The Red and the Black Part 2, Chapter 21 Summary

The Secret Note

  • The Marquis de La Mole summons Julien and tests his famous memory to see whether he can memorize an entire page of a newspaper instantly. He wants Julien to come with him to a secret political meeting and to memorize everything he hears so that he can deliver the message to a duke form a foreign country.
  • The marquis is worried that spies will try to stop Julien along the way and read anything that's written down. That's why Julien needs to have the thing in his memory.
  • The marquis tells him to buy himself some new clothes in order to disguise his identity.
  • The marquis takes Julien to a secret meeting, ensuring that Julien is not aware of where they are in Paris.
  • One by one, a bunch of very important people, including bishops and event the Prime Minister, enter the room.