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〃Now； come with me；〃 she said to Eugene； who thought as he sat in
the banker's carriage beside Mme。 de Nucingen that he must surely
be dreaming。
〃To the Palais…Royal；〃 she said to the coachman； 〃stop near the
Theatre…Francais。〃
She seemed to be too troubled and excited to answer the
innumerable questions that Eugene put to her。 He was at a loss
what to think of her mute resistance； her obstinate silence。
〃Another moment and she will escape me；〃 he said to himself。
When the carriage stopped at last； the Baroness gave the law
student a glance that silenced his wild words； for he was almost
beside himself。
〃Is it true that you love me？〃 she asked。
〃Yes；〃 he answered； and in his manner and tone there was no trace
of the uneasiness that he felt。
〃You will not think ill of me； will you； whatever I may ask of
you？〃
〃No。〃
〃Are you ready to do my bidding？〃
〃Blindly。〃
〃Have you ever been to a gaming…house？〃 she asked in a tremulous
voice。
〃Never。〃
〃Ah！ now I can breathe。 You will have luck。 Here is my purse；〃
she said。 〃Take it！ there are a hundred francs in it； all that
such a fortunate woman as I can call her own。 Go up into one of
the gaming…housesI do not know where they are； but there are
some near the Palais…Royal。 Try your luck with the hundred francs
at a game they call roulette； lose it all or bring me back six
thousand francs。 I will tell you about my troubles when you come
back。〃
〃Devil take me； I'm sure； if I have a glimmer of a notion of what
I am about； but I will obey you；〃 he added； with inward
exultation； as he thought； 〃She has gone too far to draw back
she can refuse me nothing now！〃
Eugene took the dainty little purse； inquired the way of a
second…hand clothes…dealer； and hurried to number 9； which
happened to be the nearest gaming…house。 He mounted the
staircase； surrendered his hat； and asked the way to the
roulette…table； whither the attendant took him； not a little to
the astonishment of the regular comers。 All eyes were fixed on
Eugene as he asked； without bashfulness； where he was to deposit
his stakes。
〃If you put a louis on one only of those thirty…six numbers； and
it turns up； you will win thirty…six louis；〃 said a respectable…
looking； white…haired old man in answer to his inquiry。
Eugene staked the whole of his money on the number 21 （his own
age）。 There was a cry of surprise； before he knew what he had
done； he had won。
〃Take your money off； sir；〃 said the old gentleman； 〃you don't
often win twice running by that system。〃
Eugene took the rake that the old man handed to him； and drew in
his three thousand six hundred francs； and； still perfectly
ignorant of what he was about； staked again on the red。 The
bystanders watched him enviously as they saw him continue to
play。 The disc turned； and again he won； the banker threw him
three thousand six hundred francs once more。
〃You have seven thousand； two hundred francs of your own；〃 the
old gentleman said in his ear。 〃Take my advice and go away with
your winnings； red has turned up eight times already。 If you are
charitable； you will show your gratitude for sound counsel by
giving a trifle to an old prefect of Napoleon who is down on his
luck。〃
Rastignac's head was swimming； he saw ten of his louis pass into
the white…haired man's possession； and went down…stairs with his
seven thousand francs； he was still ignorant of the game； and
stupefied by his luck。
〃So； that is over； and now where will you take me？〃 he asked； as
soon as the door was closed； and he showed the seven thousand
francs to Mme。 de Nucingen。
Delphine flung her arms about him； but there was no passion in
that wild embrace。
〃You have saved me！〃 she cried； and tears of joy flowed fast。
〃I will tell you everything； my friend。 For you will be my
friend； will you not？ I am rich； you think； very rich； I have
everything I want； or I seem as if I had everything。 Very well；
you must know that M。 de Nucingen does not allow me the control
of a single penny； he pays all the bills for the house expenses；
he pays for my carriages and opera box； he does not give me
enough to pay for my dress； and he reduces me to poverty in
secret on purpose。 I am too proud to beg from him。 I should be
the vilest of women if I could take his money at the price at
which he offers it。 Do you ask how I； with seven hundred thousand
francs of my own； could let myself be robbed？ It is because I was
proud； and scorned to speak。 We are so young； so artless when our
married life begins！ I never could bring myself to ask my husband
for money； the words would have made my lips bleed； I did not
dare to ask； I spent my savings first； and then the money that my
poor father gave me； then I ran into debt。 Marriage for me is a
hideous farce； I cannot talk about it； let it suffice to say that
Nucingen and I have separate rooms； and that I would fling myself
out of the window sooner than consent to any other manner of
life。 I suffered agonies when I had to confess to my girlish
extravagance； my debts for jewelry and trifles （for our poor
father had never refused us anything； and spoiled us）； but at
last I found courage to tell him about them。 After all； I had a
fortune of my own。 Nucingen flew into a rage； he said that I
should be the ruin of him； and used frightful language！ I wished
myself a hundred feet down in the earth。 He had my dowry； so he
paid my debts； but he stipulated at the same time that my
expenses in future must not exceed a certain fixed sum； and I
gave way for the sake of peace。 And then；〃 she went on； 〃I wanted
to gratify the self…love of some one whom you know。 He may have
deceived me； but I should do him the justice to say that there
was nothing petty in his character。 But； after all； he threw me
over disgracefully。 If； at a woman's utmost need； SOMEBODY heaps
gold upon her； he ought never to forsake her； that love should
last for ever！ But you； at one…and…twenty； you； the soul of
honor； with the unsullied conscience of youth； will ask me how a
woman can bring herself to accept money in such a way？ MON DIEU！
is it not natural to share everything with the one to whom we owe
our happiness？ When all has been given； why should we pause and
hesitate over a part？ Money is as nothing between us until the
moment when the sentiment that bound us together ceases to exist。
Were we not bound to each other for life？ Who that believes in
love foresees such an end to love？ You swear to love us
eternally； how； then； can our interests be separate？
〃You do not know how I suffered to…day when Nucingen refused to
give me six thousand francs； he spends as much as that every
month on his mistress； an opera dancer！ I thought of killing
myself。 The wildest thoughts came into my head。 There have been
moments in my life when I have envied my servants； and would have
changed places with my maid。 It was madness to think of going to
our father； Anastasie and I have bled him dry； our poor father
would have sold himself if he could have raised six thousand
francs that way。 I should have driven him frantic to no purpose。
You have saved me from shame and death； I was beside myself with
anguish。 Ah！ monsieur； I owed you this explanation after my mad
ravings。 When you left me just now； as soon as you were out of
sight； I longed to escape； to run away 。 。 。 where； I did not
know。 Half the women in Paris lead such lives as mine； they live
in apparent luxury； and in their souls are tormented by anxiety。
I know of poor creatures even more miserable than I； there are
women who are driven to ask their tradespeople to make out false
bills； women who rob their husbands。 Some men believe that an
Indian shawl worth a thousand louis only cost five hundred
francs； others that a shawl costing five hundred francs is worth
a hundred louis。 There are women； too； with narrow incomes； who
scrape and save and starve their children to pay for a dress。 I
am innocent of these base meannesses。 But this is the last
extremity of my torture。 Some women will sell themselves to their
husbands； and so obtain their way； but I； at any rate； am free。
If I chose； Nucingen would cover me with gold； but I would rather
weep on the breast of a man whom I can respect。 Ah！ tonight； M。
de Marsay will no longer have a right to think of me as a woman
whom he has paid。〃 She tried to conceal her tears from him；
hiding her face in her hands； Eugene drew them away and looked at
her； she seemed to him sublime at that moment。
〃It is hideous； is it not；〃 she cried； 〃to speak in a breath of
money and affection。 You cannot love me after this；〃 she added。
The incongruity between the ideas of honor which make women so
great； and the errors in conduct which are forced upon them by
the constitution of society； had thrown Eugene's thoughts into
confusion； he utt