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"If I had had the honor to see you earlier, you would probably have not been so willing to support Monsieur Rabourdin, after reading his opinion of you." Dutocq opened his coat, took a paper from the left-hand breast-pocket and laid it on des Lupeaulx's desk, pointing to a marked passage. Then he went to the door and slipped the bolt, fearing interruption.
"We knew eight days ago a fact that without us you would not have known till to-morrow morning. The president of the chamber of commerce, a deputy, as you know, feels himself obliged to resign." Des Lupeaulx's eyes dilated, and were as big as daisies. "Your minister has been tricking you about this event," said the concise Gobseck.
"Don't be uneasy," said des Lupeaulx, interposing between the minister and Rabourdin, whom he thus interrupted; "in another week you will probably be appointed " The minister smiled as he thought of des Lupeaulx's enthusiasm for Madame Rabourdin, and he glanced knowingly at his wife.
"How much will you lose?" asked Mitral. "Nothing," said Gobseck. "Nobody knows we are in it," added Gigonnet; "Samanon screens us." "Come, listen to me, Gigonnet; it is cold, and your niece is waiting outside. You'll understand what I want in two words. "Is it possible!" said Gobseck. "What for?" cried Gigonnet, "and where to?" "To des Lupeaulx's magnificent country-seat," replied Mitral.
So now, let us agree on two things; first, the postponement of the appointment; second, your /sincere/ support of my election. You shall find at the end of the session that I have amply repaid you." For all answer, the minister took the appointment papers and placed them in des Lupeaulx's hand.
"I told you we were doing a good thing in buying up all des Lupeaulx's paper from his creditors at sixty per cent discount." "Take this mortgage on his estate and you'll hold him tighter still through the interest," answered Mitral. "Possibly," said Gobseck. After exchanging a shrewd look with Gobseck, Gigonnet went to the door of the cafe.
At twenty-five he overflows with vigor and wastes it with impunity, but at forty he learns that to use it in that way is to abuse it. The thoughts that came into des Lupeaulx's mind at this moment were melancholy ones. The nerves of the old beau relaxed; the agreeable smile, which served as a mask and made the character of his countenance, faded; the real man appeared, and he was horrible.
Madame Rabourdin is far superior to Madame Colleville," said the vaudevillist, remembering des Lupeaulx's former affair. "Flavie owes what she is to the men about her, whereas Madame Rabourdin is all things in herself. It is wonderful too what she knows; you can't tell secrets in Latin before /her/. If I had such a wife, I know I should succeed in everything."
He finally proved to her plainly that his plan was not mere theory, but a system teeming with methods of execution. Celestine, brightly enthusiastic, sprang into her husband's arms and sat upon his knee in the chimney-corner. "At last I find the husband of my dreams!" she cried. "My ignorance of your real merit has saved you from des Lupeaulx's claws.
"Friends," said Bixiou, "you have long known the goddess of the Sire de Rubempre's fortune: She is des Lupeaulx's former 'rat." A form of dissipation, now forgotten, but still customary at the beginning of this century, was the keeping of "rats."
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