resistance to the aggressive tradesman； but the sort of good…nature he
showed； in spite of his exasperation as a mortified adorer and as a
humiliated National Guardsman； broke down her nerve； strung to the
point of snapping。 She wrung her hands； melted into tears； and was in
a state of such helpless dejection； that she allowed Crevel to kneel
at her feet； kissing her hands。
〃Good God！ what will become of us！〃 she went on； wiping away her
tears。 〃Can a mother sit still and see her child pine away before her
eyes？ What is to be the fate of that splendid creature； as strong in
her pure life under her mother's care as she is by every gift of
nature？ There are days when she wanders round the garden； out of
spirits without knowing why； I find her with tears in her eyes〃
〃She is one…and…twenty；〃 said Crevel。
〃Must I place her in a convent？〃 asked the Baroness。 〃But in such
cases religion is impotent to subdue nature； and the most piously
trained girls lose their head！Get up； pray； monsieur； do you not
understand that everything is final between us？ that I look upon you
with horror？ that you have crushed a mother's last hopes〃
〃But if I were to restore them；〃 asked he。
Madame Hulot looked at Crevel with a frenzied expression that really
touched him。 But he drove pity back to the depths of his heart； she
had said； 〃I look upon you with horror。〃
Virtue is always a little too rigid； it overlooks the shades and
instincts by help of which we are able to tack when in a false
position。
〃So handsome a girl as Mademoiselle Hortense does not find a husband
nowadays if she is penniless；〃 Crevel remarked； resuming his
starchiest manner。 〃Your daughter is one of those beauties who rather
alarm intending husbands； like a thoroughbred horse； which is too
expensive to keep up to find a ready purchaser。 If you go out walking
with such a woman on your arm； every one will turn to look at you； and
follow and covet his neighbor's wife。 Such success is a source of much
uneasiness to men who do not want to be killing lovers； for； after
all； no man kills more than one。 In the position in which you find
yourself there are just three ways of getting your daughter married：
Either by my helpand you will have none of it！ That is one。Or by
finding some old man of sixty； very rich； childless； and anxious to
have children； that is difficult； still such men are to be met with。
Many old men take up with a Josepha； a Jenny Cadine； why should not
one be found who is ready to make a fool of himself under legal
formalities？ If it were not for Celestine and our two grandchildren； I
would marry Hortense myself。 That is two。The last way is the
easiest〃
Madame Hulot raised her head； and looked uneasily at the ex…perfumer。
〃Paris is a town whither every man of energyand they sprout like
saplings on French soilcomes to meet his kind； talent swarms here
without hearth or home； and energy equal to anything； even to making a
fortune。 Well； these youngstersyour humble servant was such a one in
his time； and how many he has known！ What had du Tillet or Popinot
twenty years since？ They were both pottering round in Daddy
Birotteau's shop； with not a penny of capital but their determination
to get on； which； in my opinion； is the best capital a man can have。
Money may be eaten through； but you don't eat through your
determination。 Why； what had I？ The will to get on； and plenty of
pluck。 At this day du Tillet is a match for the greatest folks； little
Popinot； the richest druggist of the Rue des Lombards； became a
deputy； now he is in office。Well； one of these free lances； as we
say on the stock market； of the pen； or of the brush； is the only man
in Paris who would marry a penniless beauty； for they have courage
enough for anything。 Monsieur Popinot married Mademoiselle Birotteau
without asking for a farthing。 Those men are madmen； to be sure！ They
trust in love as they trust in good luck and brains！Find a man of
energy who will fall in love with your daughter； and he will marry
without a thought of money。 You must confess that by way of an enemy I
am not ungenerous； for this advice is against my own interests。〃
〃Oh； Monsieur Crevel； if you would indeed be my friend and give up
your ridiculous notions〃
〃Ridiculous？ Madame； do not run yourself down。 Look at yourselfI
love you； and you will come to be mine。 The day will come when I shall
say to Hulot； 'You took Josepha； I have taken your wife！'
〃It is the old law of tit…for…tat！ And I will persevere till I have
attained my end； unless you should become extremely ugly。I shall
succeed； and I will tell you why；〃 he went on； resuming his attitude；
and looking at Madame Hulot。 〃You will not meet with such an old man；
or such a young lover；〃 he said after a pause； 〃because you love your
daughter too well to hand her over to the manoeuvres of an old
libertine； and because youthe Baronne Hulot； sister of the old
Lieutenant…General who commanded the veteran Grenadiers of the Old
Guardwill not condescend to take a man of spirit wherever you may
find him； for he might be a mere craftsman； as many a millionaire of
to…day was ten years ago； a working artisan； or the foreman of a
factory。
〃And then； when you see the girl； urged by her twenty years； capable
of dishonoring you all； you will say to yourself； 'It will be better
that I should fall！ If Monsieur Crevel will but keep my secret； I will
earn my daughter's portiontwo hundred thousand francs for ten years'
attachment to that old glovesellerold Crevel！'I disgust you no
doubt； and what I am saying is horribly immoral； you think？ But if you
happened to have been bitten by an overwhelming passion； you would
find a thousand arguments in favor of yieldingas women do when they
are in love。Yes； and Hortense's interests will suggest to your
feelings such terms of surrendering your conscience〃
〃Hortense has still an uncle。〃
〃What！ Old Fischer？ He is winding up his concerns； and that again is
the Baron's fault； his rake is dragged over every till within his
reach。〃
〃Comte Hulot〃
〃Oh； madame； your husband has already made thin air of the old
General's savings。 He spent them in furnishing his singer's rooms。
Now； come； am I to go without a hope？〃
〃Good…bye； monsieur。 A man easily gets over a passion for a woman of
my age； and you will fall back on Christian principles。 God takes care
of the wretched〃
The Baroness rose to oblige the captain to retreat； and drove him back
into the drawing…room。
〃Ought the beautiful Madame Hulot to be living amid such squalor？〃
said he； and he pointed to an old lamp； a chandelier bereft of its
gilding； the threadbare carpet； the very rags of wealth which made the
large room； with its red； white； and gold； look like a corpse of
Imperial festivities。
〃Monsieur； virtue shines on it all。 I have no wish to owe a handsome
abode to having made of the beauty you are pleased to ascribe to me a
/man…trap/ and /a money…box for five…franc pieces/！〃
The captain bit his lips as he recognized the words he had used to
vilify Josepha's avarice。
〃And for whom are you so magnanimous？〃 said he。 By this time the
baroness had got her rejected admirer as far as the door。〃For a
libertine！〃 said he； with a lofty grimace of virtue and superior
wealth。
〃If you are right； my constancy has some merit； monsieur。 That is
all。〃
After bowing to the officer as a woman bows to dismiss an importune
visitor； she turned away too quickly to see him once more fold his
arms。 She unlocked the doors she had closed； and did not see the
threatening gesture which was Crevel's parting greeting。 She walked
with a proud； defiant step； like a martyr to the Coliseum； but her
strength was exhausted； she sank on the sofa in her blue room； as if
she were ready to faint； and sat there with her eyes fixed on the
tumble…down summer…house； where her daughter was gossiping with Cousin
Betty。
From the first days of her married life to the present time the
Baroness had loved her husband； as Josephine in the end had loved
Napoleon； with an admiring； maternal； and cowardly devotion。 Though
ignorant of the details given her by Crevel； she knew that for twenty
years past Baron Hulot been anything rather than a faithful husband；
but she had sealed her eyes with lead； she had wept in silence； and no
word of reproach had ever escaped her。 In return for this angelic
sweetness； she had won her husband's veneration and something
approaching to worship from all who were about her。
A wife's affection for her husband and the respect she pays him are
infectious in a family。 Hortense believed her father to be a perfect
model of conjugal affection； as to their son； brought up to admire the
Baron； whom everybody regarded as one of the giants who so effectually
backed Napoleon； he knew that he owed his advancement to his father's
name； position； and credit； and besides； the impressions of childhood
exert an enduring influence。 He still was afraid of his father； and if
he had suspected the misdeeds revealed by Crevel； as he was too much
overawed by him to find fault； he would have found excuses in the view
every man takes of such matters。
It now will be necessary