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riage； and all her whims； in fact？〃
〃Why； here you are taking away my reason； and want me to reason！〃
〃Well； then； Bianchon； I am mad； bring me to my senses。 I have two sisters as beautiful and innocent as angels； and I want them to be happy。 How am I to find two hundred thousand francs apiece for them in the next five years？ Now and then in life； you see； you must play for heavy stakes； and it is no use wasting your luck on low play。〃
〃But you are only stating the problem that lies before every one at the outset of his life； and you want to cut the Gordian knot with a sword。 If that is the way of it； dear boy； you must be an Alexander； or to the hulks you go。 For my own part； I am quite contented with the little lot I mean to make for myself somewhere in the country； when I mean to step into my father's shoes and plod along。 A man's affections are just as fully satisfied by the smallest circle as they can be by a vast circumference。 Napoleon himself could only dine once； and he could not have more mistresses than a house student at the Capuchins。 Happiness； old man； depends on what lies between the sole of your foot and the crown of your head； and whether it costs a million or a hundred louis； the actual amount of pleasure that you receive rests entirely with you； and is just exactly the same in any case。 I am for letting that Chinaman live。〃
〃Thank you； Bianchon； you have done me good。 We will always be friends。〃
〃I say；〃 remarked the medical student； as they came to the end of a broad walk in the Jardin des Plantes； 〃I saw the Michonneau and Poiret a few minutes ago on a bench chatting with a gentleman whom I used to see in last year's troubles hanging about the Chamber of Deputies； he seems to me； in fact； to be a detective dressed up like a decent retired tradesman。 Let us keep an eye on that couple； I will tell you why some time。 Good…bye； it is nearly four o'clock； and I must be in to answer to my name。〃
When Eugene reached the lodging…house； he found Father Goriot waiting for him。
〃Here；〃 cried the old man； 〃here is a letter from her。 Pretty handwriting； eh？〃
Eugene broke the seal and read：
〃Sir；I have heard from my father that you are fond of Italian music。 I shall be delighted if you will do me the pleasure of accepting a seat in my box。 La Fodor and Pellegrini will sing on Saturday； so I am sure that you will not refuse me。 M。 de Nucingen and I shall be pleased if you will dine with us； we shall be quite by ourselves。 If you will come and be my escort； my husband will be glad to be relieved from his conjugal duties。 Do not answer； but simply come。Yours sincerely； D。 DE N。〃
〃Let me see it；〃 said Father Goriot； when Eugene had read the letter。 〃You are going； aren't you？〃 he added； when he had smelled the writing…paper。 〃How nice it smells！ Her fingers have touched it； that is certain。〃
〃A woman does not fling herself at a man's head in this way；〃 the student was thinking。 〃She wants to use me to bring back de Marsay； nothing but pique makes a woman do a thing like this。〃
〃Well；〃 said Father Goriot； 〃what are you thinking about？〃
Eugene did not know the fever or vanity that possessed some women in those days； how should he imagine that to open a door in the Faubourg Saint…Germain a banker's wife would go to almost any length。 For the coterie of the Faubourg Saint…Germain was a charmed circle； and the women who moved in it were at that time the queens of society； and among the greatest of these Dames du Petit…Chateau； as they were called； were Mme。 de Beauseant and her friends the Duchesse de Langeais and the Duchesse de Maufrigneause。 Rastignac was alone in his ignorance of the frantic efforts made by women who lived in the Chausee…d'Antin to enter this seventh heaven and shine among the brightest constellations of their sex。 But his cautious disposition stood him in good stead； and kept his judgment cool； and the not altogether enviable power of imposing instead of accepting conditions。
〃Yes； I am going；〃 he replied。
So it was curiosity that drew him to Mme。 de Nucingen； while； if she had treated him disdainfully； passion perhaps might have brought him to her feet。 Still he waited almost impatiently for to…morrow； and the hour when he could go to her。 There is almost as much charm for a young man in a first flirtation as there is in first love。 The certainty of success is a source of happiness to which men do not confess； and all the charm of certain women lies in this。 The desire of conquest springs no less from the easiness than from the difficulty of triumph； and every passion is excited or sustained by one or the other of these two motives which divide the empire of love。 Perhaps this division is one result of the great question of temperaments； which； after all； dominates social life。 The melancholic temperament may stand in need of the tonic of coquetry； while those of nervous or sanguine complexion withdraw if they meet with a too stubborn resistance。 In other words； the lymphatic temperament is essentially despondent； and the rhapsodic is bilious。
Eugene lingered over his toilette with an enjoyment of all its little details that is grateful to a young man's self…love； though he will not own to it for fear of being laughed at。 He thought； as he arranged his hair； that a pretty woman's glances would wander through the dark curls。 He indulged in childish tricks like any young girl dressing for a dance； and gazed complacently at his graceful figure while he smoothed out the creases of his coat。
〃There are worse figures； that is certain；〃 he said to himself。
Then he went downstairs； just as the rest of the household were sitting down to dinner； and took with good humor the boisterous applause excited by his elegant appearance。 The amazement with which any attention to dress is regarded in a lodging…house is a very characteristic trait。 No one can put on a new coat but every one else must say his say about it。
〃Clk！ clk！ clk！〃 cried Bianchon； making the sound with his tongue against the roof of his mouth； like a driver urging on a horse。
〃He holds himself like a duke and a peer of France；〃 said Mme。 Vauquer。
〃Are you going a…courting？〃 inquired Mlle。 Michonneau。
〃Cock…a…doodle…doo！〃 cried the artist。
〃My compliments to my lady your wife；〃 from the employe at the Museum。
〃Your wife； have you a wife？〃 asked Poiret。
〃Yes； in compartments； water…tight and floats； guaranteed fast color； all prices from twenty…five to forty sous； neat check patterns in the latest fashion and best taste； will wash； half… linen； half…cotton； half…wool； a certain cure for toothache and other complaints under the patronage of the Royal College of Physicians！ children like it！ a remedy for headache； indigestion； and all other diseases affecting the throat； eyes； and ears！〃 cried Vautrin； with a comical imitation of the volubility of a quack at a fair。 〃And how much shall we say for this marvel； gentlemen？ Twopence？ No。 Nothing of the sort。 All that is left in stock after supplying the Great Mogul。 All the crowned heads of Europe； including the Gr…r…rand Duke of Baden； have been anxious to get a sight of it。 Walk up！ walk up！ gentlemen！ Pay at the desk as you go in！ Strike up the music there！ Brooum； la； la； trinn！ la； la； boum！ boum！ Mister Clarinette； there you are out of tune！〃 he added gruffly； 〃I will rap your knuckles for you！〃
〃Goodness！ what an amusing man！〃 said Mme。 Vauquer to Mme。 Couture； 〃I should never feel dull with him in the house。〃
This burlesque of Vautrin's was the signal for an outburst of merriment； and under cover of jokes and laughter Eugene caught a glance from Mlle。 Taillefer； she had leaned over to say a few words in Mme。 Couture's ear。
〃The cab is at the door；〃 announced Sylvie。
〃But where is he going to dine？〃 asked Bianchon。
〃With Madame la Baronne de Nucingen。〃
〃M。 Goriot's daughter；〃 said the law student。
At this； all eyes turned to the old vermicelli maker； he was gazing at Eugene with something like envy in his eyes。
Rastignac reached the house in the Rue Saint…Lazare； one of those many…windowed houses with a mean…looking portico and slender columns； which are considered the thing in Paris； a typical banker's house； decorated in the most ostentatious fashion； the walls lined with stucco； the landings of marble mosaic。 Mme。 de Nucingen was sitting in a little drawing…room； the room was painted in the Italian fashion； and decorated like a restaurant。 The Baroness seemed depressed。 The effort that she made to hide her feelings aroused Eugene's interest； it was plain that she was not playing a part。 He had expected a little flutter of excitement at his coming； and he found her dispirited and sad。 The disappointment piqued his vanity。
〃My claim to your confidence is very small； madame；〃 he said； after rallying her on her abstracted mood； 〃but if I am in the way； please tell me so frankly； I count on your good faith。〃
〃No； stay with me；〃 she said； 〃I shall be all alone if you go。 Nucingen is dining in town； and I do not want to be alone； I want to be taken out of myself。〃
〃But what is the matter？〃
〃You are the very last person whom I should tell；〃 she exclaimed。
〃Then I am connected in some way in this secret。 I won