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Never　courtesan　took　such　pains　with　herself　as　this　honest　woman

bestowed　upon　her　person。　No　dressmaker　was　ever　so　tormented　as　hers。

Madame　Rabourdin　forgot　nothing。　She　went　herself　to　the　stable　where

she　hired　carriages；　and　chose　a　coupe　that　was　neither　old；　nor

bourgeois；　nor　showy。　Her　footman；　like　the　footmen　of　great　houses；

had　the　dress　and　appearance　of　a　master。　About　ten　on　the　evening　of

the　eventful　Tuesday；　she　left　home　in　a　charming　full　mourning

attire。　Her　hair　was　dressed　with　jet　grapes　of　exquisite　workmanship；

an　ornament　costing　three　thousand　francs；　made　by　Fossin　for　an

Englishwoman　who　had　left　Paris　before　it　was　finished。　The　leaves

were　of　stamped　iron…work；　as　light　as　the　vine…leaves　themselves；　and

the　artist　had　not　forgotten　the　graceful　tendrils；　which　twined　in

the　wearer's　curls　just　as；　in　nature；　they　catch　upon　the　branches。

The　bracelets；　necklace；　and　earrings　were　all　what　is　called　Berlin

iron…work；　but　these　delicate　arabesques　were　made　in　Vienna；　and

seemed　to　have　been　fashioned　by　the　fairies　who；　the　stories　tell　us；

are　condemned　by　a　jealous　Carabosse　to　collect　the　eyes　of　ants；　or

weave　a　fabric　so　diaphanous　that　a　nutshell　can　contain　it。　Madame

Rabourdin's　graceful　figure；　made　more　slender　still　by　the　black

draperies；　was　shown　to　advantage　by　a　carefully　cut　dress；　the　two

sides　of　which　met　at　the　shoulders　in　a　single　strap　without　sleeves。

At　every　motion　she　seemed；　like　a　butterfly；　to　be　about　to　leave　her

covering；　but　the　gown　held　firmly　on　by　some　contrivance　of　the

wonderful　dressmaker。　The　robe　was　of　mousseline　de　lainea　material

which　the　manufacturers　had　not　yet　sent　to　the　Paris　markets；　a

delightful　stuff　which　some　months　later　was　to　have　a　wild　success；　a

success　which　went　further　and　lasted　longer　than　most　French

fashions。　The　actual　economy　of　mousseline　de　laine；　which　needs　no

washing；　has　since　injured　the　sale　of　cotton　fabrics　enough　to

revolutionize　the　Rouen　manufactories。　Celestine's　little　feet；

covered　with　fine　silk　stockings　and　turk…satin　shoes　（for　silk…satin

is　inadmissible　in　deep　mourning）　were　of　elegant　proportions。　Thus

dressed；　she　was　very　handsome。　Her　complexion；　beautified　by　a　bran…

bath；　was　softly　radiant。　Her　eyes；　suffused　with　the　light　of　hope；

and　sparkling　with　intelligence；　justified　her　claims　to　the

superiority　which　des　Lupeaulx；　proud　and　happy　on　this　occasion；

asserted　for　her。



She　entered　the　room　well　（women　will　understand　the　meaning　of　that

expression）；　bowed　gracefully　to　the　minister's　wife；　with　a　happy

mixture　of　deference　and　of　self…respect；　and　gave　no　offence　by　a

certain　reliance　on　her　own　dignity；　for　every　beautiful　woman　has　the

right　to　seem　a　queen。　With　the　minister　himself　she　took　the　pretty

air　of　sauciness　which　women　may　properly　allow　themselves　with　men；

even　when　they　are　grand　dukes。　She　reconnoitred　the　field；　as　it

were；　while　taking　her　seat；　and　saw　that　she　was　in　the　midst　of　one

of　those　select　parties　of　few　persons；　where　the　women　eye　and

appraise　each　other；　and　every　word　said　echoes　in　all　ears；　where

every　glance　is　a　stab；　and　conversation　a　duel　with　witnesses；　where

all　that　is　commonplace　seems　commoner　still；　and　where　every　form　of

merit　or　distinction　is　silently　accepted　as　though　it　were　the

natural　level　of　all　present。　Rabourdin　betook　himself　to　the

adjoining　salon　in　which　a　few　persons　were　playing　cards；　and　there

he　planted　himself　on　exhibition；　as　it　were；　which　proved　that　he　was

not　without　social　intelligence。



〃My　dear；〃　said　the　Marquise　d'Espard　to　the　Comtesse　Feraud；　Louis

XVIII。's　last　mistress；　〃Paris　is　certainly　unique。　It　produces

whence　and　how；　who　knows？women　like　this　person；　who　seems　ready　to

will　and　to　do　anything。〃



〃She　really　does　will；　and　does　do　everything；〃　put　in　des　Lupeaulx；

puffed　up　with　satisfaction。



At　this　moment　the　wily　Madame　Rabourdin　was　courting　the　minister's

wife。　Carefully　coached　the　evening　before　by　des　Lupeaulx；　who　knew

all　the　countess's　weak　spots；　she　was　flattering　her　without　seeming

to　do　so。　Every　now　and　then　she　kept　silence；　for　des　Lupeaulx；　in

love　as　he　was；　knew　her　defects；　and　said　to　her　the　night　before；

〃Be　careful　not　to　talk　too　much；〃words　which　were　really　an　immense

proof　of　attachment。　Bertrand　Barrere　left　behind　him　this　sublime

axiom：　〃Never　interrupt　a　woman　when　dancing　to　give　her　advice；〃　to

which　we　may　add　（to　make　this　chapter　of　the　female　code　complete）；

〃Never　blame　a　woman　for　scattering　her　pearls。〃



The　conversation　became　general。　From　time　to　time　Madame　Rabourdin

joined　in；　just　as　a　well…trained　cat　puts　a　velvet　paw　on　her

mistress's　laces　with　the　claws　carefully　drawn　in。　The　minister；　in

matters　of　the　heart；　had　few　emotions。　There　was　not　another

statesman　under　the　Restoration　who　had　so　completely　done　with

gallantry　as　he；　even　the　opposition　papers；　the　〃Miroir；〃　〃Pandora；〃

and　〃Figaro；〃　could　not　find　a　single　throbbing　artery　with　which　to

reproach　him。　Madame　Rabourdin　knew　this；　but　she　knew　also　that

ghosts　return　to　old　castles；　and　she　had　taken　it　into　her　head　to

make　the　minister　jealous　of　the　happiness　which　des　Lupeaulx　was

appearing　to　enjoy。　The　latter's　throat　literally　gurgled　with　the

name　of　his　divinity。　To　launch　his　supposed　mistress　successfully；　he

was　endeavoring　to　persuade　the　Marquise　d'Espard；　Madame　de　Nucingen；

and　the　countess；　in　an　eight…ear　conversation；　that　they　had　better

admit　Madame　Rabourdin　to　their　coalition；　and　Madame　de　Camps　was

supporting　him。　At　the　end　of　the　hour　the　minister's　vanity　was

greatly　tickled；　Madame　Rabourdin's　cleverness　pleased　him；　and　she

had　won　his　wife；　who；　delighted　with　the　siren；　invited　her　to　come

to　all　her　receptions　whenever　she　pleased。



〃For　your　husband；　my　dear；〃　she　said；　〃will　soon　be　director；　the

minister　intends　to　unite　the　two　divisions　and　place　them　under　one

director；　you　will　then　be　one　of　us；　you　know。〃



His　Excellency　carried　off　Madame　Rabourdin　on　his　arm　to　show　her　a

certain　room；　which　was　then　quite　celebrated　because　the　opposition

journals　blamed　him　for　decorating　it　extravagantly；　and　together　they

laughed　over　the　absurdities　of　journalism。



〃Madame；　you　really　must　give　the　countess　and　myself　the　pleasure　of

seeing　you　here　often。〃



And　he　went　on　with　a　round　of　ministerial　compliments。



〃But；　Monseigneur；〃　she　replied；　with　one　of　those　glances　which　women

hold　in　reserve；　〃it　seems　to　me　that　that　depends　on　you。〃



〃How　so？〃



〃You　alone　can　give　me　the　right　to　come　here。〃



〃Pray　explain。〃



〃No；　I　said　to　myself　before　I　came　that　I　would　certainly　not　have

the　bad　taste　to　seem　a　petitioner。〃



〃No；　no；　speak　freely。　Places　asked　in　this　way　are　never　out　of

place；〃　said　the　minister；　laughing；　for　there　is　no　jest　too　silly　to

amuse　a　solemn　man。



〃Well；　then；　I　must　tell　you　plainly　that　the　wife　of　the　head　of　a

bureau　is　out　of　place　here；　a　director's　wife　is　not。〃



〃That　point　need　not　be　considered；〃　said　the　minister。　〃your　husband

is　indispensable　to　the　administration；　he　is　already　appointed。〃



〃Is　that　a　veritable　fact？〃



〃Would　you　like　to　see　the　papers　in　my　study？　They　are　already　drawn

up。〃



〃Then；〃　she　said；　pausing　in　a　corner　where　she　was　alone　with　the

minister；　whose　eager　attentions　were　now　very　marked；　〃let　me　tell

you　that　I　can　make　you　a　return。〃



She　was　on　the　point　of　revealing　her　husband's　plan；　when　des

Lupeaulx；　who　had　glided　noiselessly　up　to　them；　uttered　an　angry

sound；　which　meant　that　he　did　not　wish　to　appear　to　have　overheard

what；　in　fact；　he　had　been　listening　to。　The　minister　gave　an　ill…

tempered　look　at　the　old　beau；　who；　impatient　to　win　his　reward；　had

hurried；　beyond　all　precedent；　the　preliminary　work　of　the

appointment。　He　had　carried　the　papers　to　his　Excellency　that　evening；

and　desired　to　take　himself；　on　the　morrow；　the　news　of　the

appointment　to　her　whom　he　was　now　endeavoring　to　exhibit　as　his

mistress。　Just　then　the　minister's　valet　approached　des　Lupeaulx　in　a

mysterious　manner；　and　told　him　that　his　own　servant　wished　him　to

deliver　to　him　at　once　a　letter　of　the　utmost　importance。



The　general…secretary　went　up　to　a　lamp　and　read　a　note　thus　worded：



　　　Contrary　to　my　custom；　I　am　waiting　in　your　ante…chamber　to　see

　　　you；　you　have　not　a　moment　to　lose　if　you　wish　to　come　to　terms

　　　with



Your　obedient　servant；

Gobseck。





The　secretary　shuddered　when　he　saw　the　signature；　which　we　regret　we

cannot　give　in　fac…simile；　for　it　would　be　valuable　to　those　who　like

to　guess　character　from　what　may　be　called　the　physiognomy　of

signature。　If　ever　a　hieroglyphic　sign　expressed　an　animal；　it　was

assuredly　this　written　name；　in　which　the　first　and　the　final　letter

approached　eac