He doubtless had to drive himself to do this, because in spite of his slinking slyness he was jovial and enjoyed a joke.

On the other hand, he aspired to figure in the literature that counts at Paris, and he expended a good deal of ingenuity inveigling men of letters to his house on another evening every week, to make them his aides, or at least keep them from openly attacking him, so soon as his candidacy--an entirely clerical affair--should be announced.

It was probably to attract and placate his adversaries that he had contrived these baroque gatherings to which, out of curiosity as a matter of fact, the most utterly different kinds of people came.
He had other motives.

It was said that he had no scruples about exploiting his social acquaintances.

Durtal had even noticed that at each of the dinners given by Chantelouve a well-dressed stranger was present, and the rumour went about that this guest was a wealthy provincial to whom men of letters were exhibited like a wax-work collection, and from whom, before or afterward, important sums were borrowed.
"It is undeniable that the Chantelouves have no income and that they live in style.