Ernest Renan . hat paused forno consideration down to his dying day. From his correspondence a pleasing yet oftenmelancholy picture might be sketched of the poorclerical student and his widowed mother, whileHenriette, earning her bread in Paris on such hardterms, is always the good angel of the story. Shewent to see him whenever it was allowed. Ernestis full of anxiety about the winter at home; woodis dear, and a cup of warm coffee, his mothersonly gratification, costs money; but she ought toindulge herself. His own bourse did not providehim with clothes. There was trouble in gettingan overcoa
Ernest Renan . hat paused forno consideration down to his dying day. From his correspondence a pleasing yet oftenmelancholy picture might be sketched of the poorclerical student and his widowed mother, whileHenriette, earning her bread in Paris on such hardterms, is always the good angel of the story. Shewent to see him whenever it was allowed. Ernestis full of anxiety about the winter at home; woodis dear, and a cup of warm coffee, his mothersonly gratification, costs money; but she ought toindulge herself. His own bourse did not providehim with clothes. There was trouble in gettingan overcoat; and if Henriette were not there tomend his linen, he would have been put to shame,like many another famous youngster in the worldsunfeeling annals. He had persuaded two of hiscomrades at home to follow his example and enterSt. Nicolas. They arrived; but after a whileGuyomar, his best friend, went back to Brittany,and died there of consumption; Liart could notlive in the Parisian air, and he, too, gave up the. THE BRETON PEASANT 21 chances of metropolitan success. Renan held out,won distinctions, was crowned in public fivetimes on the same prize day, Henriette looking on,and already cherished in a stubborn silent fashionthe resolve to make his way in Paris. Othersmight serve the Church elsewhere; he would de-vote himself to the saving of souls in that fierceBabylon. A sure instinct led him, even so young,toward the path of success and fame. He was now seeing history as on an illuminatedpage. He heard the sound of Blanquis insurrec-tion, May 12, 1839; attended the Archbishopsrequiem; listened to Lacordaire and Ravignaji, thefirst of French pulpit orators; saw Napoleons sec-ond funeral, on that bleak day in 1840; and founda place in Notre Dame, when the Comte de Pariswas baptized. May 2, 1841. In the autumn ofthat year he went home, at the charge of Hen-riette, who was always finding money for everyones wants but her own. In January, 1842, hehad left St. Nicolas, M. Dupanloup,
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