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suspicion that she will come into a fortune； good Lord！ it is
quint and quatorze at piquet； it is knowing the numbers of the
lottery before…hand； it is speculating in the funds when you have
news from a sure source； it is building up a marriage on an
indestructible foundation。 The girl may come in for millions； and
she will fling them； as if they were so many pebbles； at your
feet。 'Take it； my beloved！ Take it； Alfred； Adolphe； Eugene！' or
whoever it was that showed his sense by sacrificing himself for
her。 And as for sacrificing himself； this is how I understand it。
You sell a coat that is getting shabby； so that you can take her
to the Cadran bleu； treat her to mushrooms on toast； and then go
to the Ambigu…Comique in the evening； you pawn your watch to buy
her a shawl。 I need not remind you of the fiddle…faddle
sentimentality that goes down so well with all women； you spill a
few drops of water on your stationery； for instance； those are
the tears you shed while far away from her。 You look to me as if
you were perfectly acquainted with the argot of the heart。 Paris；
you see； is like a forest in the New World； where you have to
deal with a score of varieties of savagesIllinois and Hurons；
who live on the proceed of their social hunting。 You are a hunter
of millions； you set your snares； you use lures and nets； there
are many ways of hunting。 Some hunt heiresses； others a legacy；
some fish for souls； yet others sell their clients； bound hand
and foot。 Every one who comes back from the chase with his game…
bag well filled meets with a warm welcome in good society。 In
justice to this hospitable part of the world； it must be said
that you have to do with the most easy and good…natured of great
cities。 If the proud aristocracies of the rest of Europe refuse
admittance among their ranks to a disreputable millionaire； Paris
stretches out a hand to him； goes to his banquets； eats his
dinners； and hobnobs with his infamy。〃
〃But where is such a girl to be found？〃 asked Eugene。
〃Under your eyes； she is yours already。〃
〃Mlle。 Victorine？〃
〃Precisely。〃
〃And what was that you said？〃
〃She is in love with you already； your little Baronne de
Rastignac！〃
〃She has not a penny；〃 Eugene continued； much mystified。
〃Ah！ now we are coming to it！ Just another word or two； and it
will all be clear enough。 Her father； Taillefer； is an old
scoundrel； it is said that he murdered one of his friends at the
time of the Revolution。 He is one of your comedians that sets up
to have opinions of his own。 He is a bankersenior partner in
the house of Frederic Taillefer and Company。 He has one son； and
means to leave all he has to the boy； to the prejudice of
Victorine。 For my part； I don't like to see injustice of this
sort。 I am like Don Quixote； I have a fancy for defending the
weak against the strong。 If it should please God to take that
youth away from him； Taillefer would have only his daughter left；
he would want to leave his money to some one or other； an absurd
notion； but it is only human nature； and he is not likely to have
any more children； as I know。 Victorine is gentle and amiable；
she will soon twist her father round her fingers； and set his
head spinning like a German top by plying him with sentiment！ She
will be too much touched by your devotion to forget you； you will
marry her。 I mean to play Providence for you； and Providence is
to do my will。 I have a friend whom I have attached closely to
myself； a colonel in the Army of the Loire； who has just been
transferred into the garde royale。 He has taken my advice and
turned ultra…royalist； he is not one of those fools who never
change their opinions。 Of all pieces of advice； my cherub； I
would give you thisdon't stick to your opinions any more than
to your words。 If any one asks you for them； let him have them
at a price。 A man who prides himself on going in a straight line
through life is an idiot who believes in infallibility。 There are
no such things as principles； there are only events； and there
are no laws but those of expediency： a man of talent accepts
events and the circumstances in which he finds himself； and turns
everything to his own ends。 If laws and principles were fixed and
invariable； nations would not change them as readily as we change
our shirts。 The individual is not obliged to be more particular
than the nation。 A man whose services to France have been of the
very slightest is a fetich looked on with superstitious awe
because he has always seen everything in red； but he is good； at
the most； to be put into the Museum of Arts and Crafts； among the
automatic machines； and labeled La Fayette； while the prince at
whom everybody flings a stone； the man who despises humanity so
much that he spits as many oaths as he is asked for in the face
of humanity； saved France from being torn in pieces at the
Congress of Vienna； and they who should have given him laurels
fling mud at him。 Oh！ I know something of affairs； I can tell
you； I have the secrets of many men！ Enough。 When I find three
minds in agreement as to the application of a principle； I shall
have a fixed and immovable opinionI shall have to wait a long
while first。 In the Tribunals you will not find three judges of
the same opinion on a single point of law。 To return to the man I
was telling you of。 He would crucify Jesus Christ again； if I
bade him。 At a word from his old chum Vautrin he will pick a
quarrel with a scamp that will not send so much as five francs to
his sister； poor girl； and〃 （here Vautrin rose to his feet and
stood like a fencing…master about to lunge）〃turn him off into
the dark！〃 he added。
〃How frightful！〃 said Eugene。 〃You do not really mean it？ M。
Vautrin； you are joking！〃
〃There！ there！ Keep cool！〃 said the other。 〃Don't behave like a
baby。 But if you find any amusement in it； be indignant； flare
up！ Say that I am a scoundrel； a rascal； a rogue； a bandit； but
do not call me a blackleg nor a spy！ There； out with it； fire
away！ I forgive you； it is quite natural at your age。 I was like
that myself once。 Only remember this； you will do worse things
yourself some day。 You will flirt with some pretty woman and take
her money。 You have thought of that； of course；〃 said Vautrin；
〃for how are you to succeed unless love is laid under
contribution？ There are no two ways about virtue； my dear
student； it either is； or it is not。 Talk of doing penance for
your sins！ It is a nice system of business； when you pay for your
crime by an act of contrition！ You seduce a woman that you may
set your foot on such and such a rung of the social ladder； you
sow dissension among the children of a family； you descend； in
short； to every base action that can be committed at home or
abroad； to gain your own ends for your own pleasure or your
profit； and can you imagine that these are acts of faith； hope；
or charity？ How is it that a dandy； who in a night has robbed