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Saturday； so I am sure that you will not refuse me。 M。 de
Nucingen and I shall be pleased if you will dine with us； we
shall be quite by ourselves。 If you will come and be my escort；
my husband will be glad to be relieved from his conjugal duties。
Do not answer； but simply come。Yours sincerely；
D。 DE N。〃
〃Let me see it；〃 said Father Goriot； when Eugene had read the
letter。 〃You are going； aren't you？〃 he added； when he had
smelled the writing…paper。 〃How nice it smells！ Her fingers have
touched it； that is certain。〃
〃A woman does not fling herself at a man's head in this way；〃 the
student was thinking。 〃She wants to use me to bring back de
Marsay； nothing but pique makes a woman do a thing like this。〃
〃Well；〃 said Father Goriot； 〃what are you thinking about？〃
Eugene did not know the fever or vanity that possessed some women
in those days； how should he imagine that to open a door in the
Faubourg Saint…Germain a banker's wife would go to almost any
length。 For the coterie of the Faubourg Saint…Germain was a
charmed circle； and the women who moved in it were at that time
the queens of society； and among the greatest of these Dames du
Petit…Chateau； as they were called； were Mme。 de Beauseant and
her friends the Duchesse de Langeais and the Duchesse de
Maufrigneause。 Rastignac was alone in his ignorance of the
frantic efforts made by women who lived in the Chausee…d'Antin to
enter this seventh heaven and shine among the brightest
constellations of their sex。 But his cautious disposition stood
him in good stead； and kept his judgment cool； and the not
altogether enviable power of imposing instead of accepting
conditions。
〃Yes； I am going；〃 he replied。
So it was curiosity that drew him to Mme。 de Nucingen； while； if
she had treated him disdainfully； passion perhaps might have
brought him to her feet。 Still he waited almost impatiently for
to…morrow； and the hour when he could go to her。 There is almost
as much charm for a young man in a first flirtation as there is
in first love。 The certainty of success is a source of happiness
to which men do not confess； and all the charm of certain women
lies in this。 The desire of conquest springs no less from the
easiness than from the difficulty of triumph； and every passion
is excited or sustained by one or the other of these two motives
which divide the empire of love。 Perhaps this division is one
result of the great question of temperaments； which； after all；
dominates social life。 The melancholic temperament may stand in
need of the tonic of coquetry； while those of nervous or sanguine
complexion withdraw if they meet with a too stubborn resistance。
In other words； the lymphatic temperament is essentially
despondent； and the rhapsodic is bilious。
Eugene lingered over his toilette with an enjoyment of all its
little details that is grateful to a young man's self…love；
though he will not own to it for fear of being laughed at。 He
thought； as he arranged his hair； that a pretty woman's glances
would wander through the dark curls。 He indulged in childish
tricks like any young girl dressing for a dance； and gazed
complacently at his graceful figure while he smoothed out the
creases of his coat。
〃There are worse figures； that is certain；〃 he said to himself。
Then he went downstairs； just as the rest of the household were
sitting down to dinner； and took with good humor the boisterous
applause excited by his elegant appearance。 The amazement with
which any attention to dress is regarded in a lodging…house is a
very characteristic trait。 No one can put on a new coat but every
one else must say his say about it。
〃Clk！ clk！ clk！〃 cried Bianchon； making the sound with his tongue
against the roof of his mouth； like a driver urging on a horse。
〃He holds himself like a duke and a peer of France；〃 said Mme。
Vauquer。
〃Are you going a…courting？〃 inquired Mlle。 Michonneau。
〃Cock…a…doodle…doo！〃 cried the artist。
〃My compliments to my lady your wife；〃 from the employe at the
Museum。
〃Your wife； have you a wife？〃 asked Poiret。
〃Yes； in compartments； water…tight and floats； guaranteed fast
color； all prices from twenty…five to forty sous； neat check
patterns in the latest fashion and best taste； will wash； half…
linen； half…cotton； half…wool； a certain cure for toothache and
other complaints under the patronage of the Royal College of
Physicians！ children like it！ a remedy for headache； indigestion；
and all other diseases affecting the throat； eyes； and ears！〃
cried Vautrin； with a comical imitation of the volubility of a
quack at a fair。 〃And how much shall we say for this marvel；
gentlemen？ Twopence？ No。 Nothing of the sort。 All that is left in
stock after supplying the Great Mogul。 All the crowned heads of
Europe； including the Gr…r…rand Duke of Baden； have been anxious
to get a sight of it。 Walk up！ walk up！ gentlemen！ Pay at the
desk as you go in！ Strike up the music there！ Brooum； la； la；
trinn！ la； la； boum！ boum！ Mister Clarinette； there you are out
of tune！〃 he added gruffly； 〃I will rap your knuckles for you！〃
〃Goodness！ what an amusing man！〃 said Mme。 Vauquer to Mme。
Couture； 〃I should never feel dull with him in the house。〃
This burlesque of Vautrin's was the signal for an outburst of
merriment； and under cover of jokes and laughter Eugene caught a
glance from Mlle。 Taillefer； she had leaned over to say a few
words in Mme。 Couture's ear。
〃The cab is at the door；〃 announced Sylvie。
〃But where is he going to dine？〃 asked Bianchon。
〃With Madame la Baronne de Nucingen。〃
〃M。 Goriot's daughter；〃 said the law student。
At this； all eyes turned to the old vermicelli maker； he was
gazing at Eugene with something like envy in his eyes。
Rastignac reached the house in the Rue Saint…Lazare； one of those
many…windowed houses with a mean…looking portico and slender
columns； which are considered the thing in Paris； a typical
banker's house； decorated in the most ostentatious fashion； the
walls lined with stucco； the landings of marble mosaic。 Mme。 de
Nucingen was sitting in a little drawing…room； the room was
painted in the Italian fashion； and decorated like a restaurant。
The Baroness seemed depressed。 The effort that she made to hide
her feelings aroused Eugene's interest； it was plain that she was
not playing a part。 He had expected a little flutter of
excitement at his coming； and he found her dispirited and sad。
The disappointment piqued his vanity。
〃My claim to your confidence is very small； madame；〃 he said；
after rallying her on her abstracted mood； 〃but if I am in the
way； please tell me so frankly； I count on your good faith。〃
〃No； stay with me；〃 she said； 〃I shall be all alone if you go。
Nucingen is dining in town； and I do not want to be alone； I want
to be taken out of myself。〃
〃But what is the matter？〃
〃You are the very last person whom I should