r　bearing。　His　long；　Bourbonine　face　was　framed　by　whiskers　and　a　beard；　carefully　kept；　elegantly　cut；　and　black　as　jet。　This　color；　the　same　as　that　of　his　abundant　hair；　he　now　obtained　by　an　Indian　cosmetic；　very　costly　and　used　in　Persia；　the　secret　of　which　he　kept　to　himself。　He　deceived　the　most　practised　eye　as　to　the　white　threads　which　for　some　time　past　had　invaded　his　hair。　The　remarkable　property　of　this　dye；　used　by　Persians　for　their　beards　only；　is　that　it　does　not　render　the　features　hard；　it　can　be　shaded　by　indigo　to　harmonize　well　with　the　individual　character　of　the　skin。　It　was　this　operation　that　Madame　Mollot　may　have　seen；though　people　in　Arcis；　by　way　of　a　jest；　still　ask　themselves　what　it　was　that　Madame　Mollot　saw。
  Maxime　had　a　very　handsome　forehead；　blue　eyes；　a　Greek　nose；　a　pleasant　mouth；　and　a　well…cut　chin；　but　the　circle　of　his　eyes　was　now　marked　with　numberless　lines；　so　fine　that　they　might　have　been　traced　by　a　razor　and　not　visible　at　a　little　distance。　His　temples　had　similar　lines。　The　face　was　also　slightly　wrinkled。　His　eyes；　like　those　of　gamblers　who　have　sat　up　innumerable　nights；　were　covered　with　a　glaze；　but　the　glance；　though　it　was　thus　weakened；　was　none　the　less　terrible；in　fact；　it　terrified；　a　hidden　heat　was　felt　beneath　it；　a　lava　of　passions　not　yet　extinct。　The　mouth；　once　so　fresh　and　rosy；　now　had　colder　tints；　it　was　straight　no　longer；　but　inclined　to　the　right；a　sinuosity　that　seemed　to　indicate　falsehood。　Vice　had　twisted　the　lips；　but　the　teeth　were　white　and　handsome。
  These　blemishes　disappeared　on　a　general　view　of　his　face　and　person。　His　figure　was　so　attractive　that　no　young　man　could　compete　with　Maxime　when　on　horseback　in　the　Bois；　where　he　seemed　younger　and　more　graceful　than　the　youngest　and　most　graceful　among　them。　The　privilege　of　eternal　youth　has　been　possessed　by　several　men　in　our　day。
  The　count　was　all　the　more　dangerous　because　he　seemed　to　be　easy　and　indolent；　never　showing　the　iron　determination　which　he　had　about　all　things。　This　apparent　indifference；　which　enabled　him　to　abet　a　popular　sedition　for　the　purpose　of　strengthening　the　authority　of　a　prince　with　as　much　ability　as　he　would　have　bestowed　upon　a　court　intrigue；　had　a　certain　grace。　People　never　distrust　calmness　and　uniformity　of　manner；　especially　in　France；　where　we　are　accustomed　to　a　great　deal　of　movement　and　stir　about　the　smallest　things。
  The　count；　who　was　dressed　in　the　fashion　of　1839；　wore　a　black　coat；　a　cashmere　waistcoat　of　dark　blue　embroidered　with　tiny　flowers　of　a　lighter　blue；　black　trousers；　gray　silk　stockings；　and　varnished　leather　shoes。　His　watch；　placed　in　one　of　his　waistcoat　pockets；　was　fastened　by　an　elegant　chain　to　a　button…hole。
  〃Rastignac；〃　he　said；　accepting　the　cup　of　tea　which　the　pretty　Madame　de　Rastignac　offered　him；　〃will　you　come　with　me　to　the　Austrian　ambassador's？〃
  〃My　dear　fellow；　I　am　too　recently　married　not　to　go　home　with　my　wife。〃
  〃That　means　that　/later/〃　said　the　young　countess；　turning　round　and　looking　at　her　husband。
  〃Later　is　the　end　of　the　world；〃　replied　Maxime。　〃But　I　shall　certainly　win　my　cause　if　I　take　Madame　for　a　judge。〃
  With　a　charming　gesture；　the　count　invited　the　pretty　countess　to　come　nearer　to　him。　After　listening　a　few　moments　and　looking　at　her　mother；　she　said　to　Rastignac：
  〃If　you　want　to　go　to　the　embassy　with　Monsieur　de　Trailles；　mamma　will　take　me　home。〃
  A　few　moments　later　the　Baronne　de　Nucingen　and　the　Comtesse　de　Rastignac　went　away　together。　Maxime　and　Rastignac　followed　a　little　later；　and　when　they　were　both　seated　in　the　count's　carriage；　the　latter　said：
  〃What　do　you　want　of　me；　Maxime？　Why　do　you　take　me　by　the　throat　in　this　way？　What　did　you　say　to　my　wife？〃
  〃I　told　her　I　had　something　to　say　to　you。　You　are　a　lucky　fellow；　you　are！　You　have　ended　by　marrying　the　only　heiress　of　the　Nucingen　millionsafter　twenty　years　at　hard　labor。〃
  〃Maxime！〃
  〃But　I！　here　am　I；　exposed　to　the　doubts　of　everybody。　A　miserable　coward　like　du　Tillet　dares　to　ask　if　I　have　the　courage　to　kill　myself！　It　is　high　time　for　me　to　settle　down。　Does　the　ministry　want　to　get　rid　of　me；　or　does　it　not？　You　ought　to　know。　At　any　rate；　you　must　find　out；〃　continued　Maxime；　making　a　gesture　with　his　hand　to　silence　Rastignac。　〃Here　is　my　plan：　listen　to　it。　You　ought　to　serve　me；　for　I　have　served　you；　and　can　serve　you　again。　The　life　I　live　now　is　intolerable；　I　want　an　escape　from　it。　Help　me　to　a　marriage　which　shall　bring　me　half　a　million。　Once　married；　appoint　me　minister　to　some　wretched　little　republic　in　America。　I'll　stay　there　long　enough　to　make　my　promotion　to　the　same　post　in　Germany　legitimate。　If　I　am　worth　anything；　they　will　soon　take　me　out　of　it；　if　I　am　not　worth　anything；　they　can　dismiss　me。　Perhaps　I　may　have　a　child。　If　so；　I　shall　be　stern　with　him；　his　mother　will　be　rich；　I'll　make　him　a　minister；　perhaps　an　ambassador。〃
  〃Here　is　my　answer；〃　said　Rastignac。　〃An　incessant　battle　is　going　on　greater　than　common　people　who　are　not　in　it　have　any　idea　of　between　power　in　its　swaddling…clothes　and　power　in　its　childhood。　Power　in　swaddling…clothes　is　the　Chamber　of　Deputies　which；　not　being　restrained　by　an　hereditary　chamber〃
  〃Ha！　ha！〃　said　Maxime；　〃you　are　now　a　peer　of　France。〃
  〃I　should　say　the　same　if　I　were　not；〃　said　the　new　peer。　〃But　don't　interrupt　me；　you　are　concerned　in　all　this。　The　Chamber　of　Deputies　is　fated　to　become　the　whole　government；　as　de　Marsay　used　to　tell　us　（the　only　man　by　whom　France　could　have　been　saved）；　for　peoples　don't　die；　they　are　slaves　or　free　men；　and　that's　all。　Child…power　is　the　royalty　that　was　crowned　in　August；　1830。　The　present　ministry　is　beaten；　it　dissolves　the　Chamber　and　brings　on　a　general　election　in　order　to　prevent　the　coming　ministry　from　calling　one；　but　it　does　not　expect　a　victory。　If　it　were　victorious　in　these　elections；　the　dynasty　would　be　in　danger；　whereas；　if　the　ministry　is　beaten；　the　dynastic　party　can　fight　to　advantage　for　a　long　time。　The　mistakes　of　the　Chamber　will　turn　to　the　profit　of　a　will　which　wants；　unfortunately；　to　be　the　whole　political　power。　When　a　ruler　is　that　whole；　as　Napoleon　was；　there　comes　a　moment　when　he　must　supplement　himself；　and　having　by　that　time　alienated　superior　men；　he；　the　great　single　will；　can　find　no　assistant。　That　assistant　ought　to　be　what　is　called　a　cabinet；　but　there　is　no　cabinet　in　France；　there　is　only　a　Will　with　a　life　lease。　In　France　it　is　the　government　that　is　blamed；　the　opposition　never；　it　may　lose　as　many　battles　as　it　fights；　but；　like　the　allies　in　1814；　one　victory　suffices。　With　〃three　glorious　days〃　it　overturned　and　destroyed　everything。　Therefore；　if　we　are　heirs　of　power；　we　must　cease　to　govern；　and　wait。　I　belong　by　my　personal　opinions　to　the　aristocracy；　and　by　my　public　opinions　to　the　royalty　of　July。　The　house　of　Orleans　served　me　to　raise　the　fortunes　of　my　family；　and　I　shall　ever　remain　attached　to　it。〃
  〃The　'ever'　of　Monsieur　de　Talleyrand；　be　it　understood；〃　put　in　Maxime。
  〃At　this　moment　I　can't　do　anything　for　you；〃　continued　Rastignac。　〃We　shall　not　be　in　power　more　than　six　months　longer。　Yes；　those　six　months　will　be　our　last　dying　agony；　I　know　that；　but　we　know　what　we　were　when　we　formed　ourselves；　a　stop…gap　ministry　and　that　was　all。　But　you　can　distinguish　yourself　in　the　electoral　battle　that　is　soon　to　be　fought。　If　you　can　bring　one　vote　to　the　Chamber；　a　deputy　faithful　to　the　dynastic　cause；　you　will　find　your　wishes　gratified。　I　will　speak　of　your　good　services；　and　I　will　keep　my　eye　on　the　reports　of　our　confidential　agents；　I　may　find　you　some　difficult　task　in　which　you　can　distinguish　yourself。　If　you　succeed；　I　can　insist　upon　your　talents；　your　devotion；　and　claim　your　reward。　Your　marriage；　my　dear　fellow；　can　be　made　only　in　some　ambitious　provincial　family　of　tradespeople　or　manufacturers。　In　Paris　you　are　too　well　known。　We　must　therefore　look　out　for　a　millionaire　parvenu；　endowed　with　a　daughter；　and　possessed　with　a　desire　to　parade　himself　and　his　family　at　the　Chateau　des　Tuileries。〃
  〃Make　your　father…in…law　lend　me　twenty…five　thousand　francs　to　enable　me　to　wait　as　long　as　that；　he　will　then　have　an　interest　in　seeing　that　I　am　not　paid　in　holy…water　if　I　succeed；　he　will　further　a　rich　marriage　for　his　own　sake。〃
  〃You　are　wily；　Maxime；　and　you　distrust　me。　But　I　like　able　men；　and　I　will　attend　to　your　affair。〃
  They　reached　the　Austrian　embassy。　The　Comte　de　Rastignac　saw　the　minister　of　the　interior　in　one　of　the　salons　and　went　to　talk　with　him　in　a　corner。　Comte　Maxime　de　Trailles；　meantime；　was　apparently　engrossed　by　the　old　Comtesse　de　Listomere；　but　he　was；　in　reality；　following　the　course　of　the　conversation　between　the　two　peers　of　France；　he　watched　their　gestures；　interpreted　their　looks；　and　ended　by　catching　a　favorable　glance　cast　upon　him　by　the　minister。
  Maxime　and　Rastignac　left　the　embassy　together　about　one　in　the　morning；　and　before　getting　into　their　respective　carriages；　Rastignac　said　to　Maxime　on　the　steps　of　the　portico：　〃Come　and　see　me　just　before　the　elections。　Between　now　and　then　I　shall　know　in　what　locality　the　chan