ave a mistress
and an almost royal position is a sign of power," he said to himself.
And he looked at Mme. de Nucingen as a man measures another who has
insulted him.

The Vicomtesse turned to him, and the expression of her eyes thanked him
a thousand times for his discretion. The first act came to an end just
then.

"Do you know Mme. de Nucingen well enough to present M. de Rastignac to
her?" she asked of the Marquis d'Ajuda.

"She will be delighted," said the Marquis. The handsome Portuguese rose
as he spoke and took the student's arm, and in another moment Eugene
found himself in Mme. de Nucingen's box.

"Madame," said the Marquis, "I have the honor of presenting to you the
Chevalier Eugene de Rastignac; he is a cousin of Mme. de Beauseant's.
You have made so deep an impression upon him, that I thought I would
fill up the measure of his happiness by bringing him nearer to his
divinity."

Words spoken half jestingly to cover their somewhat disrespectful
import; but such an implication, if carefully disguised, never gives
offence to a woman. Mme. de Nucingen smiled, and offered Eugene the
place which her husband had just left.

"I do not venture to suggest that you should stay with me, monsieur,"
she said. "Those who are so fortunate as to be in Mme. de Beauseant's
company do not desire to leave it."

"Madame," Eugene said, lowering his voice, "I think that to please my
cousin I should remain with you. Before my lord Marquis came we were
speaking of you and of your exceedingly distinguished appearance," he
added aloud.

M. d'Ajuda turned and left them.

"Are you really going to stay with me, monsieur?" asked the Baroness.
"Then we shall make each other's acquaintance. Mme. de Restaud told me
about you, and has made me anxious to meet you."

"She must be very insincere, then, for she has shut her door on me."

"What?"

"Madame, I will tell you honestly the reason why; but I must crave your
indulgence before confiding such a secret to you. I am your father's
neighbor; I had no idea that Mme. de Restaud was his daughter. I was
rash enough to mention his name; I meant no harm, but I annoyed your
sister and her husband very much. You cannot think how severely the
Duchesse de Langeais and my cousin blamed this apostasy on a daughter's
part, as a piece of bad taste. I told them all about it, and they both
burst out laughing. Then Mme. de Beauseant made some comparison between
you and your sister, speaking in