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house； and found Madame Jenny Cadine just finishing dinner； for she
played that night in an afterpiece at the Gymnase。 Having presented
Gazonal to this great power； Leon and Bixiou； in order to leave them
alone together； made the excuse of looking at a piece of furniture in
another room； but before leaving； Bixiou had whispered in the
actress's ear： 〃He is Leon's cousin； a manufacturer； enormously rich；
he wants to win a suit before the Council of State against his
prefect； and he thinks it wise to fascinate you in order to get Massol
on his side。〃
All Paris knows the beauty of that young actress； and will therefore
understand the stupefaction of the Southerner on seeing her。 Though
she had received him at first rather coldly； he became the object of
her good graces before they had been many minutes alone together。
〃How strange！〃 said Gazonal； looking round him disdainfully on the
furniture of the salon； the door of which his accomplices had left
half open； 〃that a woman like you should be allowed to live in such an
ill…furnished apartment。〃
〃Ah； yes； indeed！ but how can I help it？ Massol is not rich； I am
hoping he will be made a minister。〃
〃What a happy man！〃 cried Gazonal； heaving the sigh of a provincial。
〃Good！〃 thought she。 〃I shall have new furniture； and get the better
of Carabine。〃
〃Well； my dear！〃 said Leon； returning； 〃you'll be sure to come to
Carabine's to…night； won't you？supper and lansquenet。〃
〃Will monsieur be there？〃 said Jenny Cadine； looking artlessly and
graciously at Gazonal。
〃Yes； madame；〃 replied the countryman； dazzled by such rapid success。
〃But Massol will be there；〃 said Bixiou。
〃Well； what of that？〃 returned Jenny。 〃Come； we must part； my
treasures； I must go to the theatre。〃
Gazonal gave his hand to the actress； and led her to the citadine
which was waiting for her； as he did so he pressed hers with such
ardor that Jenny Cadine exclaimed； shaking her fingers： 〃Take care！ I
haven't any others。〃
When the three friends got back into their own vehicle； Gazonal
endeavoured to seize Bixiou round the waist； crying out： 〃She bites！
You're a fine rascal！〃
〃So women say；〃 replied Bixiou。
At half…past eleven o'clock； after the play； another citadine took the
trio to the house of Mademoiselle Seraphine Sinet； better known under
the name of Carabine；one of those pseudonyms which famous lorettes
take； or which are given to them； a name which； in this instance； may
have referred to the pigeons she had killed。
Carabine； now become almost a necessity for the banker du Tillet；
deputy of the Left； lived in a charming house in the rue Saint…
Georges。 In Paris there are many houses the destination of which never
varies； and the one we now speak of had already seen seven careers of
courtesans。 A broker had brought there； about the year 1827； Suzanne
du Val…Noble； afterwards Madame Gaillard。 In that house the famous
Esther caused the Baron de Nucingen to commit the only follies of his
life。 Florine； and subsequently； a person now called in jest 〃the late
Madame Schontz；〃 had scintillated there in turn。 Bored by his wife； du
Tillet bought this modern little house； and there installed the
celebrated Carabine； whose lively wit and cavalier manners and
shameless brilliancy were a counterpoise to the dulness of domestic
life； and the toils of finance and politics。
Whether du Tillet or Carabine were at home or not at home； supper was
served； and splendidly served； for ten persons every day。 Artists； men
of letters； journalists； and the habitues of the house supped there
when they pleased。 After supper they gambled。 More than one member of
both Chambers came there to buy what Paris pays for by its weight in
gold；namely； the amusement of intercourse with anomalous
untrammelled women； those meteors of the Parisian firmament who are so
difficult to class。 There wit reigns； for all can be said； and all is
said。 Carabine； a rival of the no less celebrated Malaga； had finally
inherited the salon of Florine； now Madame Raoul Nathan； and of Madame
Schontz； now wife of Chief…Justice du Ronceret。
As he entered； Gazonal made one remark only； but that remark was both
legitimate and legitimist： 〃It is finer than the Tuileries！〃 The
satins； velvets； brocades； the gold； the objects of art that swarmed
there； so filled the eyes of the wary provincial that at first he did
not see Madame Jenny Cadine； in a toilet intended to inspire respect；
who； concealed behind Carabine； watched his entrance observingly；
while conversing with others。
〃My dear child；〃 said Leon to Carabine； 〃this is my cousin； a
manufacturer； who descended upon me from the Pyrenees this morning。 He
knows nothing of Paris； and he wants Massol to help him in a suit he
has before the Council of State。 We have therefore taken the liberty
to bring himhis name is Gazonalto supper； entreating you to leave
him his full senses。〃
〃That's as monsieur pleases； wine is dear；〃 said Carabine； looking
Gazonal over from head to foot； and thinking him in no way remarkable。
Gazonal； bewildered by the toilets； the lights； the gilding； the
chatter of the various groups whom he thought to be discussing him；
could only manage to stammer out the words： 〃Madamemadameisvery
good。〃
〃What do you manufacture？〃 said the mistress of the house； laughing。
〃Say laces and offer her some guipure；〃 whispered Bixiou in Gazonal's
ear。
〃La…ces；〃 said Gazonal； perceiving that he would have to pay for his
supper。 〃It will give me the greatest pleasure to offer you a dressa
scarfa mantilla of my make。〃
〃Ah； three things！ Well； you are nicer than you look to be；〃 returned
Carabine。
〃Paris has caught me！〃 thought Gazonal； now perceiving Jenny Cadine；
and going up to her。
〃And I；〃 said the actress； 〃what am I to have？〃
〃All I possess；〃 replied Gazonal； thinking that to offer all was to
give nothing。
Massol； Claude Vignon； du Tillet； Maxime de Trailles； Nucingen； du
Bruel； Malaga； Monsieur and Madame Gaillard； Vauvinet； and a crowd of
other personages now entered。
After a conversation with the manufacturer on the subject of his suit；
Massol； without making any promises； told him that the report was not
yet written； and that citizens could always rely on the knowledge and
the independence of the Council of State。 Receiving that cold and
dignified response； Gazonal； in despair； thought it necessary to set
about seducing the charming Jenny； with whom he was by this time in
love。 Leon de Lora and Bixiou left their victim in the hands of that
most roguish and frolicsome member of the anomalous society；for
Jenny Cadine is the sole rival in that respect of the famous Dejazet。
At the supper…table； where Gazonal was fascinated by a silver service
made by the modern Benvenuto Cellini； Froment…Meurice； the contents of
which were worthy of the container； his mischievous friends were
careful to sit at some distance from him； but they followed with
cautious eye the manoeuvres of the clever actress； who； being
attracted by the insidious hope of getting her furniture renewed； was
playing her cards to take the provincial home with her。 No sheep upon
the day of the Fete…Dieu ever more meekly allowed his little Saint
John to lead him along than Gazonal as he followed his siren。
Three days later； Leon and Bixiou； who had not seen Gazonal since that
evening； went to his lodgings about two in the afternoon。
〃Well； cousin；〃 said Leon； 〃the Council of State has decided in favour
of your suit。〃
〃Maybe； but it is useless now； cousin；〃 said Gazonal； lifting a
melancholy eye to his two friends。 〃I've become a republican。〃
〃What does that mean？〃 asked Leon。
〃I haven't anything left； not even enough to pay my lawyer；〃 replied
Gazonal。 〃Madame Jenny Cadine has got notes of hand out of me to the
amount of more money than all the property I own〃
〃The fact is Cadine is rather dear； but〃
〃Oh； but I didn't get anything for my money；〃 said Gazonal。 〃What a
woman！ Well； I'll own the provinces are not a match for Paris； I shall
retire to La Trappe。〃
〃Good！〃 said Bixiou； 〃now you are reasonable。 Come； recognize the
majesty of the capital。〃
〃And of capital；〃 added Leon； holding out to Gazonal his notes of
hand。
Gazonal gazed at the papers with a stupefied air。
〃You can't say now that we don't understand the duties of hospitality；
haven't we educated you； saved you from poverty； feasted you； and
amused you？〃 said Bixiou。
〃AND fooled you；〃 added Leon； making the gesture of gamins to express
the action of picking pockets。
ADDENDUM
The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy。
Brambourg； Comte de
A Bachelor's Establishment
Cadine； Jenny
Cousin Betty
Beatrix
The Member for Arcis
Canalis； Constant…Cyr…Melchi