Page:Repertory of the Comedie Humaine.djvu/448

 took him to Paris and became the guardian of his future career. In 1824, while passing an evening at the theatre Porte-Saint-Martin, Rubempre became acquainted with Esther Van Gobseck, called La Torpille, a courtesan. They were both seized at once with a violent love. A little later, at the last Opera ball of the winter of 1824, they would have compromised their security and pleasure if it had not been for the interference of Jacques Collin, called Vautrin, and if Lucien had not denied certain people the pleasure of satisfying their ill-willed curiosity, by agreeing to take supper at Lointier's. Lucien de Rubempre sought to become the son-in-law of the Grandlieus; he was welcomed by the Rabourdins; he became the protector of Savinien de Portenduere; he became the lover of Mmes. Maufrigneuse and Serizy, and the beloved of Lydie Peyrade. His life of ambition and of pleasure ended in the Conciergerie, where he was imprisoned unjustly, charged with robbing and murdering Esther, or with being an accomplice. He hanged himself while in prison, May 15, 1830. (Lost Illusions, A Distinguished Provincial at Paris, The Government Clerks, Ursule Mirouet, Scenes from a Courtesan's Life) Lucien de Rubempre lived in turn in Paris at the Hotel du Gaillard-Bois, rue de l'Echelle, in a room in the Quartier Latin, in the Hotel de Cluny on the street of the same name, in a lodging-house on rue Charlot, in another on rue de la Lune in company with Coralie, in a little apartment on rue Cassette with Jacques Collin, who followed him at least to one of his two houses on the Quai Malaquais and on rue Taitbout, the former home of Beaudenord and of Caroline de Bellefeuille. He is buried in Pere-Lachaise in a costly tomb which contains also the body of Esther Gobseck, and in which there is a place reserved for Jacques Collin. A series of articles, sharp and pointed, on Rubempre is entitled "Les Passants de Paris."

RUFFARD, called Arrachelaine, a robber and at the same time employed by Bibi-Lupin, chief of secret police in 1830; connected, with Godet, in the assassination of the Crottats,