beautiful maiden out of a
German song draw her fantastical mother into the cloakroom, whither
Malvina followed them; and (boy that he was) he must needs go to
discover into what pot of preserves the infant Joby had fallen, and
had the pleasure of watching Isaure and Malvina coaxing that sparkling
person, their mamma, into her pelisse, with all the little tender
precautions required for a night journey in Paris. Of course, the girls
on their side watched Beaudenord out of the corners of their eyes, as
well-taught kittens watch a mouse, without seeming to see it at all.
With a certain satisfaction Beaudenord noted the bearing, manner, and
appearance, of the tall well-gloved Alsacien servant in livery who
brought three pairs of fur-lined overshoes for his mistresses.

"Never were two sisters more unlike than Isaure and Malvina. Malvina
the elder was tall and dark-haired, Isaure was short and fair, and
her features were finely and delicately cut, while her sister's were
vigorous and striking. Isaure was one of those women who reign like
queens through their weakness, such a woman as a schoolboy would feel it
incumbent upon him to protect; Malvina was the _Andalouse_ of Musset's
poem. As the sisters stood together, Isaure looked like a miniature
beside a portrait in oils.

"'She is rich!' exclaimed Godefroid, going back to Rastignac in the
ballroom.

"'Who?'

"'That young lady.'

"'Oh, Isaure d'Aldrigger? Why, yes. The mother is a widow; Nucingen was
once a clerk in her husband's bank at Strasbourg. Do you want to see
them again? Just turn off a compliment for Mme. de Restaud; she is
giving a ball the day after to-morrow; the Baroness d'Aldrigger and her
two daughters will be there. You will have an invitation.'

"For three days Godefroid beheld Isaure in the camera obscura of his
brain--_his_ Isaure with her white camellias and the little ways she
had with her head--saw her as you see the bright thing on which you have
been gazing after your eyes are shut, a picture grown somewhat
smaller; a radiant, brightly-colored vision flashing out of a vortex of
darkness."

"Bixiou, you are dropping into phenomena, block us out our pictures,"
put in Couture.

"Here you are, gentlemen! Here is the picture you ordered!" (from the
tones of Bixiou's voice, he evidently was posing as a waiter.) "Finot,
attention, one has to pull at your mouth as a jarvie pulls at his
jade. In Madame Theodora Marguerite Wilhelmine Adolphus (of t