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eyes should betray her cupidity。
〃You have a kind mother；〃 said Mme。 Couture。
〃You have a kind mother； sir；〃 echoed Poiret。
〃Yes； mamma has been drained dry；〃 said Vautrin； 〃and now you can
have your fling； go into society； and fish for heiresses； and
dance with countesses who have peach blossom in their hair。 But
take my advice； young man； and don't neglect your pistol
practice。〃
Vautrin struck an attitude； as if he were facing an antagonist。
Rastignac； meaning to give the porter a tip； felt in his pockets
and found nothing。 Vautrin flung down a franc piece on the table。
〃Your credit is good；〃 he remarked； eyeing the student； and
Rastignac was forced to thank him； though； since the sharp
encounter of wits at dinner that day； after Eugene came in from
calling on Mme。 de Beauseant； he had made up his mind that
Vautrin was insufferable。 For a week； in fact； they had both kept
silence in each other's presence； and watched each other。 The
student tried in vain to account to himself for this attitude。
An idea； of course； gains in force by the energy with which it is
expressed； it strikes where the brain sends it； by a law as
mathematically exact as the law that determines the course of a
shell from a mortar。 The amount of impression it makes is not to
be determined so exactly。 Sometimes； in an impressible nature；
the idea works havoc； but there are； no less； natures so robustly
protected； that this sort of projectile falls flat and harmless
on skulls of triple brass； as cannon…shot against solid masonry；
then there are flaccid and spongy…fibred natures into which ideas
from without sink like spent bullets into the earthworks of a
redoubt。 Rastignac's head was something of the powder…magazine
order； the least shock sufficed to bring about an explosion。 He
was too quick； too young； not to be readily accessible to ideas；
and open to that subtle influence of thought and feeling in
others which causes so many strange phenomena that make an
impression upon us of which we are all unconscious at the time。
Nothing escaped his mental vision； he was lynx…eyed； in him the
mental powers of perception； which seem like duplicates of the
senses； had the mysterious power of swift projection that
astonishes us in intellects of a high orderslingers who are
quick to detect the weak spot in any armor。
In the past month Eugene's good qualities and defects had rapidly
developed with his character。 Intercourse with the world and the
endeavor to satisfy his growing desires had brought out his
defects。 But Rastignac came from the South side of the Loire； and
had the good qualities of his countrymen。 He had the impetuous
courage of the South； that rushes to the attack of a difficulty；
as well as the southern impatience of delay or suspense。 These
traits are held to be defects in the North； they made the fortune
of Murat； but they likewise cut short his career。 The moral would
appear to be that when the dash and boldness of the South side of
the Loire meets； in a southern temperament； with the guile of the
North； the character is complete； and such a man will gain （and
keep） the crown of Sweden。
Rastignac； therefore； could not stand the fire from Vautrin's
batteries for long without discovering whether this was a friend
or a foe。 He felt as if this strange being was reading his inmost
soul； and dissecting his feelings； while Vautrin himself was so
close and secretive that he seemed to have something of the
profound and unmoved serenity of a sphinx； seeing and hearing all
things and saying nothing。 Eugene； conscious of that money in his
pocket； grew rebellious。
〃Be so good as to wait a moment；〃 he said to Vautrin； as the
latter rose； after slowly emptying his coffee…cup； sip by sip。
〃What for？〃 inquired the older man； as he put on his large…
brimmed hat and took up the sword…cane that he was wont to twirl
like a man who will face three or four footpads without
flinching。
〃I will repay you in a minute；〃 returned Eugene。 He unsealed one
of the bags as he spoke； counted out a hundred and forty francs；
and pushed them towards Mme。 Vauquer。 〃Short reckonings make good
friends〃 he added； turning to the widow； 〃that clears our
accounts till the end of the year。 Can you give me change for a
five…franc piece？〃
〃Good friends make short reckonings；〃 echoed Poiret； with a
glance at Vautrin。
〃Here is your franc；〃 said Rastignac； holding out the coin to the
sphinx in the black wig。
〃Any one might think that you were afraid to owe me a trifle；〃
exclaimed this latter； with a searching glance that seemed to
read the young man's inmost thoughts； there was a satirical and
cynical smile on Vautrin's face such as Eugene had seen scores of
times already； every time he saw it； it exasperated him almost
beyond endurance。
〃Well 。 。 。 so I am；〃 he answered。 He held both the bags in his
hand； and had risen to go up to his room。
Vautrin made as if he were going out through the sitting…room；
and the student turned to go through the second door that opened
into the square lobby at the foot of the staircase。
〃Do you know； Monsieur le Marquis de Rastignacorama； that what
you were saying just now was not exactly polite？〃 Vautrin
remarked； as he rattled his sword…cane across the panels of the
sitting…room door； and came up to the student。
Rastignac looked coolly at Vautrin； drew him to the foot of the
staircase； and shut the dining…room door。 They were standing in
the little square lobby between the kitchen and the dining…room；
the place was lighted by an iron…barred fanlight above a door
that gave access into the garden。 Sylvie came out of her kitchen；
and Eugene chose that moment to say：
MONSIEUR Vautrin； I am not a marquis； and my name is not
Rastignacorama。〃
〃They will fight；〃 said Mlle。 Michonneau； in an indifferent tone。
〃Fight！〃 echoed Poiret。
〃Not they；〃 replied Mme。 Vauquer； lovingly fingering her pile of
coins。
〃But there they are under the lime…trees；〃 cried Mlle。 Victorine；
who had risen so that she might see out into the garden。 〃Poor
young man！ he was in the right； after all。〃
〃We must go upstairs； my pet；〃 said Mme。 Couture； 〃it is no
business of ours。〃
At the door； however； Mme。 Couture and Victorine found their
progress barred by the portly form of Sylvie the cook。
〃What ever can have happened？〃 she said。 〃M。 Vautrin said to M。
Eugene； 'Let us have an explanation！' then he took him by the
arm； and there they are； out among the artichokes。〃
Vautrin came in while she was speaking。 〃Mamma Vauquer；〃 he said
smiling； 〃don't frighten yourself at all。 I am only going to try
my pistols under the lime…trees。〃
〃Oh！ monsieur；〃 cried Victorine； clasping her hands as she spoke；
〃why do you want to kill M。 Eugene？〃
Vautrin stepped back a pace or two； and gazed at Victorine。
〃Oh！ this is something fresh！〃 he exclaimed in a ba