of　any　way　of　communicating　with　my　father；　please　be　sure　and
  tell　him　that　his　affection　and　my　mother's　honor　are　more　to　me
  than　all　the　money　in　the　world。　If　you　can　induce　him　to　relent
  a　little　towards　me；　I　will　pray　to　God　for　you。　You　may　be　sure
  of　my　gratitude〃
  〃The　same　old　story　everywhere；〃　sang　Vautrin；　with　a　satirical
  intonation。　At　this　juncture；　Goriot；　Mlle。　Michonneau；　and
  Poiret　came　downstairs　together；　possibly　the　scent　of　the　gravy
  which　Sylvie　was　making　to　serve　with　the　mutton　had　announced
  breakfast。　The　seven　people　thus　assembled　bade　each　other　good…
  morning；　and　took　their　places　at　the　table；　the　clock　struck
  ten；　and　the　student's　footstep　was　heard　outside。
  〃Ah！　here　you　are；　M。　Eugene；〃　said　Sylvie；　〃every　one　is
  breakfasting　at　home　to…day。〃
  The　student　exchanged　greetings　with　the　lodgers；　and　sat　down
  beside　Goriot。
  〃I　have　just　met　with　a　queer　adventure；〃　he　said；　as　he　helped
  himself　abundantly　to　the　mutton；　and　cut　a　slice　of　bread；　which
  Mme。　Vauquer's　eyes　gauged　as　usual。
  〃An　adventure？〃　queried　Poiret。
  〃Well；　and　what　is　there　to　astonish　you　in　that；　old　boy？〃
  Vautrin　asked　of　Poiret。　〃M。　Eugene　is　cut　out　for　that　kind　of
  thing。〃
  Mlle。　Taillefer　stole　a　timid　glance　at　the　young　student。
  〃Tell　us　about　your　adventure！〃　demanded　M。　Vautrin。
  〃Yesterday　evening　I　went　to　a　ball　given　by　a　cousin　of　mine；
  the　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant。　She　has　a　magnificent　house；　the
  rooms　are　hung　with　silkin　short；　it　was　a　splendid　affair；　and
  I　was　as　happy　as　a　king…〃
  〃Fisher；〃　put　in　Vautrin；　interrupting。
  〃What　do　you　mean；　sir？〃　said　Eugene　sharply。
  〃I　said　'fisher；'　because　kingfishers　see　a　good　deal　more　fun
  than　kings。〃
  〃Quite　true；　I　would　much　rather　be　the　little　careless　bird　than
  a　king；〃　said　Poiret　the　ditto…ist；　〃because〃
  〃In　fact〃the　law…student　cut　him　short〃I　danced　with　one　of
  the　handsomest　women　in　the　room；　a　charming　countess；　the　most
  exquisite　creature　I　have　ever　seen。　There　was　peach　blossom　in
  her　hair；　and　she　had　the　loveliest　bouquet　of　flowersreal
  flowers；　that　scented　the　airbut　there！　it　is　no　use　trying
  to　describe　a　woman　glowing　with　the　dance。　You　ought　to　have
  seen　her！　Well；　and　this　morning　I　met　this　divine　countess　about
  nine　o'clock；　on　foot　in　the　Rue　de　Gres。　Oh！　how　my　heart　beat！
  I　began　to　think〃
  〃That　she　was　coming　here；〃　said　Vautrin；　with　a　keen　look　at　the
  student。　〃I　expect　that　she　was　going　to　call　on　old　Gobseck；　a
  money…lender。　If　ever　you　explore　a　Parisian　woman's　heart；　you
  will　find　the　money…lender　first；　and　the　lover　afterwards。　Your
  countess　is　called　Anastasie　de　Restaud；　and　she　lives　in　the　Rue
  du　Helder。〃
  The　student　stared　hard　at　Vautrin。　Father　Goriot　raised　his　head
  at　the　words；　and　gave　the　two　speakers　a　glance　so　full　of
  intelligence　and　uneasiness　that　the　lodgers　beheld　him　with
  astonishment。
  〃Then　Christophe　was　too　late；　and　she　must　have　gone　to　him！〃
  cried　Goriot；　with　anguish　in　his　voice。
  〃It　is　just　as　I　guessed；〃　said　Vautrin；　leaning　over　to　whisper
  in　Mme。　Vauquer's　ear。
  Goriot　went　on　with　his　breakfast；　but　seemed　unconscious　of　what
  he　was　doing。　He　had　never　looked　more　stupid　nor　more　taken　up
  with　his　own　thoughts　than　he　did　at　that　moment。
  〃Who　the　devil　could　have　told　you　her　name；　M。　Vautrin？〃　asked
  Eugene。
  〃Aha！　there　you　are！〃　answered　Vautrin。　〃Old　Father　Goriot　there
  knew　it　quite　well！　and　why　should　I　not　know　it　too？〃
  〃M。　Goriot？〃　the　student　cried。
  〃What　is　it？〃　asked　the　old　man。　〃So　she　was　very　beautiful；　was
  she；　yesterday　night？〃
  〃Who？〃
  〃Mme。　de　Restaud。〃
  〃Look　at　the　old　wretch；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　speaking　to　Vautrin；
  〃how　his　eyes　light　up！〃
  〃Then　does　he　really　keep　her？〃　said　Mlle。　Michonneau；　in　a
  whisper　to　the　student。
  〃Oh！　yes；　she　was　tremendously　pretty；〃　Eugene　answered。　Father
  Goriot　watched　him　with　eager　eyes。　〃If　Mme。　de　Beauseant　had　not
  been　there；　my　divine　countess　would　have　been　the　queen　of　the
  ball；　none　of　the　younger　men　had　eyes　for　any　one　else。　I　was
  the　twelfth　on　her　list；　and　she　danced　every　quadrille。　The
  other　women　were　furious。　She　must　have　enjoyed　herself；　if　ever
  creature　did！　It　is　a　true　saying　that　there　is　no　more　beautiful
  sight　than　a　frigate　in　full　sail；　a　galloping　horse；　or　a　woman
  dancing。〃
  〃So　the　wheel　turns；〃　said　Vautrin；　〃yesterday　night　at　a
  duchess'　ball；　this　morning　in　a　money…lender's　office；　on　the
  lowest　rung　of　the　ladderjust　like　a　Parisienne！　If　their
  husbands　cannot　afford　to　pay　for　their　frantic　extravagance；
  they　will　sell　themselves。　Or　if　they　cannot　do　that；　they　will
  tear　out　their　mothers'　hearts　to　find　something　to　pay　for　their
  splendor。　They　will　turn　the　world　upside　down。　Just　a　Parisienne
  through　and　through！〃
  Father　Goriot's　face；　which　had　shone　at　the　student's　words　like
  the　sun　on　a　bright　day；　clouded　over　all　at　once　at　this　cruel
  speech　of　Vautrin's。
  〃Well；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃but　where　is　your　adventure？　Did　you
  speak　to　her？　Did　you　ask　her　if　she　wanted　to　study　law？〃
  〃She　did　not　see　me；〃　said　Eugene。　〃But　only　think　of　meeting　one
  of　the　prettiest　women　in　Paris　in　the　Rue　des　Gres　at　nine
  o'clock！　She　could　not　have　reached　home　after　the　ball　till　two
  o'clock　this　morning。　Wasn't　it　queer？　There　is　no　place　like
  Paris　for　this　sort　of　adventures。〃
  〃Pshaw！　much　funnier　things　than　THAT　happen　here！〃　exclaimed
  Vautrin。
  Mlle。　Taillefer　had　scarcely　heeded　the　talk；　she　was　so　absorbed
  by　the　thought　of　the　new　attempt　that　she　was　about　to　make。
  Mme。　Couture　made　a　sign　that　it　was　time　to　go　upstairs　and
  dress；　the　two　ladies　went　out；　and　Father　Goriot　followed　their
  example。
  〃Well；　did　you　see？〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　addressing　Vautrin　and
  the　rest　of　the　circle。　〃He　is　ruining　himself　for　those　women；
  that　is　plain。〃
  〃Nothing　will　ever　make　me　believe　that　that　beautiful　Comtesse
  de　Restaud　is　anything　to　Father　Goriot；〃　cried　the　student。
  〃Well；　and　if　you　don't；〃　broke　in　Vautrin；　〃we　are　not　set　on
  convincing　you。　You　are　too　young　to　know　Paris　thoroughly　yet；
  later　on　you　will　find　out　that　there　are　what　we　call　men　with　a
  passion〃
  Mlle。　Michonneau　gave　Vautrin　a　quick　glance　at　these　words。　They
  seemed　to　be　like　the　sound　of　a　trumpet　to　a　trooper's　horse。
  〃Aha！〃　said　Vautrin；　stopping　in　his　speech　to　give　her　a
  searching　glance；　〃so　we　have　had　our　little　experiences；　have
  we？〃
  The　old　maid　lowered　her　eyes　like　a　nun　who　sees　a　statue。
  〃Well；〃　he　went　on；　〃when　folk　of　that　kind　get　a　notion　into
  their　heads；　they　cannot　drop　it。　They　must　drink　the　water　from
  some　particular　springit　is　stagnant　as　often　as　not；　but　they
  will　sell　their　wives　and　families；　they　will　sell　their　own
  souls　to　the　devil　to　get　it。　For　some　this　spring　is　play；　or
  the　stock…exchange；　or　music；　or　a　collection　of　pictures　or
  insects；　for　others　it　is　some　woman　who　can　give　them　the
  dainties　they　like。　You　might　offer　these　last　all　the　women　on
  earththey　would　turn　up　their　noses；　they　will　have　the　only
  one　who　can　gratify　their　passion。　It　often　happens　that　the
  woman　does　not　care　for　them　at　all；　and　treats　them　cruelly；
  they　buy　their　morsels　of　satisfaction　very　dear；　but　no　matter；
  the　fools　are　never　tired　of　it；　they　will　take　their　last
  blanket　to　the　pawnbroker's　to　give　their　last　five…franc　piece
  to　her。　Father　Goriot　here　is　one　of　that　sort。　He　is　discreet；
  so　the　Countess　exploits　himjust　the　way　of　the　gay　world。　The
  poor　old　fellow　thinks　of　her　and　of　nothing　else。　In　all　other
  respects　you　see　he　is　a　stupid　animal；　but　get　him　on　that
  subject；　and　his　eyes　sparkle　like　diamonds。　That　secret　is　not
  difficult　to　guess。　He　took　some　plate　himself　this　morning　to
  the　melting…pot；　and　I　saw　him　at　Daddy　Gobseck's　in　the　Rue　des
  Gres。　And　now；　mark　what　followshe　came　back　here；　and　gave　a
  letter　for　the　Comtesse　de　Restaud　to　that　noodle　of　a
  Christophe；　who　showed　us　the　address；　there　was　a　receipted　bill
  inside　it。　It　is　clear　that　it　was　an　urgent　matter　if　the
  Countess　also　went　herself　to　the　old　money　lender。　Father　Goriot
  has　financed　her　handsomely。　There　is　no　need　to　tack　a　tale
  together；　the　thing　is　self…evident。　So　that　shows　you；　sir
  student；　that　all　the　time　your　Countess　was　smiling；　dancing；
  flirting；　swaying　her　peach…flower　crowned　head；　with　her　gown
  gathered　into　her　hand；　her　slippers　were　pinching　her；　as　they
  say；　she　was　thinking　of　her　protested　bills；　or　her　lover's
  protested　bills。〃
  〃You　have　made　me　wild　to　know　the　truth；〃　cried　Eugene；　〃I　will
  go　to　call　on　Mme。　de　Restaud　to…morrow。〃
  〃Yes；〃　echoed　Poiret；　〃you　must　go　and　call　on　Mme。　de　Restaud。〃
  〃And　perhaps　you　will　find　Father　Goriot　there；　who　will　take
  paymen