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or charity？ How is it that a dandy； who in a night has robbed a
boy of half his fortune； gets only a couple of months in prison；
while a poor devil who steals a banknote for a thousand francs；
with aggravating circumstances； is condemned to penal servitude？
Those are your laws。 Not a single provision but lands you in some
absurdity。 That man with yellow gloves and a golden tongue
commits many a murder； he sheds no blood； but he drains his
victim's veins as surely； a desperado forces open a door with a
crowbar； dark deeds both of them！ You yourself will do every one
of those things that I suggest to you to…day； bar the bloodshed。
Do you believe that there is any absolute standard in this world？
Despise mankind and find out the meshes that you can slip through
in the net of the Code。 The secret of a great success for which
you are at a loss to account is a crime that has never been found
out； because it was properly executed。〃
〃Silence； sir！ I will not hear any more； you make me doubt
myself。 At this moment my sentiments are all my science。〃
〃Just as you please； my fine fellow； I did think you were so
weak…minded；〃 said Vautrin； 〃I shall say no more about it。 One
last word； however；〃 and he looked hard at the student〃you have
my secret；〃 he said。
〃A young man who refuses your offer knows that he must forget
it。〃
〃Quite right； quite right； I am glad to hear you say so。 Somebody
else might not be so scrupulous； you see。 Keep in mind what I
want to do for you。 I will give you a fortnight。 The offer is
still open。〃
〃What a head of iron the man has！〃 said Eugene to himself； as he
watched Vautrin walk unconcernedly away with his cane under his
arm。 〃Yet Mme。 de Beauseant said as much more gracefully； he has
only stated the case in cruder language。 He would tear my heart
with claws of steel。 What made me think of going to Mme。 de
Nucingen？ He guessed my motives before I knew them myself。 To sum
it up； that outlaw has told me more about virtue than all I have
learned from men and books。 If virtue admits of no compromises； I
have certainly robbed my sisters；〃 he said； throwing down the
bags on the table。
He sat down again and fell； unconscious of his surroundings； into
deep thought。
〃To be faithful to an ideal of virtue！ A heroic martyrdom！ Pshaw！
every one believes in virtue； but who is virtuous？ Nations have
made an idol of Liberty； but what nation on the face of the earth
is free？ My youth is still like a blue and cloudless sky。 If I
set myself to obtain wealth or power； does it mean that I must
make up my mind to lie； and fawn； and cringe； and swagger； and
flatter； and dissemble？ To consent to be the servant of others
who have likewise fawned； and lied； and flattered？ Must I cringe
to them before I can hope to be their accomplice？ Well； then； I
decline。 I mean to work nobly and with a single heart。 I will
work day and night； I will owe my fortune to nothing but my own
exertions。 It may be the slowest of all roads to success； but I
shall lay my head on the pillow at night untroubled by evil
thoughts。 Is there a greater thing than thisto look back over
your life and know that it is stainless as a lily？ I and my life
are like a young man and his betrothed。 Vautrin has put before me
all that comes after ten years of marriage。 The devil！ my head is
swimming。 I do not want to think at all； the heart is a sure
guide。〃
Eugene was roused from his musings by the voice of the stout
Sylvie； who announced that the tailor had come； and Eugene
therefore made his appearance before the man with the two money
bags； and was not ill pleased that it should be so。 When he had
tried on his dress suit； he put on his new morning costume； which
completely metamorphosed him。
〃I am quite equal to M。 de Trailles；〃 he said to himself。 〃In
short； I look like a gentleman。〃
〃You asked me； sir； if I knew the houses where Mme。 de Nucingen
goes；〃 Father Goriot's voice spoke from the doorway of Eugene's
room。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Very well then； she is going to the Marechale Carigliano's ball
on Monday。 If you can manage to be there； I shall hear from you
whether my two girls enjoyed themselves； and how they were
dressed； and all about it in fact。〃
〃How did you find that out； my good Goriot？〃 said Eugene； putting
a chair by the fire for his visitor。
〃Her maid told me。 I hear all about their doings from Therese and
Constance；〃 he added gleefully。
The old man looked like a lover who is still young enough to be
made happy by the discovery of some little stratagem which brings
him information of his lady…love without her knowledge。
〃YOU will see them both！〃 he said； giving artless expression to a
pang of jealousy。
〃I do not know；〃 answered Eugene。 〃I will go to Mme。 de Beauseant
and ask her for an introduction to the Marechale。〃
Eugene felt a thrill of pleasure at the thought of appearing
before the Vicomtesse； dressed as henceforward he always meant to
be。 The 〃abysses of the human heart；〃 in the moralists' phrase；
are only insidious thoughts； involuntary promptings of personal
interest。 The instinct of enjoyment turns the scale； those rapid
changes of purpose which have furnished the text for so much
rhetoric are calculations prompted by the hope of pleasure。
Rastignac beholding himself well dressed and impeccable as to
gloves and boots； forgot his virtuous resolutions。 Youth；
moreover； when bent upon wrongdoing does not dare to behold
himself in the mirror of consciousness； mature age has seen
itself； and therein lies the whole difference between these two
phases of life。
A friendship between Eugene and his neighbor； Father Goriot； had
been growing up for several days past。 This secret friendship and
the antipathy that the student had begun to entertain for Vautrin
arose from the same psychological causes。 The bold philosopher
who shall investigate the effects of mental action upon the
physical world will doubtless find more than one proof of the
material nature of our sentiments in other animals。 What
physiognomist is as quick to discern character as a dog is to
discover from a stranger's face whether this is a friend or no？
Those by…words〃atoms；〃 〃affinities〃are facts surviving in
modern languages for the confusion of philosophic wiseacres who
amuse themselves by winnowing the chaff of language to find its
grammatical roots。 We FEEL that we are loved。 Our sentiments make
themselves felt in everything； even at a great distance。 A letter
is a living soul； and so faithful an echo of the voice that
speaks in it； that finer natures look upon a letter as one of
love's most precious treasures。 Father Goriot's affection was of
the instinctive order； a canine affection raised to a sublime
pitch； he had scented compassion in the air； and the kindly
respect and youthful sympathy in the student's heart。 This
friendship had； however； scarcely reached the stage at which
c