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her to squander。
Raphael recollected the mocking wish with which he had accepted the
old man's luckless gift； and tasted all the sweets of revenge when he
beheld the spectacle of sublime wisdom fallen to such a depth as this；
wisdom for which such humiliation had seemed a thing impossible。 The
centenarian greeted Euphrasia with a ghastly smile； receiving her
honeyed words in reply。 He offered her his emaciated arm； and went
twice or thrice round the greenroom with her； the envious glances and
compliments with which the crowd received his mistress delighted him；
he did not see the scornful smiles； nor hear the caustic comments to
which he gave rise。
〃In what cemetery did this young ghoul unearth that corpse of hers？〃
asked a dandy of the Romantic faction。
Euphrasia began to smile。 The speaker was a slender； fair…haired
youth； with bright blue eyes； and a moustache。 His short dress coat；
hat tilted over one ear； and sharp tongue； all denoted the species。
〃How many old men；〃 said Raphael to himself； 〃bring an upright；
virtuous； and hard…working life to a close in folly！ His feet are cold
already； and he is making love。〃
〃Well； sir；〃 exclaimed Valentin； stopping the merchant's progress；
while he stared hard at Euphrasia； 〃have you quite forgotten the
stringent maxims of your philosophy？〃
〃Ah； I am as happy now as a young man；〃 said the other； in a cracked
voice。 〃I used to look at existence from a wrong standpoint。 One hour
of love has a whole life in it。〃
The playgoers heard the bell ring； and left the greenroom to take
their places again。 Raphael and the old merchant separated。 As he
entered his box； the Marquis saw Foedora sitting exactly opposite to
him on the other side of the theatre。 The Countess had probably only
just come； for she was just flinging off her scarf to leave her throat
uncovered； and was occupied with going through all the indescribable
manoeuvres of a coquette arranging herself。 All eyes were turned upon
her。 A young peer of France had come with her； she asked him for the
lorgnette she had given him to carry。 Raphael knew the despotism to
which his successor had resigned himself； in her gestures； and in the
way she treated her companion。 He was also under the spell no doubt；
another dupe beating with all the might of a real affection against
the woman's cold calculations； enduring all the tortures from which
Valentin had luckily freed himself。
Foedora's face lighted up with indescribable joy。 After directing her
lorgnette upon every box in turn； to make a rapid survey of all the
dresses； she was conscious that by her toilette and her beauty she had
eclipsed the loveliest and best…dressed women in Paris。 She laughed to
show her white teeth； her head with its wreath of flowers was never
still； in her quest of admiration。 Her glances went from one box to
another； as she diverted herself with the awkward way in which a
Russian princess wore her bonnet； or over the utter failure of a
bonnet with which a banker's daughter had disfigured herself。
All at once she met Raphael's steady gaze and turned pale； aghast at
the intolerable contempt in her rejected lover's eyes。 Not one of her
exiled suitors had failed to own her power over them； Valentin alone
was proof against her attractions。 A power that can be defied with
impunity is drawing to its end。 This axiom is as deeply engraved on
the heart of woman as in the minds of kings。 In Raphael； therefore；
Foedora saw the deathblow of her influence and her ability to please。
An epigram of his； made at the Opera the day before； was already known
in the salons of Paris。 The biting edge of that terrible speech had
already given the Countess an incurable wound。 We know how to
cauterize a wound； but we know of no treatment as yet for the stab of
a phrase。 As every other woman in the house looked by turns at her and
at the Marquis； Foedora would have consigned them all to the
oubliettes of some Bastille； for in spite of her capacity for
dissimulation； her discomfiture was discerned by her rivals。 Her
unfailing consolation had slipped from her at last。 The delicious
thought； 〃I am the most beautiful；〃 the thought that at all times had
soothed every mortification； had turned into a lie。
At the opening of the second act a woman took up her position not very
far from Raphael； in a box that had been empty hitherto。 A murmur of
admiration went up from the whole house。 In that sea of human faces
there was a movement of every living wave； all eyes were turned upon
the stranger lady。 The applause of young and old was so prolonged；
that when the orchestra began； the musicians turned to the audience to
request silence； and then they themselves joined in the plaudits and
swelled the confusion。 Excited talk began in every box； every woman
equipped herself with an opera glass； elderly men grew young again；
and polished the glasses of their lorgnettes with their gloves。 The
enthusiasm subsided by degrees； the stage echoed with the voices of
the singers； and order reigned as before。 The aristocratic section；
ashamed of having yielded to a spontaneous feeling； again assumed
their wonted politely frigid manner。 The well…to…do dislike to be
astonished at anything； at the first sight of a beautiful thing it
becomes their duty to discover the defect in it which absolves them
from admiring it；the feeling of all ordinary minds。 Yet a few still
remained motionless and heedless of the music； artlessly absorbed in
the delight of watching Raphael's neighbor。
Valentin noticed Taillefer's mean； obnoxious countenance by Aquilina's
side in a lower box； and received an approving smirk from him。 Then he
saw Emile； who seemed to say from where he stood in the orchestra；
〃Just look at that lovely creature there； close beside you！〃 Lastly；
he saw Rastignac； with Mme。 de Nucingen and her daughter； twisting his
gloves like a man in despair； because he was tethered to his place；
and could not leave it to go any nearer to the unknown fair divinity。
Raphael's life depended upon a covenant that he had made with himself；
and had hitherto kept sacred。 He would give no special heed to any
woman whatever； and the better to guard against temptation； he used a
cunningly contrived opera…glass which destroyed the harmony of the
fairest features by hideous distortions。 He had not recovered from the
terror that had seized on him in the morning when； at a mere
expression of civility； the Magic Skin had contracted so abruptly。 So
Raphael was determined not to turn his face in the direction of his
neighbor。 He sat imperturbable as a duchess with his back against the
corner of the box； thereby shutting out half of his neighbor's view of
the stage； appearing to disregard her； and even to be unaware that a
pretty woman sat there just behind him。
His neighbor copied Valentin's position exactly； she leaned her elbow
on the edge of her box and turned her face in three…quarter profile
upon the singers on the stage； as if she were sitting to a painter。
These two people looked like two estranged lovers still sulking； still
turning their backs upon each other； who will go into each other's
arms at the first tender word。
Now and again his neighbor's ostrich feathers or her hair came in
contact with Raphael's head； giving him a pleasurable thrill； against
which he sternly fought。 In a little while he felt the touch of the
soft frill of lace that went round her dress； he could hear the
gracious sounds of the folds of her dress itself； light rustling
noises full of enchantment； he could even feel her movements as she
breathed； with the gentle stir thus imparted to her form and to her
draperies； it seemed to Raphael that all her being was suddenly
communicated to him in an electric spark。 The lace and tulle that
caressed him imparted the delicious warmth of her bare； white
shoulders。 By a freak in the ordering of things； these two creatures；
kept apart by social conventions； with the abysses of death between
them； breathed together and perhaps thought of one another。 Finally；
the subtle perfume of aloes completed the work of Raphael's
intoxication。 Opposition heated his imagination； and his fancy； become
the wilder for the limits imposed upon it； sketched a woman for him in
outlines of fire。 He turned abruptly； the stranger made a similar
movement； startled no doubt at being brought in contact with a
stranger； and they remained face to face； each with the same thought。
〃Pauline！〃
〃M。 Raphael！〃
Each surveyed the other； both of them petrified with astonishment。
Raphael noticed Pauline's daintily simple costume。 A woman's
experienced eyes would have discerned and admired the outlines beneath
the modest gauze folds of her bodice and the lily whiteness of her
throat。 And then her more than mortal clearness of soul； her maidenly
modesty； her graceful bearing； all were unchanged。 Her sleeve was