Chapter 17

           WITHTHEacquisitionofGrenouille,theHouseofGiuseppeBaidinibeganitsascenttonational,indeedEuropeanrenown.ThePersianchimesneverstoppedringing,theheronsneverstoppedspewingintheshoponthePont-au-Change.Theveryfirstevening,GrenouillehadtopreparealargedemijohnfullofNuitNapolitaine,ofwhichovereightyflaconsweresoldinthecourseofthenextday.Thefameofthescentspreadlikewildfire.Chenier’seyesgrewglassyfromthemoneyspaidandhisbackachedfromallthedeepbowshehadtomake,foronlypersonsofhigh,indeedhighest,rank-oratleasttheservantsofpersonsofhighandhighestrank—appeared.Onedaythedoorwasflungbacksoharditrattled;insteppedthefootmanofCountd’Argensonandshouted,asonlyfootmencanshout,thathewantedfivebottlesofthisnewscent.Chenierwasstillshakingwithawefifteenminuteslater,forCountd’ArgensonwascommissaryandwarministertoHisMajestyandthemostpowerfulmaninParis.WhileChenierwassubjectedtotheonslaughtofcustomersintheshop,Baidinihadshuthimselfupinhislaboratorywithhisnewapprentice.HejustifiedthisstateofaffairstoChenierwithafantastictheorythathecalled“divisionoflaborandincreasedproductivity.”Foryears,heexplained,hehadpatientlywatchedwhilePelissierandhisilk-despisersoftheancientcraft,all-hadenticedhiscustomersawayandmadeashamblesofhisbusiness.Hisforbearancewasnowatanend.Hewasacceptingtheirchallengeandstrikingbackatthesecheekyparvenus,and,whatwasmore,withtheirownweapons.