and came back a quarter of an hour later。
The secret of this secrecy was as follows。 The lodge…keepers of the
house were a Monsieur and Madame Olivier； who； under the Baron's
patronage； had been promoted from their humble and not very lucrative
post in the Rue du Doyenne to the highly…paid and handsome one in the
Rue Vanneau。 Now； Madame Olivier； formerly a needlewoman in the
household of Charles X。； who had fallen in the world with the
legitimate branch； had three children。 The eldest； an under…clerk in a
notary's office； was object of his parents' adoration。 This Benjamin；
for six years in danger of being drawn for the army； was on the point
of being interrupted in his legal career； when Madame Marneffe
contrived to have him declared exempt for one of those little
malformations which the Examining Board can always discern when
requested in a whisper by some power in the ministry。 So Olivier；
formerly a huntsman to the King； and his wife would have crucified the
Lord again for the Baron or for Madame Marneffe。
What could the world have to say？ It knew nothing of the former
episode of the Brazilian； Monsieur Montes de Montejanosit could say
nothing。 Besides； the world is very indulgent to the mistress of a
house where amusement is to be found。
And then to all her charms Valerie added the highly…prized advantage
of being an occult power。 Claude Vignon； now secretary to Marshal the
Prince de Wissembourg； and dreaming of promotion to the Council of
State as a Master of Appeals； was constantly seen in her rooms； to
which came also some Deputiesgood fellows and gamblers。 Madame
Marneffe had got her circle together with prudent deliberation； only
men whose opinions and habits agreed foregathered there； men whose
interest it was to hold together and to proclaim the many merits of
the lady of the house。 Scandal is the true Holy Alliance in Paris。
Take that as an axiom。 Interests invariably fall asunder in the end；
vicious natures can always agree。
Within three months of settling in the Rue Vanneau； Madame Marneffe
had entertained Monsieur Crevel； who by that time was Mayor of his
/arrondissement/ and Officer of the Legion of Honor。 Crevel had
hesitated； he would have to give up the famous uniform of the National
Guard in which he strutted at the Tuileries； believing himself quite
as much a soldier as the Emperor himself； but ambition； urged by
Madame Marneffe； had proved stronger than vanity。 Then Monsieur le
Maire had considered his connection with Mademoiselle Heloise
Brisetout as quite incompatible with his political position。
Indeed； long before his accession to the civic chair of the Mayoralty；
his gallant intimacies had been wrapped in the deepest mystery。 But；
as the reader may have guessed； Crevel had soon purchased the right of
taking his revenge； as often as circumstances allowed； for having been
bereft of Josepha； at the cost of a bond bearing six thousand francs
of interest in the name of Valerie Fortin； wife of Sieur Marneffe； for
her sole and separate use。 Valerie； inheriting perhaps from her mother
the special acumen of the kept woman； read the character of her
grotesque adorer at a glance。 The phrase 〃I never had a lady for a
mistress；〃 spoken by Crevel to Lisbeth； and repeated by Lisbeth to her
dear Valerie； had been handsomely discounted in the bargain by which
she got her six thousand francs a year in five per cents。 And since
then she had never allowed her prestige to grow less in the eyes of
Cesar Birotteau's erewhile bagman。
Crevel himself had married for money the daughter of a miller of la
Brie； an only child indeed； whose inheritance constituted three…
quarters of his fortune； for when retail…dealers grow rich； it is
generally not so much by trade as through some alliance between the
shop and rural thrift。 A large proportion of the farmers； corn…
factors； dairy…keepers； and market…gardeners in the neighborhood of
Paris； dream of the glories of the desk for their daughters； and look
upon a shopkeeper； a jeweler； or a money…changer as a son…in…law after
their own heart； in preference to a notary or an attorney； whose
superior social position is a ground of suspicion； they are afraid of
being scorned in the future by these citizen bigwigs。
Madame Crevel； ugly； vulgar； and silly； had given her husband no
pleasures but those of paternity； she died young。 Her libertine
husband； fettered at the beginning of his commercial career by the
necessity for working； and held in thrall by want of money； had led
the life of Tantalus。 Thrown inas he phrased itwith the most
elegant women in Paris； he let them out of the shop with servile
homage； while admiring their grace； their way of wearing the fashions；
and all the nameless charms of what is called breeding。 To rise to the
level of one of these fairies of the drawing…room was a desire formed
in his youth； but buried in the depths of his heart。 Thus to win the
favors of Madame Marneffe was to him not merely the realization of his
chimera； but； as has been shown； a point of pride； of vanity； of self…
satisfaction。 His ambition grew with success； his brain was turned
with elation； and when the mind is captivated； the heart feels more
keenly； every gratification is doubled。
Also； it must be said that Madame Marneffe offered to Crevel a
refinement of pleasure of which he had no idea； neither Josepha nor
Heloise had loved him； and Madame Marneffe thought it necessary to
deceive him thoroughly； for this man； she saw； would prove an
inexhaustible till。 The deceptions of a venal passion are more
delightful than the real thing。 True love is mixed up with birdlike
squabbles； in which the disputants wound each other to the quick； but
a quarrel without animus is； on the contrary； a piece of flattery to
the dupe's conceit。
The rare interviews granted to Crevel kept his passion at white heat。
He was constantly blocked by Valerie's virtuous severity； she acted
remorse； and wondered what her father must be thinking of her in the
paradise of the brave。 Again and again he had to contend with a sort
of coldness； which the cunning slut made him believe he had overcome
by seeming to surrender to the man's crazy passion； and then； as if
ashamed； she entrenched herself once more in her pride of
respectability and airs of virtue； just like an Englishwoman； neither
more nor less； and she always crushed her Crevel under the weight of
her dignityfor Crevel had； in the first instance； swallowed her
pretensions to virtue。
In short； Valerie had special veins of affections which made her
equally indispensable to Crevel and to the Baron。 Before the world she
displayed the attractive combination of modest and pensive innocence；
of irreproachable propriety； with a bright humor enhanced by the
suppleness； the grace and softness of the Creole； but in a /tete…a…
tete/ she would outdo any courtesan； she was audacious； amusing； and
full of original inventiveness。 Such a contrast is irresistible to a
man of the Crevel type； he is flattered by believing himself sole
author of the comedy； thinking it is performed for his benefit alone；
and he laughs at the exquisite hypocrisy while admiring the hypocrite。
Valerie had taken entire possession of Baron Hulot； she had persuaded
him to grow old by one of those subtle touches of flattery which
reveal the diabolical wit of women like her。 In all evergreen
constitutions a moment arrives when the truth suddenly comes out； as
in a besieged town which puts a good face on affairs as long as
possible。 Valerie； foreseeing the approaching collapse of the old beau
of the Empire； determined to forestall it。
〃Why give yourself so much bother； my dear old veteran？〃 said she one
day； six months after their doubly adulterous union。 〃Do you want to
be flirting？ To be unfaithful to me？ I assure you； I should like you
better without your make…up。 Oblige me by giving up all your
artificial charms。 Do you suppose that it is for two sous' worth of
polish on your boots that I love you？ For your india…rubber belt； your
strait…waistcoat； and your false hair？ And then； the older you look；
the less need I fear seeing my Hulot carried off by a rival。〃
And Hulot； trusting to Madame Marneffe's heavenly friendship as much
as to her love； intending； too； to end his days with her； had taken
this confidential hint； and ceased to dye his whiskers and hair。 After
this touching declaration from his Valerie； handsome Hector made his
appearance one morning perfectly white。 Madame Marneffe could assure
him that she had a hundred times detected the white line of the growth
of the hair。
〃And white hair suits your face to perfection；〃 said she； 〃it softens
it。 You look a thousand times better； quite charming。〃
The Baron； once started on this path of reform； gave up his leather
waistcoat and stays； he threw off all his bracing。 His stomach fell
and increased in size。 The oak became a tower； and the heaviness of
his movements was all the more alarming because the Baron grew
immensely older by playing the part of Louis XII。 His eyebrows were
still black； and left a ghostly reminiscence of Handsome Hulot； as
sometimes on the wall of some feudal building a faint t