progress since the day when he saw Mme. de Nucingen for the
first time. He did not know as yet that a woman's coquetry is sometimes
more delightful than the pleasure of secure possession of her love, and
was possessed with helpless rage. If, at this time, while she denied
herself to love, Eugene gathered the springtide spoils of his life,
the fruit, somewhat sharp and green, and dearly bought, was no less
delicious to the taste. There were moments when he had not a sou in
his pockets, and at such times he thought in spite of his conscience of
Vautrin's offer and the possibility of fortune by a marriage with Mlle.
Taillefer. Poverty would clamor so loudly that more than once he was on
the point of yielding to the cunning temptations of the terrible sphinx,
whose glance had so often exerted a strange spell over him.

Poiret and Mlle. Michonneau went up to their rooms; and Rastignac,
thinking that he was alone with the women in the dining-room, sat
between Mme. Vauquer and Mme. Couture, who was nodding over the woolen
cuffs that she was knitting by the stove, and looked at Mlle. Taillefer
so tenderly that she lowered her eyes.

"Can you be in trouble, M. Eugene?" Victorine said after a pause.

"Who has not his troubles?" answered Rastignac. "If we men were sure
of being loved, sure of a devotion which would be our reward for the
sacrifices which we are always ready to make, then perhaps we should
have no troubles."

For answer Mlle. Taillefer only gave him a glance but it was impossible
to mistake its meaning.

"You, for instance, mademoiselle; you feel sure of your heart to-day,
but are you sure that it will never change?"

A smile flitted over the poor girl's lips; it seemed as if a ray of
light from her soul had lighted up her face. Eugene was dismayed at the
sudden explosion of feeling caused by his words.

"Ah! but suppose," he said, "that you should be rich and happy
to-morrow, suppose that a vast fortune dropped down from the clouds
for you, would you still love the man whom you loved in your days of
poverty?"

A charming movement of the head was her only answer.

"Even if he were very poor?"

Again the same mute answer.

"What nonsense are you talking, you two?" exclaimed Mme. Vauquer.

"Never mind," answered Eugene; "we understand each other."

"So there is to be an engagement of marriage between M. le Chevalier
Eugene de Rastignac and Mlle. Victorine Taillefer, is there?" The words
were uttered i