like　a　man　who　will　face　three　or　four　footpads　without
  flinching。
  〃I　will　repay　you　in　a　minute；〃　returned　Eugene。　He　unsealed　one
  of　the　bags　as　he　spoke；　counted　out　a　hundred　and　forty　francs；
  and　pushed　them　towards　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃Short　reckonings　make　good
  friends〃　he　added；　turning　to　the　widow；　〃that　clears　our
  accounts　till　the　end　of　the　year。　Can　you　give　me　change　for　a
  five…franc　piece？〃
  〃Good　friends　make　short　reckonings；〃　echoed　Poiret；　with　a
  glance　at　Vautrin。
  〃Here　is　your　franc；〃　said　Rastignac；　holding　out　the　coin　to　the
  sphinx　in　the　black　wig。
  〃Any　one　might　think　that　you　were　afraid　to　owe　me　a　trifle；〃
  exclaimed　this　latter；　with　a　searching　glance　that　seemed　to
  read　the　young　man's　inmost　thoughts；　there　was　a　satirical　and
  cynical　smile　on　Vautrin's　face　such　as　Eugene　had　seen　scores　of
  times　already；　every　time　he　saw　it；　it　exasperated　him　almost
  beyond　endurance。
  〃Well　。　。　。　so　I　am；〃　he　answered。　He　held　both　the　bags　in　his
  hand；　and　had　risen　to　go　up　to　his　room。
  Vautrin　made　as　if　he　were　going　out　through　the　sitting…room；
  and　the　student　turned　to　go　through　the　second　door　that　opened
  into　the　square　lobby　at　the　foot　of　the　staircase。
  〃Do　you　know；　Monsieur　le　Marquis　de　Rastignacorama；　that　what
  you　were　saying　just　now　was　not　exactly　polite？〃　Vautrin
  remarked；　as　he　rattled　his　sword…cane　across　the　panels　of　the
  sitting…room　door；　and　came　up　to　the　student。
  Rastignac　looked　coolly　at　Vautrin；　drew　him　to　the　foot　of　the
  staircase；　and　shut　the　dining…room　door。　They　were　standing　in
  the　little　square　lobby　between　the　kitchen　and　the　dining…room；
  the　place　was　lighted　by　an　iron…barred　fanlight　above　a　door
  that　gave　access　into　the　garden。　Sylvie　came　out　of　her　kitchen；
  and　Eugene　chose　that　moment　to　say：
  MONSIEUR　Vautrin；　I　am　not　a　marquis；　and　my　name　is　not
  Rastignacorama。〃
  〃They　will　fight；〃　said　Mlle。　Michonneau；　in　an　indifferent　tone。
  〃Fight！〃　echoed　Poiret。
  〃Not　they；〃　replied　Mme。　Vauquer；　lovingly　fingering　her　pile　of
  coins。
  〃But　there　they　are　under　the　lime…trees；〃　cried　Mlle。　Victorine；
  who　had　risen　so　that　she　might　see　out　into　the　garden。　〃Poor
  young　man！　he　was　in　the　right；　after　all。〃
  〃We　must　go　upstairs；　my　pet；〃　said　Mme。　Couture；　〃it　is　no
  business　of　ours。〃
  At　the　door；　however；　Mme。　Couture　and　Victorine　found　their
  progress　barred　by　the　portly　form　of　Sylvie　the　cook。
  〃What　ever　can　have　happened？〃　she　said。　〃M。　Vautrin　said　to　M。
  Eugene；　'Let　us　have　an　explanation！'　then　he　took　him　by　the
  arm；　and　there　they　are；　out　among　the　artichokes。〃
  Vautrin　came　in　while　she　was　speaking。　〃Mamma　Vauquer；〃　he　said
  smiling；　〃don't　frighten　yourself　at　all。　I　am　only　going　to　try
  my　pistols　under　the　lime…trees。〃
  〃Oh！　monsieur；〃　cried　Victorine；　clasping　her　hands　as　she　spoke；
  〃why　do　you　want　to　kill　M。　Eugene？〃
  Vautrin　stepped　back　a　pace　or　two；　and　gazed　at　Victorine。
  〃Oh！　this　is　something　fresh！〃　he　exclaimed　in　a　bantering　tone；
  that　brought　the　color　into　the　poor　girl's　face。　〃That　young
  fellow　yonder　is　very　nice；　isn't　he？〃　he　went　on。　〃You　have
  given　me　a　notion；　my　pretty　child；　I　will　make　you　both　happy。〃
  Mme。　Couture　laid　her　hand　on　the　arm　of　her　ward；　and　drew　the
  girl　away；　as　she　said　in　her　ear：
  〃Why；　Victorine；　I　cannot　imagine　what　has　come　over　you　this
  morning。〃
  〃I　don't　want　any　shots　fired　in　my　garden；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer。
  〃You　will　frighten　the　neighborhood　and　bring　the　police　up　here
  all　in　a　moment。〃
  〃Come；　keep　cool；　Mamma　Vauquer；〃　answered　Vautrin。　〃There；
  there；　it's　all　right；　we　will　go　to　the　shooting…gallery。〃
  He　went　back　to　Rastignac；　laying　his　hand　familiarly　on　the
  young　man's　arm。
  〃When　I　have　given　you　ocular　demonstration　of　the　fact　that　I
  can　put　a　bullet　through　the　ace　on　a　card　five　times　running　at
  thirty…five　paces；〃　he　said；　〃that　won't　take　away　your　appetite；
  I　suppose？　You　look　to　me　to　be　inclined　to　be　a　trifle
  quarrelsome　this　morning；　and　as　if　you　would　rush　on　your　death
  like　a　blockhead。〃
  〃Do　you　draw　back？〃　asked　Eugene。
  〃Don't　try　to　raise　my　temperature；〃　answered　Vautrin；　〃it　is　not
  cold　this　morning。　Let　us　go　and　sit　over　there；〃　he　added；
  pointing　to　the　green…painted　garden　seats；　〃no　one　can　overhear
  us。　I　want　a　little　talk　with　you。　You　are　not　a　bad　sort　of
  youngster；　and　I　have　no　quarrel　with　you。　I　like　you；　take
  Trump（confound　it！）take　Vautrin's　word　for　it。　What　makes　me
  like　you？　I　will　tell　you　by…and…by。　Meantime；　I　can　tell　you
  that　I　know　you　as　well　as　if　I　had　made　you　myself；　as　I　will
  prove　to　you　in　a　minute。　Put　down　your　bags；〃　he　continued；
  pointing　to　the　round　table。
  Rastignac　deposited　his　money　on　the　table；　and　sat　down。　He　was
  consumed　with　curiosity；　which　the　sudden　change　in　the　manner　of
  the　man　before　him　had　excited　to　the　highest　pitch。　Here　was　a
  strange　being　who；　a　moment　ago；　had　talked　of　killing　him；　and
  now　posed　as　his　protector。
  〃You　would　like　to　know　who　I　really　am；　what　I　was；　and　what　I
  do　now；〃　Vautrin　went　on。　〃You　want　to　know　too　much；　youngster。
  Come！　come！　keep　cool！　You　will　hear　more　astonishing　things　than
  that。　I　have　had　my　misfortunes。　Just　hear　me　out　first；　and　you
  shall　have　your　turn　afterwards。　Here　is　my　past　in　three　words。
  Who　am　I？　Vautrin。　What　do　I　do？　Just　what　I　please。　Let　us
  change　the　subject。　You　want　to　know　my　character。　I　am　good…
  natured　to　those　who　do　me　a　good　turn；　or　to　those　whose　hearts
  speak　to　mine。　These　last　may　do　anything　they　like　with　me；　they
  may　bruise　my　shins；　and　I　shall　not　tell　them　to　'mind　what　they
  are　about'；　but；　nom　d'une　pipe；　the　devil　himself　is　not　an
  uglier　customer　than　I　can　be　if　people　annoy　me；　or　if　I　don't
  happen　to　take　to　them；　and　you　may　just　as　well　know　at　once
  that　I　think　no　more　of　killing　a　man　than　of　that；〃　and　he　spat
  before　him　as　he　spoke。　〃Only　when　it　is　absolutely　necessary　to
  do　so；　I　do　my　best　to　kill　him　properly。　I　am　what　you　call　an
  artist。　I　have　read　Benvenuto　Cellini's　Memoirs；　such　as　you　see
  me；　and；　what　is　more；　in　Italian：　A　fine…spirited　fellow　he　was！
  From　him　I　learned　to　follow　the　example　set　us　by　Providence；
  who　strikes　us　down　at　random；　and　to　admire　the　beautiful
  whenever　and　wherever　it　is　found。　And；　setting　other　questions
  aside；　is　it　not　a　glorious　part　to　play；　when　you　pit　yourself
  against　mankind；　and　the　luck　is　on　your　side？　I　have　thought　a
  good　deal　about　the　constitution　of　your　present　social　Dis…
  order。　A　duel　is　downright　childish；　my　boy！　utter　nonsense　and
  folly！　When　one　of　two　living　men　must　be　got　out　of　the　way；
  none　but　an　idiot　would　leave　chance　to　decide　which　it　is　to　be；
  and　in　a　duel　it　is　a　toss…upheads　or　tailsand　there　you　are！
  Now　I；　for　instance；　can　hit　the　ace　in　the　middle　of　a　card　five
  times　running；　send　one　bullet　after　another　through　the　same
  hole；　and　at　thirty…five　paces；　moreover！　With　that　little
  accomplishment　you　might　think　yourself　certain　of　killing　your
  man；　mightn't　you。　Well；　I　have　fired；　at　twenty　paces；　and
  missed；　and　the　rogue　who　had　never　handled　a　pistol　in　his　life
  look　here！〃（he　unbuttoned　his　waistcoat　and　exposed　his　chest；
  covered；　like　a　bear's　back；　with　a　shaggy　fell；　the　student　gave
  a　startled　shudder）〃he　was　a　raw　lad；　but　he　made　his　mark　on
  me；〃　the　extraordinary　man　went　on；　drawing　Rastignac's　fingers
  over　a　deep　scar　on　his　breast。　But　that　happened　when　I　myself
  was　a　mere　boy；　I　was　one…and…twenty　then　（your　age）；　and　I　had
  some　beliefs　leftin　a　woman's　love；　and　in　a　pack　of　rubbish
  that　you　will　be　over　head　and　ears　in　directly。　You　and　I　were
  to　have　fought　just　now；　weren't　we？　You　might　have　killed　me。
  Suppose　that　I　were　put　under　the　earth；　where　would　you　be？　You
  would　have　to　clear　out　of　this；　go　to　Switzerland；　draw　on
  papa's　purseand　he　has　none　too　much　in　it　as　it　is。　I　mean　to
  open　your　eyes　to　your　real　position；　that　is　what　I　am　going　to
  do：　but　I　shall　do　it　from　the　point　of　view　of　a　man　who；　after
  studying　the　world　very　closely；　sees　that　there　are　but　two
  alternativesstupid　obedience　or　revolt。　I　obey　nobody；　is　that
  clear？　Now；　do　you　know　how　much　you　will　want　at　the　pace　you
  are　going？　A　million；　and　promptly；　too；　or　that　little　head　of
  ours　will　be　swaying　to　and　fro　in　the　drag…nets　at　Saint…Cloud；
  while　we　are　gone　to　find　out　whether　or　no　there　is　a　Supreme
  Being。　I　will　put　you　in　the　way　of　that　million。〃
  He　stopped　for　a　moment　and　looked　at　Eugene。
  〃Aha！　you　do　not　look　so　sourly　at　papa　Vautrin　now！　At　the
  mention　of　the　million　you　look　like　a　young　girl　when　somebody
  has　said；　'I　will　come　for　you　this　evening！'　and　she　betakes
  herself　to　her　toilette　as　a　cat　licks　its　whiskers　over　a　saucer
  of　milk。　All　right。　Come；　now；　let　us　go　into