Rastignac was one of those students, who had calculated in advance how to satisfy the hopes his parents had in him, by his studies, which he aimed to adapt to future developments of society, being the first to exploit them. Page 16
(He is one of those students).….qui se préparent une belle destinée en calculant déjà la portée de leurs études, et, les adaptant par avance au mouvement futur de la société, pour être les premiers à la pressurer
It was Rastignac who uncovered the story which follows.
Besides the boarders, Mme. Vauquer had on average 8 students and 2 or 3 regulars who came in just for the evening meal. But the people who mattered to her were
the seven boarders who were Mme. Vauquer's specials, treated with respect which was proportional to the rent they paid (N.B. the importance of money). Page 17.
Ces sept pensionnaires étaient les enfants gâtés de madame Vauquer, qui leur mesurait avec une précision d'astronome les soins et les égards, d'après le chiffre de leurs pensions.
The shabby dilapidated appearance of the house was also replicated in the clothes of the boarders. Page 18.
Aussi le spectacle désolant que présentait l'intérieur de cette maison se répétait-il dans le costume de ses habitués, également délabrés.
We are now given a picture of Mlle. Michonneau (detail of dress - her shawl with its fringes). Now skinny like a skeleton, she invites the question what acid had eaten her away? Page 18.
Quel acide avait dépouillé cette créature de ses formes féminines? Elle devait avoir été jolie et bien faite : était-ce le vice, le chagrin, la cupidité? Avait‑elle été marchande à la toilette, ou seulement courtisane? Expiait-elle les triomphes d'une jeunesse insolente au-devant de laquelle s’étaient rués les plaisirs par une vieillesse que fuyaient les passants?
Had she had a youth of abandoned pleasures, which she was now expiating? She claimed she was now living on the allowance left to her by an old man whom she had tended in his final illness. Her appearance gave one the shivers, but she had obviously once been beautiful.
A picture of Poiret (detail of dress - his flat cap - his walking stick with its ivory knob). He was a kind of automaton - Page 19.
Monsieur Poiret était une espèce de mécanique
Skinny legs, shaky walk, shrivelled neck like a turkey, he had spent his life in some miserable menial job of the state - perhaps checking the public executioner's expense forms - a dirty job someone has got to do.
Like a deep ocean Paris is teeming with odd unexpected creatures, Page 20,
…il s’y rencontrera toujours un lieu vierge, un autre inconnu, des fleurs, des perles, des monstres, quelque chose d'inouï, oublié par les plongeurs littéraires. La Maison Vauquer est une de ces monstruosités curieuses.
Two persons in complete contrast with the rest were Mlle. Taillefer and Mme. Couture.
Victorine -frail, always looking sad, had the melancholic grace of a mediaeval statuette. If she were happy, in love, fashionably dressed, she would be one of the most beautiful women in Paris.
Disinherited by her father who denied his paternity, she tried to see him each year but he turned her away. Her own brother heartlessly refused her any help. In spite of this, the sweet Victorine would not hear one word of criticism directed at her father.
As Victorine’s mother was dead, a distant relative, Mme Couture, looked after her as her own child.
Eugène de Rastignac looked like the Southerner he was. He had a pale complexion, dark hair, blue eyes. His appearance and manners betrayed his aristocratic origins. Although he usually dressed casually, he could on occasions dress in the fashion of an elegant young man.
The character of Vautrin. In his forties, he formed the bridge between youth and old age in the Vauquer household. A strongly built man, he was one of those persons of whom people say “He's a splendid fellow." Page 22:
II était un de ces gens dont le peuple dit : Voilà un fameux gaillard! Il avait les épaules larges, le buste bien développé, les muscles apparents, des mains épaisses, carrées
Stocky and muscular, he gives an appearance of strength. Clever with his fingers. If anyone had a problem with a lock, he would dismantle it with ease and put it right. He was an expert with locks he said.
A good-humoured, amenable fellow, but he had underneath a suspicion of hardness. Page 22.
Sa figure, rayée par des rides prématurées, offrait des signes de dureté que démentaient ses manières souples et liantes.
Obliging, he would lend money, but everyone was careful to pay him back. Certain mannerisms betrayed his ruthlessness.
He was out from morning till night except for meal times, returning at midnight with his pass key. In the giddy whirl of Paris life, no one sought to fathom the mysteries of his character.
The fair young Victorine was attracted to both Vautrin and Rastignac. But the two men like all the other boarders lived their lives indifferent to anyone else.
Mme. Vauquer was the happiest among them. In her eyes, her house and garden were delightful and she was proud of the attentiveness she believed she showed to her boarders.
The author sees this little world as representative of the greater world. (N.B. Balzac the social historian). Page 24,
Une réunion semblable devait offrir et offrait en petit les éléments d'une société -complète.
As in all companies there was one unfortunate who was picked on as the butt of all the jokes. This was Père Goriot.
The author generalises saying that a trait of human nature seems to make us wish to prove ourselves at the expense of a weaker neighbour.
Page 25
N'aimons-nous pas tous à prouver notre force aux dépens de quelqu'un ou de quelque chose?
Père Goriot was about 69 years old.
He had come to Madame Vauquer's house in 1813. At that time he was wealthy and had lived in the best room, on the first floor - Mme. Couture's room now. Being respected, he was referred to in those days as Monsieur Goriot.
Proud of his appearance he had a fine wardrobe. He brought cupboards of silverware. He showed Mme Vauquer his most prized possession - a bowl with a lid that represented two turtle doves. This had been his wife’s present to him on their first wedding anniversary- Page 27
Voyez-vous, madame ? J’aimerais mieux gratter la terre avec mes ongles que de me séparer de cela. Dieu merci! Je pourrai prendre dans cette écuelle mon café tous les matins durant le reste de mes jours.
When Mme. Vauquer found out his wealth she decided to become Mme. Goriot.
Reading his physiognomy (N.B. the influence of Lavater) Mme. Vauquer recognised the highly emotional nature of Goriot, which promised satisfaction for her sensual appetite. Page 23.
Ce devait être une bête solidement bâtie, capable de dépenser tout son esprit en sentiment.
When Goriot arrived, she went to bed that night and sizzled with passion at the thought of becoming Goriot’s wife
….le jour où monsieur Goriot s'installa chez elle, madame Vauquer se coucha le soir en rôtissant, comme une perdrix dans sa barde, au feu du désir qui la saisit de quitter le suaire de Vauquer pour renaître en Goriot. Se marier ….,
She began to take pride in her appearance and to smarten up the boarding house.
The Comtesse d'Ambermesnil, a woman of 36 years of age, came to the house at this time. The two women conspired for Mme. Vauquer's victory.
Balzac makes a joke here. He says that dolled up for battle, Mme. Vauquer looked like a famous shop sign in Paris -a bull dressed in fashionable clothes. Page 31.
Quand ces munitions furent employées, et que la veuve fut sous les armes, elle ressembla parfaitement à l'enseigne du Bœuf à la Mode.
She asked Mme. de l'Ambersnil to act as her go-between. Mme. de l'Ambersnil agreed, hoping to win Goriot for herself. However, her attempt at seduction was rebuffed by Goriot in a manner that caused her great offence and the next day, she went off, owing her rent and leaving no belongings behind. In fact she was an impostor.
Balzac follows this up with a generalisation on human nature: why people who are indifferent to their close associates, give themselves fully to strangers as Mme Vauquer had done to her new lady boarder.- Page 32:
Enfin il est des individus nés mercenaires qui ne font aucun bien à leurs amis ou à leurs proches, parce qu'ils le doivent; tandis qu'en rendant service à des inconnus, ils en recueillent un gain d'amour-propre: plus le cercle de leurs affections est près d'eux, moins ils aiment; plus il s'étend, plus serviables ils sont. Madame Vauquer tenait sans doute de ces deux natures, essentiellement mesquines, fausses, exécrables.
Afterwards, Mme. Vauquer blamed Goriot for this unfortunate incident of her own making. Her animosity towards Goriot now surpassed the intensity of her previous affection. She cut down on the extras for him; but he, being a frugal man, was unaware of it. Therefore she began to treat him with contempt and her boarders joined in.
During the course of the first year Goriot began to dine out less and less often.
At the end of the second year he asked to move upstairs where he would pay only 900 francs. He did not light a fire in his room. From then on he was le père Goriot, (N.B, money and respect).
All the people in the boarding house had formed unflattering ideas to explain how Goriot was losing his money: he was a small time gambler; a small scale money lender. The most plausible idea was that of Mme. Vauquer that he was a libertine with strange tastes!
This theory seemed to be confirmed by the secret visit of a beautiful girl. Goriot clamed she was his daughter.
When this beautiful slim blonde (Delphine) appeared a month later in evening dress, she was taken for a second girl friend.
Several days later, a tall shapely brunette came to visit (Anastasie). When she returned several days later in evening dress, Mme. Vauquer counted her as the fourth lady-friend. Goriot’s said that she was his elder daughter, but that was dismissed as a feeble cover-up.
Towards the end of the third year (1816) Goriot had moved up to the third floor. He gave up his snuff, no longer powdered his hair and gave up his good clothes for rough old clothes. Once well-built, he was now losing weight. and his face became gaunt and excessively wrinkled
During the fourth year, he no longer looked the same man.-Page 38 :
Le bon vermicellier de soixante-deux ans qui ne paraissait pas en avoir quarante, le bourgeois gros et gras, frais de bêtise, dont la tenue égrillarde réjouissait les passants, qui avait quelque chose de jeune dans le sourire, semblait être un septuagénaire hébété, vacillant.
Some thought he was a cretin,
One evening after dinner Mme Vauquer taunted him by saying, as if as a joke, that his daughters did not come to see him any more – meaning that they had never been his daughters. Goriot jumped as if violently startled. Then he replied in an emotional voice that they came from time to time. As the mockery broke out around him, he went into his private meditation that some took for senile dementia. It was obvious that a man with daughters so rich would not live as he did
Therefore at the end of November 1819 when this drama begins, everyone had set ideas about Goriot. He had never had a wife or daughters. He was worse than Poiret who at least had something to say – even though he merely repeated the words spoken by the previous person, whereas Goriot was zero.
Eugène Rastignac had just returned from a holiday on his family estates.
His first year studies as a law student had allowed him enough free time to sample the material delights of Paris life. Without being aware of it, he had begun to envy the rich.
On holiday he had been made aware of the limited fortunes of his family- a noble family, with just a small estate and living off income inadequate for all the family members. Rastignac was aiming for success and, as happens with high-minded people, he wanted to succeed by virtue of his merits- Page 41:
Comme il arrive aux âmes grandes, il voulut ne rien devoir qu'à son mérite.
However, in practice, he was aware of the benefit of winning for himself a rich patroness – In this he showed the influence of his southern character.
His aunt, Mme. de Marcillac had formerly been presented at court and Eugène realised she could open the path of social conquests for him. She agreed to write him a letter to a relative, the Vicomtesse de Beauséant and she invited him to a society ball the very next day.
This was the situation at the end of November 1819, when the story begins. Page 42
Note that we have the precise date for the commencement of the story.
Telle était la situation générale de la pension bourgeoise à la fin du mois de novembre 1819.
Mme Beauséant’s ball took place a few days later. The story begins when Eugène de Rastignac arrives back at his lodgings at two in the morning, after his night at the ball, As the servant, Christophe, happened to be locking the door just at that moment, no one else in the building knew that Rastignac had come back in. He was expected to be away until the next morning, but Eugène, still the conscientious student, had virtuously decided to sit up studying law for the rest of the night, to make up for the hours he had lost.
RASTIGNAC’S SEDUCTION BY PARISIAN LIFE – OCCASION 1. Mme de Beauséant’s invitation to a society ball – He had experienced the glamour of the voluptuous Anastasie de Restaud
For a moment he mused over the events of the evening. La Vicomtesse de Beauséant, who hosted the ball, was one of the queens of Paris high society and a leader of Paris fashion- Page 43
…..madame la vicomtesse de Beauséant l'une des reines de la mode à Paris, et dont la maison passait pour être la plus agréable du faubourg Saint Germain. Elle était d'ailleurs, et par son nom et par sa fortune, l'une des sommités du monde aristocratique.
He was excited because he had met and danced with a charming young lady, Anastasie de Restaud, another queen of fashion in Paris society. She was tall and much admired for her shapely figure. Page 45
La comtesse Anastasie de Restaud grande et bien faite, passait pour avoir l'une des plus jolies tailles de Paris. Figurez-vous de grands yeux noirs, une main magnifique, un pied bien découpé, du feu dans les mouvements, une femme que le marquis de Ronquerolles nommait un cheval de pur sang.
_
During his few moments together with her in the dance, Rastignac let Mme de Restaud know that he was a relative of Mme de Beauséant, and on hearing this she had told him that he would be a welcome visitor to her house. Rastignac was thus in a jubilant mood feeling that Paris society was now opened up before him.
At that moment his thoughts were interrupted by a great sigh coming from Goriot's room. Fearing for his health, he went to investigate by peeping through the key-hole of the old man’s room. There he saw Goriot with unsuspected strength twisting silver plate into ingots.
He hears Goriot sigh “The poor child” and Rastignac appreciating his sincerity is less ready to condemn his neighbour.
Then Rastignac hears men shuffling up the stairs. He goes down a few steps and hears the sound of money being counted.
This noise disturbs the sleep of Mme. Vauquer. The voice from below that assures her that all is well is the voice of Vautrin.
Eugène falls asleep without doing any studying. .
The next day a thick fog covers Paris. Mme. Vauquer oversleeps. Sylvia and Christophe discuss Vautrin and the mysterious visitors who came to his room in the night. - Vautrin pays him generously to keep quiet about anything he sees.
The two servants talk bout a stranger who had stopped them in the street to ask information on Vautrin. A few days ago Christophe was asked if Vautrin dyed his whiskers and Sylvie was asked if she had seen him putting on his shirt.
Victorine and Mme.Couture, who are very devout, are not in the house having gone to church.
Goriot too is out. He had been seen leaving the house in the early morning, carrying something that weighed heavily.
Mme. Vauquer comes down. The cat has drunk out of one of the bowls of milk set out for breakfast, and so she tells the servants to top it up with water and give it to Goriot.
Vautrin comes in. He has seen Goriot sell the silver, which he had taken out of the house, to a Goldsmith. Then had gone to see a money lender called Gobseck, notorious for the heavy interest he exacted.
Goriot returns and sends Christophe off with the receipted bill he had settled with the moneylender to be delivered urgently to the person who had borrowed this large amount of money. The envelope is addressed to Mme Anastasie de Restaud.
Victorine returns. Vautrin offers to help her with her father. He makes a sinister suggestion that a friend could very quickly sort out this wealthy villain. They are talking on different levels. Victorine the perfect romantic heroine is totally innocent. Page 54 -55
Oh ! monsieur, dit Victorine en jetant un regard à la fois humide et brûlant à Vautrin, qui ne s'en émut pas, si vous saviez un moyen d'arriver à mon père, dites-lui bien que son affection et l'honneur de ma mère me sont plus précieux que toutes les richesses du monde.
Vautrin cuts off her sentimental words with a comic song.
All the boarders then convene in the dining room.
The countess Anastasie de Restaud as she was portrayed in a French TV production
Eugène tells how he saw a beautiful woman at the ball last night in all her magnificence, and today he saw her in the Rue de Grès, a shady area of the city.
Vautrin says her name is Anastasie de Restaud and she was going to the money lender. (He sees he has guessed right).
Goriot is startled by Rastignac’s words. He is afraid that Christophe did not arrive in time and the young lady is ruined. He had been preoccupied, in an even deeper state of apparent stupour, but he becomes eager for Rastignac to tell how Mme. de Restaud looked the previous night at the ball. This confirms to the others the others that the young lady is his kept woman.
Eugène rhapsodises on her beauty- (Anastasie was the shapely brunette who had previously called to see Goriot) Page 57
— Oh! oui, elle était furieusement e belle, reprit Eugène, que le père Goriot regardait avidement. Si madame de Beauséant n'avait pas été là, ma divine comtesse eût été la reine du bal, les jeunes gens n'avaient d'yeux que pour elle, j'étais le douzième inscrit sur sa liste……
Vautrin aware of the dealings with the money-lender that morning, cynically comments on the life of the Parisian woman- Page 57.
Hier en haut de la roue, chez une duchesse, dit Vautrin; ce matin en bas de l'échelle, chez un escompteur; voilà les Parisiennes. Si leurs maris ne peuvent entretenir leur luxe effréné, elles se vendent. Si elles ne savent pas se vendre, elles éventreraient leurs mères pour y chercher de quoi briller. Enfin elles font les cent mille coups. Connu, connu!
When Goriot leaves, Mme Vauquer says that Goriot has ruined himself for these women. Eugène refuses to believe that Goriot pays for sexual favours from such a lady.
Vautrin says Eugène is too young to know Paris. He explains “les hommes des passions. » Page 58.
— Eh bien! reprit-il, ces gens-là chaussent une idée et n’en démordent pas. Ils n'ont soif que d'une certaine eau prise à une certaine fontaine et souvent croupie; pour en boire, ils vendraient leurs femmes, leurs enfants; ils vendraient leur âme au diable. Pour les uns, cette fontaine est le jeu, la Bourse, une collection de tableaux ou d'insectes, la musique; pour d'autres, c'est une femme qui sait leur cuisiner des friandises.
Goriot is such a man. Without his passions he is nothing, a brute beast, but this one passion of his gives him life.
Vautrin explains how Goriot was paying Anastasie's debts with the silver.
Eugène says he will go to see Anastasie to prove Vautrin wrong. Vautrin says he will find Goriot there who has come to get his reward for what he as paid for her.
Eugène is disgusted with this view of Paris. He says it is a slough. Page 59.
— Mais, dit Eugene avec un air de degoût, votre Paris est donc un bourbier.
Vautrin says there is a law for the rich and for the poor. Page 60 :
— Et un drôle de bourbier, reprit Vautrin. Ceux qui s'y crottent en voiture sont d'honnêtes gens, ceux qui s'y crottent à pied sort des fripons. Ayez le malheur d'y décrocher n'importe quoi, vous êtes montré sur la place du Palais-de-justice comme une curiosité. Volez un million, vous êtes marqué dans les salons comme une vertu. Vous payez trente millions à la Gendarmerie et à la Justice pour maintenir cette morale-là. joli!
Mme. Vauquer realises that the silver Goriot has sold must be the wedding present given to him by his wife - the dish with two turtledoves on the lid. He had previously treasured it so dearly.
Mme Couture confides in Mme Vauquer the details of their visit to Victorine’s father that morning. The father had agreed to see his daughter, but merely to tell the two women to stop importuning him with their annual visits. There is a heart rending account how Victorine pleaded on her knees. Her father merely cut his finger nails and threw his wife's letter into the fire. Her brother had entered and ignored her. Both men then went off. (The reader may find this account somewhat melodramatic!)
A description of the gathering at the meal follows:
The fashionable jokes. The present craze is to add “ama” to nouns. Bianchon, who studies head bumps to read character, sees the bumps of Judas on Mme. Michonneau (preparation for her future treachery).
Goriot is the butt of their jokes. They mock him for smelling the bread - the habit of an old expert on flour. Finally Vautrin upsets Goriot by knocking his hat over his eyes.
Eugène tells his friend the medical student Bianchon about Goriot’s strength bending the silver. He asks Bianchon to feel Goriot 's bumps. Bianchon's reply shows their contempt for Goriot- Page 66.
Non, tâte-lui la tête.
Eh bien, sa bêtise est peut-être contagieuse.
………………………………………………………………………………………
The next day, Eugène, full of unrealistic hope, went to make the visit to Mme de Restaud, which she had authorised at the ball.
He is immediately made aware of his poverty. Going on foot he is splashed by the passing carriages.
He is angered when the servants at the Restaud house, seeing him arriving on foot, treat him with disrespect. -Page 67:
Avec la rage froide d'un homme sûr de triompher un jour, il reçut le coup méprisant des gens qui l'avaient vu traversant la cour à pied, sans avoir entendu le bruit d'une voiture à la porte.
He sees a smart carriage at the door and is even more acutely aware of his inferiority.
The servant invites him into the salon to wait, but the impulsive Rastignac, wishing to show his familiarity with the house goes through the door the valet had taken before. He finds himself in a kind of storeroom and has to beat an embarrassed retreat, but before coming out he sees at the end of a corridor a hidden staircase where Goriot is kissing Mme. de Restaud goodbye.
Having made his way back into the ante-chamber and the salon, Rastignac is joined by another young man, angry to be kept waiting. (N.B. Vautrins’s cynical prediction)
Rastignac sees Goriot leaving, almost knocked down by a coach whose distinguished driver gives him a brief cool wave of the hand.
Anastasie voluptuous in a dressing gown after her bath greets her lover the Comte Maxime de Trailles, and then notices Eugène.
Eugène is aware that Maxime is signalling for him to be got rid of. He feels hatred and jealousy and he feels his inferiority. -Page 70:
Le spirituel enfant de la Charente sentit la supériorité que la mise donnait à ce dandy, mince et grand, à l'œil clair, au teint pale, un de ces hommes capables de ruiner des orphelins.
Rastignac however follows the couple into the salon - unaware that Anastasie’s lover was an expert marksman and had no qualms about using his talent.
Anastasie's husband arrives, the driver of the coach that had nearly hit Goriot. He greets Maxime de Trailles amicably.
Anastasie introduces Eugène as a cousin of Mme. de Beauséant to her husband. This name changes his cold expression magically.
Anastasie tries to slip away with her lover as Eugène chats to her husband, but the latter calls her back. Eventually they slip into the other salon, but Eugène is not willing to leave before de Trailles.
Anastasie thinks she can use the naive Eugène as a lightning conductor for any possible jealousy of her husband. Her lover leaves first.
Eugène who has been waiting for the opportunity, asks what his neighbour, whom he disrespectfully calls "le père Goriot” was doing there.
The atmosphere becomes electric and after some moments of embarrassment, Eugène leaves, aware that he has said the wrong thing.
M. de Restaud tells the servants not to let Rastignac into the house again.
Back outside, Eugène recognises that he needs a coach and clothes to go into society. Hoping to avoid the same mistake on his next social visit of the day, Eugène gets into a coach returning from a working class wedding. He is eager to see Mme. de Beauséant in order to ask her why his mention of Goriot proved such a dramatic faux pas.
At Mme. de Beauséant's the servants laugh at his working class coach. In contrast, there is another coach there, belonging to a rich nobleman.
Rastignac was close to making another major gaffe. Everyone in Paris society knew that you did not disturb Mme. de Beauséant between 2 and 4pm. as she was with her lover, the extremely rich Portuguese Marquis d'Adjuda-Pinto. Luckily Eugène arrived with a narrow margin at 4-30 p.m.
If it was the right time, it was the wrong day. Adjuda-Pinto was that day summoning the courage to tell Mme. de Beauséant that he was going to break off their relationship to marry Mlle. de Rochefide. Mme. de Beauséant, who had heard this rumour was the only person in Paris society to dismiss it as malicious gossip.
D’Adjuda-Pinto's courage had failed him and he had decided to write a note to her instead. Eugène's entry gave him a pretext for leaving. His mistress saw him jump with relief at the interruption and she finally began to have suspicions about her lover’s intentions.
When she asked if they would meet again that evening he said he was dining with the English ambassador.
D'Adjuda takes his leave. Mme de Beauséant rushes to the window and hears her lover tell the coachman to drive to the Rochefide’s and she immediately pens a note asking d’Adjuda-Pinto for en explanation.
All the time that this is taking place, Eugène has been kept waiting in the salon. Her valet has to remind her that Rastignac is still there.
During the events of that day, it had been impressed on Eugène that wealth is needed to have a lady of society as one's mistress). -Page 82:
— Voilà, se dit-il l’homme au coupé ! Mais il faut donc avoir des chevaux fringants, des livrées et de l'or à flots pour obtenir le regard d'une femme de Paris? Le démon du luxe le mordit au cœur, la fièvre du gain le prit, la soif de l'or lui sécha la gorge. Il avait cent trente francs pour son trimestre.
When Rastignac finally comes into her presence, she is still thunderstruck and absent minded. She takes offence when Eugène presumptuously addresses her as his cousin.
At this, Rastignac puts aside his pride, pleading his helplessness and his need for her protection. She is charmed by his youthful ambition.
This was the first piece of calculation by Eugene- Page 84:
La vicomtesse s'intéressa vivement à l'étudiant pour une réponse d'ambitieux. Le méridional en était à son premier calcul. Entre le boudoir bleu de madame de Restaud et: le salon rose de madame de Beauséant, il avait fait trois années de ce Droit parisien dont on ne parle pas, quoiqu'il constitue une haute jurisprudence sociale qui, bien apprise et bien pratiquée, mène a tout.
He had begun to tell her about his faux pas with Anastasie when he is interrupted by the arrival of the Duchesse de Langeais.
The two women talk and Eugène realises that these supposedly intimate friends are each taunting the other about the loss of their lovers. Seeing d'Adjuda-Pinto going to the Rochefide’s, she had come to give herself the pleasure of telling Mme. de Beauséant.
To change the subject Mme. de Beauséant asks Eugene to continue the story they had interrupted.
Rastignac uses the situation to make a plea for his social clumsiness. He makes a comment on Paris manners - you continue to see some-one who wounds you deliberately but scorn as a fool some-one who does it inadvertently. (Innocence is thus the greatest crime)-
Page 87
Vous continuez à voir, et vous craignez peut-être les gens qui sont dans le secret du mal qu'ils vous font, tandis que celui qui blesse en ignorant la profondeur de sa blessure est regardé comme un sot, un maladroit qui ne sait profiter de rien, et chacun le méprise.
At this, Mme de Beauséant regards Eugène favourably. He, with a touching introduction about his youth and poverty, tells the story of seeing Goriot at Anastasie's.
Rastignac learns from the Duchess de Langeais that Anastasie de Restaud is Goriot’s daughter. In fact, Goriot had two daughters, who are prominent in Paris society. The other is married to the baron de Nucingen.
They have socially disowned the father who gave them five to six hundred thousand francs when they married.
Eugène is touched by the story as he is still a pure character.
Page 89. —
Quelques larmes roulèrent dans les yeux d'Eugene, récemment rafraîchi par les pures et saintes émotions de la famille, encore sous le charme des croyances jeunes, et qui n'en était qu’à sa première journée sur le champ de bataille de la civilisation parisienne.
The Duchess says such treatment of parents after marriage is common.
The story of Goriot’s life. He had been president of the revolutionary section during the Revolution, in corrupt league with other revolutionaries; he had exploited the food shortage by selling flour at exorbitant rates and had made his fortune. (N.B. Corruption as a base of wealth).
He had married his daughters well at the time of Bonaparte, when it was not an embarrassment to have a former revolutionary as a father-in-law. But after the Restoration of the monarchy he was an embarrassment to his daughters and their husbands. First they started to see him in only in private. Recognising that he was an embarrassment, he had sacrificed himself and he had stopped his visits.
Cynically the Duchesse says that we should not give ourselves entirely to some-one, otherwise this person will take all and cast us off- Page 92.
Notre cœur est un trésor, videz-le d’un coup, vous êtes ruinés. Nous ne pardonnons pas plus à un sentiment de s'être montré tout entier qu’à un homme de ne pas avoir un sou à lui. Ce père avait tout donné. I1 avait donné, pendant vingt ans, ses entrailles, son amour;
Mme. de Beauséant realises the Duchesse is also referring to her and says society is monstrous. Page 92:
Le monde est infâme
The Duchesse agrees. Their task is to stay out of the mud. Page 92.
Le monde est un bourbier, tâchons de rester sur les hauteurs.
After Mme de Langeais has left, having completed her sadistic mission of telling her the bad news, Mme de Beauséant tells Rastignac that when misfortune strikes in Paris your so-called friends offer only gloating, sarcasm and mockery. Page 92:
Le monde est infâme et méchant…….. Aussitôt qu’un malheur nous arrive, il se rencontre toujours un ami prêt a venir nous le dire, et à nous fouiller le cœur avec un poignard en nous en nous faisant admirer le manche. Déjà le sarcasme, déjà les railleries She vows to defend herself
Hurt by the cruelty of her friend, Mme. de Beauséant indicts Paris society and decides to fight it on its own terms. She offers to help Eugène to succeed. Page 93.
— Eh! bien, monsieur de Rastignac, traitez ce monde comme il mérite de l’être. Vous voulez parvenir, je vous aiderai.
She tells him to be ruthless. Page 93.
Quoique j'aie bien lu dans ce livre du monde, il y avait des pages qui cependant m'étaient inconnues. Maintenant je sais tout. Plus froidement vous calculerez, plus avant vous irez. Frappez sans pitié, vous serez craint.
She goes on to tell him that he must simply use the people he meets and then move on. Page 93
N’acceptez les homes et les femmes que comme des chevaux de poste que vous laisserez crever à chaque relais, vous arriverez ainsi au faîte de vos désirs.
She says Eugène needs a rich elegant young woman. She thinks of a plan.
Even worse than Anastasie's and Delphine's betrayal of their father is their jealousy of each other. Anastasie is received in high society but Delphine is not. She will stoop to anything to achieve this. If Eugene offers to introduce Delphine into Mme. de Beauséant’s company, he can become her lover. With such a beautiful woman as his mistress, he will have the reputation necessary in Paris.
Page 94
A Paris, le succès est tout, c'est la clef du pouvoir. Si les femmes vous trouvent de l'esprit, du talent, les hommes le croiront, Si vous ne les détrompez pas. Vous pourrez alors tout vouloir, vous aurez le pied partout.
To help Rastignac achieve this, she offers to meet Delphine with him at one or two big social gatherings
Mme. de Beauséant is contemptuous of High society. She tells him to remain aloof of this throng of fools and knaves- Page 94:
Vous saurez alors ce qu'est le monde, une réunion de dupes et de fripons. Ne soyez ni parmi les uns ni parmi les autres.
RASTIGNAC’S SEDUCTION BY PARISIAN LIFE – OCCASION 2.
At Mme de Mme.de Beauséant’s. His admiration of the tasteful opulence of the real nobility
As he returns home, Rastignac is struck with anger by Mme. de Beauséant’s certainty that Anastasie has closed her door to him.
He wants revenge but he realises he needs money.
He compares the vulgar luxury of Anastasie's home to the tasteful luxury of Mme. De Beauséant’s.
His outlook begins to change and he sees money as the ultimate sanction of the world. Page 95.
II vit le monde comme il est : les lois et la Morale impuissantes chez les riches, et vit dans la fortune l'ultima ratio mundi. “Vautrin a raison, la fortune est la vertu! » se dit-il. (NB Louis XIV had the motto: Ultima ratio regum”engraved on all his cannon – the last argument of kings
The terrible squalor of Mme. Vauquer came as a shattering contrast- Page 95:
Le spectacle de ces misères et l'aspect de cette salle lui furent horribles. La transition était trop brusque, le contraste trop complet, pour ne pas développer outre mesure chez lui le sentiment de l'ambition.
(N.B. The importance of the lengthy scene setting in the first pages of the book in order to explain the growth of ambition in Eugene).
The unacceptability of his present lifestyle makes Mme de Beauséant’s offer irresistible Page 96
Les enseignements que la colère d'une femme abandonnée avaient arrachés à madame de Beauséant, ses offres captieuses revinrent dans sa mémoire, et la misère les commenta.
Rastignac still believed that he could combine his studies with a social life. Page 96
Rastignac résolut d'ouvrir deux tranchées parallèles pour arriver à la fortune, de s'appuyer e sur la science et sur l'amour, d'être un savant docteur et un homme à la mode. Il était encore bien enfant d ! Ces deux lignes sont des asymptotes qui ne peuvent jamais se rejoindre
The relationship between Vautrin and Rastignac goes from bad to worse. Vautrin further angers him by calling him M. le Marquis. Eugène replies bitterly that you need money for that title.
Vautrin guesses that Eugène is in a bad mood because he has failed with the beautiful Comtesse de Restaud.
Taking no account of Goriot at table, Rastignac tells all at the dinner table that the Restauds had closed the door on him for saying that Goriot was his fellow boarder.
This brings a tear to Goriot’s eye. But Rastignac pities the old man and says that henceforth whoever attacks Goriot attacks him as well. (N.B. The noble Eugène). He says Goriot is a better man than any present there.
The news stuns all present. When Vautrin provokes him further over the bravado of his aggressive defence of Goriot, Eugène hints about Vautrin's secret activities that he had heard in the night. This causes an angry exchange between them.
Mme Vauquer quietly expresses amazement that Goriot’s claims about his splendid female visitors have proved to be true.
Bianchon says Goriot has the 'bumps of an eternal father”. (N.B. Lavater)
Goriot wants to talk alone to Eugène about his meeting with his daughter. Rastignac pays tribute to Goriot- Page 98:
Réveillé de sa méditation par le bonhomme, Eugène lui prit la main, et le contemplant avec une sorte d'attendrissement : — Vous êtes un brave et digne homme.
Eugène is in a hurry. He wants to follow Mme. de Beauséant's advice and is keen to set about raising money, for this purpose.
He goes to his room and writes a letter to his mother and to each his sisters asking them to raise as much money as possible for him. He tells his mother it is a question of making his way or staying in the mire- Page 98:
Je sais toutes les espérances que vous avez mises en moi, et veux les réaliser promptement.
His conscience prevents him at first from posting the letters. Finally the next day he posts the letters saying "I shall succeed.' Page 100
Il hésita jusqu’au dernier moment, mais les lança dans la boîte en disant: “Je réussirai”. Le mot du joueur, du grand capitaine, mot fataliste qui perd plus d’hommes, qu’il n’en sauve.
The following days he went three times to see Mme. de Restaud only to be told she was out. Eugène was now determined. He would put off his studies until just before the final exams in two years time, and he would spend the next 15 months in Paris society fishing for a fortune by means of a woman- Page 100:
II avait ainsi quinze mois de loisirs pour naviguer sur l'océan de Paris, pour s'y livrer à la traite des femmes, ou y pêcher la fortune.
A period of apparent reconciliation took place in the following weeks between Mme. de Beauséant and her lover. He and his future wife were hoping that this would give her time to accept the inevitability of their marriage. In the meantime, d'Adjuda-Pinto had to some play acting and Mme. de Beauséant had to engage in some self deception. The Duchess de Langeais, her “best friend” callously summed up the situation of a noble lady submitting to her own humiliation – Page 101:
« Au lieu de sauter noblement par la fenêtre, elle se laissait rouler dans les escaliers »
Mme. de Beauséant, who was experiencing such emotional turmoil, welcomed the genuine sympathy and friendship of Eugène.
The investigations of Rastignac into the Goriot Family
Eugène was careful to make himself well-informed before he made the approach to Delphine that Mme de Beauséant had planned for him. He had no intention of making a further faux pas. Firstly he found out further details of the biography of her family – the Goriots.
Goriot had been a simple workman employed by a flour merchant, until the Revolution broke out in 1789 and is boss had fallen victim. Goriot had bought the business. By wisely getting himself appointed President of the Revolutionary Section, he was able to get protection and amassed capital by speculation in the period of food shortage that followed the overthrow of the monarchy. (Note the importance of money)- Page 102:
Pendant cette année, le citoyen Goriot amassa les capitaux qui plus tard lui servirent à faire son commerce avec toute la supériorité que donne une grande masse d'argent à celui qui la possède.
In the field of his work Goriot was the foremost expert (N.B. Goriot’s professional skill) - Page 102:
A lui voir conduire ses affaires, expliquer les lois sur l'exportation, sur l'importation des grains, étudier leur esprit, saisir leurs défauts, un homme l'eut juge capable d'être ministre d'état. Patient, actif, énergique, constant, rapide dans ses expéditions, il avait un coup d'œil d'aigle, devançait tout, prévoyait tout, savait tout, cachait tout;
But in areas of his life outside the skills of his trade, he was still a coarse workman with no intellectual interest- Page 102:
……il redevenait l'ouvrier stupide et grossier, l'homme incapable de comprendre un raisonnement, insensible a tous les plaisirs de l'esprit, l’homme qui s'endormait au spectacle, un de ces d'Oliban parisien, fort seulement en bêtise.
At approximately 40 years of age Goriot got married to the daughter of a rich farmer. His love knew no bounds and he admired the delicate, sensitive, good looking wife who contrasted with his character of a rough workman.
From then on Goriot had a strong focus for his emotional life. While his work totally absorbed all his intelligence, his heart was totally absorbed by the love of his wife and the two daughters that were born to them.
Balzac suggests that when protectiveness for someone weaker is combined with real love, a powerful sentiment is created which is the basis for some strange happenings in life. This theory would seem to apply to the subsequent life of Goriot- Page 103
S'il est un sentiment inné dans le cœur de l'homme, n'est-ce pas l'orgueil de la protection exercée à tout moment en faveur d'un être faible ? Joignez-y l'amour, cette reconnaissance vive de toutes les âmes franches pour le principe de leurs plaisirs, et vous comprendrez une foule de bizarreries morales.
Unfortunately, his beloved wife, who could have brought a new balance to his life, died after 7 years of blissful marriage. Then, he passed on all the love that he had had for his wife to add to the great devotion he felt for his daughters: Page 103:
Dans cette situation, le sentiment de la paternité se développa chez Goriot jusqu'a la déraison. Il reporta ses affections trompées par la mort sur ses deux filles, qui, d'abord, satisfirent pleinement tous ses sentiments.
Goriot could be violent when someone touched his sensitive spot. One rival told him that his daughter had been knocked down by a cab, to get him to leave an auction, where he was a rival bidder. Goriot was made ill by the shock and although he did not use his well known murderous fist, he bankrupted the man.
With a high income and little personal expense, he lavished his money on the education and pleasures of his daughters to make them into ladies.
He paid for the very best tutors so that they were endowed with the talents of the best educated children. For their lady companion he chose a woman with wit and good taste. They went horse riding and had their own carriage.
Goriot provided Anastasie and Delphine with the lifestyle that rich old noblemen gave to their mistresses – Page 104
… elles vivaient comme auraient vécu les maîtresses d'un vieux seigneur riche
Anastasie married for social standing, Delphine for money. (The different priorities of the two daughters)
He gave them half his fortune each as dowry.
His daughters thought his business too lowly and persuaded him to retire after 5 years. He had all the wealth from the sale of his business and he went to live with Mme. Vauquer - in despair because his daughters’ husbands ordered them not to give him a home in their houses and also not to entertain him publicly.
Eugene found this out this information from the man who bought Goriot's business.
Balzac ends this detailed explanation of Goriot’s life with this comment. Page 105
Ici se termine l'exposition de cette obscure, mais effroyable tragédie parisienne.
Goriot’s life-story is tragic.
Entry into society
At the end of the first week in December Rastignac received a letter from his mother. She sends him all the money she and his Aunt have available. She counsels virtue, patience and resignation. She praises Eugene- Page 107:
Si tu sais quelles sont tes obligations, je sais, moi, combien ton cœur est pur, combien tes intentions sont excellentes. Aussi puis-je te dire sans crainte : Va, mon bien-aimé, marche!
Eugène feels remorse – which helps to absolve crime in the eyes of the angels- Page 108:
Il éprouva ces nobles et beaux remords secrets dont le mérite est rarement apprécié par les hommes quand ils jugent leurs semblables, et qui font souvent absoudre par les anges du ciel le criminel condamné par les juristes de la terre.
There is enclosed also a charming letter from his sister Laura who adores him and has sent him all she can.
Now he had money, the world was his. He had summoned a tailor, knowing from his encounter with. De Trailles the importance of fashionable dress.
He had 1 500 francs and this for a student meant a profound change- Page 112:
Il se passe en lui des phénomènes inouïs : veut tout et peut tout, il désire à tort et à travers, il est gai, généreux, expansif.
The money arrives in a parcel. Vautrin advises him to learn to duel if he is going into society. Vautrin tips the postman on behalf of Eugène and the two quarrel when Eugène insists on paying Vautrin back at once, refusing to be in his debt. Eugene is very conscious of the force of Vautrin's character and magnetic personality.
The character of Vautrin
Eugène's personal qualities have also developed in the last month. These included both the new character defects imposed on him by the world in which he now lived and also his inborn qualities: his southern vivacity and the directness with which he tackled his problems- Page 114:
Depuis un mois il s'était d'ailleurs développé chez Eugène autant de qualités que de défauts. Ses défauts, le monde et l'accomplissement de ses croissants désirs les lui avaient demandés. Parmi ses qualités se trouvait cette vivacité méridionale qui fait marcher droit à la difficulté pour la résoudre,
Vautrin takes Eugène outside to have the matter out. He then returns to go upstairs for his duelling pistols. Victorine pleads with him not to kill Eugene. At this Vautrin gets another idea- he will make both of the young people happy.
Rastignac’s bravery and also his fiery nature
Vautrin goes out and takes Eugene by the arm. He recognises Eugène's courage and that to show Eugène that he is a crack shot would not deter the fiery young man. Instead, he persuades Eugène to sit and talk.
All Vautrin will disclose about himself is that he has had misfortunes in life. He is nice to those he likes the look of but nasty with those he does not. His inspiration is Benvenuto Cellini who has taught him- Page 118:
J'ai lu les Mémoires de Benvenuto Cellini, tel que vous me voyez, et en italien encore! J’ai appris de cet homme-là, qui était un fier luron, à inviter la Providence qui nous tue à tort et à travers, et à aimer le beau partout où il se trouve.
(Cellini was a fiery, indomitable character who linked brute force with refined beauty)
Vautrin is against duels as they are a matter of chance. He shows a wound he received from a man who had never fired a shot before.
Had Eugène by chance shot him, he would have had to flee France and live in exile.
He goes on to clarify Eugène's situation. The choice is either stupid obedience or revolt- Page 119:
Je vais vous éclairer la situation dans laquelle vous êtes; mais je vais le faire avec la supériorité d’un homme qui, après avoir examiné les choses d'ici-bas, a vu qu'il n'y avait que deux partis à prendre : ou une stupide obéissance ou la révolte. J e n'obéis à rien, est-ce clair? Vautrin’s view of the new options for Rastignac
Eugene needs a million francs and he will give them to him. He outlines Eugene's possibilities: his family of limited means. He recognises Eugène's ambition. He praises him for it- Page 121:
…..mais nous avons le sang fiévreux des lions et un appétit à faire vingt sottises par jour. Vous succomberez donc à ce supplice, le plus horrible que nous ayons aperçu dans l'enfer du bon Dieu. Rastignac’s ambitious and fiery nature
Vautrin traces Rastignac’s modest career if he becomes a lawyer:
At 30 he will earn 12,000 francs a year; at 40 it will be 6,000 livres.
With connections at 30 he could earn 1 000 crowns.
He could marry the mayor’s daughter and with the help of corruption at the age of 40 he will be an attorney general, then deputy- Page 122:
Si vous faites quelques-unes de ces petites bassesses politiques, comme de lire sur un bulletin Villèle au lieu de Manuel (ça rime, ça met la conscience en repos),
This would be after 20 years hard work and bending one's conscience and yet there are only 20 attorney generals and there are 20,000 men hopeful for the post. Some of these would sell their family to move up one rung on the ladder.
Thirdly Rastignac could be a barrister. Yet there aren't more than 5 in Paris who earn more than 50,000 a year.
Fourthly he could marry a woman for her money - how honourable is that- Page 123:
Voulez-vous vous marier? Ce sera vous mettre une pierre au cou; puis, Si vous vous mariez pour de l'argent, que deviennent nos sentiments d'honneur, notre noblesse!
This leads to misery.
But Rastignac has ambition. He has seen luxury at Mme. de Beauséant’s. He has seen the charms of a Parisian woman with Anastasie.
He won't get serious money just from working hard. This leads to a retirement like Poiret’s in Mme Vauquer's, boarding house-Page 123:
Le travail, compris comme vous le comprenez en ce moment, donne, dans les vieux jours, un appartement chez maman Vauquer, à des gars de la force de Poiret.
50,000 young men in Paris are devouring each other to make a fortune. N.B. Corruption in Paris-Page 124:
Savez-vous comment on fait son chemin ici? Par l'éclat du génie ou par l’adresse de la corruption.
Corruption is found in abundance, talent is rare. It is demonstrated by the number of people in Paris, who are able mysteriously to live beyond their means- Page 124:
Vous verrez des employés à douze cents francs acheter des terres. Vous verrez des femmes se prostituer pour aller dans la voiture du fils d'un pair de France, qui peut courir à Longchamp sur la chaussée du milieu.
You have to dirty your hands to get rich but must know how to clean yourself up afterwards for the sake of appearances- Page 125:
Voilà la vie telle qu'elle est. Ça n'est pas plus beau que la cuisine, ça pue tout autant, et il faut se salir les mains si l'on veut fricoter; sachez seulement vous bien débarbouiller: là est toute la morale de notre époque.
Life has always been like this. Human behaviour is the same at all levels of society. Few men set themselves above society and he, Vautrin, is such a man – in the mould of Napoleon.
Vautrin needs 200,000 francs to be able to buy a plantation and slaves in the United States, (At present he has 50,000 francs).
His plan is to get Eugène a dowry of one million, and then Eugène will give him 200,000 francs commission, telling his new wife that he has debts to pay.
Eugène is interested.
Vautrin tells Eugène to court Victorine. Eugène is shocked at the idea.
Vautrin says Victorine’s father is a rogue. (N.B. Yet another fortune in Paris, based on corruption.)
Vautrin claims that he is like Don Quixote, enjoying defending the weak against the strong- Page 129:
Moi je n'aime pas ces injustices-là. Je suis comme don Quichotte, j aime à prendre la défense du faible contre le fort.
In a veiled way he explains how his faithful friend will kill Taillefer's son in a duel.
Vautrin does not wait for fate to bring things about, he makes events-Page 130:
Moi, je me charge du rôle de la Providence, je ferai vouloir le bon Dieu.
N.B. Vautrin’s pragmatism is devoid of moral scruples. He advises Eugène not to cling to his opinions or to any promises he has made-. Page 130:
Si j’ai encore un conseil à vous donner, mon ange, c'est de ne pas plus tenir à vos opinions qu’à vos paroles. Quand on vous les demandera, vendez-les. Un homme qui se vante de ne jamais changer d'opinion est un homme qui se charge d'aller toujours en ligne droite, un niais qui croit à l'infaillibilité. Il n'y a pas de principes; il n'y a que des circonstances: l'homme supérieur épouse les événements et les circonstances pour les conduire.
Eugène is angry at the suggestion that he might behave like this.
Vautrin recognises the compromises that Rastignac is already making transgressing strict morality
Vautrin insists that he should think about it. He recognises that Eugène is trying to make his fortune through a woman and so his aim is not so virtuous- Page 131:
Vous irez coqueter chez quelque jolie femme et vous recevrez de l'argent. Vous y avez pense! dit Vautrin; car comment réussirez-vous, si vous n'escomptez pas votre amour? La vertu, mon cher étudiant, ne se scinde pas : elle est ou n’est pas.
Men who steal fortunes from a family by such love intrigues however are not regarded as thieves. (N.B. Corruption is the basis for making a fortune in Paris. It is a question of keeping up appearances) - Page 132:
Le secret des grandes fortunes sans cause apparente est un crime oublié, parce qu'il a été proprement fait.
He gives Eugene 15 days to think it over.
Eugene recognises that Vautrin is preaching the same lesson that Mme. de Beauséant- had given him - Page 132:
Il m'a dit crûment ce que madame de Beauséant me disait en y mettant des formes. Il me déchirait le cœur avec des grilles d'acier.
While trying to cling to his belief that virtue does not brook any compromises, he has to admit to himself that he has already robbed his family and is now thinking of taking advantage of Delphine.
The moral compromises of Rastignac.
He decides that he will not stoop to ignoble acts in order to succeed. His youth is still blue as a cloudless sky- Page 133:
Ma jeunesse est encore bleue comme un ciel sans image : vouloir être grand ou riche, n'est-ce pas se résoudre à mentir, plier, ramper, se redresser, flatter, dissimuler?
Rastignac’s determination to maintain his moral standards
He wonders whether the difference is one of age. His relationship with life is like a newly engaged couple. Vautrin's is like a man after 10 years of marriage. (Is this Balzac's disillusioned view of life?) -Page 133:
Moi et la vie, nous sommes comme un jeune homme et sa fiancée. Vautrin m'a fait voir ce qui arrive après dix ans de mariage. Diable! Ma tête se perd. Je ne veux penser à rien, le cœur est un bon guide
Eugène tries on his smart new clothes.
Goriot has found out from his daughters’ servants that they are going to the ball of the Maréchal de Carigliano. This a major occasion in Paris high society
Rastignac’s virtuous resolution soon evaporates
Seeing himself dressed up, Eugene forgets his resolution of work and honesty and looks forward to shining in society-Page 134:
En se voyant bien mis, bien ganté, bien botté, Rastignac oublia sa vertueuse résolution.
Eugène and old Goriot had become good friends. With the primitive instincts you find in a dog, Goriot recognises the kindness and compassion of. Eugène -Page 135:
Le père Goriot, que son sentiment irréfléchi élevait jusqu'au sublime de la nature canine, avait flairé la compassion, l'admirative bonté, les sympathies juvéniles qui s'étaient émues pour lui dans le cœur de l'étudiant. Rastignac’s admirable character
Goriot talks to Eugene of his daughters. He denies that Anastasie had been angry with Rastignac for mentioning his name. He blames only his sons-in-law. Goriot is in denial about his daughters- Page l35:
— Mon cher monsieur, lui avait-il dit le lendemain, comment avez-vous pu croire que madame de Restaud vous en ait voulu d'avoir prononcé mon nom? Mes deux filles m'aiment bien. Je suis un heureux père.
He prefers to see his daughters in secret. He goes out to see his daughters as they pass in their coaches. He is happy in this way. They wish to give him presents but he refuses.
Eugène walks out in his new clothes. He is young, handsome with a good dress sense Page 136:
Il était si beau, si jeune, et d’une élégance de si bon goût.
The flattering glances of the girls make him forget his determination to work and to pursue a totally honourable way of life- Page 136:
En se voyant l’objet d'une attention presque admirative, il ne pensa plus à ses sœurs ni à sa tante dépouillées, ni a ses vertueuses répugnances.
Paris life increases its hold on Rastignac
He goes to see Mme. de Beauséant, but she is off-hand with him and tells him she is busy. Rastignac is determined to go to the ball of the Maréchal de Carigliano. He swallows his pride and pleads for a chance to speak to her.
He asks himself if an excellent lady like Mme. de Beauséant can forget her promises of friendship, what can he expect from the rest. He tells himself to crawl, put up with everything and decides that in this world, it is a case of every man for himself - Page 138:
Quoique touché de ce retour soudain, Eugene se dit en s'en allant : « Rampe, supporte tout. Que doivent être les autres, si, dans un moment, la meilleure des femmes efface les promesses de son amitié, te laisse comme un vieux soulier? Chacun pour soi, donc?
However, Mme. de Beauséant softens and invites him to dinner. Yet these little things were pushing him into battle in Paris- Page 138:
Ainsi, par une sorte de fatalité, les moindres événements de sa vie conspiraient a le pousser dans la carrière où, suivant les observations du terrible sphinx de la Maison Vauquer, il devait, comme sur un champ de bataille, tuer pour ne pas être tué, tromper pour ne pas être trompé; où il devait déposer à la barrière sa conscience, son cœur, mettre un masque, se jouer sans pitié des hommes….
Rastignac makes a further step on the downward path.
At dinner with the Viscountess of Beauséant, Rastignac is amazed by the luxury of the meal, typical of the Restoration period. The opulence of the Beauséant home. The setting forms an absolute contrast with the Maison Vauquer. Page 139
……. en voyant cette argenterie sculptée, et les mille recherches d'une table somptueuse, en admirant pour la première fois un service fait sans bruit, il était difficile à un homme d'ardente imagination de ne pas préférer cette vie constamment élégante à la vie de privations qu'il voulait embrasser le matin.
Rastignac is overwhelmed by the luxury and taste he sees in the home of the top nobility
Even though Rastignac is totally amazed by this new experience he has the self-composure to act with some of the aplomb which was to become later a feature of his character: Page 139
L'aplomb qui le distingua plus tard si éminemment, et qu'il commençait à prendre, l'empêcha de s'ébahir niaisement.
The author muses on the temptations of Paris and wonders why any schools are located there as this only leads to the seduction of the scholars.
(One of the main themes of the book is the struggle of the student with the temptations of Paris.)
Balzac expresses his confidence in the dramatic potential of such a story. Page 139:
S'il était bien peint dans sa lutte avec Paris, le pauvre étudiant fournirait un des sujets les plus dramatiques de notre civilisation moderne.
RASTIGNAC’S SEDUCTION BY PARISIAN LIFE – OCCASION 2 The night at the theatre with Mme de Beauséant and the glamour of the slim blonde Delphine
As d'Adjuda is not taking Mme. de Beauséant to the theatre, and her husband does not wish to go, the latter invites Eugene to take her.
They see Delphine de Nucingen at the theatre. Mme. de Beauséant’s eye sees the young lady’s faults but Eugène is struck by her beauty and directs his attention to her openly.
Mme. de Beauséant agrees to get Eugène an invitation to the Maréchal de Carigliano's ball, which she is attending, where he will have the opportunity to meet Delphine.
This is in accordance with their previous plan for Rastignac’s acceptance in high society.
When d'Adjuda comes to their box, Eugene recognises that Mme. de Beauséant is completely in love with her Portuguese lover. She gets him to take Eugène to Delphine.
The bad side of Rastignac is now shown perhaps. With less than total accuracy, he recounts his gaffe with Delphine’s sister Anastasie, and lets her know that his highly placed friends, Mme. de Beauséant and Mme de Langeais merely regarded it as amusing.
He says untruly that Delphine is admired for her true concern for Goriot, unlike her sister.
(By mentioning the two noble ladies, Rastignac is cunningly targeting Delphine's wish to associate with the top social set to which they belong. His words also exploit her known animosity towards her sister.)
He succeeds in charming Mme. de Nucingen. She is ready to blame her sister and claims it was in order to obey her husband’s ruling that she stopped seeing her father. She lets Rastignac know that her marriage is unhappy and that this conduct on her husband’s part was representative of his treatment of her-. Page 144:
Je pleurais. Ces violences, venues après les brutalités du mariage, ont été l'une des raisons qui troublèrent le plus mon ménage.
She justifies her intimate talk to Rastignac because he is her father's friend.
Eugène’s words are very direct and audacious. He offers himself to her, describing himself as: young, full of illusions, faithful to death. Rastignac the impetuous young man from the south
He tells her that he had thought of her so much before and then, on seeing her, had found her to be the most attractive lady imaginable Page 145 -
En vous voyant, quand je suis entré, je me suis senti porté vers vous comme par un courant. J'avais déjà tant pensé à vous ! Mais je ne vous avais pas rêvée aussi belle que vous l'êtes en réalité. Madame de Beauséant m'a ordonné de ne pas vous tant regarder. Elle ne sait pas ce qu'il y a d'attrayant à voir vos jolies lèvres rouges, votre teint blanc, vos yeux si doux.
Delphine is pleased by the flattery. Finally they are interrupted by her husband. The character of Delphine’s husband can be seen by the shape of his face. (N.B. Balzac’s interest in physiognomy.) - Page 146:
……le baron, épais Alsacien dont la figure ronde annonçait une dangereuse finesse
Rastignac was happy with this first meeting with Delphine. (He is one step further along the deliberately calculated path to his ambitions). Delphine has taken the bit, now he has to master her. He is to see her at the ball of the Maréchal de Carigliano.
.
What Rastignac was unaware of was that Delphine was absorbed by the end of her affair with Comte Henri de Marsay.
Walking home, Rastignac was also cheered by the knowledge that Anastasie de Restaud would also now be prepared to receive him. Her glances towards him at the theatre had made that clear.
Rastignac has a sense that Delphine's banker husband might be of help to him in making his fortune: Although he did not think this in so many words, he had this in the back of his mind- Page 147:
Ce mari fait des affaires d'or, il pourra m'aider à ramasser tout d'un coup une fortune. Il ne se disait pas cela crument, il n'était pas encore assez politique pour chiffrer une situation, l'apprécier et la calculer;
Balzac says that there are now fewer honest and straightforward people to be found than at any time in the past.-Page 147
Les hommes arrivent, par une suite de transactions de ce genre, à cette morale relâchée que professe l'époque actuelle, où se rencontrent plus rarement que dans aucun temps ces hommes rectangulaires, ….
The author again mentions the drama of Rastignac's story but making it clear that, although Rastignac will make compromises with his conscience, he will live side by side with the corruption of Paris, he will not seek to become part of it.- Page 148:
Peut-être l’œuvre opposée, la peinture des sinuosités dans lesquelles un homme du monde, un ambitieux fait rouler sa conscience, en essayant de côtoyer le mal, afin d'arriver a son but en gardant les apparences, ne serait-elle ni moins belle, ni moins dramatique.
Rastignac finds himself in love with the beautiful Delphine as he walks home. He goes to see père Goriot on his return. He is struck again by the contrast of the squalor of Goriot's room and the luxury of the salons of high society.
(N.B. The importance of the detailed lengthy earlier description of the squalor to make the tragedy of Goriot fully appreciated and to make the reader understand Rastignac’s overwhelming ambition to succeed).
There is a full description of Goriot’s room, summed up as a prison cell- Page 149:
L'aspect de cette chambre donnait froid et serrait le cœur, elle ressemblait au plus triste logement d'une prison.
Goriot is delighted to have news of his daughters. He tells of the joy which he gets from knowing his daughters are happy. Although a simple man with difficulty in expressing himself, he becomes eloquent on talking of his daughters- Page 150:
……je ne sais pas dire deux paroles de suite comme il faut. Tout est là, ajouta-t-il en se frappant le cœur. Ma vie, à moi, est dans mes deux fines. Si elles s'amusent, si elles sont heureuses, bravement mises, si elles marchent sur des tapis, qu'importe de quel drap je sois vêtu, et comment est l'endroit où je me couche?
He is illuminated by the fire of his paternal passion.
The character of Goriot
Goriot is pleased that Eugene loves Delphine and that De Marsay is leaving her. We see the violent side of Goriot’s character when he threatens Rastignac if he does anything to hurt his daughter.
Delphine had sent no message for her father, but Eugene lies and makes him happy by saying she sends a kiss.
He realises that Delphine gives no thought to her father- Page 152:
— Le pauvre homme, se dit Eugène en se couchant, il y a de quoi toucher des cœurs de marbre. Sa fille n'a pas plus pensé à lui qu'au grand-Turc.
(N.B. Eugène's compassion for the innocent).
As Eugène was involved in the only area of Goriot's life, where the old man became alive- his love of his daughters- the two became close friends- Page 153
Le bonhomme se prit donc pour son voisin d'une amitié qui, alla croissant et sans laquelle il eût été sans doute impossible de connaître le dénouement de cette histoire
This brought about a change in Goriot, noticed by the other boarders – Page 153
Le lendemain matin, au déjeuner, l'affectation avec laquelle le père Goriot regardait Eugène, près duquel il se plaça, les quelques paroles qu'il lui dit, et le changement de sa physionomie, ordinairement semblable à un masque de plâtre surprirent les pensionnaires.
When he saw Victorine, Eugene gave some thought to Vautrin's proposals that he should use her potential wealth. She is attracted to Eugene, especially in his fashionable new clothes- Page 153:
Par hasard, leurs yeux se rencontrèrent. La pauvre fille ne manqua pas de trouver Eugène charmante dans sa nouvelle tenue. Le coup d'œil qu'ils échangèrent fut assez significatif pour que Rastignac ne doutât pas d'être pour elle l'objet de ces confus désirs qui atteignent toutes les jeunes filles et qu'elles rattachent au premier être séduisant
However, Rastignac’s new passion for Delphine is an antidote to this base temptation.
Vautrin taunts him saying he goes into high society and returns on foot.
Rastignac struggles with his conscience
Rastignac is debating with his conscience in the Luxembourg gardens when he meets Bianchon. He poses the moral problem to his fellow student: If you could become rich merely by wishing the death of an old mandarin in China would you do it (Now that he is in love, he needs money for clothes, a coach etc.)
Bianchon says satisfaction can be found in a modest life as easily as in grand circumstances. Page 156:
Moi, je suis heureux de la petite existence que je me créerai en province, où je succéderai tout bêtement à mon père. Les affections de l'homme se satisfont dans le plus petit cercle aussi pleinement que dans une immense circonférence. Napoléon ne dînait pas deux fois,
Bianchon concludes that he would not wish death on the old Chinaman.
Bianchon has seen Mlle. Michonneau and Poiret talking to a man who looks like a secret policeman and he is suspicious about what they are up to.
Goriot gives Rastignac a letter from Delphine, inviting him to go to the theatre with her, as her husband did not wish to go. He was invited also to dinner at the Nucingen home, before they left for the theatre.
Eugène suspects that he is being used by Delphine to bring back de Marsay. Otherwise a woman would not throw herself at a man in this manner. He did not fully understand the lengths that many women would go to in order to get into the very top circles of Paris society and so was not over-confident about how things would turn out. His doubts gave him a cold detachment that put him in control.
Balzac comments that although a woman who is hard to get arouses a man’s passions, a woman who promises the delights of immediate sexual satisfaction can have equal charms
He took a conceited pride in his dress and grooming that night (An amusing detail about Rastignac’s vanity) - Page 158:
Il se permit des singeries enfantines autant qu'en fait une jeune fille en s'habillant pour le bal.
When Rastignac comes down from his room, all the other boarders are at table. He has to face a barrage of jokes about his new style and Vautrin leads it with his usual boisterous clowning. He pretends he is a busker at the fair selling off this glamorous, exotic object, which is Rastignac. In the midst of this din, Mme de Vauquer lusts after Rastignac and Victorine is caught with a furtive glance of admiration.
The slim, blond, Delphine with her somewhat bossy femme de chambre Therese
That evening, Delphine de Nucingen did not throw herself at him however, as he had too complacently expected. She had other preoccupations.
When she had told him she was unhappy with her husband, Eugene had thought it was a prelude to the fulfilment of his hopes. She tells him she has great troubles which she cannot confide in him. Rastignac says he will drive her troubles away even if he has to kill ten men.
Delphine impulsively takes Eugène out in her husband’s coupé. She gives him 100 francs and asks him to go to a gambling house and win her 6000 francs.
The bewildered Eugène does as commanded. He knows that by this act Delphine is compromising herself with him and after revealing herself to him in this manner, she can refuse him nothing.
Without any self consciousness, Eugène, who has never gambled before, asks at the tables how he goes about laying his bet -Page 163.
A l'étonnement des habitués, le garçon de salle le mène devant une longue table, Eugène, suivi de tous les spectateurs, demande sans vergogne où il faut mettre l'enjeu
He is advised by a former prefect of Napoleon who is now practically penniless. Eugene comes away with 7,000 francs.
Delphine is overjoyed. She embraces him excitedly and kisses him – bur without passion.
She tells Eugène that Nucingen will not give her enough money. She had found it unacceptable that she was expected to earn her marital allowance according to the level of affections she offered her husband and she refused to share his bed.
At first she had tried to be independent, using up all her savings and getting money from her father. She tells Eugène page 164
…..je mangeais l’argent de mes économies et celui que me donnait mon pauvre père…
However she then piled up so much debt that she was forced to tell her husband. He was furious to discover her extravagance. Delphine calls them her young woman’s debts - jewels and things that caught her fancy and she relates these spending habits to the way her father had never refused them anything Page 165
Quand il a fallu lui déclarer mes dettes de jeune femme, des bijoux, des fantaisies (mon pauvre père nous avait accoutumés à ne nous rien refuser), j’ai souffert le
Martyre ;
With some reticence she then lets Rastignac know that at this point she met her rich lover, de Marsay, and her financial problems were taken care of.
Now, she urgently needed money because she her lover had moved on. When she confidently believed that their love would last forever, she had had no qualms about accepting money from him. Her pride now demanded that she should pay him back, to show that she was never his kept woman.
She had been desperate because she had no money of her own to do this. All Nucingen gave her was a small allowance, which was less than he gave each month to his mistress, a young actress at the Opéra
She could not have got the money from her father (N.B. She realises that she and her sister have taken everything from him.) -Page 165:
Anastasie et moi nous l’avons égorgé; mon pauvre père se serait vendu s'il pouvait valoir six mille francs. J'aurais été le désespérer en vain.
She says she is typical of half the women of Paris-Page 165-166:
Voilà la vie de la moitié des femmes de Paris : un luxe extérieur, des soucis cruels dans l’âme. Je connais de pauvres créatures encore plus malheureuses que je ne le suis.
Now, thanks to Eugene’s good luck, she can regain her pride by paying de Marsay back. Eugene is overwhelmed by this mixture of bad and good sentiments which is imposed by the contemporary order of society. Page 166:
Ce mélange de bons sentiments, qui rendent les femmes si grandes, et des fautes que la constitution actuelle de la société les force à commettre, bouleversait Eugène
She gives back to Rastignac 1,000 francs as she had only asked him to win 6,000 francs. He accepts under protest
.
They arrive at her house and she sends the money to de Marsay.
RASTIGNAC’S SEDUCTION BY PARISIAN LIFE – OCCASION 3 Dinner at the opulent home of the Nucingen’s. Another theatre visit and a growing attachment to a beautiful lady of society
Eugene and Delphine have dinner tête à tête in the Nucingen dining room where the luxury equals that of the house of Mme de Beauséant.
After the meal, the two of them go to the theatre – which had been Delphine’s invitation. When they take their seats in their box, the happiness in Delphine’s face would lead the Parisians who observed her that she had found love. They squeezed hands as they enjoyed the music together.
Afterwards she gives him a lift in her coach to the Pont-Neuf. However, she refuses to let Eugene kiss her, except upon the hand. Eugene is displeased, as she had lavished kisses on him at the gambling room. She tells him teasingly that those were kisses of gratitude, whereas a kiss now would be a promise. In farewell, she tells him that they will meet again at the ball, the following Monday.
Walking home Eugène feels contentment that one of the prettiest and most elegant women in Paris will soon be his. However he is disappointed by the realisation of Delphine's poverty. This disappointment revealed Eugene's ambition which he did not wish to admit to himself. (NB Rastignac’s financial ambition)-, page 169 :
Plus Eugène jouissait de la vie parisienne, moins il voulait rester obscur et pauvre.
Rastignac is strongly tempted therefore to keep the 1,000 francs for himself. However, his better nature wins. He gives the thousand francs to Goriot.
A very admirable deed of Rastignac
Goriot in his passion of paternal love is angry to hear of Delphine's difficulties.
Sentimentally, he asks if he can keep Eugène's waist-coat that she has wept on. He will see a lawyer to make Nucingen release his daughter's dowry. Goriot has total faith in Rastignac's honesty- Page 170:
— Vous réussirez dans la vie, lui dit le vieillard. Dieu est juste, voyez-vous? Je me connais en probité, moi, et puis vous assurer qu'il y a bien peu d'hommes qui vous ressemblent.
Eugene finds satisfaction in having behaved honourably. The author says that Rastignac was a true Christian, doing good in secret- Page 170:
Il n'y a peut-être que ceux qui croient en Dieu qui font le bien en secret, et Eugène croyait en Dieu.
RASTIGNAC’S SEDUCTION BY PARISIAN LIFE – OCCASION 4
The ball at the Duchesse de Carigliano's house - His new realisation of the status he has won in society.
The highly prestigious ball at the Duchesse de Carigliano's house takes place two days later. There he meets Delphine again. She has ensured that she is at her most glamorous for the eyes of all present, but mainly for Eugène’s. As he moves around the circles of guests, Rastignac is aware of his own standing in society: He is a cousin of Mme. de Beauséant and the lover - so society assumes - of la baronne de Nucingen.
He enjoys these pleasures of vanity and it forms a brilliant debut for Rastignac.
At breakfast he tells Goriot of it in front of the other boarders. Vautrin says it is impossible to live in society and board at Mme. Vauquer’s. He outlines the extravagance of life in Paris: coaches, horses, clothes, perfumer, hatter, laundry = 40,000 francs.
Bets and gambling = 2,000 francs. He lists also a house and food and totals up all of this-Page 172:
Allez, mon enfant, nous en avons pour nos petits vingt-cinq mille par an dans les flancs, ou nous tombons dans la crotte, nous nous faisons moquer de nous, et nous sommes destitués de notre avenir, de nos succès, de nos maîtresses!
The alternatives are either work hard and be virtuous or …. he hints at the other alternative (Victorine’ potential wealth.)
For several days Eugene lived the most pleasant of lives seeing Delphine often, and seduced by luxury.
He gambled for high stakes and when he won he repaid his debts to his mother and sisters, sending them 15,000 Francs and also some nice presents. (Note Rastignac’s priorities when he did get some money.)
But at the end of January he was still at Mme. Vauquer’s.
The debts of the man in society
He possessed everything that could be purchased on credit, but to find ready cash he was in a fix and he could not pay a month’s notice to Mme. Vauquer. This is typical of young dandies of Paris- Page 173;
Si le jeune homme assis au balcon d'un théâtre offre a la lorgnette des jolies femmes d'étourdissants gilets, il est douteux qu'il ait des chaussettes;
At this point Rastignac’s luck turned for the worse. He lost his money and ran into debt. He saw he could not continue this life without some means of support. He could not give up this extravagant life now.-page 174:
L’étudiant commençait à comprendre qu’il lui serait impossible de continuer cette existence sans avoir des ressources fixes. Mais, tout en gémissant sous les piquantes atteintes de sa situation précaire, il se sentait incapable de renoncer aux jouissances excessives de cette vie, et voulait la continuer à tout prix.
Rastignac is fixed in this extravagant lifestyle
His dreams faded and he faced reality. He saw he had to sacrifice ideas of honour. - Page l74:
En s'initiant aux secrets domestiques de monsieur et madame de Nucingen, il s'était aperçu que, pour convertir l'amour en instrument de fortune, il fallait avoir bu toute honte; et renoncer aux nobles idées qui sont l'absolution des fautes de la jeunesse.
Eugène pondered on Vautrin's scheme. One day after dinner he remained behind to be with Victorine.
He was frustrated and disappointed because Delphine was still refusing to give herself to him. She was acting not out of calculated flirtatiousness but because she had been betrayed before and out of self-respect. She was now the party in control and Eugène’s turbulent emotions made him all the more attached to her -Page 175:
Aimante ou coquette, madame de Nucingen avait fait passer Rastignac par toutes les angoisses d'une passion véritable, en déployant pour lui les ressources de la diplomatie féminine en usage à Paris.
NB The arts of the woman of Paris.
At all events it cost Eugène a lot of money and he was penniless.
He was now thinking of Vautrin’s murderous plan in spite of his conscience, as he sat tête à tête with Victorine after dinner. Victorine told him that should she become rich and happy she could still love for ever the unfortunate man she had loved in her days of misfortune.
Vautrin interrupts them. He tells Rastignac he doesn't want him to make up his mind when he is down on his luck. Eugène protests, and Vautrin praises him.-Page 179:
Vous êtes un beau jeune homme, délicat, fier comme un lion et doux comme une jeune fille. Vous seriez une belle proie pour le diable.
He is a fit prey for the devil, but after a few final gestures of virtue to impress fools in the gallery he will be theirs. If Eugène becomes his pupil, he will have everything he wishes: honour, fortune and women.
He lends Eugène, as a pure business transaction, 3,000 francs. (N.B. Vautrin's character -He can be very generous)-Page 179:
Je vous permets de me mépriser encore aujourd'hui, sûr que plus tard vous m'aimerez. Vous trouverez en moi de ces immenses abîmes, de ces vastes sentiments concentrés que les niais appellent des vices; mais vous ne me trouverez jamais ni lâche ni ingrat.
He refuses to explain his interest in Eugène. Eugène accepts the money. Vautrin promises to leave his fortune to Eugène.
Vautrin talks of himself: a man is either everything or nothing to him- Page 181:
Un homme est tout ou rien. Il est moins que rien quand il se nomme Poiret : on peut l'écraser comme une punaise, il est plat et il pue. Mais un homme est un dieu quand il vous ressemble :
Vautrin’s great regard for Rastignac
There is to Vautrin only one real feeling that counts: the friendship of one man for another- Page 181:
Eh! bien, pour moi qui ai bien creusé la vie, il n'existe qu'un seul sentiment réel, une amitié d'homme à homme. Pierre et Jaffier, voilà ma passion.
He recognises Eugène as a superior man who will not allow himself to get bogged down -Page 181:
Mais vous, vous êtes un homme supérieur, on peut tout vous dire, vous savez tout comprendre.
Eugene is shocked by Vautrin's cynicism.
He repays his debts with the money. That night Rastignac gambles at whist and wins the money back. He is sure this is a reward for virtue.
He is thus able to repay Vautrin the next day. He tells Vautrin he is not his accomplice. Vautrin says he knows that Eugene is still just playing around.
Chapter III - Trompe-la-Mort
Poiret and Mlle. Michonneau are talking to a mysterious gentleman in the park. When the latter mentions the name of the Minister of Police, Poiret sits up - the name of the minister is for these humble civil servants what the name of the Pope is to Catholics (M. Gondureau plays on this connection deliberately)- Page 184:
Ce que ces pauvres gens ne feraient pas dans leur intérêt, ils s'empressent de l'accomplir dès que le mot Son Excellence est prononcé.
He tells them the minister thinks Vautrin is the famous escaped convict Trompe-la-Mort- a nickname that he has truly earned. (N.B. Vautrin’s character) - Page 185:
Ce sobriquet est dû au bonheur qu'il a eu de ne jamais perdre la vie dans les entreprises extrêmement audacieuses qu'il a exécutées. Cet homme est dangereux, voyez-vous! Il a des qualités qui le rendent extraordinaire.
The prison sentence that this convict had been serving could be viewed as the result of an honourable deed. He had taken the blame and had been committed to prison for the crime committed by some-one else - an Italian whom he loved a lot.
While on the run, Trompe-la-Mort has been acting as banker for the criminals in jail.
There is an amusing moment in this conversation when the narrow-minded Poiret is scandalised to learn that criminals live in sin rather than marry their mistresses-Page 187:
Ils vivent donc tous en état de concubinage?
Conséquemment.
Eh bien, dit Poiret, voilà des horreurs que Monseigneur ne devrait pas tolérer.
The real name of this criminal that the police are seeking is Jacques Collin and he has a vast secret organisation and manages vast funds owned by criminals serving their sentences. As a result, Collin’s capture would be an act of great political importance.
When the unprincipled Mlle. Michonneau asks why Collin does not run off with the money, Gondureau says he is too honourable- Page 188:
D'ailleurs, Collin est un gaillard incapable de faire un trait semblable, il se croirait déshonoré.
Character of Vautrin
The minister is in difficulties politically. He is therefore afraid to arrest an innocent middle class gentleman instead of Collin. The scandal would finish him. That is why he was asking this couple to check Vautrin’s identity.
Michonneau suggests he uses a pretty woman, but Gondureau says that Collin does not like women.
Vautrin’s admiration for men
He asks the two if they would be willing to drug Vautrin and then check for the convict’s brand on his shoulder.
Mlle Michonneau bargains and asks for 3,000 francs if Vautrin turns out to be Collin. She does not definitely agree to do it and Gondureau calls her a “finaude” - an artful woman.
Bianchon on walking past has heard the name Trompe-la-Mort.
Mlle Michonneau alone with Poiret says it might be more profitable to warn Vautrin. As they walk home Poiret’s conversation rambles on, going off at complete tangents- Page 192:
Apres avoir entamé un premier sujet, il était conduit par ses parenthèses à en traiter de tout opposés, sans avoir rien conclu.
When they get back to Mme. Vauquer’s, they find Eugène and Victorine in intimate conversation.
Driven to despair by Delphine, Eugène had finally decided to do Vautrin's bidding. Only a miracle could save him.
Victorine believed it was the voice of an angel and the heavens were opening for her, but Eugène was shining with despair with the fires of hell in his heart- Page 193:
En se débattant contre sa conscience, en sachant qu'il faisait mal et voulant faire mal, en se disant qu'il rachèterait ce péché véniel par le bonheur d'une femme, il s'était embelli de son désespoir, et resplendissait de tous les feux de l'enfer qu'il avait au cœur.
The miracle occurs when Vautrin interrupts him and Victorine runs away, full of happiness. This was the most tender interlude of her life -Page 194:
En cette heure, elle avait prodigué plus de trésors d'âme que plus tard, riche et heureuse, elle n'en aurait donné en se livrant tout entière
Vautrin sees the deal as fixed with Eugene. He will get young Taillefer killed in a duel by a lunge to the head he has perfected. Vautrin again praises Eugène. Page 194.
Bien, mon petit aiglon! vous gouvernerez les hommes; vous êtes fort, carré, poilu; vous avez mon estime.
Vautrin’s praise for Rastignac’s character
Rastignac refuses his hand to Vautrin. He is overcome with remorse and sees a pool of blood before him.
Vautrin whispers that his wealth will absolve his guilt, but after Vautrin has gone, Rastignac decides to warn messieurs Taillefer to prevent the duel.
Goriot takes Rastignac to his room. He tells him that he was silly to believe that Delphine did not love him. In fact the opposite is the case. She is bubbling over with excitement about him. Page 197 :
Elle vous aime trop ! dit-il en hochant la tête après une pause. En allant, elle causait de vous avec moi: « N'est-ce pas, mon père, il est bien ! il a bon coeur ! Parle-t-il de moi ;» Bah, elle m'en a dit, depuis la rue d'Artois jusqu'au passage des Panoramas, des volumes.
In the last month she has been secretly arranging a surprise for him: an apartment for him to live in, which she has found in the Rue d'Artois. His solicitor has arranged for him to have 36,000 francs a year, the interest from her dowry. Goriot says his self interest is involved, as he will live upstairs and will see his daughter from time to time. He is delighted to be with his daughter again and to have done these things in collaboration with her.
Goriot has slipped a little box onto the mantelpiece. It contains a watch with a note from Delphine, and the case bears the crest of the Rastignac family.
They will see Delphine that evening. Her husband is with his dancing girl. The thought of Nucingen’s conduct makes Goriot violent.-Page 198:
Ne prétend-il pas aimer ma fille à adoration? Qu’il y touche et je le tue.
Eugène still upset by the possibility of the killing of Taillefer asks Goriot to go to the Taillefer to make him an appointment while he goes to see Delphine. Goriot thinks Eugène is courting Victorine and violently threatens him.
Eugène explains that he has heard that Victorine’s brother is to fight a duel tomorrow and he wants to stop it.
Vautrin hears Eugene talking of the duel and interrupts them. Vautrin is in a very happy mood. He mocks Mlle Michonneau, calling her the Venus of the Paris cemetery. He orders wine for all and pours for Eugène and Goriot. They drink. He pours for himself, tastes it, says it tastes of the cork and gives the rest to Christophe. Wine flows and there is a lot of noise and joking.
The eyes of Eugène and Goriot close, Vautrin whispers that Eugène can’t outsmart him- Page 203:
Mon petit gars, nous ne sommes pas assez rusé pour lutter avec notre papa Vautrin, et il vous aime trop pour vous laisser faire des sottises. Quand j'ai resolu quelque chose, le bon Dieu seul est assez fort pour me barrer le passage.
While they sleep his Italian friend will kill Taillefer the son.
The guests leave the house one by one. Mme Vauquer empties the dregs of all the bottles into one to make a full bottle. Eugène passes out completely.
Vautrin wants to take the ladies to the theatre, but as a good Catholic Victorine cannot go. She stops to tend Eugene. Sylvie carts Goriot upstairs and flings him on the bed.
Mme. Vauquer expresses her immense admiration for Eugène- Page 206
Ah! Je peux bien dire que depuis trente et un ans que je tiens ma pension, dit madame Vauquer, il m'est passé bien des jeunes gens par les mains, comme on dit; mais je n'en ai jamais vu d'aussi gentil, d'aussi distingué que monsieur Eugène.
Victorine is happy as she looks after Eugene. Vautrin interrupts them and depicts them as the romantic lovers Paul and Virginie.
He reads her hand and says she is soon to be one of the richest heiresses in Paris. (Joke) He teases Mme. Vauquer: her corsets are so tight that if she laughs she will burst - but he will pick up the pieces. Mme. Vauquer is delighted.- Page 209:
Il connaît le langage de la galanterie française dit la veuve en se penchant à l'oreille de madame Couture.
They leave and Mme. Vauquer asks hopefully whether they think he has designs on her person.
Victorine says she would rather stay poor than to gain a fortune from the death of her brother. With Sylvie's help they carry Eugene onto his bed. Before she leaves, Victorine secretly plants a kiss on his brow.
But this merry evening was Vautrin’s downfall. Bianchon got too drunk to ask the meaning of the word Trompe-la-Mort and thus Vautrin was not alerted. Mlle. Michonneau was angered by the nickname given her by Vautrin and changed her mind about warning Vautrin.
Poiret and Michonneau had gone to see Gondureau, who was in fact the head of the judicial police. He gives them the drug to administer to Vautrin. He speaks of the importance of Vautrin to the criminal fraternity-Page 211:
…..il est leur drapeau, leur soutien, leur Bonaparte enfin; ils l’aiment tous. Ce drôle ne nous laissera jamais sa tronche en place de Grève. (tronche = severed head) The character of Vautrin
He is counting on Vautrin resisting arrest in order that they will be justified in shooting him dead. They will never convict him in court of a capital offence (N.B. The police also are prepared to bend their principles, - a further example of the corruption of Paris..)
Gondureau believes the end justifies the means and that by killing Vautrin, he is serving his country. -Page 212:
Enfin, il est d'un homme supérieur de se mettre au-dessus des préjuges, et d'un chrétien d'adopter les malheurs que le bien entraîne après soi quand il n'est pas fait selon les idées reçues. Paris est Paris, voyez-vous? Ce mot explique ma vie.
The following day was the most sensational in the history of the house of Mme, Vauquer. All the boarders overslept except Vautrin who was out and Poiret and Mlle. Michonneau. The latter took the opportunity to drug Vautrin's coffee.
Eugène came down half asleep and received a reproachful letter from Delphine who had waited in vain the previous night. Eugene can't understand what had happened. When he learns the time, Eugene trembles with fear. Just then a coach draws up and a servant of M. Taillefer tells Victorine that her brother has been wounded in the head in a duel, is unconscious and not expected to live. Eugene shouts at Vautrin in alarm. -Page 214:
— Monsieur! lui cria Eugene.
— Eh ! bien, quoi, grand enfant? dit Vautrin en achevant de boire son café tranquillement,
Victorine looks at Eugene with regret that their happiness had to come about thus. After Victorine has left the boarders suggest that Eugène’s fortune is assured. Eugène claims he will never marry Victorine. He is very upset. He asks aloud what is to be done, and yet sees there is no proof.
Suddenly Vautrin falls to the ground knocked unconscious by the drug in his coffee. They carry him to his room. Michonneau and Poiret manage to be alone with Vautrin and find the convict’s brand on his back. Michonneau want to steal his money, as it is criminal property, but they are disturbed. Poiret sneaks away to the Police.
Rastignac has gone out for air, shocked to be the accomplice of an evil crime. -Page 218:
Ce crime commis à heure fixe, il avait voulu l'empêcher la veille. Qu'était-il arrivé? Que devait-il faire? II tremblait d'en être le complice. Le sang-froid de Vautrin l'épouvantait encore.
As Rastignac is honourable, he is deeply shocked
He meets Bianchon who has read how the Comte Franchessini has injured Taillefer in a duel. Eugène sends Bianchon to look after the sick Vautrin
Rastignac’s honesty stands the test of these trials-. Page 219:
S'il frotta, s’il s’examina, s’il hésita, du moins sa probité sortit de cette âpre et terrible discussion éprouvée comme une. barre de fer qui résiste a tous les essais.
He thinks he will show his goodness by looking after Goriot who has suffered so much -. Page 220:
Cc pauvre vieillard a bien souffert par le cœur. Il ne dit rien de ses chagrins, mais qui ne les devinerait pas! Eh! bien, j'aurai soin de lui comme d'un père, je lui donnerai mille jouissances.
The kindliness of Rastignac
He persuades himself that there is nothing wrong in this liaison with Delphine- Page 220:
Il n'y a dans cette liaison ni crime, ni rien qui puisse faire froncer le sourcil à la vertu la plus sévère. Combien d'honnêtes gens contractent des unions semblables! Nous ne trompons personne;
He argues that he is being open and not-lying to anyone. Delphine's marriage to Nucingen does not exist.
Thus the virtues of youth won the combat.
The conscience of Rastignac
Curious to know how Vautrin is he returns to the Maison Vauquer. Vautrin has recovered and boasts of his strength. Page 221,
J’ai selon ces dames, soutenu victorieusement un coup de sang qui aurait dû tuer un bœuf.
Bianchon mentions that he had heard Mlle. Michonneau say the name Trompe-la-Mort.
The name causes an extraordinary change in Vautrin. His magnetic eye falling on Michonneau makes her collapse in a chair. Poiret moves between in her defence.
Just then the gendarmes arrive and all escape is cut off. The chief of police knocks off Vautrin's wig and the convict Collin appears in all his horrible menace. - Page 222.
Accompagnées de cheveux rouge-brique et courts qui leur donnaient un épouvantable caractère de force mêlée de ruse, cette tête et cette face, en harmonie avec le buste, furent intelligemment illuminées comme si les feux de l'enfer les eussent éclairées. Chacun comprit tout Vautrin, son passé, son présent, son avenir, ses doctrines implacables, la religion de son bon plaisir, la royauté que lui donnaient le cynisme de ses pensées, de ses actes, et la force d'une organisation faite à tout.
Vautrin’s character
He is about to leap like a wild cat to escape when he hears the guns cocked to shoot him. Realising their intentions, he masters himself with great self control and surrenders.
Vautrin preaches to the others, and asks why they should be horrified by him who is less wicked than they-. Page 224:
— Etes-vous meilleure que nous? Nous avons moins d'infamie sur l'épaule que vous en avez dans le cœur, membres flasques d'une société gangrenée: le meilleur d'entre vous ne me résistait pas. Ses yeux s'arrêtèrent sur Rastignac,
Even Rastignac, the best of them, was not his equal.
Vautrin has assumed the character of a member of the criminal class. His diabolical nature. -Page 224:
En un moment Collin devint un poème infernal où se peignirent tous les sentiments humains, moins un seul, celui du repentir. Son regard était celui de l'archange déchu qui vent toujours la guerre.
He is concerned about who has betrayed him. He forgives Michonneau but will punish the fellow crook, who told the police. He boasts of his loyalty. People fear him but this is a more flattering reaction than the disgust that Michonneau arouses.
He is a rebel against the social system and a disciple of J.J. Rousseau.- Page 226 :
Un forçat de la trempe de Collin, ici présent, est un homme moins lâche que les autres, et qui proteste contre les profondes déceptions du contrat social, comme dit Jean-Jacques, dont je me glorifie d'être l'élève. Enfin, je suis seul contre le gouvernement avec son tas de tribunaux, de gendarmes, de budgets, et je les roule.
He bids a flamboyant farewell to the guests. Talking to Eugène in a gentle, sad manner he reminds him of his duelling friend to whom Eugène can apply for help.
Even at this moment the loyal Vautrin is concerned for Rastignac’s well-being
The guests are favourable to the departing Vautrin. Sylvie voices this.-Page 227:.
— Eh! bien, dit-elle, c'était un bon homme tout de même.
All the guests at Mme. Vauquer's with the exception of Poiret insist that she sends Michonneau packing. When Rastignac agrees, she maliciously suggests she knows why Rastignac is Vautrin's friend.
Mme. Vauquer finally agrees to send Michonneau away and when Poiret intervenes he is also forced to leave. He hesitantly follows, taking Michonneau's arm amid the mockery of the rest,
A coach arrives. Victorine's brother has died at 3 p.m. and Victorine and her aunt are to go and live with Victorine’s father.
Mme. Vauquer thinks only of her own misfortune, because of the number of boarders lost in one day.- Page 231:
Quatre appartements vacants, cinq pensionnaires de moins! Elle s'assit et parut près de pleurer. Le malheur est entré chez moi, s'écria-t-elle.
Another coach arrives and Sylvie fears another shock, but it is merely a surprise. It is Goriot in the coach. Goriot isn't in the least bit interested in the story of Vautrin. He only lives in one emotional area. He drags Rastignac off in he coach to see Delphine.
The rest go to table and the events of the day start to be drowned in the turmoil of Paris life. -Page 232:
L'insouciance habituelle de ce monde égoïste qui, le lendemain, devait avoir dans les événements quotidiens de Paris une autre proie à dévorer, reprit le dessus, et madame Vauquer elle-même se laissa calmer par l'espérance, qui emprunta la voix de la grosse Sylvie.
As they travel in the coach, Goriot is in a state of great excitement and Rastignac is still dazed with the recent dramatic events. Goriot tells Rastignac that they are going to dine with Delphine – the first time he has dined with his daughter for four years. Enigmatically he tells Rastignac that he has been working in Rastignac’s home since the morning. He has been doing heavy labouring carrying the furniture.
Rastignac, bewildered, thinks the world has been turned upside down, but Goriot has a new optimism about life-Page 233 :
— Renversé? dit le père Goriot. Mais à aucune époque le monde n'a si bien été. Je ne vois que des figures gaies dans les rues, des gens qui se donnent des poignées de main, et qui s'embrassent; des gens heureux comme s'ils allaient tous diner chez leurs filles,
In the French Television adaptation of Balzac’s novel, the character of Goriot was played by the famous singer/actor, Charles Aznavour. Perhaps we might have this picture to represent Goriot at this stage of the story when he briefly found happiness and came back to life
Rastignac asks where they are going and Goriot tells him “To your home”. They stop in the rue d’Artois, where Goriot has rented for Eugène an elegant third floor bachelor flat. (Later Goriot says that he has rented for himself a cheap servant’s room on the floor above).
Delphine shows him around and Eugène finds his new apartment very smart. There is a tender moment as the lovers momentarily exchange a kiss.
Goriot is delighted. It was all his idea. De1phine had been afraid of scandal,
Eugène however feels he cannot accept. He is too poor and his conscience had been aroused by the Vautrin affair. -Page 236:
Eugène s'était trop solennellement interrogé pendant cette journée, et l'arrestation de Vautrin, en lui montrant la profondeur de l'abîme dans lequel il avait failli rouler, venait de trop bien corroborer ses sentiments nobles et sa délicatesse pour qu'il cédât à cette caressante réfutation de ses idées généreuses. Une profonde tristesse s'empara de lui.
Delphine is hurt. She asks Goriot to persuade Eugène. Goriot prophetically says that Eugène will succeed and will be able to repay all. -Page 237:
….vous trouvez une barrière insurmontable pour beaucoup de gens, une main de femme vous l'ouvre, et vous reculez! Mais vous réussirez, vous ferez une brillante fortune,
Goriot’s confidence in the qualities of Rastignac
He tells Eugene that it is he who has paid for everything. It is a loan. Eugène can write a receipt and pay him back whenever possible.
Goriot tells Delphine that he saw that her dowry money would not be free for some time so he has used the last of his personal savings, -Leaving a very small allowance for himself, which is all he needs to live off.
Delphine is grateful to him. -Page 238:
— Cher père, vous êtes un père! Non, il n'existe pas deux pères comme vous sous le ciel. Eugène vous aimait bien déjà, que sera-ce maintenant !
Goriot embraces her so violently he hurts her - to his alarm.
Eugène finally accepts the apartment and vows to be worthy of their generosity. The three spend an evening of affection. Goriot is in the way with his excessive affection. -Page 240:
….enfin il faisait des folies comme en aurait fait l'amant le plus jeune et le plus tendre.
Voyez-vous? dit De1phine Eugene, quand mon père est avec nous, il faut être tout à lui Ce sera pourtant bien gênant quelquefois.
The two men return to Mme Vauquer’s at midnight as there are no beds in the new apartment.
There is a humorous situation on their return. Mme. Vauquer is still mourning all her lost boarders and her only consolation is that she can economise by sacking her simple, faithful servant, Christophe. She effusively greets her two remaining boarders. -Page 242:
Ah! voilà mes deux fideles, dit la veuve en soupirant.
Les deux fideles, n'avaient qu'un fort léger souvenir des désastres de la pension bourgeoise, annoncèrent sans cérémonie à a leur hôtesse qu'ils allaient demeurer a la Chaussée-d'Antin.
She is then told that they too are leaving the next day. Mme. Vauquer feels it is her final blow and goes to bed to weep.
Mme. Vauquer was in a different mood the next day. She had had a premonition of death within ten days.
At midday, Eugene received an invitation addressed to M & Mme de Nucingen for the grand ball. This is the invitation to Delphine which Mme de Beauséant had promised to help Eugène in his conquest of Paris society.
Eugène realises that Delphine's husband is not invited and that he will get the reward of this invitation from Delphine. He is impatient to take possession of her at last.
Balzac comments that the first woman you love in Paris has no rival throughout your life. Page 244
C'est des émotions qui ne se rencontrent pas deux fois dans la vie des jeunes gens. La première femme réellement femme à laquelle s'attache un homme, c'est-dire celle qui se présente à lui dans la splendeur des accompagnements que veut la société parisienne, celle-là n'a jamais de rivale. L'amour à Paris ne ressemble en rien aux autres amours.
Yet even love in Paris is complicated and destructive.
RASTIGNAC’S SEDUCTION BY PARISIAN LIFE – OCCASION 5
Goriot’s provision for him of an apartment, where he can be with Delphine – Rastignac overcomes his scruples. He is now tightly held in the bonds of his first love for a lady of Paris
Previously Eugene was still tempted by the decent life of a provincial gentleman, but no longer had any attraction since seeing the apartment the previous day. -Page 246:
Néanmoins ses derniers scrupules avaient disparu la veille quand il s'était vu dans son appartement. En jouissant des avantages matériels de la fortune, comme il jouissait depuis longtemps des avantages moraux que donne la naissance, il avait dépouillé sa peau d'homme de province, et s'était doucement établi dans une position d'où il découvrait un bel avenir.
Standing apart from himself he sees how completely he has changed from a year ago.
Delphine is delighted with the invitation. She thinks it is impertinent not to invite her husband but her new pre-occupation is to outshine her sister at the ball. She tells Eugène that Anastasie is the subject of scandalous gossip as she has sold the diamonds of her husband's family to pay her lover's debts.
Delphine has little sympathy for her sister’s plight. - Page 247:
Elle a toujours cherche à m'écraser, elle n'a jamais été bonne pour moi, qui lui rendais tant de services,
Delphine also has a foreboding of disaster, thinking her happiness must be paid for.
However, back at Mme. Vauquer's, Eugène finds Goriot, like him, filled with happiness about what the future holds.
Chapter IV LA MORT DU PERE
The next morning Eugene was in his room, preparing his departure. Goriot next door believed him out. Delphine arrived in a coach, in a hurry and went into Goriot's room. Eugène overheard the conversation.
Delphine says she is desperately worried whether her father had taken the steps over her dowry in time to save her from ruin.
She sees a sudden dramatic change in Goriot’s appearance. He has been badly shaken by her dramatic arrival and her desperate words.
She has come because she needs her father's business experience to advise her. Goriot's solicitor had found Nucingen uncooperative. Nucingen had been to Delphine after the lawyer's visit to say that all her money and his was invested and could not be touched. If she forced him, they both faced bankruptcy.
He asked forgiveness for his past conduct and told her she could have complete liberty if she agreed. He would give up his mistress to save money.
Goriot is angry and upset. He distrusts Nucingen.- Page 252:
Mais nous prend-il pour des imbéciles, Croit-il que je puisse supporter pendant deux jours l’idée de te laisser sans fortune, sans pain ?
In his intense emotion he feels a burning sensation in his head.
Delphine begs him to be careful with her husband as he is capable of running off with all the money. She agrees her husband is a rogue and his deals are dishonourable. He is giving Delphine her freedom but wishes to use her name in his transactions. His money will be made by dishonest dealings in land.
Goriot collapses to his knees.
Delphine blames her father for not preventing her marriage to this scoundrel. She wants Goriot to come and look at the books the day after tomorrow - after the ball as she must concentrate on that first!
At that point Anastasie arrives and is surprised to find Delphine there. Delphine scores a point by saying that she, at least does see her father. To which Anastasie asks pointedly: “Since when?”
Anastasie tells how she had sold the family diamonds to pay her lover’s 100,000 francs debt when he had threatened to blow his brains out.
Goriot's cries in despair that he could have helped. His frantic voice, like the death rattle, makes the sisters think of him for a moment. -Page 256:
A ce mot lugubrement jeté, comme un son du râle d'un mourant, et qui accusait l'agonie du sentiment paternel réduit à l'impuissance, les deux sœurs firent une pause. Quel égoïsme serait reste froid à ce cri de désespoir qui, semblable a une pierre lancé dans un gouffre, en révélant la profondeur?
Delphine consoles her sister. Anastasie says the previous day her husband had summoned her. He had bought back the family diamonds from Gobseck, the usurer. He talked of killing her lover, knowing that the consequence would be that he would face the death penalty..
He asked her of which of the children she had given him he had fathered. She admitted that there was only the eldest -Ernest.
Then he had told her that the only way for her to avoid tragedy to the family was to agree to make over all her property to him.
Goriot forbad her to give in to her husband’s demands and in anger says he would kidnap his own grandson Ernest to make him give Anastasia back her own property. Goriot is in a state of great hysteria. -Page 258.
Tonnerre! Je ne sais pas ce que j’ai dans les veines. J'y ai le sang d'un tigre, je voudrais dévorer ces deux hommes. 0 mes enfants! voilà done votre vie?
Anastasie has further troubles: the diamonds she sold raised only 88,000 francs, her lover still owes 12,000 francs. She loves him and wants to save him for her sake from debtor’s prison, and also for the sake of their children. She asks Goriot to give her the remainder.
Goriot tells Anastasie he hasn't got the money. He is in despair. -Page 259:
Je ne les ai pas, Nasie. Plus, plus rien, plus rien! C'est la fin du monde. Oh! Le monde va crouler,
The sisters quarrel angrily when Anastasie discovers he has spent the money on an apartment for Delphine's lover, Rastignac.
Delphine replies that Anastasie blocked her way into society and that she Delphine never asked for money from her father. She did not close her door on him. She didn't ask him for the 12,000 francs for the apartment and. Goriot had always given her presents without her asking.
Anastasia said Delphine's lover, de Marsay, was richer.
As the sisters quarrel, Goriot's head is enflamed. On his knees and in tears he begs them to make peace. Delphine sees his wild expression and they embrace.
Goriot thinks of wild mad schemes for raising the money, including robbing a bank. His head is bursting and he wants to beat it against the wall.
Eugène, who had kept Vautrin's bill of exchange makes it out for 12,000 francs to Goriot to repay him for the apartment. When Eugène comes into the room, Anastasie is furious, thinking that he has been listening and Delphine has allowed her to compromise herself in front of Rastignac.
Goriot tells her to accept as Rastignac as his own son. Rastignac offers his payment but Anastasie, still furious leaves the house. Yet- she still holding Rastignac’s financial document.
Goriot makes excuses for her. She is in a difficult position. Anastasie returns, asking pardon and asking Rastignac to consider himself her brother. The sisters are reconciled.
Anastasie asks Goriot to sign the bill. Delphine believes her sister' is good hearted underneath. However, Eugène believes she came back to get the bill signed.
Delphine shows affection for her sick father
Goriot is desperately ill, they lay him down and he falls asleep. They go to Eugène's room and hear Goriot moan in his sleep. -Page 265-266:
— Elles ne sont pas heureuses! Qu’il dormît ou qu’il veillât, l'accent de cette phrase frappa si vivement le cœur de sa fille, qu’elle s'approcha du grabat sur lequel gisait son père, et le baisa au front. Il ouvrit les yeux en disant. :C'est Delphine!
Anxious about Goriot, Eugène returned for dinner at Mme. Vauquer's after taking Delphine home.
He asked the opinion of Bianchon. After close observation, Bianchon said Goriot was done for. He was on the brink of a stroke. There was little to be done.
Bianchon wanted to know what shock had brought it on. (NB. The scene that Goriot’s daughters had enacted in front of him was responsible for his death.).- Page 267:
Sais-tu par quel événement la maladie a été causée il a dû recevoir un coup violent sous lequel son moral aura succombé.
— Oui, dit Rastignac en se rappelant que les deux filles avaient battu sans relâche sur le cœur de leur père.
Eugène meets Delphine that evening at their weekly theatre date. He is anxious not to alarm her with his news about her father’s health. However, she is quite complacent that her father is strong enough to recover, even though she and her sister have upset him.
Delphine says her only preoccupation now is her love for Rastignac. To her shame she admits that this love comes before her love as a daughter. She loves her father, but there is no way in which she can stop him from suffering from the outcome of their deplorable marriages for which he too is responsible.
Eugène had thought previously that she did not love him as he loved her. Now Delphine tells Eugène how deep is her love for him.-page 267:
Il n’est plus aujourd'hui qu'une seule crainte, un seul malheur pour moi, c'est de perdre l'amour qui m'a fait sentir le plaisir de vivre. En dehors de ce sentiment tout m'est indifférent, je n'aime plus rien au monde. Vous êtes tout pour moi. Si je sens le bonheur d'être riche, c'est pour mieux vous plaire. Je suis, à ma honte, plus aimante que je ne suis fille.
Balzac expresses his admiration for the depth of passion of the ladies of Paris:-Page 268
Si les Parisiennes son souvent fausses, ivres de vanité, personnelles, coquettes, froides, il est sûr que quand elles aiment réellement, elles sacrifient plus de sentiments que les autres femmes à leurs passions; elles se grandissent de toutes leurs petitesses et deviennent sublimes,
Delphine had never before experienced a young sincere love like that of Eugène.-Page 268:
Elle n'avait jamais entendu les expressions vibrantes d’un amour jeune et sincère. Quelques mots de plus, elle ne se serait plus contenue.
Delphine says that the king is due to sign d’Adjuda’s contract of marriage to Madame de Rochefide the next day. Mme. de Beauséant does not know yet. The ball at her house cannot be cancelled. All Paris will be going to see her in her suffering.
Rastignac is shocked at the cruelty of society. -Page 269:
— Et le monde se rit d'une infamie, et il y trempe! Vous ne savez donc pas que madame de Beauséant en mourra?
However, Rastignac believed it was a stupid rumour,
Eugène stayed in his new apartment until 4p.m, the next day, almost forgetting Goriot.
Rastignac distracted by the comfort of his new apartment.
Eugène decided not to bring Goriot to the apartment. On returning to Mme Vauquer’s, he finds neither Goriot nor Bianchon at table. He is told Goriot has collapsed. Mme. Vauquer waylays him on the stairs. They have stayed 3 days longer than they said and they must both pay for another week. She doesn't trust Goriot's daughters to pay and Goriot will have nothing left when he dies. She tells him that Goriot took away his last remaining cutlery that morning after Anastasie had been. Then he went out made up to look like a young man. Mme Vauquer tells Rastignac – Page 270
Il a emporté ce matin ses derniers couverts, je ne sais pourquoi. Il s'était mis en jeune homme. Dieu me pardonne, je crois qu'il avait du rouge, il m'a paru rajeuni.
Eugène trembles at the shock news. He finds Goriot conscious and the old man asks news of his daughter.
Bianchon says Goriot has had a stroke. They cannot move him from that room. His efforts on some strange mission that morning had been the final straw.- Page 271:
Il est sorti vers le matin, il a été à pied dans Paris, on ne sait où. Il a emporté tout ce qu’il possédait de vaillant, il a été faire quelque sacré trafic pour lequel il a outrepassé ses forces! Une de ses filles est venue.
Goriot explains: Anastasie needed 1,000 francs -for her dress for the ball. She could not get credit. He sold his last belongings for 600 francs and made over one year of his yearly income to Gobseck. for 400 francs - for this he had made himself look young.
He has wild ideas of starting in the grain business again. The two students keep watch by Goriot’s bedside through the night.
The next day they give him all the unpleasant medical treatment necessary.
Anastasie did not come herself for the money, raised by her father, as Goriot had hoped, she sent a servant instead. Goriot hid his disappointment.
Delphine sent a note to Rastignac asking what he had been doing.
Mme de Beauséant has now found out that d’Adjuda is leaving her. Paris is going to the ball to see her suffer. – Page 274:
Tout Paris va se porter chez elle, comme le peuple encombre la Grève quand il doit y avoir une exécution. N'est-ce pas horrible d'aller voir si cette femme cachera sa douleur, si elle saura bien mourir?
Delphine is horrified, but she is not a friend of Mme. de Beauséant, so she will go herself. She reminds Rastignac to be there. He replies that her father is probably dying and they are awaiting a doctor and she will then know whether she can go to the ball.
The doctor predicts that Goriot will have several recoveries and relapses and thinks immediate death would be more merciful.
Rastignac is heartbroken. When he goes to Delphine’s, he finds her almost ready for the ball. She is impatient with him for not being ready and for going on about her father.
Her maid pushes him out to get ready. - Page 275:
Mais, allez donc, monsieur Eugene, vous fâcherez madame', dit Thérèse en poussant le jeune homme épouvanté de cet élégant parricide.
Rastignac is shocked at Delphine’s selfishness
As Rastignac gets dressed he muses on the squalid mean faults of society and contrasts them with the sins of Vautrin which were on; a magnificent scale. - Page 276
Il voyait le monde comme un océan de boue dans lequel un homme se plongeait jusqu’au cou, s’il s’y trempait le pied. – Il ne s’y commet que des crimes mesquins ! se dit-il. Vautrin est plus grand. Il avait vu les trois grandes expressions de société : l’ Obéissance, la Lutte et la Révolte ; la Famille, le Monde et Vautrin. Et il n’osa prendre parti. l’ Obéissance était ennuyeuse, la Révolte impossible, et la lutte incertaine
He has thoughts of true virtue, which he retained from his upbringing. However he no longer has the heart to preach to Delphine. His experiences had already made him selfish. - Page 276
Déjà son éducation commencée avait porté ses fruits. Il aimait égoïstement déjà.
Another moral compromise on the part of Rastignac
He had no illusions about Delphine's true nature.-Page 276:
Il pressentait qu'elle était capable de marcher sur le corps de son père pour aller au bal, et il n’avait ni la force de jouer le rôle d’un raisonneur, ni le courage de lui déplaire, ni la vertu de la quitter.
He realises that for him to oppose her will mean the end of their liaison. She would never forgive him for being right. He therefore tries to justify his going to the ball: Delphine is ignorant of Goriot's condition, - Goriot would wish it.
The hold that a woman of Paris has on Rastignac
In the last two days a woman had changed him wiping out his past values. She had then become his mistress. His desire for her had been changed into love and she too was tied to the man who had satisfied her desires. -Page 277:
Infâme ou sublime, il adorait cette femme pour les voluptés qu'il lui avait apportées en dot, et pour toutes celles qu'il en avait reçues;
Delphine weeps to hear what Anastasie had made her father do that morning, but she stops crying in order to look her best at the ball. Nevertheless; she swears she will go to her father's bedside after the ball.
Paris society was coming in its throngs to observe Mme. de Beauséant. But she was in complete control of herself. ( N.B another character who can rise above circumstances). -Page 278:
En cette circonstance, la dernière fille de la quasi royale maison de Bourgogne se montra supérieure à son mal, et domina jusqu'à son dernier moment le monde dont elle n'avait accepté les vanités que pour les faire servir au triomphe de sa passion.
(Some people think that Balzac is over impressed by noble rank)
She received her guests quite impassively. When Rastignac arrives; she is relieved, as he is the only person she can trust. She asks him to go and collect her letters from her ex lover. Eugene does what she requests.
Rastignac finds d'Adjuda sad with misgivings at his forthcoming marriage and conscious of his less than honourable conduct towards Mme de Beauséant. He gives Eugène a casket of letters. Eugène returns to Mme. de Beauséant's house and she follows him to her room. In tears she burns the letters.
She tells him that she is going to leave Paris and live in retreat in Normandy. As a tribute to Rastignac's nobility and honesty, she gives him the casket in which she used to keep her gloves - an object which recalls happy memories for her –Page 280.
(Note Madame de Beauséant’s respect for Rastignac)
Je voudrais vous donner un gage de mon amitié. Je penserai souvent à vous, qui m'avez paru bon et noble, jeune et candide au milieu de ce monde où ces qualités sont si rares.
RASTIGNAC’S SEDUCTION BY PARISIAN LIFE – OCCASION 6
The Grand Ball at the house of Mme de Beauséant. The last step in Rastignac’s progress proves to be a shattering of any illusions left
Bravely Mme de Beauséant goes back to face her guests at the ball on the arm of Rastignac.
At this glittering occasion, Rastignac looks at the diamonds of the Goriot daughters and, in his mind’s eye, sees the miserable bed of their father-Page 281
Il revit lors, sous les diamants des deux soeurs, le grabat sur lequel gisait le père Goriot
He rejoins Delphine who is delighted at the attention she has been getting in this society where she hopes to be adopted. Anastasie, as always, is magnificent and her husband is full of pride and love, but she avoids meeting his gaze. When Delphine asks Rastignac what he thinks of her, he replies that she has cashed in on the very death of her father- Page 281
Elle a, dit Rastignac, escompté jusqu’à la mort de son père
At 4a.m. Rastignac found himself alone with the Duchesse de Langeais, when Mme. de Beauséant, who had been resisting her husband’s pleas to stay in Paris, comes to join them them.
Mme. de Langeais apologises for any wrong she has done to her friend. She has herself been deserted by her lover and is going into a convent if her final effort fails.
Mme. de Beauséant is pleased at the sacred emotions of Rastignac and her friend as she leaves society.
Finally Rastignac sees his cousin off as she departs in her coach. She is in tears. Eugene's education is becoming complete. - Page 283:
Eugene revint à pied vers la maison Vauquer, par un temps humide et froid. Son education s’achevait.
The theme of the book is the “education sentimentale” of Rastignac
Back at Mme. Vauquer's, Bianchon tells him that Goriot will die within 2 days.
Rastignac envies Goriot with his limited ambitions. Rastignac himself feels he is in hell.-Page 283:
— Mon ami, lui dit Eugène après avoir regarde le vieillard endormi, va, poursuis la destinée modeste a laquelle tu bornes tes désirs. Moi, je suis en enfer, et il faut que j’y reste. Quelque mal que l'on te dise du monde, crois-le! Il n'y a pas de Juvenal qui puisse en peindre l'horreur, couverte d'or et de pierreries.
Rastignac’s deep shock at the corruption of Paris
They need money for medicine. There is nothing at all in Goriot’s room. Bianchon has been trying to get the room warm whose walls are running with damp. Eugene thinks bitterly of the life of his daughters- Page 284:
Il faisait humide, l'eau dégouttait des murs. A peine ai-je pu sécher la chambre. Christophe l'a balayée, c'est vraiment une écurie. J'y ai brûlé du genièvre, ça puait trop.
Mon Dieu! dit Rastignac, mais ses filles!
Bianchon thinks Goriot might have a moment of delirium and asks Eugène to listen, to decide medically what has happened to his mind in the stroke.
Goriot comes round momentarily and asks if the girls had a good time at the ball. Bianchon said he had talked about them all night – dancing- Anastasie’s dress- calling their names. It was bringing him to the point of tears- Page 285:
Se sont-elles bien amusées? dit le père Goriot, qui reconnut Eugène.
Oh ! il ne pense qu'à ses filles, dit Bianchon. Il m'a dit plus de cent fois cette nuit : « Elles dansent ! Elle a sa robe. » Il les appelait par leurs noms. Il me faisait pleurer, diable m'emporte ! avec ses intonations : « Delphine ! ma petite Delphine ! Nasie ! »
Eugène sees the death of Goriot as the defeat of another person of noble sentiment. -Page 286:
— Madame de Beauséant s'enfuit, celui-ci se meurt, dit-il. Les belles âmes ne peuvent pas rester longtemps en ce monde. Comment les grands sentiments s'allieraient-ils, en effet, à une société mesquine, petite, superficielle?
The meanness and superficiality of Paris life shocks Rastignac
Bianchon refuses to be praised for the care that he is giving. Goriot is merely a patient.
After Bianchon leaves Goriot regains consciousness and talks to Rastignac.
Christophe brings firewood. Goriot tells him he has no money to pay him - Page 287:
Bon ! Mais comment payer le bois? Je n'ai pas un sou, mon enfant. J'ai tout donné, tout. Je suis à la charité. La robe lamée était-elle belle au moins? (Ah! je souffre!) Merci Christophe. Dieu vous récompensera, mon garçon; moi, je n'ai plus rien.
Goriot ask Christophe to go for his daughters - his words are tragi-comic –Page 287:
Dis-leur que je ne me sens pas bien, que je voudrais les embrasser, les voir encore une fois avant de mourir. Dis-leur cela, mais sans trop les effrayer.
Goriot talks of his daughters love for him when they were little. Page 287
Pour un père, l'enfer c'est d'être sans enfants, et j'ai déjà fait mon apprentissage depuis qu'elles sont mariées. Mon paradis était rue de la Jussienne……Je crois les voir en ce moment telles qu'elles e étaient rue de la Jussienne. Elles descendaient le matin. Bonjour, papa, disaient-elles. Je les prenais sur mes genoux, je leur faisais mille agaceries, des niches. Elles me caressaient gentiment.
He regrets dying as he will not see his daughters again. Their presence would make him forget his pain. -Page 288:
Mon Dieu! Si j'avais seulement leurs mains dans les miennes, je ne sentirais point mon mal. Croyez-vous qu'elles viennent?
Goriot dozes off and when Christophe returns, Rastignac lets him give his report in the same room.
Christophe tells Eugène he went first to Anastasie’s home and was told she was busy. When Christophe insisted saying her father was dying, M de Restaud came in a very bad temper and said it was the best thing Goriot could do. The Comte de Restaud said he had business with Anastasie and she would come when it was over. Anastasie managed furtively to catch Christophe as he left to tell him she was involved in something that was a matter of life or death for her children. She promised to come to see her father afterwards.
At Delphine’s house, her maid told him that she was still asleep after coming back from the ball at 5.15a.m.and her maid said she would be in trouble if she woke her.
Rastignac exclaims indignantly that neither will be coming, Unfortunately Goriot was conscious enough to hear this and sits up in despair. -Page 289:
Il faut mourir pour savoir ce que c’est que des enfants. Ah! Mon ami, ne vous mariez pas, n'ayez pas d'enfants! Vous leur donnez la vie, ils vous donnent la mort. Vous les faites entrer dans le monde, ils vous en chassent. Non, elles ne viendront pas! Je sais cela depuis dix ans. Je me le disais quelquefois, mais je n’osais pas y croire.
He bitterly says that if he were still rich, they would be looking after him.
He sees their heartlessness. What he had done wrong was to love them too much: -Page 209:
Ma foi, qui sait? Elles ont toutes les deux des cœurs de roche. J'avais trop d'amour pour elles pour qu'elles en eussent pour moi.
He describes how loving they were to him and how respectful their husbands were in the first years of marriage when he was still rich. -Page 290:
Un homme qui donne huit cent mille francs à ses filles était un homme à soigner. Et l'on était aux petits soins, mais c'était pour mon argent. Le monde n'est pas beau. J'ai vu cela, moi!
He was in their way, but he made up for it because he was rich. When he saw that he made blunders in company that angered his daughters, he began to be afraid to go to their houses. Goriot pleads to God for mercy. -Page 291:
0 mon Dieu! Puisque tu connais les misères, les souffrances que j’ai endurées, puisque tu as compté les coups de poignard que j'ai reçus, dans ce temps qui m'a vieilli, changé, tué, blanchi, pourquoi me fais-tu donc souffrir aujourd'hui? J'ai bien expié le péché de les trop aimer.
He began to give his daughters things just so that they would come to see him.
Now he cries for them to come - Delphine above all.
He blames himself for teaching them to trample on him. -Page 292:
Tout est de ma faute, je les ai habituées à me fouler aux pieds. J'aimais cela, moi. Ca ne regarde personne,
He does not want them to be blamed. It was he who spoiled them. - Page 292:
Je suis un misérable, je suis justement puni. Moi seul ai causé les désordres de mes filles, je les ai gâtées. Elles veulent aujourd’hui le plaisir, comme elles voulaient autrefois du bonbon.
He says tell them that he has millions of francs and they will come.
He realises they may not come and do not love him. -Page 293:
Je suis dupe! Elles ne m'aiment pas, elles ne m ont jamais aimé! Cela est clair. Si elles ne sont pas venues, elles ne viendront pas. Plus elles auront tardé, moins elles se décideront à me faire cette joie.
He calls for them. Then he curses them. - Page 293:
Mourrai-je donc comme un chien? Voila ma récompense, l'abandon. Cc sont des infâmes, des scélérates; je les abomine, je les maudis; je me relèverai, la nuit, de mon cercueil pour les remaudire,
He stops himself and he believes Delphine, the better of the two in his eyes, has arrived already
Eugène tells Goriot that he is going to bring back both his daughters, but reminds him that he had cursed them. Goriot denies this and restates his love. – Page 294
Qui est-ce qui a dit cela ? répondit le vieillard stupéfait. Vous savez bien que je les aime, je les adore! Je suis guéri si je les vois...
Goriot rages instead against their husbands. In a moment of failing consciousness, he blesses their imaginary heads by his bed and then collapses.
Rastignac has been so shaken by the cries and woes of Goriot that Bianchon asks him what is wrong with him. -Page 296:
Mon ami, je viens d'entendre des cris et des plaintes. Il y a un Dieu! Oh! Oui! Il y a un Dieu, et il nous a fait un monde meilleur, où notre terre est un non-sens. Si ce n'avait pas été si tragique, je fondrais en larmes, mais j'ai le cœur et l'estomac horriblement serrés.
Rastignac gives Bianchon his watch to pawn, to raise money for the care of the old man.
The priority of Rastignac, overwhelmed by indignation, is to go and confront the Restauds. When the servants say they cannot be seen, Eugene insists. He tells M. de Restaud that his father-in-law is dying without firewood.
Restaud puts the blame on Goriot for the troubles in his family-Page 297:
Il a compromis son caractère avec madame de Restaud, il a fait le malheur de ma vie, je vois en lui l'ennemi de mon repos.
His wife is not allowed to go out yet. When she has fulfilled her duty to him and his son, she can then go out. That could be in a moment if she wished. He scorns public opinion.
Rastignac tells him to tell his wife her father has cursed her for her absence.
Restaud takes Rastignac to see his wife. Eugène pities her when he sees the state of mental and physical prostration to which the lady has been reduced. -Page 297:
Elle lui fit pitié. Avant de regarder Rastignac, elle jeta sur son mari de craintifs regards qui annonçaient une prostration complète de ses forces écrasées par une tyrannie morale et physique. Le comte hocha la tête, elle se crut encouragé à parler.
She tells him she is helpless She refuses to give in to her husband and can only send apologies to her father. Eugène recognises that she is not a free agent and leaves.
When he goes to the Nucingen home, Eugène finds Delphine in bed claiming she has caught cold. She doesn't believe her father is so ill. In any case he would not want her to risk her health.
She asks where Eugene's s watch is. He explains, and she immediately gives him her purse and says she will come.
On his return to Mme. Vauquer’s, Eugene finds Delphine’s purse contained only 70 francs.
The doctors are operating on Goriot. They realise there is no hope.
They wish to change the bed linen to make his death decent. Mme. Vauquer charges for the sheets and every other item. She would have preferred him to be taken away.(Mme Vauquer’s unfeeling selfishness)-Page 300:
Ca frappe mes pensionnaires. Pour un rien, je le ferais porter à l'hôpital. Enfin, mettez-vous à ma place. Mon établissement avant tout, c'est ma vie, à moi.
Rastignac gives her the money raised on his watch. They change Goriot’s shirt. He cries for the locket with the pictures and curls of his children.
Then the two students at each side bend to lift Goriot as Sylvie pulls the sheets from under. Goriot’s hands reach out to the bent heads at his side. He mistakes them for his girls- Page 302 :
……et l'on entendit fàiblement — « Ah! mes anges! » Deux mots, deux murmures accentués par l'âme qui s'envola sur cette parole.
He loses consciousness for the last time, deceiving himself in death as in life.
Thérèse, Delphine’s maid has arrived. Delphine has quarrelled with her husband over money for Goriot and has collapsed. -Page 303.
Elle s'est évanouie, le médecin est venu, il a fallu la saigner, elle criait : — Mon père se meurt, je veux voir papa!' Enfin, des cris à fendre l'âme.
Anastasie arrives. She realises she is too late.
Her lover, M. de Trailles has left her. Her husband controls her fortune. She is full of regrets. -Page 304:
J'ai perdu toutes mes illusions. Hélas! Pour qui ai-je trahi le seul cœur (elle montra son père) où j'étais adorée! Je l'ai méconnu, je l'ai repoussé, je lui ai fait mille maux, infâme que je suis!
They leave Anastasie with Goriot. A few moments later she cries that he is dead. They send the distressed Anastasie to her sister.
As they discuss what to do, the other guests tell them not to concern themselves with other people. - Page 305:
Un des privilèges de la bonne ville de Paris, c'est qu'on peut y naître, y vivre, y mourir sans que personne fasse attention à vous. Profitons donc des avantages de la civilisation.
The indifference of Paris to the sufferings of others
Eugène and Bianchon are shocked at this indifference. They arrange a priest to watch that night. They check the cost of the funeral and write to inform the families.
No money is forthcoming and the next day it is the two young men who have to register the death, pay the priest and pay Sylvie 10 francs to sew him in a shroud. Bianchon puts Goriot a pauper’s coffin that he was able to buy cheaply at his hospital.
Bianchon says that to show the families up, they should buy a cheap grave, arrange a cheap funeral and then write on the grave stone. - Page 306:
« Ci-gît monsieur Goriot, père de la comtesse de Restaud et de la baronne de Nucingen, enterré aux frais de deux étudiants. »
Eugène calls on the families for the money, but is refused entry and the reason given is that the families are in mourning.
Eugène fails to hold back a tear when he sees the poverty of Goriot 's funeral. They cannot afford a mass only vespers.
Mme Vauquer has taken from the corpse the gold locket with his daughters’ hair. Eugène takes it back and replaces it in the coffin on Goriot’s bosom.
Eugène and Christophe are the only mourners. Bianchon is on duty at the hospital. Like a timid old dog Christophe respected Goriot for not shouting at him. - Page 307:
— Oui, monsieur Eugène, dit Christophe, c'était un brave et honnête homme, qui n'a jamais dit une parole plus haut que l'autre, qui ne nuisait à personne et n'a jamais fait de mal.
The clergy give as much ceremony as can be had for 10 francs (even religion is bought) and are in a hurry to leave. -Page 308:
Les deux prêtres, l'enfant de chœur et le bedeau vinrent et donnèrent tout ce qu'on peut avoir pour soixante-dix francs dans une époque où la religion n'est pas assez riche pour prier gratis.
There is only one funeral coach for the priest, choirboy, and Eugène and Christophe get a lift in it.
Just when the body was put in the hearse, two crested coaches followed the procession to the cemetery -but the coaches are empty. It is only the servants from the coaches who join the mourners at the graveside.
The gravedigger asks for a tip and Rastignac has to borrow 20 pence from Christophe.
A last tear falls and that is the end of Eugene's youth. - Page 308:
….il regarda la tombe et y ensevelit sa dernière larme de jeune homme, cette larme arrachée par les saintes émotions d'un cœur pur,
The last moment of Rastignac’s éducation sentimentale
(NB WHAT FOLLOWS IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS MOMENTS OF FRENCH LITERATURE)
Rastignac goes to the top of the cemetery, and looks over Paris. He directs his gaze at the district of Paris, where are situated the homes of the most eminent members of Parisian high society .
Eugène has seen the selfish, heartless, shallow society of Paris destroy the noble and the weak now, in a fine act of defiance, he turns to Paris and lays down his personal challenge: let it try to defeat him, who will exploit it by playing it at its own game and he utters these resounding words:
Rastignac speaks these resounding words: “It is between the two of us now!
Page 309:
Il lança sur cette ruche bourdonnant un regard qui semblait par avance en pomper le miel, et dit ces mots grandioses : — A nous deux maintenant !
And his first act of defiance was to go to have dinner at the house of Delphine de Nucingen.
THE END
The view over Paris from the Père Lachaise cemetery in the early 19th century