“You cry up de goots,” said Nucingen.

“Naturally,” said Asie.  “I lend to the beauties; and it pays, for you get two commissions for one job.”

Asie was amusing herself by caricaturing the manners of a class of women who are even greedier but more wheedling and mealy-mouthed than the Malay woman, and who put a gloss of the best motives on the trade they ply.  Asie affected to have lost all her illusions, five lovers, and some children, and to have submitted to be robbed by everybody in spite of her experience.  From time to time she exhibited some pawn-tickets, to prove how much bad luck there was in her line of business.  She represented herself as pinched and in debt, and to crown all, she was so undisguisedly hideous that the Baron at last believed her to be all she said she was.

“Vell den, I shall pay the hundert tousant, and vere shall I see her?” said he, with the air of a man who has made up his mind to any sacrifice.

“My fat friend, you shall come this evening—­in your carriage, of course—­opposite the Gymnase.  It is on the way,” said Asie.  “Stop at the corner of the Rue Saint-Barbe.  I will be on the lookout, and we will go and find my mortgaged beauty, with the black hair.—­Oh, she has splendid hair, has my mortgage.  If she pulls out her comb, Esther is covered as if it were a pall.  But though you are knowing in arithmetic, you strike me as a muff in other matters; and I advise you to hide the girl safely, for if she is found she will be clapped into Sainte-Pelagie the very next day.—­And they are looking for her.”

“Shall it not be possible to get holt of de bills?” said the incorrigible bill-broker.

“The bailiffs have got them—­but it is impossible.  The girl has had a passion, and has spent some money left in her hands, which she is now called upon to pay.  By the poker!—­a queer thing is a heart of two and-twenty.”

“Ver’ goot, ver’ goot, I shall arrange all dat,” said Nucingen, assuming a cunning look.  “It is qvite settled dat I shall protect her.”

“Well, old noodle, it is your business to make her fall in love with you, and you certainly have ample means to buy sham love as good as the real article.  I will place your princess in your keeping; she is bound to stick to you, and after that I don’t care.—­But she is accustomed to luxury and the greatest consideration.  I tell you, my boy, she is quite the lady.—­If not, should I have given her twenty thousand francs?”

“Ver’ goot, it is a pargain.  Till dis efening.”

The Baron repeated the bridal toilet he had already once achieved; but this time, being certain of success, he took a double dose of pillules.

At nine o’clock he found the dreadful woman at the appointed spot, and took her into his carriage.

“Vere to?” said the Baron.

“Where?” echoed Asie.  “Rue de la Perle in the Marais—­an address for the nonce; for your pearl is in the mud, but you will wash her clean.”