At half-past eleven that evening, five carriages were stationed in the Rue Saint-Georges before the famous courtesan’s door. There was Lucien’s, who had brought Rastignac, Bixiou, and Blondet; du Tillet’s, the Baron de Nucingen’s, the Nabob’s, and Florine’s--she was invited by du Tillet. The closed and doubly-shuttered windows were screened by the splendid Chinese silk curtains. Supper was to be served at one; wax-lights were blazing, the dining-room and little drawing-room displayed all their magnificence. The party looked forward to such an orgy as only three such women and such men as these could survive. They began by playing cards, as they had to wait about two hours. “Do you play, milord?” asked du Tillet to Peyrade. “I have played with O’Connell, Pitt, Fox, Canning, Lord Brougham, Lord----” “Say at once no end of lords,” said Bixiou. “Lord Fitzwilliam, Lord Ellenborough, Lord Hertford, Lord----” Bixiou was looking at Peyrade’s shoes, and stooped down. “What are you looking for?” asked Blondet. “For the spring one must touch to stop this machine,” said Florine. “Do you play for twenty francs a point?” “I will play for as much as you like to lose.” “He does it well!” said Esther to Lucien. “They all take him for an Englishman.” Du Tillet, Nucingen, Peyrade, and Rastignac sat down to a whist-table; Florine, Madame du Val-Noble, Esther, Blondet, and Bixiou sat round the fire chatting. Lucien spent the time in looking through a book of fine engravings. “Supper is ready,” Paccard presently announced, in magnificent livery. Peyrade was placed at Florine’s left hand, and on the other side of him Bixiou, whom Esther had enjoined to make the Englishman drink freely, and challenge him to beat him. Bixiou had the power of drinking an indefinite quantity. Never in his life had Peyrade seen such splendor, or tasted of such cookery, or seen such fine women. “I am getting my money’s worth this evening for the thousand crowns la Val-Noble has cost me till now,” thought he; “and besides, I have just won a thousand francs.” “This is an example for men to follow!” said Suzanne, who was sitting by Lucien, with a wave of her hand at the splendors of the dining-room. Esther had placed Lucien next herself, and was holding his foot between her own under the table. “Do you hear?” said Madame du Val-Noble, addressing Peyrade, who affected blindness. “This is how you ought to furnish a house! When a man brings millions home from India, and wants to do business with the Nucingens, he should place himself on the same level.” “I belong to a Temperance Society!” “Then you will drink like a fish!” said Bixiou, “for the Indies are uncommon hot, uncle!” It was Bixiou’s jest during supper to treat Peyrade as an uncle of his, returned from India. “Montame du Fal-Noble tolt me you shall have some iteas,” said Nucingen, scrutinizing Peyrade. “Ah, this is what I wanted to hear,” said du Tillet to Rastignac; “the two talking gibberish together.”