“Maybe, but it is useless now, cousin,” said Gazonal, lifting a melancholy eye to his two friends. “I’ve become a republican.”
“What does that mean?” asked Leon.
“I haven’t anything left; not even enough to pay my lawyer,” replied Gazonal. “Madame Jenny Cadine has got notes of hand out of me to the amount of more money than all the property I own – ”
“The fact is Cadine is rather dear; but – ”
“Oh, but I didn’t get anything for my money,” said Gazonal. “What a woman! Well, I’ll own the provinces are not a match for Paris; I shall retire to La Trappe.”
“Good!” said Bixiou, “now you are reasonable. Come, recognize the majesty of the capital.”
“And of capital,” added Leon, holding out to Gazonal his notes of hand.
Gazonal gazed at the papers with a stupefied air.
“You can’t say now that we don’t understand the duties of hospitality; haven’t we educated you, saved you from poverty, feasted you, and amused you?” said Bixiou.
“And fooled you,” added Leon, making the gesture of gamins to express the action of picking pockets.
ADDENDUM
The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy.
Brambourg, Comte de
A Bachelor’s Establishment
Cadine, Jenny
Cousin Betty
Beatrix
The Member for Arcis
Canalis, Constant-Cyr-Melchior, Baron de
Letters of Two Brides
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Modeste Mignon
The Magic Skin
Another Study of Woman
A Start in Life
Beatrix
The Member for Arcis
Collin, Jacqueline
Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life
Cousin Betty
Fontaine, Madame
Cousin Pons
Gaillard, Theodore
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Beatrix
Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life
Gaillard, Madame Theodore
Jealousies of a Country Town
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
A Bachelor’s Establishment
Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life
Beatrix
Giraud, Leon
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
A Bachelor’s Establishment
The Secrets of a Princess
Gobseck, Jean-Esther Van
Gobseck
Father Goriot
Cesar Birotteau