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were already brightening their myriad of brown twigs。 The shrubs； the
birches； the willows； the poplars were showing their first diaphanous
and tender foliage。 No soul resists these harmonies。 Love explained
Nature as it had already explained society to Marie's heart。
〃I wish you have never loved any one but me；〃 she said。
〃Your wish is realized；〃 replied Raoul。 〃We have awakened in each
other the only true love。〃
He spoke the truth as he felt it。 Posing before this innocent young
heart as a pure man； Raoul was caught himself by his own fine
sentiments。 At first purely speculative and born of vanity； his love
had now become sincere。 He began by lying； he had ended in speaking
truth。 In all writers there is ever a sentiment； difficult to stifle；
which impels them to admire the highest good。 The countess； on her
part； after her first rush of gratitude and surprise； was charmed to
have inspired such sacrifices； to have caused him to surmount such
difficulties。 She was beloved by a man who was worthy of her！ Raoul
was totally ignorant to what his imaginary grandeur bound him。 Women
will not suffer their idol to step down from his pedestal。 They do not
forgive the slightest pettiness in a god。 Marie was far from knowing
the solution to the riddle given by Raoul to his friends at Very's。
The struggle of this writer； risen from the lower classes； had cost
him the ten first years of his youth； and now in the days of his
success he longed to be loved by one of the queens of the great world。
Vanity； without which； as Champfort says； love would be but a feeble
thing； sustained his passion and increased it day by day。
〃Can you swear to me；〃 said Marie； 〃that you belong and will never
belong to any other woman？〃
〃There is neither time in my life nor place in my heart for any other
woman；〃 replied Raoul； not thinking that he told a lie； so little did
he value Florine。
〃I believe you；〃 she said。
When they reached the alley where their carriages were waiting； Marie
dropped Raoul's arm； and the young man assumed a respectful and
distant attitude as if he had just met her； he accompanied her； with
his hat off； to her carriage； then he followed her by the Avenue
Charles X。； breathing in； with satisfaction； the very dust her caleche
raised。
In spite of Marie's high renunciations； Raoul continued to follow her
everywhere； he adored the air of mingled pleasure and displeasure with
which she scolded him for wasting his precious time。 She took
direction of his labors； she gave him formal orders on the employment
of his time； she stayed at home to deprive him of every pretext for
dissipation。 Every morning she read his paper； and became the herald
of his staff of editors； of Etienne Lousteau the feuilletonist； whom
she thought delightful； of Felicien Vernou； of Claude Vignon；in
short； of the whole staff。 She advised Raoul to do justice to de
Marsay when he died； and she read with deep emotion the noble eulogy
which Raoul published upon the dead minister while blaming his
Machiavelianism and his hatred for the masses。 She was present； of
course； at the Gymnase on the occasion of the first representation of
the play upon the proceeds of which Nathan relied to support his
enterprise； and was completely duped by the purchased applause。
〃You did not bid farewell to the Italian opera；〃 said Lady Dudley； to
whose house she went after the performance。
〃No； I went to the Gymnase。 They gave a first representation。〃
〃I can't endure vaudevilles。 I am like Louis XIV。 about Teniers；〃 said
Lady Dudley。
〃For my part；〃 said Madame d'Espard； 〃I think actors have greatly
improved。 Vaudevilles in the present day are really charming comedies；
full of wit； requiring great talent； they amuse me very much。〃
〃The actors are excellent； too；〃 said Marie。 〃Those at the Gymnase
played very well to…night； the piece pleased them； the dialogue was
witty and keen。〃
〃Like those of Beaumarchais；〃 said Lady Dudley。
〃Monsieur Nathan is not Moliere as yet； but〃 said Madame d'Espard；
looking at the countess。
〃He makes vaudevilles；〃 said Madame Charles de Vandenesse。
〃And unmakes ministries；〃 added Madame de Manerville。
The countess was silent； she wanted to answer with a sharp repartee；
her heart was bounding with anger； but she could find nothing better
to say than；
〃He will make them； perhaps。〃
All the women looked at each other with mysterious significance。 When
Marie de Vandenesse departed Moina de Saint…Heren exclaimed：
〃She adores him。〃
〃And she makes no secret of it；〃 said Madame d'Espard。
CHAPTER VII
SUICIDE
In the month of May Vandenesse took his wife； as usual； to their
country…seat； where she was consoled by the passionate letters she
received from Raoul； to whom she wrote every day。
Marie's absence might have saved Raoul from the gulf into which he was
falling； if Florine had been near him； but； unfortunately； he was
alone in the midst of friends who had become his enemies from the
moment that he showed his intention of ruling them。 His staff of
writers hated him 〃pro tem。；〃 ready to hold out a hand to him and
console him in case of a fall； ready to adore him in case of success。
So goes the world of literature。 No one is really liked but an
inferior。 Every man's hand is against him who is likely to rise。 This
wide…spread envy doubles the chances of common minds who excite
neither envy nor suspicion； who make their way like moles； and； fools
though they be； find themselves gazetted in the 〃Moniteur；〃 for three
or four places； while men of talent are still struggling at the door
to keep each other out。
The underhand enmity of these pretended friends； which Florine would
have scented with the innate faculty of a courtesan to get at truth
amid a thousand misleading circumstances； was by no means Raoul's
greatest danger。 His partners； Massol the lawyer； and du Tillet the
banker； had intended from the first to harness his ardor to the
chariot of their own importance and get rid of him as soon as he was
out of condition to feed the paper； or else to deprive him of his
power； arbitrarily； whenever it suited their purpose to take it。 To
them Nathan represented a certain amount of talent to use up； a
literary force of the motive power of ten pens to employ。 Massol； one
of those lawyers who mistake the faculty of endless speech for
eloquence； who possess the art of boring by diffusiveness； the torment
of all meetings and assemblies where they belittle everything； and who
desire to become personages at any cost；Massol no longer wanted the
place as Keeper of the Seals； he had seen some five or six different
men go through that office in four years； and the robes disgusted him。
In exchange； his mind was now set on obtaining a chair on the Board of
Education and a place in the Council of State； the whole adorned with
the cross of the Legion of honor。 Du Tillet and Nucingen had
guaranteed the cross to him； and the office of Master of Petitions
provided he obeyed them blindly。
The better to deceive Raoul； these men allowed him to manage the paper
without control。 Du Tillet used it only for his stock…gambling； about
which Nathan understood next to nothing； but he had given； through
Nucingen； an assurance to Rastignac that the paper would be tacitly
obliging to the government on the sole condition of supporting his
candidacy for Monsieur de Nucingen's place as soon as he was nominated
peer of France。 Raoul was thus being undermined by the banker and the
lawyer； who saw him with much satisfaction lording it in the
newspaper； profiting by all advantages； and harvesting the fruits of
self…love； while Nathan； enchanted； believed them to be； as on the
occasion of his equestrian wants； the best fellows in the world。 He
thought he managed them！ Men of imagination； to whom hope is the basis
of existence； never allow themselves to know that the most perilous
moment in their affairs is that when all seems going well according to
their wishes。
This was a period of triumph by which Nathan profited。 He appeared as
a personage in the world； political and financial。 Du Tillet presented
him to the Nucingens。 Madame de Nucingen received him cordially； less
for himself than for Madame de Vandenesse； but when she ventured a few
words about the countess he thought himself marvellously clever in
using Florine as a shield； he alluded to his relations with the
actress in a tone of generous self…conceit。 How could he desert a
great devotion； for the coquetries of the faubourg Saint…Germain？
Nathan； manipulated by Nucingen and Rastignac； by du Tillet and
Blondet； gave his support ostentatiously to the 〃doctrinaires〃 of
their new and ephemeral cabinet。 But in order to show himself pure of
all bribery he refused to take advantage of certain profitable
enterprises which were started by mean