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A few moments later the marquise departed； as she watched her go the
princess said to herself：
〃How she will pluck me！ But to save her the trouble of trying to get
Daniel away from here I'll send him to her。〃
At three o'clock； or a few moments after； d'Arthez arrived。 In the
midst of some interesting topic on which he was discoursing
eloquently； the princess suddenly cut him short by laying her hand on
his arm。
〃Pardon me； my dear friend；〃 she said； interrupting him； 〃but I fear I
may forget a thing which seems a mere trifle but may be of great
importance。 You have not set foot in Madame d'Espard's salon since the
ever…blessed day when I met you there。 Pray go at once； not for your
sake； nor by way of politeness； but for me。 You may already have made
her an enemy of mine； if by chance she has discovered that since her
dinner you have scarcely left my house。 Besides； my friend； I don't
like to see you dropping your connection with society； and neglecting
your occupations and your work。 I should again be strangely
calumniated。 What would the world say？ That I held you in leading…
strings； absorbed you； feared comparisons； and clung to my conquest
knowing it to be my last！ Who will know that you are my friend； my
only friend？ If you love me indeed； as you say you love me； you will
make the world believe that we are purely and simply brother and
sister Go on with what you were saying。〃
In his armor of tenderness； riveted by the knowledge of so many
splendid virtues； d'Arthez obeyed this behest on the following day and
went to see Madame d'Espard； who received him with charming coquetry。
The marquise took very good care not to say a single word to him about
the princess； but she asked him to dinner on a coming day。
On this occasion d'Arthez found a numerous company。 The marquise had
invited Rastignac； Blondet； the Marquis d'Ajuda…Pinto； Maxime de
Trailles； the Marquis d'Esgrignon； the two brothers Vandenesse； du
Tillet； one of the richest bankers in Paris； the Baron de Nucingen；
Raoul Nathan； Lady Dudley； two very treacherous secretaries of
embassies and the Chevalier d'Espard； the wiliest person in this
assemblage and the chief instigator of his sister…in…law's policy。
When dinner was well under way； Maxime de Trailles turned to d'Arthez
and said smiling：
〃You see a great deal； don't you； of the Princesse de Cadignan？〃
To this question d'Arthez responded by curtly nodding his head。 Maxime
de Trailles was a 〃bravo〃 of the social order； without faith or law；
capable of everything； ruining the women who trusted him； compelling
them to pawn their diamonds to give him money； but covering this
conduct with a brilliant varnish； a man of charming manners and
satanic mind。 He inspired all who knew him with equal contempt and
fear； but as no one was bold enough to show him any sentiments but
those of the utmost courtesy he saw nothing of this public opinion； or
else he accepted and shared the general dissimulation。 He owed to the
Comte de Marsay the greatest degree of elevation to which he could
attain。 De Marsay； whose knowledge of Maxime was of long…standing；
judged him capable of fulfilling certain secret and diplomatic
functions which he confided to him and of which de Trailles acquitted
himself admirably。 D'Arthez had for some time past mingled
sufficiently in political matters to know the man for what he was； and
he alone had sufficient strength and height of character to express
aloud what others thought or said in a whisper。
〃Is it for her that you neglect the Chamber？〃 asked Baron de Nucingen
in his German accent。
〃Ah！ the princess is one of the most dangerous women a man can have
anything to do with。 I owe to her the miseries of my marriage；〃
exclaimed the Marquis d'Esgrignon。
〃Dangerous？〃 said Madame d'Espard。 〃Don't speak so of my nearest
friend。 I have never seen or known anything in the princess that did
not seem to come from the noblest sentiments。〃
〃Let the marquis say what he thinks；〃 cried Rastignac。 〃When a man has
been thrown by a fine horse he thinks it has vices and he sells it。〃
Piqued by these words； the Marquis d'Esgrignon looked at d'Arthez and
said：
〃Monsieur is not； I trust； on such terms with the princess that we
cannot speak freely of her？〃
D'Arthez kept silence。 D'Esgrignon； who was not wanting in cleverness；
replied to Rastignac's speech with an apologetic portrait of the
princess； which put the whole table in good humor。 As the jest was
extremely obscure to d'Arthez he leaned towards his neighbor； Madame
de Montcornet； and asked her； in a whisper； what it meant。
〃Excepting yourselfjudging by the excellent opinion you seem to have
of the princessall the other guests are said to have been in her
good graces。〃
〃I can assure you that such an accusation is absolutely false；〃 said
Daniel。
〃And yet； here is Monsieur d'Esgrignon of an old family of Alencon；
who completely ruined himself for her some twelve years ago； and； if
all is true； came very near going to the scaffold。〃
〃I know the particulars of that affair；〃 said d'Arthez。 〃Madame de
Cadignan went to Alencon to save Monsieur d'Esgrignon from a trial
before the court of assizes； and this is how he rewards her to…day！〃
Madame de Montcornet looked at d'Arthez with a surprise and curiosity
that were almost stupid； then she turned her eyes on Madame d'Espard
with a look which seemed to say： 〃He is bewitched！〃
During this short conversation Madame de Cadignan was protected by
Madame d'Espard； whose protection was like that of the lightning…rod
which draws the flash。 When d'Arthez returned to the general
conversation Maxime de Trailles was saying：
〃With Diane； depravity is not an effect but a cause； perhaps she owes
that cause to her exquisite nature； she doesn't invent； she makes no
effort； she offers you the choicest refinements as the inspiration of
a spontaneous and naive love； and it is absolutely impossible not to
believe her。〃
This speech； which seemed to have been prepared for a man of
d'Arthez's stamp； was so tremendous an arraignment that the company
appeared to accept it as a conclusion。 No one said more； the princess
was crushed。 D'Arthez looked straight at de Trailles and then at
d'Esgrignon with a sarcastic air； and said：
〃The greatest fault of that woman is that she has followed in the wake
of men。 She squanders patrimonies as they do； she drives her lovers to
usurers； she pockets 〃dots〃； she ruins orphans； she inspires； possibly
she commits； crimes； but〃
Never had the two men； whom d'Arthez was chiefly addressing； listened
to such plain talk。 At that BUT the whole table was startled； every
one paused； fork in air； their eyes fixed alternately on the brave
author and on the assailants of the princess； awaiting the conclusion
of that horrible silence。
〃But；〃 said d'Arthez； with sarcastic airiness； 〃Madame la Princesse de
Cadignan has one advantage over men： when they have put themselves in
danger for her sake； she saves them； and says no harm of any one。
Among the multitude； why shouldn't there be one woman who amuses
herself with men as men amuse themselves with women？ Why not allow the
fair sex to take； from time to time； its revenge？〃
〃Genius is stronger than wit；〃 said Blondet to Nathan。
This broadside of sarcasms was in fact the discharge of a battery of
cannons against a platoon of musketry。 When coffee was served； Blondet
and Nathan went up to d'Arthez with an eagerness no one else dared to
imitate； so unable were the rest of the company to show the admiration
his conduct inspired from the fear of making two powerful enemies。
〃This is not the first time we have seen that your character equals
your talent in grandeur；〃 said Blondet。 〃You behaved just now more
like a demi…god than a man。 Not to have been carried away by your
heart or your imagination； not to have taken up the defence of a
beloved womana fault they were enticing you to commit； because it
would have given those men of society eaten up with jealousy of your
literary fame a triumph over youah！ give me leave to say you have
attained the height of private statesmanship。〃
〃Yes； you are a statesman；〃 said Nathan。 〃It is as clever as it is
difficult to avenge a woman without defending her。〃
〃The princess is one of those heroines of the legitimist party； and it
is the duty of all men of honor to protect her quand meme；〃 replied
d'Arthez； coldly。 〃What she has done for the cause of her masters
would excuse all follies。〃
〃He keeps his own counsel！〃 said Nathan to Blondet。
〃Precisely as if the princess were worth it；〃 said Rastignac； joining
the other two。
D'Arthez went to the princess； who was awaiting him with the keenest
anxiety。 The result of this experiment； which Diane had herself
brought about； might be fatal to her。 For the first time in h