name？a dwarf。Ah； the Duc d'Herouville。 This fine gentleman insists
on having Josepha for his very own； and all that set are talking about
it； the Baron knows nothing of it as yet； for it is the same in the
Thirteenth Arrondissement as in every other： the lover； like the
husband； is last to get the news。
〃Now； do you understand my claim？ Your husband； dear lady； has robbed
me of my joy in life； the only happiness I have known since I became a
widower。 Yes； if I had not been so unlucky as to come across that old
rip； Josepha would still be mine； for I； you know； should never have
placed her on the stage。 She would have lived obscure； well conducted；
and mine。 Oh！ if you could but have seen her eight years ago； slight
and wiry； with the golden skin of an Andalusian； as they say； black
hair as shiny as satin； an eye that flashed lightning under long brown
lashes； the style of a duchess in every movement； the modesty of a
dependent； decent grace； and the pretty ways of a wild fawn。 And by
that Hulot's doing all this charm and purity has been degraded to a
man…trap； a money…box for five…franc pieces！ The girl is the Queen of
Trollops； and nowadays she humbugs every oneshe who knew nothing；
not even that word。〃
At this stage the retired perfumer wiped his eyes； which were full of
tears。 The sincerity of his grief touched Madame Hulot； and roused her
from the meditation into which she had sunk。
〃Tell me； madame； is a man of fifty…two likely to find such another
jewel？ At my age love costs thirty thousand francs a year。 It is
through your husband's experience that I know the price； and I love
Celestine too truly to be her ruin。 When I saw you； at the first
evening party you gave in our honor； I wondered how that scoundrel
Hulot could keep a Jenny Cadineyou had the manner of an Empress。 You
do not look thirty；〃 he went on。 〃To me； madame； you look young； and
you are beautiful。 On my word of honor； that evening I was struck to
the heart。 I said to myself； 'If I had not Josepha； since old Hulot
neglects his wife； she would fit me like a glove。' Forgive meit is a
reminiscence of my old business。 The perfumer will crop up now and
then； and that is what keeps me from standing to be elected deputy。
〃And then； when I was so abominably deceived by the Baron； for really
between old rips like us our friend's mistress should be sacred； I
swore I would have his wife。 It is but justice。 The Baron could say
nothing； we are certain of impunity。 You showed me the door like a
mangy dog at the first words I uttered as to the state of my feelings；
you only made my passionmy obstinacy； if you willtwice as strong；
and you shall be mine。〃
〃Indeed； how？〃
〃I do not know； but it will come to pass。 You see； madame； an idiot of
a perfumerretired from businesswho has but one idea in his head；
is stronger than a clever fellow who has a thousand。 I am smitten with
you； and you are the means of my revenge； it is like being in love
twice over。 I am speaking to you quite frankly； as a man who knows
what he means。 I speak coldly to you； just as you do to me； when you
say； 'I never will be yours；' In fact； as they say； I play the game
with the cards on the table。 Yes； you shall be mine； sooner or later；
if you were fifty； you should still be my mistress。 And it will be；
for I expect anything from your husband！〃
Madame Hulot looked at this vulgar intriguer with such a fixed stare
of terror； that he thought she had gone mad； and he stopped。
〃You insisted on it； you heaped me with scorn； you defied meand I
have spoken；〃 said he； feeling that he must justify the ferocity of
his last words。
〃Oh； my daughter； my daughter；〃 moaned the Baroness in a voice like a
dying woman's。
〃Oh！ I have forgotten all else；〃 Crevel went on。 〃The day when I was
robbed of Josepha I was like a tigress robbed of her cubs； in short；
as you see me now。Your daughter？ Yes； I regard her as the means of
winning you。 Yes； I put a spoke in her marriageand you will not get
her married without my help！ Handsome as Mademoiselle Hortense is； she
needs a fortune〃
〃Alas！ yes；〃 said the Baroness； wiping her eyes。
〃Well； just ask your husband for ten thousand francs；〃 said Crevel；
striking his attitude once more。 He waited a minute； like an actor who
has made a point。
〃If he had the money； he would give it to the woman who will take
Josepha's place；〃 he went on； emphasizing his tones。 〃Does a man ever
pull up on the road he has taken？ In the first place； he is too sweet
on women。 There is a happy medium in all things； as our King has told
us。 And then his vanity is implicated！ He is a handsome man！He would
bring you all to ruin for his pleasure； in fact； you are already on
the highroad to the workhouse。 Why； look； never since I set foot in
your house have you been able to do up your drawing…room furniture。
'Hard up' is the word shouted by every slit in the stuff。 Where will
you find a son…in…law who would not turn his back in horror of the
ill…concealed evidence of the most cruel misery there isthat of
people in decent society？ I have kept shop； and I know。 There is no
eye so quick as that of the Paris tradesman to detect real wealth from
its sham。You have no money；〃 he said； in a lower voice。 〃It is
written everywhere； even on your man…servant's coat。
〃Would you like me to disclose any more hideous mysteries that are
kept from you？〃
〃Monsieur；〃 cried Madame Hulot； whose handkerchief was wet through
with her tears； 〃enough； enough！〃
〃My son…in…law； I tell you； gives his father money； and this is what I
particularly wanted to come to when I began by speaking of your son's
expenses。 But I keep an eye on my daughter's interests； be easy。〃
〃Oh； if I could but see my daughter married； and die！〃 cried the poor
woman； quite losing her head。
〃Well； then； this is the way；〃 said the ex…perfumer。
Madame Hulot looked at Crevel with a hopeful expression； which so
completely changed her countenance； that this alone ought to have
touched the man's feelings and have led him to abandon his monstrous
schemes。
〃You will still be handsome ten years hence；〃 Crevel went on； with his
arms folded； 〃be kind to me； and Mademoiselle Hulot will marry。 Hulot
has given me the right； as I have explained to you； to put the matter
crudely； and he will not be angry。 In three years I have saved the
interest on my capital； for my dissipations have been restricted。 I
have three hundred thousand francs in the bank over and above my
invested fortunethey are yours〃
〃Go；〃 said Madame Hulot。 〃Go； monsieur； and never let me see you
again。 But for the necessity in which you placed me to learn the
secret of your cowardly conduct with regard to the match I had planned
for Hortenseyes； cowardly！〃 she repeated； in answer to a gesture
from Crevel。 〃How can you load a poor girl； a pretty； innocent
creature； with such a weight of enmity？ But for the necessity that
goaded me as a mother； you would never have spoken to me again； never
again have come within my doors。 Thirty…two years of an honorable and
loyal life shall not be swept away by a blow from Monsieur Crevel〃
〃The retired perfumer； successor to Cesar Birotteau at the /Queen of
the Roses/； Rue Saint…Honore；〃 added Crevel； in mocking tones。
〃Deputy…mayor； captain in the National Guard； Chevalier of the Legion
of Honorexactly what my predecessor was！〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said the Baroness； 〃if； after twenty years of constancy；
Monsieur Hulot is tired of his wife； that is nobody's concern but
mine。 As you see； he has kept his infidelity a mystery； for I did not
know that he had succeeded you in the affections of Mademoiselle
Josepha〃
〃Oh； it has cost him a pretty penny； madame。 His singing…bird has cost
him more than a hundred thousand francs in these two years。 Ah； ha！
you have not seen the end of it！〃
〃Have done with all this； Monsieur Crevel。 I will not； for your sake；
forego the happiness a mother knows who can embrace her children
without a single pang of remorse in her heart； who sees herself
respected and loved by her family； and I will give up my soul to God
unspotted〃
〃Amen！〃 exclaimed Crevel； with the diabolical rage that embitters the
face of these pretenders when they fail for the second time in such an
attempt。 〃You do not yet know the latter end of povertyshame；
disgrace。I have tried to warn you； I would have saved you； you and
your daughter。 Well； you must study the modern parable of the
/Prodigal Father/ from A to Z。 Your tears and your pride move me
deeply；〃 said Crevel； seating himself； 〃for it is frightful to see the
woman one loves weeping。 All I can promise you； dear Adeline； is to do
nothing against your interests or your husband's。 Only never send to
me for information。 That is all。〃
〃What is to be done？〃 cried Madame Hulot。
Up to now the Baroness had bravely faced the threefold torment which
this explanation inflicted on her； for she was wounded as a woman； as
a mother； and as a wife。 In fact； so long as her son's father…in…law
was insolent and offensive； she had found the strength in her
resistance to the aggressive tradesman； but the sort of good…nature he
showed； in spite of his exasperation as a mortifi