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tolerable match。 〃And in other respects； I am quite his equal；〃
she said to herself； turning as if to assure herself of the
charms of a form that the portly Sylvie found moulded in down
feathers every morning。
For three months from that day Mme。 Veuve Vauquer availed herself
of the services of M。 Goriot's coiffeur； and went to some expense
over her toilette； expense justifiable on the ground that she
owed it to herself and her establishment to pay some attention to
appearances when such highly…respectable persons honored her
house with their presence。 She expended no small amount of
ingenuity in a sort of weeding process of her lodgers； announcing
her intention of receiving henceforward none but people who were
in every way select。 If a stranger presented himself； she let him
know that M。 Goriot； one of the best known and most highly…
respected merchants in Paris； had singled out her boarding…house
for a residence。 She drew up a prospectus headed MAISON VAUQUER；
in which it was asserted that hers was 〃one of the oldest and
most highly recommended boarding…houses in the Latin Quarter。〃
〃From the windows of the house；〃 thus ran the prospectus； 〃there
is a charming view of the Vallee des Gobelins （so there isfrom
the third floor）； and a BEAUTIFUL garden； EXTENDING down to AN
AVENUE OF LINDENS at the further end。〃 Mention was made of the
bracing air of the place and its quiet situation。
It was this prospectus that attracted Mme。 la Comtesse de
l'Ambermesnil； a widow of six and thirty； who was awaiting the
final settlement of her husband's affairs； and of another matter
regarding a pension due to her as the wife of a general who had
died 〃on the field of battle。〃 On this Mme。 Vauquer saw to her
table； lighted a fire daily in the sitting…room for nearly six
months； and kept the promise of her prospectus； even going to
some expense to do so。 And the Countess； on her side； addressed
Mme。 Vauquer as 〃my dear；〃 and promised her two more boarders；
the Baronne de Vaumerland and the widow of a colonel； the late
Comte de Picquoisie； who were about to leave a boarding…house in
the Marais； where the terms were higher than at the Maison
Vauquer。 Both these ladies； moreover； would be very well to do
when the people at the War Office had come to an end of their
formalities。 〃But Government departments are always so dilatory；〃
the lady added。
After dinner the two widows went together up to Mme。 Vauquer's
room； and had a snug little chat over some cordial and various
delicacies reserved for the mistress of the house。 Mme。 Vauquer's
ideas as to Goriot were cordially approved by Mme。 de
l'Ambermesnil； it was a capital notion； which for that matter she
had guessed from the very first； in her opinion the vermicelli
maker was an excellent man。
〃Ah！ my dear lady； such a well…preserved man of his age； as sound
as my eyesighta man who might make a woman happy！〃 said the
widow。
The good…natured Countess turned to the subject of Mme。 Vauquer's
dress； which was not in harmony with her projects。 〃You must put
yourself on a war footing；〃 said she。
After much serious consideration the two widows went shopping
togetherthey purchased a hat adorned with ostrich feathers and
a cap at the Palais Royal； and the Countess took her friend to
the Magasin de la Petite Jeannette； where they chose a dress and
a scarf。 Thus equipped for the campaign； the widow looked exactly
like the prize animal hung out for a sign above an a la mode beef
shop； but she herself was so much pleased with the improvement；
as she considered it； in her appearance； that she felt that she
lay under some obligation to the Countess； and； though by no
means open…handed； she begged that lady to accept a hat that cost
twenty francs。 The fact was that she needed the Countess'
services on the delicate mission of sounding Goriot； the countess
must sing her praises in his ears。 Mme。 de l'Ambermesnil lent
herself very good…naturedly to this manoeuvre； began her
operations； and succeeded in obtaining a private interview； but
the overtures that she made； with a view to securing him for
herself； were received with embarrassment； not to say a repulse。
She left him； revolted by his coarseness。
〃My angel；〃 said she to her dear friend； 〃you will make nothing
of that man yonder。 He is absurdly suspicious； and he is a mean
curmudgeon； an idiot； a fool； you would never be happy with him。〃
After what had passed between M。 Goriot and Mme。 de
l'Ambermesnil； the Countess would no longer live under the same
roof。 She left the next day； forgot to pay for six months' board；
and left behind her wardrobe； cast…off clothing to the value of
five francs。 Eagerly and persistently as Mme。 Vauquer sought her
quondam lodger； the Comtesse de l'Ambermesnil was never heard of
again in Paris。 The widow often talked of this deplorable
business； and regretted her own too confiding disposition。 As a
matter of fact； she was as suspicious as a cat； but she was like
many other people； who cannot trust their own kin and put
themselves at the mercy of the next chance comeran odd but
common phenomenon； whose causes may readily be traced to the
depths of the human heart。
Perhaps there are people who know that they have nothing more to
look for from those with whom they live； they have shown the
emptiness of their hearts to their housemates； and in their
secret selves they are conscious that they are severely judged；
and that they deserve to be judged severely； but still they feel
an unconquerable craving for praises that they do not hear； or
they are consumed by a desire to appear to possess； in the eyes
of a new audience； the qualities which they have not； hoping to
win the admiration or affection of strangers at the risk of
forfeiting it again some day。 Or； once more； there are other
mercenary natures who never do a kindness to a friend or a
relation simply because these have a claim upon them； while a
service done to a stranger brings its reward to self…love。 Such
natures feel but little affection for those who are nearest to
them； they keep their kindness for remoter circles of
acquaintance； and show most to those who dwell on its utmost
limits。 Mme。 Vauquer belonged to both these essentially mean；
false； and execrable classes。
〃If I had been there at the time；〃 Vautrin would say at the end
of the story； I would have shown her up； and that misfortune
would not have befallen you。 I know that kind of phiz！〃
Like all narrow natures； Mme。 Vauquer was wont to confine her
attention to events； and did not go very deeply into the causes
that brought them about； she likewise preferred to throw the
blame of her own mistakes on other people； so she chose to
consider that the honest vermicelli maker was responsible for her
misfortune。 It had opened her eyes； so she said； with regard to
him。 As soon as she saw that her blandishments were in vain； and
that her outlay on her toilet