〃Perhaps；〃　Rastignac　answered。　〃But　I　owe　no　account　of　myself　to
  any　one；　especially　as　I　do　not　try　to　find　out　what　other　people
  do　of　a　night。〃
  Vautrin　looked　askance　at　Rastignac。
  〃If　you　do　not　mean　to　be　deceived　by　the　puppets；　my　boy；　you
  must　go　behind　and　see　the　whole　show；　and　not　peep　through　holes
  in　the　curtain。　That　is　enough；〃　he　added；　seeing　that　Eugene　was
  about　to　fly　into　a　passion。　〃We　can　have　a　little　talk　whenever
  you　like。〃
  There　was　a　general　feeling　of　gloom　and　constraint。　Father
  Goriot　was　so　deeply　dejected　by　the　student's　remark　that　he　did
  not　notice　the　change　in　the　disposition　of　his　fellow…lodgers；
  nor　know　that　he　had　met　with　a　champion　capable　of　putting　an
  end　to　the　persecution。
  〃Then；　M。　Goriot　sitting　there　is　the　father　of　a　countess；〃　said
  Mme。　Vauquer　in　a　low　voice。
  〃And　of　a　baroness；〃　answered　Rastignac。
  〃That　is　about　all　he　is　capable　of；〃　said　Bianchon　to　Rastignac；
  〃I　have　taken　a　look　at　his　head；　there　is　only　one　bumpthe
  bump　of　Paternity；　he　must　be　an　ETERNAL　FATHER。〃
  Eugene　was　too　intent　on　his　thoughts　to　laugh　at　Bianchon's
  joke。　He　determined　to　profit　by　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　counsels；
  and　was　asking　himself　how　he　could　obtain　the　necessary　money。
  He　grew　grave。　The　wide　savannas　of　the　world　stretched　before
  his　eyes；　all　things　lay　before　him；　nothing　was　his。　Dinner　came
  to　an　end；　the　others　went；　and　he　was　left　in　the　dining…room。
  〃So　you　have　seen　my　daughter？〃　Goriot　spoke　tremulously；　and　the
  sound　of　his　voice　broke　in　upon　Eugene's　dreams。　The　young　man
  took　the　elder's　hand；　and　looked　at　him　with　something　like
  kindness　in　his　eyes。
  〃You　are　a　good　and　noble　man；〃　he　said。　〃We　will　have　some　talk
  about　your　daughters　by　and　by。〃
  He　rose　without　waiting　for　Goriot's　answer；　and　went　to　his
  room。　There　he　wrote　the　following　letter　to　his　mother：
  〃My　Dear　Mother；Can　you　nourish　your　child　from　your　breast
  again？　I　am　in　a　position　to　make　a　rapid　fortune；　but　I　want
  twelve　hundred　francsI　must　have　them　at　all　costs。　Say　nothing
  about　this　to　my　father；　perhaps　he　might　make　objections；　and
  unless　I　have　the　money；　I　may　be　led　to　put　an　end　to　myself；
  and　so　escape　the　clutches　of　despair。　I　will　tell　you　everything
  when　I　see　you。　I　will　not　begin　to　try　to　describe　my　present
  situation；　it　would　take　volumes　to　put　the　whole　story　clearly
  and　fully。　I　have　not　been　gambling；　my　kind　mother；　I　owe　no　one
  a　penny；　but　if　you　would　preserve　the　life　that　you　gave　me；　you
  must　send　me　the　sum　I　mention。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　go　to　see
  the　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant；　she　is　using　her　influence　for　me；　I
  am　obliged　to　go　into　society；　and　I　have　not　a　penny　to　lay　out
  on　clean　gloves。　I　can　manage　to　exist　on　bread　and　water；　or　go
  without　food；　if　need　be；　but　I　cannot　do　without　the　tools　with
  which　they　cultivate　the　vineyards　in　this　country。　I　must
  resolutely　make　up　my　mind　at　once　to　make　my　way；　or　stick　in
  the　mire　for　the　rest　of　my　days。　I　know　that　all　your　hopes　are
  set　on　me；　and　I　want　to　realize　them　quickly。　Sell　some　of　your
  old　jewelry；　my　kind　mother；　I　will　give　you　other　jewels　very
  soon。　I　know　enough　of　our　affairs　at　home　to　know　all　that　such
  a　sacrifice　means；　and　you　must　not　think　that　I　would　lightly
  ask　you　to　make　it；　I　should　be　a　monster　if　I　could。　You　must
  think　of　my　entreaty　as　a　cry　forced　from　me　by　imperative
  necessity。　Our　whole　future　lies　in　the　subsidy　with　which　I　must
  begin　my　first　campaign；　for　life　in　Paris　is　one　continual
  battle。　If　you　cannot　otherwise　procure　the　whole　of　the　money；
  and　are　forced　to　sell　our　aunt's　lace；　tell　her　that　I　will　send
  her　some　still　handsomer；〃　and　so　forth。
  He　wrote　to　ask　each　of　his　sisters　for　their　savingswould　they
  despoil　themselves　for　him；　and　keep　the　sacrifice　a　secret　from
  the　family？　To　his　request　he　knew　that　they　would　not　fail　to
  respond　gladly；　and　he　added　to　it　an　appeal　to　their　delicacy　by
  touching　the　chord　of　honor　that　vibrates　so　loudly　in　young　and
  high…strung　natures。
  Yet　when　he　had　written　the　letters；　he　could　not　help　feeling
  misgivings　in　spite　of　his　youthful　ambition；　his　heart　beat
  fast；　and　he　trembled。　He　knew　the　spotless　nobleness　of　the
  lives　buried　away　in　the　lonely　manor　house；　he　knew　what　trouble
  and　what　joy　his　request　would　cause　his　sisters；　and　how　happy
  they　would　be　as　they　talked　at　the　bottom　of　the　orchard　of　that
  dear　brother　of　theirs　in　Paris。　Visions　rose　before　his　eyes；　a
  sudden　strong　light　revealed　his　sisters　secretly　counting　over
  their　little　store；　devising　some　girlish　stratagem　by　which　the
  money　could　be　sent　to　him　incognito；　essaying；　for　the　first
  time　in　their　lives；　a　piece　of　deceit　that　reached　the　sublime
  in　its　unselfishness。
  〃A　sister's　heart　is　a　diamond　for　purity；　a　deep　sea　of
  tenderness！〃　he　said　to　himself。　He　felt　ashamed　of　those
  letters。
  What　power　there　must　be　in　the　petitions　put　up　by　such　hearts；
  how　pure　the　fervor　that　bears　their　souls　to　Heaven　in　prayer！
  What　exquisite　joy　they　would　find　in　self…sacrifice！　What　a　pang
  for　his　mother's　heart　if　she　could　not　send　him　all　that　he
  asked　for！　And　this　noble　affection；　these　sacrifices　made　at
  such　terrible　cost；　were　to　serve　as　the　ladder　by　which　he　meant
  to　climb　to　Delphine　de　Nucingen。　A　few　tears；　like　the　last
  grains　of　incense　flung　upon　the　sacred　alter　fire　of　the　hearth；
  fell　from　his　eyes。　He　walked　up　and　down；　and　despair　mingled
  with　his　emotion。　Father　Goriot　saw　him　through　the　half…open
  door。
  〃What　is　the　matter；　sir？〃　he　asked　from　the　threshold。
  〃Ah！　my　good　neighbor；　I　am　as　much　a　son　and　brother　as　you　are
  a　father。　You　do　well　to　fear　for　the　Comtesse　Anastasie；　there
  is　one　M。　Maxime　de　Trailles；　who　will　be　her　ruin。〃
  Father　Goriot　withdrew；　stammering　some　words；　but　Eugene　failed
  to　catch　their　meaning。
  The　next　morning　Rastignac　went　out　to　post　his　letters。　Up　to
  the　last　moment　he　wavered　and　doubted；　but　he　ended　by　flinging
  them　into　the　box。　〃I　shall　succeed！〃　he　said　to　himself。　So　says
  the　gambler；　so　says　the　great　captain；　but　the　three　words　that
  have　been　the　salvation　of　some　few；　have　been　the　ruin　of　many
  more。
  A　few　days　after　this　Eugene　called　at　Mme。　de　Restaud's　house；
  she　was　not　at　home。　Three　times　he　tried　the　experiment；　and
  three　times　he　found　her　doors　closed　against　him；　though　he　was
  careful　to　choose　an　hour　when　M。　de　Trailles　was　not　there。　The
  Vicomtesse　was　right。
  The　student　studied　no　longer。　He　put　in　an　appearance　at
  lectures　simply　to　answer　to　his　name；　and　after　thus　attesting
  his　presence；　departed　forthwith。　He　had　been　through　a　reasoning
  process　familiar　to　most　students。　He　had　seen　the　advisability
  of　deferring　his　studies　to　the　last　moment　before　going　up　for
  his　examinations；　he　made　up　his　mind　to　cram　his　second　and
  third　years'　work　into　the　third　year；　when　he　meant　to　begin　to
  work　in　earnest；　and　to　complete　his　studies　in　law　with　one
  great　effort。　In　the　meantime　he　had　fifteen　months　in　which　to
  navigate　the　ocean　of　Paris；　to　spread　the　nets　and　set　the　lines
  that　would　bring　him　a　protectress　and　a　fortune。　Twice　during
  that　week　he　saw　Mme。　de　Beauseant；　he　did　not　go　to　her　house
  until　he　had　seen　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda　drive　away。
  Victory　for　yet　a　few　more　days　was　with　the　great　lady；　the　most
  poetic　figure　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain；　and　the　marriage　of
  the　Marquis　d'Ajuda…Pinto　with　Mlle。　de　Rochefide　was　postponed。
  The　dread　of　losing　her　happiness　filled　those　days　with　a　fever
  of　joy　unknown　before；　but　the　end　was　only　so　much　the　nearer。
  The　Marquis　d'Ajuda　and　the　Rochefides　agreed　that　this　quarrel
  and　reconciliation　was　a　very　fortunate　thing；　Mme。　de　Beauseant
  （so　they　hoped）　would　gradually　become　reconciled　to　the　idea　of
  the　marriage；　and　in　the　end　would　be　brought　to　sacrifice
  d'Ajuda's　morning　visits　to　the　exigencies　of　a　man's　career；
  exigencies　which　she　must　have　foreseen。　In　spite　of　the　most
  solemn　promises；　daily　renewed；　M。　d'Ajuda　was　playing　a　part；
  and　the　Vicomtesse　was　eager　to　be　deceived。　〃Instead　of　taking　a
  leap　heroically　from　the　window；　she　is　falling　headlong　down　the
  staircase；〃　said　her　most　intimate　friend；　the　Duchesse　de
  Langeais。　Yet　this　after…glow　of　happiness　lasted　long　enough　for
  the　Vicomtesse　to　be　of　service　to　her　young　cousin。　She　had　a
  half…superstitious　affection　for　him。　Eugene　had　shown　her
  sympathy　and　devotion　at　a　crisis　when　a　woman　sees　no　pity；　no
  real　comfort　in　any　eyes；　when　if　a　man　is　ready　with　soothing
  flatteries；　it　is　because　he　has　an　interested　motive。
  Rastignac　made　up　his　mind　that　he　must　learn　the　whole　of
  Goriot's　previous　history；　he　would　come　to　his　bearings　before
  attempting　to　board　the　Maison　de　Nucingen。　The　results　of　his
  inq