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barriers； and wear a mask on entering into this game of grim
earnest； where； as in ancient Sparta； you must snatch your prize
without being detected if you would deserve the crown。
On his return he found the Vicomtesse gracious and kindly； as she
had always been to him。 They went together to the dining…room；
where the Vicomte was waiting for his wife。 In the time of the
Restoration the luxury of the table was carried； as is well
known； to the highest degree； and M。 de Beauseant； like many
jaded men of the world； had few pleasures left but those of good
cheer； in this matter； in fact； he was a gourmand of the schools
of Louis XVIII。 and of the Duc d'Escars； and luxury was
supplemented by splendor。 Eugene； dining for the first time in a
house where the traditions of grandeur had descended through many
generations； had never seen any spectacle like this that now met
his eyes。 In the time of the Empire； balls had always ended with
a supper； because the officers who took part in them must be
fortified for immediate service； and even in Paris might be
called upon to leave the ballroom for the battlefield。 This
arrangement had gone out of fashion under the Monarchy； and
Eugene had so far only been asked to dances。 The self…possession
which pre…eminently distinguished him in later life already stood
him in good stead； and he did not betray his amazement。 Yet as he
saw for the first time the finely wrought silver plate； the
completeness of every detail； the sumptuous dinner； noiselessly
served； it was difficult for such an ardent imagination not to
prefer this life of studied and refined luxury to the hardships
of the life which he had chosen only that morning。
His thoughts went back for a moment to the lodging…house； and
with a feeling of profound loathing； he vowed to himself that at
New Year he would go； prompted at least as much by a desire to
live among cleaner surroundings as by a wish to shake off
Vautrin； whose huge hand he seemed to feel on his shoulder at
that moment。 When you consider the numberless forms； clamorous or
mute； that corruption takes in Paris； common…sense begins to
wonder what mental aberration prompted the State to establish
great colleges and schools there； and assemble young men in the
capital； how it is that pretty women are respected； or that the
gold coin displayed in the money…changer's wooden saucers does
not take to itself wings in the twinkling of an eye； and when you
come to think further； how comparatively few cases of crime there
are； and to count up the misdemeanors committed by youth； is
there not a certain amount of respect due to these patient
Tantaluses who wrestle with themselves and nearly always come off
victorious？ The struggles of the poor student in Paris； if
skilfully drawn； would furnish a most dramatic picture of modern
civilization。
In vain Mme。 de Beauseant looked at Eugene as if asking him to
speak； the student was tongue…tied in the Vicomte's presence。
〃Are you going to take me to the Italiens this evening？〃 the
Vicomtesse asked her husband。
〃You cannot doubt that I should obey you with pleasure；〃 he
answered； and there was a sarcastic tinge in his politeness which
Eugene did not detect； 〃but I ought to go to meet some one at the
Varietes。〃
〃His mistress；〃 said she to herself。
〃Then； is not Ajuda coming for you this evening？〃 inquired the
Vicomte。
〃No；〃 she answered； petulantly。
〃Very well； then； if you really must have an arm； take that of M。
de Rastignac。〃
The Vicomtess turned to Eugene with a smile。
〃That would be a very compromising step for you；〃 she said。
〃 'A Frenchman loves danger； because in danger there is glory；'
to quote M。 de Chateaubriand；〃 said Rastignac； with a bow。
A few moments later he was sitting beside Mme。 de Beauseant in a
brougham； that whirled them through the streets of Paris to a
fashionable theatre。 It seemed to him that some fairy magic had
suddenly transported him into a box facing the stage。 All the
lorgnettes of the house were pointed at him as he entered； and at
the Vicomtesse in her charming toilette。 He went from enchantment
to enchantment。
〃You must talk to me； you know；〃 said Mme。 de Beauseant。 〃Ah！
look！ There is Mme。 de Nucingen in the third box from ours。 Her
sister and M。 de Trailles are on the other side。〃
The Vicomtesse glanced as she spoke at the box where Mlle。 de
Rochefide should have been； M。 d'Ajuda was not there； and Mme。 de
Beauseant's face lighted up in a marvelous way。
〃She is charming；〃 said Eugene； after looking at Mme。 de
Nucingen。
〃She has white eyelashes。〃
〃Yes； but she has such a pretty slender figure！〃
〃Her hands are large。〃
〃Such beautiful eyes！〃
〃Her face is long。〃
〃Yes； but length gives distinction。〃
〃It is lucky for her that she has some distinction in her face。
Just see how she fidgets with her opera…glass！ The Goriot blood
shows itself in every movement；〃 said the Vicomtesse； much to
Eugene's astonishment。
Indeed； Mme。 de Beauseant seemed to be engaged in making a survey
of the house； and to be unconscious of Mme。 Nucingen's existence；
but no movement made by the latter was lost upon the Vicomtesse。
The house was full of the loveliest women in Paris； so that
Delphine de Nucingen was not a little flattered to receive the
undivided attention of Mme。 de Beauseant's young； handsome； and
well…dressed cousin； who seemed to have no eyes for any one else。
〃If you look at her so persistently； you will make people talk；
M。 de Rastignac。 You will never succeed if you fling yourself at
any one's head like that。〃
〃My dear cousin；〃 said Eugene； 〃you have protected me indeed so
far； and now if you would complete your work； I only ask of you a
favor which will cost you but little； and be of very great
service to me。 I have lost my heart。〃
〃Already！〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And to that woman！〃
〃How could I aspire to find any one else to listen to me？〃 he
asked； with a keen glance at his cousin。 〃Her Grace the Duchesse
de Carigliano is a friend of the Duchesse de Berri；〃 he went on；
after a pause； 〃you are sure to see her； will you be so kind as
to present me to her； and to take me to her ball on Monday？ I
shall meet Mme。 de Nucingen there； and enter into my first
skirmish。〃
〃Willingly；〃 she said。 〃If you have a liking for her already；
your affairs of the heart are like to prosper。 That is de Marsay
over there in the Princesse Galathionne's box。 Mme。 de Nucingen
is racked with jealousy。 There is no better time for approaching
a woman； especially if she happens to be a banker's wife。 All
those ladies of the Chaussee…d'Antin love revenge。〃
〃Then； what would you do yourself in such a case？〃
〃I should suffer in silence。〃
At this point the Marquis d'Ajuda appeared in Mme。 de Beauseant's
box。
〃I have made a muddle of my affairs to come to you；〃 he said；
〃and I am telling you about it； so that it may not be a
sacrifice。〃
Eugene saw the glow of joy on the Vicomtesse's face； and knew
that this was love； and learned the difference between love and
the affectations of Parisian coquetry。 He admired his cousin；
grew mute； and yielded his place to M。 d'Ajuda with a sigh。
〃How noble； how sublime a woman is when she loves like that！〃 he
said to himself。 〃And HE could forsake her for a doll！ Oh！ how
could any one forsake her？〃
There was a boy's passionate indignation in his heart。 He could
have flung himself at Mme。 de Beauseant's feet； he longed for the
power of the devil if he could snatch her away and hide her in
his heart； as an eagle snatches up some white yeanling from the
plains and bears it to its eyrie。 It was humiliating to him to
think that in all this gallery of fair pictures he had not one
picture of his own。 〃To have a mistress and an almost royal
position is a sign of power；〃 he said to himself。 And he looked
at Mme。 de Nucingen as a man measures another who has insulted
him。
The Vicomtesse turned to him； and the expression of her eyes
thanked him a thousand times for his discretion。 The first act
came to an end just then。
〃Do you know Mme。 de Nucingen well enough to present M。 de
Rastignac to her？〃 she asked of the Marquis d'Ajuda。
〃She will be delighted；〃 said the Marquis。 The handsome
Portuguese rose as he spoke and took the student's arm； and in
another moment Eugene found himself in Mme。 de Nucingen's box。
〃Madame；〃 said the Marquis； 〃I have the honor of presenting to
you the Chevalier Eugene de Rastignac； he is a cousin of Mme。 de
Beauseant's。 You have made so deep an impression upon him； that I
thought I would fill up the measure of his happiness by bringing
him nearer to his divinity。〃
Words spoken half jestingly to cover their somewhat disrespectful
import； but such an implication； if carefully disguised； never
gives of