and his workmen。
〃Now your anxieties are relieved；〃 said he； kissing his wife。 〃I am
going to work to…morrow morning。 So I am going to bed this minute to
get up early； by your leave； my pet。〃
The suspicion that had dawned in Hortense's mind vanished； she was
miles away from the truth。 Madame Marneffe！ She had never thought of
her。 Her fear for her Wenceslas was that he should fall in with street
prostitutes。 The names of Bixiou and Leon de Lora； two artists noted
for their wild dissipations； had alarmed her。
Next morning she saw Wenceslas go out at nine o'clock； and was quite
reassured。
〃Now he is at work again；〃 said she to herself； as she proceeded to
dress her boy。 〃I see he is quite in the vein！ Well； well； if we
cannot have the glory of Michael Angelo； we may have that of Benvenuto
Cellini！〃
Lulled by her own hopes； Hortense believed in a happy future； and she
was chattering to her son of twenty months in the language of
onomatopoeia that amuses babes when； at about eleven o'clock； the
cook； who had not seen Wenceslas go out； showed in Stidmann。
〃I beg pardon； madame；〃 said he。 〃Is Wenceslas gone out already？〃
〃He is at the studio。〃
〃I came to talk over the work with him。〃
〃I will send for him；〃 said Hortense； offering Stidmann a chair。
Thanking Heaven for this piece of luck； Hortense was glad to detain
Stidmann to ask some questions about the evening before。 Stidmann
bowed in acknowledgment of her kindness。 The Countess Steinbock rang；
the cook appeared； and was desired to go at once and fetch her master
from the studio。
〃You had an amusing dinner last night？〃 said Hortense。 〃Wenceslas did
not come in till past one in the morning。〃
〃Amusing？ not exactly；〃 replied the artist； who had intended to
fascinate Madame Marneffe。 〃Society is not very amusing unless one is
interested in it。 That little Madame Marneffe is clever； but a great
flirt。〃
〃And what did Wenceslas think of her？〃 asked poor Hortense； trying to
keep calm。 〃He said nothing about her to me。〃
〃I will only say one thing；〃 said Stidmann； 〃and that is； that I think
her a very dangerous woman。〃
Hortense turned as pale as a woman after childbirth。
〃Soit was atat Madame Marneffe's that you dinedand notnot with
Chanor？〃 said she； 〃yesterdayand Wenceslasand he〃
Stidmann； without knowing what mischief he had done； saw that he had
blundered。
The Countess did not finish her sentence； she simply fainted away。 The
artist rang； and the maid came in。 When Louise tried to get her
mistress into her bedroom； a serious nervous attack came on； with
violent hysterics。 Stidmann； like any man who by an involuntary
indiscretion has overthrown the structure built on a husband's lie to
his wife； could not conceive that his words should produce such an
effect； he supposed that the Countess was in such delicate health that
the slightest contradiction was mischievous。
The cook presently returned to say； unfortunately in loud tones； that
her master was not in the studio。 In the midst of her anguish；
Hortense heard； and the hysterical fit came on again。
〃Go and fetch madame's mother；〃 said Louise to the cook。 〃Quickrun！〃
〃If I knew where to find Steinbock； I would go and fetch him！〃
exclaimed Stidmann in despair。
〃He is with that woman！〃 cried the unhappy wife。 〃He was not dressed
to go to his work！〃
Stidmann hurried off to Madame Marneffe's； struck by the truth of this
conclusion； due to the second…sight of passion。
At that moment Valerie was posed as Delilah。 Stidmann； too sharp to
ask for Madame Marneffe； walked straight in past the lodge； and ran
quickly up to the second floor； arguing thus： 〃If I ask for Madame
Marneffe； she will be out。 If I inquire point…blank for Steinbock； I
shall be laughed at to my face。Take the bull by the horns！〃
Reine appeared in answer to his ring。
〃Tell Monsieur le Comte Steinbock to come at once； his wife is
dying〃
Reine； quite a match for Stidmann； looked at him with blank surprise。
〃But； sirI don't knowdid you suppose〃
〃I tell you that my friend Monsieur Steinbock is here； his wife is
very ill。 It is quite serious enough for you to disturb your
mistress。〃 And Stidmann turned on his heel。
〃He is there； sure enough！〃 said he to himself。
And in point of fact； after waiting a few minutes in the Rue Vanneau；
he saw Wenceslas come out； and beckoned to him to come quickly。 After
telling him of the tragedy enacted in the Rue Saint…Dominique；
Stidmann scolded Steinbock for not having warned him to keep the
secret of yesterday's dinner。
〃I am done for；〃 said Wenceslas； 〃but you are forgiven。 I had totally
forgotten that you were to call this morning； and I blundered in not
telling you that we were to have dined with Florent。What can I say？
That Valerie has turned my head； but； my dear fellow； for her glory is
well lost； misfortune well won！ She really is！Good Heavens！But I
am in a dreadful fix。 Advise me。 What can I say？ How can I excuse
myself？〃
〃I！ advise you！ I don't know；〃 replied Stidmann。 〃But your wife loves
you； I imagine？ Well； then； she will believe anything。 Tell her that
you were on your way to me when I was on my way to you； that； at any
rate； will set this morning's business right。 Good…bye。〃
Lisbeth； called down by Reine； ran after Wenceslas and caught him up
at the corner of the Rue Hillerin…Bertin； she was afraid of his Polish
artlessness。 Not wishing to be involved in the matter； she said a few
words to Wenceslas； who in his joy hugged her then and there。 She had
no doubt pushed out a plank to enable the artist to cross this awkward
place in his conjugal affairs。
At the sight of her mother； who had flown to her aid； Hortense burst
into floods of tears。 This happily changed the character of the
hysterical attack。
〃Treachery； dear mamma！〃 cried she。 〃Wenceslas； after giving me his
word of honor that he would not go near Madame Marneffe； dined with
her last night； and did not come in till a quarter…past one in the
morning。If you only knew！ The day before we had had a discussion；
not a quarrel； and I had appealed to him so touchingly。 I told him I
was jealous； that I should die if he were unfaithful； that I was
easily suspicious； but that he ought to have some consideration for my
weaknesses； as they came of my love for him； that I had my father's
blood in my veins as well as yours； that at the first moment of such
discovery I should be mad； and capable of mad deedsof avenging
myselfof dishonoring us all； him； his child； and myself； that I
might even kill him first and myself afterand so on。
〃And yet he went there； he is there！That woman is bent on breaking
all our hearts！ Only yesterday my brother and Celestine pledged their
all to pay off seventy thousand francs on notes of hand signed for
that good…for…nothing creature。Yes； mamma； my father would have been
arrested and put into prison。 Cannot that dreadful woman be content
with having my father； and with all your tears？ Why take my Wenceslas？
I will go to see her and stab her！〃
Madame Hulot； struck to the heart by the dreadful secrets Hortense was
unwittingly letting out； controlled her grief by one of the heroic
efforts which a magnanimous mother can make； and drew her daughter's
head on to her bosom to cover it with kisses。
〃Wait for Wenceslas； my child； all will be explained。 The evil cannot
be so great as you picture it！I； too； have been deceived； my dear
Hortense； you think me handsome； I have lived blameless； and yet I
have been utterly forsaken for three…and…twenty yearsfor a Jenny
Cadine； a Josepha； a Madame Marneffe！ Did you know that？〃
〃You； mamma； you！ You have endured this for twenty〃
She broke off； staggered by her own thoughts。
〃Do as I have done； my child；〃 said her mother。 〃Be gentle and kind；
and your conscience will be at peace。 On his death…bed a man may say；
'My wife has never cost me a pang！' And God； who hears that dying
breath； credits it to us。 If I had abandoned myself to fury like you；
what would have happened？ Your father would have been embittered；
perhaps he would have left me altogether； and he would not have been
withheld by any fear of paining me。 Our ruin； utter as it now is；
would have been complete ten years sooner； and we should have shown
the world the spectacle of a husband and wife living quite aparta
scandal of the most horrible； heart…breaking kind； for it is the
destruction of the family。 Neither your brother nor you could have
married。
〃I sacrificed myself； and that so bravely； that； till this last
connection of your father's； the world has believed me happy。 My
serviceable and indeed courageous falsehood has； till now； screened
Hector； he is still respected； but this old man's passion is taking
him too far； that I see。 His own folly； I fear； will break through the
veil I have kept between the world and our home。 However； I have held
that curtain steady for twenty…three years； and have wept behind it
motherless； I； without a friend to trust； with no help but in religion
I have for twenty…three years secured the family honor〃
Hortense listened with a fixed gaze。 The calm tone of resignation and
of such crowning sorrow soothed the smar