out of love. This officer knew
Philippe and Giroudeau. Mariette's first appearance, heralded already
by Finot's journal and also by Philippe's, was promptly arranged by the
three officers; for there seems to be solidarity among the passions in a
matter of folly.

The mischievous Bixiou was not long in revealing to his grandmother and
the devoted Agathe that Philippe, the cashier, the hero of heroes,
was in love with Mariette, the celebrated ballet-dancer at the
Porte-Saint-Martin. The news was a thunder-clap to the two widows;
Agathe's religious principles taught her to think that all women on
the stage were brands in the burning; moreover, she thought, and so did
Madame Descoings, that women of that kind dined off gold, drank pearls,
and wasted fortunes.

"Now do you suppose," said Joseph to his mother, "that my brother is
such a fool as to spend his money on Mariette? Such women only ruin rich
men."

"They talk of engaging Mariette at the Opera," said Bixiou. "Don't
be worried, Madame Bridau; the diplomatic body often comes to the
Porte-Saint-Martin, and that handsome girl won't stay long with your
son. I did hear that an ambassador was madly in love with her. By the
bye, another piece of news! Old Claparon is dead, and his son, who has
become a banker, has ordered the cheapest kind of funeral for him. That
fellow has no education; they wouldn't behave like that in China."

Philippe, prompted by mercenary motives, proposed to Mariette that she
should marry him; but she, knowing herself on the eve of an engagement
at the Grand Opera, refused the offer, either because she guessed the
colonel's motive, or because she saw how important her independence
would be to her future fortune. For the remainder of this year, Philippe
never came more than twice a month to see his mother. Where was he?
Either at his office, or the theatre, or with Mariette. No light
whatever as to his conduct reached the household of the rue Mazarin.
Giroudeau, Finot, Bixiou, Vernou, Lousteau, saw him leading a life of
pleasure. Philippe shared the gay amusements of Tullia, a leading
singer at the Opera, of Florentine, who took Mariette's place at the
Porte-Saint-Martin, of Florine and Matifat, Coralie and Camusot.
After four o'clock, when he left his office, until midnight, he amused
himself; some party of pleasure had usually been arranged the night
before,--a good dinner, a card-party, a supper by some one or other of
the set. Philippe was i