Malaga sat by the Duke。
Oysters appeared at seven o'clock； at eight they were drinking iced
punch。 Every one is familiar with the bill of fare of such a banquet。
By nine o'clock they were talking as people talk after forty…two
bottles of various wines； drunk by fourteen persons。 Dessert was on
the table； the odious dessert of the month of April。 Of all the party；
the only one affected by the heady atmosphere was Cydalise； who was
humming a tune。 None of the party； with the exception of the poor
country girl； had lost their reason； the drinkers and the women were
the experienced /elite/ of the society that sups。 Their wits were
bright； their eyes glistened； but with no loss of intelligence； though
the talk drifted into satire； anecdote； and gossip。 Conversation；
hitherto confined to the inevitable circle of racing； horses；
hammerings on the Bourse； the different occupations of the /lions/
themselves； and the scandals of the town； showed a tendency to break
up into intimate /tete…a…tete/； the dialogues of two hearts。
And at this stage； at a signal from Carabine to Leon de Lora； Bixiou；
la Palferine； and du Tillet； love came under discussion。
〃A doctor in good society never talks of medicine； true nobles never
speak of their ancestors； men of genius do not discuss their works；〃
said Josepha； 〃why should we talk business？ If I got the opera put off
in order to dine here； it was assuredly not to work。So let us change
the subject； dear children。〃
〃But we are speaking of real love； my beauty；〃 said Malaga； 〃of the
love that makes a man fling all to the dogsfather； mother； wife；
childrenand retire to Clichy。〃
〃Talk away； then； 'don't know yer；' 〃 said the singer。
The slang words； borrowed from the Street Arab； and spoken by these
women； may be a poem on their lips； helped by the expression of the
eyes and face。
〃What； do not I love you； Josepha？〃 said the Duke in a low voice。
〃You； perhaps； may love me truly；〃 said she in his ear； and she
smiled。 〃But I do not love you in the way they describe； with such
love as makes the world dark in the absence of the man beloved。 You
are delightful to me； usefulbut not indispensable； and if you were
to throw me over to…morrow； I could have three dukes for one。〃
〃Is true love to be found in Paris？〃 asked Leon de Lora。 〃Men have not
even time to make a fortune； how can they give themselves over to true
love； which swamps a man as water melts sugar？ A man must be
enormously rich to indulge in it； for love annihilates himfor
instance； like our Brazilian friend over there。 As I said long ago；
'Extremes defeatthemselves。' A true lover is like an eunuch； women
have ceased to exist for him。 He is mystical； he is like the true
Christian； an anchorite of the desert！See our noble Brazilian。〃
Every one at table looked at Henri Montes de Montejanos； who was shy
at finding every eye centred on him。
〃He has been feeding there for an hour without discovering； any more
than an ox at pasture； that he is sitting next toI will not say； in
such company； the loveliestbut the freshest woman in all Paris。〃
〃Everything is fresh here； even the fish； it is what the house is
famous for；〃 said Carabine。
Baron Montes looked good…naturedly at the painter； and said：
〃Very good！ I drink to your very good health；〃 and bowing to Leon de
Lora； he lifted his glass of port wine and drank it with much dignity。
〃Are you then truly in love？〃 asked Malaga of her neighbor； thus
interpreting his toast。
The Brazilian refilled his glass； bowed to Carabine； and drank again。
〃To the lady's health then！〃 said the courtesan； in such a droll tone
that Lora； du Tillet； and Bixiou burst out laughing。
The Brazilian sat like a bronze statue。 This impassibility provoked
Carabine。 She knew perfectly well that Montes was devoted to Madame
Marneffe； but she had not expected this dogged fidelity； this
obstinate silence of conviction。
A woman is as often gauged by the attitude of her lover as a man is
judged from the tone of his mistress。 The Baron was proud of his
attachment to Valerie； and of hers to him； his smile had； to these
experienced connoisseurs； a touch of irony； he was really grand to
look upon； wine had not flushed him； and his eyes； with their peculiar
lustre as of tarnished gold； kept the secrets of his soul。 Even
Carabine said to herself：
〃What a woman she must be！ How she has sealed up that heart！〃
〃He is a rock！〃 said Bixiou in an undertone； imagining that the whole
thing was a practical joke； and never suspecting the importance to
Carabine of reducing this fortress。
While this conversation； apparently so frivolous； was going on at
Carabine's right； the discussion of love was continued on her left
between the Duc d'Herouville； Lousteau； Josepha； Jenny Cadine； and
Massol。 They were wondering whether such rare phenomena were the
result of passion； obstinacy； or affection。 Josepha； bored to death by
it all； tried to change the subject。
〃You are talking of what you know nothing about。 Is there a man among
you who ever loved a womana woman beneath himenough to squander
his fortune and his children's； to sacrifice his future and blight his
past； to risk going to the hulks for robbing the Government； to kill
an uncle and a brother； to let his eye be so effectually blinded that
he did not even perceive that it was done to hinder his seeing the
abyss into which； as a crowning jest； he was being driven？ Du Tillet
has a cash…box under his left breast； Leon de Lora has his wit； Bixiou
would laugh at himself for a fool if he loved any one but himself；
Massol has a minister's portfolio in the place of a heart； Lousteau
can have nothing but viscera； since he could endure to be thrown over
by Madame de Baudraye； Monsieur le Duc is too rich to prove his love
by his ruin； Vauvinet is not in itI do not regard a bill…broker as
one of the human race； and you have never loved； nor I； nor Jenny
Cadine； nor Malaga。 For my part； I never but once even saw the
phenomenon I have described。 It was；〃 and she turned to Jenny Cadine；
〃that poor Baron Hulot； whom I am going to advertise for like a lost
dog； for I want to find him。〃
〃Oh； ho！〃 said Carabine to herself； and looking keenly at Josepha；
〃then Madame Nourrisson has two pictures by Raphael； since Josepha is
playing my hand！〃
〃Poor fellow；〃 said Vauvinet； 〃he was a great man！ Magnificent！ And
what a figure； what a style； the air of Francis I。！ What a volcano！
and how full of ingenious ways of getting money！ He must be looking
for it now； wherever he is； and I make no doubt he extracts it even
from the walls built of bones that you may see in the suburbs of Paris
near the city gates〃
〃And all that；〃 said Bixiou； 〃for that little Madame Marneffe！ There
is a precious hussy for you！〃
〃She is just going to marry my friend Crevel；〃 said du Tillet。
〃And she is madly in love with my friend Steinbock；〃 Leon de Lora put
in。
These three phrases were like so many pistol…shots fired point…blank
at Montes。 He turned white； and the shock was so painful that he rose
with difficulty。
〃You are a set of blackguards！〃 cried he。 〃You have no right to speak
the name of an honest woman in the same breath with those fallen
creaturesabove all； not to make it a mark for your slander！〃
He was interrupted by unanimous bravos and applause。 Bixiou； Leon de
Lora； Vauvinet； du Tillet； and Massol set the example； and there was a
chorus。
〃Hurrah for the Emperor！〃 said Bixiou。
〃Crown him！ crown him！〃 cried Vauvinet。
〃Three groans for such a good dog！ Hurrah for Brazil！〃 cried Lousteau。
〃So； my copper…colored Baron； it is our Valerie that you love； and you
are not disgusted？〃 said Leon de Lora。
〃His remark is not parliamentary； but it is grand！〃 observed Massol。
〃But； my most delightful customer；〃 said du Tillet； 〃you were
recommended to me； I am your banker； your innocence reflects on my
credit。〃
〃Yes； tell me； you are a reasonable creature〃 said the Brazilian
to the banker。
〃Thanks on behalf of the company；〃 said Bixiou with a bow。
〃Tell me the real facts；〃 Montes went on； heedless of Bixiou's
interjection。
〃Well； then；〃 replied du Tillet； 〃I have the honor to tell you that I
am asked to the Crevel wedding。〃
〃Ah； ha！ Combabus holds a brief for Madame Marneffe！〃 said Josepha；
rising solemnly。
She went round to Montes with a tragic look； patted him kindly on the
head； looked at him for a moment with comical admiration； and nodded
sagely。
〃Hulot was the first instance of love through fire and water；〃 said
she； 〃this is the second。 But it ought not to count； as it comes from
the Tropics。〃
Montes had dropped into his chair again； when Josepha gently touched
his forehead； and looked at du Tillet as he said：
〃If I am the victim of a Paris jest； if you only wanted to get at my
secret〃 and he sent a flashing look round the table； embracing all
the guests in a flaming glance that blazed with the sun of Brazil；〃I
beg of you as a favor to tell me so；〃 he went on； in a tone of almost
childlike entreaty； 〃but do not vilify the woman I love。〃
〃Nay； indeed；〃 said Carabine in a low voice； 〃but if； on the contrary；
you are shamefully