, one will turn monomaniac, repeating the same word over
and over again like a bell set jangling; another tries to keep the
tumult within bounds; the steadiest will propose an orgy. If any one in
possession of his faculties should come in, he would think that he had
interrupted a Bacchanalian rite.

"It was in the thick of such a chaos that M. de Trailles tried to
insinuate himself into my good graces. My head was fairly clear, I was
upon my guard. As for him, though he pretended to be decently drunk,
he was perfectly cool, and knew very well what he was about. How it was
done I do not know, but the upshot of it was that when we left Grignon's
rooms about nine o'clock in the evening, M. de Trailles had thoroughly
bewitched me. I had given him my promise that I would introduce him the
next day to our Papa Gobseck. The words 'honor,' 'virtue,' 'countess,'
'honest woman,' and 'ill-luck' were mingled in his discourse with
magical potency, thanks to that golden tongue of his.

"When I awoke next morning, and tried to recollect what I had done the
day before, it was with great difficulty that I could make a connected
tale from my impressions. At last, it seemed to me that the daughter of
one of my clients was in danger of losing her reputation, together
with her husband's love and esteem, if she could not get fifty thousand
francs together in the course of the morning. There had been gaming
debts, and carriage-builders' accounts, money lost to Heaven knows whom.
My magician of a boon companion had impressed it upon me that she was
rich enough to make good these reverses by a few years of economy. But
only now did I begin to guess the reasons of his urgency. I confess, to
my shame, that I had not the shadow of a doubt but that it was a matter
of importance that Daddy Gobseck should make it up with this dandy. I
was dressing when the young gentleman appeared.

"'M. le Comte,' said I, after the usual greetings, 'I fail to see why
you should need me to effect an introduction to Van Gobseck, the most
civil and smooth-spoken of capitalists. Money will be forthcoming if he
has any, or rather, if you can give him adequate security.'

"'Monsieur,' said he, 'it does not enter into my thoughts to force you
to do me a service, even though you have passed your word.'

"'Sardanapalus!' said I to myself, 'am I going to let that fellow
imagine that I will not keep my word with him?'

"'I had the honor of telling you yesterday,' said he,