Summary The Lost Illusions
O. de Balzac The
Lost Illusions
To feed illusions is the fate of the provincials. Lucien Chardon was originally from Angouleme. His father, a simple apothecary, in 1793, miraculously saved the girl de Rubambre, the last representative of this noble family, from the scaffold, and was thereby entitled to marry her. Their children, Lucien and Eve, inherited the marvelous beauty of their mother. Chardons lived in great need, but Lucien was helped to stand on his feet by his best friend – the owner of the printing house David Sechar. These young men were born for great achievements, but Lucien overshadowed David with the brilliance of gifts and dazzling looks – he was handsome and a poet. The local secular lioness Mme. De Bergelton drew attention to him and began to invite to her house a great displeasure with the arrogant local aristocracy. More than others, Baron Sixtes du Chatelet, a man of no manners, but who managed to make a career and who had his views on Louise
In the capital, the paths of Lucien and Madame de Bergeret dispersed – provincial love, unable to withstand the first contact with Paris, quickly developed into hatred. The Marquise d’Espard, one of the most influential ladies of the Saint-Germain suburb, did not refuse to protect her cousin, but she demanded the removal of the absurd youngster, whom she had the nonsense to bring with her. Lucien, comparing her “divine” Louise with secular beauties, was already ready to change it – but here the efforts of the Marquise and the omnipresent Sixt du Chatelet are expelled from a decent society in disgrace. The unfortunate poet had high hopes for the collection of sonnets “Margaritas” and the historical novel “The Archer of Charles IX” – it turned out that in Paris it is full of its rhymes and scribblers, and therefore it is extremely difficult for the beginning author to break through.
In a cheap student canteen, he meets two young people – Daniel d’Artez and Etienne Lusto. The fate of a weak-willed poet depends on what choice he makes. At first Lucien attracts Daniel, a brilliant writer who works in silence, despising worldly vanity and momentary glory. Friends of Daniel, albeit with hesitation, but take Lucien in his circle. In this elected society of thinkers and artists, equality reigns: the young men unselfishly help each other and warmly welcome any success of a fellow man. But they all are in poverty, and Lucien is attracted by the brilliance of power and wealth. And he converges with Etienne – a hardened journalist, long separated from the illusions of loyalty and honor.
Thanks to the support of Lusto and his own talent, Lucien becomes a member of the liberal newspaper. He quickly learns the power of the press: he should mention his grievances, as his new friends begin a campaign of ruthless persecution – from room to room they amuse the audience with stories about the adventures of “Otter” and “Heron” in which everyone easily recognizes Madame de Bergeron and Sixta du Chatelet. In the eyes of Lucien, the gifted novelist Raul Nathan bowed low to the influential critic Emil Blond. Journalists are courted in every possible way behind the scenes of theaters – from the review of the performance, the failure or success of the play depends. The worst thing happens when the newsmen are throwing their sacrifices on the whole pack – a person caught under such a shelling is doomed. Lucien quickly comprehends the rules of the game: he is instructed to set up a “raznosnuyu” an article about Nathan’s new book – and he justifies the expectations of his colleagues, although he himself considers this novel beautiful. From now on, the need is over: the poet is paid well, and the young actress Coralie falls in love with him passionately. Like all her friends, she has a rich patron – a trader in the silk of Camusot. Lusto, who lives with Florina, does not take advantage of other people’s money without a twinge of conscience – Lucien follows his example, although he understands that it’s shameful to be on the actress’s keep. Coralie wears her lover from head to foot. There comes the hour of triumph – on the Champs Elysees everyone admires the beautiful, exquisitely dressed Lucien. The Marquise d’Espard and Madame Bergerton are stunned by this miraculous transformation, and the young man finally affirms the correctness of the chosen path. From now on, the need is over: the poet is paid well, and the young actress Coralie falls in love with him passionately. Like all her friends, she has a rich patron – a trader in the silk of Camusot. Lusto, who lives with Florina, does not take advantage of other people’s money without a twinge of conscience – Lucien follows his example, although he understands that it’s shameful to be on the actress’s keep. Coralie wears her lover from head to foot. There comes the hour of triumph – on the Champs Elysees everyone admires the beautiful, exquisitely dressed Lucien. The Marquise d’Espard and Madame Bergerton are stunned by this miraculous transformation, and the young man finally affirms the correctness of the chosen path. From now on, the need is over: the poet is paid well, and the young actress Coralie falls in love with him passionately. Like all her friends, she has a rich patron – a trader in the silk of Camusot. Lusto, who lives with Florina, does not take advantage of other people’s money without a twinge of conscience – Lucien follows his example, although he understands that it’s shameful to be on the actress’s keep. Coralie wears her lover from head to foot. There comes the hour of triumph – on the Champs Elysees everyone admires the beautiful, exquisitely dressed Lucien. The Marquise d’Espard and Madame Bergerton are stunned by this miraculous transformation, and the young man finally affirms the correctness of the chosen path. without a twinge of conscience uses other people’s money – Lucien follows his example, although he perfectly understands what to keep on the actress’s shame. Coralie wears her lover from head to foot. There comes the hour of triumph – on the Champs Elysees everyone admires the beautiful, exquisitely dressed Lucien. The Marquise d’Espard and Madame Bergerton are stunned by this miraculous transformation, and the young man finally affirms the correctness of the chosen path. without a twinge of conscience uses other people’s money – Lucien follows his example, although he perfectly understands what to keep on the actress’s shame. Coralie wears her lover from head to foot. There comes the hour of triumph – on the Champs Elysees everyone admires the beautiful, exquisitely dressed Lucien. The Marquise d’Espard and Madame Bergerton are stunned by this miraculous transformation, and the young man finally affirms the correctness of the chosen path.
Frightened by the successes of Lucien, both noble ladies begin to act. The young duke de Retort quickly gropes for the weak string of the poet – ambition. If a young man wants by right to wear the name de Rubambre, he must move from the opposition camp to the royalist camp. Lucien bites on this bait. A conspiracy is being drawn against him, for the interests of many people converge: Florina wants to bypass Coralie, Lusto envies Lucien’s talent, Nathan is pissed off with his critical article, Blonde wants to besiege the competitor. Changing the liberals, Lucien gives his enemies an excellent chance to deal with him – it opens the target fire, and he perplexes makes several fatal mistakes. The first victim is Coralie: driving Camusot and indulging all the whims of a loved one, it comes to a complete ruin, when it is hired by hackney clakers,
Meanwhile, Lucien had to go to baseness in order to ensure the success of the beloved – in exchange for praising reviews he was ordered to “kill” the book of d’Artes. Generous Daniel forgives a former friend, but Michelle Chretien, the most adamant of all members of the circle, spits Lucien in the face, and then thrusts a bullet into his chest in a duel. Coralie and her maid Berenice selflessly take care of the poet. There is no money at all: court executors describe the assets of the actress, and Lucien is threatened with arrest for debts. Forging the signature of David Sechard, he takes into account three bills of one thousand francs each, and this allows lovers to hold out for a few more months.
In August 1822, Coralie died at the age of nineteen. Lucien left only eleven sous, and he writes for two hundred francs funny songs – only these vaudeville verses can pay for the funeral of the unfortunate actress. Provincial genius has nothing more to do in the capital – destroyed and trampled, he returns to Angoulême. Most of the way, Lucien has to walk. In his native land, he drives on the heels of the coach, in which the new prefect Charentes Sixt du Chatelet and his spouse – the former Madame de Bergelton, who had time to widow and remarry – travel. It’s been only one and a half years since Louise took the lucky Lucien to Paris.
The poet returned home at a time when his son-in-law was on the brink of a precipice. David is forced to hide in order not to go to jail – in the provinces such a misfortune means the last degree of fall. It happened as follows. The brothers of Cuente, who longed to take Sesar’s printing press to their hands and knew about his invention, bought out bills forged by Lucien. Taking advantage of the flaws in the judicial system, which makes it possible to drive the debtor into a corner, they brought the three thousand francs presented for payment to fifteen – an amount unthinkable for Seshar. David was surrounded on all sides: he was changed by the type-setter Serise, whom he himself had learned to print, and the miser-father refused to help his son, despite all Eve’s pleas. It is not surprising that the mother and sister meet Lucien very coldly, and this offends the proud young man who once was their idol. He assures that he will be able to help David by resorting to the intercession of Madame de Chatelet, but instead involuntarily issues a son-in-law and is taken into custody right on the street. The Cuente brothers immediately enter into an agreement with him: he will be given freedom if he concedes all the rights to produce cheap paper and agrees to sell the printing house to the traitor Seriz. On this the misadventures of David ended: giving his wife an oath for ever forgetting about his experiences, he bought a small estate, and the family found peace. After the death of the old Seshar, the young inherited two hundred thousand francs. The elder of the brothers Cuente, unbelievably enriched by the invention of David, became a peer of France. The Cuente brothers immediately enter into an agreement with him: he will be given freedom if he concedes all the rights to produce cheap paper and agrees to sell the printing house to the traitor Seriz. On this the misadventures of David ended: giving his wife an oath for ever forgetting about his experiences, he bought a small estate, and the family found peace. After the death of the old Seshar, the young inherited two hundred thousand francs. The elder of the brothers Cuente, unbelievably enriched by the invention of David, became a peer of France. The Cuente brothers immediately enter into an agreement with him: he will be given freedom if he concedes all the rights to produce cheap paper and agrees to sell the printing house to the traitor Seriz. On this the misadventures of David ended: giving his wife an oath for ever forgetting about his experiences, he bought a small estate, and the family found peace. After the death of the old Seshar, the young inherited two hundred thousand francs. The elder of the brothers Cuente, unbelievably enriched by the invention of David, became a peer of France. After the death of the old Seshar, the young inherited two hundred thousand francs. The elder of the brothers Cuente, unbelievably enriched by the invention of David, became a peer of France. After the death of the old Seshar, the young inherited two hundred thousand francs. The elder of the brothers Cuente, unbelievably enriched by the invention of David, became a peer of France.
Only after David’s arrest, Lucien realizes what he’s done. After reading the curse in the eyes of the mother and sister, he resolutely decides to commit suicide and goes ashore to Charente. Here he meets with a mysterious priest: after listening to the story of the poet, the stranger proposes to wait with suicide – it is never too late to drown, but first it would be worthwhile to teach those gentlemen who drove the young man from Paris. When the demon-tempter promises to pay David’s debts, Lucien throws away all doubts: from now on he will belong to his savior – abbot Carlos Herrera. The events that followed this pact are described in the novel The Shining and Poverty of Courtesans.
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