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then； when he set up in business again； did he not pay you the
dividend upon those bills of yours； signed as they were by the
bankrupt firm？'
〃 'He was a sharp one； but I had it out of him。'
〃 'Then have you some bills to protest？ To…day is the 30th； I
believe。'
〃It was the first time I had spoken to him of money。 He looked
ironically up at me； then in those bland accents； not unlike the husky
tones which the tyro draws from a flute； he answered； 'I am amusing
myself。'
〃 'So you amuse yourself now and again？'
〃 'Do you imagine that the only poets in the world are those who print
their verses？' he asked； with a pitying look and shrug of the
shoulders。
〃 'Poetry in that head！' thought I； for as yet I knew nothing of his
life。
〃 'What life could be as glorious as mine？' he continued； and his eyes
lighted up。 'You are young； your mental visions are colored by
youthful blood； you see women's faces in the fire； while I see nothing
but coals in mine。 You have all sorts of beliefs； while I have no
beliefs at all。 Keep your illusionsif you can。 Now I will show you
life with the discount taken off。 Go wherever you like； or stay at
home by the fireside with your wife； there always comes a time when
you settle down in a certain groove； the groove is your preference；
and then happiness consists in the exercise of your faculties by
applying them to realities。 Anything more in the way of precept is
false。 My principles have been various； among various men； I had to
change them with every change of latitude。 Things that we admire in
Europe are punishable in Asia； and a vice in Paris becomes a necessity
when you have passed the Azores。 There are no such things as hard…and…
fast rules； there are only conventions adapted to the climate。 Fling a
man headlong into one social melting pot after another； and
convictions and forms and moral systems become so many meaningless
words to him。 The one thing that always remains； the one sure instinct
that nature has implanted in us； is the instinct of self…interest。 If
you had lived as long as I have； you would know that there is but one
concrete reality invariable enough to be worth caring about； and that
isGOLD。 Gold represents every form of human power。 I have traveled。
I found out that there were either hills or plains everywhere： the
plains are monotonous； the hills a weariness； consequently； place may
be left out of the question。 As to manners； man is man all the world
over。 The same battle between the poor and the rich is going on
everywhere； it is inevitable everywhere； consequently； it is better to
exploit than to be exploited。 Everywhere you find the man of thews and
sinews who toils； and the lymphatic man who torments himself； and
pleasures are everywhere the same； for when all sensations are
exhausted； all that survives is VanityVanity is the abiding
substance of us； the _I_ in us。 Vanity is only to be satisfied by gold
in floods。 Our dreams need time and physical means and painstaking
thought before they can be realized。 Well； gold contains all things in
embryo； gold realizes all things for us。
〃 'None but fools and invalids can find pleasure in shuffling cards
all evening long to find out whether they shall win a few pence at the
end。 None but driveling idiots could spend time in inquiring into all
that is happening around them； whether Madame Such…an…One slept single
on her couch or in company； whether she has more blood than lymph；
more temperament than virtue。 None but the dupes； who fondly imagine
that they are useful to their like； can interest themselves in laying
down rules for political guidance amid events which neither they nor
any one else foresees； nor ever will foresee。 None but simpletons can
delight in talking about stage players and repeating their sayings；
making the daily promenade of a caged animal over a rather larger
area； dressing for others； eating for others； priding themselves on a
horse or a carriage such as no neighbor can have until three days
later。 What is all this but Parisian life summed up in a few phrases？
Let us find a higher outlook on life than theirs。 Happiness consists
either in strong emotions which drain our vitality； or in methodical
occupation which makes existence like a bit of English machinery；
working with the regularity of clockwork。 A higher happiness than
either consists in a curiosity； styled noble； a wish to learn Nature's
secrets； or to attempt by artificial means to imitate Nature to some
extent。 What is this in two words but Science and Art； or passion or
calm？Ah！ well； every human passion wrought up to its highest pitch
in the struggle for existence comes to parade itself before meas I
live in calm。 As for your scientific curiosity； a kind of wrestling
bout in which man is never uppermost； I replace it by an insight into
all the springs of action in man and woman。 To sum up； the world is
mine without effort of mine； and the world has not the slightest hold
on me。 Listen to this；' he went on； 'I will tell you the history of my
morning； and you will divine my pleasures。'
〃He got up； pushed the bolt of the door； drew a tapestry curtain
across it with a sharp grating sound of the rings on the rod； then he
sat down again。
〃 'This morning；' he said； 'I had only two amounts to collect； the
rest of the bills that were due I gave away instead of cash to my
customers yesterday。 So much saved； you see； for when I discount a
bill I always deduct two francs for a hired broughamexpenses of
collection。 A pretty thing it would be； would it not； if my clients
were to set ME trudging all over Paris for half…a…dozen francs of
discount； when no man is my master； and I only pay seven francs in the
shape of taxes？
〃 'The first bill for a thousand francs was presented by a young
fellow； a smart buck with a spangled waistcoat； and an eyeglass； and a
tilbury and an English horse； and all the rest of it。 The bill bore
the signature of one of the prettiest women in Paris； married to a
Count； a great landowner。 Now； how came that Countess to put her name
to a bill of exchange； legally not worth the paper it was written
upon； but practically very good business； for these women； poor
things； are afraid of the scandal that a protested bill makes in a
family； and would give themselves away in payment sooner than fail？ I
wanted to find out what that bill of exchange really represented。 Was
it stupidity； imprudence； love or charity？
〃 'The second bill； bearing the signature 〃Fanny Malvaut；〃 came to me
from a linen…draper on the highway to bankruptcy。 Now； no creature who
has any credit with a bank comes to ME。 The first step to my door
means that a man is desperately hard up； that the news of his failure
will soon come out： and； most of all； it means that he has been
everywhere else first。 The stag is always at bay when I see him； and a
pack of creditors are hard upon his track。 The Countess lived in the
Rue du Helder； and my Fanny in the Rue Montmartre。 How many
conjectures I made as I set out this morning！ If these two women were
not able to pay； they would show me more respect than they would show
their own fathers。 What tricks and grimaces would not the Countess try
for a thousand francs！ She would be so nice to me； she would talk to
me in that ingratiating tone peculiar to endorsers of bills； she would
pour out a torrent of coaxing words； perhaps she would beg and pray；
and I 。 。 。' （here the old man turned his pale eyes upon me）'and I
not to be moved； inexorable！' he continued。 'I am there as the
avenger； the apparition of Remorse。 So much for hypotheses。 I reached
the house。
〃 ' 〃Madame la Comtesse is asleep；〃 says the maid。
〃 ' 〃When can I see her？〃
〃 ' 〃At twelve o'clock。〃
〃 ' 〃Is Madame la Comtesse ill？〃
〃 ' 〃No； sir； but she only came home at three o'clock this morning
from a ball。〃
〃 ' 〃My name is Gobseck； tell her that I shall call again at twelve
o'clock；〃 and I went out； leaving traces of my muddy boots on the
carpet which covered the paved staircase。 I like to leave mud on a
rich man's carpet； it is not petty spite； I like to make them feel a
touch of the claws of Necessity。 In the Rue Montmartre I thrust open
the old gateway of a poor…looking house； and looked into a dark
courtyard where the sunlight never shines。 The porter's lodge was
grimy； the window looked like the sleeve of some shabby wadded gown
greasy； dirty； and full of holes。
〃 ' 〃Mlle。 Fanny Malvaut？〃
〃 ' 〃She has gone out； but if you have come about a bill； the money is
waiting for you。〃
〃 ' 〃I will look in again；〃 said I。
〃 'As soon as I knew that the porter had the money for me； I wanted to
know what the girl was like； I pictured her as pretty。 The rest of the
morning I spent in looking at the prints in the shop windows along the
boulevard； then； just as it struck twelve； I went through the
Co