the collection of antiquities-第13部分

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as；　in　fact；　an　eligible　Count。　He　was　handsome；　witty；　sound　in　politics；　his　father　still　possessed　the　ancestral　castle　and　the　lands　of　the　marquisate。　Such　a　young　fellow　is　sure　of　an　admirable　reception　in　houses　where　there　are　marriageable　daughters；　fair　but　portionless　partners　at　dances；　and　young　married　women　who　find　that　time　hangs　heavy　on　their　hands。　So　the　world；　smiling；　beckoned　him　to　the　foremost　benches　in　its　booth；　the　seats　reserved　for　marquises　are　still　in　the　same　place　in　Paris；　and　if　the　names　are　changed；　the　things　are　the　same　as　ever。

In　the　most　exclusive　circle　of　society　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain；　Victurnien　found　the　Chevalier's　double　in　the　person　of　the　Vidame　de　Pamiers。　The　Vidame　was　a　Chevalier　de　Valois　raised　to　the　tenth　power；　invested　with　all　the　prestige　of　wealth；　enjoying　all　the　advantages　of　high　position。　The　dear　Vidame　was　a　repositary　for　everybody's　secrets；　and　the　gazette　of　the　Faubourg　besides；　nevertheless；　he　was　discreet；　and；　like　other　gazettes；　only　said　things　that　might　safely　be　published。　Again　Victurnien　listened　to　the　Chevalier's　esoteric　doctrines。　The　Vidame　told　young　d'Esgrignon；　without　mincing　matters；　to　make　conquests　among　women　of　quality；　supplementing　the　advice　with　anecdotes　from　his　own　experience。　The　Vicomte　de　Pamiers；　it　seemed；　had　permitted　himself　much　that　it　would　serve　no　purpose　to　relate　here；　so　remote　was　it　all　from　our　modern　manners；　in　which　soul　and　passion　play　so　large　a　part；　that　nobody　would　believe　it。　But　the　excellent　Vidame　did　more　than　this。

〃Dine　with　me　at　a　tavern　to…morrow；〃　said　he；　by　way　of　conclusion。　〃We　will　digest　our　dinner　at　the　Opera；　and　afterwards　I　will　take　you　to　a　house　where　several　people　have　the　greatest　wish　to　meet　you。〃

The　Vidame　gave　a　delightful　little　dinner　at　the　Rocher　de　Cancale；　three　guests　only　were　asked　to　meet　Victurniende　Marsay；　Rastignac；　and　Blondet。　Emile　Blondet；　the　young　Count's　fellow…townsman；　was　a　man　of　letters　on　the　outskirts　of　society　to　which　he　had　been　introduced　by　a　charming　woman　from　the　same　province。　This　was　one　of　the　Vicomte　de　Troisville's　daughters；　now　married　to　the　Comte　de　Montcornet；　one　of　those　of　Napoleon's　generals　who　went　over　to　the　Bourbons。　The　Vidame　held　that　a　dinner…party　of　more　than　six　persons　was　beneath　contempt。　In　that　case；　according　to　him；　there　was　an　end　alike　of　cookery　and　conversation；　and　a　man　could　not　sip　his　wine　in　a　proper　frame　of　mind。

〃I　have　not　yet　told　you；　my　dear　boy；　where　I　mean　to　take　you　to…　night；〃　he　said；　taking　Victurnien's　hands　and　tapping　on　them。　〃You　are　going　to　see　Mlle。　des　Touches；　all　the　pretty　women　with　any　pretensions　to　wit　will　be　at　her　house　en　petit　comite。　Literature；　art；　poetry；　any　sort　of　genius；　in　short；　is　held　in　great　esteem　there。　It　is　one　of　our　old…world　bureaux　d'esprit；　with　a　veneer　of　monarchical　doctrine；　the　livery　of　this　present　age。〃

〃It　is　sometimes　as　tiresome　and　tedious　there　as　a　pair　of　new　boots；　but　there　are　women　with　whom　you　cannot　meet　anywhere　else；〃　said　de　Marsay。

〃If　all　the　poets　who　went　there　to　rub　up　their　muse　were　like　our　friend　here；〃　said　Rastignac；　tapping　Blondet　familiarly　on　the　shoulder；　〃we　should　have　some　fun。　But　a　plague　of　odes；　and　ballads；　and　driveling　meditations；　and　novels　with　wide　margins；　pervades　the　sofas　and　the　atmosphere。〃

〃I　don't　dislike　them；〃　said　de　Marsay；　〃so　long　as　they　corrupt　girls'　minds；　and　don't　spoil　women。〃

〃Gentlemen；〃　smiled　Blondet；　〃you　are　encroaching　on　my　field　of　literature。〃

〃You　need　not　talk。　You　have　robbed　us　of　the　most　charming　woman　in　the　world；　you　lucky　rogue；　we　may　be　allowed　to　steal　your　less　brilliant　ideas；〃　cried　Rastignac。

〃Yes；　he　is　a　lucky　rascal；〃　said　the　Vidame；　and　he　twitched　Blondet's　ear。　〃But　perhaps　Victurnien　here　will　be　luckier　still　this　evening〃

〃ALREADY！〃　exclaimed　de　Marsay。　〃Why；　he　only　came　here　a　month　ago；　he　has　scarcely　had　time　to　shake　the　dust　of　his　old　manor　house　off　his　feet；　to　wipe　off　the　brine　in　which　his　aunt　kept　him　preserved；　he　has　only　just　set　up　a　decent　horse；　a　tilbury　in　the　latest　style；　a　groom〃

〃No；　no；　not　a　groom；〃　interrupted　Rastignac；　〃he　has　some　sort　of　an　agricultural　laborer　that　he　brought　with　him　'from　his　place。'　Buisson；　who　understands　a　livery　as　well　as　most；　declared　that　the　man　was　physically　incapable　of　wearing　a　jacket。〃

〃I　will　tell　you　what；　you　ought　to　have　modeled　yourself　on　Beaudenord；〃　the　Vidame　said　seriously。　〃He　has　this　advantage　over　all　of　you；　my　young　friends；　he　has　a　genuine　specimen　of　the　English　tiger〃

〃Just　see；　gentlemen；　what　the　noblesse　have　come　to　in　France！〃　cried　Victurnien。　〃For　them　the　one　important　thing　is　to　have　a　tiger；　a　thoroughbred；　and　baubles〃

〃Bless　me！〃　said　Blondet。　〃　'This　gentleman's　good　sense　at　times　appalls　me。'Well；　yes；　young　moralist；　you　nobles　have　come　to　that。　You　have　not　even　left　to　you　that　lustre　of　lavish　expenditure　for　which　the　dear　Vidame　was　famous　fifty　years　ago。　We　revel　on　a　second　floor　in　the　Rue　Montorgueil。　There　are　no　more　wars　with　the　Cardinal；　no　Field　of　the　Cloth　of　Gold。　You；　Comte　d'Esgrignon；　in　short；　are　supping　in　the　company　of　one　Blondet；　younger　son　of　a　miserable　provincial　magistrate；　with　whom　you　would　not　shake　hands　down　yonder；　and　in　ten　years'　time　you　may　sit　beside　him　among　peers　of　the　realm。　Believe　in　yourself　after　that；　if　you　can。〃

〃Ah；　well；〃　said　Rastignac；　〃we　have　passed　from　action　to　thought；　from　brute　force　to　force　of　intellect；　we　are　talking〃

〃Let　us　not　talk　of　our　reverses；〃　protested　the　Vidame；　〃I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　die　merrily。　If　our　friend　here　has　not　a　tiger　as　yet；　he　comes　of　a　race　of　lions；　and　can　dispense　with　one。〃

〃He　cannot　do　without　a　tiger；〃　said　Blondet；　〃he　is　too　newly　come　to　town。〃

〃His　elegance　may　be　new　as　yet；〃　returned　de　Marsay；　〃but　we　are　adopting　it。　He　is　worthy　of　us；　he　understands　his　age；　he　has　brains；　he　is　nobly　born　and　gently　bred；　we　are　going　to　like　him；　and　serve　him；　and　push　him〃

〃Whither？〃　inquired　Blondet。

〃Inquisitive　soul！〃　said　Rastignac。

〃With　whom　will　he　take　up　to…night？〃　de　Marsay　asked。

〃With　a　whole　seraglio；〃　said　the　Vidame。

〃Plague　take　it！　What　can　we　have　done　that　the　dear　Vidame　is　punishing　us　by　keeping　his　word　to　the　infanta？　I　should　be　pitiable　indeed　if　I　did　not　know　her〃

〃And　I　was　once　a　coxcomb　even　as　he；〃　said　the　Vidame；　indicating　de　Marsay。

The　conversation　continued　pitched　in　the　same　key；　charmingly　scandalous；　and　agreeably　corrupt。　The　dinner　went　off　very　pleasantly。　Rastignac　and　de　Marsay　went　to　the　Opera　with　the　Vidame　and　Victurnien；　with　a　view　to　following　them　afterwards　to　Mlle。　des　Touches'　salon。　And　thither；　accordingly；　this　pair　of　rakes　betook　themselves；　calculating　that　by　that　time　the　tragedy　would　have　been　read；　for　of　all　things　to　be　taken　between　eleven　and　twelve　o'clock　at　night；　a　tragedy　in　their　opinion　was　the　most　unwholesome。　They　went　to　keep　a　watch　on　Victurnien　and　to　embarrass　him；　a　piece　of　schoolboys's　mischief　embittered　by　a　jealous　dandy's　spite。　But　Victurnien　was　gifted　with　that　page's　effrontery　which　is　a　great　help　to　ease　of　manner；　and　Rastignac；　watching　him　as　he　made　his　entrance；　was　surprised　to　see　how　quickly　he　caught　the　tone　of　the　moment。

〃That　young　d'Esgrignon　will　go　far；　will　he　not？〃　he　said；　addressing　his　companion。

〃That　is　as　may　be；〃　returned　de　Marsay；　〃but　he　is　in　a　fair　way。〃



The　Vidame　introduced　his　young　friend　to　one　of　the　most　amiable　and　frivolous　duchesses　of　the　day；　a　lady　whose　adventures　caused　an　explosion　five　years　later。　Just　then；　however；　she　was　in　the　full　blaze　of　her　glory；　she　had　been　suspected；　it　is　true；　of　equivocal　conduct；　but　suspicion；　while　it　is　still　suspicion　and　not　proof；　marks　a　woman　out　with　the　kind　of　distinction　which　slander　gives　to　a　man。　Nonentities　are　never　slandered；　they　chafe　because　they　are　left　in　peace。　This　woman　was；　in　fact；　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse；　a　daughter　of　the　d'Uxelles；　her　father…in…law　was　still　alive；　she　was　not　to　be　the　Princesse　de　Cadignan　for　some　years　to　come。　A　friend　of　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais　and　the　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant；　two　glories　departed；　she　was　likewise　intimate　with　the　Marquise　d'Espard；　with　whom　she　disputed　her　fragile　sovereignty　as　queen　of　fashion。　Great　relations　lent　her　countenance　for　a　long　while；　but　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse　was　one　of　those　women　who；　in　some　way；　nobody　knows　how；　or　why；　or　where；　will　spend　the　rents　of　all　the　lands　of　earth；　and　of　the　moon　likewise；　if　they　were　not　out　of　reach。　The　general　outline　of　her　character　was　scarcely　known　as　yet；　de　Marsay；　and　de　Marsay　only；　really　had　read　her。　That　redoubtable　dandy　now　watched　the　Vidame　de　Pamiers'　introduction　of　his　young　friend　to　that　lovely　woman；　and　bent　over　to　say　in　Rastignac's　ear：

〃My　dear　fellow；　he　will　go　up　WHIZZ！　like　a　rocket；　and　come　down　like　a　stick；〃　an　atrociously　vulgar　saying　which　was　remarkably　fulfilled。

The　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse　had　lost　her　heart　to　Victurnien　a