other is in the bedroom。 We can both spend the night here。〃
〃Proof！〃 was all the Baron could say。
Crevel took a flat candlestick and led Hulot into the adjoining room；
where he saw； on a sofa； a superb dressing…gown belonging to Valerie；
which he had seen her wear in the Rue Vanneau； to display it before
wearing it in Crevel's little apartment。 The Mayor pressed the spring
of a little writing…table of inlaid work； known as a /bonheur…du…
jour/； and took out of it a letter that he handed to the Baron。
〃Read that；〃 said he。
The Councillor read these words written in pencil：
〃I have waited in vain； you old wretch！ A woman of my quality does
not expect to be kept waiting by a retired perfumer。 There was no
dinner orderedno cigarettes。 I will make you pay for this！〃
〃Well； is that her writing？〃
〃Good God！〃 gasped Hulot； sitting down in dismay。 〃I see all the
things she usesher caps； her slippers。 Why； how long since？〃
Crevel nodded that he understood； and took a packet of bills out of
the little inlaid cabinet。
〃You can see； old man。 I paid the decorators in December； 1838。 In
October； two months before； this charming little place was first
used。〃
Hulot bent his head。
〃How the devil do you manage it？ I know how she spends every hour of
her day。〃
〃How about her walk in the Tuileries？〃 said Crevel； rubbing his hands
in triumph。
〃What then？〃 said Hulot； mystified。
〃Your lady love comes to the Tuileries； she is supposed to be airing
herself from one till four。 But； hop； skip； and jump； and she is here。
You know your Moliere？ Well； Baron； there is nothing imaginary in your
title。〃
Hulot； left without a shred of doubt； sat sunk in ominous silence。
Catastrophes lead intelligent and strong…minded men to be
philosophical。 The Baron； morally； was at this moment like a man
trying to find his way by night through a forest。 This gloomy
taciturnity and the change in that dejected countenance made Crevel
very uneasy； for he did not wish the death of his colleague。
〃As I said； old fellow； we are now even； let us play for the odd。 Will
you play off the tie by hook and by crook？ Come！〃
〃Why；〃 said Hulot； talking to himself〃why is it that out of ten
pretty women at least seven are false？〃
But the Baron was too much upset to answer his own question。 Beauty is
the greatest of human gifts for power。 Every power that has no
counterpoise； no autocratic control； leads to abuses and folly。
Despotism is the madness of power； in women the despot is caprice。
〃You have nothing to complain of； my good friend； you have a beautiful
wife； and she is virtuous。〃
〃I deserve my fate；〃 said Hulot。 〃I have undervalued my wife and made
her miserable； and she is an angel！ Oh； my poor Adeline！ you are
avenged！ She suffers in solitude and silence； and she is worthy of my
love； I oughtfor she is still charming； fair and girlish evenBut
was there ever a woman known more base； more ignoble； more villainous
than this Valerie？〃
〃She is a good…for…nothing slut；〃 said Crevel； 〃a hussy that deserves
whipping on the Place du Chatelet。 But； my dear Canillac； though we
are such blades； so Marechal de Richelieu； Louis XV。； Pompadour；
Madame du Barry； gay dogs； and everything that is most eighteenth
century； there is no longer a lieutenant of police。〃
〃How can we make them love us？〃 Hulot wondered to himself without
heeding Crevel。
〃It is sheer folly in us to expect to be loved； my dear fellow；〃 said
Crevel。 〃We can only be endured； for Madame Marneffe is a hundred
times more profligate than Josepha。〃
〃And avaricious！ she costs me a hundred and ninety…two thousand francs
a year！〃 cried Hulot。
〃And how many centimes！〃 sneered Crevel； with the insolence of a
financier who scorns so small a sum。
〃You do not love her； that is very evident；〃 said the Baron dolefully。
〃I have had enough of her；〃 replied Crevel； 〃for she has had more than
three hundred thousand francs of mine！〃
〃Where is it？ Where does it all go？〃 said the Baron； clasping his head
in his hands。
〃If we had come to an agreement； like the simple young men who combine
to maintain a twopenny baggage； she would have cost us less。〃
〃That is an idea〃！ replied the Baron。 〃But she would still be cheating
us； for； my burly friend； what do you say to this Brazilian？〃
〃Ay； old sly fox； you are right； we are swindled likelike
shareholders！〃 said Crevel。 〃All such women are an unlimited
liability； and we the sleeping partners。〃
〃Then it was she who told you about the candle in the window？〃
〃My good man；〃 replied Crevel； striking an attitude； 〃she has fooled
us both。 Valerie is aShe told me to keep you here。Now I see it
all。 She has got her Brazilian！Oh； I have done with her； for if you
hold her hands； she would find a way to cheat you with her feet！
There！ she is a minx； a jade！〃
〃She is lower than a prostitute；〃 said the Baron。 〃Josepha and Jenny
Cadine were in their rights when they were false to us； they make a
trade of their charms。〃
〃But she； who affects the saintthe prude！〃 said Crevel。 〃I tell you
what； Hulot； do you go back to your wife； your money matters are not
looking well； I have heard talk of certain notes of hand given to a
low usurer whose special line of business is lending to these sluts； a
man named Vauvinet。 For my part； I am cured of your 'real ladies。'
And； after all； at our time of life what do we want of these swindling
hussies； who； to be honest； cannot help playing us false？ You have
white hair and false teeth； I am of the shape of Silenus。 I shall go
in for saving。 Money never deceives one。 Though the Treasury is indeed
open to all the world twice a year； it pays you interest； and this
woman swallows it。 With you； my worthy friend； as Gubetta； as my
partner in the concern； I might have resigned myself to a shady
bargainno； a philosophical calm。 But with a Brazilian who has
possibly smuggled in some doubtful colonial produce〃
〃Woman is an inexplicable creature！〃 said Hulot。
〃I can explain her；〃 said Crevel。 〃We are old； the Brazilian is young
and handsome。〃
〃Yes； that； I own； is true；〃 said Hulot； 〃we are older than we were。
But； my dear fellow； how is one to do without these pretty creatures
seeing them undress； twist up their hair； smile cunningly through
their fingers as they screw up their curl…papers； put on all their
airs and graces； tell all their lies； declare that we don't love them
when we are worried with business； and they cheer us in spite of
everything。〃
〃Yes； by the Power！ It is the only pleasure in life！〃 cried Crevel。
〃When a saucy little mug smiles at you and says； 'My old dear； you
don't know how nice you are！ I am not like other women； I suppose； who
go crazy over mere boys with goats' beards； smelling of smoke； and as
coarse as serving…men！ For in their youth they are so insolent！They
come in and they bid you good…morning； and out they go。I； whom you
think such a flirt； I prefer a man of fifty to these brats。 A man who
will stick by me； who is devoted； who knows a woman is not to be
picked up every day； and appreciates us。That is what I love you for；
you old monster！'and they fill up these avowals with little pettings
and prettinesses andFaugh！ they are as false as the bills on the
Hotel de Ville。〃
〃A lie is sometimes better than the truth；〃 said Hulot； remembering
sundry bewitching scenes called up by Crevel； who mimicked Valerie。
〃They are obliged to act upon their lies； to sew spangles on their
stage frocks〃
〃And they are ours； after all； the lying jades！〃 said Crevel coarsely。
〃Valerie is a witch；〃 said the Baron。 〃She can turn an old man into a
young one。〃
〃Oh； yes！〃 said Crevel； 〃she is an eel that wriggles through your
hands； but the prettiest eel； as white and sweet as sugar； as amusing
as Arnaland ingenious！〃
〃Yes； she is full of fun；〃 said Hulot； who had now quite forgotten his
wife。
The colleagues went to bed the best friends in the world； reminding
each other of Valerie's perfections； the tones of her voice； her
kittenish way； her movements； her fun； her sallies of wit； and of
affections； for she was an artist in love； and had charming impulses；
as tenors may sing a scena better one day than another。 And they fell
asleep； cradled in tempting and diabolical visions lighted by the
fires of hell。
At nine o'clock next morning Hulot went off to the War Office； Crevel
had business out of town； they left the house together； and Crevel
held out his hand to the Baron； saying：
〃To show that there is no ill…feeling。 For we； neither of us； will
have anything more to say to Madame Marneffe？〃
〃Oh； this is the end of everything；〃 replied Hulot with a sort of
horror。
By half…past ten Crevel was mounting the stairs； four at a time； up to
Madame Marneffe's apartment。 He found the infamous wretch； the
adorable enchantress； in the most becoming morning wrapper； enjoying
an elegant little breakfast in the society of the Baron Montes de
Montejanos and Lisbeth。 Though the sight of the Brazilian gave him a
shock； Crevel begged Madame Marneffe to grant him two minutes' speech
with her。 Valerie led Crevel into the drawing…room。
〃Valerie； my angel；〃 said the am