Rastignac，likemostyoungmenwhohavebeenearlyimpressedbythecircumstancesofpowerandgrandeur，meanttoenterthelistsfullyarmed；theburningambitionofconquestpossessedhimalready；perhapshewasconsciousofhispowers，butasyetheknewneithertheendtowhichhisambitionwastobedirected，northemeansofattainingit。Indefaultofthepureandsacredlovethatfillsalife，ambitionmaybecomesomethingverynoble，subduingtoitselfeverythoughtofpersonalinterest，andsettingastheend——thegreatness，notofoneman，butofawholenation。
Butthestudenthadnotyetreachedthetimeoflifewhenamansurveysthewholecourseofexistenceandjudgesitsoberly。
Hithertohehadscarcelysomuchasshakenoffthespellofthefreshandgraciousinfluencesthatenvelopachildhoodinthecountry，likegreenleavesandgrass。HehadhesitatedonthebrinkoftheParisianRubicon，andinspiteoftheprickingsofambition，hestillclungtoalingeringtraditionofanoldideal——thepeacefullifeofthenobleinhischateau。Butyesterdayevening，atthesightofhisrooms，thosescrupleshadvanished。Hehadlearnedwhatitwastoenjoythematerialadvantagesoffortune，ashehadalreadyenjoyedthesocialadvantagesofbirth；heceasedtobeaprovincialfromthatmoment，andslippednaturallyandeasilyintoapositionwhichopenedupaprospectofabrilliantfuture。
So，ashewaitedforDelphine，intheprettyboudoir，wherehefeltthathehadacertainrighttobe，hefelthimselfsofarawayfromtheRastignacwhocamebacktoParisayearago，that，turningsomepowerofinnervisionuponthislatter，heaskedhimselfwhetherthatpastselfboreanyresemblancetotheRastignacofthatmoment。
“Madameisinherroom。”Theresecametotellhim。Thewoman’svoicemadehimstart。