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tossed heads up。〃
〃You shall have my reply to…morrow；〃 said Lousteau。
〃I would sooner have it at once； Malaga will write you up to…night。〃
〃Well； then； yes。〃
Lousteau spent the evening in writing a long letter to the Marquise；
giving her the reasons which compelled him to marry； his constant
poverty； the torpor of his imagination； his white hairs； his moral and
physical exhaustionin short； four pages of arguments。〃As to Dinah；
I will send her a circular announcing the marriage；〃 said he to
himself。 〃As Bixiou says； I have not my match for knowing how to dock
the tail of a passion。〃
Lousteau； who at first had been on some ceremony with himself； by next
day had come to the point of dreading lest the marriage should not
come off。 He was pressingly civil to the notary。
〃I knew monsieur your father；〃 said he； 〃at Florentine's； so I may
well know you here； at Mademoiselle Turquet's。 Like father； like son。
A very good fellow and a philosopher； was little Daddy Cardotexcuse
me； we always called him so。 At that time； Florine； Florentine；
Tullia； Coralie； and Mariette were the five fingers of your hand； so
to speakit is fifteen years ago。 My follies； as you may suppose； are
a thing of the past。In those days it was pleasure that ran away with
me； now I am ambitious； but； in our day； to get on at all a man must
be free from debt； have a good income； a wife； and a family。 If I pay
taxes enough to qualify me； I may be a deputy yet； like any other
man。〃
Maitre Cardot appreciated this profession of faith。 Lousteau had laid
himself out to please and the notary liked him； feeling himself more
at his ease； as may be easily imagined； with a man who had known his
father's secrets than he would have been with another。 On the
following day Lousteau was introduced to the Cardot family as the
purchaser of the house in the Rue Saint…Lazare； and three days later
he dined there。
Cardot lived in an old house near the Place du Chatelet。 In this house
everything was 〃good。〃 Economy covered every scrap of gilding with
green gauze； all the furniture wore holland covers。 Though it was
impossible to feel a shade of uneasiness as to the wealth of the
inhabitants； at the end of half an hour no one could suppress a yawn。
Boredom perched in every nook； the curtains hung dolefully； the
dining…room was like Harpagon's。 Even if Lousteau had not known all
about Malaga； he could have guessed that the notary's real life was
spent elsewhere。
The journalist saw a tall； fair girl with blue eyes； at once shy and
languishing。 The elder brother took a fancy to him； he was the fourth
clerk in the office； but strongly attracted by the snares of literary
fame； though destined to succeed his father。 The younger sister was
twelve years old。 Lousteau； assuming a little Jesuitical air； played
the Monarchist and Churchman for the benefit of the mother； was quite
smooth； deliberate； and complimentary。
Within three weeks of their introduction； at his fourth dinner there；
Felicie Cardot； who had been watching Lousteau out of the corner of
her eye； carried him a cup of coffee where he stood in the window
recess； and said in a low voice； with tears in her eyes：
〃I will devote my whole life； monsieur； to thanking you for your
sacrifice in favor of a poor girl〃
Lousteau was touched； there was so much expression in her look； her
accent； her attitude。 〃She would make a good man happy；〃 thought he；
pressing her hand in reply。
Madame Cardot looked upon her son…in…law as a man with a future before
him； but； above all the fine qualities she ascribed to him； she was
most delighted by his high tone of morals。 Etienne； prompted by the
wily notary； had pledged his word that he had no natural children； no
tie that could endanger the happiness of her dear Felicie。
〃You may perhaps think I go rather too far；〃 said the bigot to the
journalist； 〃but in giving such a jewel as my Felicie to any man； one
must think of the future。 I am not one of those mothers who want to be
rid of their daughters。 Monsieur Cardot hurries matters on； urges
forward his daughter's marriage； he wishes it over。 This is the only
point on which we differ。Though with a man like you； monsieur； a
literary man whose youth has been preserved by hard work from the
moral shipwreck now so prevalent； we may feel quite safe； still； you
would be the first to laugh at me if I looked for a husband for my
daughter with my eyes shut。 I know you are not an innocent； and I
should be very sorry for my Felicie if you were〃 （this was said in a
whisper）； 〃but if you had any /liaison/For instance； monsieur； you
have heard of Madame Roguin； the wife of a notary who； unhappily for
our faculty； was sadly notorious。 Madame Roguin has； ever since 1820；
been kept by a banker〃
〃Yes； du Tillet；〃 replied Etienne； but he bit his tongue as he
recollected how rash it was to confess to an acquaintance with du
Tillet。
〃Yes。Well； monsieur； if you were a mother； would you not quake at
the thought that Madame du Tillet's fate might be your child's？ At her
age； and /nee/ de Granville！ To have as a rival a woman of fifty and
more。 Sooner would I see my daughter dead than give her to a man who
had such a connection with a married woman。 A grisette； an actress；
you take her and leave her。There is no danger； in my opinion； from
women of that stamp； love is their trade； they care for no one； one
down and another to come on！But a woman who has sinned against duty
must hug her sin； her only excuse is constancy； if such a crime can
ever have an excuse。 At least； that is the view I hold of a
respectable woman's fall； and that is what makes it so terrible〃
Instead of looking for the meaning of these speeches； Etienne made a
jest of them at Malaga's； whither he went with his father…in…law
elect； for the notary and the journalist were the best of friends。
Lousteau had already given himself the airs of a person of importance；
his life at last was to have a purpose； he was in luck's way； and in a
few days would be the owner of a delightful little house in the Rue
Saint…Lazare； he was going to be married to a charming woman； he would
have about twenty thousand francs a year； and could give the reins to
his ambition； the young lady loved him； and he would be connected with
several respectable families。 In short； he was in full sail on the
blue waters of hope。
Madame Cardot had expressed a wish to see the prints for /Gil Blas/；
one of the illustrated volumes which the French publishers were at
that time bringing out； and Lousteau had taken the first numbers for
the lady's inspection。 The lawyer's wife had a scheme of her own； she
had borrowed the book merely to return it； she wanted an excuse for
walking in on her future son…in…law quite unexpectedly。 The sight of
those bachelor rooms； which her husband had described as charming；
would tell her more； she thought； as to Lousteau's habits of life than
any information she could pick up。 Her sister…in…law； Madame Camusot；
who knew nothing of the fateful secret； was terrified at such a
marriage for her niece。 Monsieur Camusot； a Councillor of the Supreme
Court； old Camusot's son by his first mar