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of any way of communicating with my father； please be sure and
tell him that his affection and my mother's honor are more to me
than all the money in the world。 If you can induce him to relent
a little towards me； I will pray to God for you。 You may be sure
of my gratitude〃
〃The same old story everywhere；〃 sang Vautrin； with a satirical
intonation。 At this juncture； Goriot； Mlle。 Michonneau； and
Poiret came downstairs together； possibly the scent of the gravy
which Sylvie was making to serve with the mutton had announced
breakfast。 The seven people thus assembled bade each other good…
morning； and took their places at the table； the clock struck
ten； and the student's footstep was heard outside。
〃Ah！ here you are； M。 Eugene；〃 said Sylvie； 〃every one is
breakfasting at home to…day。〃
The student exchanged greetings with the lodgers； and sat down
beside Goriot。
〃I have just met with a queer adventure；〃 he said； as he helped
himself abundantly to the mutton； and cut a slice of bread； which
Mme。 Vauquer's eyes gauged as usual。
〃An adventure？〃 queried Poiret。
〃Well； and what is there to astonish you in that； old boy？〃
Vautrin asked of Poiret。 〃M。 Eugene is cut out for that kind of
thing。〃
Mlle。 Taillefer stole a timid glance at the young student。
〃Tell us about your adventure！〃 demanded M。 Vautrin。
〃Yesterday evening I went to a ball given by a cousin of mine；
the Vicomtesse de Beauseant。 She has a magnificent house； the
rooms are hung with silkin short； it was a splendid affair； and
I was as happy as a king…〃
〃Fisher；〃 put in Vautrin； interrupting。
〃What do you mean； sir？〃 said Eugene sharply。
〃I said 'fisher；' because kingfishers see a good deal more fun
than kings。〃
〃Quite true； I would much rather be the little careless bird than
a king；〃 said Poiret the ditto…ist； 〃because〃
〃In fact〃the law…student cut him short〃I danced with one of
the handsomest women in the room； a charming countess； the most
exquisite creature I have ever seen。 There was peach blossom in
her hair； and she had the loveliest bouquet of flowersreal
flowers； that scented the airbut there！ it is no use trying
to describe a woman glowing with the dance。 You ought to have
seen her！ Well； and this morning I met this divine countess about
nine o'clock； on foot in the Rue de Gres。 Oh！ how my heart beat！
I began to think〃
〃That she was coming here；〃 said Vautrin； with a keen look at the
student。 〃I expect that she was going to call on old Gobseck； a
money…lender。 If ever you explore a Parisian woman's heart； you
will find the money…lender first； and the lover afterwards。 Your
countess is called Anastasie de Restaud； and she lives in the Rue
du Helder。〃
The student stared hard at Vautrin。 Father Goriot raised his head
at the words； and gave the two speakers a glance so full of
intelligence and uneasiness that the lodgers beheld him with
astonishment。
〃Then Christophe was too late； and she must have gone to him！〃
cried Goriot； with anguish in his voice。
〃It is just as I guessed；〃 said Vautrin； leaning over to whisper
in Mme。 Vauquer's ear。
Goriot went on with his breakfast； but seemed unconscious of what
he was doing。 He had never looked more stupid nor more taken up
with his own thoughts than he did at that moment。
〃Who the devil could have told you her name； M。 Vautrin？〃 asked
Eugene。
〃Aha！ there you are！〃 answered Vautrin。 〃Old Father Goriot there
knew it quite well！ and why should I not know it too？〃
〃M。 Goriot？〃 the student cried。
〃What is it？〃 asked the old man。 〃So she was very beautiful； was
she； yesterday night？〃
〃Who？〃
〃Mme。 de Restaud。〃
〃Look at the old wretch；〃 said Mme。 Vauquer； speaking to Vautrin；
〃how his eyes light up！〃
〃Then does he really keep her？〃 said Mlle。 Michonneau； in a
whisper to the student。
〃Oh！ yes； she was tremendously pretty；〃 Eugene answered。 Father
Goriot watched him with eager eyes。 〃If Mme。 de Beauseant had not
been there； my divine countess would have been the queen of the
ball； none of the younger men had eyes for any one else。 I was
the twelfth on her list； and she danced every quadrille。 The
other women were furious。 She must have enjoyed herself； if ever
creature did！ It is a true saying that there is no more beautiful
sight than a frigate in full sail； a galloping horse； or a woman
dancing。〃
〃So the wheel turns；〃 said Vautrin； 〃yesterday night at a
duchess' ball； this morning in a money…lender's office； on the
lowest rung of the ladderjust like a Parisienne！ If their
husbands cannot afford to pay for their frantic extravagance；
they will sell themselves。 Or if they cannot do that； they will
tear out their mothers' hearts to find something to pay for their
splendor。 They will turn the world upside down。 Just a Parisienne
through and through！〃
Father Goriot's face； which had shone at the student's words like
the sun on a bright day； clouded over all at once at this cruel
speech of Vautrin's。
〃Well；〃 said Mme。 Vauquer； 〃but where is your adventure？ Did you
speak to her？ Did you ask her if she wanted to study law？〃
〃She did not see me；〃 said Eugene。 〃But only think of meeting one
of the prettiest women in Paris in the Rue des Gres at nine
o'clock！ She could not have reached home after the ball till two
o'clock this morning。 Wasn't it queer？ There is no place like
Paris for this sort of adventures。〃
〃Pshaw！ much funnier things than THAT happen here！〃 exclaimed
Vautrin。
Mlle。 Taillefer had scarcely heeded the talk； she was so absorbed
by the thought of the new attempt that she was about to make。
Mme。 Couture made a sign that it was time to go upstairs and
dress； the two ladies went out； and Father Goriot followed their
example。
〃Well； did you see？〃 said Mme。 Vauquer； addressing Vautrin and
the rest of the circle。 〃He is ruining himself for those women；
that is plain。〃
〃Nothing will ever make me believe that that beautiful Comtesse
de Restaud is anything to Father Goriot；〃 cried the student。
〃Well； and if you don't；〃 broke in Vautrin； 〃we are not set on
convincing you。 You are too young to know Paris thoroughly yet；
later on you will find out that there are what we call men with a
passion〃
Mlle。 Michonneau gave Vautrin a quick glance at these words。 They
seemed to be like the sound of a trumpet to a trooper's horse。
〃Aha！〃 said Vautrin； stopping in his speech to give her a
searching glance； 〃so we have had our little experiences； have
we？〃
The old maid lowered her eyes like a nun who sees a statue。
〃Well；〃 he went on； 〃when folk of that kind get a notion into
their heads； they cannot drop it。 They must drink the water from
some particular springit is stagnant as often as not； but they
will sell their wives and families； they will sell their own
souls to the devil to get it。 For some this spring is play； or
the stock…exchange； or music； or a collection of pictures or
insects； for others it is some woman who can give them the
dainties they like。 You might offer these last all the women on
earththey would turn up their noses； they will have the only
one who can gratify their passion。 It often happens that the
woman does not care for them at all； and treats them cruelly；
they buy their morsels of satisfaction very dear； but no matter；
the fools are never tired of it； they will take their last
blanket to the pawnbroker's to give their last five…franc piece
to her。 Father Goriot here is one of that sort。 He is discreet；
so the Countess exploits himjust the way of the gay world。 The
poor old fellow thinks of her and of nothing else。 In all other
respects you see he is a stupid animal； but get him on that
subject； and his eyes sparkle like diamonds。 That secret is not
difficult to guess。 He took some plate himself this morning to
the melting…pot； and I saw him at Daddy Gobseck's in the Rue des
Gres。 And now； mark what followshe came back here； and gave a
letter for the Comtesse de Restaud to that noodle of a
Christophe； who showed us the address； there was a receipted bill
inside it。 It is clear that it was an urgent matter if the
Countess also went herself to the old money lender。 Father Goriot
has financed her handsomely。 There is no need to tack a tale
together； the thing is self…evident。 So that shows you； sir
student； that all the time your Countess was smiling； dancing；
flirting； swaying her peach…flower crowned head； with her gown
gathered into her hand； her slippers were pinching her； as they
say； she was thinking of her protested bills； or her lover's
protested bills。〃
〃You have made me wild to know the truth；〃 cried Eugene； 〃I will
go to call on Mme。 de Restaud to…morrow。〃
〃Yes；〃 echoed Poiret； 〃you must go and call on Mme。 de Restaud。〃
〃And perhaps you will find Father Goriot there； who will take
paymen