ful influence
that you will be able, like me, to retire upon a fine marriage when you
are bored with your bohemian life."

"Comes there a time when it is a bore to amuse one's self," said La
Palferine, "to be nothing, to live like the birds, to hunt the fields of
Paris like a savage, and laugh at everything?"

"All things weary, even hell," said de Trailles, laughing. "Well, this
evening."

The two _roues_, the old and the young, rose. As Maxime got into his
one-horse equipage, he thought to himself: "Madame d'Espard can't endure
Beatrix; she will help me. Hotel de Grandlieu," he called out to the
coachman, observing that Rastignac was just passing him.

Find a great man without some weakness!

The duchess, Madame du Guenic, and Clotilde were evidently weeping.

"What is the matter?" he asked the duchess.

"Calyste did not come home; this is the first time; my poor daughter is
in despair."

"Madame la duchesse," said Maxime, drawing the pious lady into the
embrasure of a window, "for Heaven's sake keep the utmost secrecy as to
my efforts, and ask d'Ajuda to do the same; for if Calyste ever hears
of our plot there will be a duel between him and me to the death. When I
told you that the affair would not cost much, I meant that you would not
be obliged to spend enormous sums; but I do want twenty thousand francs;
the rest is my affair; there may be important places to be given, a
receiver-generalship possibly."

The duchess and Maxime left the room. When Madame de Grandlieu returned
to her daughter, she again listened to Sabine's dithyrambics inlaid with
family facts even more cruel than those which had already crushed the
young wife's happiness.

"Don't be so troubled, my darling," said the duchess. "Beatrix will pay
dear for your tears and sufferings; the hand of Satan is upon her; she
will meet with ten humiliations for every one she has inflicted upon
you."

Madame Schontz had invited Claude Vignon, who, on several occasions, had
expressed a wish to know Maxime de Trailles personally. She also invited
Couture, Fabien, Bixiou, Leon de Lora, La Palferine, and Nathan.
The latter was asked by Rochefide on account of Maxime. Aurelie thus
expected nine guests, all men of the first ability, with the exception
of du Ronceret; but the Norman vanity and the brutal ambition of the
Heir were fully on a par with Claude Vignon's literary power, Nathan's
poetic gift, La Palferine's _finesse_, Couture's financial eye, Bi