sometimes on the wall of some feudal building a faint trace of
sculpture remains to show what the castle was in the days of its
glory。 This discordant detail made his eyes； still bright and
youthful； all the more remarkable in his tanned face； because it had
so long been ruddy with the florid hues of a Rubens； and now a certain
discoloration and the deep tension of the wrinkles betrayed the
efforts of a passion at odds with natural decay。 Hulot was now one of
those stalwart ruins in which virile force asserts itself by tufts of
hair in the ears and nostrils and on the fingers； as moss grows on the
almost eternal monuments of the Roman Empire。
How had Valerie contrived to keep Crevel and Hulot side by side； each
tied to an apron…string； when the vindictive Mayor only longed to
triumph openly over Hulot？ Without immediately giving an answer to
this question； which the course of the story will supply； it may be
said that Lisbeth and Valerie had contrived a powerful piece of
machinery which tended to this result。 Marneffe； as he saw his wife
improved in beauty by the setting in which she was enthroned； like the
sun at the centre of the sidereal system； appeared； in the eyes of the
world； to have fallen in love with her again himself； he was quite
crazy about her。 Now； though his jealousy made him somewhat of a
marplot； it gave enhanced value to Valerie's favors。 Marneffe
meanwhile showed a blind confidence in his chief； which degenerated
into ridiculous complaisance。 The only person whom he really would not
stand was Crevel。
Marneffe； wrecked by the debauchery of great cities； described by
Roman authors； though modern decency has no name for it； was as
hideous as an anatomical figure in wax。 But this disease on feet；
clothed in good broadcloth； encased his lathlike legs in elegant
trousers。 The hollow chest was scented with fine linen； and musk
disguised the odors of rotten humanity。 This hideous specimen of
decaying vice； trotting in red heelsfor Valerie dressed the man as
beseemed his income； his cross； and his appointmenthorrified Crevel；
who could not meet the colorless eyes of the Government clerk。
Marneffe was an incubus to the Mayor。 And the mean rascal； aware of
the strange power conferred on him by Lisbeth and his wife； was amused
by it； he played on it as on an instrument； and cards being the last
resource of a mind as completely played out as the body； he plucked
Crevel again and again； the Mayor thinking himself bound to
subserviency to the worthy official whom /he was cheating/。
Seeing Crevel a mere child in the hands of that hideous and atrocious
mummy； of whose utter vileness the Mayor knew nothing； and seeing him；
yet more； an object of deep contempt to Valerie； who made game of
Crevel as of some mountebank； the Baron apparently thought him so
impossible as a rival that he constantly invited him to dinner。
Valerie； protected by two lovers on guard； and by a jealous husband；
attracted every eye； and excited every desire in the circle she shone
upon。 And thus； while keeping up appearances； she had； in the course
of three years； achieved the most difficult conditions of the success
a courtesan most cares for and most rarely attains； even with the help
of audacity and the glitter of an existence in the light of the sun。
Valerie's beauty； formerly buried in the mud of the Rue du Doyenne；
now； like a well…cut diamond exquisitely set by Chanor； was worth more
than its real valueit could break hearts。 Claude Vignon adored
Valerie in secret。
This retrospective explanation； quite necessary after the lapse of
three years； shows Valerie's balance…sheet。 Now for that of her
partner； Lisbeth。
Lisbeth Fischer filled the place in the Marneffe household of a
relation who combines the functions of a lady companion and a
housekeeper； but she suffered from none of the humiliations which； for
the most part； weigh upon the women who are so unhappy as to be
obliged to fill these ambiguous situations。 Lisbeth and Valerie
offered the touching spectacle of one of those friendships between
women； so cordial and so improbable； that men； always too keen…tongued
in Paris； forthwith slander them。 The contrast between Lisbeth's dry
masculine nature and Valerie's creole prettiness encouraged calumny。
And Madame Marneffe had unconsciously given weight to the scandal by
the care she took of her friend； with matrimonial views； which were；
as will be seen； to complete Lisbeth's revenge。
An immense change had taken place in Cousin Betty； and Valerie； who
wanted to smarten her； had turned it to the best account。 The strange
woman had submitted to stays； and laced tightly； she used bandoline to
keep her hair smooth； wore her gowns as the dressmaker sent them home；
neat little boots； and gray silk stockings； all of which were included
in Valerie's bills； and paid for by the gentleman in possession。 Thus
furbished up； and wearing the yellow cashmere shawl； Lisbeth would
have been unrecognizable by any one who had not seen her for three
years。
This other diamonda black diamond； the rarest of allcut by a
skilled hand； and set as best became her； was appreciated at her full
value by certain ambitious clerks。 Any one seeing her for the first
time might have shuddered involuntarily at the look of poetic wildness
which the clever Valerie had succeeded in bringing out by the arts of
dress in this Bleeding Nun； framing the ascetic olive face in thick
bands of hair as black as the fiery eyes； and making the most of the
rigid； slim figure。 Lisbeth； like a Virgin by Cranach or Van Eyck； or
a Byzantine Madonna stepped out of its frame； had all the stiffness；
the precision of those mysterious figures； the more modern cousins of
Isis and her sister goddesses sheathed in marble folds by Egyptian
sculptors。 It was granite； basalt； porphyry； with life and movement。
Saved from want for the rest of her life； Lisbeth was most amiable；
wherever she dined she brought merriment。 And the Baron paid the rent
of her little apartment； furnished； as we know； with the leavings of
her friend Valerie's former boudoir and bedroom。
〃I began；〃 she would say； 〃as a hungry nanny goat； and I am ending as
a /lionne/。〃
She still worked for Monsieur Rivet at the more elaborate kinds of
gold…trimming； merely； as she said； not to lose her time。 At the same
time； she was； as we shall see； very full of business； but it is
inherent in the nature of country…folks never to give up bread…
winning； in this they are like the Jews。
Every morning； very early； Cousin Betty went off to market with the
cook。 It was part of Lisbeth's scheme that the house…book； which was
ruining Baron Hulot； was to enrich her dear Valerieas it did indeed。
Is there a housewife who； since 1838； has not suffered from the evil
effects of Socialist doctrines diffused among the lower classes by
incendiary writers？ In every household the plague of servants is
nowadays the worst of financial afflictions。 With very few exceptions；
who ought to be rewarded with the Montyon prize； the cook； male or
female； is a domestic robber； a thief taking wages； and perfectly
barefaced； with the Government for a fence； developing the tendency to
dishonesty； which is almost authorized in the cook by the time…honored
jest as to the 〃handle of the basket。〃 The women who formerly picked
up their forty sous to buy a lottery ticket now take fifty francs to
put into the savings bank。 And the smug Puritans who amuse themselves
in France with philanthropic experiments fancy that they are making
the common people moral！
Between the market and the master's table the servants have their
secret toll； and the municipality of Paris is less sharp in collecting
the city…dues than the servants are in taking theirs on every single
thing。 To say nothing of fifty per cent charged on every form of food；
they demand large New Year's premiums from the tradesmen。 The best
class of dealers tremble before this occult power； and subsidize it
without a wordcoachmakers； jewelers； tailors； and all。 If any
attempt is made to interfere with them； the servants reply with
impudent retorts； or revenge themselves by the costly blunders of
assumed clumsiness； and in these days they inquire into their master's
character as； formerly； the master inquired into theirs。 This mischief
is now really at its height； and the law…courts are beginning to take
cognizance of it； but in vain； for it cannot be remedied but by a law
which shall compel domestic servants； like laborers； to have a pass…
book as a guarantee of conduct。 Then the evil will vanish as if by
magic。 If every servant were obliged to show his pass…book； and if
masters were required to state in it the cause of his dismissal； this
would certainly prove a powerful check to the evil。
The men who are giving their attentions to the politics of the day
know not to what lengths the depravity of the lower classes has gone。
Statistics are silent as to the startling number of working men of
twenty who marry cooks of between forty and fifty enriched by robbery。
We shudder to think of the result of such unions from the three points
of view of increasing crime； degeneracy of the race； and