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Arrived in the Rue Neuve…Sainte…Genevieve； he rushed up to his
room for ten francs wherewith to satisfy the demands of the
cabman； and went in to dinner。 He glanced round the squalid room；
saw the eighteen poverty…stricken creatures about to feed like
cattle in their stalls； and the sight filled him with loathing。
The transition was too sudden； and the contrast was so violent
that it could not but act as a powerful stimulant； his ambition
developed and grew beyond all social bounds。 On the one hand； he
beheld a vision of social life in its most charming and refined
forms； of quick…pulsed youth； of fair； impassioned faces invested
with all the charm of poetry； framed in a marvelous setting of
luxury or art； and； on the other hand； he saw a sombre picture；
the miry verge beyond these faces； in which passion was extinct
and nothing was left of the drama but the cords and pulleys and
bare mechanism。 Mme。 de Beauseant's counsels； the words uttered
in anger by the forsaken lady； her petulant offer； came to his
mind； and poverty was a ready expositor。 Rastignac determined to
open two parallel trenches so as to insure success； he would be a
learned doctor of law and a man of fashion。 Clearly he was still
a child！ Those two lines are asymptotes； and will never meet。
〃You are very dull； my lord Marquis；〃 said Vautrin； with one of
the shrewd glances that seem to read the innermost secrets of
another mind。
〃I am not in the humor to stand jokes from people who call me 'my
lord Marquis；' 〃 answered Eugene。 〃A marquis here in Paris； if he
is not the veriest sham； ought to have a hundred thousand livres
a year at least； and a lodger in the Maison Vauquer is not
exactly Fortune's favorite。〃
Vautrin's glance at Rastignac was half…paternal； half…
contemptuous。 〃Puppy！〃 it seemed to say； 〃I should make one
mouthful of him！〃 Then he answered：
〃You are in a bad humor； perhaps your visit to the beautiful
Comtesse de Restaud was not a success。〃
〃She has shut her door against me because I told her that her
father dined at our table；〃 cried Rastignac。
Glances were exchanged all round the room； Father Goriot looked
down。
〃You have sent some snuff into my eye；〃 he said to his neighbor；
turning a little aside to rub his hand over his face。
〃Any one who molests Father Goriot will have henceforward to
reckon with me；〃 said Eugene； looking at the old man's neighbor；
〃he is worth all the rest of us put together。I am not speaking
of the ladies；〃 he added； turning in the direction of Mlle。
Taillefer。
Eugene's remarks produced a sensation； and his tone silenced the
dinner…table。 Vautrin alone spoke。 〃If you are going to champion
Father Goriot； and set up for his responsible editor into the
bargain； you had need be a crack shot and know how to handle the
foils；〃 he said； banteringly。
〃So I intend；〃 said Eugene。
〃Then you are taking the field today？〃
〃Perhaps；〃 Rastignac answered。 〃But I owe no account of myself to
any one； especially as I do not try to find out what other people
do of a night。〃
Vautrin looked askance at Rastignac。
〃If you do not mean to be deceived by the puppets； my boy； you
must go behind and see the whole show； and not peep through holes
in the curtain。 That is enough；〃 he added； seeing that Eugene was
about to fly into a passion。 〃We can have a little talk whenever
you like。〃
There was a general feeling of gloom and constraint。 Father
Goriot was so deeply dejected by the student's remark that he did
not notice the change in the disposition of his fellow…lodgers；
nor know that he had met with a champion capable of putting an
end to the persecution。
〃Then； M。 Goriot sitting there is the father of a countess；〃 said
Mme。 Vauquer in a low voice。
〃And of a baroness；〃 answered Rastignac。
〃That is about all he is capable of；〃 said Bianchon to Rastignac；
〃I have taken a look at his head； there is only one bumpthe
bump of Paternity； he must be an ETERNAL FATHER。〃
Eugene was too intent on his thoughts to laugh at Bianchon's
joke。 He determined to profit by Mme。 de Beauseant's counsels；
and was asking himself how he could obtain the necessary money。
He grew grave。 The wide savannas of the world stretched before
his eyes； all things lay before him； nothing was his。 Dinner came
to an end； the others went； and he was left in the dining…room。
〃So you have seen my daughter？〃 Goriot spoke tremulously； and the
sound of his voice broke in upon Eugene's dreams。 The young man
took the elder's hand； and looked at him with something like
kindness in his eyes。
〃You are a good and noble man；〃 he said。 〃We will have some talk
about your daughters by and by。〃
He rose without waiting for Goriot's answer； and went to his
room。 There he wrote the following letter to his mother：
〃My Dear Mother；Can you nourish your child from your breast
again？ I am in a position to make a rapid fortune； but I want
twelve hundred francsI must have them at all costs。 Say nothing
about this to my father； perhaps he might make objections； and
unless I have the money； I may be led to put an end to myself；
and so escape the clutches of despair。 I will tell you everything
when I see you。 I will not begin to try to describe my present
situation； it would take volumes to put the whole story clearly
and fully。 I have not been gambling； my kind mother； I owe no one
a penny； but if you would preserve the life that you gave me； you
must send me the sum I mention。 As a matter of fact； I go to see
the Vicomtesse de Beauseant； she is using her influence for me； I
am obliged to go into society； and I have not a penny to lay out
on clean gloves。 I can manage to exist on bread and water； or go
without food； if need be； but I cannot do without the tools with
which they cultivate the vineyards in this country。 I must
resolutely make up my mind at once to make my way； or stick in
the mire for the rest of my days。 I know that all your hopes are
set on me； and I want to realize them quickly。 Sell some of your
old jewelry； my kind mother； I will give you other jewels very
soon。 I know enough of our affairs at home to know all that such
a sacrifice means； and you must not think that I would lightly
ask you to make it； I should be a monster if I could。 You must
think of my entreaty as a cry forced from me by imperative
necessity。 Our whole future lies in the subsidy with which I must
begin my first campaign； for life in Paris is one continual
battle。 If you cannot otherwise procure the whole of the money；
and are forced to sell our aunt's lace； tell her that I will send
her some still handsomer；〃 and so forth。
He wrote to ask each of his sisters for their savingswould they
despoil themselves for him； and keep the sacrifice a secret from
the family？ To his request he knew that they would not fail to
respond gladly； and he added to it an appeal to their delicacy by
t