the collection of antiquities-第14部分

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ned　the　Vidame's　hospitality；　even　including　Blondet　in　the　invitation；　as　well　as　de　Marsay　and　Rastignac。　The　dinner　cost　five　hundred　francs；　and　the　noble　provincial　was　feted　on　the　same　scale。　Victurnien　played　a　good　deal；　and；　for　his　misfortune；　at　the　fashionable　game　of　whist。

He　laid　out　his　days　in　busy　idleness。　Every　day　between　twelve　and　three　o'clock　he　was　with　the　Duchess；　afterwards　he　went　to　meet　her　in　the　Bois　de　Boulogne　and　ride　beside　her　carriage。　Sometimes　the　charming　couple　rode　together；　but　this　was　early　in　fine　summer　mornings。　Society；　balls；　the　theatre；　and　gaiety　filled　the　Count's　evening　hours。　Everywhere　Victurnien　made　a　brilliant　figure；　everywhere　he　flung　the　pearls　of　his　wit　broadcast。　He　gave　his　opinion　on　men；　affairs；　and　events　in　profound　sayings；　he　would　have　put　you　in　mind　of　a　fruit…tree　putting　forth　all　its　strength　in　blossom。　He　was　leading　an　enervating　life　wasteful　of　money；　and　even　yet　more　wasteful；　it　may　be　of　a　man's　soul；　in　that　life　the　fairest　talents　are　buried　out　of　sight；　the　most　incorruptible　honesty　perishes；　the　best…tempered　springs　of　will　are　slackened。

The　Duchess；　so　white　and　fragile　and　angel…like；　felt　attracted　to　the　dissipations　of　bachelor　life；　she　enjoyed　first　nights；　she　liked　anything　amusing；　anything　improvised。　Bohemian　restaurants　lay　outside　her　experience；　so　d'Esgrignon　got　up　a　charming　little　party　at　the　Rocher　de　Cancale　for　her　benefit；　asked　all　the　amiable　scamps　whom　she　cultivated　and　sermonized；　and　there　was　a　vast　amount　of　merriment；　wit；　and　gaiety；　and　a　corresponding　bill　to　pay。　That　supper　led　to　others。　And　through　it　all　Victurnien　worshiped　her　as　an　angel。　Mme。　de　Maufrigneuse　for　him　was　still　an　angel；　untouched　by　any　taint　of　earth；　an　angel　at　the　Varietes；　where　she　sat　out　the　half…obscene；　vulgar　farces；　which　made　her　laugh；　an　angel　through　the　cross…fire　of　highly…flavored　jests　and　scandalous　anecdotes；　which　enlivened　a　stolen　frolic；　a　languishing　angel　in　the　latticed　box　at　the　Vaudeville；　an　angel　while　she　criticised　the　postures　of　opera　dancers　with　the　experience　of　an　elderly　habitue　of　le　coin　de　la　reine；　an　angel　at　the　Porte　Saint…Martin；　at　the　little　boulevard　theatres；　at　the　masked　balls；　which　she　enjoyed　like　any　schoolboy。　She　was　an　angel　who　asked　him　for　the　love　that　lives　by　self…　abnegation　and　heroism　and　self…sacrifice；　an　angel　who　would　have　her　lover　live　like　an　English　lord；　with　an　income　of　a　million　francs。　D'Esgrignon　once　exchanged　a　horse　because　the　animal's　coat　did　not　satisfy　her　notions。　At　play　she　was　an　angel；　and　certainly　no　bourgeoise　that　ever　lived　could　have　bidden　d'Esgrignon　〃Stake　for　me！〃　in　such　an　angelic　way。　She　was　so　divinely　reckless　in　her　folly；　that　a　man　might　well　have　sold　his　soul　to　the　devil　lest　this　angel　should　lose　her　taste　for　earthly　pleasures。



The　first　winter　went　by。　The　Count　had　drawn　on　M。　Cardot　for　the　trifling　sum　of　thirty　thousand　francs　over　and　above　Chesnel's　remittance。　As　Cardot　very　carefully　refrained　from　using　his　right　of　remonstrance；　Victurnien　now　learned　for　the　first　time　that　he　had　overdrawn　his　account。　He　was　the　more　offended　by　an　extremely　polite　refusal　to　make　any　further　advance；　since　it　so　happened　that　he　had　just　lost　six　thousand　francs　at　play　at　the　club；　and　he　could　not　very　well　show　himself　there　until　they　were　paid。

After　growing　indignant　with　Maitre　Cardot；　who　had　trusted　him　with　thirty　thousand　francs　（Cardot　had　written　to　Chesnel；　but　to　the　fair　Duchess'　favorite　he　made　the　most　of　his　so…called　confidence　in　him）；　after　all　this；　d'Esgrignon　was　obliged　to　ask　the　lawyer　to　tell　him　how　to　set　about　raising　the　money；　since　debts　of　honor　were　in　question。

〃Draw　bills　on　your　father's　banker；　and　take　them　to　his　correspondent；　he；　no　doubt；　will　discount　them　for　you。　Then　write　to　your　family；　and　tell　them　to　remit　the　amount　to　the　banker。〃

An　inner　voice　seemed　to　suggest　du　Croisier's　name　in　this　predicament。　He　had　seen　du　Croisier　on　his　knees　to　the　aristocracy；　and　of　the　man's　real　disposition　he　was　entirely　ignorant。　So　to　du　Croisier　he　wrote　a　very　offhand　letter；　informing　him　that　he　had　drawn　a　bill　of　exchange　on　him　for　ten　thousand　francs；　adding　that　the　amount　would　be　repaid　on　receipt　of　the　letter　either　by　M。　Chesnel　or　by　Mlle。　Armande　d'Esgrignon。　Then　he　indited　two　touching　epistlesone　to　Chesnel；　another　to　his　aunt。　In　the　matter　of　going　headlong　to　ruin；　a　young　man　often　shows　singular　ingenuity　and　ability；　and　fortune　favors　him。　In　the　morning　Victurnien　happened　on　the　name　of　the　Paris　bankers　in　correspondence　with　du　Croisier；　and　de　Marsay　furnished　him　with　the　Kellers'　address。　De　Marsay　knew　everything　in　Paris。　The　Kellers　took　the　bill　and　gave　him　the　sum　without　a　word；　after　deducting　the　discount。　The　balance　of　the　account　was　in　du　Croisier's　favor。

But　the　gaming　debt　was　as　nothing　in　comparison　with　the　state　of　things　at　home。　Invoices　showered　in　upon　Victurnien。

〃I　say！　Do　you　trouble　yourself　about　that　sort　of　thing？〃　Rastignac　said；　laughing。　〃Are　you　putting　them　in　order；　my　dear　boy？　I　did　not　think　you　were　so　business…like。〃

〃My　dear　fellow；　it　is　quite　time　I　thought　about　it；　there　are　twenty　odd　thousand　francs　there。〃

De　Marsay；　coming　in　to　look　up　d'Esgrignon　for　a　steeplechase；　produced　a　dainty　little　pocket…book；　took　out　twenty　thousand　francs；　and　handed　them　to　him。

〃It　is　the　best　way　of　keeping　the　money　safe；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　twice　enchanted　to　have　won　it　yesterday　from　my　honored　father；　Milord　Dudley。〃

Such　French　grace　completely　fascinated　d'Esgrignon；　he　took　it　for　friendship；　and　as　to　the　money；　punctually　forgot　to　pay　his　debts　with　it；　and　spent　it　on　his　pleasures。　The　fact　was　that　de　Marsay　was　looking　on　with　an　unspeakable　pleasure　while　young　d'Esgrignon　〃got　out　of　his　depth；〃　in　dandy's　idiom；　it　pleased　de　Marsay　in　all　sorts　of　fondling　ways　to　lay　an　arm　on　the　lad's　shoulder；　by　and　by　he　should　feel　its　weight；　and　disappear　the　sooner。　For　de　Marsay　was　jealous；　the　Duchess　flaunted　her　love　affair；　she　was　not　at　home　to　other　visitors　when　d'Esgrignon　was　with　her。　And　besides；　de　Marsay　was　one　of　those　savage　humorists　who　delight　in　mischief；　as　Turkish　women　in　the　bath。　So　when　he　had　carried　off　the　prize；　and　bets　were　settled　at　the　tavern　where　they　breakfasted；　and　a　bottle　or　two　of　good　wine　had　appeared；　de　Marsay　turned　to　d'Esgrignon　with　a　laugh：

〃Those　bills　that　you　are　worrying　over　are　not　yours；　I　am　sure。〃

〃Eh！　if　they　weren't；　why　should　he　worry　himself？〃　asked　Rastignac。

〃And　whose　should　they　be？〃　d'Esgrignon　inquired。

〃Then　you　do　not　know　the　Duchess'　position？〃　queried　de　Marsay；　as　he　sprang　into　the　saddle。

〃No；〃　said　d'Esgrignon；　his　curiosity　aroused。

〃Well；　dear　fellow；　it　is　like　this；〃　returned　de　Marsay〃thirty　thousand　francs　to　Victorine；　eighteen　thousand　francs　to　Houbigaut；　lesser　amounts　to　Herbault；　Nattier；　Nourtier；　and　those　Latour　people；altogether　a　hundred　thousand　francs。〃

〃An　angel！〃　cried　d'Esgrignon；　with　eyes　uplifted　to　heaven。

〃This　is　the　bill　for　her　wings；〃　Rastignac　cried　facetiously。

〃She　owes　all　that；　my　dear　boy；〃　continued　de　Marsay；　〃precisely　because　she　is　an　angel。　But　we　have　all　seen　angels　in　this　position；〃　he　added；　glancing　at　Rastignac；　〃there　is　this　about　women　that　is　sublime：　they　understand　nothing　of　money；　they　do　not　meddle　with　it；　it　is　no　affair　of　theirs；　they　are　invited　guests　at　the　'banquet　of　life；'　as　some　poet　or　other　said　that　came　to　an　end　in　the　workhouse。〃

〃How　do　you　know　this　when　I　do　not？〃　d'Esgrignon　artlessly　returned。

〃You　are　sure　to　be　the　last　to　know　it；　just　as　she　is　sure　to　be　the　last　to　hear　that　you　are　in　debt。〃

〃I　thought　she　had　a　hundred　thousand　livres　a　year；〃　said　d'Esgrignon。

〃Her　husband；〃　replied　de　Marsay；　〃lives　apart　from　her。　He　stays　with　his　regiment　and　practises　economy；　for　he　has　one　or　two　little　debts　of　his　own　as　well；　has　our　dear　Duke。　Where　do　you　come　from？　Just　learn　to　do　as　we　do　and　keep　our　friends'　accounts　for　them。　Mlle。　Diane　（I　fell　in　love　with　her　for　the　name's　sake）；　Mlle。　Diane　d'Uxelles　brought　her　husband　sixty　thousand　livres　of　income；　for　the　last　eight　years　she　has　lived　as　if　she　had　two　hundred　thousand。　It　is　perfectly　plain　that　at　this　moment　her　lands　are　mortgaged　up　to　their　full　value；　some　fine　morning　the　crash　must　come；　and　the　angel　will　be　put　to　flight　bymust　it　be　said？by　sheriff's　officers　that　have　the　effrontery　to　lay　hands　on　an　angel　just　as　they　might　take　hold　of　one　of　us。〃

〃Poor　angel！〃

〃Lord！　it　costs　a　great　deal　to　dwell　in　a　Parisian　heaven；　you　must　whiten　your　wings　and　your　complexion　every　morning；〃　said　Rastignac。

Now　as　the　thought　of　confessing　his　debts　to　his　beloved　Diane　had　passed　through　d'Esgrignon's　mind；　something　like　a　shudder　ran　through　him　when　he　remembered　that　he　still　owed　sixty　thousand　francs；　to　say　nothing　of　bills　to　come　for　another　ten　thousand。　He　went　back　melancholy　enough。　His　friends　remarked　his　ill…disguised　preoccupation；　and　spoke　of　it　among　themselves　at　dinner。

〃Young　d'Esgrignon　is　getting　out　of　his　depth。　He　is　not　up　to　Paris。　He　will　blow　his　brains　out。　A　little　fool！〃　and　so　on　and　so　on。

D'Esgrignon；　however；　promptly　took　comfort。　His　servant　brought　him　two　letters。　The　first　was　from　Chesnel。　A　letter　from　Chesnel　smacked　of　the　stale　grumbling　faithfulness　of　honesty　and　its　consecrated　formulas。　With　all　respect　he　put　it　aside　till　the　evening。　But　the　second　letter　he　read　with　unspeakable　pleasure。　In　Ciceronian　phrases；　du　Croisier　groveled　before　him；　like　a　Sganarelle　before　a　Geronte；　begging　the　young　Count　in　future　to　spare　him　the　affront　of　first　depositing　the　amount　of　the　bills　which　he　should　condescend　to　draw。　The　concluding　phrase　seemed　meant　to　convey　the　idea　that　here　was　an　open　cashbox　full　of　coin　at　the　service　of　the　noble　d'Esgrignon　family。　So　strong　was　the　impression　that　Victurnien；　like　Sganarelle　or　Mascarille　in　the　play；　like　everybody　else　who　feels　a　twinge　of　conscience　at