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〃Good evening； mesdames；〃 said the chief of police； sitting down； 〃for I have something to say to each of you。〃
〃We'll listen presently；〃 said his aunt； 〃you can't interrupt the game。 It won't be long； I play for four。〃
〃White all round！〃 said one of the hags。
〃Domino！〃 cried the Saint…Esteve。 〃I win； you have four points between you two； and the whites are all out。 Well； my dear； what is it？〃 she said； turning to her nephew； after a rather stormy reckoning among the witches was over。
〃You； Madame Fontaine；〃 said the chief of police； addressing one of the venerable beings； whose head was covered with disorderly gray hair and a battered green bonnet；〃you neglect your duty； you have sent me no report； and； on the contrary； I get many complaints of you。 The prefect has a great mind to close your establishment。 I protect you on account of the services you are supposed to render us； but if you don't render them； I warn you； without claiming any gifts of prediction； that your fate…shop will be shut up。〃
〃There now！〃 replied the pythoness； 〃you prevented me from hiring Mademoiselle Lenormand's apartment in the rue de Tournon； and how can you expect me to make reports about the cooks and clerks and workmen and grisettes who are all I get where I am？ If you had let me work among the great folks； I'd make you reports and plenty of them。〃
〃I don't see how you can say that； Madame Fontaine；〃 said Madame de Saint…Esteve。 〃I am sure I send you all my clients。 It was only the other day；〃 continued the matrimonial agent； 〃I sent you that Italian singer； living with a deputy who is against the government； why didn't you report about that？〃
〃There's another thing；〃 said the chief of police； 〃which appears in several of the complaints that I received about you；that nasty animal〃
〃What； Astaroth？〃 said Madame Fontaine。
〃Yes； that batrachian； that toad； to come down to his right name。 It seems he nearly killed a woman who was pregnant〃
〃Well； well；〃 interrupted the sorceress； 〃if I am to tell fortunes alone； you might as well guillotine me at once。 Because a fool of a woman lay…in with a dead child； must toads be suppressed in nature？ Why did God make them？〃
〃My dear woman；〃 said the chief； 〃did you never hear that in 1617 a learned man was put to death for having a toad in a bottle？〃
〃Yes； I know that； but we are not in those light ages；〃 replied Madame Fontaine； facetiously。
〃As for you； Madame Nourrisson； the complaint is that you gather your fruit unripe。 You ought to know by this time the laws and regulations； and I warn you that everything under twenty…one years of age is forbidden。 I wonder I have to remind you of it。 Now； aunt； what I have to say to you is confidential。〃
Thus dismissed； two of the Fates departed。
Since the days when Jacques Collin had abdicated his former kingship and had made himself； as they say； a new skin in the police force； Jacqueline Collin； though she had never put herself within reach of the law； had certainly never donned the robe of innocence。 But having attained； like her nephew； to what might fairly be called opulence； she kept at a safe and respectful distance from the Penal Code； and under cover of an agency that was fairly avowable； she sheltered practices more or less shady； on which she continued to bestow an intelligence and an activity that were really infernal。
〃Aunt；〃 said Vautrin； 〃I have so many things to say to you that I don't know where to begin。〃
〃I should think so！ It is a week since I've seen you。〃
〃In the first place； I must tell you that I have just missed a splendid chance。〃
〃What sort of chance？〃 asked Jacqueline。
〃In the line of my odious calling。 But this time the capture was worth making。 Do you remember that little Prussian engraver about whom I sent you to Berlin？〃
〃The one who forged those Vienna bank bills in that wonderful way？〃
〃Yes。 I just missed arresting him near Saint…Sulpice。 But I followed him into the church； where I heard your Signora Luigia。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Jacqueline； 〃she has made up her mind at last； and has left that imbecile of a sculptor。〃
〃It is about her that I have come to talk to you；〃 said Vautrin。 〃Here are the facts。 The Italian opera season in London has begun badly； their prima donna is taken ill。 Sir Francis Drake； the impresario； arrived in Paris yesterday； at the Hotel des Princes； rue de Richelieu； in search of a prima donna； at any rate /pro tem/。 I have been to see him in the interests of the signora。 Sir Francis Drake is an Englishman； very bald； with a red nose； and long yellow teeth。 He received me with cold politeness； and asked in very good French what my business was。〃
〃Did you propose to him Luigia？〃
〃That was what I went for；in the character； be it understood； of a Swedish nobleman。 He asked if her talent was known。 'Absolutely unknown；' I replied。 'It is risky；' said Sir Francis； 'nevertheless arrange to let me hear her。' I told him that she was staying with her friend Madame de Saint…Esteve； at whose house I could take the liberty to invite him to dinner。〃
〃When？〃 asked Jacqueline。
〃To…day is the 19th； I said the 21st。 Order the dinner from Chevet for fifteen persons； and send for your client Bixiou to make you out the list。 Tell him you want the chief men of the press； a lawyer to settle the terms of the contract； and a pianist to accompany the signora。 Let her know what hangs upon it。 Sir Francis Drake and I will make up the number。 Useless to tell you that I am your friend Comte Halphertius； who； having no house in Paris； gives this dinner at yours。 Mind that everything is done in the best taste。〃
In designating Bixiou to his aunt as the recruiting…officer of the dinner； Vautrin knew that through the universality of his relations with writing； singing； designing； eating； living； and squirming Paris； no one was as capable as he of spreading the news of the dinner broadcast。
At seven o'clock precisely all the guests named by Desroches to Maxime； plus Desroches himself； were assembled in the salon of the rue de Provence； when the Negro footman opened the door and announced Sir Francis Drake and his Excellency the Comte Halphertius。 The dress of the Swedish nobleman was correct to the last degree；black coat； white cravat； and white waistcoat； on which glowed the ribbon of an order hanging from his neck； the rest of his decorations were fastened to his coat by chainlets。 At the first glance which he cast upon the company； Vautrin had the annoyance of beholding that Jacqueline's habits and instincts had been more potent than his express order；for a species of green and yellow turban surmounted her head in a manner which he felt to be ridiculous； but thanks to the admirable manner in which the rest of his programme had been carried out； the luckless coiffure was forgiven。
As for Signora Luigia； dressed in black； which was customary with her； and having had the good sense to reject the services of a /coiffeur/； she was royally beautiful。 An air of melancholy gravity； expressed by her whole person； inspired a sentiment of respect which surprised the men who on Bixiou's invitation were there to judge of her。 The only special presentation that was made among the guests was that of Desroches to Vautrin； which Bixiou made in the following lively formula：
〃Maitre Desroches； the most intelligent solicitor of modern times Comte Halphertius of Sweden。〃
As for Sir Francis Drake； he seemed at first inclined to disdain the influence of the dramatic newspapers； whose representatives were there assembled； but presently recognizing Felicien Vernou and Lousteau； two noted men of that secondary press； he greeted them heartily and shook them by the hand。
Before dinner was announced； Comte Halphertius judged it advisable to make a little speech。
〃Dear madame；〃 he said to his aunt； 〃you are really a fairy godmother。 This is the first time I have ever been in a Parisian salon； and here you have assembled to meet me all that literature； the arts； and the legal profession can offer of their best。 I； who am only a northern barbarian；though our country； too； can boast of its celebrities； Linnaeus； Berzelius； Thorwaldsen； Tegner； Franzen； Geier； and the charming novelist Frederika Bremer；I find myself a cipher in such company。〃
〃But in Bernadotte France and Sweden clasped hands；〃 replied Madame de Saint…Esteve； whose historical erudition went as far as that。
〃It is very certain；〃 said Vautrin； 〃that our beloved sovereign； Charles XIV。〃
The announcement of dinner by a majordomo； who threw open the double doors of the salon； put an end to this remark。 Jacqueline took Vautrin's arm； saying in a whisper as they walked along；
〃Have I done things all right？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Vautrin； 〃it is all in good style； except that devil of a turban of yours； which makes you look like a poll…parrot。〃
〃Why； no；〃 said Jacqueline； 〃not at all； with my Javanese face〃 （she was born on the island of Java）； 〃oriental things set me off。〃
Madame de Saint…Esteve placed Sir Francis Drake upon her right； and Desroches on her left； Vautrin sat opposite； flanked on either side by Emile Blondet； of the 〃Debats；〃 and the Signoria Luigia； the rest of the company placed themselves as they pleased。