Mme。　de　Bargeton　went　back；　pale　and　trembling；　to　her　boudoir。
  〃If　they　saw　you　just　now；　I　am　lost；〃　she　told　Lucien。
  〃So　much　the　better！〃　exclaimed　the　poet；　and　she　smiled　to　hear　the　cry；　so　full　of　selfish　love。
  A　story　of　this　kind　is　aggravated　in　the　provinces　by　the　way　in　which　it　is　told。　Everybody　knew　in　a　moment　that　Lucien　had　been　detected　at　Nais　feet。　M。　de　Chandour；　elated　by　the　important　part　he　played　in　the　affair；　went　first　to　tell　the　great　news　at　the　club；　and　thence　from　house　to　house；　Chatelet　hastening　to　say　that　HE　had　seen　nothing；　but　by　putting　himself　out　of　court；　he　egged　Stanislas　on　to　talk；　he　drew　him　on　to　add　fresh　details；　and　Stanislas；　thinking　himself　very　witty；　added　a　little　to　the　tale　every　time　that　he　told　it。　Every　one　flocked　to　Amelie's　house　that　evening；　for　by　that　time　the　most　exaggerated　versions　of　the　story　were　in　circulation　among　the　Angouleme　nobility；　every　narrator　having　followed　Stanislas'　example。　Women　and　men　were　alike　impatient　to　know　the　truth；　and　the　women　who　put　their　hands　before　their　faces　and　shrieked　the　loudest　were　none　other　than　Mesdames　Amelie；　Zephirine；　Fifine；　and　Lolotte；　all　with　more　or　less　heavy　indictments　of　illicit　love　laid　to　their　charge。　There　were　variations　in　every　key　upon　the　painful　theme。
  〃Well；　well；〃　said　one　of　the　ladies；　〃poor　Nais！　have　you　heard　about　it？　I　do　not　believe　it　myself；　she　has　a　whole　blameless　record　behind　her；　she　is　far　too　proud　to　be　anything　but　a　patroness　to　M。　Chardon。　Still；　if　it　is　true；　I　pity　her　with　all　my　heart。〃
  〃She　is　all　the　more　to　be　pitied　because　she　is　making　herself　frightfully　ridiculous；　she　is　old　enough　to　be　M。　Lulu's　mother；　as　Jacques　called　him。　The　little　poet　it　twenty…two　at　most；　and　Nais；　between　ourselves；　is　quite　forty。〃
  〃For　my　own　part；〃　said　M。　du　Chatelet；　〃I　think　that　M。　de　Rubempre's　position　in　itself　proves　Nais'　innocence。　A　man　does　not　go　down　on　his　knees　to　ask　for　what　he　has　had　already。〃
  〃That　is　as　may　be！〃　said　Francis；　with　levity　that　brought　Zephirine's　disapproving　glance　down　on　him。
  〃Do　just　tell　us　how　it　really　was；〃　they　besought　Stanislas；　and　formed　a　small；　secret　committee　in　a　corner　of　the　salon。
  Stanislas；　in　the　long　length；　had　put　together　a　little　story　full　of　facetious　suggestions；　and　accompanied　it　with　pantomime；　which　made　the　thing　prodigiously　worse。
  〃It　is　incredible！〃
  〃At　midday？〃
  〃Nais　was　the　last　person　whom　I　should　have　suspected！〃
  〃What　will　she　do　now？〃
  Then　followed　more　comments；　and　suppositions　without　end。　Chatelet　took　Mme。　de　Bargeton's　part；　but　he　defended　her　so　ill；　that　he　stirred　the　fire　of　gossip　instead　of　putting　it　out。
  Lili；　disconsolate　over　the　fall　of　the　fairest　angel　in　the　Angoumoisin　hierarchy；　went；　dissolved　in　tears；　to　carry　the　news　to　the　palace。　When　the　delighted　Chatelet　was　convinced　that　the　whole　town　was　agog；　he　went　off　to　Mme。　de　Bargeton's；　where；　alas！　there　was　but　one　game　of　whist　that　night；　and　diplomatically　asked　Nais　for　a　little　talk　in　the　boudoir。　They　sat　down　on　the　sofa；　and　Chatelet　began　in　an　undertone
  〃You　know　what　Angouleme　is　talking　about；　of　course？〃
  〃No。〃
  〃Very　well；　I　am　too　much　your　friend　to　leave　you　in　ignorance。　I　am　bound　to　put　you　in　a　position　to　silence　slanders；　invented；　no　doubt；　by　Amelie；　who　has　the　overweening　audacity　to　regard　herself　as　your　rival。　I　came　to　call　on　you　this　morning　with　that　monkey　of　a　Stanislas；　he　was　a　few　paces　ahead　of　me；　and　he　came　so　far〃　（pointing　to　the　door　of　the　boudoir）；　〃he　says　that　he　SAW　you　and　M。　de　Rubempre　in　such　a　position　that　he　could　not　enter；　he　turned　round　upon　me；　quite　bewildered　as　I　was；　and　hurried　me　away　before　I　had　time　to　think；　we　were　out　in　Beaulieu　before　he　told　me　why　he　had　beaten　a　retreat。　If　I　had　known；　I　would　not　have　stirred　out　of　the　house　till　I　had　cleared　up　the　matter　and　exonerated　you；　but　it　would　have　proved　nothing　to　go　back　again　then。
  〃Now；　whether　Stanislas'　eyes　deceived　him；　or　whether　he　is　right；　HE　MUST　HAVE　MADE　A　MISTAKE。　Dear　Nais；　do　not　let　that　dolt　trifle　with　your　life；　your　honor；　your　future；　stop　his　mouth　at　once。　You　know　my　position　here。　I　have　need　of　all　these　people；　but　still　I　am　entirely　yours。　Dispose　of　a　life　that　belongs　to　you。　You　have　rejected　my　prayers；　but　my　heart　is　always　yours；　I　am　ready　to　prove　my　love　for　you　at　any　time　and　in　any　way。　Yes；　I　will　watch　over　you　like　a　faithful　servant；　for　no　reward；　but　simply　for　the　sake　of　the　pleasure　that　it　is　to　me　to　do　anything　for　you；　even　if　you　do　not　know　of　it。　This　morning　I　have　said　everywhere　that　I　was　at　the　door　of　the　salon；　and　had　seen　nothing。　If　you　are　asked　to　give　the　name　of　the　person　who　told　you　about　this　gossip；　pray　make　use　of　me。　I　should　be　very　proud　to　be　your　acknowledged　champion；　but；　between　ourselves；　M。　de　Bargeton　is　the　proper　person　to　ask　Stanislas　for　an　explanation。　。　。　。　Suppose　that　young　Rubempre　had　behaved　foolishly；　a　woman's　character　ought　not　to　be　at　the　mercy　of　the　first　hare…　brained　boy　who　flings　himself　at　her　feet。　That　is　what　I　have　been　saying。〃
  Nais　bowed　in　acknowledgment；　and　looked　thoughtful。　She　was　weary　to　disgust　of　provincial　life。　Chatelet　had　scarcely　begun　before　her　mind　turned　to　Paris。　Meanwhile　Mme。　de　Bargeton's　adorer　found　the　silence　somewhat　awkward。
  〃Dispose　of　me；　I　repeat；〃　he　added。
  〃Thank　you；〃　answered　the　lady。
  〃What　do　you　think　of　doing？〃
  〃I　shall　see。〃
  A　prolonged　pause。
  〃Are　you　so　fond　of　that　young　Rubempre？〃
  A　proud　smile　stole　over　her　lips；　she　folded　her　arms；　and　fixed　her　gaze　on　the　curtains。　Chatelet　went　out；　he　could　not　read　that　high　heart。
  Later　in　the　evening；　when　Lucien　had　taken　his　leave；　and　likewise　the　four　old　gentlemen　who　came　for　their　whist；　without　troubling　themselves　about　ill…founded　tittle…tattle；　M。　de　Bargeton　was　preparing　to　go　to　bed；　and　had　opened　his　mouth　to　bid　his　wife　good…night；　when　she　stopped　him。
  〃Come　here；　dear；　I　have　something　to　say　to　you；〃　she　said；　with　a　certain　solemnity。
  M。　de　Bargeton　followed　her　into　the　boudoir。
  〃Perhaps　I　have　done　wrongly；〃　she　said；　〃to　show　a　warm　interest　in　M。　de　Rubempre；　which　he；　as　well　as　the　stupid　people　here　in　the　town；　has　misinterpreted。　This　morning　Lucien　threw　himself　here　at　my　feet　with　a　declaration；　and　Stanislas　happened　to　come　in　just　as　I　told　the　boy　to　get　up　again。　A　woman；　under　any　circumstances；　has　claims　which　courtesy　prescribes　to　a　gentleman；　but　in　contempt　of　these；　Stanislas　has　been　saying　that　he　came　unexpectedly　and　found　us　in　an　equivocal　position。　I　was　treating　the　boy　as　he　deserved。　If　the　young　scatterbrain　knew　of　the　scandal　caused　by　his　folly；　he　would　go；　I　am　convinced；　to　insult　Stanislas；　and　compel　him　to　fight。　That　would　simply　be　a　public　proclamation　of　his　love。　I　need　not　tell　you　that　your　wife　is　pure；　but　if　you　think；　you　will　see　that　it　is　something　dishonoring　for　both　you　and　me　if　M。　de　Rubempre　defends　her。　Go　at　once　to　Stanislas　and　ask　him　to　give　you　satisfaction　for　his　insulting　language；　and　mind；　you　must　not　accept　any　explanation　short　of　a　full　and　public　retraction　in　the　presence　of　witnesses　of　credit。　In　this　way　you　will　win　back　the　respect　of　all　right…minded　people；　you　will　behave　like　a　man　of　spirit　and　a　gentleman；　and　you　will　have　a　right　to　my　esteem。　I　shall　send　Gentil　on　horseback　to　the　Escarbas；　my　father　must　be　your　second；　old　as　he　is；　I　know　that　he　is　the　man　to　trample　this　puppet　under　foot　that　has　smirched　the　reputation　of　a　Negrepelisse。　You　have　the　choice　of　weapons；　choose　pistols；　you　are　an　admirable　shot。〃
  〃I　am　going；〃　said　M。　de　Bargeton；　and　he　took　his　hat　and　his　walking　cane。
  〃Good；　that　is　how　I　like　a　man　to　behave；　dear；　you　are　a　gentleman；〃　said　his　wife。　She　felt　touched　by　his　conduct；　and　made　the　old　man　very　happy　and　proud　by　putting　up　her　forehead　for　a　kiss。　She　felt　something　like　a　maternal　affection　for　the　great　child；　and　when　the　carriage　gateway　had　shut　with　a　clang　behind　him；　the　tears　came　into　her　eyes　in　spite　of　herself。
  〃How　he　loves　me！〃　she　thought。　〃He　clings　to　life；　poor；　dear　man；　and　yet　he　would　give　his　life　for　me。〃
  It　did　not　trouble　M。　de　Bargeton　that　he　must　stand　up　and　face　his　man　on　the　morrow；　and　look　coolly　into　the　muzzle　of　a　pistol　pointed　straight　at　him；　no；　only　one　thing　in　the　business　made　him　feel　uncomfortable；　and　on　the　way　to　M。　de　Chandour's　house　he　quaked　inwardly。
  〃What　shall　I　say？〃　he　thought　within　himself；　〃Nais　really　ought　to　have　told　me　what　to　say；〃　and　the　good　gentleman　racked　his　brains　to　compose　a　speech　that　should　not　be　ridiculous。
  But　people　of　M。　de　Bargeton's　stamp；　who　live　perforce　in　silence　because　their　capacity　is　limited　and　their　outlook　circumscribed；　often　behave　at　great　crises　with　a　ready…made　solemnity。　If　they　say　little；　it　naturally　follows　that　they　say　little　that　is　foolish；　their　extreme　lack　of　confidence　leads　them　to　think　a　good　deal　over　the　remarks　that　they　are　obliged　to　make；　and；　like　Balaam's　ass；　the