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charming？〃＇
〃But you must be my ally；〃 he answered。 〃Now listen； your husband has
spoken to the minister of a plan for the reform of the administration；
the paper I have shown you is a part of that plan。 I want to know what
it is。 Find out； and tell me to…night。〃
〃I will；〃 she answered； wholly unaware of the important nature of the
errand which brought des Lupeaulx to the house that morning。
〃Madame； the hair…dresser。〃
〃At last！〃 thought Celestine。 〃I don't see how I should have got out
of it if he had delayed much longer。〃
〃You do not know to what lengths my devotion can go；〃 said des
Lupeaulx； rising。 〃You shall be invited to the first select party
given by his Excellency's wife。〃
〃Ah； you are an angel！〃 she cried。 〃And I see now how much you love
me； you love me intelligently。〃
〃To…night； dear child；〃 he said； 〃I shall find out at the Opera what
journalists are conspiring for Baudoyer； and we will measure swords
together。〃
〃Yes； but you must dine with us； will you not？ I have taken pains to
get the things you like best〃
〃All that is so like love；〃 said des Lupeaulx to himself as he went
downstairs； 〃that I am willing to be deceived in that way for a long
time。 Well； if she IS tricking me I shall know it。 I'll set the
cleverest of all traps before the appointment is fairly signed； and
I'll read her heart。 Ah！ my little cats； I know you！ for； after all；
women are just what we men are。 Twenty…eight years old； virtuous； and
living here in the rue Duphot！a rare piece of luck and worth
cultivating；〃 thought the elderly butterfly as he fluttered down the
staircase。
〃Good heavens！ that man； without his glasses； must look funny enough
in a dressing…gown！〃 thought Celestine； 〃but the harpoon is in his
back and he'll tow me where I want to go； I am sure now of that
invitation。 He has played his part in my comedy。〃
When； at five o'clock in the afternoon； Rabourdin came home to dress
for dinner； his wife presided at his toilet and presently laid before
him the fatal memorandum which； like the slipper in the Arabian
Nights； the luckless man was fated to meet at every turn。
〃Who gave you that？〃 he asked； thunderstruck。
〃Monsieur des Lupeaulx。〃
〃So he has been here！〃 cried Rabourdin； with a look which would
certainly have made a guilty woman turn pale； but which Celestine
received with unruffled brow and a laughing eye。
〃And he is coming back to dinner；〃 she said。 〃Why that startled air？〃
〃My dear；〃 replied Rabourdin； 〃I have mortally offended des Lupeaulx；
such men never forgive； and yet he fawns upon me！ Do you think I don't
see why？〃
〃The man seems to me；〃 she said； 〃to have good taste； you can't expect
me to blame him。 I really don't know anything more flattering to a
woman than to please a worn…out palate。 After〃
〃A truce to nonsense； Celestine。 Spare a much…tried man。 I cannot get
an audience of the minister； and my honor is at stake。〃
〃Good heavens； no！ Dutocq can have the promise of a good place as soon
as you are named head of the division。〃
〃Ah！ I see what you are about； dear child；〃 said Rabourdin； 〃but the
game you are playing is just as dishonorable as the real thing that is
going on around us。 A lie is a lie； and an honest woman〃
〃Let me use the weapons employed against us。〃
〃Celestine； the more that man des Lupeaulx feels he is foolishly
caught in a trap； the more bitter he will be against me。〃
〃What if I get him dismissed altogether？〃
Rabourdin looked at his wife in amazement。
〃I am thinking only of your advancement； it was high time； my poor
husband；〃 continued Celestine。 〃But you are mistaking the dog for the
game；〃 she added； after a pause。 〃In a few days des Lupeaulx will have
accomplished all that I want of him。 While you are trying to speak to
the minister； and before you can even see him on business； I shall
have seen him and spoken with him。 You are worn out in trying to bring
that plan of your brain to birth；a plan which you have been hiding
from me； but you will find that in three months your wife has
accomplished more than you have done in six years。 Come； tell me this
fine scheme of yours。〃
Rabourdin； continuing to shave； cautioned his wife not to say a word
about his work； and after assuring her that to confide a single idea
to des Lupeaulx would be to put the cat near the milk…jug； he began an
explanation of his labors。
〃Why didn't you tell me this before； Rabourdin？〃 said Celestine；
cutting her husband short at his fifth sentence。 〃You might have saved
yourself a world of trouble。 I can understand that a man should be
blinded by an idea for a moment； but to nurse it up for six or seven
years； that's a thing I cannot comprehend！ You want to reduce the
budget；a vulgar and commonplace idea！ The budget ought； on the
contrary； to reach two hundred millions。 Then； indeed； France would be
great。 If you want a new system let it be one of loans； as Monsieur de
Nucingen keeps saying。 The poorest of all treasuries is the one with a
surplus that it never uses； the mission of a minister of finance is to
fling gold out of the windows。 It will come back to him through the
cellars； and you； you want to hoard it！ The thing to do is to increase
the offices and all government employments； instead of reducing them！
So far from lessening the public debt； you ought to increase the
creditors。 If the Bourbons want to reign in peace； let them seek
creditors in the towns and villages； and place their loans there；
above all； they ought not to let foreigners draw interest away from
France； some day an alien nation might ask us for the capital。 Whereas
if capital and interest are held only in France； neither France nor
credit can perish。 That's what saved England。 Your plan is the
tradesman's plan。 An ambitious public man should produce some bold
scheme；he should make himself another Law； without Law's fatal ill…
luck； he ought to exhibit the power of credit； and show that we should
reduce； not principal； but interest； as they do in England。〃
〃Come； come； Celestine；〃 said Rabourdin； 〃mix up ideas as much as you
please； and make fun of them；I'm accustomed to that； but don't
criticise a work of which you know nothing as yet。〃
〃Do I need；〃 she asked； 〃to know a scheme the essence of which is to
govern France with a civil service of six thousand men instead of
twenty thousand？ My dear friend； even allowing it were the plan of a
man of genius； a king of France who attempted to carry it out would
get himself dethroned。 You can keep down a feudal aristocracy by
levelling a few heads； but you can't subdue a hydra with thousands。
And is it with the present ministersbetween ourselves； a wretched
crewthat you expect to carry out your reform？ No； no； change the
monetary system if you will； but do not meddle with men； with little
men； they cry out too much； whereas gold is dumb。〃
〃But； Celestine； if you w