We have burnt our ships, and we have before us just a week to find the hundred francs that are indispensable to do the thing properly." "Since we must have them, we shall," replied Marcel.
And with the insolent confidence which they had in luck, the two friends went to sleep, convinced that their hundred francs were already on the way, the way of impossibility.
However, as on the day before that appointed for the party, nothing as of yet had turned up, Rodolphe thought perhaps, be safer to give luck a helping hand, unless he were to be discredited forever, when the time came to light up.

To facilitate matters the two friends progressively modified the sumptuosity of the program they had imposed upon themselves.
And proceeding from modification to modification, after having seriously reduced the item "cakes," and carefully revised and pruned down the item "liquors," the total cost was reduced to fifteen francs.
The problem was simplified, but not yet solved.
"Come, come," said Rodolphe, "we must now have recourse to strong measures, we cannot cry off this time." "No, that is impossible," replied Marcel.
"How long is it since I have heard the story of the Battle of Studzianka ?" "About two months." "Two months, good, that is a decent interval; my uncle will have no ground for grumbling.

I will go tomorrow and hear his account of that engagement, that will be five francs for certain." "I," said Marcel, "will go and sell a deserted manor house to old Medicis.

That will make another five francs.

If I have time enough to put in three towers and a mill, it will perhaps run to ten francs, and our budget will be complete." And the two friends fell asleep dreaming that the Princess Belgiojoso begged them to change their reception day, in order not to rob her of her customary guests.
Awake at dawn, Marcel took a canvas and rapidly set to work to build up a deserted manor house, an article which he was in the habit of supplying to a broker of the Place de Carrousel.