Hulot d'Ervy were to die to…morrow； his widow would have nothing to
live on。'There； fair lady。〃
〃And would you have said as much； monsieur；〃 asked Madame Hulot；
looking Crevel steadily in the face； 〃if I had been false to my duty？〃
〃I should not be in a position to say it； dearest Adeline；〃 cried this
singular adorer； interrupting the Baroness； 〃for you would have found
the amount in my pocket…book。〃
And adding action to word； the fat guardsman knelt down on one knee
and kissed Madame Hulot's hand； seeing that his speech had filled her
with speechless horror； which he took for hesitancy。
〃What； buy my daughter's fortune at the cost of？ Rise； monsieur
or I ring the bell。〃
Crevel rose with great difficulty。 This fact made him so furious that
he again struck his favorite attitude。 Most men have some habitual
position by which they fancy that they show to the best advantage the
good points bestowed on them by nature。 This attitude in Crevel
consisted in crossing his arms like Napoleon； his head showing three…
quarters face； and his eyes fixed on the horizon； as the painter has
shown the Emperor in his portrait。
〃To be faithful；〃 he began； with well…acted indignation； 〃so faithful
to a liber〃
〃To a husband who is worthy of such fidelity；〃 Madame Hulot put in； to
hinder Crevel from saying a word she did not choose to hear。
〃Come； madame； you wrote to bid me here； you ask the reasons for my
conduct； you drive me to extremities with your imperial airs； your
scorn； and your contempt！ Any one might think I was a Negro。 But I
repeat it； and you may believe me； I have a right toto make love to
you； for But no； I love you well enough to hold my tongue。〃
〃You may speak； monsieur。 In a few days I shall be eight…and…forty； I
am no prude； I can hear whatever you can say。〃
〃Then will you give me your word of honor as an honest womanfor you
are； alas for me！ an honest womannever to mention my name or to say
that it was I who betrayed the secret？〃
〃If that is the condition on which you speak； I will swear never to
tell any one from whom I heard the horrors you propose to tell me； not
even my husband。〃
〃I should think not indeed； for only you and he are concerned。〃
Madame Hulot turned pale。
〃Oh； if you still really love Hulot； it will distress you。 Shall I say
no more？〃
〃Speak； monsieur； for by your account you wish to justify in my eyes
the extraordinary declarations you have chosen to make me； and your
persistency in tormenting a woman of my age； whose only wish is to see
her daughter married； and thento die in peace〃
〃You see； you are unhappy。〃
〃I； monsieur？〃
〃Yes； beautiful； noble creature！〃 cried Crevel。 〃You have indeed been
too wretched！〃
〃Monsieur； be silent and goor speak to me as you ought。〃
〃Do you know； madame； how Master Hulot and I first made acquaintance？
At our mistresses'； madame。〃
〃Oh； monsieur！〃
〃Yes； madame； at our mistresses'；〃 Crevel repeated in a melodramatic
tone； and leaving his position to wave his right hand。
〃Well； and what then？〃 said the Baroness coolly； to Crevel's great
amazement。
Such mean seducers cannot understand a great soul。
〃I； a widower five years since；〃 Crevel began； in the tone of a man
who has a story to tell； 〃and not wishing to marry again for the sake
of the daughter I adore； not choosing either to cultivate any such
connection in my own establishment； though I had at the time a very
pretty lady…accountant。 I set up； 'on her own account；' as they say； a
little sempstress of fifteenreally a miracle of beauty； with whom I
fell desperately in love。 And in fact； madame； I asked an aunt of my
own； my mother's sister； whom I sent for from the country； to live
with the sweet creature and keep an eye on her； that she might behave
as well as might be in this ratherwhat shall I sayshady？no；
delicate position。
〃The child； whose talent for music was striking； had masters； she was
educatedI had to give her something to do。 Besides； I wished to be
at once her father； her benefactor； andwell； out with ither lover；
to kill two birds with one stone； a good action and a sweetheart。 For
five years I was very happy。 The girl had one of those voices that
make the fortune of a theatre； I can only describe her by saying that
she is a Duprez in petticoats。 It cost me two thousand francs a year
only to cultivate her talent as a singer。 She made me music…mad； I
took a box at the opera for her and for my daughter； and went there
alternate evenings with Celestine or Josepha。〃
〃What； the famous singer？〃
〃Yes； madame；〃 said Crevel with pride； 〃the famous Josepha owes
everything to me。At last； in 1834； when the child was twenty；
believing that I had attached her to me for ever； and being very weak
where she was concerned； I thought I would give her a little
amusement； and I introduced her to a pretty little actress； Jenny
Cadine； whose life had been somewhat like her own。 This actress also
owed everything to a protector who had brought her up in leading…
strings。 That protector was Baron Hulot。〃
〃I know that；〃 said the Baroness； in a calm voice without the least
agitation。
〃Bless me！〃 cried Crevel； more and more astounded。 〃Well！ But do you
know that your monster of a husband took Jenny Cadine in hand at the
age of thirteen？〃
〃What then？〃 said the Baroness。
〃As Jenny Cadine and Josepha were both aged twenty when they first
met；〃 the ex…tradesman went on； 〃the Baron had been playing the part
of Louis XV。 to Mademoiselle de Romans ever since 1826； and you were
twelve years younger then〃
〃I had my reasons； monsieur； for leaving Monsieur Hulot his liberty。〃
〃That falsehood； madame； will surely be enough to wipe out every sin
you have ever committed； and to open to you the gates of Paradise；〃
replied Crevel； with a knowing air that brought the color to the
Baroness' cheeks。 〃Sublime and adored woman； tell that to those who
will believe it； but not to old Crevel； who has； I may tell you；
feasted too often as one of four with your rascally husband not to
know what your high merits are！ Many a time has he blamed himself when
half tipsy as he has expatiated on your perfections。 Oh； I know you
well！A libertine might hesitate between you and a girl of twenty。 I
do not hesitate〃
〃Monsieur！〃
〃Well； I say no more。 But you must know； saintly and noble woman； that
a husband under certain circumstances will tell things about his wife
to his mistress that will mightily amuse her。〃
Tears of shame hanging to Madame Hulot's long lashes checked the
National Guardsman。 He stopped short； and forgot his attitude。
〃To proceed；〃 said he。 〃We became intimate； the Baron and I； through
the two hussies。 The Baron； like all bad lots； is very pleasant； a
thoroughly jolly good fellow。 Yes； he took my fancy； the old rascal。
He could be so funny！Well； enough of those reminiscences。 We got to
be like brothers。 The scoundrelquite Regency in his notionstried
indeed to deprave me altogether； preached Saint…Simonism as to women；
and all sorts of lordly ideas； but； you see； I was fond enough of my
girl to have married her； only I was afraid of having children。
〃Then between two old daddies； such friends asas we were； what more
natural than that we should think of our children marrying each other？
Three months after his son had married my Celestine； HulotI don't
know how I can utter the wretch's name！ he has cheated us both； madame
well； the villain did me out of my little Josepha。 The scoundrel
knew that he was supplanted in the heart of Jenny Cadine by a young
lawyer and by an artistonly two of them！for the girl had more and
more of a howling success； and he stole my sweet little girl； a
perfect darlingbut you must have seen her at the opera； he got her
an engagement there。 Your husband is not so well behaved as I am。 I am
ruled as straight as a sheet of music…paper。 He had dropped a good
deal of money on Jenny Cadine； who must have cost him near on thirty
thousand francs a year。 Well； I can only tell you that he is ruining
himself outright for Josepha。
〃Josepha； madame； is a Jewess。 Her name is Mirah； the anagram of
Hiram； an Israelite mark that stamps her； for she was a foundling
picked up in Germany； and the inquiries I have made prove that she is
the illegitimate child of a rich Jew banker。 The life of the theatre；
and； above all； the teaching of Jenny Cadine； Madame Schontz； Malaga；
and Carabine； as to the way to treat an old man； have developed； in
the child whom I had kept in a respectable and not too expensive way
of life； all the native Hebrew instinct for gold and jewelsfor the
golden calf。
〃So this famous singer； hungering for plunder； now wants to be rich；
very rich。 She tried her 'prentice hand on Baron Hulot； and soon
plucked him bareplucked him； ay； and singed him to the skin。 The
miserable man； after trying to vie with one of the Kellers and with
the Marquis d'Esgrignon； both perfectly mad about Josepha； to say
nothing of unknown worshipers； is about to see her carried off by that
very rich Duke； who is such a patron of the arts。 Oh； what is his
name？a dwarf。Ah； the Duc d'Herouville。 This fine gentleman insists
on having Josepha for his