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myself； 〃who would raise money on her signature and sponge on the poor
girl。〃
〃 'So I went away； keeping my generous impulses well under control；
for I have frequently had occasion to observe that when benevolence
does no harm to him who gives it； it is the ruin of him who takes。
When you came in I was thinking that Fanny Malvaut would make a nice
little wife； I was thinking of the contrast between her pure； lonely
life and the life of the Countessshe has sunk as low as a bill of
exchange already； she will sink to the lowest depths of degradation
before she has done！'I scrutinized him during the deep silence that
followed； but in a moment he spoke again。 'Well；' he said； 'do you
think that it is nothing to have this power of insight into the
deepest recesses of the human heart； to embrace so many lives； to see
the naked truth underlying it all？ There are no two dramas alike：
there are hideous sores； deadly chagrins； love scenes； misery that
soon will lie under the ripples of the Seine； young men's joys that
lead to the scaffold； the laughter of despair； and sumptuous banquets。
Yesterday it was a tragedy。 A worthy soul of a father drowned himself
because he could not support his family。 To…morrow is a comedy； some
youngster will try to rehearse the scene of M。 Dimanche； brought up to
date。 You have heard the people extol the eloquence of our latter day
preachers； now and again I have wasted my time by going to hear them；
they produced a change in my opinions； but in my conduct （as somebody
said； I can't recollect his name）； in my conductnever！Well； well；
these good priests and your Mirabeaus and Vergniauds and the rest of
them； are mere stammering beginners compared with these orators of
mine。
〃 'Often it is some girl in love； some gray…headed merchant on the
verge of bankruptcy； some mother with a son's wrong…doing to conceal；
some starving artist； some great man whose influence is on the wane；
and； for lack of money； is like to lose the fruit of all his labors
the power of their pleading has made me shudder。 Sublime actors such
as these play for me； for an audience of one； and they cannot deceive
me。 I can look into their inmost thoughts； and read them as God reads
them。 Nothing is hidden from me。 Nothing is refused to the holder of
the purse…strings to loose and to bind。 I am rich enough to buy the
consciences of those who control the action of ministers； from their
office boys to their mistresses。 Is not that power？I can possess the
fairest women； receive their softest caresses； is not that Pleasure？
And is not your whole social economy summed up in terms of Power and
Pleasure？
〃 'There are ten of us in Paris； silent； unknown kings； the arbiters
of your destinies。 What is life but a machine set in motion by money？
Know this for certainmethods are always confounded with results； you
will never succeed in separating the soul from the senses； spirit from
matter。 Gold is the spiritual basis of existing society。The ten of
us are bound by the ties of common interest； we meet on certain days
of the week at the Cafe Themis near the Pont Neuf； and there； in
conclave； we reveal the mysteries of finance。 No fortune can deceive
us； we are in possession of family secrets in all directions。 We keep
a kind of Black Book； in which we note the most important bills
issued； drafts on public credit； or on banks； or given and taken in
the course of business。 We are the Casuists of the Paris Bourse； a
kind of Inquisition weighing and analyzing the most insignificant
actions of every man of any fortune； and our forecasts are infallible。
One of us looks out over the judicial world； one over the financial；
another surveys the administrative； and yet another the business
world。 I myself keep an eye on eldest sons； artists； people in the
great world； and gamblerson the most sensational side of Paris。
Every one who comes to us lets us into his neighbor's secrets。
Thwarted passion and mortified vanity are great babblers。 Vice and
disappointment and vindictiveness are the best of all detectives。 My
colleagues； like myself； have enjoyed all things； are sated with all
things； and have reached the point when power and money are loved for
their own sake。
〃 'Here；' he said； indicating his bare； chilly room； 'here the most
high…mettled gallant； who chafes at a word and draws swords for a
syllable elsewhere will entreat with clasped hands。 There is no city
merchant so proud； no woman so vain of her beauty； no soldier of so
bold a spirit； but that they entreat me here； one and all； with tears
of rage or anguish in their eyes。 Here they kneelthe famous artist；
and the man of letters； whose name will go down to posterity。 Here； in
short' （he lifted his hand to his forehead）； 'all the inheritances and
all the concerns of all Paris are weighed in the balance。 Are you
still of the opinion that there are no delights behind the blank mask
which so often has amazed you by its impassiveness？' he asked；
stretching out that livid face which reeked of money。
〃I went back to my room； feeling stupefied。 The little； wizened old
man had grown great。 He had been metamorphosed under my eyes into a
strange visionary symbol； he had come to be the power of gold
personified。 I shrank； shuddering； from life and my kind。
〃 'Is it really so？' I thought； 'must everything be resolved into
gold？'
〃I remember that it was long before I slept that night。 I saw heaps of
gold all about me。 My thoughts were full of the lovely Countess； I
confess； to my shame； that the vision completely eclipsed another
quiet； innocent figure； the figure of the woman who had entered upon a
life of toil and obscurity； but on the morrow； through the clouds of
slumber； Fanny's sweet face rose before me in all its beauty； and I
thought of nothing else。〃
〃Will you take a glass of eau sucree？〃 asked the Vicomtesse；
interrupting Derville。
〃I should be glad of it。〃
〃But I can see nothing in this that can touch our concerns；〃 said Mme。
de Grandlieu； as she rang the bell。
〃Sardanapalus！〃 cried Derville； flinging out his favorite invocation。
〃Mademoiselle Camille will be wide awake in a moment if I say that her
happiness depended not so long ago upon Daddy Gobseck； but as the old
gentleman died at the age of ninety； M。 de Restaud will soon be in
possession of a handsome fortune。 This requires some explanation。 As
for poor Fanny Malvaut； you know her； she is my wife。〃
〃Poor fellow； he would admit that； with his usual frankness； with a
score of people to hear him！〃 said the Vicomtesse。
〃I would proclaim it to the universe；〃 said the attorney。
〃Go on； drink your glass； my poor Derville。 You will never be anything
but the happiest and the best of men。〃
〃I left you in the Rue du Helder；〃 remarked the uncle； raising his
face after a gentle doze。 〃You had gone to see a Countess； what have
you done with her？〃
〃A few days after my conversation with the old Dutchman；〃 Derville
continued； 〃I sent in my thesis； and became first a licentiate in law；
and afterwards an advocate。 The old miser's opinion of me went up
considerably。 He consulted me （gratuitously） on all the ticklish bits
of business which he undertook when he had made quite sure how he
stood； business which would have seemed unsafe to any ordinary
practitioner。 This man； over whom no one appeared to have the
slightest influence； listened to my advice with something like
respect。 It is true that he always found that it turned out very well。
〃At length I became head…clerk in the office where I had worked for
three years and then I left the Rue des Gres for rooms in my
employer's house。 I had my board and lodging and a hundred and fifty
francs per month。 It was a great day for me！
〃When I went to bid the usurer good…bye； he showed no sign of feeling；
he was neither cordial nor sorry to lose me； he did not ask me to come
to see him； and only gave me one of those glances which seemed in some
sort to reveal a power of second…sight。
〃By the end of a week my old neighbor came to see me with a tolerably
thorny bit of business； an expropriation； and he continued to ask for
my advice with as much freedom as if he paid for it。
〃My principal was a man of pleasure and expensive tastes； before the
second year （1818…1819） was out he had got himself into difficulties；
and was obliged to sell his practice。 A professional connection in
those days did not fetch the present exorbitant prices； and my
principal asked a hundred and fifty thousand francs。 Now an active
man； of competent knowledge and intelligence； might hope to pay off
the capital in ten years； paying interest and living respectably in
the meantimeif he could command confidence。 But I as the seventh
child of a small tradesman at Noyon； I had not a sou to my name； nor
personal knowledge of any capitalist but Daddy Gobseck。 An ambitious
ide