You can make a better match by and by — I will get you the price of two estates ——”
“Give us supper to-night that I may be able to speak in secret to Carlos, and, above all, invite the sham Englishman and Val–Noble.
That nabob is my ruin; he is our enemy; we will get hold of him, and we ——” But Lucien broke off with a gesture of despair.
“Well, what is it?” asked the poor girl.
“Oh!
Madame de Serizy sees me!” cried Lucien, “and to crown our woes, the Duc de Rhetore, who witnessed my dismissal, is with her.”
In fact, at that very minute, the Duc de Rhetore was amusing himself with Madame de Serizy’s discomfiture.
“Do you allow Lucien to be seen in Mademoiselle Esther’s box?” said the young Duke, pointing to the box and to Lucien; “you, who take an interest in him, should really tell him such things are not allowed.
He may sup at her house, he may even — But, in fact, I am no longer surprised at the Grandlieus’ coolness towards the young man. I have just seen their door shut in his face — on the front steps ——”
“Women of that sort are very dangerous,” said Madame de Serizy, turning her opera-glass on Esther’s box.
“Yes,” said the Duke, “as much by what they can do as by what they wish ——”
“They will ruin him!” cried Madame de Serizy, “for I am told they cost as much whether they are paid or no.”
“Not to him!” said the young Duke, affecting surprise. “They are far from costing him anything; they give him money at need, and all run after him.”
The Countess’ lips showed a little nervous twitching which could not be included in any category of smiles.
“Well, then,” said Esther, “come to supper at midnight.
Bring Blondet and Rastignac; let us have two amusing persons at any rate; and we won’t be more than nine.”
“You must find some excuse for sending the Baron to fetch Eugenie under pretence of warning Asie, and tell her what has befallen me, so that Carlos may know before he has the nabob under his claws.”
“That shall be done,” said Esther.
And thus Peyrade was probably about to find himself unwittingly under the same roof with his adversary.
The tiger was coming into the lion’s den, and a lion surrounded by his guards.
When Lucien went back to Madame de Serizy’s box, instead of turning to him, smiling and arranging her skirts for him to sit by her, she affected to pay him not the slightest attention, but looked about the house through her glass. Lucien could see, however, by the shaking of her hand that the Countess was suffering from one of those terrible emotions by which illicit joys are paid for.
He went to the front of the box all the same, and sat down by her at the opposite corner, leaving a little vacant space between himself and the Countess. He leaned on the ledge of the box with his elbow, resting his chin on his gloved hand; then he half turned away, waiting for a word.
By the middle of the act the Countess had still neither spoken to him nor looked at him.
“I do not know,” said she at last, “why you are here; your place is in Mademoiselle Esther’s box ——”
“I will go there,” said Lucien, leaving the box without looking at the Countess.
“My dear,” said Madame du Val–Noble, going into Esther’s box with Peyrade, whom the Baron de Nucingen did not recognize, “I am delighted to introduce Mr. Samuel Johnson. He is a great admirer of M. de Nucingen’s talents.”
“Indeed, monsieur,” said Esther, smiling at Peyrade.
“Oh yes, bocou,” said Peyrade.
“Why, Baron, here is a way of speaking French which is as much like yours as the low Breton dialect is like that of Burgundy.
It will be most amusing to hear you discuss money matters. — Do you know, Monsieur Nabob, what I shall require of you if you are to make acquaintance with my Baron?” said Esther with a smile.
“Oh!
— Thank you so much, you will introduce me to Sir Baronet?” said Peyrade with an extravagant English accent.
“Yes,” said she, “you must give me the pleasure of your company at supper. There is no pitch stronger than champagne for sticking men together. It seals every kind of business, above all such as you put your foot in.
— Come this evening; you will find some jolly fellows.
— As for you, my little Frederic,” she added in the Baron’s ear, “you have your carriage here — just drive to the Rue Saint–Georges and bring Europe to me here; I have a few words to say to her about the supper. I have caught Lucien; he will bring two men who will be fun. — We will draw the Englishman,” she whispered to Madame du Val–Noble.
Peyrade and the Baron left the women together.
“Oh, my dear, if you ever succeed in drawing that great brute, you will be clever indeed,” said Suzanne.
“If it proves impossible, you must lend him to me for a week,” replied Esther, laughing.
“You would but keep him half a day,” replied Madame du Val–Noble. “The bread I eat is too hard; it breaks my teeth.
Never again, to my dying day, will I try to make an Englishman happy. They are all cold and selfish — pigs on their hind legs.”
“What, no consideration?” said Esther with a smile.
“On the contrary, my dear, the monster has never shown the least familiarity.”
“Under no circumstances whatever?” asked Esther.
“The wretch always addresses me as Madame, and preserves the most perfect coolness imaginable at moments when every man is more or less amenable.
To him love-making! — on my word, it is nothing more nor less than shaving himself.
He wipes the razor, puts it back in its case, and looks in the glass as if he were saying,
‘I have not cut myself!’
“Then he treats me with such respect as is enough to send a woman mad.
That odious Milord Potboiler amuses himself by making poor Theodore hide in my dressing-room and stand there half the day.
In short, he tries to annoy me in every way.