before you？〃
〃How absurd！〃
〃We take so many things from the English just now that we might well
become as great prudes and hypocrites as themselves；〃 said Henri。
Laurent had set before his master such a quantity of utensils； so many
different articles of such elegance； that Paul could not refrain from
saying：
〃But you will take a couple of hours over that？〃
〃No！〃 said Henri； 〃two hours and a half。〃
〃Well； then； since we are by ourselves； and can say what we like；
explain to me why a man as superior as yourselffor you are superior
should affect to exaggerate a foppery which cannot be natural。 Why
spend two hours and a half in adorning yourself； when it is sufficient
to spend a quarter of an hour in your bath； to do your hair in two
minutes； and to dress！ There； tell me your system。〃
〃I must be very fond of you； my good dunce； to confide such high
thoughts to you；〃 said the young man； who was at that moment having
his feet rubbed with a soft brush lathered with English soap。
〃Have I not the most devoted attachment to you；〃 replied Paul de
Manerville； 〃and do I not like you because I know your
superiority？ 。 。 。〃
〃You must have noticed； if you are in the least capable of observing
any moral fact； that women love fops；〃 went on De Marsay； without
replying in any way to Paul's declaration except by a look。 〃Do you
know why women love fops？ My friend； fops are the only men who take
care of themselves。 Now； to take excessive care of oneself； does it
not imply that one takes care in oneself of what belongs to another？
The man who does not belong to himself is precisely the man on whom
women are keen。 Love is essentially a thief。 I say nothing about that
excess of niceness to which they are so devoted。 Do you know of any
woman who has had a passion for a sloven； even if he were a remarkable
man？ If such a fact has occurred； we must put it to the account of
those morbid affections of the breeding woman； mad fancies which float
through the minds of everybody。 On the other hand； I have seen most
remarkable people left in the lurch because of their carelessness。 A
fop； who is concerned about his person； is concerned with folly； with
petty things。 And what is a woman？ A petty thing； a bundle of follies。
With two words said to the winds； can you not make her busy for four
hours？ She is sure that the fop will be occupied with her； seeing that
he has no mind for great things。 She will never be neglected for
glory； ambition； politics； artthose prostitutes who for her are
rivals。 Then fops have the courage to cover themselves with ridicule
in order to please a woman； and her heart is full of gratitude towards
the man who is ridiculous for love。 In fine； a fop can be no fop
unless he is right in being one。 It is women who bestow that rank。 The
fop is love's colonel； he has his victories； his regiment of women at
his command。 My dear fellow； in Paris everything is known； and a man
cannot be a fop there /gratis/。 You； who have only one woman； and who；
perhaps； are right to have but one； try to act the fop！ 。 。 。 You will
not even become ridiculous； you will be dead。 You will become a
foregone conclusion； one of those men condemned inevitably to do one
and the same thing。 You will come to signify /folly/ as inseparably as
M。 de La Fayette signifies /America/； M。 de Talleyrand； /diplomacy/；
Desaugiers； /song/； M。 de Segur； /romance/。 If they once forsake their
own line people no longer attach any value to what they do。 So；
foppery； my friend Paul； is the sign of an incontestable power over
the female folk。 A man who is loved by many women passes for having
superior qualities； and then； poor fellow； it is a question who shall
have him！ But do you think it is nothing to have the right of going
into a drawing…room； of looking down at people from over your cravat；
or through your eye…glass； and of despising the most superior of men
should he wear an old…fashioned waistcoat？ 。 。 。 Laurent； you are
hurting me！ After breakfast； Paul； we will go to the Tuileries and see
the adorable girl with the golden eyes。〃
When； after making an excellent meal； the two young men had traversed
the Terrasse de Feuillants and the broad walk of the Tuileries； they
nowhere discovered the sublime Paquita Valdes； on whose account some
fifty of the most elegant young men in Paris where to be seen； all
scented； with their high scarfs； spurred and booted； riding； walking；
talking； laughing； and damning themselves mightily。
〃It's a white Mass；〃 said Henri； 〃but I have the most excellent idea
in the world。 This girl receives letters from London。 The postman must
be bought or made drunk； a letter opened； read of course； and a love…
letter slipped in before it is sealed up again。 The old tyrant；
/crudel tirano/； is certain to know the person who writes the letters
from London； and has ceased to be suspicious of them。〃
The day after； De Marsay came again to walk on the Terrasse des
Feuillants； and saw Paquita Valdes； already passion had embellished
her for him。 Seriously； he was wild for those eyes； whose rays seemed
akin to those which the sun emits； and whose ardor set the seal upon
that of her perfect body； in which all was delight。 De Marsay was on
fire to brush the dress of this enchanting girl as they passed one
another in their walk； but his attempts were always vain。 But at one
moment； when he had repassed Paquita and the duenna； in order to find
himself on the same side as the girl of the golden eyes； when he
returned； Paquita； no less impatient； came forward hurriedly； and De
Marsay felt his hand pressed by her in a fashion at once so swift and
so passionately significant that it was as though he had received the
emotions surged up in his heart。 When the two lovers glanced at one
another； Paquita seemed ashamed； she dropped her eyes lest she should
meet the eyes of Henri； but her gaze sank lower to fasten on the feet
and form of him whom women； before the Revolution； called /their
conqueror/。
〃I am determined to make this girl my mistress；〃 said Henri to
himself。
As he followed her along the terrace； in the direction of the Place
Louis XV。； he caught sight of the aged Marquis de San…Real； who was
walking on the arm of his valet； stepping with all the precautions due
to gout and decrepitude。 Dona Concha； who distrusted Henri； made
Paquita pass between herself and the old man。
〃Oh； for you；〃 said De Marsay to himself； casting a glance of disdain
upon the duenna； 〃if one cannot make you capitulate； with a little
opium one can make you sleep。 We know mythology and the fable of
Argus。〃
Before entering the carriage； the golden…eyed girl exchanged certain
glances with her lover； of which the meaning was unmistakable and
which enchanted Henri； but one of them was surprised by the duenna；
she said a few rapid words to Paquita； who threw herself into the
/coupe/ with an air of desperation。 For some days Paquita did not
appear in the Tuileries。 Laurent； who by his master's orders was on
watch by the hotel； learned from the neighbors that neither the two
women nor the aged marquis had been abroad since the day upon which
the duenna had surprised a glance between the young girl in her charge
and Henri。 The bond； so flimsy withal； which united the two lovers was
already severed。
Some days later； none knew by what means； De Marsay had attained his
end； he had a seal and wax； exactly resembling the seal and wax
affixed to the letters sent to Mademoiselle Valdes from London； paper
similar to that which her correspondent used； moreover； all the
implements and stamps necessary to affix the French and English
postmarks。
He wrote the following letter； to which he gave all the appearances of
a letter sent from London：
〃MY DEAR PAQUITA；I shall not try to paint to you in words the
passion with which you have inspired me。 If； to my happiness； you
reciprocate it； understand that I have found a means of
corresponding with you。 My name is Adolphe de Gouges； and I live
at No。 54 Rue de l'Universite。 If you are too closely watched to
be able to write to me； if you have neither pen nor paper； I shall
understand it by your silence。 If then； to…morrow； you have not；
between eight o'clock in the morning and ten o'clock in the
evening； thrown a letter over the wall of your garden into that of
the Baron de Nucingen； where it will be waited for during the
whole of the day； a man； who is entirely devoted to me； will let
down two flasks by a string over your wall at ten o'clock the next
morning。 Be walking there at that hour。 One of the two flasks will
contain opium to send your Argus to sleep； it will be sufficient
to employ six drops； the other will contain ink。 The flask of ink
is of cut glass； the other is plain。 Both are of such a size as
can easily be concealed within your bosom。 All that I have already
done； in order to be able to correspond with you； should tell you
how greatly I love you。 Should you have any doubt of it； I will
confess to you； that to obtain an interview of one hour with you I
would give my life。〃
〃At least they believe that； poor creatures！〃 said De Marsay； 〃but
they are right。