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To set foot in the Vicomtesse de Beauseant's house in the Faubourg Saint-Germain; to fall on your knees before a Comtesse de Restaud in the Chaussee d'Antin; to look at one glance across a vista of Paris drawing-rooms, conscious that, possessing sufficient good looks, you may hope to find aid and protection there in a feminine heart!
The Vicomtesse replied by an invitation to a ball for the following evening. This was the position of affairs at the Maison Vauquer at the end of November 1819. A few days later, after Mme. de Beauseant's ball, Eugene came in at two o'clock in the morning. The persevering student meant to make up for the lost time by working until daylight.
"And his Excellency?" asked Antoinette. In that moment all three of us seemed to have forgotten the tragedy behind the wall. "His Excellency thought so, too, when we had explained it sufficiently," Helene answered. The girl seemed suddenly to throw off the weight of her grief. She seized the hand of the Vicomtesse in both of her own. "The Baron pardoned him?" she cried.
She rose, too, he still clinging to her hand, she still unresisting. His eye fell upon me. "Where is my hat, Davy?" he asked. The Vicomtesse withdrew her hand and looked at me. "Alas, it is not quite so simple as that, Mr. Temple," she said; "Monsieur de Carondelet has first to be reckoned with." "She is dying, you say? then I will go to her.
"You must talk to me, you know," said Mme. de Beauseant. "Ah! look! There is Mme. de Nucingen in the third box from ours. Her sister and M. de Trailles are on the other side." The Vicomtesse glanced as she spoke at the box where Mlle. de Rochefide should have been; M. d'Ajuda was not there, and Mme. de Beauseant's face lighted up in a marvelous way.
Every one knows now that the King signed M. d'Ajuda's marriage-contract this morning, and the poor Vicomtesse knew nothing of it until two o'clock this afternoon. All Paris will flock to her house, of course, just as a crowd fills the Place de Greve to see an execution. It is horrible, is it not, to go out of curiosity to see if she will hide her anguish, and whether she will die courageously?
Some ill feeling and not a few unpleasant comments were, of course, the result of the little venture; and most of those concerned paid for their fun in some way or other. The performance took place at San Cosme, at the house of the Vicomtesse de Noue.
Doubtless thus she had made King and Cardinal laugh, doubtless thus, ministering to those who crossed her path, she had met her own calamities. Strangest of all was the effect she had upon Lindy, for the girl ceased crying as she watched her. Madame la Vicomtesse turned to me. "You must go at once," she said. "When you get to Madame Gravois's, write to Mr. Temple. I will send Andre to you there."
A procès-verbal meant publicity; naturally the Vicomtesse would know. It might even reach the adorable ears of Mademoiselle Rosalie, of the corps de ballet, who imagined the Vicomte safe with his family. The Baron was fuming, but he did not speak. "Your permits!" reiterated Le Bour, flourishing his license. There was an awkward silence; not a few in the party had left their permits at home.
She started for the bedroom door, Lindy making way for her. I scarcely knew what I did as I sprang forward and took the Vicomtesse by the arm. "Where are you going?" I cried. "You cannot go in there! You cannot go in there!" It did not seem strange that she turned to me without anger, that she did not seek to release her arm.
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