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gloomy brow； on the step of the staircase where he regularly took his
stand。 He looked for the Countess in her box and； finding it empty；
buried his face in his hands； leaning his elbows on the balustrade。
〃Can she be here！〃 he thought。
〃Look up； unhappy hero；〃 whispered Mme。 du Tillet。
As for Marie； at all risks she fixed on him that steady magnetic gaze；
in which the will flashes from the eye； as rays of light from the sun。
Such a look； mesmerizers say； penetrates to the person on whom it is
directed； and certainly Raoul seemed as though struck by a magic wand。
Raising his head； his eyes met those of the sisters。 With that
charming feminine readiness which is never at fault； Mme。 de
Vandenesse seized a cross； sparkling on her neck； and directed his
attention to it by a swift smile； full of meaning。 The brilliance of
the gem radiated even upon Raoul's forehead； and he replied with a
look of joy； he had understood。
〃Is it nothing then； Eugenie；〃 said the Countess； 〃thus to restore
life to the dead？〃
〃You have a chance yet with the Royal Humane Society；〃 replied
Eugenie； with a smile。〃
〃How wretched and depressed he looked when he came； and how happy he
will go away！〃
At this moment du Tillet； coming up to Raoul with every mark of
friendliness； pressed his hand； and said：
〃Well； old fellow； how are you？〃
〃As well as a man is likely to be who has just got the best possible
news of the election。 I shall be successful；〃 replied Raoul； radiant。
〃Delighted；〃 said du Tillet。 〃We shall want money for the paper。〃
〃The money will be found；〃 said Raoul。
〃The devil is with these woemn！〃 exclaimed du Tillet； still
unconvinced by the words of Raoul； whom he had nicknamed Charnathan。
〃What are you talking about？〃 said Raoul。
〃My sister…in…law is there with my wife； and they are hatching
something together。 You seem in high favor with the Countess； she is
bowing to you right across the house。〃
〃Look；〃 said Mme。 du Tillet to her sister； 〃they told us wrong。 See
how my husband fawns on M。 Nathan； and it is he who they declared was
trying to get him put in prison！〃
〃And men call us slanderers！〃 cried the Countess。 〃I will give him a
warning。〃
She rose； took the arm of Vandenesse； who was waiting in the passage；
and returned jubilant to her box； by and by she left the Opera and
ordered her carriage for the next morning before eight o'clock。
The next morning； by half…past eight； Marie had driven to the quai
Conti； stopping at the hotel du Mail on her way。 The carriage could
not enter the narrow rue de Nevers； but as Schmucke lived in a house
at the corner of the quai she was not obliged to walk up its muddy
pavement； but could jump from the step of her carriage to the broken
step of the dismal old house； mended like porter's crockery； with iron
rivets； and bulging out over the street in a way that was quite
alarming to pedestrians。 The old chapel…master lived on the fourth
floor； and enjoyed a fine view of the Seine from the pont Neuf to the
heights of Chaillot。
The good soul was so surprised when the countess's footman announced
the visit of his former scholar that in his stupefaction he let her
enter without going down to receive her。 Never did the countess
suspect or imagine such an existence as that which suddenly revealed
itself to her eyes； though she had long known Schmucke's contempt for
dress； and the little interest he held in the affairs of this world。
But who could have believed in such complete indifference； in the
utter laisser…aller of such a life？ Schmucke was a musical Diogenes；
and he felt no shame whatever in his untidiness； in fact； he was so
accustomed to it that he would probably have denied its existence。 The
incessant smoking of a stout German pipe had spread upon the ceiling
and over a wretched wall…paper； scratched and defaced by the cat； a
yellowish tinge。 The cat； a magnificently long…furred； fluffy animal；
the envy of all portresses； presided there like the mistress of the
house； grave and sedate； and without anxieties。 On the top of an
excellent Viennese piano he sat majestically； and cast upon the
countess； as she entered； that coldly gracious look which a woman；
surprised by the beauty of another woman； might have given。 He did not
move； and merely waved the two silver threads of his right whisker as
he turned his golden eyes on Schmucke。
The piano； decrepit on its legs； though made of good wood painted
black and gilded； was dirty； defaced； and scratched； and its keys；
worn like the teeth of old horses； were yellowed with the fuliginous
colors of the pipe。 On the desk； a little heap of ashes showed that
the night before Schmucke had bestrode the old instrument to some
musical Walhalla。 The floor； covered with dried mud； torn papers；
tobacco…dust； fragments indescribable； was like that of a boy's
school…room； unswept for a week； on which a mound of things
accumulate； half rags； half filth。
A more practised eye than that of the countess would have seen certain
other revelations of Schmucke's mode of life；chestnut…peels； apple…
parings； egg…shells dyed red in broken dishes smeared with sauer…
kraut。 This German detritus formed a carpet of dusty filth which
crackled under foot； joining company near the hearth with a mass of
cinders and ashes descending majestically from the fireplace； where
lay a block of coal； before which two slender twigs made a show of
burning。 On the chimney…piece was a mirror in a painted frame； adorned
with figures dancing a saraband； on one side hung the glorious pipe；
on the other was a Chinese jar in which the musician kept his tobacco。
Two arm…chairs bought at auction； a thin and rickety cot； a worm…eaten
bureau without a top； a maimed table on which lay the remains of a
frugal breakfast； made up a set of household belongings as plain as
those of an Indian wigwam。 A shaving…glass； suspended to the fastening
of a curtainless window； and surmounted by a rag striped by many
wipings of a razor； indicated the only sacrifices paid by Schmucke to
the Graces and society。 The cat； being the feebler and protected
partner； had rather the best of the establishment； he enjoyed the
comforts of an old sofa…cushion； near which could be seen a white
china cup and plate。 But what no pen can describe was the state into
which Schmucke； the cat； and the pipe； that existing trinity； had
reduced these articles。 The pipe had burned the table。 The cat and
Schmucke's head had greased the green Utrecht velvet of the two arm…
chairs and reduced it to a slimy texture。 If it had not been for the
cat's magnificent tail； which played a useful part in the household；
the uncovered places on the bureau and the piano would never have been
dusted。 In one corner of the room were a pile of shoes which need an
epic to describe them。 The top of the bureau and that of the piano
were encumbered by music…books with ragged backs and wh