of those police officers who seek a good disguise； and bought up cast…
off clothes of an Auvergnat； the appearance of whom he sought to
imitate。 When the postman； who went the round of the Rue Saint Lazare
that morning； passed by； Laurent feigned to be a porter unable to
remember the name of a person to whom he had to deliver a parcel； and
consulted the postman。 Deceived at first by appearances； this
personage； so picturesque in the midst of Parisian civilization；
informed him that the house in which the girl with the golden eyes
dwelt belonged to Don Hijos； Marquis de San…Real； grandee of Spain。
Naturally； it was not with the Marquis that the Auvergnat was
concerned。
〃My parcel；〃 he said； 〃is for the marquise。〃
〃She is away；〃 replied the postman。 〃Her letters are forwarded to
London。〃
〃Then the marquise is not a young girl who 。 。 。 ？〃
〃Ah！〃 said the postman； interrupting the /valet de chambre/ and
observing him attentively； 〃you are as much a porter as I'm 。 。 。〃
Laurent chinked some pieces of gold before the functionary； who began
to smile。
〃Come； here's the name of your quarry；〃 he said； taking from his
leather wallet a letter bearing a London stamp； upon which the
address； 〃To Mademoiselle Paquita Valdes； Rue Saint Lazare； Hotel San…
Real； Paris；〃 was written in long； fine characters； which spoke of a
woman's hand。
〃Could you tap a bottle of Chablis； with a few dozen oysters； and a
/filet saute/ with mushrooms to follow it？〃 said Laurent； who wished
to win the postman's valuable friendship。
〃At half…past nine； when my round is finished Where？〃
〃At the corner of the Rue de la Chaussee…d'Antin and the Rue Neuve…
des…Mathurins； at the /Puits sans Vin/；〃 said Laurent。
〃Hark ye； my friend；〃 said the postman； when he rejoined the valet an
hour after this encounter； 〃if your master is in love with the girl；
he is in for a famous task。 I doubt you'll not succeed in seeing her。
In the ten years that I've been postman in Paris； I have seen plenty
of different kinds of doors！ But I can tell you； and no fear of being
called a liar by any of my comrades； there never was a door so
mysterious as M。 de San…Real's。 No one can get into the house without
the Lord knows what counter…word； and； notice； it has been selected on
purpose between a courtyard and a garden to avoid any communication
with other houses。 The porter is an old Spaniard； who never speaks a
word of French； but peers at people as Vidocq might； to see if they
are not thieves。 If a lover； a thief； or youI make no comparisons
could get the better of this first wicket； well； in the first hall；
which is shut by a glazed door； you would run across a butler
surrounded by lackeys； an old joker more savage and surly even than
the porter。 If any one gets past the porter's lodge； my butler comes
out； waits for you at the entrance； and puts you through a cross…
examination like a criminal。 That has happened to me； a mere postman。
He took me for an eavesdropper in disguise； he said； laughing at his
nonsense。 As for the servants； don't hope to get aught out of them； I
think they are mutes； no one in the neighborhood knows the color of
their speech； I don't know what wages they can pay them to keep them
from talk and drink； the fact is； they are not to be got at； whether
because they are afraid of being shot； or that they have some enormous
sum to lose in the case of an indiscretion。 If your master is fond
enough of Mademoiselle Paquita Valdes to surmount all these obstacles；
he certainly won't triumph over Dona Concha Marialva； the duenna who
accompanies her and would put her under her petticoats sooner than
leave her。 The two women look as if they were sewn to one another。〃
〃All that you say； worthy postman；〃 went on Laurent； after having
drunk off his wine； 〃confirms me in what I have learned before。 Upon
my word； I thought they were making fun of me！ The fruiterer opposite
told me that of nights they let loose dogs whose food is hung up on
stakes just out of their reach。 These cursed animals think； therefore；
that any one likely to come in has designs on their victuals； and
would tear one to pieces。 You will tell me one might throw them down
pieces； but it seems they have been trained to touch nothing except
from the hand of the porter。〃
〃The porter of the Baron de Nucingen； whose garden joins at the top
that of the Hotel San…Real； told me the same thing；〃 replied the
postman。
〃Good！ my master knows him；〃 said Laurent； to himself。 〃Do you know；〃
he went on； leering at the postman； 〃I serve a master who is a rare
man； and if he took it into his head to kiss the sole of the foot of
an empress； she would have to give in to him。 If he had need of you；
which is what I wish for you； for he is generous； could one count on
you？〃
〃Lord； Monsieur Laurent； my name is Moinot。 My name is written exactly
like /Moineau/； magpie： M…o…i…n…o…t； Moinot。〃
〃Exactly；〃 said Laurent。
〃I live at No。 11； Rue des Trois Freres； on the fifth floor；〃 went on
Moinot； 〃I have a wife and four children。 If what you want of me
doesn't transgress the limits of my conscience and my official duties；
you understand！ I am your man。〃
〃You are an honest fellow；〃 said Laurent； shaking his hand。 。 。 。
〃Paquita Valdes is； no doubt； the mistress of the Marquis de San…Real；
the friend of King Ferdinand。 Only an old Spanish mummy of eighty
years is capable of taking such precautions；〃 said Henri； when his
/valet de chambre/ had related the result of his researches。
〃Monsieur；〃 said Laurent； 〃unless he takes a balloon no one can get
into that hotel。〃
〃You are a fool！ Is it necessary to get into the hotel to have
Paquita； when Paquita can get out of it？〃
〃But； sir； the duenna？〃
〃We will shut her up for a day or two； your duenna。〃
〃So； we shall have Paquita！〃 said Laurent； rubbing his hands。
〃Rascal！〃 answered Henri； 〃I shall condemn you to the Concha； if you
carry your impudence so far as to speak so of a woman before she has
become mine。 。 。 。 Turn your thoughts to dressing me； I am going out。〃
Henri remained for a moment plunged in joyous reflections。 Let us say
it to the praise of women； he obtained all those whom he deigned to
desire。 And what could one think of a woman； having no lover； who
should have known how to resist a young man armed with beauty which is
the intelligence of the body； with intelligence which is a grace of
the soul； armed with moral force and fortune； which are the only two
real powers？ Yet； in triumphing with such ease； De Marsay was bound to
grow weary of his triumphs； thus； for about two years he had grown
very weary indeed。 And diving deep into the sea of pleasures he
brought back more grit than pearls。 Thus had he come； like potentates；
to implore of Chance some obstacle to surmount； some enterprise which
should ask the employment of his dormant moral and physical strength。
Although Paquita Valdes presented him with a marvelous concentration
of perfections which he had only yet enjoyed in detail； the attraction
of passion was almost /nil/ with him。 Constant satiety had weakened in
his heart the sentiment of love。 Like old men and people
disillusioned； he had no longer anything but extravagant caprices；
ruinous tastes； fantasies； which； once satisfied； left no pleasant
memory in his heart。 Amongst young people love is the finest of the
emotions； it makes the life of the soul blossom； it nourishes by its
solar power the finest inspirations and their great thoughts； the
first fruits in all things have a delicious savor。 Amongst men love
becomes a passion； strength leads to abuse。 Amongst old men it turns
to vice； impotence tends to extremes。 Henri was at once an old man； a
man； and a youth。 To afford him the feelings of a real love； he needed
like Lovelace； a Clarissa Harlowe。 Without the magic lustre of that
unattainable pearl he could only have either passions rendered acute
by some Parisian vanity； or set determinations with himself to bring
such and such a woman to such and such a point of corruption； or else
adventures which stimulated his curiosity。
The report of Laurent； his /valet de chambre/ had just given an
enormous value to the girl with the golden eyes。 It was a question of
doing battle with some secret enemy who seemed as dangerous as he was
cunning； and to carry off the victory； all the forces which Henri
could dispose of would be useful。 He was about to play in that eternal
old comedy which will be always fresh； and the characters in which are
an old man； a young girl； and a lover： Don Hijos； Paquita； De Marsay。
If Laurent was the equal of Figaro； the duenna seemed incorruptible。
Thus； the living play was supplied by Chance with a stronger plot than
it had ever been by dramatic author！ But then is not Chance too； a man
of genius？
〃It must be a cautious game；〃 said Henri； to himself。
〃Well；〃 said Paul de Manerville； as he entered the room。 〃How are we
getting on？ I have come to breakfast with you。〃
〃So be it；〃 said Henri。 〃You won't be shocked if I make my toilette
before you？〃
〃How absurd！〃
〃We take so many things from the English just now that we might well
become as great prudes and hypocrites a