Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau

Excerpt: ...to maintain empire over themselves. Thus Madame Rabourdin, Madame Jules, and Mademoiselle de Fontaine, who had expected much amusement from the ball of their perfumer, were detached from the background of the bourgeoisie about them by their soft and easy grace, by the exquisite taste of their dress and bearing,-just as three leading singers at an opera stand out in relief from the stolid array of their supernumeraries. They were watched with jealous, wondering eyes. Madame Roguin, Constance, and Cesarine formed, as it were, a link which united the three types of feminine aristocracy to the commercial figures about them. There came, as there does at all balls, a moment when the animation of the scene, the torrents of light, the gaiety, the music, the excitement of dancing brought on a species of intoxication which puts out of sight these gradations in the crescendo of the tutti. The ball was beginning to be noisy, and Mademoiselle de Fontaine made a movement to retire; but when she looked about for the arm of her venerable Vendeen, Birotteau, his wife, and daughter made haste to prevent such a desertion of the aristocracy. "There is a perfume of good taste about this appartement which really amazes me," remarked that impertinent young woman to the perfumer. "I congratulate you." Birotteau was so intoxicated by compliments that he did not comprehend her meaning; but his wife colored, and was at a loss how to reply. "This is a national fete which does you honor," said Camusot. "I have seldom seen such a ball," said Monsieur de la Billardiere, to whom an official falsehood was of no consequence. Birotteau took all these compliments seriously. "What an enchanting scene! What a fine orchestra! Will you often give us a ball?" said Madame Lebas. "What a charming appartement! Is this your own taste?" said Madame Desmarets. Birotteau ventured on a fib, and allowed her to suppose that he had designed it. Cesarine, who was asked, of course, for all the dances,...