ing to a few words whispered in her ear by her
mistress, she vanished.

At half-past eleven that evening, five carriages were stationed in
the Rue Saint-Georges before the famous courtesan's door. There was
Lucien's, who had brought Rastignac, Bixiou, and Blondet; du Tillet's,
the Baron de Nucingen's, the Nabob's, and Florine's--she was invited by
du Tillet. The closed and doubly-shuttered windows were screened by
the splendid Chinese silk curtains. Supper was to be served at one;
wax-lights were blazing, the dining-room and little drawing-room
displayed all their magnificence. The party looked forward to such an
orgy as only three such women and such men as these could survive. They
began by playing cards, as they had to wait about two hours.

"Do you play, milord?" asked du Tillet to Peyrade.

"I have played with O'Connell, Pitt, Fox, Canning, Lord Brougham,
Lord----"

"Say at once no end of lords," said Bixiou.

"Lord Fitzwilliam, Lord Ellenborough, Lord Hertford, Lord----"

Bixiou was looking at Peyrade's shoes, and stooped down.

"What are you looking for?" asked Blondet.

"For the spring one must touch to stop this machine," said Florine.

"Do you play for twenty francs a point?"

"I will play for as much as you like to lose."

"He does it well!" said Esther to Lucien. "They all take him for an
Englishman."

Du Tillet, Nucingen, Peyrade, and Rastignac sat down to a whist-table;
Florine, Madame du Val-Noble, Esther, Blondet, and Bixiou sat round the
fire chatting. Lucien spent the time in looking through a book of fine
engravings.

"Supper is ready," Paccard presently announced, in magnificent livery.

Peyrade was placed at Florine's left hand, and on the other side of him
Bixiou, whom Esther had enjoined to make the Englishman drink freely,
and challenge him to beat him. Bixiou had the power of drinking an
indefinite quantity.

Never in his life had Peyrade seen such splendor, or tasted of such
cookery, or seen such fine women.

"I am getting my money's worth this evening for the thousand crowns la
Val-Noble has cost me till now," thought he; "and besides, I have just
won a thousand francs."

"This is an example for men to follow!" said Suzanne, who was sitting by
Lucien, with a wave of her hand at the splendors of the dining-room.

Esther had placed Lucien next herself, and was holding his foot between
her own under the table.

"Do you hear?" said Madame du Val-Noble, addressing Peyrad