r? She was a woman of such tact.

Vautrin
My dear fellow, wasn't she, though? She actually wanted to find out
who I was.

Saint-Charles
And did she find out?

Vautrin
Well, my dear friend, I know you will be glad to hear it, she
discovered nothing.

Saint-Charles
Come, baron, since we are speaking freely to each other to-day, I for
my part must confess that your admirable Pole--

Vautrin
You also had the pleasure?

Saint-Charles
On my honor, yes!

Vautrin (laughing)
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Saint Charles (laughing)
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Vautrin
We can safely laugh now, for I suppose you left her there?

Saint-Charles
Immediately, as you did. I see that we are both come to throw away our
money in Paris, and we have done well; but it seems to me, baron, that
you have accepted a very secondary position, though one which attracts
notice.

Vautrin
Ah! thank you, chevalier. I hope, however, we may still be friends for
many a day.

Saint-Charles
Forever, I hope.

Vautrin
You can be extremely useful to me, I can be of immense service to you,
we understand each other! Let me know what your present business is,
and I will tell you mine.

Saint-Charles (aside)
I should like to know whether he is being set on me, or I on him.

Vautrin (aside)
It is going to be a somewhat slow business.

Saint-Charles
I will tell you.

Vautrin
I am attention!

Saint-Charles
Baron, between ourselves, I admire you immensely.

Vautrin
What a compliment from a man like you!

Saint-Charles
Not at all! To create a De Frescas in the face of all Paris shows an
inventive genius which transcends by a thousand points that of our
countesses at the Congress. You are angling for the dowry with rare
nerve.

Vautrin
I angling for a dowry?

Saint-Charles
But, my dear friend, you would be found out, unless I your friend had
been the man chosen to watch you, for I am appointed your shadower by
a very high authority. Permit me also to ask how can you dare to
interfere with the family of Montsorel in their pursuit of an heiress?

Vautrin
To think that I innocently believed you came to propose we should work
in company, and speculate, both of us, with the money of Monsieur de
Frescas, of which I have entire control--and here you talk to me of
something entirely different! Frescas, my good friend, is one of the
legal titles of this young man, who has seven in all. Stringent
reasons prevent him from revealing the name of his family, w