〃Yes；　just　see　how　great　names；　great　families；　the　old　and　the　new　peerage　are　rushing　hot…foot　into　enterprises　and　partnerships；〃　said　Achille　Pigoult。
  〃Francs　attract　the　Franks；〃　remarked　Olivier　Vinet；　without　a　smile。
  〃You　are　not　an　/olive/…branch　of　peace；〃　said　Madame　Mollot；　laughing。
  〃But　is　it　not　demoralizing　to　see　such　names　as　Verneuil；　Maufrigneuse；　and　Herouville　side　by　side　with　those　of　du　Tillet　and　Nucingen　in　the　Bourse　speculations？〃
  〃Our　great　Unknown　is　undoubtedly　an　embryo　railway；〃　said　Olivier　Vinet。
  〃Well；　to…morrow　all　Arcis　will　be　upside…down　about　it；〃　said　Achille　Pigoult。　〃I　shall　call　upon　the　Unknown　and　ask　him　to　make　me　notary　of　the　affair。　There'll　be　two　thousand　deeds　to　draw；　at　the　least。〃
  〃Our　romance　is　turning　into　a　locomotive；〃　said　Ernestine　to　Cecile。
  〃A　count　with　a　railway　is　all　the　more　marriageable；〃　remarked　Achille　Pigoult。　〃But　who　knows　whether　he　is　a　bachelor？〃
  〃Oh！　I　shall　know　that　to…morrow　from　grandpapa；〃　cried　Cecile；　with　pretended　enthusiasm。
  〃What　a　jest！〃　said　Madame　Mollot。　〃You　can't　really　mean；　my　little　Cecile；　that　you　are　thinking　of　that　stranger？〃
  〃But　the　husband　is　always　the　stranger；〃　interposed　Olivier　Vinet；　making　a　sign　to　Mademoiselle　Beauvisage　which　she　fully　understood。
  〃Why　shouldn't　I　think　of　him？〃　asked　Cecile；　〃that　isn't　compromising。　Besides；　he　is；　so　these　gentlemen　say；　either　some　great　speculator；　or　some　great　seigneur；　and　either　would　suit　me。　I　love　Paris；　and　I　want　a　house；　a　carriage；　an　opera…box；　etc。；　in　Paris。〃
  〃That's　right；〃　said　Vinet。　〃When　people　dream；　they　needn't　refuse　themselves　anything。　If　I　had　the　pleasure　of　being　your　brother　I　should　marry　you　to　the　young　Marquis　de　Cinq…Cygne；　who　seems　to　me　a　lively　young　scamp　who　will　make　the　money　dance；　and　will　laugh　at　his　mother's　prejudices　against　the　actors　in　the　famous　Simeuse　melodrama。〃
  〃It　would　be　easier　for　you　to　make　yourself　prime…minister；〃　said　Madame　Marion。　〃There　will　never　be　any　alliance　between　the　granddaughter　of　Grevin　and　the　Cinq…Cygnes。〃
  〃Romeo　came　within　an　ace　of　marrying　Juliet；〃　remarked　Achille　Pigoult；　〃and　Mademoiselle　is　more　beautiful　than〃
  〃Oh！　if　you　are　going　to　quote　operas　and　opera　beauties！〃　said　Herbelot　the　notary；　naively；　having　finished　his　game　of　whist。
  〃My　legal　brother；〃　said　Achille　Pigoult；　〃is　not　very　strong　on　the　history　of　the　middle　ages。〃
  〃Come；　Malvina！〃　said　the　stout　notary　to　his　wife；　making　no　reply　to　his　young　associate。
  〃Tell　me；　Monsieur　Antonin；〃　said　Cecile　to　the　sub…prefect；　〃you　spoke　of　Anicette；　the　maid　of　the　Princesse　de　Cadignan；　do　you　know　her？〃
  〃No；　but　Julien　does；　she　is　the　goddaughter　of　his　father；　and　they　are　good　friends　together。〃
  〃Then　try；　through　Julien；　to　get　her　to　live　with　us。　Mamma　wouldn't　consider　wages。〃
  〃Mademoiselle；　to　hear　is　to　obey；　as　they　say　to　despots　in　Asia；〃　replied　the　sub…prefect。　〃Just　see　to　what　lengths　I　will　go　in　order　to　serve　you。〃
  And　he　left　the　room　to　give　Julien　orders　to　go　with　Anicette　in　the　chariot　and　coax　her　away　from　the　princess　at　any　price。
  XI
  IN　WHICH　THE　CANDIDATE　BEGINS　TO　LOSE　VOTES
  At　this　moment　Simon　Giguet；　who　had　got　through　his　bowing　and　scraping　to　all　the　influential　men　of　Arcis；　and　who　regarded　himself　as　sure　of　his　election；　joined　the　circle　around　Cecile　and　Mademoiselle　Mollot。　The　evening　was　far　advanced。　Ten　o'clock　had　struck。　After　an　enormous　consumption　of　cakes；　orgeat；　punch；　lemonade；　and　various　syrups；　those　who　had　come　that　evening　solely　for　political　reasons　and　who　were　not　accustomed　to　Madame　Marion's　floors；　to　them　aristocratic；　departed；all　the　more　willingly；　because　they　were　unaccustomed　to　sitting　up　so　late。　The　evening　then　began　to　take　on　its　usual　air　of　intimacy。　Simon　Giguet　hoped　that　he　could　now　exchange　a　few　words　with　Cecile；　and　he　looked　at　her　like　a　conqueror。　The　look　displeased　her。
  〃My　dear　fellow；〃　said　Antonin　to　Simon；　observing　on　his　friend's　face　the　glory　of　success；　〃you　come　at　a　moment　when　the　noses　of　all　the　young　men　in　Arcis　are　put　out　of　joint。〃
  〃Very　much　so；〃　said　Ernestine；　whom　Cecile　had　nudged　with　her　elbow。　〃We　are　distracted；　Cecile　and　I；　about　the　great　Unknown；　and　we　are　quarrelling　for　him。〃
  〃But；〃　said　Cecile；　〃he　is　no　longer　unknown；　he　is　a　count。〃
  〃Some　adventurer！〃　replied　Simon　Giguet；　with　an　air　of　contempt。
  〃Will　you　say　that；　Monsieur　Simon；〃　answered　Cecile；　feeling　piqued；　〃of　a　man　to　whom　the　Princesse　de　Cadignan　has　just　sent　her　servants；　who　dined　at　Gondreville　to…day；　and　is　to　spend　this　evening　with　the　Marquise　de　Cinq…Cygne？〃
  This　was　said　sharply；　and　in　so　hard　a　tone　that　Simon　was　disconcerted。
  〃Ah；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Olivier　Vinet；　〃if　we　said　to　each　other's　faces　what　we　all　say　behind　our　backs；　social　life　wouldn't　be　possible。　The　pleasures　of　society；　especially　in　the　provinces；　are　to　slander　and　backbite　our　neighbors。〃
  〃Monsieur　Simon　is　jealous　of　your　enthusiasm　for　the　mysterious　count；〃　said　Ernestine。
  〃It　seems　to　me；〃　said　Cecile；　〃that　Monsieur　Simon　has　no　right　to　be　jealous　of　my　affections。〃
  After　which　remark；　uttered　in　a　way　to　dumfound　Simon；　Cecile　rose；　the　others　made　way　for　her　and　she　went　to　her　mother；　who　was　just　finishing　her　rubber　of　whist。
  〃My　dearest！〃　cried　Madame　Marion；　hurrying　after　the　heiress；　〃I　think　you　are　rather　hard　on　my　poor　Simon。〃
  〃What　has　she　done；　my　dear　little　kitten？〃　asked　Madame　Beauvisage。
  〃Mamma；　Monsieur　Simon　called　my　great　Unknown　an　adventurer！〃
  Simon　had　followed　his　aunt　and　was　now　beside　the　card…table。　The　four　persons　whose　interests　were　concerned　were　thus　in　the　middle　of　the　salon；Cecile　and　her　mother　on　one　side　of　the　table；　Madame　Marion　and　her　nephew　on　the　other。
  〃Really；　madame；〃　said　Simon　Giguet；　〃there　must　be　a　strong　desire　to　find　fault　and　to　quarrel　with　me　simply　because　I　happened　to　say　that　a　gentleman　whom　all　Arcis　is　talking　about　and　who　stops　at　the　Mulet〃
  〃Do　you　think　he　has　come　here　to　put　himself　in　competition　with　you？〃　said　Madame　Beauvisage　jestingly。
  〃I　should　be　very　indignant　with　him　certainly　if　he　were　to　cause　the　slightest　misunderstanding　between　Mademoiselle　Cecile　and　myself；〃　said　the　candidate；　with　a　supplicating　look　at　the　young　girl。
  〃You　gave　your　opinion；　monsieur；　in　a　decisive　manner　which　proves　that　you　are　very　despotic；〃　she　replied；　〃but　you　are　right；　if　you　wish　to　be　minister　you　ought　to　be　decisive。〃
  Here　Madame　Marion　took　Madame　Beauvisage　by　the　arm　and　led　her　to　a　sofa。　Cecile；　finding　herself　alone；　returned　to　her　former　seat　to　avoid　hearing　Simon's　answer　to　her　speech；　and　the　candidate　was　left　standing　rather　foolishly　before　the　table；　where　he　mechanically　played　with　the　counters。
  〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　Madame　Marion　in　a　low　voice　to　Madame　Beauvisage；　〃you　see　that　nothing　can　now　hinder　my　nephew's　election。〃
  〃I　am　delighted　both　for　your　sake　and　for　the　Chamber　of　Deputies；〃　said　Severine。
  〃My　nephew　is　certain　to　go　far；　my　dear；　and　I'll　tell　you　why：　his　own　fortune；　that　which　his　father　will　leave　him　and　mine；　will　amount　altogether　to　some　thirty　thousand　francs　a　year。　When　a　man　is　a　deputy　and　has　a　fortune　like　that；　he　can　aspire　to　anything。〃
  〃Madame；　he　has　our　utmost　admiration　and　our　most　earnest　wishes　for　the　success　of　his　political　career；　but〃
  〃I　am　not　asking　for　an　answer；〃　said　Madame　Marion；　hastily　interrupting　her　friend。　〃I　only　beg　you　to　reflect　on　the　following　suggestions：　Do　our　children　suit　each　other？　Can　we　marry　them？　We　should　then　live　in　Paris　during　the　sessions；　and　who　knows　if　the　deputy　of　Arcis　may　not　be　settled　there　permanently　in　some　fine　place　in　the　magistracy？　Look　at　Monsieur　Vinet　of　Provins；　how　he　has　made　his　way。　People　blamed　Mademoiselle　de　Chargeboeuf　for　marrying　him；　yet　she　will　soon　be　wife　of　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　Monsieur　Vinet　can　be　peer　of　France　whenever　he　pleases。〃
  〃Madame；　I　have　not　the　power　to　marry　my　daughter　according　to　my　own　tastes。　In　the　first　place；　her　father　and　I　leave　her　absolutely　free　to　choose　for　herself。　If　she　wanted　to　marry　the　'great　Unknown'　and　we　found　that　the　match　was　suitable；　we　should　give　our　consent。　Besides　this；　Cecile　is　wholly　dependent　on　her　grandfather；　who　intends　to　give　her　on　her　marriage　the　Hotel　de　Beauseant　in　Paris；　which　he　purchased　for　us　six　years　ago；　the　value　of　which　is　now　rated　at　eight　hundred　thousand　francs。　It　is　one　of　the　finest　houses　in　the　faubourg　Saint…Germain。　Moreover；　he　intends　to　add　two　hundred　thousand　francs　for　the　cost　of　fitting　it　up。　A　grandfather　who　behaves　in　this　way；　and　who　can　influence　my　mother…in…law　to　make　a　few　sacrifices　for　her　granddaughter　in　expectation　of　a　suitable　marriage；　has　a　right　to　advise〃
  〃Certainly；〃　said　Madame　Marion；　stupefied　by　this　confidence；　which　made　the　marriage　of　her　nephew　and　Cecile　extremely　difficult。
  〃Even　if　Cecile　had　nothing　to　expect　from　her　grandfather　Grevin；〃　continued　Madame　Beauvisage；　〃she　would　not　marry　without　first　consulting　him。　If　yo