按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃While du Tillet； Werbrust； Claparon； Gigonnet； and others that thought themselves clever were fetching in Nucingen's paper from abroad with a premium of one per centfor it was still worth their while to exchange it for securities in a rising marketthere was all the more talk on the Bourse； because there was nothing now to fear。 They babbled over Nucingen； he was discussed and judged； they even slandered him。 His luxurious life； his enterprises！ When a man has so much on his hands； he overreaches himself； and so forth； and so forth。
〃The talk was at its height； when several people were greatly astonished to receive letters from Geneva； Basel； Milan； Naples； Genoa； Marseilles； and London； in which their correspondents； previously advised of the failure； informed them that somebody was offering one per cent for Nucingen's paper！ 'There is something up；' said the lynxes of the Bourse。
〃The Court meanwhile had granted the application for Mme。 de Nucingen's separation as to her estate； and the question became still more complicated。 The newspapers announced the return of M。 le Baron de Nucingen from a journey to Belgium； he had been arranging； it was said； with a well…known Belgian firm to resume the working of some coal…pits in the Bois de Bossut。 The Baron himself appeared on the Bourse； and never even took the trouble to contradict the slanders circulating against him。 He scorned to reply through the press； he simply bought a splendid estate just outside Paris for two millions of francs。 Six weeks afterwards； the Bordeaux shipping intelligence announced that two vessels with cargoes of bullion to the amount of seven millions； consigned to the firm of Nucingen； were lying in the river。
〃Then it was plain to Palma； Werbrust； and du Tillet that the trick had been played。 Nobody else was any the wiser。 The three scholars studied the means by which the great bubble had been created； saw that it had been preparing for eleven months； and pronounced Nucingen the greatest financier in Europe。
〃Rastignac understood nothing of all this； but he had the four hundred thousand francs which Nucingen had allowed him to shear from the Parisian sheep； and he portioned his sisters。 D'Aiglemont； at a hint from his cousin Beaudenord； besought Rastignac to accept ten per cent upon his million if he would undertake to convert it into shares in a canal which is still to make； for Nucingen worked things with the Government to such purpose that the concessionaires find it to their interest not to finish their scheme。 Charles Grandet implored Delphine's lover to use his interest to secure shares for him in exchange for his cash。 And altogether Rastignac played the part of Law for ten days； he had the prettiest duchesses in France praying to him to allot shares to them； and to…day the young man very likely has an income of forty thousand livres； derived in the first instance from the argentiferous lead…mines。〃
〃If every one was better off； who can have lost？〃 asked Finot。
〃Hear the conclusion；〃 rejoined Bixiou。 〃The Marquis d'Aiglemont and Beaudenord （I put them forward as two examples out of many） kept their allotted shares； enticed by the so…called dividend that fell due a few months afterwards。 They had another three per cent on their capital； they sang Nucingen's praises； and took his part at a time when everybody suspected that he was going bankrupt。 Godefroid married his beloved Isaure and took shares in the mines to the value of a hundred thousand francs。 The Nucingens gave a ball even more splendid than people expected of them on the occasion of the wedding； Delphine's present to the bride was a charming set of rubies。 Isaure danced； a happy wife； a girl no longer。 The little Baroness was more than ever a Shepherdess of the Alps。 The ball was at its height when Malvina； the Andalouse of Musset's poem； heard du Tillet's voice drily advising her to take Desroches。 Desroches； warmed to the right degree by Rastignac and Nucingen； tried to come to an understanding financially； but at the first hint of shares in the mines for the bride's portion； he broke off and went back to the Matifat's in the Rue du Cherche…Midi； only to find the accursed canal shares which Gigonnet had foisted on Matifat in lieu of cash。
〃They had not long to wait for the crash。 The firm of Claparon did business on too large a scale； the capital was locked up； the concern ceased to serve its purposes； or to pay dividends； though the speculations were sound。 These misfortunes coincided with the events of 1827。 In 1829 it was too well known that Claparon was a man of straw set up by the two giants； he fell from his pedestal。 Shares that had fetched twelve hundred and fifty francs fell to four hundred； though intrinsically they were worth six。 Nucingen； knowing their value； bought them up at four。
〃Meanwhile the little Baroness d'Aldrigger had sold out of the mines that paid no dividends； and Godefroid had reinvested the money belonging to his wife and her mother in Claparon's concern。 Debts compelled them to realize when the shares were at their lowest； so that of seven hundred thousand francs only two hundred thousand remained。 They made a clearance； and all that was left was prudently invested in the three per cents at seventy…five。 Godefroid； the sometime gay and careless bachelor who had lived without taking thought all his life long； found himself saddled with a little goose of a wife totally unfitted to bear adversity （indeed； before six months were over； he had witnessed the anserine transformation of his beloved） to say nothing of a mother…in…law whose mind ran on pretty dresses while she had not bread to eat。 The two families must live together to live at all。 It was only by stirring up all his considerably chilled interest that Godefroid got a post in the audit department。 His friends？They were out of town。 His relatives？All astonishment and promises。 'What！ my dear boy！ Oh！ count upon me！ Poor fellow！' and Beaudenord was clean forgotten fifteen minutes afterwards。 He owed his place to Nucingen and de Vandenesse。
〃And to…day these so estimable and unfortunate people are living on a third floor （not counting the entresol） in the Rue du Mont Thabor。 Malvina； the Adolphus' pearl of a granddaughter； has not a farthing。 She gives music…lessons； not to be a burden upon her brother…in…law。 You may see a tall； dark； thin； withered woman； like a mummy escaped from Passalacqua's about afoot through the streets of Paris。 In 1830 Beaudenord lost his situation just as his wife presented him with a fourth child。 A family of eight and two servants （Wirth and his wife） and an income of eight thousand livres。 And at this moment the mines are paying so well； that an original share of a thousand francs brings in a dividend of cent per cent。
〃Rastignac and Mme。 de Nucingen bought the shares sold by the Baroness and Godefroid。 The Revolution made a peer of France of Nucingen and a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor。 He has not stopped payment since 1830； but still I hear that he has something like seventeen millions。 He put faith in the Ordinances of July； sold out of all his investments； and boldly put his money into the funds when the three per cents stood at forty