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Eugene was beginning to feel very uncomfortable； but at last the
Vicomtesse appeared； she spoke to him； and the tremulous tones of
her voice vibrated through his heart。
〃Pardon me； monsieur；〃 she said； 〃I had a letter to write。 Now I
am quite at liberty。〃
She scarcely knew what she was saying； for even as she spoke she
thought； 〃Ah！ he means to marry Mlle。 de Rochefide？ But is he
still free？ This evening the marriage shall be broken off； or
else 。 。 。 But before to…morrow I shall know。〃
〃Cousin 。 。 。〃 the student replied。
〃Eh？〃 said the Countess； with an insolent glance that sent a cold
shudder through Eugene； he understood what that 〃Eh？〃 meant； he
had learned a great deal in three hours； and his wits were on the
alert。 He reddened：
〃Madame 。 。 。〃 he began； he hesitated a moment； and then went on。
〃Pardon me； I am in such need of protection that the nearest
scrap of relationship could do me no harm。〃
Mme。 de Beauseant smiled but there was sadness in her smile； even
now she felt forebodings of the coming pain； the air she breathed
was heavy with the storm that was about to burst。
〃If you knew how my family are situated；〃 he went on； 〃you would
love to play the part of a beneficent fairy godmother who
graciously clears the obstacles from the path of her protege。〃
〃Well； cousin；〃 she said； laughing； 〃and how can I be of service
to you？〃
〃But do I know even that？ I am distantly related to you； and this
obscure and remote relationship is even now a perfect godsend to
me。 You have confused my ideas； I cannot remember the things that
I meant to say to you。 I know no one else here in Paris。 。 。 。
Ah！ if I could only ask you to counsel me； ask you to look upon
me as a poor child who would fain cling to the hem of your dress；
who would lay down his life for you。〃
〃Would you kill a man for me？〃
〃Two；〃 said Eugene。
〃You； child。 Yes； you are a child；〃 she said； keeping back the
tears that came to her eyes； 〃you would love sincerely。〃
〃Oh！〃 he cried； flinging up his head。
The audacity of the student's answer interested the Vicomtesse in
him。 The southern brain was beginning to scheme for the first
time。 Between Mme。 de Restaud's blue boudoir and Mme。 de
Beauseant's rose…colored drawing…room he had made a three years'
advance in a kind of law which is not a recognized study in
Paris； although it is a sort of higher jurisprudence； and； when
well understood； is a highroad to success of every kind。
〃Ah！ that is what I meant to say！〃 said Eugene。 〃I met Mme。 de
Restaud at your ball； and this morning I went to see her。
〃You must have been very much in the way；〃 said Mme。 de
Beauseant； smiling as she spoke。
〃Yes； indeed。 I am a novice； and my blunders will set every one
against me； if you do not give me your counsel。 I believe that in
Paris it is very difficult to meet with a young； beautiful； and
wealthy woman of fashion who would be willing to teach me； what
you women can explain so welllife。 I shall find a M。 de
Trailles everywhere。 So I have come to you to ask you to give me
a key to a puzzle； to entreat you to tell me what sort of blunder
I made this morning。 I mentioned an old man〃
〃Madame la Duchess de Langeais；〃 Jacques cut the student short；
Eugene gave expression to his intense annoyance by a gesture。
〃If you mean to succeed；〃 said the Vicomtesse in a low voice； 〃in
the first place you must not be so demonstrative。〃
〃Ah！ good morning； dear；〃 she continued； and rising and crossing
the room； she grasped the Duchess' hands as affectionately as if
they had been sisters； the Duchess responded in the prettiest and
most gracious way。
〃Two intimate friends！〃 said Rastignac to himself。 〃Henceforward
I shall have two protectresses； those two women are great
friends； no doubt； and this newcomer will doubtless interest
herself in her friend's cousin。〃
〃To what happy inspiration do I owe this piece of good fortune；
dear Antoinette？〃 asked Mme。 de Beauseant。
〃Well； I saw M。 d'Ajuda…Pinto at M。 de Rochefide's door； so I
thought that if I came I should find you alone。〃
Mme。 de Beauseant's mouth did not tighten； her color did not
rise； her expression did not alter； or rather； her brow seemed to
clear as the Duchess uttered those deadly words。
〃If I had known that you were engaged〃 the speaker added；
glancing at Eugene。
〃This gentleman is M。 Eugene de Rastignac； one of my cousins；〃
said the Vicomtesse。 〃Have you any news of General de
Montriveau？〃 she continued。 〃Serizy told me yesterday that he
never goes anywhere now； has he been to see you to…day？〃
It was believed that the Duchess was desperately in love with M。
de Montriveau； and that he was a faithless lover； she felt the
question in her very heart； and her face flushed as she answered：
〃He was at the Elysee yesterday。〃
〃In attendance？〃
〃Claire；〃 returned the Duchess； and hatred overflowed in the
glances she threw at Mme。 de Beauseant； 〃of course you know that
M。 d'Ajuda…Pinto is going to marry Mlle。 de Rochefide； the bans
will be published to…morrow。〃
This thrust was too cruel； the Vicomtesse's face grew white； but
she answered； laughing； 〃One of those rumors that fools amuse
themselves with。 What should induce M。 d'Ajuda to take one of the
noblest names in Portugal to the Rochefides？ The Rochefides were
only ennobled yesterday。〃
〃But Bertha will have two hundred thousand livres a year； they
say。〃
〃M。 d'Ajuda is too wealthy to marry for money。〃
〃But； my dear； Mlle。 de Rochefide is a charming girl。〃
〃Indeed？〃
〃And； as a matter of fact； he is dining with them to…day； the
thing is settled。 It is very surprising to me that you should
know so little about it。〃
Mme。 de Beauseant turned to Rastignac。 〃What was the blunder that
you made； monsieur？〃 she asked。 〃The poor boy is only just
launched into the world； Antoinette； so that he understands
nothing of all this that we are speaking of。 Be merciful to him；
and let us finish our talk to…morrow。 Everything will be
announced to…morrow； you know； and your kind informal
communication can be accompanied by official confirmation。〃
The Duchess gave Eugene one of those insolent glances that
measure a man from head to foot； and leave him crushed and
annihilated。
〃Madame； I have unwittingly plunged a dagger into Mme。 de
Restaud's heart； unwittinglytherein lies my offence；〃 said the
student of law； whose keen brain had served him sufficiently
well； for he had detected the biting epigrams that lurked beneath
this friendly talk。 〃You continue to receive； possibly you fear；
those who know the amount of pain that they deliberately inflict；
but a clumsy blunderer who has no idea how deeply he wounds is
looked upon as a fool who does not know how to make use of his
opportunities； and every one despise him。〃
Mme。 de Beauseant gave the student a glance； one of those glances
in which a great soul can mingle dignity and gratitude。 It was
like balm to the law student； who was still smarting under the
Duchess' insolent scrutiny； she had looked at him as an
auctioneer might look at some article to appraise its value。
〃Imagine； too； that I had just made some progress with the Comte
de Restaud； for I should tell you； madame；〃 he went on； turning
to the Duchess with a mixture of humility and malice in his
manner； 〃that as yet I am only a poor devil of a student； very
much alone in the world； and very poor〃
〃You should not tell us that； M。 de Rastignac。 We women never
care about anything that no one else will take。〃
〃Bah！〃 said Eugene。 〃I am only two…and…twenty； and I must make up
my mind to the drawbacks of my time of life。 Besides； I am
confessing my sins； and it would be impossible to kneel in a more
charming confessional； you commit your sins in one drawing…room；
and receive absolution for them in another。〃
The Duchess' expression grew colder； she did not like the
flippant tone of these remarks； and showed that she considered
them to be in bad taste by turning to the Vicomtesse with〃This
gentleman has only just come〃
Mme。 de Beauseant began to laugh outright at her cousin and at
the Duchess both。
〃He has only just come to Paris； dear； and is in search of some
one who will give him lessons in good taste。〃
〃Mme。 la Duchesse；〃 said Eugene； 〃is it not natural to wish to be
initiated into the mysteries which charm us？〃 （〃Come； now；〃 he
said to himself； 〃my language is superfinely elegant； I'm sure。〃）
〃But Mme。 de Restaud is herself； I believe； M。 de Trailles'
pupil；〃 said the Duchess。
〃Of that I had no idea； madame；〃 answered the law student； 〃so I
rashly came between them。 In fact； I got on very well with the
lady's husband； and his wife tolerated me for a time until I took
it into my head to tell them that I knew some one of whom I had
just