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thanked the mother and daughter by an inclination of the head； and
hurried away； I was afraid I should break down。
〃I found myself alone under my roof； and laid myself down in my
misery。 My unhappy imagination suggested numberless baseless projects；
and prescribed impossible resolutions。 When a man is struggling in the
wreck of his fortunes； he is not quite without resources； but I was
engulfed。 Ah； my dear fellow； we are too ready to blame the wretched。
Let us be less harsh on the results of the most powerful of all social
solvents。 Where poverty is absolute there exist no such things as
shame or crime； or virtue or intelligence。 I knew not what to do； I
was as defenceless as a maiden on her knees before a beast of prey。 A
penniless man who has no ties to bind him is master of himself at any
rate； but a luckless wretch who is in love no longer belongs to
himself； and may not take his own life。 Love makes us almost sacred in
our own eyes； it is the life of another that we revere within us； then
and so it begins for us the cruelest trouble of allthe misery with a
hope in it； a hope for which we must even bear our torments。 I thought
I would go to Rastignac on the morrow to confide Foedora's strange
resolution to him； and with that I slept。
〃 'Ah； ha！' cried Rastignac； as he saw me enter his lodging at nine
o'clock in the morning。 'I know what brings you here。 Foedora has
dismissed you。 Some kind souls； who were jealous of your ascendency
over the countess； gave out that you were going to be married。 Heaven
only knows what follies your rivals have equipped you with； and what
slanders have been directed at you。'
〃 'That explains everything！' I exclaimed。 I remembered all my
presumptuous speeches； and gave the countess credit for no little
magnanimity。 It pleased me to think that I was a miscreant who had not
been punished nearly enough； and I saw nothing in her indulgence but
the long…suffering charity of love。
〃 'Not quite so fast；' urged the prudent Gascon； 'Foedora has all the
sagacity natural to a profoundly selfish woman； perhaps she may have
taken your measure while you still coveted only her money and her
splendor； in spite of all your care； she could have read you through
and through。 She can dissemble far too well to let any dissimulation
pass undetected。 I fear；' he went on； 'that I have brought you into a
bad way。 In spite of her cleverness and her tact； she seems to me a
domineering sort of person； like every woman who can only feel
pleasure through her brain。 Happiness for her lies entirely in a
comfortable life and in social pleasures； her sentiment is only
assumed； she will make you miserable； you will be her head footman。'
〃He spoke to the deaf。 I broke in upon him； disclosing； with an
affectation of light…heartedness； the state of my finances。
〃 'Yesterday evening；' he rejoined； 'luck ran against me； and that
carried off all my available cash。 But for that trivial mishap； I
would gladly have shared my purse with you。 But let us go and
breakfast at the restaurant； perhaps there is good counsel in
oysters。'
〃He dressed； and had his tilbury brought round。 We went to the Cafe de
Paris like a couple of millionaires； armed with all the audacious
impertinence of the speculator whose capital is imaginary。 That devil
of a Gascon quite disconcerted me by the coolness of his manners and
his absolute self…possession。 While we were taking coffee after an
excellent and well…ordered repast； a young dandy entered； who did not
escape Rastignac。 He had been nodding here and there among the crowd
to this or that young man； distinguished both by personal attractions
and elegant attire； and now he said to me：
〃 'Here's your man；' as he beckoned to this gentleman with a wonderful
cravat； who seemed to be looking for a table that suited his ideas。
〃 'That rogue has been decorated for bringing out books that he
doesn't understand a word of；' whispered Rastignac； 'he is a chemist；
a historian； a novelist； and a political writer； he has gone halves；
thirds； or quarters in the authorship of I don't know how many plays；
and he is as ignorant as Dom Miguel's mule。 He is not a man so much as
a name； a label that the public is familiar with。 So he would do well
to avoid shops inscribed with the motto； 〃Ici l'on peut ecrire soi…
meme。〃 He is acute enough to deceive an entire congress of
diplomatists。 In a couple of words； he is a moral half…caste； not
quite a fraud； nor entirely genuine。 But； hush！ he has succeeded
already； nobody asks anything further； and every one calls him an
illustrious man。'
〃 'Well； my esteemed and excellent friend； and how may Your
Intelligence be？' So Rastignac addressed the stranger as he sat down
at a neighboring table。
〃 'Neither well nor ill； I am overwhelmed with work。 I have all the
necessary materials for some very curious historical memoirs in my
hands； and I cannot find any one to whom I can ascribe them。 It
worries me； for I shall have to be quick about it。 Memoirs are falling
out of fashion。'
〃 'What are the memoirscontemporaneous； ancient； or memoirs of the
court； or what？'
〃 'They relate to the Necklace affair。'
〃 'Now； isn't that a coincidence？' said Rastignac； turning to me and
laughing。 He looked again to the literary speculation； and said；
indicating me：
〃 'This is M。 de Valentin； one of my friends； whom I must introduce to
you as one of our future literary celebrities。 He had formerly an
aunt； a marquise； much in favor once at court； and for about two years
he has been writing a Royalist history of the Revolution。'
〃Then； bending over this singular man of business； he went on：
〃 'He is a man of talent； and a simpleton that will do your memoirs
for you； in his aunt's name； for a hundred crowns a volume。'
〃 'It's a bargain；' said the other； adjusting his cravat。 'Waiter； my
oysters。'
〃 'Yes； but you must give me twenty…five louis as commission； and you
will pay him in advance for each volume；' said Rastignac。
〃 'No； no。 He shall only have fifty crowns on account； and then I
shall be sure of having my manuscript punctually。'
〃Rastignac repeated this business conversation to me in low tones； and
then； without giving me any voice in the matter； he replied：
〃 'We agree to your proposal。 When can we call upon you to arrange the
affair？'
〃 'Oh； well！ Come and dine here to…morrow at seven o'clock。'
〃We rose。 Rastignac flung some money to the waiter； put the bill in
his pocket； and we went out。 I was quite stupified by the flippancy
and ease with which he had sold my venerable aunt； la Marquise de
Montbauron。
〃 'I would sooner take ship for the Brazils； and give the Indians
lessons in algebra； though I don't know a word of it； than tarnish my
family name。'
〃Rastignac burst out laughing。
〃 'How dense you are！ Take the fifty crowns in the first instance； and
write the memoirs。 When you have finished them； you will decline to
publish them in your aunt's name； imbecile！ Madame de Montbauron； with
her hooped petticoat； her rank and beauty； rouge and slippers； and her
death upon the scaffold； is worth a great deal more than six hundred
francs。 And then； if the trade will not give your aunt her due； some
old adventurer； or some shady countess or other； will be found to put
her name to the memoirs。'
〃 'Oh；' I groaned； 'why did I quit the blameless life in my garret？
This world has aspects that are very vilely dishonorable。'
〃 'Yes；' said Rastignac； 'that is all very poetical； but this is a
matter of business。 What a child you are！ Now； listen to me。 As to
your work； the public will decide upon it； and as for my literary
middle…man； hasn't he devoted eight years of his life to obtaining a
footing in the book…trade； and paid heavily for his experience？ You
divide the money and the labor of the book with him very unequally；
but isn't yours the better part？ Twenty…five louis means as much to
you as a thousand francs does to him。 Come； you can write historical
memoirs； a work of art such as never was； since Diderot once wrote six
sermons for a hundred crowns！'
〃 'After all；' I said； in agitation； 'I cannot choose but do it。 So；
my dear friend； my thanks are due to you。 I shall be quite rich with
twenty…five louis。'
〃 'Richer than you think；' he laughed。 'If I have my commission from
Finot in this matter； it goes to you； can't you see？ Now let us go to
the Bois de Boulogne；' he said； 'we shall see your countess there； and
I will show you the pretty little widow that I am to marrya charming
woman； an Alsacienne； rather plump。 She reads Kant； Schiller； Jean
Paul； and a host of lachrymose books。 She has a mania for continually
asking my opinion； and I have to look as if I entered into all this
German sensibility； and to know a pack of balladsdrugs； all of them；
that my doctor absolutely prohibits。 As yet I have not been able to
wean her from her literary enthusiasms； she sheds torrents of tears as
she reads Goethe； and I have to weep a little myself to please her；
for she has an income of fifty thousand livres； my dear boy； and the
prettiest little hand and foot in the world。 Oh； if she would only say
mon ange and brouiller instead of