du Val-Noble, whom I discover in a
box on the third tier with her nabob.--A great many nabobs grow in the
Indies," she added, with a knowing glance at Lucien.

"And that one," said Lucien, smiling, "is uncommonly like yours."

"And them," said Esther, answering Lucien with another look of
intelligence, while still speaking to the Baron, "bring her here with
her nabob; he is very anxious to make your acquaintance. They say he
is very rich. The poor woman has already poured out I know not how many
elegies; she complains that her nabob is no good; and if you relieve him
of his ballast, perhaps he will sail closer to the wind."

"You tink ve are all tieves!" said the Baron as he went away.

"What ails you, my Lucien?" asked Esther in her friend's ear, just
touching it with her lips as soon as the box door was shut.

"I am lost! I have just been turned from the door of the Hotel de
Grandlieu under pretence that no one was admitted. The Duke and Duchess
were at home, and five pairs of horses were champing in the courtyard."

"What! will the marriage not take place?" exclaimed Esther, much
agitated, for she saw a glimpse of Paradise.

"I do not yet know what is being plotted against me----"

"My Lucien," said she in a deliciously coaxing voice, "why be worried
about it? You can make a better match by and by--I will get you the
price of two estates----"

"Give us supper to-night that I may be able to speak in secret to
Carlos, and, above all, invite the sham Englishman and Val-Noble. That
nabob is my ruin; he is our enemy; we will get hold of him, and we----"

But Lucien broke off with a gesture of despair.

"Well, what is it?" asked the poor girl.

"Oh! Madame de Serizy sees me!" cried Lucien, "and to crown our woes,
the Duc de Rhetore, who witnessed my dismissal, is with her."

In fact, at that very minute, the Duc de Rhetore was amusing himself
with Madame de Serizy's discomfiture.

"Do you allow Lucien to be seen in Mademoiselle Esther's box?" said
the young Duke, pointing to the box and to Lucien; "you, who take an
interest in him, should really tell him such things are not allowed.
He may sup at her house, he may even--But, in fact, I am no longer
surprised at the Grandlieus' coolness towards the young man. I have just
seen their door shut in his face--on the front steps----"

"Women of that sort are very dangerous," said Madame de Serizy, turning
her opera-glass on Esther's box.

"Yes," said the Duke,