Responding to a referral request

To reach public consideration, the essential thing is not to adopt, while building many walls, some plan brought from Italy by these masons, who in spring cross the gorges of the Jura to reach Paris. Such an innovation would earn the imprudent builder an eternal reputation as a bad head, and he would be forever lost with the wise and moderate people who distribute the consideration.

Perhaps they are hungry now, he said to himself; his throat tightened, it was impossible for him to eat and almost to speak. It was much worse a quarter of an hour later; one could hear from afar some accents of a popular song, and, it must be confessed, a little ignoble, that one of the recluses was singing. M. Valenod looked at one of his people in a large livery, who disappeared, and soon no more singing was heard. At this moment, a valet offered Julien some Rhine wine in a green glass, and Mme Valenod was careful to point out that this wine cost nine francs a bottle taken on the spot.