official； who snorts like a grampus； who has fins in his nostrils； who
is sixty…three years old； and who had grown ten years older by dint of
trying to be young； who is so odious to me that the very day when
Marneffe is promoted； and gets his Cross of the Legion of Honor〃
〃How much more will your husband get then？〃
〃A thousand crowns。〃
〃I will pay him as much in an annuity；〃 said Baron Montes。 〃We will
leave Paris and go〃
〃Where？〃 said Valerie； with one of the pretty sneers by which a woman
makes fun of a man she is sure of。 〃Paris is the only place where we
can live happy。 I care too much for your love to risk seeing it die
out in a /tete…a…tete/ in the wilderness。 Listen； Henri； you are the
only man I care for in the whole world。 Write that down clearly in
your tiger's brain。〃
For women； when they have made a sheep of a man； always tell him that
he is a lion with a will of iron。
〃Now； attend to me。 Monsieur Marneffe has not five years to live； he
is rotten to the marrow of his bones。 He spends seven months of the
twelve in swallowing drugs and decoctions； he lives wrapped in
flannel； in short； as the doctor says； he lives under the scythe； and
may be cut off at any moment。 An illness that would not harm another
man would be fatal to him； his blood is corrupt； his life undermined
at the root。 For five years I have never allowed him to kiss mehe is
poisonous！ Some day； and the day is not far off； I shall be a widow。
Well； then； Iwho have already had an offer from a man with sixty
thousand francs a year； I who am as completely mistress of that man as
I am of this lump of sugarI swear to you that if you were as poor as
Hulot and as foul as Marneffe； if you beat me even； still you are the
only man I will have for a husband； the only man I love； or whose name
I will ever bear。 And I am ready to give any pledge of my love that
you may require。〃
〃Well； then； to…night〃
〃But you； son of the South； my splendid jaguar； come expressly for me
from the virgin forest of Brazil；〃 said she； taking his hand and
kissing and fondling it； 〃I have some consideration for the poor
creature you mean to make your wife。Shall I be your wife； Henri？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the Brazilian； overpowered by this unbridled volubility of
passion。 And he knelt at her feet。
〃Well； then； Henri；〃 said Valerie； taking his two hands and looking
straight into his eyes； 〃swear to me now； in the presence of Lisbeth；
my best and only friend； my sisterthat you will make me your wife at
the end of my year's widowhood。〃
〃I swear it。〃
〃That is not enough。 Swear by your mother's ashes and eternal
salvation； swear by the Virgin Mary and by all your hopes as a
Catholic！〃
Valerie knew that the Brazilian would keep that oath even if she
should have fallen into the foulest social slough。
The Baron solemnly swore it； his nose almost touching Valerie's white
bosom； and his eyes spellbound。 He was drunk； drunk as a man is when
he sees the woman he loves once more； after a sea voyage of a hundred
and twenty days。
〃Good。 Now be quite easy。 And in Madame Marneffe respect the future
Baroness de Montejanos。 You are not to spend a sou upon me； I forbid
it。Stay here in the outer room； sleep on the sofa。 I myself will
come and tell you when you may move。We will breakfast to…morrow
morning； and you can be leaving at about one o'clock as if you had
come to call at noon。 There is nothing to fear； the gate…keepers love
me as much as if they were my father and mother。Now I must go down
and make tea。〃
She beckoned to Lisbeth； who followed her out on to the landing。 There
Valerie whispered in the old maid's ear：
〃My darkie has come back too soon。 I shall die if I cannot avenge you
on Hortense！〃
〃Make your mind easy； my pretty little devil！〃 said Lisbeth； kissing
her forehead。 〃Love and Revenge on the same track will never lose the
game。 Hortense expects me to…morrow； she is in beggary。 For a thousand
francs you may have a thousand kisses from Wenceslas。〃
On leaving Valerie； Hulot had gone down to the porter's lodge and made
a sudden invasion there。
〃Madame Olivier？〃
On hearing the imperious tone of this address； and seeing the action
by which the Baron emphasized it； Madame Olivier came out into the
courtyard as far as the Baron led her。
〃You know that if any one can help your son to a connection by and by；
it is I； it is owing to me that he is already third clerk in a
notary's office； and is finishing his studies。〃
〃Yes； Monsieur le Baron； and indeed； sir； you may depend on our
gratitude。 Not a day passes that I do not pray to God for Monsieur le
Baron's happiness。〃
〃Not so many words； my good woman；〃 said Hulot； 〃but deeds〃
〃What can I do； sir？〃 asked Madame Olivier。
〃A man came here to…night in a carriage。 Do you know him？〃
Madame Olivier had recognized Montes well enough。 How could she have
forgotten him？ In the Rue du Doyenne the Brazilian had always slipped
a five…franc piece into her hand as he went out in the morning； rather
too early。 If the Baron had applied to Monsieur Olivier； he would
perhaps have learned all he wanted to know。 But Olivier was in bed。 In
the lower orders the woman is not merely the superior of the manshe
almost always has the upper hand。 Madame Olivier had long since made
up her mind as to which side to take in case of a collision between
her two benefactors； she regarded Madame Marneffe as the stronger
power。
〃Do I know him？〃 she repeated。 〃No； indeed； no。 I never saw him
before！〃
〃What！ Did Madame Marneffe's cousin never go to see her when she was
living in the Rue du Doyenne？〃
〃Oh！ Was it her cousin？〃 cried Madame Olivier。 〃I dare say he did
come； but I did not know him again。 Next time； sir； I will look at
him〃
〃He will be coming out；〃 said Hulot； hastily interrupting Madame
Olivier。
〃He has left；〃 said Madame Olivier； understanding the situation。 〃The
carriage is gone。〃
〃Did you see him go？〃
〃As plainly as I see you。 He told his servant to drive to the
Embassy。〃
This audacious statement wrung a sigh of relief from the Baron； he
took Madame Olivier's hand and squeezed it。
〃Thank you； my good Madame Olivier。 But that is not all。Monsieur
Crevel？〃
〃Monsieur Crevel？ What can you mean； sir？ I do not understand；〃 said
Madame Olivier。
〃Listen to me。 He is Madame Marneffe's lover〃
〃Impossible； Monsieur le Baron； impossible；〃 said she； clasping her
hands。
〃He is Madame Marneffe's lover；〃 the Baron repeated very positively。
〃How do they manage it？ I don't know； but I mean to know； and you are
to find out。 If you can put me on the tracks of this intrigue； your
son is a notary。〃
〃Don't you fret yourself so； Monsieur le Baron；〃 said Madame Olivier。
〃Madame cares for you； and for no one but you； her maid knows that for
true； and we say； between her and me； that you are the luckiest man in
this worldfor you know what madame is。Just perfection！
〃She gets up at ten every morning； then she breakfasts。 Well and good。
After that she takes an hour or so to dress； that carries her on till
two； then she goes for a walk in the Tuileries in the sight of all
men； and she is always in by four to be ready for you。 She lives like
clockwork。 She keeps no secrets from her maid； and Reine keeps nothing
from me； you may be sure。 Reine can't if she wouldalong of my son；
for she is very sweet upon him。 So； you see； if madame had any
intimacy with Monsieur Crevel； we should be bound to know it。〃
The Baron went upstairs again with a beaming countenance； convinced
that he was the only man in the world to that shameless slut； as
treacherous； but as lovely and as engaging as a siren。
Crevel and Marneffe had begun a second rubber at piquet。 Crevel was
losing； as a man must who is not giving his thoughts to his game。
Marneffe； who knew the cause of the Mayor's absence of mind； took
unscrupulous advantage of it； he looked at the cards in reverse； and
discarded accordingly； thus； knowing his adversary's hand； he played
to beat him。 The stake being a franc a point； he had already robbed
the Mayor of thirty francs when Hulot came in。
〃Hey day！〃 said he； amazed to find no company。 〃Are you alone？ Where
is everybody gone？〃
〃Your pleasant temper put them all to flight；〃 said Crevel。
〃No； it was my wife's cousin；〃 replied Marneffe。 〃The ladies and
gentlemen supposed that Valerie and Henri might have something to say
to each other after three years' separation； and they very discreetly
retired。If I had been in the room； I would have kept them； but then；
as it happens； it would have been a mistake； for Lisbeth； who always
comes down to make tea at half…past ten； was taken ill； and that upset
everything〃
〃Then is Lisbeth really unwell？〃 asked Crevel in a fury。
〃So I was told；〃 replied Marneffe； with the heartless indifference of
a man to whom women have ceased to exist。
The Mayor looked at the clock； and； calculating the time； the Baron
seemed to have spent forty minutes in Lisbeth's rooms。 Hector's
jubilant expression seriously incriminated Valerie； Lisbeth； and
himself。
〃I have just seen her； she is in great pain； poor soul！〃 said the
Baron。
〃Then the sufferings of others must