and to whom you must therefore pay the most assiduous
court."

"And as it is all important that you conciliate that power, I am going
to give you a few instructions," said Bixiou. "Do you employ workwomen
in your manufactory?"

"Of course I do," replied Gazonal.

"That's all I want to know," resumed Bixiou. "You are not married, and
you are a great--"

"Yes!" cried Gazonal, "you've guessed my strong point, I'm a great lover
of women."

"Well, then! if you will execute the little manoeuvre which I am about
to prescribe for you, you will taste, without spending a farthing, the
sweets to be found in the good graces of an actress."

When they reached the rue de la Victoire where the celebrated actress
lived, Bixiou, who meditated a trick upon the distrustful provincial,
had scarcely finished teaching him his role; but Gazonal was quick, as
we shall see, to take a hint.

The three friends went up to the second floor of a rather handsome
house, and found Madame Jenny Cadine just finishing dinner, for she
played that night in an afterpiece at the Gymnase. Having presented
Gazonal to this great power, Leon and Bixiou, in order to leave them
alone together, made the excuse of looking at a piece of furniture in
another room; but before leaving, Bixiou had whispered in the actress's
ear: "He is Leon's cousin, a manufacturer, enormously rich; he wants
to win a suit before the Council of State against his prefect, and he
thinks it wise to fascinate you in order to get Massol on his side."

All Paris knows the beauty of that young actress, and will therefore
understand the stupefaction of the Southerner on seeing her. Though she
had received him at first rather coldly, he became the object of her
good graces before they had been many minutes alone together.

"How strange!" said Gazonal, looking round him disdainfully on the
furniture of the salon, the door of which his accomplices had left
half open, "that a woman like you should be allowed to live in such an
ill-furnished apartment."

"Ah, yes, indeed! but how can I help it? Massol is not rich; I am hoping
he will be made a minister."

"What a happy man!" cried Gazonal, heaving the sigh of a provincial.

"Good!" thought she. "I shall have new furniture, and get the better of
Carabine."

"Well, my dear!" said Leon, returning, "you'll be sure to come to
Carabine's to-night, won't you?--supper and lansquenet."

"Will monsieur be there?" said Jenny Cadine, looking art