you dream of！ I speak plainly； for you are at the bottom of a pit。〃
The Baroness and her daughter； hearing Lisbeth speak in this style；
cast adoring looks at her； such as the devout cast at a Madonna for
having saved their life。
〃That horrible woman was bent on destroying your son…in…law's home。 To
what end？I know not。 My brain is not equal to seeing clearly into
these dark intriguesperverse； ignoble； infamous！ Your Madame
Marneffe does not love your son…in…law； but she will have him at her
feet out of revenge。 I have just spoken to the wretched woman as she
deserves。 She is a shameless courtesan； I have told her that I am
leaving her house； that I would not have my honor smirched in that
muck…heap。I owe myself to my family before all else。
〃I knew that Hortense had left her husband； so here I am。 Your
Valerie； whom you believe to be a saint； is the cause of this
miserable separation； can I remain with such a woman？ Our poor little
Hortense；〃 said she； touching the Baron's arm； with peculiar meaning；
〃is perhaps the dupe of a wish of such women as these； who； to possess
a toy； would sacrifice a family。
〃I do not think Wenceslas guilty； but I think him weak； and I cannot
promise that he will not yield to her refinements of temptation。My
mind is made up。 The woman is fatal to you； she will bring you all to
utter ruin。 I will not even seem to be concerned in the destruction of
my own family； after living there for three years solely to hinder it。
〃You are cheated； Baron； say very positively that you will have
nothing to say to the promotion of that dreadful Marneffe； and you
will see then！ There is a fine rod in pickle for you in that case。〃
Lisbeth lifted up Hortense and kissed her enthusiastically。
〃My dear Hortense； stand firm；〃 she whispered。
The Baroness embraced Lisbeth with the vehemence of a woman who sees
herself avenged。 The whole family stood in perfect silence round the
father； who had wit enough to know what that silence implied。 A storm
of fury swept across his brow and face with evident signs； the veins
swelled； his eyes were bloodshot； his flesh showed patches of color。
Adeline fell on her knees before him and seized his hands。
〃My dear； forgive； my dear！〃
〃You loathe me！〃 cried the Baronthe cry of his conscience。
For we all know the secret of our own wrong…doing。 We almost always
ascribe to our victims the hateful feelings which must fill them with
the hope of revenge； and in spite of every effort of hypocrisy； our
tongue or our face makes confession under the rack of some unexpected
anguish； as the criminal of old confessed under the hands of the
torturer。
〃Our children；〃 he went on； to retract the avowal； 〃turn at last to be
our enemies〃
〃Father！〃 Victorin began。
〃You dare to interrupt your father！〃 said the Baron in a voice of
thunder； glaring at his son。
〃Father； listen to me；〃 Victorin went on in a clear； firm voice； the
voice of a puritanical deputy。 〃I know the respect I owe you too well
ever to fail in it； and you will always find me the most respectful
and submissive of sons。〃
Those who are in the habit of attending the sittings of the Chamber
will recognize the tactics of parliamentary warfare in these fine…
drawn phrases； used to calm the factions while gaining time。
〃We are far from being your enemies；〃 his son went on。 〃I have
quarreled with my father…in…law； Monsieur Crevel； for having rescued
your notes of hand for sixty thousand francs from Vauvinet； and that
money is； beyond doubt； in Madame Marneffe's pocket。I am not finding
fault with you； father；〃 said he； in reply to an impatient gesture of
the Baron's； 〃I simply wish to add my protest to my cousin Lisbeth's；
and to point out to you that though my devotion to you as a father is
blind and unlimited； my dear father； our pecuniary resources；
unfortunately； are very limited。〃
〃Money！〃 cried the excitable old man； dropping on to a chair； quite
crushed by this argument。 〃From my son！You shall be repaid your
money； sir；〃 said he； rising； and he went to the door。
〃Hector！〃
At this cry the Baron turned round； suddenly showing his wife a face
bathed in tears； she threw her arms round him with the strength of
despair。
〃Do not leave us thusdo not go away in anger。 I have not said a word
not I！〃
At this heart…wrung speech the children fell at their father's feet。
〃We all love you；〃 said Hortense。
Lisbeth； as rigid as a statue； watched the group with a superior smile
on her lips。 Just then Marshal Hulot's voice was heard in the
anteroom。 The family all felt the importance of secrecy； and the scene
suddenly changed。 The young people rose； and every one tried to hide
all traces of emotion。
A discussion was going on at the door between Mariette and a soldier；
who was so persistent that the cook came in。
〃Monsieur； a regimental quartermaster； who says he is just come from
Algiers； insists on seeing you。〃
〃Tell him to wait。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said Mariette to her master in an undertone； 〃he told me
to tell you privately that it has to do with your uncle there。〃
The Baron started； he believed that the funds had been sent at last
which he had been asking for these two months； to pay up his bills； he
left the family…party； and hurried out to the anteroom。
〃You are Monsieur de Paron Hulot？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Your own self？〃
〃My own self。〃
The man； who had been fumbling meanwhile in the lining of his cap；
drew out a letter； of which the Baron hastily broke the seal； and read
as follows：
〃DEAR NEPHEW；Far from being able to send you the hundred
thousand francs you ask of me； my present position is not tenable
unless you can take some decisive steps to save me。 We are saddled
with a public prosecutor who talks goody； and rhodomontades
nonsense about the management。 It is impossible to get the black…
chokered pump to hold his tongue。 If the War Minister allows
civilians to feed out of his hand； I am done for。 I can trust the
bearer； try to get him promoted； he has done us good service。 Do
not abandon me to the crows！〃
This letter was a thunderbolt； the Baron could read in it the
intestine warfare between civil and military authorities； which to
this day hampers the Government； and he was required to invent on the
spot some palliative for the difficulty that stared him in the face。
He desired the soldier to come back next day； dismissing him with
splendid promises of promotion； and he returned to the drawing…room。
〃Good…day and good…bye； brother；〃 said he to the Marshal。〃Good…bye；
children。Good…bye； my dear Adeline。And what are you going to do；
Lisbeth？〃 he asked。
〃I？I am going to keep house for the Marshal； for I must end my days
doing what I can for one or another of you。〃
〃Do not leave Valerie till I have seen you again；〃 said Hulot in his
cousin's ear。〃Good…bye； Hortense； refractory little puss； try to be
reasonable。 I have important business to be attended to at once； we
will discuss your reconciliation another time。 Now； think it over； my
child；〃 said he as he kissed her。
And he went away； so evidently uneasy； that his wife and children felt
the gravest apprehensions。
〃Lisbeth；〃 said the Baroness； 〃I must find out what is wrong with
Hector； I never saw him in such a state。 Stay a day or two longer with
that woman； he tells her everything； and we can then learn what has so
suddenly upset him。 Be quite easy； we will arrange your marriage to
the Marshal； for it is really necessary。〃
〃I shall never forget the courage you have shown this morning；〃 said
Hortense； embracing Lisbeth。
〃You have avenged our poor mother；〃 said Victorin。
The Marshal looked on with curiosity at all the display of affection
lavished on Lisbeth； who went off to report the scene to Valerie。
This sketch will enable guileless souls to understand what various
mischief Madame Marneffes may do in a family； and the means by which
they reach poor virtuous wives apparently so far out of their ken。 And
then； if we only transfer； in fancy； such doings to the upper class of
society about a throne； and if we consider what kings' mistresses must
have cost them； we may estimate the debt owed by a nation to a
sovereign who sets the example of a decent and domestic life。
In Paris each ministry is a little town by itself； whence women are
banished； but there is just as much detraction and scandal as though
the feminine population were admitted there。 At the end of three
years； Monsieur Marneffe's position was perfectly clear and open to
the day； and in every room one and another asked； 〃Is Marneffe to be；
or not to be； Coquet's successor？〃 Exactly as the question might have
been put to the Chamber； 〃Will the estimates pass or not pass？〃 The
smallest initiative on the part of the board of Management was
commented on； everything in Baron Hulot's department was carefully
noted。 The astute State Councillor had enlisted on his side the victim
of Marneffe's promotion； a hard…working clerk； telling him that if he
could fill Marneffe's place； he would certainly succeed to it； he had
told him that the man was dying。 So this clerk was scheming for
Marneffe's advancement。
When Hulot went t