exceedingly respectable boarding…house in every way； I grant you； but an establishment that； none the less； falls short of being fashionable？ The house is comfortable； it is lordly in its abundance； it is proud to be the temporary abode of a Rastignac； but； after all； it is in the Rue Neuve…Sainte…Genevieve； and luxury would be out of place here； where we only aim at the purely patriarchalorama。 If you mean to cut a figure in Paris； my young friend；〃 Vautrin continued； with half…paternal jocularity； 〃you must have three horses； a tilbury for the mornings； and a closed carriage for the evening； you should spend altogether about nine thousand francs on your stables。 You would show yourself unworthy of your destiny if you spent no more than three thousand francs with your tailor； six hundred in perfumery； a hundred crowns to your shoemaker； and a hundred more to your hatter。 As for your laundress； there goes another thousand francs； a young man of fashion must of necessity make a great point of his linen； if your linen comes up to the required standard； people often do not look any further。 Love and the Church demand a fair altar…cloth。 That is fourteen thousand francs。 I am saying nothing of losses at play； bets； and presents； it is impossible to allow less than two thousand francs for pocket money。 I have led that sort of life； and I know all about these expenses。 Add the cost of necessaries next； three hundred louis for provender； a thousand francs for a place to roost in。 Well； my boy； for all these little wants of ours we had need to have twenty…five thousand francs every year in our purse； or we shall find ourselves in the kennel； and people laughing at us； and our career is cut short； good…bye to success； and good… bye to your mistress！ I am forgetting your valet and your groom！ Is Christophe going to carry your billets…doux for you？ Do you mean to employ the stationery you use at present？ Suicidal policy！ Hearken to the wisdom of your elders！〃 he went on； his bass voice growing louder at each syllable。 〃Either take up your quarters in a garret； live virtuously； and wed your work； or set about the thing in a different way。〃
Vautrin winked and leered in the direction of Mlle。 Taillefer to enforce his remarks by a look which recalled the late tempting proposals by which he had sought to corrupt the student's mind。
Several days went by； and Rastignac lived in a whirl of gaiety。 He dined almost every day with Mme。 de Nucingen； and went wherever she went； only returning to the Rue Neuve…Sainte… Genevieve in the small hours。 He rose at mid…day； and dressed to go into the Bois with Delphine if the day was fine； squandering in this way time that was worth far more than he knew。 He turned as eagerly to learn the lessons of luxury； and was as quick to feel its fascination； as the flowers of the date palm to receive the fertilizing pollen。 He played high； lost and won large sums of money； and at last became accustomed to the extravagant life that young men lead in Paris。 He sent fifteen hundred francs out of his first winnings to his mother and sisters； sending handsome presents as well as the money。 He had given out that he meant to leave the Maison Vauquer； but January came and went； and he was still there； still unprepared to go。
One rule holds good of most young menwhether rich or poor。 They never have money for the necessaries of life； but they have always money to spare for their capricesan anomaly which finds its explanation in their youth and in the almost frantic eagerness with which youth grasps at pleasure。 They are reckless with anything obtained on credit； while everything for which they must pay in ready money is made to last as long as possible； if they cannot have all that they want； they make up for it； it would seem； by squandering what they have。 To state the matter simplya student is far more careful of his hat than of his coat； because the latter being a comparatively costly article of dress； it is in the nature of things that a tailor should be a creditor； but it is otherwise with the hatter； the sums of money spent with him are so modest； that he is the most independent and unmanageable of his tribe； and it is almost impossible to bring him to terms。 The young man in the balcony of a theatre who displays a gorgeous waistcoat for the benefit of the fair owners of opera glasses； has very probably no socks in his wardrobe； for the hosier is another of the genus of weevils that nibble at the purse。 This was Rastignac's condition。 His purse was always empty for Mme。 Vauquer； always full at the demand of vanity； there was a periodical ebb and flow in his fortunes； which was seldom favorable to the payment of just debts。 If he was to leave that unsavory and mean abode； where from time to time his pretensions met with humiliation； the first step was to pay his hostess for a month's board and lodging； and the second to purchase furniture worthy of the new lodgings he must take in his quality of dandy； a course that remained impossible。 Rastignac； out of his winnings at cards； would pay his jeweler exorbitant prices for gold watches and chains； and then； to meet the exigencies of play； would carry them to the pawnbroker； that discreet and forbidding… looking friend of youth； but when it was a question of paying for board or lodging； or for the necessary implements for the cultivation of his Elysian fields； his imagination and pluck alike deserted him。 There was no inspiration to be found in vulgar necessity； in debts contracted for past requirements。 Like most of those who trust to their luck； he put off till the last moment the payment of debts that among the bourgeoisie are regarded as sacred engagements； acting on the plan of Mirabeau； who never settled his baker's bill until it underwent a formidable transformation into a bill of exchange。
It was about this time when Rastignac was down on his luck and fell into debt； that it became clear to the law student's mind that he must have some more certain source of income if he meant to live as he had been doing。 But while he groaned over the thorny problems of his precarious situation； he felt that he could not bring himself to renounce the pleasures of this extravagant life； and decided that he must continue it at all costs。 His dreams of obtaining a fortune appeared more and more chimerical； and the real obstacles grew more formidable。 His initiation into the secrets of the Nucingen household had revealed to him that if he were to attempt to use this love affair as a means of mending his fortunes； he must swallow down all sense of decency； and renounce all the generous ideas which redeem the sins of youth。 He had chosen this life of apparent splendor； but secretly gnawed by the canker worm of remorse； a life of fleeting pleasure dearly paid for by persistent pain； like Le Distrait of La Bruyere； he had descended so far as to make his bed in a ditch； but （also like Le Distrait） he himself was uncontaminated as yet by the mire that stained his garments。
〃So we have killed our mandarin； have we？〃 said Bianchon one day as they left the dinner table。
〃Not yet；〃 he answered； 〃but he is at his last gasp。〃
The medical student took this for a joke； but it was not a jest。 Eugene had dined in the house that night for the first time for a long while； and had looked thoughtful during the meal。 He had taken his place beside Mlle。 Taillefer； and stayed through the dessert； giving his neighbor an expressive glance from time to time。 A few of the boarders discussed the walnuts at the table； and others walked about the room； still taking part in the conversation which had begun among them。 People usually went when they chose； the amount of time that they lingered being determined by the amount of interest that the conversation possessed for them； or by the difficulty of the process of digestion。 In winter…time the room was seldom empty before eight o'clock； when the four women had it all to themselves； and made up for the silence previously imposed upon them by the preponderating masculine element。 This evening Vautrin had noticed Eugene's abstractedness； and stayed in the room； though he had seemed to be in a hurry to finish his dinner and go。 All through the talk afterwards he had kept out of the sight of the law student； who quite believed that Vautrin had left the room。 He now took up his position cunningly in the sitting…room instead of going when the last boarders went。 He had fathomed the young man's thoughts； and felt that a crisis was at hand。 Rastignac was； in fact； in a dilemma； which many another young man must have known。
Mme。 de Nucingen might love him； or might merely be playing with him； but in either case Rastignac had been made to experience all the alternations of hope and despair of genuine passion； and all the diplomatic arts of a Parisienne had been employed on him。 After compromising herself by continually appearing in public with Mme。 de Beauseant's cousin she still hesitated； and would not give him the lover's privileges which he appeared to enjoy。 For a whole month she had so wrought on his senses； that at last she had made an impression on his heart。 If in the earliest days the student had fancied himself to be master； Mme。 de Nucingen had since become the stronger of the two； for she had skilfully roused and played upon every instinct； good or bad； in the two or three men comprised in a young student in Paris。 This was not the result of deep design on her part； nor was she playing a part； for women are in a manner true to themselves even through their grossest deceit； because their actions are prompted by a natural impulse。 It may have been that Delphine； who had allowed this young man to gain such an ascendency over her； conscious that she had been too demonstrative； was obeying a sentiment of dignity； and either repented of her concessions； or it pleased her to suspend them。 It is so natural to a Parisienne； even when passion has almost mastered her； to hesitate and pause before taking the plunge； to probe the heart of him to whom she intrusts her future。 And once already Mme。 de Nucingen's hopes had been betrayed； and her loyalty to a selfish young lover had been despised。 She had good reason to be suspicious。 Or it may have been that something in Eu