Chapter 5 Summary

Christine sends a bouquet of white lilacs to Claude in anticipation of his painting that will be shown in the Salon des Refusés, a new exhibition for works refused by the committee for the regular Salon showing. Collecting Sandoz, Claude goes to the Palais de l'Industrie where the exhibitions have been hung. They meet up with Bongrand who appears mildly amused by the dissatisfaction in the art community over the Selection Committee's activities. He compliments Claude for the painting of the buxom wench in his entry which is hanging upstairs. Bongrand's praise raises Claude's spirits thinking he has done something worth while at last. Although Sandoz is eager to get to Claude's painting, Claude himself feigns indifference. They run into Fagerolles who had just spent twenty minutes in front of Claude's painting but pretends he has not seen it yet and suggests...