secret from him。
Hortense's adorer conceived of groups and statues by the hundred； he
felt strong enough to hew the marble himself； like Canova； who was
also a feeble man； and nearly died of it。 He was transfigured by
Hortense； who was to him inspiration made visible。
〃Now then；〃 said the Baroness to her daughter； 〃what does all this
mean？〃
〃Well； dear mamma； you have just seen Cousin Lisbeth's lover； who now；
I hope； is mine。 But shut your eyes； know nothing。 Good Heavens！ I was
to keep it all from you； and I cannot help telling you everything〃
〃Good…bye； children！〃 said the Baron； kissing his wife and daughter；
〃I shall perhaps go to call on the Nanny； and from her I shall hear a
great deal about our young man。〃
〃Papa； be cautious！〃 said Hortense。
〃Oh！ little girl！〃 cried the Baroness when Hortense had poured out her
poem； of which the morning's adventure was the last canto； 〃dear
little girl； Artlessness will always be the artfulest puss on earth！〃
Genuine passions have an unerring instinct。 Set a greedy man before a
dish of fruit and he will make no mistake； but take the choicest even
without seeing it。 In the same way； if you allow a girl who is well
brought up to choose a husband for herself； if she is in a position to
meet the man of her heart； rarely will she blunder。 The act of nature
in such cases is known as love at first sight； and in love； first
sight is practically second sight。
The Baroness' satisfaction； though disguised under maternal dignity；
was as great as her daughter's； for； of the three ways of marrying
Hortense of which Crevel had spoken； the best； as she opined； was
about to be realized。 And she regarded this little drama as an answer
by Providence to her fervent prayers。
Mademoiselle Fischer's galley slave； obliged at last to go home；
thought he might hide his joy as a lover under his glee as an artist
rejoicing over his first success。
〃Victory！ my group is sold to the Duc d'Herouville； who is going to
give me some commissions；〃 cried he； throwing the twelve hundred
francs in gold on the table before the old maid。
He had； as may be supposed concealed Hortense's purse； it lay next to
his heart。
〃And a very good thing too；〃 said Lisbeth。 〃I was working myself to
death。 You see； child； money comes in slowly in the business you have
taken up； for this is the first you have earned； and you have been
grinding at it for near on five years now。 That money barely repays me
for what you have cost me since I took your promissory note； that is
all I have got by my savings。 But be sure of one thing；〃 she said；
after counting the gold； 〃this money will all be spent on you。 There
is enough there to keep us going for a year。 In a year you may now be
able to pay your debt and have a snug little sum of your own； if you
go on in the same way。〃
Wenceslas； finding his trick successful； expatiated on the Duc
d'Herouville。
〃I will fit you out in a black suit； and get you some new linen；〃 said
Lisbeth； 〃for you must appear presentably before your patrons； and
then you must have a larger and better apartment than your horrible
garret； and furnish it property。You look so bright； you are not like
the same creature；〃 she added； gazing at Wenceslas。
〃But my work is pronounced a masterpiece。〃
〃Well； so much the better！ Do some more；〃 said the arid creature； who
was nothing but practical； and incapable of understanding the joy of
triumph or of beauty in Art。 〃Trouble your head no further about what
you have sold； make something else to sell。 You have spent two hundred
francs in money； to say nothing of your time and your labor； on that
devil of a /Samson/。 Your clock will cost you more than two thousand
francs to execute。 I tell you what； if you will listen to me； you will
finish the two little boys crowning the little girl with cornflowers；
that would just suit the Parisians。I will go round to Monsieur Graff
the tailor before going to Monsieur Crevel。Go up now and leave me to
dress。〃
Next day the Baron； perfectly crazy about Madame Marneffe； went to see
Cousin Betty； who was considerably amazed on opening the door to see
who her visitor was； for he had never called on her before。 She at
once said to herself； 〃Can it be that Hortense wants my lover？〃for
she had heard the evening before； at Monsieur Crevel's； that the
marriage with the Councillor of the Supreme Court was broken off。
〃What； Cousin！ you here？ This is the first time you have ever been to
see me； and it is certainly not for love of my fine eyes that you have
come now。〃
〃Fine eyes is the truth；〃 said the Baron； 〃you have as fine eyes as I
have ever seen〃
〃Come； what are you here for？ I really am ashamed to receive you in
such a kennel。〃
The outer room of the two inhabited by Lisbeth served her as sitting…
room； dining…room； kitchen； and workroom。 The furniture was such as
beseemed a well…to…do artisanwalnut…wood chairs with straw seats； a
small walnut…wood dining table； a work table； some colored prints in
black wooden frames； short muslin curtains to the windows； the floor
well polished and shining with cleanliness； not a speck of dust
anywhere； but all cold and dingy； like a picture by Terburg in every
particular； even to the gray tone given by a wall paper once blue and
now faded to gray。 As to the bedroom； no human being had ever
penetrated its secrets。
The Baron took it all in at a glance； saw the sign…manual of
commonness on every detail； from the cast…iron stove to the household
utensils； and his gorge rose as he said to himself； 〃And /this/ is
virtue！What am I here for？〃 said he aloud。 〃You are far too cunning
not to guess； and I had better tell you plainly；〃 cried he； sitting
down and looking out across the courtyard through an opening he made
in the puckered curtain。 〃There is a very pretty woman in the
house〃
〃Madame Marneffe！ Now I understand！〃 she exclaimed； seeing it all。
〃But Josepha？〃
〃Alas； Cousin； Josepha is no more。 I was turned out of doors like a
discarded footman。〃
〃And you would like 。 。 。？〃 said Lisbeth； looking at the Baron with
the dignity of a prude on her guard a quarter of an hour too soon。
〃As Madame Marneffe is very much the lady； and the wife of an employe；
you can meet her without compromising yourself；〃 the Baron went on；
〃and I should like to see you neighborly。 Oh！ you need not be alarmed；
she will have the greatest consideration for the cousin of her
husband's chief。〃
At this moment the rustle of a gown was heard on the stairs and the
footstep of a woman wearing the thinnest boots。 The sound ceased on
the landing。 There was a tap at the door； and Madame Marneffe came in。
〃Pray excuse me； mademoiselle； for thus intruding upon you； but I
failed to find you yesterday when I came to call； we are near
neighbors； and if I had known that you were related to Monsieur le
Baron； I should long since have craved your kind interest with him。 I
saw him come in； so I took the liberty of coming across； for my
husband； Monsieur le Baron； spoke to me of a report on the office
clerks which is to be laid before the minister to…morrow。〃
She seemed quite agitated and nervousbut she had only run upstairs。
〃You have no need to play the petitioner； fair lady；〃 replied the
Baron。 〃It is I who should ask the favor of seeing you。〃
〃Very well； if mademoiselle allows it； pray come！〃 said Madame
Marneffe。
〃Yesgo； Cousin； I will join you；〃 said Lisbeth judiciously。
The Parisienne had so confidently counted on the chief's visit and
intelligence； that not only had she dressed herself for so important
an interviewshe had dressed her room。 Early in the day it had been
furnished with flowers purchased on credit。 Marneffe had helped his
wife to polish the furniture； down to the smallest objects； washing；
brushing； and dusting everything。 Valerie wished to be found in an
atmosphere of sweetness； to attract the chief and to please him enough
to have a right to be cruel； to tantalize him as a child would； with
all the tricks of fashionable tactics。 She had gauged Hulot。 Give a
Paris woman at bay four…and…twenty hours； and she will overthrow a
ministry。
The man of the Empire； accustomed to the ways to the Empire； was no
doubt quite ignorant of the ways of modern love…making； of the
scruples in vogue and the various styles of conversation invented
since 1830； which led to the poor weak woman being regarded as the
victim of her lover's desiresa Sister of Charity salving a wound； an
angel sacrificing herself。
This modern art of love uses a vast amount of evangelical phrases in
the service of the Devil。 Passion is martyrdom。 Both parties aspire to
the Ideal； to the Infinite； love is to make them so much better。 All
these fine words are but a pretext for putting increased ardor into
the practical side of it； more frenzy into a fall than of old。 This
hypocrisy； a characteristic of the times； is a gangrene in gallantry。
The lovers are both angels； and they behave； if they can； like two
devils。
Love had no time for such subtle analysis between two campaigns； and
in 1809 its successes were as rapid as those of the Empire。 So； under
the Restoration； the handsome Baron； a lad