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had never dreamed that you would be so beautiful！ Mme。 de
Beauseant told me that I must not look so much at you。 She does
not know the charm of your red lips； your fair face； nor see how
soft your eyes are。 。 。 。 I also am beginning to talk nonsense；
but let me talk。〃
Nothing pleases a woman better than to listen to such whispered
words as these； the most puritanical among them listens even when
she ought not to reply to them； and Rastignac； having once begun；
continued to pour out his story； dropping his voice； that she
might lean and listen； and Mme。 de Nucingen； smiling； glanced
from time to time at de Marsay； who still sat in the Princesse
Galathionne's box。
Rastignac did not leave Mme。 de Nucingen till her husband came to
take her home。
〃Madame；〃 Eugene said； 〃I shall have the pleasure of calling upon
you before the Duchesse de Carigliano's ball。〃
〃If Matame infites you to come；〃 said the Baron； a thickset
Alsatian； with indications of a sinister cunning in his full…moon
countenance； 〃you are quide sure of being well receifed。〃
〃My affairs seem to be in a promising way；〃 said Eugene to
himself。〃 'Can you love me？' I asked her； and she did not
resent it。 The bit is in the horse's mouth； and I have only to
mount and ride；〃 and with that he went to pay his respects to
Mme。 de Beauseant； who was leaving the theatre on d'Ajuda's arm。
The student did not know that the Baroness' thoughts had been
wandering； that she was even then expecting a letter from de
Marsay； one of those letters that bring about a rupture that
rends the soul； so； happy in his delusion； Eugene went with the
Vicomtesse to the peristyle； where people were waiting till their
carriages were announced。
〃That cousin of yours is hardly recognizable for the same man；〃
said the Portuguese laughingly to the Vicomtesse； when Eugene had
taken leave of them。 〃He will break the bank。 He is as supple as
an eel； he will go a long way； of that I am sure。 Who else could
have picked out a woman for him； as you did； just when she needed
consolation？〃
〃But it is not certain that she does not still love the faithless
lover；〃 said Mme。 de Beauseant。
The student meanwhile walked back from the Theatre…Italien to the
Rue Neuve…Sainte…Genevieve； making the most delightful plans as
he went。 He had noticed how closely Mme。 de Restaud had
scrutinized him when he sat beside Mme。 de Nucingen； and inferred
that the Countess' doors would not be closed in the future。 Four
important houses were now open to himfor he meant to stand well
with the Marechale； he had four supporters in the inmost circle
of society in Paris。 Even now it was clear to him that； once
involved in this intricate social machinery； he must attach
himself to a spoke of the wheel that was to turn and raise his
fortunes； he would not examine himself too curiously as to the
methods； but he was certain of the end； and conscious of the
power to gain and keep his hold。
〃If Mme。 de Nucingen takes an interest in me； I will teach her
how to manage her husband。 That husband of hers is a great
speculator； he might put me in the way of making a fortune by a
single stroke。〃
He did not say this bluntly in so many words； as yet； indeed； he
was not sufficient of a diplomatist to sum up a situation； to see
its possibilities at a glance； and calculate the chances in his
favor。 These were nothing but hazy ideas that floated over his
mental horizon； they were less cynical than Vautrin's notions；
but if they had been tried in the crucible of conscience； no very
pure result would have issued from the test。 It is by a
succession of such like transactions that men sink at last to the
level of the relaxed morality of this epoch； when there have
never been so few of those who square their courses with their
theories； so few of those noble characters who do not yield to
temptation； for whom the slightest deviation from the line of
rectitude is a crime。 To these magnificent types of
uncompromising Right we owe two masterpiecesthe Alceste of
Moliere； and； in our own day； the characters of Jeanie Deans and
her father in Sir Walter Scott's novel。 Perhaps a work which
should chronicle the opposite course； which should trace out all
the devious courses through which a man of the world； a man of
ambitions； drags his conscience； just steering clear of crime
that he may gain his end and yet save appearances； such a
chronicle would be no less edifying and no less dramatic。
Rastignac went home。 He was fascinated by Mme。 de Nucingen； he
seemed to see her before him； slender and graceful as a swallow。
He recalled the intoxicating sweetness of her eyes； her fair
hair； the delicate silken tissue of the skin； beneath which it
almost seemed to him that he could see the blood coursing； the
tones of her voice still exerted a spell over him； he had
forgotten nothing； his walk perhaps heated his imagination by
sending a glow of warmth through his veins。 He knocked
unceremoniously at Goriot's door。
〃I have seen Mme。 Delphine； neighbor；〃 said he。
〃Where？〃
〃At the Italiens。〃
〃Did she enjoy it？。 。 。 。 Just come inside；〃 and the old man left
his bed； unlocked the door； and promptly returned again。
It was the first time that Eugene had been in Father Goriot's
room； and he could not control his feeling of amazement at the
contrast between the den in which the father lived and the
costume of the daughter whom he had just beheld。 The window was
curtainless； the walls were damp； in places the varnished wall…
paper had come away and gave glimpses of the grimy yellow plaster
beneath。 The wretched bed on which the old man lay boasted but
one thin blanket； and a wadded quilt made out of large pieces of
Mme。 Vauquer's old dresses。 The floor was damp and gritty。
Opposite the window stood a chest of drawers made of rosewood；
one of the old…fashioned kind with a curving front and brass
handles； shaped like rings of twisted vine stems covered with
flowers and leaves。 On a venerable piece of furniture with a
wooden shelf stood a ewer and basin and shaving apparatus。 A pair
of shoes stood in one corner； a night…table by the bed had
neither a door nor marble slab。 There was not a trace of a fire
in the empty grate； the square walnut table with the crossbar
against which Father Goriot had crushed and twisted his posset…
dish stood near the hearth。 The old man's hat was lying on a
broken…down bureau。 An armchair stuffed with straw and a couple
of chairs completed the list of ramshackle furniture。 From the
tester of the bed； tied to the ceiling by a piece of rag； hung a
strip of some cheap material in large red and black checks。 No
poor drudge in a garret could be worse lodged than Father Goriot
in Mme。 Vauquer's lodging…house。 The mere sight of the room sent
a chill through you and a sense of oppression； it was like the
worst cell in a prison。 Luckily； Goriot could not see the effect