carriage。　All　three　laughed　at　the　combination　of　an　eclectic　under…
  secretary　of　State；　a　ferocious　republican；　and　a　political　atheist。
  〃Suppose　we　sup　at　the　expense　of　the　present　order　of　things？〃　said
  Blondet；　who　would　fain　recall　suppers　to　fashion。
  Rastignac　took　them　to　Very's；　sent　away　his　carriage；　and　all　three
  sat　down　to　table　to　analyze　society　with　Rabelaisian　laughs。　During
  the　supper；　Rastignac　and　Blondet　advised　their　provisional　enemy　not
  to　neglect　such　a　capital　chance　of　advancement　as　the　one　now　offered
  to　him。　The　two　〃roues〃　gave　him；　in　fine　satirical　style；　the　history
  of　Madame　Felix　de　Vandenesse；　they　drove　the　scalpel　of　epigram　and
  the　sharp　points　of　much　good　wit　into　that　innocent　girlhood　and
  happy　marriage。　Blondet　congratulated　Raoul　on　encountering　a　woman
  guilty　of　nothing　worse　so　far　than　horrible　drawings　in　red　chalk；
  attenuated　water…colors；　slippers　embroidered　for　a　husband；　sonatas
  executed　with　the　best　intentions；a　girl　tied　to　her　mother's　apron…
  strings　till　she　was　eighteen；　trussed　for　religious　practices；
  seasoned　by　Vandenesse；　and　cooked　to　a　point　by　marriage。　At　the
  third　bottle　of　champagne；　Raoul　unbosomed　himself　as　he　had　never
  done　before　in　his　life。
  〃My　friends；〃　he　said；　〃you　know　my　relations　with　Florine；　you　also
  know　my　life；　and　you　will　not　be　surprised　to　hear　me　say　that　I　am
  absolutely　ignorant　of　what　a　countess's　love　may　be　like。　I　have
  often　felt　mortified　that　I；　a　poet；　could　not　give　myself　a　Beatrice；
  a　Laura；　except　in　poetry。　A　pure　and　noble　woman　is　like　an　unstained
  conscience；she　represents　us　to　ourselves　under　a　noble　form。
  Elsewhere　we　may　soil　ourselves；　but　with　her　we　are　always　proud；
  lofty；　and　immaculate。　Elsewhere　we　lead　ill…regulated　lives；　with　her
  we　breathe　the　calm；　the　freshness；　the　verdure　of　an　oasis〃
  〃Go　on；　go　on；　my　dear　fellow！〃　cried　Rastignac；　〃twang　that　fourth
  string　with　the　prayer　in　'Moses'　like　Paganini。〃
  Raoul　remained　silent；　with　fixed　eyes；　apparently　musing。
  〃This　wretched　ministerial　apprentice　does　not　understand　me；〃　he
  said；　after　a　moment's　silence。
  So；　while　the　poor　Eve　in　the　rue　du　Rocher　went　to　bed　in　the　sheets
  of　shame；　frightened　at　the　pleasure　with　which　she　had　listened　to
  that　sham　great　poet；　these　three　bold　minds　were　trampling　with　jests
  over　the　tender　flowers　of　her　dawning　love。　Ah！　if　women　only　knew
  the　cynical　tone　that　such　men；　so　humble；　so　fawning　in　their
  presence；　take　behind　their　backs！　how　they　sneer　at　what　they　say
  they　adore！　Fresh；　pure；　gracious　being；　how　the　scoffing　jester
  disrobes　and　analyzes　her！　but；　even　so；　the　more　she　loses　veils；　the
  more　her　beauty　shines。
  Marie　was　at　this　moment　comparing　Raoul　and　Felix；　without　imagining
  the　danger　there　might　be　for　her　in　such　comparisons。　Nothing　could
  present　a　greater　contrast　than　the　disorderly；　vigorous　Raoul　to
  Felix　de　Vandenesse；　who　cared　for　his　person　like　a　dainty　woman；
  wore　well…fitting　clothes；　had　a　charming　〃desinvoltura；〃　and　was　a
  votary　of　English　nicety；　to　which；　in　earlier　days；　Lady　Dudley　had
  trained　him。　Marie；　as　a　good　and　pious　woman；　soon　forbade　herself
  even　to　think　of　Raoul；　and　considered　that　she　was　a　monster　of
  ingratitude　for　making　the　comparison。
  〃What　do　you　think　of　Raoul　Nathan？〃　she　asked　her　husband　the　next
  day　at　breakfast。
  〃He　is　something　of　a　charlatan；〃　replied　Felix；　〃one　of　those
  volcanoes　who　are　easily　calmed　down　with　a　little　gold…dust。　Madame
  de　Montcornet　makes　a　mistake　in　admitting　him。〃
  This　answer　annoyed　Marie；　all　the　more　because　Felix　supported　his
  opinion　with　certain　facts；　relating　what　he　knew　of　Raoul　Nathan's
  life；a　precarious　existence　mixed　up　with　a　popular　actress。
  〃If　the　man　has　genius；〃　he　said　in　conclusion；　〃he　certainly　has
  neither　the　constancy　nor　the　patience　which　sanctifies　it；　and　makes
  it　a　thing　divine。　He　endeavors　to　impose　on　the　world　by　placing
  himself　on　a　level　which　he　does　nothing　to　maintain。　True　talent；
  pains…taking　and　honorable　talent　does　not　act　thus。　Men　who　possess
  such　talent　follow　their　path　courageously；　they　accept　its　pains　and
  penalties；　and　don't　cover　them　with　tinsel。〃
  A　woman's　thought　is　endowed　with　incredible　elasticity。　When　she
  receives　a　knockdown　blow；　she　bends；　seems　crushed；　and　then　renews
  her　natural　shape　in　a　given　time。
  〃Felix　is　no　doubt　right；〃　thought　she。
  But　three　days　later　she　was　once　more　thinking　of　the　serpent；
  recalled　to　him　by　that　singular　emotion；　painful　and　yet　sweet；　which
  the　first　sight　of　Raoul　had　given　her。　The　count　and　countess　went　to
  Lady　Dudley's　grand　ball；　where；　by　the　bye；　de　Marsay　appeared　in
  society　for　the　last　time。　He　died　about　two　months　later；　leaving　the
  reputation　of　a　great　statesman；　because；　as　Blondet　remarked；　he　was
  incomprehensible。
  Vandenesse　and　his　wife　again　met　Raoul　Nathan　at　this　ball；　which　was
  remarkable　for　the　meeting　of　several　personages　of　the　political
  drama；　who　were　not　a　little　astonished　to　find　themselves　together。
  It　was　one　of　the　first　solemnities　of　the　great　world。　The　salons
  presented　a　magnificent　spectacle　to　the　eye；flowers；　diamonds；　and
  brilliant　head…dresses；　all　jewel…boxes　emptied；　all　resources　of　the
  toilet　put　under　contribution。　The　ball…room　might　be　compared　to　one
  of　those　choice　conservatories　where　rich　horticulturists　collect　the
  most　superb　rarities；same　brilliancy；　same　delicacy　of　texture。　On
  all　sides　white　or　tinted　gauzes　like　the　wings　of　the　airiest　dragon…
  fly；　crepes；　laces；　blondes；　and　tulles；　varied　as　the　fantasies　of
  entomological　nature；　dentelled；　waved；　and　scalloped；　spider's　webs
  of　gold　and　silver；　mists　of　silk　embroidered　by　fairy　fingers；　plumes
  colored　by　the　fire　of　the　tropics　drooping　from　haughty　heads；　pearls
  twined　in　braided　hair；　shot　or　ribbed　or　brocaded　silks；　as　though
  the　genius　of　arabesque　had　presided　over　French　manufactures；all
  this　luxury　was　in　harmony　with　the　beauties　collected　there　as　if　to
  realize　a　〃Keepsake。〃　The　eye　received　there　an　impression　of　the
  whitest　shoulders；　some　amber…tinted；　others　so　polished　as　to　seem
  colandered；　some　dewy；　some　plump　and　satiny；　as　though　Rubens　had
  prepared　their　flesh；　in　short；　all　shades　known　to　man　in　white。　Here
  were　eyes　sparkling　like　onyx　or　turquoise　fringed　with　dark　lashes；
  faces　of　varied　outline　presenting　the　most　graceful　types　of　many
  lands；　foreheads　noble　and　majestic；　or　softly　rounded；　as　if　thought
  ruled；　or　flat；　as　if　resistant　will　reigned　there　unconquered；
  beautiful　bosoms　swelling；　as　George　IV。　admired　them；　or　widely
  parted　after　the　fashion　of　the　eighteenth　century；　or　pressed
  together；　as　Louis　XV。　required；　some　shown　boldly；　without　veils；
  others　covered　by　those　charming　pleated　chemisettes　which　Raffaelle
  painted。　The　prettiest　feet　pointed　for　the　dance；　the　slimmest　waists
  encircled　in　the　waltz；　stimulated　the　gaze　of　the　most　indifferent
  person　present。　The　murmur　of　sweet　voices；　the　rustle　of　gowns；　the
  cadence　of　the　dance；　the　whir　of　the　waltz　harmoniously　accompanied
  the　music。　A　fairy's　wand　seemed　to　have　commanded　this　dazzling
  revelry；　this　melody　of　perfumes；　these　iridescent　lights　glittering
  from　crystal　chandeliers　or　sparkling　in　candelabra。　This　assemblage
  of　the　prettiest　women　in　their　prettiest　dresses　stood　out　upon　a
  gloomy　background　of　men　in　black　coats；　among　whom　the　eye　remarked
  the　elegant；　delicate；　and　correctly　drawn　profile　of　nobles；　the
  ruddy　beards　and　grave　faces　of　Englishmen；　and　the　more　gracious
  faces　of　the　French　aristocracy。　All　the　orders　of　Europe　glittered　on
  the　breasts　or　hung　from　the　necks　of　these　men。
  Examining　this　society　carefully；　it　was　seen　to　present　not　only　the
  brilliant　tones　and　colors　and　outward　adornment；　but　to　have　a　soul；
  it　lived；　it　felt；　it　thought。　Hidden　passions　gave　it　a
  physiognomy；　mischievous　or　malignant　looks　were　exchanged；　fair　and
  giddy　girls　betrayed　desires；　jealous　women　told　each　other　scandals
  behind　their　fans；　or　paid　exaggerated　compliments。　Society；　anointed；
  curled；　and　perfumed；　gave　itself　up　to　social　gaiety　which　went　to
  the　brain　like　a　heady　liquor。　It　seemed　as　if　from　all　foreheads；　as
  well　as　from　all　hearts；　ideas　and　sentiments　were　exhaling；　which
  presently　condensed　and　reacted　in　a　volume　on　the　coldest　persons
  present；　and　excited　them。　At　the　most　animated　moment　of　this
  intoxicating　party；　in　a　corner　of　a　gilded　salon　where　certain
  bankers；　ambassadors；　and　the　immoral　old　English　earl；　Lord　Dudley；
  were　playing　cards；　Madame　Felix　de　Vandenesse　was　irresistibly　drawn
  to　converse　with　Raoul　Nathan。　Possibly　she　yielded　to　that　ball…
  intoxication　which　sometimes　wrings　avowals　from　the　most　discreet。
  At　sight　of　such　a　fete；　and　the　splendors　of　a　world　in　which　he　had
  never　befor