and Madame Marneffe。 This； of course； is between ourselves。 I have no
wish to touch you on a sensitive spot； or disoblige you in any way；
and I will prove it。 If you are determined to get Monsieur Coquet's
place； and he will really be a loss in the War Office； for he has been
here since 1809； I will go into the country for a fortnight； so as to
leave the field open between you and the Marshal； who loves you as a
son。 Then I shall take neither part； and shall have nothing on my
conscience as an administrator。〃
〃Thank you very much；〃 said Hulot。 〃I will reflect on what you have
said。〃
〃In allowing myself to say so much； my dear friend； it is because your
personal interest is far more deeply implicated than any concern or
vanity of mine。 In the first place； the matter lies entirely with the
Marshal。 And then； my good fellow； we are blamed for so many things；
that one more or less！ We are not at the maiden stage in our
experience of fault…finding。 Under the Restoration； men were put in
simply to give them places； without any regard for the office。We are
old friends〃
〃Yes；〃 the Baron put in； 〃and it is in order not to impair our old and
valued friendship that I〃
〃Well； well；〃 said the departmental manager； seeing Hulot's face
clouded with embarrassment； 〃I will take myself off； old fellow。But
I warn you！ you have enemiesthat is to say； men who covet your
splendid appointment； and you have but one anchor out。 Now if； like
me； you were a Deputy； you would have nothing to fear； so mind what
you are about。〃
This speech； in the most friendly spirit； made a deep impression on
the Councillor of State。
〃But； after all； Roger； what is it that is wrong？ Do not make any
mysteries with me。〃
The individual addressed as Roger looked at Hulot； took his hand； and
pressed it。
〃We are such old friends； that I am bound to give you warning。 If you
want to keep your place； you must make a bed for yourself； and instead
of asking the Marshal to give Coquet's place to Marneffe； in your
place I would beg him to use his influence to reserve a seat for me on
the General Council of State； there you may die in peace； and； like
the beaver； abandon all else to the pursuers。〃
〃What； do you think the Marshal would forget〃
〃The Marshal has already taken your part so warmly at a General
Meeting of the Ministers； that you will not now be turned out； but it
was seriously discussed！ So give them no excuse。 I can say no more。 At
this moment you may make your own terms； you may sit on the Council of
State and be made a Peer of the Chamber。 If you delay too long； if you
give any one a hold against you； I can answer for nothing。Now； am I
to go？〃
〃Wait a little。 I will see the Marshal；〃 replied Hulot； 〃and I will
send my brother to see which way the wind blows at headquarters。〃
The humor in which the Baron came back to Madame Marneffe's may be
imagined； he had almost forgotten his fatherhood； for Roger had taken
the part of a true and kind friend in explaining the position。 At the
same time Valerie's influence was so great that； by the middle of
dinner； the Baron was tuned up to the pitch； and was all the more
cheerful for having unwonted anxieties to conceal； but the hapless man
was not yet aware that in the course of that evening he would find
himself in a cleft stick； between his happiness and the danger pointed
out by his friendcompelled； in short； to choose between Madame
Marneffe and his official position。
At eleven o'clock； when the evening was at its gayest； for the room
was full of company； Valerie drew Hector into a corner of her sofa。
〃My dear old boy；〃 said she； 〃your daughter is so annoyed at knowing
that Wenceslas comes here； that she has left him 'planted。' Hortense
is wrong…headed。 Ask Wenceslas to show you the letter the little fool
has written to him。
〃This division of two lovers； of which I am reputed to be the cause；
may do me the greatest harm； for this is how virtuous women undermine
each other。 It is disgraceful to pose as a victim in order to cast the
blame on a woman whose only crime is that she keeps a pleasant house。
If you love me； you will clear my character by reconciling the sweet
turtle…doves。
〃I do not in the least care about your son…in…law's visits； you
brought him heretake him away again！ If you have any authority in
your family； it seems to me that you may very well insist on your
wife's patching up this squabble。 Tell the worthy old lady from me；
that if I am unjustly charged with having caused a young couple to
quarrel； with upsetting the unity of a family； and annexing both the
father and the son…in…law； I will deserve my reputation by annoying
them in my own way！ Why； here is Lisbeth talking of throwing me over！
She prefers to stick to her family； and I cannot blame her for it。 She
will throw me over； says she； unless the young people make friends
again。 A pretty state of things！ Our expenses here will be trebled！〃
〃Oh； as for that！〃 said the Baron； on hearing of his daughter's strong
measures； 〃I will have no nonsense of that kind。〃
〃Very well；〃 said Valerie。 〃And now for the next thing。What about
Coquet's place？〃
〃That；〃 said Hector； looking away； 〃is more difficult； not to say
impossible。〃
〃Impossible； my dear Hector？〃 said Madame Marneffe in the Baron's ear。
〃But you do not know to what lengths Marneffe will go。 I am completely
in his power； he is immoral for his own gratification； like most men；
but he is excessively vindictive； like all weak and impotent natures。
In the position to which you have reduced me； I am in his power。 I am
bound to be on terms with him for a few days； and he is quite capable
of refusing to leave my room any more。〃
Hulot started with horror。
〃He would leave me alone on condition of being head…clerk。 It is
abominablebut logical。〃
〃Valerie； do you love me？〃
〃In the state in which I am； my dear； the question is the meanest
insult。〃
〃Well； thenif I were to attempt； merely to attempt； to ask the
Prince for a place for Marneffe； I should be done for； and Marneffe
would be turned out。〃
〃I thought that you and the Prince were such intimate friends。〃
〃We are； and he has amply proved it； but； my child； there is authority
above the Marshal'sfor instance； the whole Council of Ministers。
With time and a little tacking； we shall get there。 But； to succeed； I
must wait till the moment when some service is required of me。 Then I
can say one good turn deserves another〃
〃If I tell Marneffe this tale； my poor Hector； he will play us some
mean trick。 You must tell him yourself that he has to wait。 I will not
undertake to do so。 Oh！ I know what my fate would be。 He knows how to
punish me！ He will henceforth share my room
〃Do not forget to settle the twelve hundred francs a year on the
little one！〃
Hulot； seeing his pleasures in danger； took Monsieur Marneffe aside；
and for the first time derogated from the haughty tone he had always
assumed towards him； so greatly was he horrified by the thought of
that half…dead creature in his pretty young wife's bedroom。
〃Marneffe； my dear fellow；〃 said he； 〃I have been talking of you
to…day。 But you cannot be promoted to the first class just yet。 We
must have time。〃
〃I will be； Monsieur le Baron；〃 said Marneffe shortly。
〃But； my dear fellow〃
〃I /will/ be； Monsieur le Baron；〃 Marneffe coldly repeated； looking
alternately at the Baron and at Valerie。 〃You have placed my wife in a
position that necessitates her making up her differences with me； and
I mean to keep her； for； /my dear fellow/； she is a charming
creature；〃 he added； with crushing irony。 〃I am master heremore than
you are at the War Office。〃
The Baron felt one of those pangs of fury which have the effect； in
the heart； of a fit of raging toothache； and he could hardly conceal
the tears in his eyes。
During this little scene； Valerie had been explaining Marneffe's
imaginary determination to Montes； and thus had rid herself of him for
a time。
Of her four adherents； Crevel alone was exempted from the rule
Crevel； the master of the little 〃bijou〃 apartment； and he displayed
on his countenance an air of really insolent beatitude；
notwithstanding the wordless reproofs administered by Valerie in
frowns and meaning grimaces。 His triumphant paternity beamed in every
feature。
When Valerie was whispering a word of correction in his ear； he
snatched her hand； and put in：
〃To…morrow； my Duchess； you shall have your own little house！ The
papers are to be signed to…morrow。〃
〃And the furniture？〃 said she； with a smile。
〃I have a thousand shares in the Versailles /rive gauche/ railway。 I
bought them at twenty…five； and they will go up to three hundred in
consequence of the amalgamation of the two lines； which is a secret
told to me。 You shall have furniture fit for a queen。 But then you
will be mine alone henceforth？〃
〃Yes； burly Maire；〃 said this middle…class Madame de Merteuil。 〃But
behave yourself； respect the future Madame Crevel。〃
〃My dear cousin；〃 Lisbeth was saying to the Baron； 〃I shall go to see
Adeline early to…morrow； for； as you must see； I cannot； with any
decency； remain here。 I will go and keep house for