During the preceding night Madame du Tillet had gone over in her mind her sister's revelations.Sure,now,of Nathan's safety,she was no longer influenced by the thought of an imminent danger in that direction.But she remembered the vehement energy with which the countess had declared that she would fly with Nathan if that would save him.She saw that the man might determine her sister in some paroxysm of gratitude and love to take a step which was nothing short of madness.There were recent examples in the highest society of just such flights which paid for doubtful pleasures by lasting remorse and the disrepute of a false position.Du Tillet's speech brought her fears to a point;she dreaded lest all should be discovered;she knew her sister's signature was in Nucingen's hands,and she resolved to entreat Marie to save herself by confessing all to Felix.
She drove to her sister's house,but Marie was not at home.Felix was there.A voice within her cried aloud to Eugenie to save her sister;the morrow might be too late.She took a vast responsibility upon herself,but she resolved to tell all to the count.Surely he would be indulgent when he knew that his honor was still safe.The countess was deluded rather than sinful.Eugenie feared to be treacherous and base in revealing secrets that society (agreeing on this point)holds to be inviolable;but--she saw her sister's future,she trembled lest she should some day be deserted,ruined by Nathan,poor,suffering,disgraced,wretched,and she hesitated no longer;she sent in her name and asked to see the count.
Felix,astonished at the visit,had a long conversation with his sister-in-law,in which he seemed so calm,so completely master of himself,that she feared he might have taken some terrible resolution.
"Do not be uneasy,"he said,seeing her anxiety."I will act in a manner which shall make your sister bless you.However much you may dislike to keep the fact that you have spoken to me from her knowledge,I must entreat you to do so.I need a few days to search into mysteries which you don't perceive;and,above all,I must act cautiously.Perhaps I can learn all in a day.I,alone,my dear sister,am the guilty person.All lovers play their game,and it is not every woman who is able,unassisted,to see life as it is."Madame du Tillet returned home comforted.Felix de Vandenesse drew forty thousand francs from the Bank of France,and went direct to Madame de Nucingen He found her at home,thanked her for the confidence she had placed in his wife,and returned the money,explaining that the countess had obtained this mysterious loan for her charities,which were so profuse that he was trying to put a limit to them.
"Give me no explanations,monsieur,since Madame de Vandenesse has told you all,"said the Baronne de Nucingen.
"She knows the truth,"thought Vandenesse.
Madame de Nucingen returned to him Marie's letter of guarantee,and sent to the bank for the four notes.Vandenesse,during the short time that these arrangements kept him waiting,watched the baroness with the eye of a statesman,and he thought the moment propitious for further negotiation.
"We live in an age,madame,when nothing is sure,"he said."Even thrones rise and fall in France with fearful rapidity.Fifteen years have wreaked their will on a great empire,a monarchy,and a revolution.No one can now dare to count upon the future.You know my attachment to the cause of legitimacy.Suppose some catastrophe;would you not be glad to have a friend in the conquering party?""Undoubtedly,"she said,smiling.
"Very good;then,will you have in me,secretly,an obliged friend who could be of use to Monsieur de Nucingen in such a case,by supporting his claim to the peerage he is seeking?""What do you want of me?"she asked.
"Very little,"he replied."All that you know about Nathan's affairs."The baroness repeated to him her conversation with Rastignac,and said,as she gave him the four notes,which the cashier had meantime brought to her:
"Don't forget your promise."
So little did Vandenesse forget this illusive promise that he used it again on Baron Eugene de Rastignac to obtain from him certain other information.Leaving Rastignac's apartments,he dictated to a street amanuensis the following note to Florine.
"If Mademoiselle Florine wishes to know of a part she may play she is requested to come to the masked opera at the Opera next Sunday night,accompanied by Monsieur Nathan."To this ball he determined to take his wife and let her own eyes enlighten her as to the relations between Nathan and Florine.He knew the jealous pride of the countess;he wanted to make her renounce her love of her own will,without causing her to blush before him,and then to return to her her own letters,sold by Florine,from whom he expected to be able to buy them.This judicious plan,rapidly conceived and partly executed,might fail through some trick of chance which meddles with all things here below.
After dinner that evening,Felix brought the conversation round to the masked balls of the Opera,remarking that Marie had never been to one,and proposing that she should accompany him the following evening.
"I'll find you some one to 'intriguer,'"he said.
"Ah!I wish you would,"she replied.
"To do the thing well,a woman ought to fasten upon some good prey,a celebrity,a man of enough wit to give and take.There's Nathan;will you have him?I know,through a friend of Florine,certain secrets of his which would drive him crazy.""Florine?"said the countess."Do you mean the actress?"Marie had already heard that name from the lips of the watchman Quillet;it now shot like a flash of lightning through her soul.