the firm of nucingen-第17章

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ing　young　fellow　of　seven…and…　twenty　and　a　charming　girl　of　nineteen　that　dances　admirably　well；　Godefroid　in　his　perplexity　over　the　corbeille　asked　Mme。　de　Nucingen　and　Rastignac　to　breakfast　with　him　and　advise　him　on　this　all…　important　point。　He　hit　likewise　on　the　happy　idea　of　asking　his　cousin　d'Aiglemont　and　his　wife　to　meet　them；　as　well　as　Mme。　de　Serizy。　Women　of　the　world　are　ready　enough　to　join　for　once　in　an　improvised　breakfast…party　at　a　bachelor's　rooms。〃

〃It　is　their　way　of　playing　truant；〃　put　in　Blondet。

〃Of　course　they　went　over　the　new　house；〃　resumed　Bixiou。　〃Married　women　relish　these　little　expeditions　as　ogres　relish　warm　flesh；　they　feel　young　again　with　the　young　bliss；　unspoiled　as　yet　by　fruition。　Breakfast　was　served　in　Godefroid's　sitting…room；　decked　out　like　a　troop　horse　for　a　farewell　to　bachelor　life。　There　were　dainty　little　dishes　such　as　women　love　to　devour；　nibble　at；　and　sip　of　a　morning；　when　they　are　usually　alarmingly　hungry　and　horribly　afraid　to　confess　to　it。　It　would　seem　that　a　woman　compromises　herself　by　admitting　that　she　is　hungry。'Why　have　you　come　alone？'　inquired　Godefroid　when　Rastignac　appeared。'Mme。　de　Nucingen　is　out　of　spirits；　I　will　tell　you　all　about　it；'　answered　Rastignac；　with　the　air　of　a　man　whose　temper　has　been　tried。'A　quarrel？'　hazarded　Godefroid。'No。'　At　four　o'clock　the　women　took　flight　for　the　Bois　de　Boulogne；　Rastignac　stayed　in　the　room　and　looked　out　of　the　window；　fixing　his　melancholy　gaze　upon　Toby　Joby　Paddy；　who　stood；　his　arms　crossed　in　Napoleonic　fashion；　audaciously　posted　in　front　of　Beaudenord's　cab　horse。　The　child　could　only　control　the　animal　with　his　shrill　little　voice；　but　the　horse　was　afraid　of　Joby　Toby。

〃　'Well；'　began　Godefroid；　'what　is　the　matter　with　you；　my　dear　fellow？　You　look　gloomy　and　anxious；　your　gaiety　is　forced。　You　are　tormented　by　incomplete　happiness。　It　is　wretched；　and　that　is　a　fact；　when　one　cannot　marry　the　woman　one　loves　at　the　mayor's　office　and　the　church。'

〃　'Have　you　courage　to　hear　what　I　have　to　say？　I　wonder　whether　you　will　see　how　much　a　man　must　be　attached　to　a　friend　if　he　can　be　guilty　of　such　a　breach　of　confidence　as　this　for　his　sake。'

〃Something　in　Rastignac's　voice　stung　like　a　lash　of　a　whip。

〃　'WHAT？'　asked　Godefroid　de　Beaudenord；　turning　pale。

〃　'I　was　unhappy　over　your　joy；　I　had　not　the　heart　to　keep　such　a　secret　to　myself　when　I　saw　all　these　preparations；　your　happiness　in　bloom。'

〃　'Just　say　it　out　in　three　words！'

〃　'Swear　to　me　on　your　honor　that　you　will　be　as　silent　as　the　grave'

〃　'As　the　grave；'　repeated　Beaudenord。

〃　'That　if　one　of　your　relatives　were　concerned　in　this　secret；　he　should　not　know　it。'

〃　'No。'

〃　'Very　well。　Nucingen　started　to…night　for　Brussels。　He　must　file　his　schedule　if　he　cannot　arrange　a　settlement。　This　very　morning　Delphine　petitioned　for　the　separation　of　her　estate。　You　may　still　save　your　fortune。'

〃　'How？'　faltered　Godefroid；　the　blood　turned　to　ice　in　his　veins。

〃　'Simply　write　to　the　Baron　de　Nucingen；　antedating　your　letter　a　fortnight；　and　instruct　him　to　invest　all　your　capital　in　shares。'　Rastignac　suggested　Claparon　and　Company；　and　continued'You　have　a　fortnight；　a　month；　possibly　three　months；　in　which　to　realize　and　make　something；　the　shares　are　still　going　up'

〃　'But　d'Aiglemont；　who　was　here　at　breakfast　with　us；　has　a　million　in　Nucingen's　bank。'

〃　'Look　here；　I　do　not　know　whether　there　will　be　enough　of　these　shares　to　cover　it；　and　besides；　I　am　not　his　friend；　I　cannot　betray　Nucingen's　confidence。　You　must　not　speak　to　d'Aiglemont。　If　you　say　a　word；　you　must　answer　to　me　for　the　consequences。'

〃Godefroid　stood　stock　still　for　ten　minutes。

〃　'Do　you　accept？　Yes　or　no！'　said　the　inexorable　Rastignac。

〃Godefroid　took　up　the　pen；　wrote　at　Rastignac's　dictation；　and　signed　his　name。

〃　'My　poor　cousin！'　he　cried。

〃　'Each　for　himself；'　said　Rastignac。　'And　there　is　one　more　settled！'　he　added　to　himself　as　he　left　Beaudenord。

〃While　Rastignac　was　manoeuvring　thus　in　Paris；　imagine　the　state　of　things　on　the　Bourse。　A　friend　of　mine；　a　provincial；　a　stupid　creature；　once　asked　me　as　we　came　past　the　Bourse　between　four　and　five　in　the　afternoon　what　all　that　crowd　of　chatterers　was　doing；　what　they　could　possibly　find　to　say　to　each　other；　and　why　they　were　wandering　to　and　fro　when　business　in　public　securities　was　over　for　the　day。　'My　friend；'　said　I；　'they　have　made　their　meal；　and　now　they　are　digesting　it；　while　they　digest　it；　they　gossip　about　their　neighbors；　or　there　would　be　no　commercial　security　in　Paris。　Concerns　are　floated　here；　such　and　such　a　manPalma；　for　instance；　who　is　something　the　same　here　as　Sinard　at　the　Academie　Royale　des　Sciences　Palma　says；　〃let　the　speculation　be　made！〃　and　the　speculation　is　made。'　〃

〃What　a　man　that　Hebrew　is；〃　put　in　Blondet；　〃he　has　not　had　a　university　education；　but　a　universal　education。　And　universal　does　not　in　his　case　mean　superficial；　whatever　he　knows；　he　knows　to　the　bottom。　He　has　a　genius；　an　intuitive　faculty　for　business。　He　is　the　oracle　of　all　the　lynxes　that　rule　the　Paris　market；　they　will　not　touch　an　investment　until　Palma　has　looked　into　it。　He　looks　solemn；　he　listens；　ponders；　and　reflects；　his　interlocutor　thinks　that　after　this　consideration　he　has　come　round　his　man；　till　Palma　says；　'This　will　not　do　for　me。'The　most　extraordinary　thing　about　Palma；　to　my　mind；　is　the　fact　that　he　and　Werbrust　were　partners　for　ten　years；　and　there　was　never　the　shadow　of　a　disagreement　between　them。〃

〃That　is　the　way　with　the　very　strong　or　the　very　weak；　any　two　between　the　extremes　fall　out　and　lose　no　time　in　making　enemies　of　each　other；〃　said　Couture。

〃Nucingen；　you　see；　had　neatly　and　skilfully　put　a　little　bombshell　under　the　colonnades　of　the　Bourse；　and　towards　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　it　exploded。'Here　is　something　serious；　have　you　heard　the　news？'　asked　du　Tillet；　drawing　Werbrust　into　a　corner。　'Here　is　Nucingen　gone　off　to　Brussels；　and　his　wife　petitioning　for　a　separation　of　her　estate。'

〃　'Are　you　and　he　in　it　together　for　a　liquidation？'　asked　Werbrust；　smiling。

〃　'No　foolery；　Werbrust；'　said　du　Tillet。　'You　know　the　holders　of　his　paper。　Now；　look　here。　There　is　business　in　it。　Shares　in　this　new　concern　of　ours　have　gone　up　twenty　per　cent　already；　they　will　go　up　to　five…and…twenty　by　the　end　of　the　quarter；　you　know　why。　They　are　going　to　pay　a　splendid　dividend。'

〃　'Sly　dog；'　said　Werbrust。　'Get　along　with　you；　you　are　a　devil　with　long　and　sharp　claws；　and　you　have　them　deep　in　the　butter。'

〃　'Just　let　me　speak；　or　we　shall　not　have　time　to　operate。　I　hit　on　the　idea　as　soon　as　I　heard　the　news。　I　positively　saw　Mme。　de　Nucingen　crying；　she　is　afraid　for　her　fortune。'

〃　'Poor　little　thing！'　said　the　old　Alsacien　Jew；　with　an　ironical　expression。　'Well？'　he　added；　as　du　Tillet　was　silent。

〃　'Well。　At　my　place　I　have　a　thousand　shares　of　a　thousand　francs　in　our　concern；　Nucingen　handed　them　over　to　me　to　put　on　the　market；　do　you　understand？　Good。　Now　let　us　buy　up　a　million　of　Nucingen's　paper　at　a　discount　of　ten　or　twenty　per　cent；　and　we　shall　make　a　handsome　percentage　out　of　it。　We　shall　be　debtors　and　creditors　both；　confusion　will　be　worked！　But　we　must　set　about　it　carefully；　or　the　holders　may　imagine　that　we　are　operating　in　Nucingen's　interests。'

〃Then　Werbrust　understood。　He　squeezed　du　Tillet's　hand　with　an　expression　such　as　a　woman's　face　wears　when　she　is　playing　her　neighbor　a　trick。

〃Martin　Falleix　came　up。'Well；　have　you　heard　the　news？'　he　asked。　'Nucingen　has　stopped　payment。'

〃　'Pooh；'　said　Werbrust；　'pray　don't　noise　it　about；　give　those　that　hold　his　paper　a　chance。'

〃　'What　is　the　cause　of　the　smash；　do　you　know？'　put　in　Claparon。

〃　'You　know　nothing　about　it；'　said　du　Tillet。　'There　isn't　any　smash。　Payment　will　be　made　in　full。　Nucingen　will　start　again；　I　shall　find　him　all　the　money　he　wants。　I　know　the　causes　of　the　suspension。　He　has　put　all　his　capital　into　Mexican　securities；　and　they　are　sending　him　metal　in　return；　old　Spanish　cannon　cast　in　such　an　insane　fashion　that　they　melted　down　gold　and　be