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francs； which helped to clear off the loan。 From that day my life has
been nothing but happiness and prosperity。 Nothing is more utterly
uninteresting than a happy man； so let us say no more on that head；
and return to the rest of the characters。
〃About a year after the purchase of the practice； I was dragged into a
bachelor breakfast…party given by one of our number who had lost a bet
to a young man greatly in vogue in the fashionable world。 M。 de
Trailles； the flower of the dandyism of that day； enjoyed a prodigious
reputation。〃
〃But he is still enjoying it；〃 put in the Comte de Born。 〃No one wears
his clothes with a finer air； nor drives a tandem with a better grace。
It is Maxime's gift； he can gamble； eat； and drink more gracefully
than any man in the world。 He is a judge of horses； hats； and
pictures。 All the women lose their heads over him。 He always spends
something like a hundred thousand francs a year； and no creature can
discover that he has an acre of land or a single dividend warrant。 The
typical knight errant of our salons； our boudoirs； our boulevards； an
amphibian half…way between a man and a womanMaxime de Trailles is a
singular being； fit for anything； and good for nothing； quite as
capable of perpetrating a benefit as of planning a crime； sometimes
base； sometimes noble； more often bespattered with mire than
besprinkled with blood； knowing more of anxiety than of remorse； more
concerned with his digestion than with any mental process； shamming
passion； feeling nothing。 Maxime de Trailles is a brilliant link
between the hulks and the best society； he belongs to the eminently
intelligent class from which a Mirabeau； or a Pitt； or a Richelieu
springs at times； though it is more wont to produce Counts of Horn；
Fouquier…Tinvilles； and Coignards。〃
〃Well；〃 pursued Derville； when he had heard the Vicomtesse's brother
to the end； 〃I had heard a good deal about this individual from poor
old Goriot； a client of mine； and I had already been at some pains to
avoid the dangerous honor of his acquaintance； for I came across him
sometimes in society。 Still； my chum was so pressing about this
breakfast…party of his that I could not well get out of it； unless I
wished to earn a name for squeamishness。 Madame； you could hardly
imagine what a bachelor's breakfast…party is like。 It means superb
display and a studied refinement seldom seen； the luxury of a miser
when vanity leads him to be sumptuous for a day。
〃You are surprised as you enter the room at the neatness of the table；
dazzling by reason of its silver and crystal and linen damask。 Life is
here in full bloom； the young fellows are graceful to behold； they
smile and talk in low； demure voices like so many brides； everything
about them looks girlish。 Two hours later you might take the room for
a battlefield after the fight。 Broken glasses； serviettes crumpled and
torn to rags lie strewn about among the nauseous…looking remnants of
food on the dishes。 There is an uproar that stuns you； jesting toasts；
a fire of witticisms and bad jokes； faces are empurpled； eyes inflamed
and expressionless； unintentional confidences tell you the whole
truth。 Bottles are smashed； and songs trolled out in the height of a
diabolical racket； men call each other out； hang on each other's
necks； or fall to fisticuffs； the room is full of a horrid； close
scent made up of a hundred odors； and noise enough for a hundred
voices。 No one has any notion of what he is eating or drinking or
saying。 Some are depressed； others babble； one will turn monomaniac；
repeating the same word over and over again like a bell set jangling；
another tries to keep the tumult within bounds； the steadiest will
propose an orgy。 If any one in possession of his faculties should come
in； he would think that he had interrupted a Bacchanalian rite。
〃It was in the thick of such a chaos that M。 de Trailles tried to
insinuate himself into my good graces。 My head was fairly clear； I was
upon my guard。 As for him； though he pretended to be decently drunk；
he was perfectly cool； and knew very well what he was about。 How it
was done I do not know； but the upshot of it was that when we left
Grignon's rooms about nine o'clock in the evening； M。 de Trailles had
thoroughly bewitched me。 I had given him my promise that I would
introduce him the next day to our Papa Gobseck。 The words 'honor；'
'virtue；' 'countess；' 'honest woman；' and 'ill…luck' were mingled in
his discourse with magical potency； thanks to that golden tongue of
his。
〃When I awoke next morning； and tried to recollect what I had done the
day before； it was with great difficulty that I could make a connected
tale from my impressions。 At last； it seemed to me that the daughter
of one of my clients was in danger of losing her reputation； together
with her husband's love and esteem； if she could not get fifty
thousand francs together in the course of the morning。 There had been
gaming debts； and carriage…builders' accounts； money lost to Heaven
knows whom。 My magician of a boon companion had impressed it upon me
that she was rich enough to make good these reverses by a few years of
economy。 But only now did I begin to guess the reasons of his urgency。
I confess； to my shame； that I had not the shadow of a doubt but that
it was a matter of importance that Daddy Gobseck should make it up
with this dandy。 I was dressing when the young gentleman appeared。
〃 'M。 le Comte；' said I； after the usual greetings； 'I fail to see why
you should need me to effect an introduction to Van Gobseck； the most
civil and smooth…spoken of capitalists。 Money will be forthcoming if
he has any； or rather； if you can give him adequate security。'
〃 'Monsieur；' said he； 'it does not enter into my thoughts to force
you to do me a service； even though you have passed your word。'
〃 'Sardanapalus！' said I to myself； 'am I going to let that fellow
imagine that I will not keep my word with him？'
〃 'I had the honor of telling you yesterday；' said he； 'that I had
fallen out with Daddy Gobseck most inopportunely； and as there is
scarcely another man in Paris who can come down on the nail with a
hundred thousand francs； at the end of the month； I begged of you to
make my peace with him。 But let us say no more about it'
〃M。 de Trailles looked at me with civil insult in his expression； and
made as if he would take his leave。
〃 'I am ready to go with you；' said I。
〃When we reached the Rue de Gres； my dandy looked about him with a
circumspection and uneasiness that set me wondering。 His face grew
livid； flushed； and yellow； turn and turn about； and by the time that
Gobseck's door came in sight the perspiration stood in drops on his
forehead。 We were just getting out of the cabriolet； when a hackney
cab turned into the street。 My companion's hawk eye detected a woman
in the depths of the vehicle。 His face lighted up with a gleam of
almost savage joy； he called to a little boy who was passing； and gave
him his horse to hold。 Then we went up to the old bill discounter。
〃 'M。 Gobseck；' said I； 'I have brought one of my most intimate
friends to see you （whom I trust as I would trust the Devil；' I added
for the old man's private ear）。 'To oblige me you will do your best
for him （at the ordinary rate）； and pull him out of his difficulty （if
it suits your convenience）。'
〃M。 de Trailles made his bow to Gobseck； took a seat； and listened to
us with a courtier…like attitude； its charming humility would have
touched your heart to see； but my Gobseck sits in his chair by the
fireside without moving a muscle； or changing a feature。 He looked
very like the statue of Voltaire under the peristyle of the Theatre…
Francais； as you see it of an evening； he had partly risen as if to
bow； and the skull cap that covered the top of his head； and the
narrow strip of sallow forehead exhibited； completed his likeness to
the man of marble。
〃 'I have no money to spare except for my own clients；' said he。
〃 'So you are cross because I may have tried in other quarters to ruin
myself？' laughed the Count。
〃 'Ruin yourself！' repeated Gobseck ironically。
〃 'Were you about to remark that it is impossible to ruin a man who
has nothing？' inquired the dandy。 'Why； I defy you to find a better
STOCK in Paris！' he cried； swinging round on his heels。
〃This half…earnest buffoonery produced not the slightest effect upon
Gobseck。
〃 'Am I not on intimate terms with the Ronquerolles； the Marsays； the
Franchessinis； the two Vandenesses； the Ajuda…Pintos；all the most
fashionable young men in Paris； in short？ A prince and an ambassador
（you know them both） are my partners at play。 I draw my revenues from
London and Carlsbad and Baden and Bath。 Is not this the most brilliant
of all industries！'
〃 'True。'
〃 'You make a sponge of me； begad！ you do。 You encourage me to go and
swell myself o