a symbol； is supremely great above every other type； whether Hindoo；
Egyptian； or Greek。 Virginity； the mother of great things； /magna
parens rerum/； holds in her fair white hands the keys of the upper
worlds。 In short； that grand and terrible exception deserves all the
honors decreed to her by the Catholic Church。
Thus； in one moment； Lisbeth Fischer had become the Mohican whose
snares none can escape； whose dissimulation is inscrutable； whose
swift decisiveness is the outcome of the incredible perfection of
every organ of sense。 She was Hatred and Revenge； as implacable as
they are in Italy； Spain； and the East。 These two feelings； the
obverse of friendship and love carried to the utmost； are known only
in lands scorched by the sun。 But Lisbeth was also a daughter of
Lorraine； bent on deceit。
She accepted this detail of her part against her will； she began by
making a curious attempt； due to her ignorance。 She fancied； as
children do； that being imprisoned meant the same thing as solitary
confinement。 But this is the superlative degree of imprisonment； and
that superlative is the privilege of the Criminal Bench。
As soon as she left Madame Marneffe； Lisbeth hurried off to Monsieur
Rivet； and found him in his office。
〃Well； my dear Monsieur Rivet；〃 she began； when she had bolted the
door of the room。 〃You were quite right。 Those Poles！ They are low
villainsall alike； men who know neither law nor fidelity。〃
〃And who want to set Europe on fire；〃 said the peaceable Rivet； 〃to
ruin every trade and every trader for the sake of a country that is
all bog…land； they say； and full of horrible Jews； to say nothing of
the Cossacks and the peasantsa sort of wild beasts classed by
mistake with human beings。 Your Poles do not understand the times we
live in； we are no longer barbarians。 War is coming to an end； my dear
mademoiselle； it went out with the Monarchy。 This is the age of
triumph for commerce； and industry； and middle…class prudence； such as
were the making of Holland。
〃Yes；〃 he went on with animation； 〃we live in a period when nations
must obtain all they need by the legal extension of their liberties
and by the pacific action of Constitutional Institutions； that is what
the Poles do not see； and I hope
〃You were saying； my dear？〃 he added； interrupting himself when he
saw from his work…woman's face that high politics were beyond her
comprehension。
〃Here is the schedule；〃 said Lisbeth。 〃If I don't want to lose my
three thousand two hundred and ten francs； I must clap this rogue into
prison。〃
〃Didn't I tell you so？〃 cried the oracle of the Saint…Denis quarter。
The Rivets； successor to Pons Brothers； had kept their shop still in
the Rue des Mauvaises…Paroles； in the ancient Hotel Langeais； built by
that illustrious family at the time when the nobility still gathered
round the Louvre。
〃Yes； and I blessed you on my way here；〃 replied Lisbeth。
〃If he suspects nothing； he can be safe in prison by eight o'clock in
the morning；〃 said Rivet； consulting the almanac to ascertain the hour
of sunrise； 〃but not till the day after to…morrow； for he cannot be
imprisoned till he has had notice that he is to be arrested by writ；
with the option of payment or imprisonment。 And so〃
〃What an idiotic law！〃 exclaimed Lisbeth。 〃Of course the debtor
escapes。〃
〃He has every right to do so；〃 said the Assessor； smiling。 〃So this is
the way〃
〃As to that；〃 said Lisbeth； interrupting him； 〃I will take the paper
and hand it to him； saying that I have been obliged to raise the
money； and that the lender insists on this formality。 I know my
gentleman。 He will not even look at the paper； he will light his pipe
with it。〃
〃Not a bad idea； not bad； Mademoiselle Fischer！ Well； make your mind
easy； the job shall be done。But stop a minute； to put your man in
prison is not the only point to be considered； you only want to
indulge in that legal luxury in order to get your money。 Who is to pay
you？〃
〃Those who give him money。〃
〃To be sure； I forgot that the Minister of War had commissioned him to
erect a monument to one of our late customers。 Ah！ the house has
supplied many an uniform to General Montcornet； he soon blackened them
with the smoke of cannon。 A brave man； he was！ and he paid on the
nail。〃
A marshal of France may have saved the Emperor or his country； 〃He
paid on the nail〃 will always be the highest praise he can have from a
tradesman。
〃Very well。 And on Saturday； Monsieur Rivet； you shall have the flat
tassels。By the way； I am moving from the Rue du Doyenne； I am going
to live in the Rue Vanneau。〃
〃You are very right。 I could not bear to see you in that hole which；
in spite of my aversion to the Opposition； I must say is a disgrace； I
repeat it； yes！ is a disgrace to the Louvre and the Place du
Carrousel。 I am devoted to Louis…Philippe； he is my idol； he is the
august and exact representative of the class on whom he founded his
dynasty； and I can never forget what he did for the trimming…makers by
restoring the National Guard〃
〃When I hear you speak so； Monsieur Rivet； I cannot help wondering why
you are not made a deputy。〃
〃They are afraid of my attachment to the dynasty；〃 replied Rivet。 〃My
political enemies are the King's。 He has a noble character！ They are a
fine family； in short；〃 said he； returning to the charge； 〃he is our
ideal： morality； economy； everything。 But the completion of the Louvre
is one of the conditions on which we gave him the crown； and the civil
list； which； I admit； had no limits set to it； leaves the heart of
Paris in a most melancholy state。It is because I am so strongly in
favor of the middle course that I should like to see the middle of
Paris in a better condition。 Your part of the town is positively
terrifying。 You would have been murdered there one fine day。And so
your Monsieur Crevel has been made Major of his division！ He will come
to us； I hope； for his big epaulette。〃
〃I am dining with him to…night； and will send him to you。〃
Lisbeth believed that she had secured her Livonian to herself by
cutting him off from all communication with the outer world。 If he
could no longer work； the artist would be forgotten as completely as a
man buried in a cellar； where she alone would go to see him。 Thus she
had two happy days； for she hoped to deal a mortal blow at the
Baroness and her daughter。
To go to Crevel's house； in the Rue des Saussayes； she crossed the
Pont du Carrousel； went along the Quai Voltaire； the Quai d'Orsay； the
Rue Bellechasse； Rue de l'Universite； the Pont de la Concorde； and the
Avenue de Marigny。 This illogical route was traced by the logic of
passion； always the foe of the legs。
Cousin Betty； as long as she followed the line of the quays； kept
watch on the opposite shore of the Seine； walking very slowly。 She had
guessed rightly。 She had left Wenceslas dressing； she at once
understood that； as soon as he should be rid of her； the lover would
go off to the Baroness' by the shortest road。 And； in fact； as she
wandered along by the parapet of the Quai Voltaire； in fancy
suppressing the river and walking along the opposite bank； she
recognized the artist as he came out of the Tuileries to cross the
Pont Royal。 She there came up with the faithless one； and could follow
him unseen； for lovers rarely look behind them。 She escorted him as
far as Madame Hulot's house； where he went in like an accustomed
visitor。
This crowning proof； confirming Madame Marneffe's revelations； put
Lisbeth quite beside herself。
She arrived at the newly promoted Major's door in the state of mental
irritation which prompts men to commit murder； and found Monsieur
Crevel /senior/ in his drawing…room awaiting his children； Monsieur
and Madame Hulot /junior/。
But Celestin Crevel was so unconscious and so perfect a type of the
Parisian parvenu； that we can scarcely venture so unceremoniously into
the presence of Cesar Birotteau's successor。 Celestin Crevel was a
world in himself； and he； even more than Rivet； deserves the honors of
the palette by reason of his importance in this domestic drama。
Have you ever observed how in childhood； or at the early stages of
social life； we create a model for our own imitation； with our own
hands as it were； and often without knowing it？ The banker's clerk；
for instance； as he enters his master's drawing…room； dreams of
possessing such another。 If he makes a fortune； it will not be the
luxury of the day； twenty years later； that you will find in his
house； but the old…fashioned splendor that fascinated him of yore。 It
is impossible to tell how many absurdities are due to this
retrospective jealousy； and in the same way we know nothing of the
follies due to the covert rivalry that urges men to copy the type they
have set themselves； and exhaust their powers in shining with a
reflected light； like the moon。
Crevel was deputy mayor because his predecessor had been； he was Major
because he coveted Cesar Birotteau's epaulettes。 In the same way；
struck by the marvels wrought by Grindot the architect； at the time
when Fortune had carried his master to the top of the wheel； Crevel
had 〃never looked at both sides of a cr