,
that finer natures look upon a letter as one of love's most precious
treasures. Father Goriot's affection was of the instinctive order, a
canine affection raised to a sublime pitch; he had scented compassion in
the air, and the kindly respect and youthful sympathy in the student's
heart. This friendship had, however, scarcely reached the stage at which
confidences are made. Though Eugene had spoken of his wish to meet Mme.
de Nucingen, it was not because he counted on the old man to introduce
him to her house, for he hoped that his own audacity might stand him in
good stead. All that Father Goriot had said as yet about his daughters
had referred to the remarks that the student had made so freely in
public on that day of the two visits.

"How could you think that Mme. de Restaud bore you a grudge for
mentioning my name?" he had said on the day following that scene at
dinner. "My daughters are very fond of me; I am a happy father; but
my sons-in-law have behaved badly to me, and rather than make trouble
between my darlings and their husbands, I choose to see my daughters
secretly. Fathers who can see their daughters at any time have no idea
of all the pleasure that all this mystery gives me; I cannot always see
mine when I wish, do you understand? So when it is fine I walk out in
the Champs-Elysees, after finding out from their waiting-maids whether
my daughters mean to go out. I wait near the entrance; my heart beats
fast when the carriages begin to come; I admire them in their dresses,
and as they pass they give me a little smile, and it seems as if
everything was lighted up for me by a ray of bright sunlight. I wait,
for they always go back the same way, and then I see them again; the
fresh air has done them good and brought color into their cheeks; all
about me people say, 'What a beautiful woman that is!' and it does my
heart good to hear them.

"Are they not my own flesh and blood? I love the very horses that draw
them; I envy the little lap-dog on their knees. Their happiness is my
life. Every one loves after his own fashion, and mine does no one any
harm; why should people trouble their heads about me? I am happy in my
own way. Is there any law against going to see my girls in the evening
when they are going out to a ball? And what a disappointment it is when
I get there too late, and am told that 'Madame has gone out!' Once I
waited till three o'clock in the morning for Nasie; I had not seen her
for two whole