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At this point the Marquis d'Ajuda appeared in Mme。 de Beauseant's
box。
〃I have made a muddle of my affairs to come to you；〃 he said；
〃and I am telling you about it； so that it may not be a
sacrifice。〃
Eugene saw the glow of joy on the Vicomtesse's face； and knew
that this was love； and learned the difference between love and
the affectations of Parisian coquetry。 He admired his cousin；
grew mute； and yielded his place to M。 d'Ajuda with a sigh。
〃How noble； how sublime a woman is when she loves like that！〃 he
said to himself。 〃And HE could forsake her for a doll！ Oh！ how
could any one forsake her？〃
There was a boy's passionate indignation in his heart。 He could
have flung himself at Mme。 de Beauseant's feet； he longed for the
power of the devil if he could snatch her away and hide her in
his heart； as an eagle snatches up some white yeanling from the
plains and bears it to its eyrie。 It was humiliating to him to
think that in all this gallery of fair pictures he had not one
picture of his own。 〃To have a mistress and an almost royal
position is a sign of power；〃 he said to himself。 And he looked
at Mme。 de Nucingen as a man measures another who has insulted
him。
The Vicomtesse turned to him； and the expression of her eyes
thanked him a thousand times for his discretion。 The first act
came to an end just then。
〃Do you know Mme。 de Nucingen well enough to present M。 de
Rastignac to her？〃 she asked of the Marquis d'Ajuda。
〃She will be delighted；〃 said the Marquis。 The handsome
Portuguese rose as he spoke and took the student's arm； and in
another moment Eugene found himself in Mme。 de Nucingen's box。
〃Madame；〃 said the Marquis； 〃I have the honor of presenting to
you the Chevalier Eugene de Rastignac； he is a cousin of Mme。 de
Beauseant's。 You have made so deep an impression upon him； that I
thought I would fill up the measure of his happiness by bringing
him nearer to his divinity。〃
Words spoken half jestingly to cover their somewhat disrespectful
import； but such an implication； if carefully disguised； never
gives offence to a woman。 Mme。 de Nucingen smiled； and offered
Eugene the place which her husband had just left。
〃I do not venture to suggest that you should stay with me；
monsieur；〃 she said。 〃Those who are so fortunate as to be in Mme。
de Beauseant's company do not desire to leave it。〃
〃Madame；〃 Eugene said； lowering his voice； 〃I think that to
please my cousin I should remain with you。 Before my lord Marquis
came we were speaking of you and of your exceedingly
distinguished appearance；〃 he added aloud。
M。 d'Ajuda turned and left them。
〃Are you really going to stay with me； monsieur？〃 asked the
Baroness。 〃Then we shall make each other's acquaintance。 Mme。 de
Restaud told me about you； and has made me anxious to meet you。〃
〃She must be very insincere； then； for she has shut her door on
me。〃
〃What？〃
〃Madame； I will tell you honestly the reason why； but I must
crave your indulgence before confiding such a secret to you。 I am
your father's neighbor； I had no idea that Mme。 de Restaud was
his daughter。 I was rash enough to mention his name； I meant no
harm； but I annoyed your sister and her husband very much。 You
cannot think how severely the Duchesse de Langeais and my cousin
blamed this apostasy on a daughter's part； as a piece of bad
taste。 I told them all about it； and they both burst out
laughing。 Then Mme。 de Beauseant made some comparison between you
and your sister； speaking in high terms of you； and saying how
very fond you were of my neighbor； M。 Goriot。 And； indeed； how
could you help loving him？ He adores you so passionately that I
am jealous already。 We talked about you this morning for two
hours。 So this evening I was quite full of all that your father
had told me； and while I was dining with my cousin I said that
you could not be as beautiful as affectionate。 Mme。 de Beauseant
meant to gratify such warm admiration； I think； when she brought
me here； telling me； in her gracious way； that I should see you。〃
〃Then； even now； I owe you a debt of gratitude； monsieur；〃 said
the banker's wife。 〃We shall be quite old friends in a little
while。〃
〃Although a friendship with you could not be like an ordinary
friendship；〃 said Rastignac； 〃I should never wish to be your
friend。〃
Such stereotyped phrases as these； in the mouths of beginners；
possess an unfailing charm for women； and are insipid only when
read coldly； for a young man's tone； glance and attitude give a
surpassing eloquence to the banal phrases。 Mme。 de Nucingen
thought that Rastignac was adorable。 Then； woman…like； being at a
loss how to reply to the student's outspoken admiration； she
answered a previous remark。
〃Yes； it is very wrong of my sister to treat our poor father as
she does；〃 she said； 〃he has been a Providence to us。 It was not
until M。 de Nucingen positively ordered me only to receive him in
the mornings that I yielded the point。 But I have been unhappy
about it for a long while； I have shed many tears over it。 This
violence to my feelings； with my husband's brutal treatment； have
been two causes of my unhappy married life。 There is certainly no
woman in Paris whose lot seems more enviable than mine； and yet；
in reality； there is not one so much to be pitied。 You will think
I must be out of my senses to talk to you like this； but you know
my father； and I cannot regard you as a stranger。〃
〃You will find no one；〃 said Eugene； 〃who longs as eagerly as I
do to be yours。 What do all women seek？ Happiness。〃 （He answered
his own question in low； vibrating tones。） 〃And if happiness for
a woman means that she is to be loved and adored； to have a
friend to whom she can pour out her wishes； her fancies； her
sorrows and joys； to whom she can lay bare her heart and soul；
and all her fair defects and her gracious virtues； without fear
of a betrayal； believe me； the devotion and the warmth that never
fails can only be found in the heart of a young man who； at a
bare sign from you； would go to his death； who neither knows nor
cares to know anything as yet of the world； because you will be
all the world to him。 I myself； you see （you will laugh at my
simplicity）； have just come from a remote country district； I am
quite new to this world of Paris； I have only known true and
loving hearts； and I made up my mind that here I should find no
love。 Then I chanced to meet my cousin； and to see my cousin's
heart from very near； I have divined the inexhaustible treasures
of passion； and； like Cherubino； I am the lover of all women；
until the day comes when I find THE woman to whom I may devote
myself。 As soon as I saw you； as soon as I came into the theatre
this evening； I felt myself borne towards you as if by the
current of a stream。 I had so often thought of you already； but I
had never dreamed that you would be so beautiful！ Mme。 de
Beauseant to