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misfortune to have sat in my box at the Gaite yesterday evening？
After all； are you better than we are？ The brand upon our
shoulders is less shameful than the brand set on your hearts； you
flabby members of a society rotten to the core。 Not the best man
among you could stand up to me。〃 His eyes rested upon Rastignac；
to whom he spoke with a pleasant smile that seemed strangely at
variance with the savage expression in his eyes。〃Our little
bargain still holds good； dear boy； you can accept any time you
like！ Do you understand？〃 And he sang：
〃A charming girl is my Fanchette
In her simplicity。〃
〃Don't you trouble yourself；〃 he went on； 〃I can get in my money。
They are too much afraid of me to swindle me。〃
The convicts' prison； its language and customs； its sudden sharp
transitions from the humorous to the horrible； its appalling
grandeur； its triviality and its dark depths； were all revealed
in turn by the speaker's discourse； he seemed to be no longer a
man； but the type and mouthpiece of a degenerate race； a brutal；
supple； clear…headed race of savages。 In one moment Collin became
the poet of an inferno； wherein all thoughts and passions that
move human nature （save repentance） find a place。 He looked about
him like a fallen archangel who is for war to the end。 Rastignac
lowered his eyes； and acknowledged this kinship claimed by crime
as an expiation of his own evil thoughts。
〃Who betrayed me？〃 said Collin； and his terrible eyes traveled
round the room。 Suddenly they rested on Mlle。 Michonneau。
〃It was you； old cat！〃 he said。 〃That sham stroke of apoplexy was
your doing； lynx eyes！ 。 。 。 Two words from me； and your throat
would be cut in less than a week； but I forgive you； I am a
Christian。 You did not sell me either。 But who did？Aha！ you
may rummage upstairs；〃 he shouted； hearing the police officers
opening his cupboards and taking possession of his effects。 〃The
nest is empty； the birds flew away yesterday； and you will be
none the wiser。 My ledgers are here；〃 he said tapping his
forehead。 〃Now I know who sold me！ It could only be that
blackguard Fil…de…Soie。 That is who it was； old catchpoll； eh？〃
he said； turning to the chief。 〃It was timed so neatly to get the
banknotes up above there。 There is nothing left for youspies！
As for Fil…de…Soie； he will be under the daisies in less than a
fortnight； even if you were to tell off the whole force to
protect him。 How much did you give the Michonnette？〃 he asked of
the police officers。 〃A thousand crowns？ Oh you Ninon in decay；
Pompadour in tatters； Venus of the graveyard； I was worth more
than that！ If you had given me warning； you should have had six
thousand francs。 Ah！ you had no suspicion of that； old trafficker
in flesh and blood； or I should have had the preference。 Yes； I
would have given six thousand francs to save myself an
inconvenient journey and some loss of money；〃 he said； as they
fastened the handcuffs on his wrists。 〃These folks will amuse
themselves by dragging out this business till the end of time to
keep me idle。 If they were to send me straight to jail； I should
soon be back at my old tricks in spite of the duffers at the Quai
des Orfevres。 Down yonder they will all turn themselves inside
out to help their generaltheir good Trompe…la…Mortto get
clear away。 Is there a single one among you that can say； as I
can； that he has ten thousand brothers ready to do anything for
him？〃 he asked proudly。 〃There is some good there；〃 he said
tapping his heart； 〃I have never betrayed any one！Look you
here； you slut；〃 he said to the old maid； 〃they are all afraid of
me； do you see？ but the sight of you turns them sick。 Rake in
your gains。〃
He was silent for a moment； and looked round at the lodgers'
faces。
〃What dolts you are； all of you！ Have you never seen a convict
before？ A convict of Collin's stamp； whom you see before you； is
a man less weak…kneed than others； he lifts up his voice against
the colossal fraud of the Social Contract； as Jean Jacques did；
whose pupil he is proud to declare himself。 In short； I stand
here single…handed against a Government and a whole subsidized
machinery of tribunals and police； and I am a match for them
all。〃
〃Ye gods！〃 cried the painter； 〃what a magnificent sketch one
might make of him！〃
〃Look here； you gentlemen…in…waiting to his highness the gibbet；
master of ceremonies to the widow〃 （a nickname full of sombre
poetry； given by prisoners to the guillotine）； 〃be a good fellow；
and tell me if it really was Fil…de…Soie who sold me。 I don't
want him to suffer for some one else； that would not be fair。〃
But before the chief had time to answer； the rest of the party
returned from making their investigations upstairs。 Everything
had been opened and inventoried。 A few words passed between them
and the chief； and the official preliminaries were complete。
〃Gentlemen；〃 said Collin； addressing the lodgers； 〃they will take
me away directly。 You have all made my stay among you very
agreeable； and I shall look back upon it with gratitude。 Receive
my adieux； and permit me to send you figs from Provence。〃
He advanced a step or two； and then turned to look once more at
Rastignac。
〃Good…bye； Eugene；〃 he said； in a sad and gentle tone； a strange
transition from his previous rough and stern manner。 〃If you
should be hard up； I have left you a devoted friend；〃 and； in
spite of his shackles； he managed to assume a posture of defence；
called； 〃One； two！〃 like a fencing…master； and lunged。 〃If
anything goes wrong； apply in that quarter。 Man and money； all at
your service。〃
The strange speaker's manner was sufficiently burlesque； so that
no one but Rastignac knew that there was a serious meaning
underlying the pantomime。
As soon as the police； soldiers； and detectives had left the
house； Sylvie； who was rubbing her mistress' temples with
vinegar； looked round at the bewildered lodgers。
〃Well；〃 said she； 〃he was a man； he was； for all that。〃
Her words broke the spell。 Every one had been too much excited；
too much moved by very various feelings to speak。 But now the
lodgers began to look at each other； and then all eyes were
turned at once on Mlle。 Michonneau； a thin； shriveled； dead…
alive； mummy…like figure； crouching by the stove； her eyes were
downcast； as if she feared that the green eye…shade could not
shut out the expression of those faces from her。 This figure and
the feeling of repulsion she had so long excited were explained
all at once。 A smothered murmur filled the room； it was so
unanimous； that it seemed as if the same feeling of loathing had
pitched all the voices in one key。 Mlle。 Michonneau heard it； and
did not stir。 It was Bianchon who was the first to move； he bent
over his neighbor； and said in a low voice； 〃If that creature is
going to stop here； and have dinner with us； I shall clear out。〃
In the twinkling of an eye it was clear