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.

"I say! Do you trouble yourself about that sort of thing?" Rastignac
said, laughing. "Are you putting them in order, my dear boy? I did not
think you were so business-like."

"My dear fellow, it is quite time I thought about it; there are twenty
odd thousand francs there."

De Marsay, coming in to look up d'Esgrignon for a steeplechase, produced
a dainty little pocket-book, took out twenty thousand francs, and handed
them to him.

"It is the best way of keeping the money safe," said he; "I am twice
enchanted to have won it yesterday from my honored father, Milord
Dudley."

Such French grace completely fascinated d'Esgrignon; he took it for
friendship; and as to the money, punctually forgot to pay his debts
with it, and spent it on his pleasures. The fact was that de Marsay was
looking on with an unspeakable pleasure while young d'Esgrignon "got out
of his depth," in dandy's idiom; it pleased de Marsay in all sorts of
fondling ways to lay an arm on the lad's shoulder; by and by he should
feel its weight, and disappear the sooner. For de Marsay was jealous;
the Duchess flaunted her love affair; she was not at home to other
visitors when d'Esgrignon was with her. And besides, de Marsay was one
of those savage humorists who delight in mischief, as Turkish women in
the bath. So when he had carried off the prize, and bets were settled at
the tavern where they breakfasted, and a bott