with whom he will not allow himself to flirt。
〃Very good…lookingthat young man；〃 said she in a whisper to
Hortense。
〃Oh； do you think so？〃 she replied。 〃I never noticed him。〃
〃Stidmann； my good fellow；〃 said Wenceslas； in an undertone to his
friend； 〃we are on no ceremony； you and Iwe have some business to
settle with this old girl。〃
Stidmann bowed to the ladies and went away。
〃It is settled；〃 said Wenceslas； when he came in from taking leave of
Stidmann。 〃But there are six months' work to be done； and we must live
meanwhile。〃
〃There are my diamonds；〃 cried the young Countess； with the impetuous
heroism of a loving woman。
A tear rose in Wenceslas' eye。
〃Oh； I am going to work；〃 said he； sitting down by his wife and
drawing her on to his knee。 〃I will do odd jobsa wedding chest；
bronze groups〃
〃But； my children；〃 said Lisbeth； 〃for； as you know； you will be my
heirs； and I shall leave you a very comfortable sum； believe me；
especially if you help me to marry the Marshal； nay； if we succeed in
that quickly； I will take you all to board with meyou and Adeline。
We should live very happily together。But for the moment； listen to
the voice of my long experience。 Do not fly to the Mont…de…Piete； it
is the ruin of the borrower。 I have always found that when the
interest was due； those who had pledged their things had nothing
wherewith to pay up； and then all is lost。 I can get you a loan at
five per cent on your note of hand。〃
〃Oh； we are saved！〃 said Hortense。
〃Well； then； child； Wenceslas had better come with me to see the
lender； who will oblige him at my request。 It is Madame Marneffe。 If
you flatter her a littlefor she is as vain as a /parvenue/she will
get you out of the scrape in the most obliging way。 Come yourself and
see her； my dear Hortense。〃
Hortense looked at her husband with the expression a man condemned to
death must wear on his way to the scaffold。
〃Claude Vignon took Stidmann there；〃 said Wenceslas。 〃He says it is a
very pleasant house。〃
Hortense's head fell。 What she felt can only be expressed in one word；
it was not pain； it was illness。
〃But； my dear Hortense； you must learn something of life！〃 exclaimed
Lisbeth； understanding the eloquence of her cousin's looks。
〃Otherwise； like your mother； you will find yourself abandoned in a
deserted room； where you will weep like Calypso on the departure of
Ulysses； and at an age when there is no hope of Telemachus〃 she
added； repeating a jest of Madame Marneffe's。 〃We have to regard the
people in the world as tools which we can make use of or let alone；
according as they can serve our turn。 Make use of Madame Marneffe now；
my dears； and let her alone by and by。 Are you afraid lest Wenceslas；
who worships you； should fall in love with a woman four or five years
older than himself； as yellow as a bundle of field peas； and？〃
〃I would far rather pawn my diamonds；〃 said Hortense。 〃Oh； never go
there； Wenceslas！It is hell！〃
〃Hortense is right；〃 said Steinbock； kissing his wife。
〃Thank you； my dearest；〃 said Hortense； delighted。 〃My husband is an
angel； you see； Lisbeth。 He does not gamble； he goes nowhere without
me； if he only could stick to workoh； I should be too happy。 Why
take us on show to my father's mistress； a woman who is ruining him
and is the cause of troubles that are killing my heroic mother？〃
〃My child； that is not where the cause of your father's ruin lies。 It
was his singer who ruined him； and then your marriage！〃 replied her
cousin。 〃Bless me！ why； Madame Marneffe is of the greatest use to him。
However； I must tell no tales。〃
〃You have a good word for everybody； dear Betty〃
Hortense was called into the garden by hearing the child cry； Lisbeth
was left alone with Wenceslas。
〃You have an angel for your wife； Wenceslas！〃 said she。 〃Love her as
you ought； never give her cause for grief。〃
〃Yes； indeed； I love her so well that I do not tell her all；〃 replied
Wenceslas； 〃but to you； Lisbeth； I may confess the truth。If I took
my wife's diamonds to the Monte…de…Piete； we should be no further
forward。〃
〃Then borrow of Madame Marneffe；〃 said Lisbeth。 〃Persuade Hortense；
Wenceslas； to let you go there； or else； bless me！ go there without
telling her。〃
〃That is what I was thinking of；〃 replied Wenceslas； 〃when I refused
for fear of grieving Hortense。〃
〃Listen to me； I care too much for you both not to warn you of your
danger。 If you go there； hold your heart tight in both hands； for the
woman is a witch。 All who see her adore her； she is so wicked； so
inviting！ She fascinates men like a masterpiece。 Borrow her money； but
do not leave your soul in pledge。 I should never be happy again if you
were false to Hortensehere she is！ not another word！ I will settle
the matter。〃
〃Kiss Lisbeth； my darling；〃 said Wenceslas to his wife。 〃She will help
us out of our difficulties by lending us her savings。〃
And he gave Lisbeth a look which she understood。
〃Then； I hope you mean to work； my dear treasure；〃 said Hortense。
〃Yes； indeed；〃 said the artist。 〃I will begin to…morrow。〃
〃To…morrow is our ruin！〃 said his wife； with a smile。
〃Now； my dear child！ say yourself whether some hindrance has not come
in the way every day； some obstacle or business？〃
〃Yes； very true； my love。〃
〃Here！〃 cried Steinbock； striking his brow； 〃here I have swarms of
ideas！ I mean to astonish all my enemies。 I am going to design a
service in the German style of the sixteenth century； the romantic
style： foliage twined with insects； sleeping children； newly invented
monsters； chimerasreal chimeras； such as we dream of！I see it all！
It will be undercut； light； and yet crowded。 Chanor was quite amazed。
And I wanted some encouragement； for the last article on
Montcornet's monument had been crushing。〃
At a moment in the course of the day when Lisbeth and Wenceslas were
left together； the artist agreed to go on the morrow to see Madame
Marneffehe either would win his wife's consent； or he would go
without telling her。
Valerie； informed the same evening of this success； insisted that
Hulot should go to invite Stidmann； Claude Vignon； and Steinbock to
dinner； for she was beginning to tyrannize over him as women of that
type tyrannize over old men； who trot round town； and go to make
interest with every one who is necessary to the interests or the
vanity of their task…mistress。
Next evening Valerie armed herself for conquest by making such a
toilet as a Frenchwoman can devise when she wishes to make the most of
herself。 She studied her appearance in this great work as a man going
out to fight a duel practises his feints and lunges。 Not a speck； not
a wrinkle was to be seen。 Valerie was at her whitest； her softest； her
sweetest。 And certain little 〃patches〃 attracted the eye。
It is commonly supposed that the patch of the eighteenth century is
out of date or out of fashion； that is a mistake。 In these days women；
more ingenious perhaps than of yore； invite a glance through the
opera…glass by other audacious devices。 One is the first to hit on a
rosette in her hair with a diamond in the centre； and she attracts
every eye for a whole evening； another revives the hair…net； or sticks
a dagger through the twist to suggest a garter； this one wears velvet
bands round her wrists； that one appears in lace lippets。 These
valiant efforts； an Austerlitz of vanity or of love； then set the
fashion for lower spheres by the time the inventive creatress has
originated something new。 This evening； which Valerie meant to be a
success for her； she had placed three patches。 She had washed her hair
with some lye； which changed its hue for a few days from a gold color
to a duller shade。 Madame Steinbock's was almost red； and she would be
in every point unlike her。 This new effect gave her a piquant and
strange appearance； which puzzled her followers so much； that Montes
asked her：
〃What have you done to yourself this evening？〃Then she put on a
rather wide black velvet neck…ribbon； which showed off the whiteness
of her skin。 One patch took the place of the /assassine/ of our
grandmothers。 And Valerie pinned the sweetest rosebud into her bodice；
just in the middle above the stay…busk； and in the daintiest little
hollow！ It was enough to make every man under thirty drop his eyelids。
〃I am as sweet as a sugar…plum；〃 said she to herself； going through
her attitudes before the glass； exactly as a dancer practises her
curtesies。
Lisbeth had been to market； and the dinner was to be one of those
superfine meals which Mathurine had been wont to cook for her Bishop
when he entertained the prelate of the adjoining diocese。
Stidmann； Claude Vignon； and Count Steinbock arrived almost together；
just at six。 An ordinary； or； if you will； a natural woman would have
hastened at the announcement of a name so eagerly longed for； but
Valerie； though ready since five o'clock； remained in her room；
leaving her three guests together； certain that she was the subject of
their conversation or of their secret thoughts。 She herself had
arranged the drawing…room； laying out the pretty trifles produced in
Paris and nowhere else； which reveal the woman and