write a Treatise upon the Will, a symbolic work which contained the
germs of his entire destiny. His fellow students, rendered curious by
his sustained application, continuing month after month, tried in vain
to steal glimpses over his shoulder, but Honore de Balzac would permit
no profane eye to fall upon his manuscript. He eluded their persistence
and entrusted the precious pages to a box which he could secure under
lock and key. A conspiracy was formed. They wanted to know what he had
been writing all this time with such serious intent that nothing could
take his attention from it. During a recreation period Honore was
copying, as usual, some extra lines as a punishment. A turbulent troupe
invaded the classroom and flung themselves upon the box which concealed
the manuscript. They wanted to know and they were going to know! Honore
defended the box energetically, for it was his heart and brain which
they wanted to know, it was all his knowledge and beautiful dreams that
they wished to lay bare to the light of day. There followed a veritable
battle around that little wooden casket. Attracted by the outcries of
the assailants, one of the masters, Father Haugoult, arrived in the
midst of the tumult. Balzac's crime was proclaimed, he was hiding
papers in his box and refused to show them. The master straightway
ordered this bad pupil to surrender these secret and forbidden
writings. Honore could not do otherwise than obey, for the box would be
broken open if he did not unlock it of his own accord; so, with
trembling hands, he despoiled himself of his treasures.

With careless fingers the master fumbled over the manuscript and with
an air of disdain and a voice of severity summed up the case against
this bad pupil:

"And it was for the sake of such nonsense that you have been neglecting
your duties!"