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all his drawers。
A week later； Lousteau； who hardly remembered Dinah； was startled by
another budget from Sancerreeight leaves； sixteen pages！ He heard a
woman's step； he thought it announced a search from the Marquise； and
tossed these rapturous and entrancing proofs of affections into the
fireunread！
〃A woman's letter！〃 exclaimed Madame Schontz； as she came in。 〃The
paper； the wax； are scented〃
〃Here you are； sir；〃 said a porter from the coach office； setting down
two huge hampers in the ante…room。 〃Carriage paid。 Please to sign my
book。〃
〃Carriage paid！〃 cried Madame Schontz。 〃It must have come from
Sancerre。〃
〃Yes； madame；〃 said the porter。
〃Your Tenth Muse is a remarkably intelligent woman；〃 said the
courtesan； opening one of the hampers； while Lousteau was writing his
name。 〃I like a Muse who understands housekeeping； and who can make
game pies as well as blots。 And； oh！ what beautiful flowers！〃 she went
on； opening the second hamper。 〃Why； you could get none finer in
Paris！And here； and here！ A hare； partridges； half a roebuck！We
will ask your friends and have a famous dinner； for Athalie has a
special talent for dressing venison。〃
Lousteau wrote to Dinah； but instead of writing from the heart； he was
clever。 The letter was all the more insidious； it was like one of
Mirabeau's letters to Sophie。 The style of a true lover is
transparent。 It is a clear stream which allows the bottom of the heart
to be seen between two banks； bright with the trifles of existence；
and covered with the flowers of the soul that blossom afresh every
day； full of intoxicating beautybut only for two beings。 As soon as
a love letter has any charm for a third reader； it is beyond doubt the
product of the head； not of the heart。 But a woman will always be
beguiled； she always believes herself to be the determining cause of
this flow of wit。
By the end of December Lousteau had ceased to read Dinah's letters；
they lay in a heap in a drawer of his chest that was never locked；
under his shirts； which they scented。
Then one of those chances came to Lousteau which such bohemians ought
to clutch by every hair。 In the middle of December； Madame Schontz；
who took a real interest in Etienne； sent to beg him to call on her
one morning on business。
〃My dear fellow； you have a chance of marrying。〃
〃I can marry very often； happily； my dear。〃
〃When I say marrying； I mean marrying well。 You have no prejudices： I
need not mince matters。 This is the position： A young lady has got
into trouble； her mother knows nothing of even a kiss。 Her father is
an honest notary； a man of honor； he has been wise enough to keep it
dark。 He wants to get his daughter married within a fortnight； and he
will give her a fortune of a hundred and fifty thousand francsfor he
has three other children； butand it is not a bad ideahe will add a
hundred thousand francs； under the rose； hand to hand； to cover the
damages。 They are an old family of Paris citizens； Rue des
Lombards〃
〃Well； then； why does not the lover marry her？〃
〃Dead。〃
〃What a romance！ Such things are nowhere to be heard of but in the Rue
des Lombards。〃
〃But do not take it into your head that a jealous brother murdered the
seducer。 The young man died in the most commonplace way of a pleurisy
caught as he came out of the theatre。 A head…clerk and penniless； the
man entrapped the daughter in order to marry into the businessA
judgment from heaven； I call it！〃
〃Where did you hear the story？〃
〃From Malaga； the notary is her /milord/。〃
〃What； Cardot； the son of that little old man in hair…powder；
Florentine's first friend？〃
〃Just so。 Malaga； whose 'fancy' is a little tomtit of a fiddler of
eighteen； cannot in conscience make such a boy marry the girl。
Besides； she has no cause to do him an ill turn。Indeed； Monsieur
Cardot wants a man of thirty at least。 Our notary； I feel sure； will
be proud to have a famous man for his son…in…law。 So just feel
yourself all over。You will pay your debts； you will have twelve
thousand francs a year； and be a father without any trouble on your
part； what do you say to that to the good？ And； after all； you only
marry a very consolable widow。 There is an income of fifty thousand
francs in the house； and the value of the connection； so in due time
you may look forward to not less than fifteen thousand francs a year
more for your share； and you will enter a family holding a fine
political position； Cardot is the brother…in…law of old Camusot； the
depute who lived so long with Fanny Beaupre。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Lousteau； 〃old Camusot married little Daddy Cardot's
eldest daughter； and they had high times together！〃
〃Well！〃 Madame Schontz went on； 〃and Madame Cardot； the notary's wife；
was a Chiffrevillemanufacturers of chemical products； the
aristocracy of these days！ Potash； I tell you！ Still； this is the
unpleasant side of the matter。 You will have a terrible mother…in…law；
a woman capable of killing her daughter if she knew！ This Cardot
woman is a bigot； she has lips like two faded narrow pink ribbons。
〃A man of the town like you would never pass muster with that woman；
who； in her well…meaning way； will spy out your bachelor life and know
every fact of the past。 However； Cardot says he means to exert his
paternal authority。 The poor man will be obliged to do the civil to
his wife for some days； a woman made of wood； my dear fellow； Malaga；
who has seen her； calls her a penitential scrubber。 Cardot is a man of
forty； he will be mayor of his district； and perhaps be elected
deputy。 He is prepared to give in lieu of the hundred thousand francs
a nice little house in the Rue Saint…Lazare； with a forecourt and a
garden； which cost him no more than sixty thousand at the time of the
July overthrow； he would sell； and that would be an opportunity for
you to go and come at the house； to see the daughter； and be civil to
the mother。And it would give you a look of property in Madame
Cardot's eyes。 You would be housed like a prince in that little
mansion。 Then； by Camusot's interest； you may get an appointment as
librarian to some public office where there is no library。Well； and
then if you invest your money in backing up a newspaper； you will get
ten thousand francs a year on it； you can earn six； your librarianship
will bring you in four。Can you do better for yourself？
〃If you were to marry a lamb without spot； it might be a light woman
by the end of two years。 What is the damage？an anticipated dividend！
It is quite the fashion。
〃Take my word for it； you can do no better than come to dine with
Malaga to…morrow。 You will meet your father…in…law； he will know the
secret has been let outby Malaga； with whom he cannot be angryand
then you are master of the situation。 As to your wife！Why her
misconduct leaves you as free as a bachelor〃
〃Your language is as blunt as a cannon ball。〃
〃I love you for your own sake； that is alland I can reason。 Well！
why do you stand there like a wax image of Abd…el…Kader？ There is
nothing to meditate over。 Marriage is heads or tailswell； you have
tossed heads up。〃
〃You shall have my reply to…morrow；〃 said Lousteau。
〃I would so