would give my life。〃
〃At least they believe that； poor creatures！〃 said De Marsay； 〃but
they are right。 What should we think of a woman who refused to be
beguiled by a love…letter accompanied by such convincing accessories？〃
This letter was delivered by Master Moinot； postman； on the following
day； about eight o'clock in the morning； to the porter of the Hotel
San…Real。
In order to be nearer to the field of action； De Marsay went and
breakfasted with Paul； who lived in the Rue de la Pepiniere。 At two
o'clock； just as the two friends were laughingly discussing the
discomfiture of a young man who had attempted to lead the life of
fashion without a settled income； and were devising an end for him；
Henri's coachman came to seek his master at Paul's house； and
presented to him a mysterious personage who insisted on speaking
himself with his master。
This individual was a mulatto； who would assuredly have given Talma a
model for the part of Othello； if he had come across him。 Never did
any African face better express the grand vengefulness； the ready
suspicion； the promptitude in the execution of a thought； the strength
of the Moor； and his childish lack of reflection。 His black eyes had
the fixity of the eyes of a bird of prey； and they were framed； like a
vulture's； by a bluish membrane devoid of lashes。 His forehead； low
and narrow； had something menacing。 Evidently； this man was under the
yoke of some single and unique thought。 His sinewy arm did not belong
to him。
He was followed by a man whom the imaginations of all folk； from those
who shiver in Greenland to those who sweat in the tropics； would paint
in the single phrase： /He was an unfortunate man/。 From this phrase；
everybody will conceive him according to the special ideas of each
country。 But who can best imagine his facewhite and wrinkled； red at
the extremities； and his long beard。 Who will see his lean and yellow
scarf； his greasy shirt…collar； his battered hat； his green frock
coat； his deplorable trousers； his dilapidated waistcoat； his
imitation gold pin； and battered shoes； the strings of which were
plastered in mud？ Who will see all that but the Parisian？ The
unfortunate man of Paris is the unfortunate man /in toto/； for he has
still enough mirth to know the extent of his misfortune。 The mulatto
was like an executioner of Louis XI。 leading a man to the gallows。
〃Who has hunted us out these two extraordinary creatures？〃 said Henri。
〃Faith！ there is one of them who makes me shudder；〃 replied Paul。
〃Who are youyou fellow who look the most like a Christian of the
two？〃 said Henri； looking at the unfortunate man。
The mulatto stood with his eyes fixed upon the two young men； like a
man who understood nothing； and who sought no less to divine something
from the gestures and movements of the lips。
〃I am a public scribe and interpreter； I live at the Palais de
Justice； and am named Poincet。〃
〃Good！ 。 。 。 and this one？〃 said Henri to Poincet； looking towards the
mulatto。
〃I do not know； he only speaks a sort of Spanish /patois/； and he has
brought me here to make himself understood by you。〃
The mulatto drew from his pocket the letter which Henri had written to
Paquita and handed it to him。 Henri threw it in the fire。
〃Ahsothe game is beginning；〃 said Henri to himself。 〃Paul； leave
us alone for a moment。〃
〃I translated this letter for him；〃 went on the interpreter； when they
were alone。 〃When it was translated； he was in some place which I
don't remember。 Then he came back to look for me； and promised me two
/louis/ to fetch him here。〃
〃What have you to say to me； nigger？〃 asked Henri。
〃I did not translate /nigger/；〃 said the interpreter； waiting for the
mulatto's reply。 。 。 。
〃He said； sir；〃 went on the interpreter； after having listened to the
unknown； 〃that you must be at half…past ten to…morrow night on the
boulevard Montmartre； near the cafe。 You will see a carriage there； in
which you must take your place； saying to the man； who will wait to
open the door for you； the word /cortejo/a Spanish word； which means
/lover/；〃 added Poincet； casting a glance of congratulation upon
Henri。
〃Good。〃
The mulatto was about to bestow the two /louis/； but De Marsay would
not permit it； and himself rewarded the interpreter。 As he was paying
him； the mulatto began to speak。
〃What is he saying？〃
〃He is warning me；〃 replied the unfortunate； 〃that if I commit a
single indiscretion he will strangle me。 He speaks fair and he looks
remarkably as if he were capable of carrying out his threat。〃
〃I am sure of it；〃 answered Henri； 〃he would keep his word。〃
〃He says； as well；〃 replied the interpreter； 〃that the person from
whom he is sent implores you； for your sake and for hers； to act with
the greatest prudence； because the daggers which are raised above your
head would strike your heart before any human power could save you
from them。〃
〃He said that？ So much the better； it will be more amusing。 You can
come in now； Paul；〃 he cried to his friend。
The mulatto； who had not ceased to gaze at the lover of Paquita Valdes
with magnetic attention； went away； followed by the interpreter。
〃Well； at last I have an adventure which is entirely romantic；〃 said
Henri； when Paul returned。 〃After having shared in a certain number I
have finished by finding in Paris an intrigue accompanied by serious
accidents； by grave perils。 The deuce！ what courage danger gives a
woman！ To torment a woman； to try and contradict herdoesn't it give
her the right and the courage to scale in one moment obstacles which
it would take her years to surmount of herself？ Pretty creature； jump
then！ To die？ Poor child！ Daggers？ Oh； imagination of women！ They
cannot help trying to find authority for their little jests。 Besides；
can one think of it； Paquita？ Can one think of it； my child？ The devil
take me； now that I know this beautiful girl； this masterpiece of
nature； is mine； the adventure has lost its charm。〃
For all his light words； the youth in Henri had reappeared。 In order
to live until the morrow without too much pain； he had recourse to
exorbitant pleasure； he played； dined； supped with his friends； he
drank like a fish； ate like a German； and won ten or twelve thousand
francs。 He left the Rocher de Cancale at two o'clock in the morning；
slept like a child； awoke the next morning fresh and rosy； and dressed
to go to the Tuileries； with the intention of taking a ride； after
having seen Paquita； in order to get himself an appetite and dine the
better； and so kill the time。
At the hour mentioned Henri was on the boulevard； saw the carriage；
and gave the counter…word to a man who looked to him like the mulatto。
Hearing the word； the man opened the door and quickly let down the
step。 Henri was so rapidly carried through Paris； and his thoughts
left him so little capacity to pay attention to the streets through
which he passed； that he did not know where the carriage stopped。 The
mulatto let him into a house； the staircase of which was quite close
to the entrance。 This staircase was dark； as was also the landing upon
which Henri was obliged to wait while the mulatto was opening the door
of a damp apartment； fetid and unlit； the chambers of which； barely
illuminated by the candle which his guide found in the ante…chamber；
seemed to him empty and ill furnished； like those of a house the
inhabitants of which are away。 He recognized the sensation which he
had experienced from the perusal of one of those romances of Anne
Radcliffe； in which the hero traverses the cold； sombre； and
uninhabited saloons of some sad and desert spot。
At last the mulatto opened the door of a /salon/。 The condition of the
old furniture and the dilapidated curtains with which the room was
adorned gave it the air of the reception…room of a house of ill fame。
There was the same pretension to elegance； and the same collection of
things in bad taste； of dust and dirt。 Upon a sofa covered with red
Utrecht velvet； by the side of a smoking hearth； the fire of which was
buried in ashes； sat an old； poorly dressed woman； her head capped by
one of those turbans which English women of a certain age have
invented and which would have a mighty success in China； where the
artist's ideal is the monstrous。
The room； the old woman； the cold hearth； all would have chilled love
to death had not Paquita been there； upon an ottoman； in a loose
voluptuous wrapper； free to scatter her gaze of gold and flame； free
to show her arched foot； free of her luminous movements。 This first
interview was what every /rendezvous/ must be between persons of
passionate disposition； who have stepped over a wide distance quickly；
who desire each other ardently； and who； nevertheless； do not know
each other。 It is impossible that at first there should not occur
certain discordant notes in the situation； which is embarrassing until
the moment when two souls find themselves in unison。
If desire gives a man boldness and disposes him to lay restraint
aside； the mistress； under pain of ceasing to be woman； however great
may be her love； is afraid of arriving at the end so promptly； and
face to face with the nec