Monsieur　Marie…Gaston；　one　of　our　good　friends；you　know；　the　charming　poet　who　married　Louise　de　Chaulieu；has　a　country…house　in　that　neighborhood；　where　his　wife　died。　He　returned　there　to…day　for　the　first　time　since　his　misfortune；　and　these　ladies　have　had　the　charity　to　meet　him　there；　and　so　lessen　the　first　shock　of　his　recollections。〃
  〃I　can　therefore　hardly　hope　to　see　her　to…day；　and　it　was　to　her；　and　not　to　you；　my　dear　count；　that　I　came　to　offer　my　excuses　for　the　scene　of　last　night　which　seemed　to　annoy　her　much。　Say　to　her；　if　you　please；　that　I　will　take　another　opportunity　of　doing　so；By　the　bye；〃　he　added；　〃the　election　of　your　friend　Sallenauve　is　making　a　devilish　talk；　the　king　spoke　to　me　about　it　this　morning；　and　I　did　not　please　him　by　repeating　the　favorable　opinion　you　expressed　of　the　new　deputy　last　night。〃
  〃Well；　but　you　know　the　tribune　is　a　reef　on　which　reputations　are　often　wrecked。　I　am　sorry　you　represented　Sallenauve　to　the　king　as　being　on　intimate　terms　with　us。　I　have　nothing　to　do　with　elections；　but　I　may　say　that　I　did　all　I　could　to　dissuade　this　objectionable　candidate　from　presenting　himself。〃
  〃Of　course　the　king　cannot　blame　you　for　merely　knowing　an　Opposition　deputy。〃
  〃No；　but　last　night；　in　your　salon；　you　seemed　to　imply　that　my　wife　was　much　interested　in　him。　I　did　not　wish　to　contradict　you　before　witnesses；　besides；　really；　one　can't　repudiate　a　man　to　whom　we　are　under　a　great　obligation。　But　my　wife；　ever　since　the　day　he　was　nominated；　feels　that　our　gratitude　has　become　a　burden。　She　was　saying　to　me　the　other　day　that　we　had　better　let　the　acquaintance　die　out。〃
  〃Not；　I　hope；　until　you　have　done　me　a　service　by　means　of　it；〃　said　Rastignac。
  〃At　your　orders；　my　dear　minister；　in　all　things。〃
  〃I　want　to　meet　this　man　and　judge　him　for　myself。　To　send　him　an　invitation　to　dinner　would　be　useless；　under　the　eye　of　his　party；　he　would　not　dare　accept　it；　or　if　he　did；　he　would　be　on　his　guard；　and　I　should　not　see　him　as　he　is。　But　if　I　met　him　accidentally；　I　should　find　him　without　armor；　and　I　could　feel　for　his　vulnerable　spots。〃
  〃To　invite　you　both　to　dine　with　me　might　be　open　to　the　same　objection；　but　I　could；　one　of　these　evenings；　make　sure　of　a　visit　from　him；　and　let　you　knowStop！〃　cried　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃a　bright　idea　has　come　to　me。〃
  〃If　it　is　really　bright；〃　thought　Rastignac；　〃it　is　fortunate　I　did　not　meet　the　wife。〃
  〃We　are　just　about　to　give　a　children's　ball；a　fancy　of　my　little　girl；　to　which　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　weary　of　refusing；　has　at　last　consented；　the　child　wishes　it　to　be　given　in　celebration　of　her　rescue。　Of　course；　therefore；　the　rescuer　is　a　necessary　and　integral　part　of　the　affair。　Come　to　the　ball；　and　I　promise　you　noise　enough　to　cover　all　investigations　of　your　man；　and　certainly　premeditation　will　never　be　suspected　at　such　a　meeting。〃
  〃You　are　too　good；〃　replied　Rastignac；　pressing　the　peer's　hand　affectionately。　〃Perhaps　we　had　better　say　nothing　about　it　to　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　a　mere　hint　given　to　our　man　would　put　him　on　his　guard；　and　I　want　to　spring　upon　him　suddenly；　like　a　tiger　on　his　prey。〃
  〃That's　understoodcomplete　surprise　to　everybody。〃
  〃Adieu；　then；〃　said　Rastignac；　〃I　shall　make　the　king　laugh　to…morrow　at　the　notion　of　children　plotting　politics。〃
  〃Ah！〃　replied　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　philosophically；　〃but　isn't　that　how　life　itself　is　carried　on？great　effects　from　little　causes。〃
  Rastignac　had　scarcely　departed　before　Madame　de　l'Estorade　returned　with　Nais　and　Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Camps。
  〃My　dear；〃　said　her　husband；　〃you　have　just　missed　a　charming　visitor。〃
  〃Who　was　it？〃　asked　the　countess；　indifferently。
  〃The　minister　of　Public　Works；　who　came　to　make　you　his　excuses。　He　noticed　with　regret　the　disagreeable　impression　made　upon　you　by　the　theories　of　that　scamp　de　Ronquerolles。〃
  〃He　has　taken　a　good　deal　of　trouble　for　a　very　small　matter；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　not　sharing　her　husband's　enthusiasm。
  〃But　all　the　same；〃　he　replied；　〃it　was　very　gracious　of　him　to　think　of　your　feelings。〃　Then；　in　order　to　change　the　conversation；　he　asked　Madame　de　Camps　about　their　visit。
  〃Oh！〃　she　replied；　〃the　place　is　enchanting；　you　have　no　idea　of　its　elegance　and　/comfort/。〃
  〃How　about　Gaston？〃　asked　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade。
  〃He　was；　I　won't　say　very　calm；〃　replied　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃but　at　any　rate　master　of　himself。　His　condition　satisfied　me　all　the　more　because　the　day　had　begun　by　a　serious　annoyance　to　him。〃
  〃What　was　it？〃
  〃Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　could　not　come　with　him；〃　replied　Nais；　taking　upon　herself　to　reply。
  She　was　one　of　those　children　brought　up　in　a　hot…house；　who　put　themselves　forward　much　oftener　than　they　ought　to　do。
  〃Nais；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃go　to　Mary　and　tell　her　to　do　up　your　hair。〃
  The　child　understood　perfectly　well　that　she　was　sent　away　for　speaking　improperly；　and　she　made　a　face　as　she　left　the　room。
  〃This　morning；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade　as　soon　as　Nais　had　shut　the　door；　〃Monsieur　Gaston　and　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　were　to　start　together　for　Ville　d'Avray；　and　meet　us　there；　as　agreed　upon。　But　last　night　they　had　a　visit　from　that　organist　who　took　such　an　active　part　in　the　election。　He　came　to　hear　the　Italian　housekeeper　sing　and　judge　if　she　were　ready　to　go　upon　the　stage。〃
  〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃of　course　Sallenauve　wants　to　get　rid　of　her　now　that　he　has　ceased　to　make　statues。〃
  〃Just　so；〃　replied　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　with　a　slight　tone　of　asperity。　〃In　order　to　put　a　stop　to　all　calumny　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　wishes　her　to　carry　out　her　idea　of　going　on　the　stage；　but　he　wanted；　in　the　first　place；　an　opinion　he　could　trust。　Monsieur　Gaston　and　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　accompanied　the　organist　to　Saint…　Sulpice；　where；　during　the　services　of　the　Month　of　Mary；　the　Italian　woman　sings　every　evening。　After　hearing　her；　the　organist　said　she　had　a　fine　contralto　that　was　worth；　at　the　lowest；　sixty　thousand　francs　a　year。〃
  〃Just　the　revenue　of　my　iron…works；〃　remarked　Monsieur　de　Camps。
  〃That　evening；〃　continued　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　told　his　housekeeper　the　opinion　given　of　her　talent；　and　with　great　kindness　and　delicacy　let　her　know　that　she　must　now　carry　out　her　intention　of　supporting　herself　in　that　way。　'Yes；'　she　replied；　'I　think　the　time　has　come。　We　will　talk　of　it　later'；　and　she　stopped　the　conversation。　This　morning　when　the　breakfast　hour　came；　there　was　no　sign　of　her。　Thinking　she　must　be　ill；　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　sent　an　old　charwoman　who　does　the　rough　work　of　the　house　to　her　room。　No　answer。　Much　disturbed；　Monsieur　Gaston　and　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　went　themselves　to　see　what　it　meant。　After　knocking　and　calling　in　vain；　they　determined　to　open　the　door；　the　key　of　which　was　outside。　In　the　room　no　housekeeper！　but　in　place　of　her　a　letter　addressed　to　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve；　in　which　she　said　that　finding　herself　an　embarrassment　to　him；　she　had　retired　to　the　house　of　one　of　her　friends；　thanking　him　for　all　his　goodness　to　her。〃
  〃The　bird　has　found　its　wings；〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃and　takes　flight。〃
  〃That　is　not　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve's　idea；〃　replied　the　countess；　〃he　does　not　believe　in　such　ingratitude。　He　is　confident　that；　feeling　herself　a　burden　to　him　and　yielding　to　the　desperation　which　is　natural　to　her；　she　felt　obliged　to　leave　his　house　without　giving　him　a　chance　in　any　manner　to　provide　for　her　future。〃
  〃A　good　riddance！〃　remarked　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade。
  〃Neither　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　nor　Monsieur　Gaston　takes　that　stoical　view　of　it。　In　view　of　the　headstrong　nature　of　the　woman；　they　fear　some　violence　to　herself；　which；　as　we　know；　she　once　attempted。　Or　else　they　dread　some　evil　adviser。　The　charwoman　states　that　two　or　three　visits　have　been　lately　made　at　the　house　by　a　lady　of　middle　age；　richly　dressed；　in　a　carriage；　whose　manner　was　singular；　and　who　seemed　to　desire　secrecy　in　speaking　with　Luigia。〃
  〃Some　charitable　woman；　of　course；〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃the　runaway　is　given　to　piety。〃
  〃At　any　rate　the　truth　must　be　discovered；　and　it　was　that　which　kept　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　from　accompanying　Monsieur　Gaston　to　Ville　d'Avray。〃
  〃Well；〃　remarked　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃in　spite　of　their　respective　virtue；　it　is　my　opinion　he　holds　by　her。〃
  〃In　any　case；〃　returned　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　emphasizing　the　word；　〃she　does　not　/hold/　by　him。〃
  〃I　don't　agree　with　you；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；　〃to　avoid　a　man　is　often　the　greatest　proof　of　love。〃
  Madame　de　l'Estorade　looked　at　her　friend　with　a　vexed　air；　and　a　slight　tinge　of　color　came　into　her　cheeks。　But　no　one　took　notice　of　it；　for　at　this　moment　the　servant　threw　open　the　door　and　announced　dinner。
  After　dinner；　the　theatre　was　proposed；　that　is　one　of　the　amusements　that　Parisians　miss　the　most　in　the　provinces。　Monsieur　Octave　de　Camps；　coming　from　his　〃villanous　iron…works；〃　as　Madame　de　l'Estorade　called　them；　had　arrived　in　Paris　eager　for　this　pleasure；　which　his　wife；　more　serious　and　sober；　did　not　enjoy　to　the　same　extent。　Therefore；　when　Monsieur　de　Camps　propo