The Red and the Black Part 1, Chapter 12 Summary

A Journey

  • Julien asks for a three-day leave from his boss so he can go visit his friend Fouqé. While leaving, he meets with Madame outside the house. She acts coldly toward him and his pride makes him angry with her. She backs down and gets scared that he'll stop loving her.
  • That afternoon, Madame cries at the thought of Julien leaving. She excuses herself from her cousin and goes to cry in bed.
  • Meanwhile, Julien sets off for his friend's house. On the way, he stops on a mountain and writes out his deepest thoughts. He feels completely free and decides to spend the night sleeping on the mountain.
  • When he reaches his destination, his buddy Fouqé offers him a good job as his partner in the timber business. Julien doesn't like the offer because he's afraid it will seduce him away from his ambitions.
  • Julien turns down the offer. Fouqé thinks he's crazy to turn down such a good deal. But there you have it.