mother to daughter after the manner of some families in 1830。 The
shawl had been a good deal worn ten years ago； but the costly object；
now always kept in its sandal…wood box； seemed to the old maid ever
new； like the drawing…room furniture。 So she brought in her handbag a
present for the Baroness' birthday； by which she proposed to prove the
existence of her romantic lover。
This present was a silver seal formed of three little figures back to
back； wreathed with foliage； and supporting the Globe。 They
represented Faith； Hope； and Charity； their feet rested on monsters
rending each other； among them the symbolical serpent。 In 1846； now
that such immense strides have been made in the art of which Benvenuto
Cellini was the master； by Mademoiselle de Fauveau； Wagner； Jeanest；
Froment…Meurice； and wood…carvers like Lienard； this little
masterpiece would amaze nobody； but at that time a girl who understood
the silversmith's art stood astonished as she held the seal which
Lisbeth put into her hands； saying：
〃There！ what do you think of that？〃
In design； attitude； and drapery the figures were of the school of
Raphael； but the execution was in the style of the Florentine metal
workersthe school created by Donatello； Brunelleschi； Ghiberti；
Benvenuto Cellini； John of Bologna； and others。 The French masters of
the Renaissance had never invented more strangely twining monsters
than these that symbolized the evil passions。 The palms； ferns； reeds；
and foliage that wreathed the Virtues showed a style； a taste； a
handling that might have driven a practised craftsman to despair； a
scroll floated above the three figures； and on its surface； between
the heads； were a W； a chamois； and the word /fecit/。
〃Who carved this？〃 asked Hortense。
〃Well； just my lover；〃 replied Lisbeth。 〃There are ten months' work in
it； I could earn more at making sword…knots。He told me that
Steinbock means a rock goat； a chamois； in German。 And he intends to
mark all his work in that way。Ah； ha！ I shall have the shawl。〃
〃What for？〃
〃Do you suppose I could buy such a thing； or order it？ Impossible！
Well； then； it must have been given to me。 And who would make me such
a present？ A lover！〃
Hortense； with an artfulness that would have frightened Lisbeth
Fischer if she had detected it； took care not to express all her
admiration； though she was full of the delight which every soul that
is open to a sense of beauty must feel on seeing a faultless piece of
workperfect and unexpected。
〃On my word；〃 said she； 〃it is very pretty。〃
〃Yes； it is pretty；〃 said her cousin； 〃but I like an orange…colored
shawl better。Well； child； my lover spends his time in doing such
work as that。 Since he came to Paris he has turned out three or four
little trifles in that style； and that is the fruit of four years'
study and toil。 He has served as apprentice to founders； metal…
casters； and goldsmiths。There he has paid away thousands and
hundreds of francs。 And my gentleman tells me that in a few months now
he will be famous and rich〃
〃Then you often see him？〃
〃Bless me； do you think it is all a fable？ I told you truth in jest。〃
〃And he is in love with you？〃 asked Hortense eagerly。
〃He adores me；〃 replied Lisbeth very seriously。 〃You see； child； he
had never seen any women but the washed out； pale things they all are
in the north； and a slender； brown； youthful thing like me warmed his
heart。But； mum； you promised； you know！〃
〃And he will fare like the five others；〃 said the girl ironically； as
she looked at the seal。
〃Six others； miss。 I left one in Lorraine； who； to this day； would
fetch the moon down for me。〃
〃This one does better than that；〃 said Hortense； 〃he has brought down
the sun。〃
〃Where can that be turned into money？〃 asked her cousin。 〃It takes
wide lands to benefit by the sunshine。〃
These witticisms； fired in quick retort； and leading to the sort of
giddy play that may be imagined； had given cause for the laughter
which had added to the Baroness' troubles by making her compare her
daughter's future lot with the present； when she was free to indulge
the light…heartedness of youth。
〃But to give you a gem which cost him six months of work； he must be
under some great obligations to you？〃 said Hortense； in whom the
silver seal had suggested very serious reflections。
〃Oh； you want to know too much at once！〃 said her cousin。 〃But；
listen； I will let you into a little plot。〃
〃Is your lover in it too？〃
〃Oh； ho！ you want so much to see him！ But； as you may suppose； an old
maid like Cousin Betty； who had managed to keep a lover for five
years； keeps him well hidden。Now； just let me alone。 You see； I have
neither cat nor canary； neither dog nor a parrot； and the old Nanny
Goat wanted something to pet and teaseso I treated myself to a
Polish Count。〃
〃Has he a moustache？〃
〃As long as that；〃 said Lisbeth； holding up her shuttle filled with
gold thread。 She always took her lace…work with her； and worked till
dinner was served。
〃If you ask too many questions； you will be told nothing；〃 she went
on。 〃You are but two…and…twenty； and you chatter more than I do though
I am forty…twonot to say forty…three。〃
〃I am listening； I am a wooden image；〃 said Hortense。
〃My lover has finished a bronze group ten inches high；〃 Lisbeth went
on。 〃It represents Samson slaying a lion； and he has kept it buried
till it is so rusty that you might believe it to be as old as Samson
himself。 This fine piece is shown at the shop of one of the old
curiosity sellers on the Place du Carrousel； near my lodgings。 Now；
your father knows Monsieur Popinot； the Minister of Commerce and
Agriculture； and the Comte de Rastignac； and if he would mention the
group to them as a fine antique he had seen by chance！ It seems that
such things take the fancy of your grand folks； who don't care so much
about gold lace； and that my man's fortune would be made if one of
them would buy or even look at the wretched piece of metal。 The poor
fellow is sure that it might be mistaken for old work； and that the
rubbish is worth a great deal of money。 And then； if one of the
ministers should purchase the group； he would go to pay his respects；
and prove that he was the maker； and be almost carried in triumph！ Oh！
he believes he has reached the pinnacle； poor young man； and he is as
proud as two newly…made Counts。〃
〃Michael Angelo over again； but； for a lover； he has kept his head on
his shoulders！〃 said Hortense。 〃And how much does he want for it？〃
〃Fifteen hundred francs。 The dealer will not let it go for less； since
he must take his commission。〃
〃Papa is in the King's household just now；〃 said Hortense。 〃He sees
those two ministers every day at the Chamber； and he will do the thing
I undertake that。 You will be a rich woman； Madame la Comtesse de
Steinbock。〃
〃No； the boy is too lazy； for whole weeks he sits twiddling with bits
of red wax； and nothing comes of it。 Why； he spends all his days at
the Louvre and the Library； looking at prints and sketching things。 He
is an idler！〃
The cousins chatted and giggled； Hortense laughing a forced laugh； for
she was invaded by a kind of love which every girl has gone through
the love of the unknown； love in its vaguest form； when every thought
is accreted round some form which is suggested by a chance word； as
the efflorescence of hoar…frost gathers about a straw that the wind
has blown against the window…sill。
For the past ten months she had made a reality of her cousin's
imaginary romance； believing； like her mother； that Lisbeth would
never marry； and now； within a week； this visionary being had become
Comte Wenceslas Steinbock； the dream had a certificate of birth； the
wraith had solidified into a young man of thirty。 The seal she held in
her handa sort of Annunciation in which genius shone like an
immanent lighthad the powers of a talisman。 Hortense felt such a
surge of happiness； that she almost doubted whether the tale were
true； there was a ferment in her blood； and she laughed wildly to
deceive her cousin。
〃But I think the drawing…room door is open；〃 said Lisbeth； 〃let us go
and see if Monsieur Crevel is gone。〃
〃Mamma has been very much out of spirits these two days。 I suppose the
marriage under discussion has come to nothing！〃
〃Oh； it may come on again。 He isI may tell you so mucha Councillor
of the Supreme Court。 How would you like to be Madame la Presidente？
If Monsieur Crevel has a finger in it； he will tell me about it if I
ask him。 I shall know by to…morrow if there is any hope。〃
〃Leave the seal with me；〃 said Hortense； 〃I will not show itmamma's
birthday is not for a month yet； I will give it to you that morning。〃
〃No； no。 Give it back to me； it must have a case。〃
〃But I will let papa see it； that he may know what he is talking about
to the ministers； for men in authority must be careful what they say；〃
urged the girl。
〃Well； do not show it to your motherthat is all I ask； for if she
believed I had a lover； she would make game of me。〃
〃I promise。〃
The cousins reached the drawing…room just as the Baroness turned
faint。 Her daughter's cry of alarm recalled her to herself。 Lisbeth
w