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over this fair typical Parisian。
〃Anastasie！〃 the Count called again to his wife。
〃Poor Maxime！〃 she said； addressing the young man。 〃Come； we must
resign ourselves。 This evening〃
〃I hope； Nasie；〃 he said in her ear； 〃that you will give orders
not to admit that youngster； whose eyes light up like live coals
when he looks at you。 He will make you a declaration； and
compromise you； and then you will compel me to kill him。〃
〃Are you mad； Maxime？〃 she said。 〃A young lad of a student is； on
the contrary； a capital lightning…conductor； is not that so？ Of
course； I mean to make Restaud furiously jealous of him。〃
Maxime burst out laughing； and went out； followed by the
Countess； who stood at the window to watch him into his carriage；
he shook his whip； and made his horse prance。 She only returned
when the great gate had been closed after him。
〃What do you think； dear？〃 cried the Count； her husband； 〃this
gentleman's family estate is not far from Verteuil； on the
Charente； his great…uncle and my grandfather were acquainted。〃
〃Delighted to find that we have acquaintances in common；〃 said
the Countess； with a preoccupied manner。
〃More than you think；〃 said Eugene； in a low voice。
〃What do you mean？〃 she asked quickly。
〃Why； only just now；〃 said the student； 〃I saw a gentleman go out
at the gate； Father Goriot； my next door neighbor in the house
where I am lodging。〃
At the sound of this name； and the prefix that embellished it；
the Count； who was stirring the fire； let the tongs fall as
though they had burned his fingers； and rose to his feet。
〃Sir；〃 he cried； 〃you might have called him 'Monsieur Goriot'！〃
The Countess turned pale at first at the sight of her husband's
vexation； then she reddened； clearly she was embarrassed； her
answer was made in a tone that she tried to make natural； and
with an air of assumed carelessness：
〃You could not know any one who is dearer to us both 。 。 。〃
She broke off； glanced at the piano as if some fancy had crossed
her mind； and asked； 〃Are you fond of music； M。 de Rastignac？〃
〃Exceedingly；〃 answered Eugene； flushing； and disconcerted by a
dim suspicion that he had somehow been guilty of a clumsy piece
of folly。
〃Do you sing？〃 she cried； going to the piano； and； sitting down
before it； she swept her fingers over the keyboard from end to
end。 R…r…r…rah！
〃No； madame。〃
The Comte de Restaud walked to and fro。
〃That is a pity； you are without one great means of success。Ca…
ro； ca…a…ro； ca…a…a…ro； non du…bi…ta…re；〃 sang the Countess。
Eugene had a second time waved a magic wand when he uttered
Goriot's name； but the effect seemed to be entirely opposite to
that produced by the formula 〃related to Mme。 de Beauseant。〃 His
position was not unlike that of some visitor permitted as a favor
to inspect a private collection of curiosities； when by
inadvertence he comes into collision with a glass case full of
sculptured figures； and three or four heads； imperfectly secured；
fall at the shock。 He wished the earth would open and swallow
him。 Mme。 de Restaud's expression was reserved and chilly； her
eyes had grown indifferent； and sedulously avoided meeting those
of the unlucky student of law。
〃Madame；〃 he said； 〃you wish to talk with M。 de Restaud； permit
me to wish you good…day〃
The Countess interrupted him by a gesture； saying hastily；
〃Whenever you come to see us； both M。 de Restaud and I shall be
delighted to see you。〃
Eugene made a profound bow and took his leave； followed by M。 de
Restaud； who insisted； in spite of his remonstrances； on
accompanying him into the hall。
〃Neither your mistress nor I are at home to that gentleman when
he calls；〃 the Count said to Maurice。
As Eugene set foot on the steps； he saw that it was raining。
〃Come；〃 said he to himself； 〃somehow I have just made a mess of
it； I do not know how。 And now I am going to spoil my hat and
coat into the bargain。 I ought to stop in my corner； grind away
at law； and never look to be anything but a boorish country
magistrate。 How can I go into society； when to manage properly
you want a lot of cabs； varnished boots； gold watch chains； and
all sorts of things； you have to wear white doeskin gloves that
cost six francs in the morning； and primrose kid gloves every
evening？ A fig for that old humbug of a Goriot！〃
When he reached the street door； the driver of a hackney coach；
who had probably just deposited a wedding party at their door；
and asked nothing better than a chance of making a little money
for himself without his employer's knowledge； saw that Eugene had
no umbrella； remarked his black coat； white waistcoat； yellow
gloves； and varnished boots； and stopped and looked at him
inquiringly。 Eugene； in the blind desperation that drives a young
man to plunge deeper and deeper into an abyss； as if he might
hope to find a fortunate issue in its lowest depths； nodded in
reply to the driver's signal； and stepped into the cab； a few
stray petals of orange blossom and scraps of wire bore witness to
its recent occupation by a wedding party。
〃Where am I to drive； sir？〃 demanded the man； who； by this time；
had taken off his white gloves。
〃Confound it！〃 Eugene said to himself； 〃I am in for it now； and
at least I will not spend cab…hire for nothing！Drive to the
Hotel Beauseant；〃 he said aloud。
〃Which？〃 asked the man； a portentous word that reduced Eugene to
confusion。 This young man of fashion； species incerta； did not
know that there were two Hotels Beauseant； he was not aware how
rich he was in relations who did not care about him。
〃The Vicomte de Beauseant； Rue〃
〃De Grenelle；〃 interrupted the driver； with a jerk of his head。
〃You see； there are the hotels of the Marquis and Comte de
Beauseant in the Rue Saint…Dominique；〃 he added； drawing up the
step。
〃I know all about that；〃 said Eugene； severely。〃Everybody is
laughing at me to…day； it seems！〃 he said to himself； as he
deposited his hat on the opposite seat。 〃This escapade will cost
me a king's ransom； but； at any rate； I shall call on my so…
called cousin in a thoroughly aristocratic fashion。 Goriot has
cost me ten francs already； the old scoundrel。 My word！ I will
tell Mme。 de Beauseant about my adventure； perhaps it may amuse
her。 Doubtless she will know the secret of the criminal relation
between that handsome woman and the old rat without a tail。 It
would be better to find favor in my cousin's eyes than to come in
contact with that shameless woman； who seems to me to have very
expensive tastes。 Surely the beautiful Vicomtesse's personal
interest would turn the scale for me； when the mere mention of
her name produces such an effect。 Let us look higher。 If you set
yourself to carry the heights of heaven； you must face God。〃
The innumerable thoughts that surged through his brain might be
summed up in these phrases。 He grew c