wife。 It would be a novelty for him； but an end to my vengeance。 You
smile； Mademoiselle Fischerah！ perhaps you know something？〃
〃I am smiling at your notions；〃 replied Lisbeth。 〃Yes； my cousin is
still handsome enough to inspire a passion。 I should certainly fall in
love with her if I were a man。〃
〃Cut and come again！〃 exclaimed Crevel。 〃You are laughing at me。The
Baron has already found consolation？〃
Lisbeth bowed affirmatively。
〃He is a lucky man if he can find a second Josepha within twenty…four
hours！〃 said Crevel。 〃But I am not altogether surprised； for he told
me one evening at supper that when he was a young man he always had
three mistresses on hand that he might not be left high and drythe
one he was giving over； the one in possession； and the one he was
courting for a future emergency。 He had some smart little work…woman
in reserve； no doubtin his fish…pondhis /Parc…aux…cerfs/！ He is
very Louis XV。； is my gentleman。 He is in luck to be so handsome！
However； he is ageing； his face shows it。He has taken up with some
little milliner？〃
〃Dear me； no；〃 replied Lisbeth。
〃Oh！〃 cried Crevel； 〃what would I not do to hinder him from hanging up
his hat！ I could not win back Josepha； women of that kind never come
back to their first love。Besides； it is truly said； such a return is
not love。But； Cousin Betty； I would pay down fifty thousand francs
that is to say； I would spend itto rob that great good…looking
fellow of his mistress； and to show him that a Major with a portly
stomach and a brain made to become Mayor of Paris； though he is a
grandfather； is not to have his mistress tickled away by a poacher
without turning the tables。〃
〃My position；〃 said Lisbeth； 〃compels me to hear everything and know
nothing。 You may talk to me without fear； I never repeat a word of
what any one may choose to tell me。 How can you suppose I should ever
break that rule of conduct？ No one would ever trust me again。〃
〃I know；〃 said Crevel； 〃you are the very jewel of old maids。 Still；
come； there are exceptions。 Look here； the family have never settled
an allowance on you？〃
〃But I have my pride；〃 said Lisbeth。 〃I do not choose to be an expense
to anybody。〃
〃If you will but help me to my revenge；〃 the tradesman went on； 〃I
will sink ten thousand francs in an annuity for you。 Tell me； my fair
cousin； tell me who has stepped into Josepha's shoes； and you will
have money to pay your rent； your little breakfast in the morning； the
good coffee you love so wellyou might allow yourself pure Mocha；
heh！ And a very good thing is pure Mocha！〃
〃I do not care so much for the ten thousand francs in an annuity；
which would bring me nearly five hundred francs a year； as for
absolute secrecy；〃 said Lisbeth。 〃For； you see； my dear Monsieur
Crevel； the Baron is very good to me； he is to pay my rent〃
〃Oh yes； long may that last！ I advise you to trust him；〃 cried Crevel。
〃Where will he find the money？〃
〃Ah； that I don't know。 At the same time； he is spending more than
thirty thousand francs on the rooms he is furnishing for this little
lady。〃
〃A lady！ What； a woman in society； the rascal； what luck he has！ He is
the only favorite！〃
〃A married woman； and quite the lady；〃 Lisbeth affirmed。
〃Really and truly？〃 cried Crevel； opening wide eyes flashing with
envy； quite as much as at the magic words /quite the lady/。
〃Yes； really；〃 said Lisbeth。 〃Clever； a musician； three…and…twenty； a
pretty； innocent face； a dazzling white skin； teeth like a puppy's；
eyes like stars； a beautiful foreheadand tiny feet； I never saw the
like； they are not wider than her stay…busk。〃
〃And ears？〃 asked Crevel； keenly alive to this catalogue of charms。
〃Ears for a model；〃 she replied。
〃And small hands？〃
〃I tell you； in few words； a gem of a womanand high…minded； and
modest； and refined！ A beautiful soul； an angeland with every
distinction； for her father was a Marshal of France〃
〃A Marshal of France！〃 shrieked Crevel； positively bounding with
excitement。 〃Good Heavens！ by the Holy Piper！ By all the joys in
Paradise！The rascal！I beg your pardon； Cousin； I am going crazy！
I think I would give a hundred thousand francs〃
〃I dare say you would； and； I tell you； she is a respectable womana
woman of virtue。 The Baron has forked out handsomely。〃
〃He has not a sou； I tell you。〃
〃There is a husband he has pushed〃
〃Where did he push him？〃 asked Crevel； with a bitter laugh。
〃He is promoted to be second in his officethis husband who will
oblige； no doubt；and his name is down for the Cross of the Legion of
Honor。〃
〃The Government ought to be judicious and respect those who have the
Cross by not flinging it broadcast；〃 said Crevel； with the look of an
aggrieved politician。 〃But what is there about the manthat old
bulldog of a Baron？〃 he went on。 〃It seems to me that I am quite a
match for him；〃 and he struck an attitude as he looked at himself in
the glass。 〃Heloise has told me many a time； at moments when a woman
speaks the truth； that I was wonderful。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Lisbeth； 〃women like big men； they are almost always good…
natured； and if I had to decide between you and the Baron； I should
choose you。 Monsieur Hulot is amusing； handsome； and has a figure； but
you； you are substantial； and thenyou seeyou look an even greater
scamp than he does。〃
〃It is incredible how all women； even pious women； take to men who
have that about them！〃 exclaimed Crevel； putting his arm round
Lisbeth's waist； he was so jubilant。
〃The difficulty does not lie there；〃 said Betty。 〃You must see that a
woman who is getting so many advantages will not be unfaithful to her
patron for nothing； and it would cost you more than a hundred odd
thousand francs； for our little friend can look forward to seeing her
husband at the head of his office within two years' time。It is
poverty that is dragging the poor little angel into that pit。〃
Crevel was striding up and down the drawing…room in a state of frenzy。
〃He must be uncommonly fond of the woman？〃 he inquired after a pause；
while his desires； thus goaded by Lisbeth； rose to a sort of madness。
〃You may judge for yourself；〃 replied Lisbeth。 I don't believe he has
had /that/ of her；〃 said she； snapping her thumbnail against one of
her enormous white teeth； 〃and he has given her ten thousand francs'
worth of presents already。〃
〃What a good joke it would be！〃 cried Crevel； 〃if I got to the winning
post first！〃
〃Good heavens！ It is too bad of me to be telling you all this tittle…
tattle；〃 said Lisbeth； with an air of compunction。
〃No。I mean to put your relations to the blush。 To…morrow I shall
invest in your name such a sum in five…per…cents as will give you six
hundred francs a year； but then you must tell me everythinghis
Dulcinea's name and residence。 To you I will make a clean breast of
it。I never have had a real lady for a mistress； and it is the height
of my ambition。 Mahomet's houris are nothing in comparison with what I
fancy a woman of fashion must be。 In short； it is my dream； my mania；
and to such a point； that I declare to you the Baroness Hulot to me
will never be fifty；〃 said he； unconsciously plagiarizing one of the
greatest wits of the last century。 〃I assure you； my good Lisbeth； I
am prepared to sacrifice a hundred； two hundredHush！ Here are the
young people； I see them crossing the courtyard。 I shall never have
learned anything through you； I give you my word of honor； for I do
not want you to lose the Baron's confidence； quite the contrary。 He
must be amazingly fond of this womanthat old boy。〃
〃He is crazy about her；〃 said Lisbeth。 〃He could not find forty
thousand francs to marry his daughter off； but he has got them somehow
for his new passion。〃
〃And do you think that she loves him？〃
〃At his age！〃 said the old maid。
〃Oh； what an owl I am！〃 cried Crevel； 〃when I myself allowed Heloise
to keep her artist exactly as Henri IX。 allowed Gabrielle her
Bellegrade。 Alas！ old age； old age！Good…morning； Celestine。 How do；
my jewel！And the brat？ Ah！ here he comes； on my honor； he is
beginning to be like me！Good…day； Hulotquite well？ We shall soon
be having another wedding in the family。〃
Celestine and her husband； as a hint to their father； glanced at the
old maid； who audaciously asked； in reply to Crevel：
〃Indeedwhose？〃
Crevel put on an air of reserve which was meant to convey that he
would make up for her indiscretions。
〃That of Hortense；〃 he replied； 〃but it is not yet quite settled。 I
have just come from the Lebas'； and they were talking of Mademoiselle
Popinot as a suitable match for their son； the young councillor； for
he would like to get the presidency of a provincial court。Now； come
to dinner。〃
By seven o'clock Lisbeth had returned home in an omnibus； for she was
eager to see Wenceslas； whose dupe she had been for three weeks； and
to whom she was carrying a basket filled with fruit by the hands of
Crevel himself； whose attentions were doubled towards /his/ Cousin
Betty。
She flew up to the attic at a pace that took her breath away； and
found the artist finishing the ornamentation of a box to be presented
to the adored Hortense。 The framework of the