selves the objects of lavish liberality. For my part, I have
always rather dreaded being a peg on which you would hang your
vanities. It annoyed me to be nothing else to you. Yes, in spite
of all your protestations, I fancied you regarded me merely as a
woman paid for.

"Well, you will now find me a good girl, but on condition of your
always obeying me a little.

"If this letter can in any way take the place of the doctor's
prescription, prove it by coming to see me after the Bourse
closes. You will find me in full fig, dressed in your gifts, for I
am for life your pleasure-machine,

"ESTHER."

At the Bourse the Baron de Nucingen was so gay, so cheerful, seemed so
easy-going, and allowed himself so many jests, that du Tillet and the
Kellers, who were on 'change, could not help asking him the reason of
his high spirits.

"I am belofed. Ve shall soon gife dat house-varming," he told du Tillet.

"And how much does it cost you?" asked Francois Keller rudely--it was
said that he had spent twenty-five thousand francs a year on Madame
Colleville.

"Dat voman is an anchel! She never has ask' me for one sou."

"They never do," replied du Tillet. "And it is to avoid asking that they
have always aunts or mothers."

Between the Bourse and the Rue Taitbout seven times did the Baron say to
his servant:

"You go so slow--vip de horse!"

He ran lightly upstairs, and for the first time he saw his mistress in
all the beauty of such women, who have no other occupation than the care
of their person and their dress. Just out of her bath the flower was
quite fresh, and perfumed so as to inspire desire in Robert d'Arbrissel.

Esther was in a charming toilette. A dress of black corded silk trimmed
with rose-colored gimp opened over a petticoat of gray satin, the
costume subsequently worn by Amigo, the handsome singer, in _I
Puritani_. A Honiton lace kerchief fell or floated over her shoulders.
The sleeves of her gown were strapped round with cording to divide the
puffs, which for some little time fashion has substituted for the large
sleeves which had grown too monstrous. Esther had fastened a Mechlin
lace cap on her magnificent hair with a pin, _a la folle_, as it is
called, ready to fall, but not really falling, giving her an appearance
of being tumbled and in disorder, though the white parting showed
plainly on her little head between the waves of