n Vautrin's deep voice, and Vautrin appeared at the door
as he spoke.

"Oh! how you startled me!" Mme. Couture and Mme. Vauquer exclaimed
together.

"I might make a worse choice," said Rastignac, laughing. Vautrin's voice
had thrown him into the most painful agitation that he had yet known.

"No bad jokes, gentlemen!" said Mme. Couture. "My dear, let us go
upstairs."

Mme. Vauquer followed the two ladies, meaning to pass the evening in
their room, an arrangement that economized fire and candlelight. Eugene
and Vautrin were left alone.

"I felt sure you would come round to it," said the elder man with the
coolness that nothing seemed to shake. "But stay a moment! I have as
much delicacy as anybody else. Don't make up your mind on the spur of
the moment; you are a little thrown off your balance just now. You are
in debt, and I want you to come over to my way of thinking after sober
reflection, and not in a fit of passion or desperation. Perhaps you want
a thousand crowns. There, you can have them if you like."

The tempter took out a pocketbook, and drew thence three banknotes,
which he fluttered before the student's eyes. Eugene was in a most
painful dilemma. He had debts, debts of honor. He owed a hundred louis
to the Marquis d'Ajuda and to the Count de Trailles; he had not the
money, and for this reason had not dared to go to Mme. de Restaud's
house, where he was expected that evening. It was one of those informal
gatherings where tea and little cakes are handed round, but where it is
possible to lose six thousand francs at whist in the course of a night.

"You must see," said Eugene, struggling to hide a convulsive tremor,
"that after what has passed between us, I cannot possibly lay myself
under any obligation to you."

"Quite right; I should be sorry to hear you speak otherwise," answered
the tempter. "You are a fine young fellow, honorable, brave as a lion,
and as gentle as a young girl. You would be a fine haul for the devil! I
like youngsters of your sort. Get rid of one or two more prejudices, and
you will see the world as it is. Make a little scene now and then, and
act a virtuous part in it, and a man with a head on his shoulders can
do exactly as he likes amid deafening applause from the fools in the
gallery. Ah! a few days yet, and you will be with us; and if you would
only be tutored by me, I would put you in the way of achieving all your
ambitions. You should no sooner form a wish than it should b