n me! Poor fellow!' and Beaudenord was clean forgotten fifteen
minutes afterwards. He owed his place to Nucingen and de Vandenesse.

"And to-day these so estimable and unfortunate people are living on
a third floor (not counting the entresol) in the Rue du Mont Thabor.
Malvina, the Adolphus' pearl of a granddaughter, has not a farthing. She
gives music-lessons, not to be a burden upon her brother-in-law. You
may see a tall, dark, thin, withered woman, like a mummy escaped
from Passalacqua's about afoot through the streets of Paris. In 1830
Beaudenord lost his situation just as his wife presented him with a
fourth child. A family of eight and two servants (Wirth and his wife)
and an income of eight thousand livres. And at this moment the mines are
paying so well, that an original share of a thousand francs brings in a
dividend of cent per cent.

"Rastignac and Mme. de Nucingen bought the shares sold by the Baroness
and Godefroid. The Revolution made a peer of France of Nucingen and a
Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor. He has not stopped payment since
1830, but still I hear that he has something like seventeen millions.
He put faith in the Ordinances of July, sold out of all his investments,
and boldly put his money into the funds when the three per cents stood
at forty-five. He persuaded the Tuileries that this was done out
of devotion, and about the same time he and du Tillet between them
swallowed down three millions belonging to that great scamp Philippe
Bridau.

"Quite lately our Baron was walking along the Rue de Rivoli on his way
to the Bois when he met the Baroness d'Aldrigger under the colonnade.
The little old lady wore a tiny green bonnet with a rose-colored lining,
a flowered gown, and a mantilla; altogether, she was more than ever the
Shepherdess of the Alps. She could no more be made to understand the
causes of her poverty than the sources of her wealth. As she went along,
leaning upon poor Malvina, that model of heroic devotion, she seemed
to be the young girl and Malvina the old mother. Wirth followed them,
carrying an umbrella.

"'Dere are beoples whose vordune I vound it imbossible to make,' said
the Baron, addressing his companion (M. Cointet, a cabinet minister).
'Now dot de baroxysm off brincibles haf bassed off, chust reinshtate dot
boor Peautenord.'

"So Beaudenord went back to his desk, thanks to Nucingen's good offices;
and the d'Aldriggers extol Nucingen as a hero of friendship, for he
a