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In the twinkling of an eye it was clear that every one in the
room； save Poiret； was of the medical student's opinion； so that
the latter； strong in the support of the majority； went up to
that elderly person。
〃You are more intimate with Mlle。 Michonneau than the rest of
us；〃 he said； 〃speak to her； make her understand that she must
go； and go at once。〃
〃At once！〃 echoed Poiret in amazement。
Then he went across to the crouching figure； and spoke a few
words in her ear。
〃I have paid beforehand for the quarter； I have as much right to
be here as any one else；〃 she said； with a viperous look at the
boarders。
〃Never mind that！ we will club together and pay you the money
back；〃 said Rastignac。
〃Monsieur is taking Collin's part〃 she said； with a questioning；
malignant glance at the law student； 〃it is not difficult to
guess why。〃
Eugene started forward at the words； as if he meant to spring
upon her and wring her neck。 That glance； and the depths of
treachery that it revealed； had been a hideous enlightenment。
〃Let her alone！〃 cried the boarders。
Rastignac folded his arms and was silent。
〃Let us have no more of Mlle。 Judas；〃 said the painter； turning
to Mme。 Vauquer。 〃If you don't show the Michonneau the door；
madame； we shall all leave your shop； and wherever we go we shall
say that there are only convicts and spies left there。 If you do
the other thing； we will hold our tongues about the business； for
when all is said and done； it might happen in the best society
until they brand them on the forehead； when they send them to the
hulks。 They ought not to let convicts go about Paris disguised
like decent citizens； so as to carry on their antics like a set
of rascally humbugs； which they are。〃
At this Mme。 Vauquer recovered miraculously。 She sat up and
folded her arms； her eyes were wide open now； and there was no
sign of tears in them。
〃Why； do you really mean to be the ruin of my establishment； my
dear sir？ There is M。 VautrinGoodness；〃 she cried；
interrupting herself； 〃I can't help calling him by the name he
passed himself off by for an honest man！ There is one room to let
already； and you want me to turn out two more lodgers in the
middle of the season； when no one is moving〃
〃Gentlemen； let us take our hats and go and dine at Flicoteaux's
in the Place Sorbonne；〃 cried Bianchon。
Mme。 Vauquer glanced round； and saw in a moment on which side her
interest lay。 She waddled across to Mlle。 Michonneau。
〃Come； now；〃 she said； 〃you would not be the ruin of my
establishment； would you； eh？ There's a dear； kind soul。 You see
what a pass these gentlemen have brought me to； just go up to
your room for this evening。〃
〃Never a bit of it！〃 cried the boarders。 〃She must go； and go
this minute！〃
〃But the poor lady has had no dinner；〃 said Poiret； with piteous
entreaty。
〃She can go and dine where she likes；〃 shouted several voices。
〃Turn her out； the spy！〃
〃Turn them both out！ Spies！〃
〃Gentlemen；〃 cried Poiret； his heart swelling with the courage
that love gives to the ovine male； 〃respect the weaker sex。〃
〃Spies are of no sex！〃 said the painter。
〃A precious sexorama！〃
〃Turn her into the streetorama！〃
〃Gentlemen； this is not manners！ If you turn people out of the
house； it ought not to be done so unceremoniously and with no
notice at all。 We have paid our money； and we are not going；〃
said Poiret； putting on his cap； and taking a chair beside Mlle。
Michonneau； with whom Mme。 Vauquer was remonstrating。
〃Naughty boy！〃 said the painter； with a comical look； 〃run away；
naughty little boy！〃
〃Look here；〃 said Bianchon； 〃if you do not go； all the rest of us
will；〃 and the boarders； to a man； made for the sitting…room…
door。
〃Oh！ mademoiselle； what is to be done？〃 cried Mme。 Vauquer。 〃I am
a ruined woman。 You can't stay here； they will go further； do
something violent。〃
Mlle。 Michonneau rose to her feet。
〃She is going！She is not going！She is going！No； she isn't。〃
These alternate exclamations； and a suggestion of hostile
intentions； borne out by the behavior of the insurgents；
compelled Mlle。 Michonneau to take her departure。 She made some
stipulations； speaking in a low voice in her hostess' ear； and
then〃I shall go to Mme。 Buneaud's；〃 she said； with a
threatening look。
〃Go where you please； mademoiselle；〃 said Mme。 Vauquer； who
regarded this choice of an opposition establishment as an
atrocious insult。 〃Go and lodge with the Buneaud； the wine would
give a cat the colic； and the food is cheap and nasty。〃
The boarders stood aside in two rows to let her pass； not a word
was spoken。 Poiret looked so wistfully after Mlle。 Michonneau；
and so artlessly revealed that he was in two minds whether to go
or stay； that the boarders； in their joy at being quit of Mlle。
Michonneau； burst out laughing at the sight of him。
〃Hist！st！st！ Poiret；〃 shouted the painter。 〃Hallo！ I say；
Poiret； hallo！〃 The employe from the Museum began to sing：
〃Partant pour la Syrie；
Le jeune et beau Dunois 。 。 。〃
〃Get along with you； you must be dying to go； trahit sua quemque
voluptas！〃 said Bianchon。
〃Every one to his tastefree rendering from Virgil；〃 said the
tutor。
Mlle。 Michonneau made a movement as if to take Poiret's arm； with
an appealing glance that he could not resist。 The two went out
together； the old maid leaning upon him； and there was a burst of
applause； followed by peals of laughter。
〃Bravo； Poiret！〃
〃Who would have thought it of old Poiret！〃
〃Apollo Poiret！〃
〃Mars Poiret！〃
〃Intrepid Poiret！〃
A messenger came in at that moment with a letter for Mme。
Vauquer； who read it through； and collapsed in her chair。
〃The house might as well be burned down at once；〃 cried she； 〃if
there are to be any more of these thunderbolts！ Young Taillefer
died at three o'clock this afternoon。 It serves me right for
wishing well to those ladies at that poor man's expense。 Mme。
Couture and Victorine want me to send their things； because they
are going to live with her father。 M。 Taillefer allows his
daughter to keep old Mme。 Couture as her lady companion。 Four
rooms to let！ and five lodgers gone！ 。 。 。〃
She sat up； and seemed about to burst into tears。
〃Bad luck has come to lodge here； I think；〃 she cried。
Once more there came a sound of wheels from the street outside。
〃What！ another windfall for somebody！〃 was Sylvie's comment。
But it was Goriot who came in； looking so radiant； so flushed
with happiness； that he seemed to have grown young again。
〃Goriot in a cab！〃 cried the boarders； 〃the world is coming to an
end。〃
The good soul made straight for Eugene； who was standing wrapped
in thought in a corner； and laid a hand on the young man's arm。
〃Come；〃 he said； with gladness in his eyes。
〃Then you have