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his cab at the gate； Nathan's vanity was stung； he resolved to have a
cabriolet himself； and its accompanying tiger； too。 The carriage of
the countess was in the court…yard； and the sight of it swelled
Raoul's heart with joy。 Marie was advancing under the pressure of her
desires with the regularity of the hands of a clock obeying the
mainspring。 He found her sitting at the corner of the fireplace in the
little salon。 Instead of looking at Nathan when he was announced； she
looked at his reflection in a mirror。
〃Monsieur le ministre；〃 said Madame d'Espard； addressing Nathan； and
presenting him to de Marsay by a glance； 〃was maintaining； when you
came in； that the royalists and the republicans have a secret
understanding。 You ought to know something about it； is it so？〃
〃If it were so；〃 said Raoul； 〃where's the harm？ We hate the same
thing； we agree as to our hatreds； we differ only in our love。 That's
the whole of it。〃
〃The alliance is odd enough；〃 said de Marsay； giving a comprehensively
meaning glance at the Comtesse Felix and Nathan。
〃It won't last；〃 said Rastignac； thinking； perhaps； wholly of
politics。
〃What do you think； my dear？〃 asked Madame d'Espard； addressing Marie。
〃I know nothing of public affairs；〃 replied the countess。
〃But you soon will； madame；〃 said de Marsay； 〃and then you will be
doubly our enemy。〃
So saying he left the room with Rastignac； and Madame d'Espard
accompanied them to the door of the first salon。 The lovers had the
room to themselves for a few moments。 Marie held out her ungloved hand
to Raoul； who took and kissed it as though he were eighteen years old。
The eyes of the countess expressed so noble a tenderness that the
tears which men of nervous temperament can always find at their
service came into Raoul's eyes。
〃Where can I see you？ where can I speak with you？〃 he said。 〃It is
death to be forced to disguise my voice； my look； my heart； my love〃
Moved by that tear Marie promised to drive daily in the Bois； unless
the weather were extremely bad。 This promise gave Raoul more pleasure
than he had found in Florine for the last five years。
〃I have so many things to say to you！ I suffer from the silence to
which we are condemned〃
The countess looked at him eagerly without replying； and at that
moment Madame d'Espard returned to the room。
〃Why didn't you answer de Marsay？〃 she said as she entered。
〃We ought to respect the dead；〃 replied Raoul。 〃Don't you see that he
is dying？ Rastignac is his nurse；hoping to be put in the will。〃
The countess pretended to have other visits to pay； and left the
house。
For this quarter of an hour Raoul had sacrificed important interests
and most precious time。 Marie was perfectly ignorant of the life of
such men； involved in complicated affairs and burdened with exacting
toil。 Women of society are still under the influence of the traditions
of the eighteenth century； in which all positions were definite and
assured。 Few women know the harassments in the life of most men who in
these days have a position to make and to maintain； a fame to reach； a
fortune to consolidate。 Men of settled wealth and position can now be
counted； old men alone have time to love； young men are rowing； like
Nathan； the galleys of ambition。 Women are not yet resigned to this
change of customs； they suppose the same leisure of which they have
too much in those who have none； they cannot imagine other
occupations； other ends in life than their own。 When a lover has
vanquished the Lernean hydra in order to pay them a visit he has no
merit in their eyes； they are only grateful to him for the pleasure he
gives； they neither know nor care what it costs。 Raoul became aware as
he returned from this visit how difficult it would be to hold the
reins of a love…affair in society； the ten…horsed chariot of
journalism； his dramas on the stage； and his generally involved
affairs。
〃The paper will be wretched to…night；〃 he thought； as he walked away。
〃No article of mine； and only the second number； too！〃
Madame Felix de Vandenesse drove three times to the Bois de Boulogne
without finding Raoul； the third time she came back anxious and
uneasy。 The fact was that Nathan did not choose to show himself in the
Bois until he could go there as a prince of the press。 He employed a
whole week in searching for horses； a phantom and a suitable tiger；
and in convincing his partners of the necessity of saving time so
precious to them； and therefore of charging his equipage to the costs
of the journal。 His associates； Massol and du Tillet agreed to this so
readily that he really believed them the best fellows in the world。
Without this help； however； life would have been simply impossible to
Raoul； as it was； it became so irksome that many men； even those of
the strongest constitutions； could not have borne it。 A violent and
successful passion takes a great deal of space in an ordinary life；
but when it is connected with a woman in the social position of Madame
de Vandenesse it sucks the life out of a man as busy as Raoul。 Here is
a list of the obligations his passion imposed upon him。
Every day； or nearly every day； he was obliged to be on horseback in
the Bois； between two and three o'clock； in the careful dress of a
gentleman of leisure。 He had to learn at what house or theatre he
could meet Madame de Vandenesse in the evening。 He was not able to
leave the party or the play until long after midnight； having obtained
nothing better than a few tender sentences； long awaited； said in a
doorway； or hastily as he put her into her carriage。 It frequently
happened that Marie； who by this time had launched him into the great
world； procured for him invitations to dinner in certain houses where
she went herself。 All this seemed the simplest life in the world to
her。 Raoul moved by pride and led on by his passion never told her of
his labors。 He obeyed the will of this innocent sovereign； followed in
her train； followed； also； the parliamentary debates； edited and wrote
for his newspaper； and put upon the stage two plays； the money for
which was absolutely indispensable to him。 It sufficed for Madame de
Vandenesse to make a little face of displeasure when he tried to
excuse himself from attending a ball； a concert； or from driving in
the Bois； to compel him to sacrifice his most pressing interests to
her good pleasure。 When he left society between one and two in the
morning he went straight to work until eight or nine。 He was scarcely
asleep before he was obliged to be up and concocting the opinions of
his journal with the men of political influence on whom he depended；
not to speak of the thousand and one other details of the paper。
Journalism is connected with everything in these days； with industrial
concerns； with public and private interests； with all new enterprises；
and all the schemes of literature； its self…loves； and its products。
W