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stumbling on some infernal complication。 I'll bet my head to a
head of that salad that you will stir up a hornet's nest by
taking a fancy to the first young； rich； and pretty woman you
meet。 They are all dodging the law； all at loggerheads with their
husbands。 If I were to begin to tell you all that vanity or
necessity （virtue is not often mixed up in it； you may be sure）；
all that vanity and necessity drive them to do for lovers；
finery； housekeeping； or children； I should never come to an end。
So an honest man is the common enemy。
〃But do you know what an honest man is？ Here； in Paris； an honest
man is the man who keeps his own counsel； and will not divide the
plunder。 I am not speaking now of those poor bond…slaves who do
the work of the world without a reward for their toilGod
Almighty's outcasts； I call them。 Among them； I grant you； is
virtue in all the flower of its stupidity； but poverty is no less
their portion。 At this moment； I think I see the long faces those
good folk would pull if God played a practical joke on them and
stayed away at the Last Judgment。
〃Well； then； if you mean to make a fortune quickly； you must
either be rich to begin with； or make people believe that you are
rich。 It is no use playing here except for high stakes； once take
to low play； it is all up with you。 If in the scores of
professions that are open to you； there are ten men who rise very
rapidly； people are sure to call them thieves。 You can draw your
own conclusions。 Such is life。 It is no cleaner than a kitchen；
it reeks like a kitchen； and if you mean to cook your dinner； you
must expect to soil your hands； the real art is in getting them
clean again； and therein lies the whole morality of our epoch。 If
I take this tone in speaking of the world to you； I have the
right to do so； I know it well。 Do you think that I am blaming
it？ Far from it； the world has always been as it is now。
Moralists' strictures will never change it。 Mankind are not
perfect； but one age is more or less hypocritical than another；
and then simpletons say that its morality is high or low。 I do
not think that the rich are any worse than the poor； man is much
the same； high or low； or wherever he is。 In a million of these
human cattle there may be half a score of bold spirits who rise
above the rest； above the laws； I am one of them。 And you； if you
are cleverer than your fellows； make straight to your end； and
hold your head high。 But you must lay your account with envy and
slander and mediocrity； and every man's hand will be against you。
Napoleon met with a Minister of War； Aubry by name； who all but
sent him to the colonies。
〃Feel your pulse。 Think whether you can get up morning after
morning； strengthened in yesterday's purpose。 In that case I will
make you an offer that no one would decline。 Listen attentively。
You see； I have an idea of my own。 My idea is to live a
patriarchal life on a vast estate； say a hundred thousand acres；
somewhere in the Southern States of America。 I mean to be a
planter； to have slaves； to make a few snug millions by selling
my cattle； timber； and tobacco； I want to live an absolute
monarch； and to do just as I please； to lead such a life as no
one here in these squalid dens of lath and plaster ever imagines。
I am a great poet； I do not write my poems； I feel them； and act
them。 At this moment I have fifty thousand francs； which might
possibly buy forty negroes。 I want two hundred thousand francs；
because I want to have two hundred negroes to carry out my
notions of the patriarachal life properly。 Negroes； you see； are
like a sort of family ready grown； and there are no inquisitive
public prosecutors out there to interfere with you。 That
investment in ebony ought to mean three or four million francs
in ten years' time。 If I am successful； no one will ask me who I
am。 I shall be Mr。 Four Millions； an American citizen。 I shall be
fifty years old by then； and sound and hearty still； I shall
enjoy life after my own fashion。 In two words； if I find you an
heiress with a million； will you give me two hundred thousand
francs？ Twenty per cent commission； eh？ Is that too much？ Your
little wife will be very much in love with you。 Once married； you
will show signs of uneasiness and remorse； for a couple of weeks
you will be depressed。 Then； some night after sundry grimacings；
comes the confession； between two kisses； 'Two hundred thousand
francs of debts； my darling！' This sort of farce is played every
day in Paris； and by young men of the highest fashion。 When a
young wife has given her heart； she will not refuse her purse。
Perhaps you are thinking that you will lose the money for good？
Not you。 You will make two hundred thousand francs again by some
stroke of business。 With your capital and your brains you should
be able to accumulate as large a fortune as you could wish。 ERGO；
in six months you will have made your own fortune； and our old
friend Vautrin's； and made an amiable woman very happy； to say
nothing of your people at home； who must blow on their fingers to
warm them； in the winter； for lack of firewood。 You need not be
surprised at my proposal； nor at the demand I make。 Forty…seven
out of every sixty great matches here in Paris are made after
just such a bargain as this。 The Chamber of Notaries compels my
gentleman to〃
〃What must I do？〃 said Rastignac； eagerly interrupting Vautrin's
speech。
〃Next to nothing；〃 returned the other； with a slight involuntary
movement； the suppressed exultation of the angler when he feels a
bite at the end of his line。 〃Follow me carefully！ The heart of a
girl whose life is wretched and unhappy is a sponge that will
thirstily absorb love； a dry sponge that swells at the first drop
of sentiment。 If you pay court to a young girl whose existence is
a compound of loneliness； despair； and poverty； and who has no
suspicion that she will come into a fortune； good Lord！ it is
quint and quatorze at piquet； it is knowing the numbers of the
lottery before…hand； it is speculating in the funds when you have
news from a sure source； it is building up a marriage on an
indestructible foundation。 The girl may come in for millions； and
she will fling them； as if they were so many pebbles； at your
feet。 'Take it； my beloved！ Take it； Alfred； Adolphe； Eugene！' or
whoever it was that showed his sense by sacrificing himself for
her。 And as for sacrificing himself； this is how I understand it。
You sell a coat that is getting shabby； so that you can take her
to the Cadran bleu； treat her to mushrooms on toast； and then go
to the Ambigu…Comique in the evening； you pawn your watch to buy
her a shawl。 I need not remind you of the fiddle…faddle
sentimentality that goes down so well with all women； you spill a
few drops of water on your stationery； for instance； those are
the tears you shed while far away from her。 You look to me as if
you were perfectly acquainted with the argot of the heart。 Paris；
you see； is like a forest in the New World； where you have to
deal with a score of varieties of savagesIllinois and Hurons；
who live on the proceed of their social hunting。 You are a hunter
of millions； you set your snares； you use lures and nets； there
are many ways of hunting。 Some hunt heiresses； others a legacy；
some fish for souls； yet others sell their clients； bound hand
and foot。 Every one who comes back from the chase with his game…
bag well filled meets with a warm welcome in good society。 In
justice to this hospitable part of the world； it must be said
that you have to do with the most easy and good…natured of great
cities。 If the proud aristocracies of the rest of Europe refuse
admittance among their ranks to a disreputable millionaire； Paris
stretches out a hand to him； goes to his banquets； eats his
dinners； and hobnobs with his infamy。〃
〃But where is such a girl to be found？〃 asked Eugene。
〃Under your eyes； she is yours already。〃
〃Mlle。 Victorine？〃
〃Precisely。〃
〃And what was that you said？〃
〃She is in love with you already； your little Baronne de
Rastignac！〃
〃She has not a penny；〃 Eugene continued； much mystified。
〃Ah！ now we are coming to it！ Just another word or two； and it
will all be clear enough。 Her father； Taillefer； is an old
scoundrel； it is said that he murdered one of his friends at the
time of the Revolution。 He is one of your comedians that sets up
to have opinions of his own。 He is a bankersenior partner in
the house of Frederic Taillefer and Company。 He has one son； and
means to leave all he has to the boy； to the prejudice of
Victorine。 For my part； I don't like to see injustice of this
sort。 I am like Don Quixote； I have a fancy for defending the
weak against the strong。 If it should please God to take that
youth away from him； Taillefer would have only his daughter left；
he would want to leave his money to some one or other； an absurd