moment；　to　let　him　go。　Nathan　disappeared　into　the　crowd。
  〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　said　Felix　in　Florine's　astonished　ears；
  offering　her　his　arm。
  〃Come；〃　she　said；　〃whoever　you　are；　come。　Have　you　a　carriage　here？〃
  For　all　answer；　Vandenesse　hurried　Florine　away；　followed　by　his　wife。
  A　few　moments　later　the　three　masks；　driven　rapidly　by　the　Vandenesse
  coachman；　reached　Florine's　house。　As　soon　as　she　had　entered　her　own
  apartments　the　actress　unmasked。　Madame　de　Vandenesse　could　not
  restrain　a　quiver　of　surprise　at　Florine's　beauty　as　she　stood　there
  choking　with　anger；　and　superb　in　her　wrath　and　jealousy。
  〃There　is；　somewhere　in　these　rooms；〃　said　Vandenesse；　〃a　portfolio；
  the　key　of　which　you　have　never　had；　the　letters　are　probably　in　it。〃
  〃Well；　well；　for　once　in　my　life　I　am　bewildered；　you　know　something
  that　I　have　been　uneasy　about　for　some　days；〃　cried　Florine；　rushing
  into　the　study　in　search　of　the　portfolio。
  Vandenesse　saw　that　his　wife　was　turning　pale　beneath　her　mask。
  Florine's　apartment　revealed　more　about　the　intimacy　of　the　actress
  and　Nathan　than　any　ideal　mistress　would　wish　to　know。　The　eye　of　a
  woman　can　take　in　the　truth　of　such　things　in　a　second；　and　the
  countess　saw　vestiges　of　Nathan　which　proved　to　her　the　certainty　of
  what　Vandenesse　had　said。　Florine　returned　with　the　portfolio。
  〃How　am　I　to　open　it？〃　she　said。
  The　actress　rang　the　bell　and　sent　into　the　kitchen　for　the　cook's
  knife。　When　it　came　she　brandished　it　in　the　air；　crying　out　in
  ironical　tones：
  〃With　this　they　cut　the　necks　of　'poulets。'〃
  The　words；　which　made　the　countess　shiver；　explained　to　her；　even
  better　than　her　husband　had　done　the　night　before；　the　depths　of　the
  abyss　into　which　she　had　so　nearly　fallen。
  〃What　a　fool　I　am！〃　said　Florine；　〃his　razor　will　do　better。〃
  She　fetched　one　of　Nathan's　razors　from　his　dressing…table；　and　slit
  the　leather　cover　of　the　portfolio；　through　which　Marie's　letters
  dropped。　Florine　snatched　one　up　hap…hazard；　and　looked　it　over。
  〃Yes；　she　must　be　a　well…bred　woman。　It　looks　to　me　as　if　there　were
  no　mistakes　in　spelling　here。〃
  The　count　gathered　up　the　letters　hastily　and　gave　them　to　his　wife；
  who　took　them　to　a　table　as　if　to　see　that　they　were　all　there。
  〃Now；〃　said　Vandenesse　to　Florine；　〃will　you　let　me　have　those　letters
  for　these？〃　showing　her　five　bank…bills　of　ten　thousand　francs　each。
  〃They'll　replace　the　sums　you　have　paid　for　him。〃
  〃Ah！〃　cried　Florine；　〃didn't　I　kill　myself　body　and　soul　in　the
  provinces　to　get　him　money；I；　who'd　have　cut　my　hand　off　to　serve
  him？　But　that's　men！　damn　your　soul　for　them　and　they'll　march　over
  you　rough…shod！　He　shall　pay　me　for　this！〃
  Madame　de　Vandenesse　was　disappearing　with　the　letters。
  〃Hi！　stop；　stop；　my　fine　mask！〃　cried　Florine；　〃leave　me　one　to
  confound　him　with。〃
  〃Not　possible；〃　said　Vandenesse。
  〃Why　not？〃
  〃That　mask　is　your　ex…rival；　but　you　needn't　fear　her　now。〃
  〃Well；　she　might　have　had　the　grace　to　say　thank　you；〃　cried　Florine。
  〃But　you　have　the　fifty　thousand　francs　instead；〃　said　Vandenesse；
  bowing　to　her。
  It　is　extremely　rare　for　young　men；　when　driven　to　suicide；　to　attempt
  it　a　second　time　if　the　first　fails。　When　it　doesn't　cure　life；　it
  cures　all　desire　for　voluntary　death。　Raoul　felt　no　disposition　to　try
  it　again　when　he　found　himself　in　a　more　painful　position　than　that
  from　which　he　had　just　been　rescued。　He　tried　to　see　the　countess　and
  explain　to　her　the　nature　of　his　love；　which　now　shone　more　vividly　in
  his　soul　than　ever。　But　the　first　time　they　met　in　society；　Madame　de
  Vandenesse　gave　him　that　fixed　and　contemptuous　look　which　at　once　and
  forever　puts　an　impassable　gulf　between　a　man　and　a　woman。　In　spite　of
  his　natural　assurance；　Nathan　never　dared；　during　the　rest　of　the
  winter；　either　to　speak　to　the　countess　or　even　approach　her。
  But　he　opened　his　heart　to　Blondet；　to　him　he　talked　of　his　Laura　and
  his　Beatrice；　apropos　of　Madame　de　Vandenesse。　He　even　made　a
  paraphrase　of　the　following　beautiful　passage　from　the　pen　of
  Theophile　Gautier；　one　of　the　most　remarkable　poets　of　our　day：
  〃'Ideala；　flower　of　heaven's　own　blue；　with　heart　of　gold；　whose
  fibrous　roots；　softer；　a　thousandfold；　than　fairy　tresses；　strike　to
  our　souls　and　drink　their　purest　essence；　flower　most　sweet　and
  bitter！　thou　canst　not　be　torn　away　without　the　heart's　blood　flowing；
  without　thy　bruised　stems　sweating　with　scarlet　tears。　Ah！　cursed
  flower；　why　didst　thou　grow　within　my　soul？'〃
  〃My　dear　fellow；〃　said　Blondet；　〃you　are　raving。　I'll　grant　it　was　a
  pretty　flower；　but　it　wasn't　a　bit　ideal；　and　instead　of　singing　like
  a　blind　man　before　an　empty　niche；　you　had　much　better　wash　your　hands
  and　make　submission　to　the　powers。　You　are　too　much　of　an　artist　ever
  to　be　a　good　politician；　you　have　been　fooled　by　men　of　not　one…half
  your　value。　Think　about　being　fooled　againbut　elsewhere。〃
  〃Marie　cannot　prevent　my　loving　her；〃　said　Nathan；　〃she　shall　be　my
  Beatrice。〃
  〃Beatrice；　my　good　Raoul；　was　a　little　girl　twelve　years　of　age　when
  Dante　last　saw　her；　otherwise；　she　would　not　have　been　Beatrice。　To
  make　a　divinity；　it　won't　do　to　see　her　one　day　wrapped　in　a　mantle；
  and　the　next　with　a　low　dress；　and　the　third　on　the　boulevard；
  cheapening　toys　for　her　last　baby。　When　a　man　has　Florine；　who　is　in
  turn　duchess；　bourgeoise；　Negress；　marquise；　colonel；　Swiss　peasant；
  virgin　of　the　sun　in　Peru　（only　way　she　can　play　the　part）；　I　don't
  see　why　he　should　go　rambling　after　fashionable　women。〃
  Du　Tillet；　to　use　a　Bourse　term；　EXECUTED　Nathan；　who；　for　lack　of
  money；　gave　up　his　place　on　the　newspaper；　and　the　celebrated　man
  received　but　five　votes　in　the　electoral　college　where　the　banker　was
  elected。
  When；　after　a　long　and　happy　journey　in　Italy；　the　Comtesse　de
  Vandenesse　returned　to　Paris　late　in　the　following　winter；　all　her
  husband's　predictions　about　Nathan　were　justified。　He　had　taken
  Blondet's　advice　and　negotiated　with　the　government；　which　employed
  his　pen。　His　personal　affairs　were　in　such　disorder　that　one　day；　on
  the　Champs…Elysees；　Marie　saw　her　former　adorer　on　foot；　in　shabby
  clothes；　giving　his　arm　to　Florine。　When　a　man　becomes　indifferent　to
  the　heart　of　a　woman　who　has　once　loved　him；　he　often　seems　to　her
  very　ugly；　even　horrible；　especially　when　he　resembles　Nathan。　Madame
  de　Vandenesse　had　a　sense　of　personal　humiliation　in　the　thought　that
  she　had　once　cared　for　him。　If　she　had　not　already　been　cured　of　all
  extra…conjugal　passion；　the　contrast　then　presented　by　the　count　to
  this　man；　grown　less　and　less　worthy　of　public　favor；　would　have
  sufficed　her。
  To…day　the　ambitious　Nathan；　rich　in　ink　and　poor　in　will；　has　ended
  by　capitulating　entirely；　and　has　settled　down　into　a　sinecure；　like
  any　other　commonplace　man。　After　lending　his　pen　to　all　disorganizing
  efforts；　he　now　lives　in　peace　under　the　protecting　shade　of　a
  ministerial　organ。　The　cross　of　the　Legion　of　honor；　formerly　the
  fruitful　text　of　his　satire；　adorns　his　button…hole。　〃Peace　at　any
  price；〃　ridicule　of　which　was　the　stock…in…trade　of　his　revolutionary
  editorship；　is　now　the　topic　of　his　laudatory　articles。　Heredity；
  attacked　by　him　in　Saint…Simonian　phrases；　he　now　defends　with　solid
  arguments。　This　illogical　conduct　has　its　origin　and　its　explanation
  in　the　change　of　front　performed　by　many　men　besides　Raoul　during　our
  recent　political　evolutions。
  ADDENDUM
  The　following　personages　appear　in　other　stories　of　the　Human　Comedy。
  Bidault　（known　as　Gigonnet）
  The　Government　Clerks
  Gobseck
  The　Vendetta
  Cesar　Birotteau
  The　Firm　of　Nucingen
  Blondet；　Emile
  Jealousies　of　a　Country　Town
  A　Distinguished　Provincial　at　Paris
  Scenes　from　a　Courtesan's　Life
  Modeste　Mignon
  Another　Study　of　Woman
  The　Secrets　of　a　Princess
  The　Firm　of　Nucingen
  The　Peasantry
  Blondet；　Virginie
  Jealousies　of　a　Country　Town
  The　Secrets　of　a　Princess
  The　Peasantry
  A　Distinguished　Provincial　at　Paris
  Another　Study　of　Woman
  The　Member　for　Arcis
  Bruel；　Jean　Francois　du
  A　Bachelor's　Establishment
  The　Government　Clerks
  A　Start　in　Life
  A　Prince　of　Bohemia
  The　Middle　Classes
  A　Distinguished　Provincial　at　Paris
  Camps；　Madame　Octave　de
  Madame　Firmiani
  The　Government　Clerks
  A　Woman　of　Thirty
  The　Member　for　Arcis
  Dudley；　Lord
  The　Lily　of　the　Valley
  The　Thirteen
  A　Man　of　Business
  Another　Study　of　Woman
  Dudley；　Lady　Arabella
  The　Lily　of　the　Valley
  The　Ball　at　Sceaux
  The　Magic　Skin
  The　Secrets　of　a　Princess
  Letters　of　Two　Brides
  Espard；　Jeanne…Clementine…Athenais　de　Blamont…Chauvry；　Marquise　d'
  The　Commission　in　Lunacy
  A　Distinguished　Provincial　at　Paris
  Scenes　from　a　Co