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The innumerable thoughts that surged through his brain might be
summed up in these phrases。 He grew calmer； and recovered
something of his assurance as he watched the falling rain。 He
told himself that though he was about to squander two of the
precious five…franc pieces that remained to him； the money was
well laid out in preserving his coat； boots； and hat； and his
cabman's cry of 〃Gate； if you please；〃 almost put him in spirits。
A Swiss； in scarlet and gold； appeared； the great door groaned on
its hinges； and Rastignac； with sweet satisfaction； beheld his
equipage pass under the archway and stop before the flight of
steps beneath the awning。 The driver； in a blue…and…red
greatcoat； dismounted and let down the step。 As Eugene stepped
out of the cab； he heard smothered laughter from the peristyle。
Three or four lackeys were making merry over the festal
appearance of the vehicle。 In another moment the law student was
enlightened as to the cause of their hilarity； he felt the full
force of the contrast between his equipage and one of the
smartest broughams in Paris； a coachman； with powdered hair；
seemed to find it difficult to hold a pair of spirited horses；
who stood chafing the bit。 In Mme。 de Restaud's courtyard； in the
Chaussee d'Antin； he had seen the neat turnout of a young man of
six…and…twenty； in the Faubourg Saint…Germain he found the
luxurious equipage of a man of rank； thirty thousand francs would
not have purchased it。
〃Who can be here？〃 said Eugene to himself。 He began to
understand； though somewhat tardily； that he must not expect to
find many women in Paris who were not already appropriated； and
that the capture of one of these queens would be likely to cost
something more than bloodshed。 〃Confound it all！ I expect my
cousin also has her Maxime。〃
He went up the steps； feeling that he was a blighted being。 The
glass door was opened for him； the servants were as solemn as
jackasses under the curry comb。 So far； Eugene had only been in
the ballroom on the ground floor of the Hotel Beauseant； the fete
had followed so closely on the invitation； that he had not had
time to call on his cousin； and had therefore never seen Mme。 de
Beauseant's apartments； he was about to behold for the first time
a great lady among the wonderful and elegant surroundings that
reveal her character and reflect her daily life。 He was the more
curious； because Mme。 de Restaud's drawing…room had provided him
with a standard of comparison。
At half…past four the Vicomtesse de Beauseant was visible。 Five
minutes earlier she would not have received her cousin； but
Eugene knew nothing of the recognized routine of various houses
in Paris。 He was conducted up the wide； white…painted； crimson…
carpeted staircase； between the gilded balusters and masses of
flowering plants； to Mme。 de Beauseant's apartments。 He did not
know the rumor current about Mme。 de Beauseant； one of the
biographies told； with variations； in whispers； every evening in
the salons of Paris。
For three years past her name had been spoken of in connection
with that of one of the most wealthy and distinguished Portuguese
nobles； the Marquis d'Ajuda…Pinto。 It was one of those innocent
liaisons which possess so much charm for the two thus attached to
each other that they find the presence of a third person
intolerable。 The Vicomte de Beauseant； therefore； had himself set
an example to the rest of the world by respecting； with as good a
grace as might be； this morganatic union。 Any one who came to
call on the Vicomtesse in the early days of this friendship was
sure to find the Marquis d'Ajuda…Pinto there。 As； under the
circumstances； Mme。 de Beauseant could not very well shut her
door against these visitors； she gave them such a cold reception；
and showed so much interest in the study of the ceiling； that no
one could fail to understand how much he bored her； and when it
became known in Paris that Mme。 de Beauseant was bored by callers
between two and four o'clock； she was left in perfect solitude
during that interval。 She went to the Bouffons or to the Opera
with M。 de Beauseant and M。 d'Ajuda…Pinto； and M。 de Beauseant；
like a well…bred man of the world； always left his wife and the
Portuguese as soon as he had installed them。 But M。 d'Ajuda…Pinto
must marry； and a Mlle。 de Rochefide was the young lady。 In the
whole fashionable world there was but one person who as yet knew
nothing of the arrangement； and that was Mme。 de Beauseant。 Some
of her friends had hinted at the possibility； and she had laughed
at them； believing that envy had prompted those ladies to try to
make mischief。 And now； though the bans were about to be
published； and although the handsome Portuguese had come that day
to break the news to the Vicomtesse； he had not found courage as
yet to say one word about his treachery。 How was it？ Nothing is
doubtless more difficult than the notification of an ultimatum of
this kind。 There are men who feel more at their ease when they
stand up before another man who threatens their lives with sword
or pistol than in the presence of a woman who； after two hours of
lamentations and reproaches； falls into a dead swoon and requires
salts。 At this moment； therefore； M。 d'Ajuda…Pinto was on thorns；
and anxious to take his leave。 He told himself that in some way
or other the news would reach Mme。 de Beauseant； he would write；
it would be much better to do it by letter； and not to utter the
words that should stab her to the heart。
So when the servant announced M。 Eugene de Rastignac； the Marquis
d'Ajuda…Pinto trembled with joy。 To be sure； a loving woman shows
even more ingenuity in inventing doubts of her lover than in
varying the monotony of his happiness； and when she is about to
be forsaken； she instinctively interprets every gesture as
rapidly as Virgil's courser detected the presence of his
companion by snuffing the breeze。 It was impossible； therefore；
that Mme。 de Beauseant should not detect that involuntary thrill
of satisfaction； slight though it was； it was appalling in its
artlessness。
Eugene had yet to learn that no one in Paris should present
himself in any house without first making himself acquainted with
the whole history of its owner； and of its owner's wife and
family； so that he may avoid making any of the terrible blunders
which in Poland draw forth the picturesque exclamation； 〃Harness
five bullocks to your cart！〃 probably because you will need them
all to pull you out of the quagmire into which a false step has
plunged you。 If； down to the present day； our language has no
name for these conversational disasters； it is probably because
they are believed to be impossible； the publicity given in Paris
to every scandal is so prodigious。 After the awkward incident at
Mme。 de Restaud's； no one but Eugene could have reappeared in his
character of bullock…driver in Mme。 de Beauseant's drawing…room。
But if Mme。 de Resta