length。　For　the　coterie　of　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain　was　a
  charmed　circle；　and　the　women　who　moved　in　it　were　at　that　time
  the　queens　of　society；　and　among　the　greatest　of　these　Dames　du
  Petit…Chateau；　as　they　were　called；　were　Mme。　de　Beauseant　and
  her　friends　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais　and　the　Duchesse　de
  Maufrigneause。　Rastignac　was　alone　in　his　ignorance　of　the
  frantic　efforts　made　by　women　who　lived　in　the　Chausee…d'Antin　to
  enter　this　seventh　heaven　and　shine　among　the　brightest
  constellations　of　their　sex。　But　his　cautious　disposition　stood
  him　in　good　stead；　and　kept　his　judgment　cool；　and　the　not
  altogether　enviable　power　of　imposing　instead　of　accepting
  conditions。
  〃Yes；　I　am　going；〃　he　replied。
  So　it　was　curiosity　that　drew　him　to　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　while；　if
  she　had　treated　him　disdainfully；　passion　perhaps　might　have
  brought　him　to　her　feet。　Still　he　waited　almost　impatiently　for
  to…morrow；　and　the　hour　when　he　could　go　to　her。　There　is　almost
  as　much　charm　for　a　young　man　in　a　first　flirtation　as　there　is
  in　first　love。　The　certainty　of　success　is　a　source　of　happiness
  to　which　men　do　not　confess；　and　all　the　charm　of　certain　women
  lies　in　this。　The　desire　of　conquest　springs　no　less　from　the
  easiness　than　from　the　difficulty　of　triumph；　and　every　passion
  is　excited　or　sustained　by　one　or　the　other　of　these　two　motives
  which　divide　the　empire　of　love。　Perhaps　this　division　is　one
  result　of　the　great　question　of　temperaments；　which；　after　all；
  dominates　social　life。　The　melancholic　temperament　may　stand　in
  need　of　the　tonic　of　coquetry；　while　those　of　nervous　or　sanguine
  complexion　withdraw　if　they　meet　with　a　too　stubborn　resistance。
  In　other　words；　the　lymphatic　temperament　is　essentially
  despondent；　and　the　rhapsodic　is　bilious。
  Eugene　lingered　over　his　toilette　with　an　enjoyment　of　all　its
  little　details　that　is　grateful　to　a　young　man's　self…love；
  though　he　will　not　own　to　it　for　fear　of　being　laughed　at。　He
  thought；　as　he　arranged　his　hair；　that　a　pretty　woman's　glances
  would　wander　through　the　dark　curls。　He　indulged　in　childish
  tricks　like　any　young　girl　dressing　for　a　dance；　and　gazed
  complacently　at　his　graceful　figure　while　he　smoothed　out　the
  creases　of　his　coat。
  〃There　are　worse　figures；　that　is　certain；〃　he　said　to　himself。
  Then　he　went　downstairs；　just　as　the　rest　of　the　household　were
  sitting　down　to　dinner；　and　took　with　good　humor　the　boisterous
  applause　excited　by　his　elegant　appearance。　The　amazement　with
  which　any　attention　to　dress　is　regarded　in　a　lodging…house　is　a
  very　characteristic　trait。　No　one　can　put　on　a　new　coat　but　every
  one　else　must　say　his　say　about　it。
  〃Clk！　clk！　clk！〃　cried　Bianchon；　making　the　sound　with　his　tongue
  against　the　roof　of　his　mouth；　like　a　driver　urging　on　a　horse。
  〃He　holds　himself　like　a　duke　and　a　peer　of　France；〃　said　Mme。
  Vauquer。
  〃Are　you　going　a…courting？〃　inquired　Mlle。　Michonneau。
  〃Cock…a…doodle…doo！〃　cried　the　artist。
  〃My　compliments　to　my　lady　your　wife；〃　from　the　employe　at　the
  Museum。
  〃Your　wife；　have　you　a　wife？〃　asked　Poiret。
  〃Yes；　in　compartments；　water…tight　and　floats；　guaranteed　fast
  color；　all　prices　from　twenty…five　to　forty　sous；　neat　check
  patterns　in　the　latest　fashion　and　best　taste；　will　wash；　half…
  linen；　half…cotton；　half…wool；　a　certain　cure　for　toothache　and
  other　complaints　under　the　patronage　of　the　Royal　College　of
  Physicians！　children　like　it！　a　remedy　for　headache；　indigestion；
  and　all　other　diseases　affecting　the　throat；　eyes；　and　ears！〃
  cried　Vautrin；　with　a　comical　imitation　of　the　volubility　of　a
  quack　at　a　fair。　〃And　how　much　shall　we　say　for　this　marvel；
  gentlemen？　Twopence？　No。　Nothing　of　the　sort。　All　that　is　left　in
  stock　after　supplying　the　Great　Mogul。　All　the　crowned　heads　of
  Europe；　including　the　Gr…r…rand　Duke　of　Baden；　have　been　anxious
  to　get　a　sight　of　it。　Walk　up！　walk　up！　gentlemen！　Pay　at　the
  desk　as　you　go　in！　Strike　up　the　music　there！　Brooum；　la；　la；
  trinn！　la；　la；　boum！　boum！　Mister　Clarinette；　there　you　are　out
  of　tune！〃　he　added　gruffly；　〃I　will　rap　your　knuckles　for　you！〃
  〃Goodness！　what　an　amusing　man！〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer　to　Mme。
  Couture；　〃I　should　never　feel　dull　with　him　in　the　house。〃
  This　burlesque　of　Vautrin's　was　the　signal　for　an　outburst　of
  merriment；　and　under　cover　of　jokes　and　laughter　Eugene　caught　a
  glance　from　Mlle。　Taillefer；　she　had　leaned　over　to　say　a　few
  words　in　Mme。　Couture's　ear。
  〃The　cab　is　at　the　door；〃　announced　Sylvie。
  〃But　where　is　he　going　to　dine？〃　asked　Bianchon。
  〃With　Madame　la　Baronne　de　Nucingen。〃
  〃M。　Goriot's　daughter；〃　said　the　law　student。
  At　this；　all　eyes　turned　to　the　old　vermicelli　maker；　he　was
  gazing　at　Eugene　with　something　like　envy　in　his　eyes。
  Rastignac　reached　the　house　in　the　Rue　Saint…Lazare；　one　of　those
  many…windowed　houses　with　a　mean…looking　portico　and　slender
  columns；　which　are　considered　the　thing　in　Paris；　a　typical
  banker's　house；　decorated　in　the　most　ostentatious　fashion；　the
  walls　lined　with　stucco；　the　landings　of　marble　mosaic。　Mme。　de
  Nucingen　was　sitting　in　a　little　drawing…room；　the　room　was
  painted　in　the　Italian　fashion；　and　decorated　like　a　restaurant。
  The　Baroness　seemed　depressed。　The　effort　that　she　made　to　hide
  her　feelings　aroused　Eugene's　interest；　it　was　plain　that　she　was
  not　playing　a　part。　He　had　expected　a　little　flutter　of
  excitement　at　his　coming；　and　he　found　her　dispirited　and　sad。
  The　disappointment　piqued　his　vanity。
  〃My　claim　to　your　confidence　is　very　small；　madame；〃　he　said；
  after　rallying　her　on　her　abstracted　mood；　〃but　if　I　am　in　the
  way；　please　tell　me　so　frankly；　I　count　on　your　good　faith。〃
  〃No；　stay　with　me；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　be　all　alone　if　you　go。
  Nucingen　is　dining　in　town；　and　I　do　not　want　to　be　alone；　I　want
  to　be　taken　out　of　myself。〃
  〃But　what　is　the　matter？〃
  〃You　are　the　very　last　person　whom　I　should　tell；〃　she　exclaimed。
  〃Then　I　am　connected　in　some　way　in　this　secret。　I　wonder　what　it
  is？〃
  〃Perhaps。　Yet；　no；〃　she　went　on；　〃it　is　a　domestic　quarrel；　which
  ought　to　be　buried　in　the　depths　of　the　heart。　I　am　very　unhappy；
  did　I　not　tell　you　so　the　day　before　yesterday？　Golden　chains　are
  the　heaviest　of　all　fetters。〃
  When　a　woman　tells　a　young　man　that　she　is　very　unhappy；　and　when
  the　young　man　is　clever；　and　well　dressed；　and　has　fifteen
  hundred　francs　lying　idle　in　his　pocket；　he　is　sure　to　think　as
  Eugene　said；　and　he　becomes　a　coxcomb。
  〃What　can　you　have　left　to　wish　for？〃　he　answered。　〃You　are
  young；　beautiful；　beloved；　and　rich。〃
  〃Do　not　let　us　talk　of　my　affairs；〃　she　said　shaking　her　head
  mournfully。　〃We　will　dine　together　tete…a…tete；　and　afterwards　we
  will　go　to　hear　the　most　exquisite　music。　Am　I　to　your　taste？〃
  she　went　on；　rising　and　displaying　her　gown　of　white　cashmere；
  covered　with　Persian　designs　in　the　most　superb　taste。
  〃I　wish　that　you　were　altogether　mine；〃　said　Eugene；　〃you　are
  charming。〃
  〃You　would　have　a　forlorn　piece　of　property；〃　she　said；　smiling
  bitterly。　〃There　is　nothing　about　me　that　betrays　my
  wretchedness；　and　yet；　in　spite　of　appearances；　I　am　in　despair。
  I　cannot　sleep；　my　troubles　have　broken　my　night's　rest；　I　shall
  grow　ugly。〃
  〃Oh！　that　is　impossible；〃　cried　the　law　student；　〃but　I　am
  curious　to　know　what　these　troubles　can　be　that　a　devoted　love
  cannot　efface。〃
  〃Ah！　if　I　were　to　tell　you　about　them；　you　would　shun　me；〃　she
  said。　〃Your　love　for　me　is　as　yet　only　the　conventional　gallantry
  that　men　use　to　masquerade　in；　and；　if　you　really　loved　me；　you
  would　be　driven　to　despair。　I　must　keep　silence；　you　see。　Let　us
  talk　of　something　else；　for　pity's　sake；〃　she　added。　〃Let　me　show
  you　my　rooms。〃
  〃No；　let　us　stay　here；〃　answered　Eugene；　he　sat　down　on　the　sofa
  before　the　fire；　and　boldly　took　Mme。　de　Nucingen's　hand　in　his。
  She　surrendered　it　to　him；　he　even　felt　the　pressure　of　her
  fingers　in　one　of　the　spasmodic　clutches　that　betray　terrible
  agitation。
  〃Listen；〃　said　Rastignac；　〃if　you　are　in　trouble；　you　ought　to
  tell　me　about　it。　I　want　to　prove　to　you　that　I　love　you　for
  yourself　alone。　You　must　speak　to　me　frankly　about　your　troubles；
  so　that　I　can　put　an　end　to　them；　even　if　I　have　to　kill　half…a…
  dozen　men；　or　I　shall　go；　never　to　return。〃
  〃Very　well；〃　she　cried；　putting　her　hand　to　her　forehead　in　an
  agony　of　despair；　〃I　will　put　you　to　the　proof；　and　this　very
  moment。　Yes；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃I　have　no　other　resource
  left。〃
  She　rang　the　bell。
  〃Are　the　horses　put　in　for　the　master？〃　she　asked　of　the　servant。
  〃Yes；　madame。〃
  〃I　shall　take　his　carriage　myself。　He　can　have　mine　and　my
  horses。　Serve　dinner　at　seven　o'clock。〃
  〃Now；　come　with　me；〃　she　said　to　Eugene；　who　thought　as　he　sat　in
  the　banker's　carriage　beside　Mme。　de　Nucingen　that　he　must　su