"as much by what they can do as by what they
wish----"

"They will ruin him!" cried Madame de Serizy, "for I am told they cost
as much whether they are paid or no."

"Not to him!" said the young Duke, affecting surprise. "They are far
from costing him anything; they give him money at need, and all run
after him."

The Countess' lips showed a little nervous twitching which could not be
included in any category of smiles.

"Well, then," said Esther, "come to supper at midnight. Bring Blondet
and Rastignac; let us have two amusing persons at any rate; and we won't
be more than nine."

"You must find some excuse for sending the Baron to fetch Eugenie under
pretence of warning Asie, and tell her what has befallen me, so that
Carlos may know before he has the nabob under his claws."

"That shall be done," said Esther.

And thus Peyrade was probably about to find himself unwittingly under
the same roof with his adversary. The tiger was coming into the lion's
den, and a lion surrounded by his guards.

When Lucien went back to Madame de Serizy's box, instead of turning
to him, smiling and arranging her skirts for him to sit by her, she
affected to pay him not the slightest attention, but looked about the
house through her glass. Lucien could see, however, by the shaking of
her hand that the Countess was suffering from one of those terrible
emotions by which illicit joys are paid for. He went to the front of the
box all the same, and sat down by her at the opposite corner, leaving a
little vacant space between himself and the Countess. He leaned on the
ledge of the box with his elbow, resting his chin on his gloved hand;
then he half turned away, waiting for a word. By the middle of the act
the Countess had still neither spoken to him nor looked at him.

"I do not know," said she at last, "why you are here; your place is in
Mademoiselle Esther's box----"

"I will go there," said Lucien, leaving the box without looking at the
Countess.

"My dear," said Madame du Val-Noble, going into Esther's box with
Peyrade, whom the Baron de Nucingen did not recognize, "I am delighted
to introduce Mr. Samuel Johnson. He is a great admirer of M. de
Nucingen's talents."

"Indeed, monsieur," said Esther, smiling at Peyrade.

"Oh yes, bocou," said Peyrade.

"Why, Baron, here is a way of speaking French which is as much like
yours as the low Breton dialect is like that of Burgundy. It will be
most amusing to hear you discuss money