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。 Then an unheard…of…thing happenedhis paper revived； was in demand； and rose in value。 Nucingen's paper was much inquired for。 The year 1815 arrives； my banker calls in his capital； buys up Government stock before the battle of Waterloo； suspends payment again in the thick of the crisis； and meets his engagements with shares in the Wortschin mines； which he himself issued at twenty per cent more than he gave for them！ Yes； gentlemen！He took a hundred and fifty thousand bottles of champagne of Grandet to cover himself （forseeing the failure of the virtuous parent of the present Comte d'Aubrion）； and as much Bordeaux wine of Duberghe at the same time。 Those three hundred thousand bottles which he took over （and took at thirty sous apiece； my dear boy） he supplied at the price of six francs per bottle to the Allies in the Palais Royal during the foreign occupation； between 1817 and 1819。 Nucingen's name and his paper acquired a European celebrity。 The illustrious Baron； so far from being engulfed like others； rose the higher for calamities。 Twice his arrangements had paid holders of his paper uncommonly well； HE try to swindle them？ Impossible。 He is supposed to be as honest a man as you will find。 When he suspends payment a third time； his paper will circulate in Asia； Mexico； and Australia； among the aborigines。 No one but Ouvrard saw through this Alsacien banker； the son of some Jew or other converted by ambition； Ouvrard said； 'When Nucingen lets gold go； you may be sure that it is to catch diamonds。' 〃
〃His crony； du Tillet； is just such another；〃 said Finot。 〃And； mind you； that of birth du Tillet has just precisely as much as is necessary to exist； the chap had not a farthing in 1814； and you see what he is now； and he has done something that none of us has managed to do （I am not speaking of you； Couture）； he has had friends instead of enemies。 In fact； he has kept his past life so quiet； that unless you rake the sewers you are not likely to find out that he was an assistant in a perfumer's shop in the Rue Saint Honore； no further back than 1814。〃
〃Tut； tut； tut！〃 said Bixiou； 〃do not think of comparing Nucingen with a little dabbler like du Tillet； a jackal that gets on in life through his sense of smell。 He scents a carcass by instinct； and comes in time to get the best bone。 Besides； just look at the two men。 The one has a sharp…pointed face like a cat； he is thin and lanky； the other is cubical； fat； heavy as a sack； imperturbable as a diplomatist。 Nucingen has a thick； heavy hand； and lynx eyes that never light up； his depths are not in front； but behind； he is inscrutable； you never see what he is making for。 Whereas du Tillet's cunning； as Napoleon said to somebody （I have forgotten the name）； is like cotton spun too fine； it breaks。〃
〃I do not myself see that Nucingen has any advantage over du Tillet；〃 said Blondet； 〃unless it is that he has the sense to see that a capitalist ought not to rise higher than a baron's rank； while du Tillet has a mind to be an Italian count。〃
〃Blondetone word； my boy；〃 put in Couture。 〃In the first place； Nucingen dared to say that honesty is simply a question of appearances； and secondly； to know him well you must be in business yourself。 With him banking is but a single department； and a very small one； he holds Government contracts for wines； wools； indigoes anything； in short； on which any profit can be made。 He has an all… round genius。 The elephant of finance would contract to deliver votes on a division； or the Greeks to the Turks。 For him business means the sum…total of varieties； as Cousin would say； the unity of specialties。 Looked at in this way； banking becomes a kind of statecraft in itself； requiring a powerful head； and a man thoroughly tempered is drawn on to set himself above the laws of a morality that cramps him。〃
〃Right； my son；〃 said Blondet； 〃but we； and we alone； can comprehend that this means bringing war into the financial world。 A banker is a conquering general making sacrifices on a tremendous scale to gain ends that no one perceives； his soldiers are private people's interests。 He has stratagems to plan out； partisans to bring into the field； ambushes to set； towns to take。 Most men of this stamp are so close upon the borders of politics； that in the end they are drawn into public life； and thereby lose their fortunes。 The firm of Necker； for instance； was ruined in this way； the famous Samuel Bernard was all but ruined。 Some great capitalist in every age makes a colossal fortune； and leaves behind him neither fortune nor a family； there was the firm of Paris Brothers； for instance； that helped to pull down Law； there was Law himself （beside whom other promoters of companies are but pigmies）； there was Bouret and Beaujonnone of them left any representative。 Finance； like Time； devours its own children。 If the banker is to perpetuate himself； he must found a noble house； a dynasty； like the Fuggers of Antwerp； that lent money to Charles V。 and were created Princes of Babenhausen； a family that exists at this dayin the Almanach de Gotha。 The instinct of self…preservation； working it may be unconsciously； leads the banker to seek a title。 Jacques Coeur was the founder of the great noble house of Noirmoutier； extinct in the reign of Louis XIII。 What power that man had！ He was ruined for making a legitimate king； and he died； prince of an island in the Archipelago； where he built a magnificent cathedral。〃
〃Oh！ you are giving us an historical lecture； we are wandering away from the present； the crown has no right of conferring nobility； and barons and counts are made with closed doors； more is the pity！〃 said Finot。
〃You regret the times of the savonnette a vilain； when you could buy an office that ennobled？〃 asked Bixiou。 〃You are right。 Je reviens a nos moutons。Do you know Beaudenord？ No？ no？ no？ Ah； well！ See how all things pass away！ Poor fellow； ten years ago he was the flower of dandyism； and now； so thoroughly absorbed that you no more know him than Finot just now knew the origin of the expression 'coup de Jarnac'I repeat that simply for the sake of illustration； and not to tease you； Finot。 Well； it is a fact； he belonged to the Faubourg Saint…Germain。
〃Beaudenord is the first pigeon that I will bring on the scene。 And； in the first place； his name was Godefroid de Beaudenord； neither Finot； nor Blondet； nor Couture； nor I am likely to undervalue such an advantage as that！ After a ball； when a score of pretty women stand behooded waiting for their carriages； with their husbands and adorers at their sides； Beaudenord could hear his people called without a pang of mortification。 In the second place； he rejoiced in the full complement of limbs； he was whole and sound； had no mote in his eyes； no false hair； no artificial calves； he was neither knock…kneed nor bandy…legged； his dorsal column was straight； his waist slender； his hands white and shapely。 His hair was black； he was of a complexion neither too pink； like a grocer's assistant； nor yet too brown； like a Calabrese。 Finally； and this is an essential point； Beaudenord was not too handsome； like some of our friends that look rather too much of professional beauties to be anything e