le like this that now met his eyes。 In the time of the Empire； balls had always ended with a supper； because the officers who took part in them must be fortified for immediate service； and even in Paris might be called upon to leave the ballroom for the battlefield。 This arrangement had gone out of fashion under the Monarchy； and Eugene had so far only been asked to dances。 The self…possession which pre…eminently distinguished him in later life already stood him in good stead； and he did not betray his amazement。 Yet as he saw for the first time the finely wrought silver plate； the completeness of every detail； the sumptuous dinner； noiselessly served； it was difficult for such an ardent imagination not to prefer this life of studied and refined luxury to the hardships of the life which he had chosen only that morning。
His thoughts went back for a moment to the lodging…house； and with a feeling of profound loathing； he vowed to himself that at New Year he would go； prompted at least as much by a desire to live among cleaner surroundings as by a wish to shake off Vautrin； whose huge hand he seemed to feel on his shoulder at that moment。 When you consider the numberless forms； clamorous or mute； that corruption takes in Paris； common…sense begins to wonder what mental aberration prompted the State to establish great colleges and schools there； and assemble young men in the capital； how it is that pretty women are respected； or that the gold coin displayed in the money…changer's wooden saucers does not take to itself wings in the twinkling of an eye； and when you come to think further； how comparatively few cases of crime there are； and to count up the misdemeanors committed by youth； is there not a certain amount of respect due to these patient Tantaluses who wrestle with themselves and nearly always come off victorious？ The struggles of the poor student in Paris； if skilfully drawn； would furnish a most dramatic picture of modern civilization。
In vain Mme。 de Beauseant looked at Eugene as if asking him to speak； the student was tongue…tied in the Vicomte's presence。
〃Are you going to take me to the Italiens this evening？〃 the Vicomtesse asked her husband。
〃You cannot doubt that I should obey you with pleasure；〃 he answered； and there was a sarcastic tinge in his politeness which Eugene did not detect； 〃but I ought to go to meet some one at the Varietes。〃
〃His mistress；〃 said she to herself。
〃Then； is not Ajuda coming for you this evening？〃 inquired the Vicomte。
〃No；〃 she answered； petulantly。
〃Very well； then； if you really must have an arm； take that of M。 de Rastignac。〃
The Vicomtess turned to Eugene with a smile。
〃That would be a very compromising step for you；〃 she said。
〃 'A Frenchman loves danger； because in danger there is glory；' to quote M。 de Chateaubriand；〃 said Rastignac； with a bow。
A few moments later he was sitting beside Mme。 de Beauseant in a brougham； that whirled them through the streets of Paris to a fashionable theatre。 It seemed to him that some fairy magic had suddenly transported him into a box facing the stage。 All the lorgnettes of the house were pointed at him as he entered； and at the Vicomtesse in her charming toilette。 He went from enchantment to enchantment。
〃You must talk to me； you know；〃 said Mme。 de Beauseant。 〃Ah！ look！ There is Mme。 de Nucingen in the third box from ours。 Her sister and M。 de Trailles are on the other side。〃
The Vicomtesse glanced as she spoke at the box where Mlle。 de Rochefide should have been； M。 d'Ajuda was not there； and Mme。 de Beauseant's face lighted up in a marvelous way。
〃She is charming；〃 said Eugene； after looking at Mme。 de Nucingen。
〃She has white eyelashes。〃
〃Yes； but she has such a pretty slender figure！〃
〃Her hands are large。〃
〃Such beautiful eyes！〃
〃Her face is long。〃
〃Yes； but length gives distinction。〃
〃It is lucky for her that she has some distinction in her face。 Just see how she fidgets with her opera…glass！ The Goriot blood shows itself in every movement；〃 said the Vicomtesse； much to Eugene's astonishment。
Indeed； Mme。 de Beauseant seemed to be engaged in making a survey of the house； and to be unconscious of Mme。 Nucingen's existence； but no movement made by the latter was lost upon the Vicomtesse。 The house was full of the loveliest women in Paris； so that Delphine de Nucingen was not a little flattered to receive the undivided attention of Mme。 de Beauseant's young； handsome； and well…dressed cousin； who seemed to have no eyes for any one else。
〃If you look at her so persistently； you will make people talk； M。 de Rastignac。 You will never succeed if you fling yourself at any one's head like that。〃
〃My dear cousin；〃 said Eugene； 〃you have protected me indeed so far； and now if you would complete your work； I only ask of you a favor which will cost you but little； and be of very great service to me。 I have lost my heart。〃
〃Already！〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And to that woman！〃
〃How could I aspire to find any one else to listen to me？〃 he asked； with a keen glance at his cousin。 〃Her Grace the Duchesse de Carigliano is a friend of the Duchesse de Berri；〃 he went on； after a pause； 〃you are sure to see her； will you be so kind as to present me to her； and to take me to her ball on Monday？ I shall meet Mme。 de Nucingen there； and enter into my first skirmish。〃
〃Willingly；〃 she said。 〃If you have a liking for her already； your affairs of the heart are like to prosper。 That is de Marsay over there in the Princesse Galathionne's box。 Mme。 de Nucingen is racked with jealousy。 There is no better time for approaching a woman； especially if she happens to be a banker's wife。 All those ladies of the Chaussee…d'Antin love revenge。〃
〃Then； what would you do yourself in such a case？〃
〃I should suffer in silence。〃
At this point the Marquis d'Ajuda appeared in Mme。 de Beauseant's box。
〃I have made a muddle of my affairs to come to you；〃 he said； 〃and I am telling you about it； so that it may not be a sacrifice。〃
Eugene saw the glow of joy on the Vicomtesse's face； and knew that this was love； and learned the difference between love and the affectations of Parisian coquetry。 He admired his cousin； grew mute； and yielded his place to M。 d'Ajuda with a sigh。
〃How noble； how sublime a woman is when she loves like that！〃 he said to himself。 〃And HE could forsake her for a doll！ Oh！ how could any one forsake her？〃
There was a boy's passionate indignation in his heart。 He could have flung himself at Mme。 de Beauseant's feet； he longed for the power of the devil if he could snatch her away and hide her in his heart； as an eagle snatches up some white yeanling from the plains and bears it to its eyrie。 It was humiliating to him to think that in all this gallery of fair pictures he had not one picture of his own。 〃To have a mistress and an almost royal position is a sign of power；〃 he said to himself。 And he looked at Mme。 de Nucingen as a man measures another who has insulted him。
The Vicomtesse turned to him； and the expression of her eyes thanked him a thousand times for his discretion。 The first act came to an end just then。
〃Do you know Mme。 de Nucingen well enough to present M。 de Rastignac to her？〃 she asked of the Marquis d'Ajuda。
〃She will be delighted；〃 said the Marquis。 The handsome Portuguese rose as he spoke and took the student's arm； and in another moment Eugene found himself in Mme。 de Nucingen's box。
〃Madame；〃 said the Marquis； 〃I have the honor of presenting to you the Chevalier Eugene de Rastignac； he is a cousin of Mme。 de Beauseant's。 You have made so deep an impression upon him； that I thought I would fill up the measure of his happiness by bringing him nearer to his divinity。〃
Words spoken half jestingly to cover their somewhat disrespectful import； but such an implication； if carefully disguised； never gives offence to a woman。 Mme。 de Nucingen smiled； and offered Eugene the place which her husband had just left。
〃I do not venture to suggest that you should stay with me； monsieur；〃 she said。 〃Those who are so fortunate as to be in Mme。 de Beauseant's company do not desire to leave it。〃
〃Madame；〃 Eugene said； lowering his voice； 〃I think that to please my cousin I should remain with you。 Before my lord Marquis came we were speaking of you and of your exceedingly distinguished appearance；〃 he added aloud。
M。 d'Ajuda turned and left them。
〃Are you really going to stay with me； monsieur？〃 asked the Baroness。 〃Then we shall make each other's acquaintance。 Mme。 de Restaud told me about you； and has made me anxious to meet you。〃
〃She must be very insincere； then； for she has shut her door on me。〃
〃What？〃
〃Madame； I will tell you honestly the reason why； but I must crave your indulgence before confiding such a secret to you。 I am your father's neighbor； I had no idea that Mme。 de Restaud was his daughter。 I was rash enough to mention his name； I meant no harm； but I annoyed your sister and her husband very much。 You cannot think how severely the Duchesse de Langeais and my cousin blamed this apostasy on a daughter's part； as a piece of bad taste。 I told them all about it； and they both burst out laughing。 Then Mme。 de Beauseant made some comparison between you and your sister； speaking in high terms of you； and saying how very fond you were of my neighbor； M。 Goriot。 And； indeed； how could you help loving him？ He adores you so passionately that I am jealous already。 We talked about you this morning for two hours。 So this evening I was quite full of all that your father had told me； and while I was dining with my cousin I said that you could not be as beautiful as affectionate。 Mme。 de Beauseant meant to gratify such warm admiration； I think； when she brought me here； telling me； in her gracious way； that I should see you。〃
〃Then； even now； I owe you a debt of gratitude； monsieur；〃 said the banker's wife。 〃We shall be quite old friends in a little while。〃
〃Although a friendship with you could not be like an ordinary friendship；〃 said Rastignac； 〃I should never wish to be your friend。〃
Such stereotyped phrases as these； in the mouths of beginners； possess an unfailing charm for women； and are insipid only when read coldly； for a young man's