leaving her to herself as soon as Hortense should be married。 The
Baroness would then spend all her time with Hortense or the young
Hulot couple； he was sure of her submission。
〃And then； my angel； my true life； my real home will be in the Rue
Vanneau。〃
〃Bless me； how you dispose of me！〃 said Madame Marneffe。 〃And my
husband〃
〃That rag！〃
〃To be sure； as compared with you so he is！〃 said she with a laugh。
Madame Marneffe； having heard Steinbock's history； was frantically
eager to see the young Count； perhaps she wished to have some trifle
of his work while they still lived under the same roof。 This curiosity
so seriously annoyed the Baron that Valerie swore to him that she
would never even look at Wenceslas。 But though she obtained； as the
reward of her surrender of this wish； a little tea…service of old
Sevres /pate tendre/； she kept her wish at the bottom of her heart； as
if written on tablets。
So one day when she had begged 〃/my/ Cousin Betty〃 to come to take
coffee with her in her room； she opened on the subject of her lover；
to know how she might see him without risk。
〃My dear child；〃 said she； for they called each my dear； 〃why have you
never introduced your lover to me？ Do you know that within a short
time he has become famous？〃
〃He famous？〃
〃He is the one subject of conversation。〃
〃Pooh！〃 cried Lisbeth。
〃He is going to execute the statue of my father； and I could be of
great use to him and help him to succeed in the work； for Madame
Montcornet cannot lend him； as I can； a miniature by Sain； a beautiful
thing done in 1809； before the Wagram Campaign； and given to my poor
motherMontcornet when he was young and handsome。〃
Sain and Augustin between them held the sceptre of miniature painting
under the Empire。
〃He is going to make a statue； my dear； did you say？〃
〃Nine feet highby the orders of the Minister of War。 Why； where have
you dropped from that I should tell you the news？ Why； the Government
is going to give Count Steinbock rooms and a studio at Le Gros…
Caillou； the depot for marble； your Pole will be made the Director； I
should not wonder； with two thousand francs a year and a ring on his
finger。〃
〃How do you know all this when I have heard nothing about it？〃 said
Lisbeth at last； shaking off her amazement。
〃Now； my dear little Cousin Betty；〃 said Madame Marneffe； in an
insinuating voice； 〃are you capable of devoted friendship； put to any
test？ Shall we henceforth be sisters？ Will you swear to me never to
have a secret from me any more than I from youto act as my spy； as I
will be yours？Above all； will you pledge yourself never to betray me
either to my husband or to Monsieur Hulot； and never reveal that it
was I who told you？〃
Madame Marneffe broke off in this spurring harangue； Lisbeth
frightened her。 The peasant…woman's face was terrible； her piercing
black eyes had the glare of the tiger's； her face was like that we
ascribe to a pythoness； she set her teeth to keep them from
chattering； and her whole frame quivered convulsively。 She had pushed
her clenched fingers under her cap to clutch her hair and support her
head； which felt too heavy； she was on fire。 The smoke of the flame
that scorched her seemed to emanate from her wrinkles as from the
crevasses rent by a volcanic eruption。 It was a startling spectacle。
〃Well； why do you stop？〃 she asked in a hollow voice。 〃I will be all
to you that I have been to him。Oh； I would have given him my life…
blood！〃
〃You loved him then？〃
〃Like a child of my own！〃
〃Well； then；〃 said Madame Marneffe； with a breath of relief； 〃if you
only love him in that way； you will be very happyfor you wish him to
be happy？〃
Lisbeth replied by a nod as hasty as a madwoman's。
〃He is to marry your Cousin Hortense in a month's time。〃
〃Hortense！〃 shrieked the old maid； striking her forehead； and starting
to her feet。
〃Well； but then you were really in love with this young man？〃 asked
Valerie。
〃My dear； we are bound for life and death； you and I；〃 said
Mademoiselle Fischer。 〃Yes； if you have any love affairs； to me they
are sacred。 Your vices will be virtues in my eyes。For I shall need
your vices！〃
〃Then did you live with him？〃 asked Valerie。
〃No； I meant to be a mother to him。〃
〃I give it up。 I cannot understand；〃 said Valerie。 〃In that case you
are neither betrayed nor cheated； and you ought to be very happy to
see him so well married； he is now fairly afloat。 And； at any rate；
your day is over。 Our artist goes to Madame Hulot's every evening as
soon as you go out to dinner。〃
〃Adeline！〃 muttered Lisbeth。 〃Oh； Adeline； you shall pay for this！ I
will make you uglier than I am。〃
〃You are as pale as death！〃 exclaimed Valerie。 〃There is something
wrong？Oh； what a fool I am！ The mother and daughter must have
suspected that you would raise some obstacles in the way of this
affair since they have kept it from you；〃 said Madame Marneffe。 〃But
if you did not live with the young man； my dear； all this is a greater
puzzle to me than my husband's feelings〃
〃Ah； you don't know；〃 said Lisbeth； 〃you have no idea of all their
tricks。 It is the last blow that kills。 And how many such blows have I
had to bruise my soul！ You don't know that from the time when I could
first feel； I have been victimized for Adeline。 I was beaten； and she
was petted； I was dressed like a scullion； and she had clothes like a
lady's； I dug in the garden and cleaned the vegetables； and sheshe
never lifted a finger for anything but to make up some finery！She
married the Baron； she came to shine at the Emperor's Court； while I
stayed in our village till 1809； waiting for four years for a suitable
match； they brought me away； to be sure； but only to make me a work…
woman； and to offer me clerks or captains like coalheavers for a
husband！ I have had their leavings for twenty…six years！And now like
the story in the Old Testament； the poor relation has one ewe…lamb
which is all her joy； and the rich man who has flocks covets the ewe…
lamb and steals itwithout warning； without asking。 Adeline has
meanly robbed me of my happiness！Adeline！ Adeline！ I will see you in
the mire； and sunk lower than myself！And HortenseI loved her； and
she has cheated me。 The Baron。No； it is impossible。 Tell me again
what is really true of all this。〃
〃Be calm； my dear child。〃
〃Valerie； my darling； I will be calm；〃 said the strange creature；
sitting down again。 〃One thing only can restore me to reason； give me
proofs。〃
〃Your Cousin Hortense has the /Samson/ grouphere is a lithograph
from it published in a review。 She paid for it out of her pocket…
money； and it is the Baron who； to benefit his future son…in…law； is
pushing him； getting everything for him。〃
〃Water！water！〃 said Lisbeth； after glancing at the print； below
which she read； 〃A group belonging to Mademoiselle Hulot d'Ervy。〃
〃Water！ my head is burning； I am going mad！〃
Madame Marneffe fetched some water。 Lisbeth took off her cap；
unfastened her black hair； and plunged her head into the basin her new
friend held for her。 She dipped her forehead into it several times；
and checked the incipient inflammation。 After this douche she
completely recovered her self…command。
〃Not a word；〃 said she to Madame Marneffe as she wiped her face〃not
a word of all this。You see； I am quite calm； everything is
forgotten。 I am thinking of something very different。〃
〃She will be in Charenton to…morrow； that is very certain；〃 thought
Madame Marneffe； looking at the old maid。
〃What is to be done？〃 Lisbeth went on。 〃You see； my angel； there is
nothing for it but to hold my tongue； bow my head； and drift to the
grave； as all water runs to the river。 What could I try to do？ I
should like to grind them allAdeline； her daughter； and the Baron
all to dust！ But what can a poor relation do against a rich family？ It
would be the story of the earthen pot and the iron pot。〃
〃Yes； you are right；〃 said Valerie。 〃You can only pull as much hay as
you can to your side of the manger。 That is all the upshot of life in
Paris。〃
〃Besides；〃 said Lisbeth； 〃I shall soon die； I can tell you； if I lose
that boy to whom I fancied I could always be a mother； and with whom I
counted on living all my days〃
There were tears in her eyes； and she paused。 Such emotion in this
woman made of sulphur and flame； made Valerie shudder。
〃Well； at any rate； I have found you；〃 said Lisbeth； taking Valerie's
hand； 〃that is some consolation in this dreadful trouble。We shall be
true friends； and why should we ever part？ I shall never cross your
track。 No one will ever be in love with me！Those who would have
married me； would only have done it to secure my Cousin Hulot's
interest。 With energy enough to scale Paradise； to have to devote it
to procuring bread and water； a few rags； and a garret！That is
martyrdom； my dear； and I have withered under it。〃
She broke off suddenly； and shot a black flash into Madame Marneffe's
blue eyes； a glance that pierced the pretty woman's soul； as the point
of a dagger might have pierced her heart。
〃And what is the use of talking？〃 she exclaimed in reproof to herself。
〃I never said so much before； believe me！ The t