young. But when a man travels alone, he is always bored to death; one can't be more than half happy when he has no one to whom he can impart the sentiments inspired by a beautiful landscape, an ancient monument, or an imposing ruin! Besides, you are too young to run about the world alone; you need a companion who is wise, well informed, and, above all, experienced; well, my friend, I offer myself as your mentor." "I was about to make the same suggestion, my dear Dubourg." "Parbleu! I accept with great pleasure." "But is there nothing to keep you in Paris?" "Oh! nothing at all, not even a cot-bed." "No affair of the heart?" "Oh! with respect to affairs of the heart, I am not like you! I will form attachments as we go along, or, better still, I'll give them up altogether. My mind is made up; I propose to be virtuous and orderly; you will be edified by my behavior." "Well, then, my dear Dubourg, it is settled that we travel together." "There is just one little difficulty left: suppose your father doesn't want you to travel?" "Oh! I don't think that he'll object; I have already mentioned the subject to him, and he seemed to approve of it." "Then everything will go as nicely as possible; but will you tell him that you are going to take me?" "Why not? I shall say that a friend of mine, who is also about to travel, will be able to accompany me for some time." "All right; arrange it as best you can; if necessary, you can present me to your father, who hardly knows me, and you will see what a dignified and imposing manner I can assume. Above all things, don't mention little Delphine, or my aunt, or my supposed marriage, or my triplets." "Never fear." "As for my family, if it isn't noble, that doesn't prevent its being as good as the Comte de Montreville's, and very highly esteemed in Bretagne." "Oh! mon Dieu! I know all that."