found the artist finishing the ornamentation of a box to be presented
to the adored Hortense。 The framework of the lid represented
hydrangeasin French called /Hortensias/among which little Loves
were playing。 The poor lover； to enable him to pay for the materials
of the box； of which the panels were of malachite； had designed two
candlesticks for Florent and Chanor； and sold them the copyrighttwo
admirable pieces of work。
〃You have been working too hard these last few days； my dear fellow；〃
said Lisbeth； wiping the perspiration from his brow； and giving him a
kiss。 〃Such laborious diligence is really dangerous in the month of
August。 Seriously； you may injure your health。 Look； here are some
peaches and plums from Monsieur Crevel。Now； do not worry yourself so
much； I have borrowed two thousand francs； and； short of some
disaster； we can repay them when you sell your clock。 At the same
time； the lender seems to me suspicious； for he has just sent in this
document。〃
She laid the writ under the model sketch of the statue of General
Montcornet。
〃For whom are you making this pretty thing？〃 said she； taking up the
model sprays of hydrangea in red wax which Wenceslas had laid down
while eating the fruit。
〃For a jeweler。〃
〃For what jeweler？〃
〃I do not know。 Stidmann asked me to make something out of them； as he
is very busy。〃
〃But these；〃 she said in a deep voice； 〃are /Hortensias/。 How is it
that you have never made anything in wax for me？ Is it so difficult to
design a pin； a little boxwhat not； as a keepsake？〃 and she shot a
fearful glance at the artist； whose eyes were happily lowered。 〃And
yet you say you love me？〃
〃Can you doubt it； mademoiselle？〃
〃That is indeed an ardent /mademoiselle/！Why； you have been my only
thought since I found you dyingjust there。 When I saved you； you
vowed you were mine； I mean to hold you to that pledge； but I made a
vow to myself！ I said to myself； 'Since the boy says he is mine； I
mean to make him rich and happy！' Well； and I can make your fortune。〃
〃How？〃 said the hapless artist； at the height of joy； and too artless
to dream of a snare。
〃Why； thus；〃 said she。
Lisbeth could not deprive herself of the savage pleasure of gazing at
Wenceslas； who looked up at her with filial affection； the expression
really of his love for Hortense； which deluded the old maid。 Seeing in
a man's eyes； for the first time in her life； the blazing torch of
passion； she fancied it was for her that it was lighted。
〃Monsieur Crevel will back us to the extent of a hundred thousand
francs to start in business； if； as he says； you will marry me。 He has
queer ideas； has the worthy man。Well； what do you say to it？〃 she
added。
The artist； as pale as the dead； looked at his benefactress with a
lustreless eye； which plainly spoke his thoughts。 He stood stupefied
and open…mouthed。
〃I never before was so distinctly told that I am hideous；〃 said she；
with a bitter laugh。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 said Steinbock； 〃my benefactress can never be ugly in
my eyes； I have the greatest affection for you。 But I am not yet
thirty； and〃
〃I am forty…three；〃 said Lisbeth。 〃My cousin Adeline is forty…eight；
and men are still madly in love with her； but then she is handsome
she is！〃
〃Fifteen years between us； mademoiselle！ How could we get on together！
For both our sakes I think we should be wise to think it over。 My
gratitude shall be fully equal to your great kindness。And your money
shall be repaid in a few days。〃
〃My money！〃 cried she。 〃You treat me as if I were nothing but an
unfeeling usurer。〃
〃Forgive me；〃 said Wenceslas； 〃but you remind me of it so often。
Well； it is you who have made me； do not crush me。〃
〃You mean to be rid of me； I can see；〃 said she； shaking her head。
〃Who has endowed you with this strength of ingratitudeyou who are a
man of papier…mache？ Have you ceased to trust meyour good genius？
me； when I have spent so many nights working for youwhen I have
given you every franc I have saved in my lifetimewhen for four years
I have shared my bread with you； the bread of a hard…worked woman； and
given you all I had； to my very courage。〃
〃Mademoiselleno more； no more！〃 he cried； kneeling before her with
uplifted hands。 〃Say not another word！ In three days I will tell you；
you shall know all。Let me； let me be happy；〃 and he kissed her
hands。 〃I loveand I am loved。〃
〃Well； well； my child； be happy；〃 she said； lifting him up。 And she
kissed his forehead and hair with the eagerness that a man condemned
to death must feel as he lives through the last morning。
〃Ah！ you are of all creatures the noblest and best！ You are a match
for the woman I love；〃 said the poor artist。
〃I love you well enough to tremble for your future fate；〃 said she
gloomily。 〃Judas hanged himselfthe ungrateful always come to a bad
end！ You are deserting me； and you will never again do any good work。
Consider whether； without being marriedfor I know I am an old maid；
and I do not want to smother the blossom of your youth； your poetry；
as you call it； in my arms； that are like vine…stocksbut whether；
without being married； we could not get on together？ Listen； I have
the commercial spirit； I could save you a fortune in the course of ten
years' work； for Economy is my name！while； with a young wife； who
would be sheer Expenditure； you would squander everything； you would
work only to indulge her。 But happiness creates nothing but memories。
Even I； when I am thinking of you； sit for hours with my hands in my
lap
〃Come； Wenceslas； stay with me。Look here； I understand all about it；
you shall have your mistresses； pretty ones too； like that little
Marneffe woman who wants to see you； and who will give you happiness
you could never find with me。 Then； when I have saved you thirty
thousand francs a year in the funds〃
〃Mademoiselle； you are an angel； and I shall never forget this hour；〃
said Wenceslas； wiping away his tears。
〃That is how I like to see you； my child；〃 said she； gazing at him
with rapture。
Vanity is so strong a power in us all that Lisbeth believed in her
triumph。 She had conceded so much when offering him Madame Marneffe。
It was the crowning emotion of her life； for the first time she felt
the full tide of joy rising in her heart。 To go through such an
experience again she would have sold her soul to the Devil。
〃I am engaged to be married；〃 Steinbock replied； 〃and I love a woman
with whom no other can compete or compare。But you are； and always
will be； to me the mother I have lost。〃
The words fell like an avalanche of snow on a burning crater。 Lisbeth
sat down。 She gazed with despondent eyes on the youth before her； on
his aristocratic beautythe artist's brow； the splendid hair；
everything that appealed to her suppressed feminine instincts； and
tiny tears moistened her eyes for an instant and immediately dried up。
She looked like one of those meagre statues which the sculptors of the
Middle Ages carved on monuments。
〃I cannot curse you；〃 said she； suddenly rising。 〃Youyou are but a
boy。 God preserve you！〃
She went downstairs and shut herself into her own room。
〃She is in love with me； poor creature！〃 said Wenceslas to himself。
〃And how fervently eloquent！ She is crazy。〃
This last effort on the part of an arid and narrow nature to keep hold
on an embodiment of beauty and poetry was； in truth； so violent that
it can only be compared to the frenzied vehemence of a shipwrecked
creature making the last struggle to reach shore。
On the next day but one； at half…past four in the morning； when Count
Steinbock was sunk in the deepest sleep； he heard a knock at the door
of his attic； he rose to open it； and saw two men in shabby clothing；
and a third； whose dress proclaimed him a bailiff down on his luck。
〃You are Monsieur Wenceslas； Count Steinbock？〃 said this man。
〃Yes； monsieur。〃
〃My name is Grasset； sir； successor to Louchard； sheriff's
officer〃
〃What then？〃
〃You are under arrest； sir。 You must come with us to prisonto
Clichy。Please to get dressed。We have done the civil； as you see； I
have brought no police； and there is a hackney cab below。〃
〃You are safely nabbed； you see；〃 said one of the bailiffs； 〃and we
look to you to be liberal。〃
Steinbock dressed and went downstairs； a man holding each arm； when he
was in the cab； the driver started without orders； as knowing where he
was to go； and within half an hour the unhappy foreigner found himself
safely under bolt and bar without even a remonstrance； so utterly
amazed was he。
At ten o'clock he was sent for to the prison…office； where he found
Lisbeth； who； in tears； gave him some money to feed himself adequately
and to pay for a room large enough to work in。
〃My dear boy；〃 said she； 〃never say a word of your arrest to anybody；
do not write to a living soul； it would ruin you for life； we must
hide this blot on your character。 I will soon have you out。 I will
collect the moneybe quite easy。 Write down what you want for your
work。 You shall soon be free； or I will die for it。〃
〃Oh； I shall owe you my life a second time！〃 cried he； 〃for I should
lose more than my life if I were thought a bad fellow。〃