第24章

Victurnien received charming letters from his father and aunt, and also from the Chevalier.That gentleman recalled himself to the Vidame's memory.He had been at Spa with M.de Pamiers in 1778, after a certain journey made by a celebrated Hungarian princess.And Chesnel also wrote.The fond flattery to which the unhappy boy was only too well accustomed shone out of every page; and Mlle.Armande seemed to share half of Mme.de Maufrigneuse's happiness.

Thus happy in the approval of his family, the young Count made a spirited beginning in the perilous and costly ways of dandyism.He had five horses--he was moderate--de Marsay had fourteen! He returned the Vidame's hospitality, even including Blondet in the invitation, as well as de Marsay and Rastignac.The dinner cost five hundred francs, and the noble provincial was feted on the same scale.Victurnien played a good deal, and, for his misfortune, at the fashionable game of whist.

He laid out his days in busy idleness.Every day between twelve and three o'clock he was with the Duchess; afterwards he went to meet her in the Bois de Boulogne and ride beside her carriage.Sometimes the charming couple rode together, but this was early in fine summer mornings.Society, balls, the theatre, and gaiety filled the Count's evening hours.Everywhere Victurnien made a brilliant figure, everywhere he flung the pearls of his wit broadcast.He gave his opinion on men, affairs, and events in profound sayings; he would have put you in mind of a fruit-tree putting forth all its strength in blossom.He was leading an enervating life wasteful of money, and even yet more wasteful, it may be of a man's soul; in that life the fairest talents are buried out of sight, the most incorruptible honesty perishes, the best-tempered springs of will are slackened.

The Duchess, so white and fragile and angel-like, felt attracted to the dissipations of bachelor life; she enjoyed first nights, she liked anything amusing, anything improvised.Bohemian restaurants lay outside her experience; so d'Esgrignon got up a charming little party at the Rocher de Cancale for her benefit, asked all the amiable scamps whom she cultivated and sermonized, and there was a vast amount of merriment, wit, and gaiety, and a corresponding bill to pay.That supper led to others.And through it all Victurnien worshiped her as an angel.Mme.de Maufrigneuse for him was still an angel, untouched by any taint of earth; an angel at the Varietes, where she sat out the half-obscene, vulgar farces, which made her laugh; an angel through the cross-fire of highly-flavored jests and scandalous anecdotes, which enlivened a stolen frolic; a languishing angel in the latticed box at the Vaudeville; an angel while she criticised the postures of opera dancers with the experience of an elderly habitue of le coin de la reine; an angel at the Porte Saint-Martin, at the little boulevard theatres, at the masked balls, which she enjoyed like any schoolboy.

She was an angel who asked him for the love that lives by self-abnegation and heroism and self-sacrifice; an angel who would have her lover live like an English lord, with an income of a million francs.

D'Esgrignon once exchanged a horse because the animal's coat did not satisfy her notions.At play she was an angel, and certainly no bourgeoise that ever lived could have bidden d'Esgrignon "Stake for me!" in such an angelic way.She was so divinely reckless in her folly, that a man might well have sold his soul to the devil lest this angel should lose her taste for earthly pleasures.

The first winter went by.The Count had drawn on M.Cardot for the trifling sum of thirty thousand francs over and above Chesnel's remittance.As Cardot very carefully refrained from using his right of remonstrance, Victurnien now learned for the first time that he had overdrawn his account.He was the more offended by an extremely polite refusal to make any further advance, since it so happened that he had just lost six thousand francs at play at the club, and he could not very well show himself there until they were paid.

After growing indignant with Maitre Cardot, who had trusted him with thirty thousand francs (Cardot had written to Chesnel, but to the fair Duchess' favorite he made the most of his so-called confidence in him), after all this, d'Esgrignon was obliged to ask the lawyer to tell him how to set about raising the money, since debts of honor were in question.

"Draw bills on your father's banker, and take them to his correspondent; he, no doubt, will discount them for you.Then write to your family, and tell them to remit the amount to the banker."An inner voice seemed to suggest du Croisier's name in this predicament.He had seen du Croisier on his knees to the aristocracy, and of the man's real disposition he was entirely ignorant.So to du Croisier he wrote a very offhand letter, informing him that he had drawn a bill of exchange on him for ten thousand francs, adding that the amount would be repaid on receipt of the letter either by M.

Chesnel or by Mlle.Armande d'Esgrignon.Then he indited two touching epistles--one to Chesnel, another to his aunt.In the matter of going headlong to ruin, a young man often shows singular ingenuity and ability, and fortune favors him.In the morning Victurnien happened on the name of the Paris bankers in correspondence with du Croisier, and de Marsay furnished him with the Kellers' address.De Marsay knew everything in Paris.The Kellers took the bill and gave him the sum without a word, after deducting the discount.The balance of the account was in du Croisier's favor.

But the gaming debt was as nothing in comparison with the state of things at home.Invoices showered in upon Victurnien.