ed with banderols
amuses the company in a Spanish circus.

"You may kick as you please, but you can't make a solitude about you,"
whispered Blondet.

The words brought Raoul to his senses, and he ceased to exhibit his
irritation to the company. Madame d'Espard came up to offer him a cup of
tea, and said loud enough for Madame de Vandenesse to hear:--

"You are certainly very amusing; come and see me sometimes at four
o'clock."

The word "amusing" offended Raoul, though it was used as the ground of
an invitation. Blondet took pity on him.

"My dear fellow," he said, taking him aside into a corner, "you are
behaving in society as if you were at Florine's. Here no one shows
annoyance, or spouts long articles; they say a few words now and then,
they look their calmest when most desirous of flinging others out of the
window; they sneer softly, they pretend not to think of the woman they
adore, and they are careful not to roll like a donkey on the high-road.
In society, my good Raoul, conventions rule love. Either carry off
Madame de Vandenesse, or show yourself a gentleman. As it is, you are
playing the lover in one of your own books."

Nathan listened with his head lowered; he was like a lion caught in a
toil.

"I'll never set foot in this house again," he cried. "That papier-mache
marquise sells her tea too dear. She thinks me amusing! I understand now
why Saint-Just wanted to guillotine this whole class of people."

"You'll be back here to-morrow."

Blondet was right. Passions are as mean as they are cruel. The next day
after long hesitation between "I'll go--I'll not go," Raoul left his new
partners in the midst of an important discussion and rushed to Madame
d'Espard's house in the faubourg Saint-Honore. Beholding Rastignac's
elegant cabriolet enter the court-yard while he was paying his cab at
the gate, Nathan's vanity was stung; he resolved to have a cabriolet
himself, and its accompanying tiger, too. The carriage of the countess
was in the court-yard, and the sight of it swelled Raoul's heart with
joy. Marie was advancing under the pressure of her desires with the
regularity of the hands of a clock obeying the mainspring. He found her
sitting at the corner of the fireplace in the little salon. Instead of
looking at Nathan when he was announced, she looked at his reflection in
a mirror.

"Monsieur le ministre," said Madame d'Espard, addressing Nathan, and
presenting him to de Marsay by a glance, "was main