the fragrance of a banquet of the choicest description。
The singer peeped through the partly open door； and seeing Hulot
transfixed as if he had been a bronze image； she came one step forward
into the room。
〃Monsieur；〃 said she； 〃I have handed over the rubbish in the Rue
Chauchat to Bixiou's little Heloise Brisetout。 If you wish to claim
your cotton nightcap； your bootjack； your belt； and your wax dye； I
have stipulated for their return。〃
This insolent banter made the Baron leave the room as precipitately as
Lot departed from Gomorrah； but he did not look back like Mrs。 Lot。
Hulot went home； striding along in a fury； and talking to himself； he
found his family still playing the game of whist at two sous a point；
at which he left them。 On seeing her husband return； poor Adeline
imagined something dreadful； some dishonor； she gave her cards to
Hortense； and led Hector away into the very room where； only five
hours since； Crevel had foretold her the utmost disgrace of poverty。
〃What is the matter？〃 she said； terrified。
〃Oh； forgive mebut let me tell you all these horrors。〃 And for ten
minutes he poured out his wrath。
〃But； my dear；〃 said the unhappy woman； with heroic courage； 〃these
creatures do not know what love meanssuch pure and devoted love as
you deserve。 How could you； so clear…sighted as you are； dream of
competing with millions？〃
〃Dearest Adeline！〃 cried the Baron； clasping her to his heart。
The Baroness' words had shed balm on the bleeding wounds to his
vanity。
〃To be sure； take away the Duc d'Herouville's fortune； and she could
not hesitate between us！〃 said the Baron。
〃My dear；〃 said Adeline with a final effort； 〃if you positively must
have mistresses； why do you not seek them； like Crevel； among women
who are less extravagant； and of a class that can for a time be
content with little？ We should all gain by that arrangement。I
understand your needbut I do not understand that vanity〃
〃Oh； what a kind and perfect wife you are！〃 cried he。 〃I am an old
lunatic； I do not deserve to have such a wife！〃
〃I am simply the Josephine of my Napoleon；〃 she replied； with a touch
of melancholy。
〃Josephine was not to compare with you！〃 said he。 〃Come； I will play a
game of whist with my brother and the children。 I must try my hand at
the business of a family man； I must get Hortense a husband； and bury
the libertine。〃
His frankness so greatly touched poor Adeline； that she said：
〃The creature has no taste to prefer any man in the world to my
Hector。 Oh； I would not give you up for all the gold on earth。 How can
any woman throw you over who is so happy as to be loved by you？〃
The look with which the Baron rewarded his wife's fanaticism confirmed
her in her opinion that gentleness and docility were a woman's
strongest weapons。
But in this she was mistaken。 The noblest sentiments； carried to an
excess； can produce mischief as great as do the worst vices。 Bonaparte
was made Emperor for having fired on the people； at a stone's throw
from the spot where Louis XVI。 lost his throne and his head because he
would not allow a certain Monsieur Sauce to be hurt。
On the following morning； Hortense； who had slept with the seal under
her pillow； so as to have it close to her all night； dressed very
early； and sent to beg her father to join her in the garden as soon as
he should be down。
By about half…past nine； the father； acceding to his daughter's
petition； gave her his arm for a walk； and they went along the quays
by the Pont Royal to the Place du Carrousel。
〃Let us look into the shop windows； papa；〃 said Hortense； as they went
through the little gate to cross the wide square。
〃Whathere？〃 said her father； laughing at her。
〃We are supposed to have come to see the pictures； and over there〃
and she pointed to the stalls in front of the houses at a right angle
to the Rue du Doyenne〃look！ there are dealers in curiosities and
pictures〃
〃Your cousin lives there。〃
〃I know it； but she must not see us。〃
〃And what do you want to do？〃 said the Baron； who； finding himself
within thirty yards of Madame Marneffe's windows； suddenly remembered
her。
Hortense had dragged her father in front of one of the shops forming
the angle of a block of houses built along the front of the Old
Louvre； and facing the Hotel de Nantes。 She went into this shop； her
father stood outside； absorbed in gazing at the windows of the pretty
little lady； who； the evening before； had left her image stamped on
the old beau's heart； as if to alleviate the wound he was so soon to
receive； and he could not help putting his wife's sage advice into
practice。
〃I will fall back on a simple little citizen's wife；〃 said he to
himself； recalling Madame Marneffe's adorable graces。 〃Such a woman as
that will soon make me forget that grasping Josepha。〃
Now； this was what was happening at the same moment outside and inside
the curiosity shop。
As he fixed his eyes on the windows of his new /belle/； the Baron saw
the husband； who； while brushing his coat with his own hands； was
apparently on the lookout； expecting to see some one on the square。
Fearing lest he should be seen； and subsequently recognized； the
amorous Baron turned his back on the Rue du Doyenne； or rather stood
at three…quarters' face； as it were； so as to be able to glance round
from time to time。 This manoeuvre brought him face to face with Madame
Marneffe； who； coming up from the quay； was doubling the promontory of
houses to go home。
Valerie was evidently startled as she met the Baron's astonished eye；
and she responded with a prudish dropping of her eyelids。
〃A pretty woman；〃 exclaimed he； 〃for whom a man would do many foolish
things。〃
〃Indeed； monsieur？〃 said she； turning suddenly； like a woman who has
just come to some vehement decision； 〃you are Monsieur le Baron Hulot；
I believe？〃
The Baron； more and more bewildered； bowed assent。
〃Then； as chance has twice made our eyes meet； and I am so fortunate
as to have interested or puzzled you； I may tell you that； instead of
doing anything foolish； you ought to do justice。My husband's fate
rests with you。〃
〃And how may that be？〃 asked the gallant Baron。
〃He is employed in your department in the War Office； under Monsieur
Lebrun； in Monsieur Coquet's room；〃 said she with a smile。
〃I am quite disposed； MadameMadame？〃
〃Madame Marneffe。〃
〃Dear little Madame Marneffe； to do injustice for your sake。I have a
cousin living in your house； I will go to see her one day soonas
soon as possible； bring your petition to me in her rooms。〃
〃Pardon my boldness； Monsieur le Baron； you must understand that if I
dare to address you thus； it is because I have no friend to protect
me〃
〃Ah； ha！〃
〃Monsieur； you misunderstand me；〃 said she； lowering her eyelids。
Hulot felt as if the sun had disappeared。
〃I am at my wits' end； but I am an honest woman！〃 she went on。 〃About
six months ago my only protector died； Marshal Montcornet〃
〃Ah！ You are his daughter？〃
〃Yes； monsieur； but he never acknowledged me。〃
〃That was that he might leave you part of his fortune。〃
〃He left me nothing； he made no will。〃
〃Indeed！ Poor little woman！ The Marshal died suddenly of apoplexy。
But； come； madame； hope for the best。 The State must do something for
the daughter of one of the Chevalier Bayards of the Empire。〃
Madame Marneffe bowed gracefully and went off； as proud of her success
as the Baron was of his。
〃Where the devil has she been so early？〃 thought he watching the flow
of her skirts； to which she contrived to impart a somewhat exaggerated
grace。 〃She looks too tired to have just come from a bath； and her
husband is waiting for her。 It is strange； and puzzles me altogether。〃
Madame Marneffe having vanished within； the Baron wondered what his
daughter was doing in the shop。 As he went in； still staring at Madame
Marneffe's windows； he ran against a young man with a pale brow and
sparkling gray eyes； wearing a summer coat of black merino； coarse
drill trousers； and tan shoes； with gaiters； rushing away headlong； he
saw him run to the house in the Rue du Doyenne； into which he went。
Hortense； on going into the shop； had at once recognized the famous
group； conspicuously placed on a table in the middle and in front of
the door。 Even without the circumstances to which she owed her
knowledge of this masterpiece； it would probably have struck her by
the peculiar power which we must call the /brio/the /go/of great
works； and the girl herself might in Italy have been taken as a model
for the personification of /Brio/。
Not every work by a man of genius has in the same degree that
brilliancy； that glory which is at once patent even to the most
ignoble beholder。 Thus； certain pictures by Raphael； such as the
famous /Transfiguration/； the /Madonna di Foligno/； and the frescoes
of the /Stanze/ in the Vatican； do not at first captivate our
admiration； as do the /Violin…player/ in the Sciarra Palace； the
portraits of the Doria family； and the /Vision of Ezekiel/ in the
Pitti Gallery； the /Christ bearing His Cross/ in the Borghese
collection； and the /Marriage of the Virgin/ in the Brera at Milan。