you who ever loved a womana woman beneath himenough to squander
his fortune and his children's； to sacrifice his future and blight his
past； to risk going to the hulks for robbing the Government； to kill
an uncle and a brother； to let his eye be so effectually blinded that
he did not even perceive that it was done to hinder his seeing the
abyss into which； as a crowning jest； he was being driven？ Du Tillet
has a cash…box under his left breast； Leon de Lora has his wit； Bixiou
would laugh at himself for a fool if he loved any one but himself；
Massol has a minister's portfolio in the place of a heart； Lousteau
can have nothing but viscera； since he could endure to be thrown over
by Madame de Baudraye； Monsieur le Duc is too rich to prove his love
by his ruin； Vauvinet is not in itI do not regard a bill…broker as
one of the human race； and you have never loved； nor I； nor Jenny
Cadine； nor Malaga。 For my part； I never but once even saw the
phenomenon I have described。 It was；〃 and she turned to Jenny Cadine；
〃that poor Baron Hulot； whom I am going to advertise for like a lost
dog； for I want to find him。〃
〃Oh； ho！〃 said Carabine to herself； and looking keenly at Josepha；
〃then Madame Nourrisson has two pictures by Raphael； since Josepha is
playing my hand！〃
〃Poor fellow；〃 said Vauvinet； 〃he was a great man！ Magnificent！ And
what a figure； what a style； the air of Francis I。！ What a volcano！
and how full of ingenious ways of getting money！ He must be looking
for it now； wherever he is； and I make no doubt he extracts it even
from the walls built of bones that you may see in the suburbs of Paris
near the city gates〃
〃And all that；〃 said Bixiou； 〃for that little Madame Marneffe！ There
is a precious hussy for you！〃
〃She is just going to marry my friend Crevel；〃 said du Tillet。
〃And she is madly in love with my friend Steinbock；〃 Leon de Lora put
in。
These three phrases were like so many pistol…shots fired point…blank
at Montes。 He turned white； and the shock was so painful that he rose
with difficulty。
〃You are a set of blackguards！〃 cried he。 〃You have no right to speak
the name of an honest woman in the same breath with those fallen
creaturesabove all； not to make it a mark for your slander！〃
He was interrupted by unanimous bravos and applause。 Bixiou； Leon de
Lora； Vauvinet； du Tillet； and Massol set the example； and there was a
chorus。
〃Hurrah for the Emperor！〃 said Bixiou。
〃Crown him！ crown him！〃 cried Vauvinet。
〃Three groans for such a good dog！ Hurrah for Brazil！〃 cried Lousteau。
〃So； my copper…colored Baron； it is our Valerie that you love； and you
are not disgusted？〃 said Leon de Lora。
〃His remark is not parliamentary； but it is grand！〃 observed Massol。
〃But； my most delightful customer；〃 said du Tillet； 〃you were
recommended to me； I am your banker； your innocence reflects on my
credit。〃
〃Yes； tell me； you are a reasonable creature〃 said the Brazilian
to the banker。
〃Thanks on behalf of the company；〃 said Bixiou with a bow。
〃Tell me the real facts；〃 Montes went on； heedless of Bixiou's
interjection。
〃Well； then；〃 replied du Tillet； 〃I have the honor to tell you that I
am asked to the Crevel wedding。〃
〃Ah； ha！ Combabus holds a brief for Madame Marneffe！〃 said Josepha；
rising solemnly。
She went round to Montes with a tragic look； patted him kindly on the
head； looked at him for a moment with comical admiration； and nodded
sagely。
〃Hulot was the first instance of love through fire and water；〃 said
she； 〃this is the second。 But it ought not to count； as it comes from
the Tropics。〃
Montes had dropped into his chair again； when Josepha gently touched
his forehead； and looked at du Tillet as he said：
〃If I am the victim of a Paris jest； if you only wanted to get at my
secret〃 and he sent a flashing look round the table； embracing all
the guests in a flaming glance that blazed with the sun of Brazil；〃I
beg of you as a favor to tell me so；〃 he went on； in a tone of almost
childlike entreaty； 〃but do not vilify the woman I love。〃
〃Nay； indeed；〃 said Carabine in a low voice； 〃but if； on the contrary；
you are shamefully betrayed； cheated； tricked by Valerie； if I should
give you the proof in an hour； in my own house； what then？〃
〃I cannot tell you before all these Iagos；〃 said the Brazilian。
Carabine understood him to say /magots/ （baboons）。
〃Well； well； say no more！〃 she replied； smiling。 〃Do not make yourself
a laughing…stock for all the wittiest men in Paris； come to my house；
we will talk it over。〃
Montes was crushed。 〃Proofs；〃 he stammered； 〃consider〃
〃Only too many；〃 replied Carabine； 〃and if the mere suspicion hits you
so hard； I fear for your reason。〃
〃Is this creature obstinate； I ask you？ He is worse than the late
lamented King of Holland！I say； Lousteau； Bixiou； Massol； all the
crew of you； are you not invited to breakfast with Madame Marneffe the
day after to…morrow？〃 said Leon de Lora。
〃/Ya/；〃 said du Tillet； 〃I have the honor of assuring you； Baron； that
if you had by any chance thought of marrying Madame Marneffe； you are
thrown out like a bill in Parliament； beaten by a blackball called
Crevel。 My friend； my old comrade Crevel； has eighty thousand francs a
year； and you； I suppose； did not show such a good hand； for if you
had； you； I imagine； would have been preferred。〃
Montes listened with a half…absent； half…smiling expression； which
struck them all with terror。
At this moment the head…waiter came to whisper to Carabine that a
lady； a relation of hers； was in the drawing…room and wished to speak
to her。
Carabine rose and went out to find Madame Nourrisson； decently veiled
with black lace。
〃Well； child； am I to go to your house？ Has he taken the hook？〃
〃Yes； mother； and the pistol is so fully loaded； that my only fear is
that it will burst；〃 said Carabine。
About an hour later； Montes； Cydalise； and Carabine； returning from
the /Rocher de Cancale/； entered Carabine's little sitting…room in the
Rue Saint…Georges。 Madame Nourrisson was sitting in an armchair by the
fire。
〃Here is my worthy old aunt；〃 said Carabine。
〃Yes； child； I came in person to fetch my little allowance。 You would
have forgotten me； though you are kind…hearted； and I have some bills
to pay to…morrow。 Buying and selling clothes； I am always short of
cash。 Who is this at your heels？ The gentleman looks very much put out
about something。〃
The dreadful Madame Nourrisson； at this moment so completely disguised
as to look like a respectable old body； rose to embrace Carabine； one
of the hundred and odd courtesans she had launched on their horrible
career of vice。
〃He is an Othello who is not to be taken in； whom I have the honor of
introducing to youMonsieur le Baron Montes de Montejanos。〃
〃Oh！ I have heard him talked about； and know his name。You are
nicknamed Combabus； because you love but one woman； and in Paris； that
is the same as loving no one at all。 And is it by chance the object of
your affections who is fretting you？ Madame Marneffe； Crevel's woman？
I tell you what； my dear sir； you may bless your stars instead of
cursing them。 She is a good…for…nothing baggage； is that little woman。
I know her tricks！〃
〃Get along；〃 said Carabine； into whose hand Madame Nourrisson had
slipped a note while embracing her； 〃you do not know your Brazilians。
They are wrong…headed creatures that insist on being impaled through
the heart。 The more jealous they are； the more jealous they want to
be。 Monsieur talks of dealing death all round； but he will kill nobody
because he is in love。However； I have brought him here to give him
the proofs of his discomfiture； which I have got from that little
Steinbock。〃
Montes was drunk； he listened as if the women were talking about
somebody else。
Carabine went to take off her velvet wrap； and read a facsimile of a
note； as follows：
〃DEAR PUSS。He dines with Popinot this evening； and will come to
fetch me from the Opera at eleven。 I shall go out at about half…
past five and count on finding you at our paradise。 Order dinner
to be sent in from the /Maison d'or/。 Dress； so as to be able to
take me to the Opera。 We shall have four hours to ourselves。
Return this note to me； not that your Valerie doubts youI would
give you my life； my fortune； and my honor； but I am afraid of the
tricks of chance。〃
〃Here； Baron； this is the note sent to Count Steinbock this morning；
read the address。 The original document is burnt。〃
Montes turned the note over and over； recognized the writing； and was
struck by a rational idea； which is sufficient evidence of the
disorder of his brain。
〃And； pray；〃 said he； looking at Carabine； 〃what object have you in
torturing my heart； for you must have paid very dear for the privilege
of having the note in your possession long enough to get it
lithographed？〃
〃Foolish man！〃 said Carabine； at a nod from Madame Nourrisson； 〃don't
you see that poor child Cydalisea girl of sixteen； who has been
pining for you these three months； till she has lost her appetite for
food or drink； and who is heart…broken because you have never even
glanced at her？〃
Cydalise put her handkerchief to her eyes with an appearance of
emotion〃She is furious；〃 Carabine went on； 〃though she looks as if
butter would not melt in her mouth； furious to see the man she adores
duped by a villainous hussy； she would kill Valerie〃
〃Oh； as for that；〃 said the Brazilian； 〃that is my business！〃
〃What； killing？〃 said old Nourrisson。 〃No； my son； we don't do that
here nowadays。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Montes； 〃I am not a native of this country。 I live in a
parish where I can laugh at your laws； and if you give me proof〃
〃Well； that note。 Is that nothing？〃
〃No；〃 said the Brazilian。 〃I do not believe in the writing。 I must see
for myself。〃
〃See！〃 cried Carabine； taking the hint at once from a gesture of her
supposed aunt。 〃You shall see； my dear Tiger； all you wish to seeon
one condition。〃
〃And that is？〃
〃Look at Cydalise。〃
At a wink from Madame Nourrisson； Cydalise cast a tender look at the
Baron。
〃Will you be good to her？ Will you make her a home？〃 asked Carabine。
〃A girl of such b