It is a fault of youth to think the whole world vigorous with its own vigor,—­a fault derived from its virtues.  Youth sees neither men nor things through spectacles; it colors all with the reflex glory of its ardent fires, and casts the superabundance of its own life upon the aged.  Like Cesar and like Constance, Popinot held in his memory a glowing recollection of the famous ball.  Constance and Cesar through their years of trial had often, though they never spoke of it to each other, heard the strains of Collinet’s orchestra, often beheld that festive company, and tasted the joys so swiftly and so cruelly chastised,—­as Adam and Eve must have tasted in after times the forbidden fruit which gave both death and life to all posterity; for it appears that the generation of angels is a mystery of the skies.

Popinot, however, could dream of the fete without remorse, nay, with ecstasy.  Had not Cesarine in all her glory then promised herself to him—­to him, poor?  During that evening had he not won the assurance that he was loved for himself alone?  So when he bought the appartement restored by Grindot, from Celestin, when he stipulated that all should be kept intact, when he religiously preserved the smallest things that once belonged to Cesar and to Constance, he was dreaming of another ball,—­his ball, his wedding-ball!  He made loving preparation for it, imitating his old master in necessary expenses, but eschewing all follies,—­follies that were now past and done with.  So the dinner was to be served by Chevet; the guests were to be mostly the same:  the Abbe Loraux replaced the chancellor of the Legion of honor; the president of the Court of Commerce, Monsieur Lebas, had promised to be there; Popinot invited Monsieur Camusot in acknowledgment of the kindness he had bestowed upon Birotteau; Monsieur de Vandenesse and Monsieur de Fontaine took the place of Roguin and his wife.  Cesarine and Popinot distributed their invitations with much discretion.  Both dreaded the publicity of a wedding, and they escaped the jar such scenes must cause to pure and tender hearts by giving the ball on the evening of the day appointed for signing the marriage-contract.

Constance found in her room the gown of cherry velvet in which she had shone for a single night with fleeting splendor.  Cesarine cherished a dream of appearing before Popinot in the identical ball-dress about which, time and time again, he had talked to her.  The appartement was made ready to present to Cesar’s eyes the same enchanting scene he had once enjoyed for a single evening.  Neither Constance, nor Cesarine, nor Popinot perceived the danger to Cesar in this sudden and overwhelming surprise, and they awaited his arrival at four o’clock with a delight that was almost childish.

Following close upon the unspeakable emotion his re-entrance at the Bourse had caused him, the hero of commercial honor was now to meet the sudden shock of felicity that awaited him in his old home.  He entered the house, and saw at the foot of the staircase (still new as he had left it) his wife in her velvet robe, Cesarine, the Comte de Fontaine, the Vicomte de Vandenesse, the Baron de la Billardiere, the illustrious Vauquelin.  A light film dimmed his eyes, and his uncle Pillerault, who held his arm, felt him shudder inwardly.