wife； Valerie a mistress。
Many men desire to have two editions of the same work； though it is in
fact a proof of inferiority when a man cannot make his mistress of his
wife。 Variety in this particular is a sign of weakness。 Constancy will
always be the real genius of love； the evidence of immense powerthe
power that makes the poet！ A man ought to find every woman in his
wife； as the squalid poets of the seventeenth century made their
Manons figure as Iris and Chloe。
〃Well；〃 said Lisbeth to the Pole； as she beheld him fascinated； 〃what
do you think of Valerie？〃
〃She is too charming；〃 replied Wenceslas。
〃You would not listen to me；〃 said Betty。 〃Oh！ my little Wenceslas； if
you and I had never parted； you would have been that siren's lover；
you might have married her when she was a widow； and you would have
had her forty thousand francs a year〃
〃Really？〃
〃Certainly；〃 replied Lisbeth。 〃Now； take care of yourself； I warned
you of the danger； do not singe your wings in the candle！Come； give
me your arm； dinner is served。〃
No language could be so thoroughly demoralizing as this； for if you
show a Pole a precipice； he is bound to leap it。 As a nation they have
the very spirit of cavalry； they fancy they can ride down every
obstacle and come out victorious。 The spur applied by Lisbeth to
Steinbock's vanity was intensified by the appearance of the dining…
room； bright with handsome silver plate； the dinner was served with
every refinement and extravagance of Parisian luxury。
〃I should have done better to take Celimene；〃 thought he to himself。
All through the dinner Hulot was charming； pleased to see his son…in…
law at that table； and yet more happy in the prospect of a
reconciliation with Valerie； whose fidelity he proposed to secure by
the promise of Coquet's head…clerkship。 Stidmann responded to the
Baron's amiability by shafts of Parisian banter and an artist's high
spirits。 Steinbock would not allow himself to be eclipsed by his
friend； he too was witty； said amusing things； made his mark； and was
pleased with himself； Madame Marneffe smiled at him several times to
show that she quite understood him。
The good meal and heady wines completed the work； Wenceslas was deep
in what must be called the slough of dissipation。 Excited by just a
glass too much； he stretched himself on a settee after dinner； sunk in
physical and mental ecstasy； which Madame Marneffe wrought to the
highest pitch by coming to sit down by himairy； scented； pretty
enough to damn an angel。 She bent over Wenceslas and almost touched
his ear as she whispered to him：
〃We cannot talk over business matters this evening； unless you will
remain till the last。 Between usyou； Lisbeth； and mewe can settle
everything to suit you。〃
〃Ah； Madame； you are an angel！〃 replied Wenceslas； also in a murmur。
〃I was a pretty fool not to listen to Lisbeth〃
〃What did she say？〃
〃She declared； in the Rue du Doyenne； that you loved me！〃
Madame Marneffe looked at him； seemed covered with confusion； and
hastily left her seat。 A young and pretty woman never rouses the hope
of immediate success with impunity。 This retreat； the impulse of a
virtuous woman who is crushing a passion in the depths of her heart；
was a thousand times more effective than the most reckless avowal。
Desire was so thoroughly aroused in Wenceslas that he doubled his
attentions to Valerie。 A woman seen by all is a woman wished for。
Hence the terrible power of actresses。 Madame Marneffe； knowing that
she was watched； behaved like an admired actress。 She was quite
charming； and her success was immense。
〃I no longer wonder at my father…in…law's follies；〃 said Steinbock to
Lisbeth。
〃If you say such things； Wenceslas； I shall to my dying day repent of
having got you the loan of these ten thousand francs。 Are you； like
all these men；〃 and she indicated the guests； 〃madly in love with that
creature？ Remember； you would be your father…in…law's rival。 And think
of the misery you would bring on Hortense。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Wenceslas。 〃Hortense is an angel； I should be a
wretch。〃
〃And one is enough in the family！〃 said Lisbeth。
〃Artists ought never to marry！〃 exclaimed Steinbock。
〃Ah！ that is what I always told you in the Rue du Doyenne。 Your
groups； your statues； your great works； ought to be your children。〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 Valerie asked； joining Lisbeth。〃Give
us tea； Cousin。〃
Steinbock； with Polish vainglory； wanted to appear familiar with this
drawing…room fairy。 After defying Stidmann； Vignon； and Crevel with a
look； he took Valerie's hand and forced her to sit down by him on the
settee。
〃You are rather too lordly； Count Steinbock；〃 said she； resisting a
little。 But she laughed as she dropped on to the seat； not without
arranging the rosebud pinned into her bodice。
〃Alas！ if I were really lordly；〃 said he； 〃I should not be here to
borrow money。〃
〃Poor boy！ I remember how you worked all night in the Rue du Doyenne。
You really were rather a spooney； you married as a starving man
snatches a loaf。 You knew nothing of Paris； and you see where you are
landed。 But you turned a deaf ear to Lisbeth's devotion； as you did to
the love of a woman who knows her Paris by heart。〃
〃Say no more！〃 cried Steinbock； 〃I am done for！〃
〃You shall have your ten thousand francs； my dear Wenceslas； but on
one condition；〃 she went on； playing with his handsome curls。
〃What is that？〃
〃I will take no interest〃
〃Madame！〃
〃Oh； you need not be indignant； you shall make it good by giving me a
bronze group。 You began the story of Samson； finish it。Do a Delilah
cutting off the Jewish Hercules' hair。 And you； who； if you will
listen to me； will be a great artist； must enter into the subject。
What you have to show is the power of woman。 Samson is a secondary
consideration。 He is the corpse of dead strength。 It is Delilah
passionthat ruins everything。 How far more beautiful is that
/replica/That is what you call it； I think〃 She skilfully
interpolated； as Claude Vignon and Stidmann came up to them on hearing
her talk of sculpture〃how far more beautiful than the Greek myth is
that /replica/ of Hercules at Omphale's feet。Did Greece copy Judaea；
or did Judaea borrow the symbolism from Greece？〃
〃There； madame； you raise an important questionthat of the date of
the various writings in the Bible。 The great and immortal Spinoza
most foolishly ranked as an atheist； whereas he gave mathematical
proof of the existence of Godasserts that the Book of Genesis and
all the political history of the Bible are of the time of Moses； and
he demonstrates the interpolated passages by philological evidence。
And he was thrice stabbed as he went into the synagogue。〃
〃I had no idea I was so learned；〃 said Valerie； annoyed at this
interruption to her /tete…a…tete/。
〃Women know everything by instinct；〃 replied Claude Vignon。
〃Well； then； you promise me？〃 she said to Steinbock； taking his hand
with the timidity of a girl in love。
〃You are indeed a happy man； my dear fellow；〃 cried Stidmann； 〃if
madame asks a favor of you！〃
〃What is it？〃 asked Claude Vignon。
〃A small bronze group；〃 replied Steinbock； 〃Delilah cutting off
Samson's hair。〃
〃It is difficult；〃 remarked Vignon。 〃A bed〃
〃On the contrary； it is exceedingly easy；〃 replied Valerie； smiling。
〃Ah ha！ teach us sculpture！〃 said Stidmann。
〃You should take madame for your subject；〃 replied Vignon； with a keen
glance at Valerie。
〃Well；〃 she went on； 〃this is my notion of the composition。 Samson on
waking finds he has no hair； like many a dandy with a false top…knot。
The hero is sitting on the bed； so you need only show the foot of it；
covered with hangings and drapery。 There he is； like Marius among the
ruins of Carthage； his arms folded； his head shavenNapoleon at
Saint…Helenawhat you will！ Delilah is on her knees； a good deal like
Canova's Magdalen。 When a hussy has ruined her man； she adores him。 As
I see it； the Jewess was afraid of Samson in his strength and terrors；
but she must have loved him when she saw him a child again。 So Delilah
is bewailing her sin； she would like to give her lover his hair again。
She hardly dares to look at him； but she does look； with a smile； for
she reads forgiveness in Samson's weakness。 Such a group as this； and
one of the ferocious Judith； would epitomize woman。 Virtue cuts off
your head； vice only cuts off your hair。 Take care of your wigs；
gentlemen！〃
And she left the artists quite overpowered； to sing her praises in
concert with the critic。
〃It is impossible to be more bewitching！〃 cried Stidmann。
〃Oh！ she is the most intelligent and desirable woman I have ever met；〃
said Claude Vignon。 〃Such a combination of beauty and cleverness is so
rare。〃
〃And if you who had the honor of being intimate with Camille Maupin
can pronounce such a verdict；〃 replied Stidmann； 〃what are we to
think？〃
〃If you will make your Delilah a portrait of Valerie； my dear Count；〃
said Crevel； who had risen for a moment from the card…table； and who
had heard what had been said； 〃I will give you a thousand crowns for
an exampleyes； by the Powers！ I will shell out to the tune of a
thous