that the nearer he got to a sum total, the more jealous and bad-tempered he appeared.
As for himself, he was fascinated and full of admiration when he reached the first of the salons where they were dancing. His emotion was so great that it almost made him nervous. There was a crush at the door of the second salon, and the crowd was so great that he found it impossible to advance. The decorations of the second salon presented the Alhambra of Grenada.
"That's the queen of the ball one must admit," said a young man with a moustache whose shoulder stuck into Julien's chest.
"Mademoiselle Formant who has been the prettiest all the winter, realises that she will have to go down to the second place. See how strange she looks."
"In truth she is straining every nerve to please. Just look at that gracious smile now that she is doing the figure in that quadrille all alone. On my honour it is unique."
"Mademoiselle de la Mole looks as if she controlled the pleasure which she derives from her triumph, of which she is perfectly conscious. One might say that she fears to please anyone who talks to her."
"Very good. That is the art of alluring."
Julien vainly endeavoured to catch sight of the alluring woman. Seven or eight men who were taller than he prevented him from seeing her.
"There is quite a lot of coquetry in that noble reserve," said the young man with a moustache.
"And in those big blue eyes, which are lowered so slowly when one would think they were on the point of betraying themselves," answered his neighbour. "On my faith, nothing could be cleverer."
"See the pretty Formant looking quite common next to her," said the first.
"That air of reserve means how much sweetness would I spend on you if you were the man who was worthy of me."
"And who could be worthy of the sublime Mathilde," said the first man. "Some sovereign prince, handsome, witty, well-made, a hero in war, and twenty years old at the most."
"The natural son of the Emperor of Russia … who would be made a sovereign in honour of his marriage, or quite
