tears, bathed her face with cold water, and
took the student's arm.

"Let us go!" she said.

This suffering, endured with such noble fortitude, shook Eugene with
a more violent emotion than he had felt before. They went back to the
ballroom, and Mme. de Beauseant went through the rooms on Eugene's
arm--the last delicately gracious act of a gracious woman. In another
moment he saw the sisters, Mme. de Restaud and Mme. de Nucingen. The
Countess shone in all the glory of her magnificent diamonds; every stone
must have scorched like fire, she was never to wear them again. Strong
as love and pride might be in her, she found it difficult to meet her
husband's eyes. The sight of her was scarcely calculated to lighten
Rastignac's sad thoughts; through the blaze of those diamonds he seemed
to see the wretched pallet-bed on which Father Goriot was lying. The
Vicomtesse misread his melancholy; she withdrew her hand from his arm.

"Come," she said, "I must not deprive you of a pleasure."

Eugene was soon claimed by Delphine. She was delighted by the impression
that she had made, and eager to lay at her lover's feet the homage
she had received in this new world in which she hoped to live and move
henceforth.

"What do you think of Nasie?" she asked him.

"She has discounted everything, even her own father's death," said
Rastignac.

Towards four o'clock in the morning the rooms began to empty. A little
later the music ceased, and the Duchesse de Langeais and Rastignac were
left in the great ballroom. The Vicomtesse, who thought to find the
student there alone, came back there at last. She had taken leave of M.
de Beauseant, who had gone off to bed, saying again as he went, "It is
a great pity, my dear, to shut yourself up at your age! Pray stay among
us."

Mme. de Beauseant saw the Duchesse, and, in spite of herself, an
exclamation broke from her.

"I saw how it was, Clara," said Mme. de Langeais. "You are going from
among us, and you will never come back. But you must not go until you
have heard me, until we have understood each other."

She took her friend's arm, and they went together into the next room.
There the Duchess looked at her with tears in her eyes; she held her
friend in close embrace and kissed her cheek.

"I could not let you go without a word, dearest; the remorse would have
been too hard to bear. You can count upon me as surely as upon yourself.
You have shown yourself great this evening; I feel that