jealousy of a wife； and the spirit of a dragon； hence she managed to
put every kind of folly or dissipation out of his power by leaving him
destitute of money。 She longed to keep her victim and companion for
herself alone； well conducted perforce； and she had no conception of
the cruelty of this senseless wish； since she； for her own part； was
accustomed to every privation。 She loved Steinbock well enough not to
marry him； and too much to give him up to any other woman； she could
not resign herself to be no more than a mother to him； though she saw
that she was mad to think of playing the other part。
These contradictions； this ferocious jealousy； and the joy of having a
man to herself； all agitated her old maid's heart beyond measure。
Really in love as she had been for four years； she cherished the
foolish hope of prolonging this impossible and aimless way of life in
which her persistence would only be the ruin of the man she thought of
as her child。 This contest between her instincts and her reason made
her unjust and tyrannical。 She wreaked on the young man her vengeance
for her own lot in being neither young； rich； nor handsome； then；
after each fit of rage； recognizing herself wrong； she stooped to
unlimited humility； infinite tenderness。 She never could sacrifice to
her idol till she had asserted her power by blows of the axe。 In fact；
it was the converse of Shakespeare's /Tempest/Caliban ruling Ariel
and Prospero。
As to the poor youth himself； high…minded； meditative； and inclined to
be lazy； the desert that his protectress made in his soul might be
seen in his eyes； as in those of a caged lion。 The penal servitude
forced on him by Lisbeth did not fulfil the cravings of his heart。 His
weariness became a physical malady； and he was dying without daring to
ask； or knowing where to procure； the price of some little necessary
dissipation。 On some days of special energy； when a feeling of utter
ill…luck added to his exasperation； he would look at Lisbeth as a
thirsty traveler on a sandy shore must look at the bitter sea…water。
These harsh fruits of indigence； and this isolation in the midst of
Paris； Lisbeth relished with delight。 And besides； she foresaw that
the first passion would rob her of her slave。 Sometimes she even
blamed herself because her own tyranny and reproaches had compelled
the poetic youth to become so great an artist of delicate work； and
she had thus given him the means of casting her off。
On the day after； these three lives； so differently but so utterly
wretchedthat of a mother in despair； that of the Marneffe household；
and that of the unhappy exilewere all to be influenced by Hortense's
guileless passion； and by the strange outcome of the Baron's luckless
passion for Josepha。
Just as Hulot was going into the opera…house； he was stopped by the
darkened appearance of the building and of the Rue le Peletier； where
there were no gendarmes； no lights； no theatre…servants； no barrier to
regulate the crowd。 He looked up at the announcement…board； and beheld
a strip of white paper； on which was printed the solemn notice：
〃CLOSED ON ACCOUNT OF ILLNESS。〃
He rushed off to Josepha's lodgings in the Rue Chauchat； for； like all
the singers； she lived close at hand。
〃Whom do you want； sir？〃 asked the porter； to the Baron's great
astonishment。
〃Have you forgotten me？〃 said Hulot； much puzzled。
〃On the contrary； sir； it is because I have the honor to remember you
that I ask you； Where are you going？〃
A mortal chill fell upon the Baron。
〃What has happened？〃 he asked。
〃If you go up to Mademoiselle Mirah's rooms； Monsieur le Baron； you
will find Mademoiselle Heloise Brisetout thereand Monsieur Bixiou；
Monsieur Leon de Lora； Monsieur Lousteau； Monsieur de Vernisset；
Monsieur Stidmann； and ladies smelling of patchouliholding a
housewarming。〃
〃Then； wherewhere is？〃
〃Mademoiselle Mirah？I don't know that I ought to tell you。〃
The Baron slipped two five…franc pieces into the porter's hand。
〃Well； she is now in the Rue de la Ville l'Eveque； in a fine house；
given to her； they say； by the Duc d'Herouville；〃 replied the man in a
whisper。
Having ascertained the number of the house； Monsieur Hulot called a
/milord/ and drove to one of those pretty modern houses with double
doors； where everything； from the gaslight at the entrance； proclaims
luxury。
The Baron； in his blue cloth coat； white neckcloth； nankeen trousers；
patent leather boots； and stiffly starched shirt…frill； was supposed
to be a guest； though a late arrival； by the janitor of this new Eden。
His alacrity of manner and quick step justified this opinion。
The porter rang a bell； and a footman appeared in the hall。 This man；
as new as the house； admitted the visitor； who said to him in an
imperious tone； and with a lordly gesture：
〃Take in this card to Mademoiselle Josepha。〃
The victim mechanically looked round the room in which he found
himselfan anteroom full of choice flowers and of furniture that must
have cost twenty thousand francs。 The servant； on his return； begged
monsieur to wait in the drawing…room till the company came to their
coffee。
Though the Baron had been familiar with Imperial luxury； which was
undoubtedly prodigious； while its productions； though not durable in
kind； had nevertheless cost enormous sums； he stood dazzled；
dumfounded； in this drawing…room with three windows looking out on a
garden like fairyland； one of those gardens that are created in a
month with a made soil and transplanted shrubs； while the grass seems
as if it must be made to grow by some chemical process。 He admired not
only the decoration； the gilding； the carving； in the most expensive
Pompadour style； as it is called； and the magnificent brocades； all of
which any enriched tradesman could have procured for money； but he
also noted such treasures as only princes can select and find； can pay
for and give away； two pictures by Greuze； two by Watteau； two heads
by Vandyck； two landscapes by Ruysdael； and two by le Guaspre； a
Rembrandt； a Holbein； a Murillo； and a Titian； two paintings； by
Teniers； and a pair by Metzu； a Van Huysum； and an Abraham Mignonin
short； two hundred thousand francs' worth of pictures superbly framed。
The gilding was worth almost as much as the paintings。
〃Ah； ha！ Now you understand； my good man？〃 said Josepha。
She had stolen in on tiptoe through a noiseless door； over Persian
carpets； and came upon her adorer； standing lost in amazementin the
stupid amazement when a man's ears tingle so loudly that he hears
nothing but that fatal knell。
The words 〃my good man；〃 spoken to an official of such high
importance； so perfectly exemplified the audacity with which these
creatures pour contempt on the loftiest； that the Baron was nailed to
the spot。 Josepha； in white and yellow； was so beautifully dressed for
the banquet； that amid all this lavish magnificence she still shone
like a rare jewel。
〃Isn't this really fine？〃 said she。 〃The Duke has spent all the money
on it that he got out of floating a company； of which the shares all
sold at a premium。 He is no fool； is my little Duke。 There is nothing
like a man who has been a grandee in his time for turning coals into
gold。 Just before dinner the notary brought me the title…deeds to sign
and the bills receipted！They are all a first…class set in there
d'Esgrignon； Rastignac； Maxime； Lenoncourt； Verneuil； Laginski；
Rochefide； la Palferine； and from among the bankers Nucingen and du
Tillet； with Antonia； Malaga； Carabine； and la Schontz； and they all
feel for you deeply。Yes； old boy； and they hope you will join them；
but on condition that you forthwith drink up to two bottles full of
Hungarian wine； Champagne； or Cape； just to bring you up to their
mark。My dear fellow； we are all so much /on/ here； that it was
necessary to close the Opera。 The manager is as drunk as a cornet…a…
piston； he is hiccuping already。〃
〃Oh； Josepha！〃 cried the Baron。
〃Now； can anything be more absurd than explanations？〃 she broke in
with a smile。 〃Look here； can you stand six hundred thousand francs
which this house and furniture cost？ Can you give me a bond to the
tune of thirty thousand francs a year； which is what the Duke has just
given me in a packet of common sugared almonds from the grocer's？a
pretty notion that〃
〃What an atrocity！〃 cried Hulot； who in his fury would have given his
wife's diamonds to stand in the Duc d'Herouville's shoes for twenty…
four hours。
〃Atrocity is my trade；〃 said she。 〃So that is how you take it？ Well；
why don't you float a company？ Goodness me！ my poor dyed Tom； you
ought to be grateful to me； I have thrown you over just when you would
have spent on me your widow's fortune； your daughter's portion。What；
tears！ The Empire is a thing of the pastI hail the coming Empire！〃
She struck a tragic attitude； and exclaimed：
〃They call you Hulot！ Nay； I know you not〃
And she went into the other room。
Through the door； left ajar； there came； like a lightning…flash； a
streak of light with an accompaniment of the crescendo of the orgy and
the fragrance of a banquet of the choicest description。
The singer peeped thro