a thin pocket…book over his heart； proved to him that she loved him
more than the most charming of young men。
Having rung； the unhappy visitor heard within the shuffling slippers
and vexatious scraping cough of the detestable master。 Marneffe opened
the door； but only to put himself into an attitude and point to the
stairs； exactly as Hulot had shown him the door of his private room。
〃You are too exclusively Hulot； Monsieur Hulot！〃 said he。
The Baron tried to pass him； Marneffe took a pistol out of his pocket
and cocked it。
〃Monsieur le Baron；〃 said he； 〃when a man is as vile as I amfor you
think me very vile； don't you？he would be the meanest galley…slave
if he did not get the full benefit of his betrayed honor。You are for
war； it will be hot work and no quarter。 Come here no more； and do not
attempt to get past me。 I have given the police notice of my position
with regard to you。〃
And taking advantage of Hulot's amazement； he pushed him out and shut
the door。
〃What a low scoundrel！〃 said Hulot to himself； as he went upstairs to
Lisbeth。 〃I understand her letter now。 Valerie and I will go away from
Paris。 Valerie is wholly mine for the remainder of my days； she will
close my eyes。〃
Lisbeth was out。 Madame Olivier told the Baron that she had gone to
his wife's house； thinking that she would find him there。
〃Poor thing！ I should never have expected her to be so sharp as she
was this morning；〃 thought Hulot； recalling Lisbeth's behavior as he
made his way from the Rue Vanneau to the Rue Plumet。
As he turned the corner of the Rue Vanneau and the Rue de Babylone； he
looked back at the Eden whence Hymen had expelled him with the sword
of the law。 Valerie； at her window； was watching his departure； as he
glanced up； she waved her handkerchief； but the rascally Marneffe hit
his wife's cap and dragged her violently away from the window。 A tear
rose to the great official's eye。
〃Oh！ to be so well loved！ To see a woman so ill used； and to be so
nearly seventy years old！〃 thought he。
Lisbeth had come to give the family the good news。 Adeline and
Hortense had already heard that the Baron； not choosing to compromise
himself in the eyes of the whole office by appointing Marneffe to the
first class； would be turned from the door by the Hulot…hating
husband。 Adeline； very happy； had ordered a dinner that her Hector was
to like better than any of Valerie's； and Lisbeth； in her devotion；
was helping Mariette to achieve this difficult result。 Cousin Betty
was the idol of the hour。 Mother and daughter kissed her hands； and
had told her with touching delight that the Marshal consented to have
her as his housekeeper。
〃And from that； my dear； there is but one step to becoming his wife！〃
said Adeline。
〃In fact； he did not say no when Victorin mentioned it；〃 added the
Countess。
The Baron was welcomed home with such charming proofs of affection； so
pathetically overflowing with love； that he was fain to conceal his
troubles。
Marshal Hulot came to dinner。 After dinner； Hector did not go out。
Victorin and his wife joined them； and they made up a rubber。
〃It is a long time； Hector； said the Marshal gravely； 〃since you gave
us the treat of such an evening。〃
This speech from the old soldier； who spoiled his brother though he
thus implicitly blamed him； made a deep impression。 It showed how wide
and deep were the wounds in a heart where all the woes he had divined
had found an echo。 At eight o'clock the Baron insisted on seeing
Lisbeth home； promising to return。
〃Do you know； Lisbeth； he ill…treats her！〃 said he in the street。 〃Oh；
I never loved her so well！〃
〃I never imagined that Valerie loved you so well；〃 replied Lisbeth。
〃She is frivolous and a coquette； she loves to have attentions paid
her； and to have the comedy of love…making performed for her； as she
says； but you are her only real attachment。〃
〃What message did she send me？〃
〃Why； this；〃 said Lisbeth。 〃She has； as you know； been on intimate
terms with Crevel。 You must owe her no grudge； for that； in fact； is
what has raised her above utter poverty for the rest of her life； but
she detests him； and matters are nearly at an end。Well； she has kept
the key of some rooms〃
〃Rue du Dauphin！〃 cried the thrice…blest Baron。 〃If it were for that
alone； I would overlook Crevel。I have been there； I know。〃
〃Here； then； is the key；〃 said Lisbeth。 〃Have another made from it in
the course of to…morrowtwo if you can。〃
〃And then；〃 said Hulot eagerly。
〃Well； I will dine at your house again to…morrow； you must give me
back Valerie's key； for old Crevel might ask her to return it to him；
and you can meet her there the day after； then you can decide what
your facts are to be。 You will be quite safe； as there are two ways
out。 If by chance Crevel； who is /Regence/ in his habits； as he is
fond of saying； should come in by the side street； you could go out
through the shop； or /vice versa/。
〃You owe all this to me； you old villain； now what will you do for
me？〃
〃Whatever you want。〃
〃Then you will not oppose my marrying your brother？〃
〃You！ the Marechale Hulot； the Comtesse de Frozheim？〃 cried Hector；
startled。
〃Well； Adeline is a Baroness！〃 retorted Betty in a vicious and
formidable tone。 〃Listen to me； you old libertine。 You know how
matters stand； your family may find itself starving in the gutter〃
〃That is what I dread；〃 said Hulot in dismay。
〃And if your brother were to die； who would maintain your wife and
daughter？ The widow of a Marshal gets at least six thousand francs
pension； doesn't she？ Well； then； I wish to marry to secure bread for
your wife and daughterold dotard！〃
〃I had not seen it in that light！〃 said the Baron。 〃I will talk to my
brotherfor we are sure of you。Tell my angel that my life is hers。〃
And the Baron； having seen Lisbeth go into the house in the Rue
Vanneau； went back to his whist and stayed at home。 The Baroness was
at the height of happiness； her husband seemed to be returning to
domestic habits； for about a fortnight he went to his office at nine
every morning； he came in to dinner at six； and spent the evening with
his family。 He twice took Adeline and Hortense to the play。 The mother
and daughter paid for three thanksgiving masses； and prayed to God to
suffer them to keep the husband and father He had restored to them。
One evening Victorin Hulot； seeing his father retire for the night；
said to his mother：
〃Well； we are at any rate so far happy that my father has come back to
us。 My wife and I shall never regret our capital if only this lasts〃
〃Your father is nearly seventy；〃 said the Baroness。 〃He still thinks
of Madame Marneffe； that I can see； but he will forget her in time。 A
passion for women is not like gambling； or speculation； or avarice；
there is an end to it。〃
But Adeline； still beautiful in spite of her fifty years and her
sorrows； in this was mistaken。 Profligates； men whom Nature has gifted
with the precious power of loving beyond the limits ordinarily set to
love； rarely are as old as their age。
During this relapse into virtue Baron Hulot had been three times to
the Rue du Dauphin； and had certainly not been the man of seventy。 His
rekindled passion made him young again； and he would have sacrificed
his honor to Valerie； his family； his all； without a regret。 But
Valerie； now completely altered； never mentioned money； not even the
twelve hundred francs a year to be settled on their son； on the
contrary； she offered him money； she loved Hulot as a woman of six…
and…thirty loves a handsome law…studenta poor； poetical； ardent boy。
And the hapless wife fancied she had reconquered her dear Hector！
The fourth meeting between this couple had been agreed upon at the end
of the third； exactly as formerly in Italian theatres the play was
announced for the next night。 The hour fixed was nine in the morning。
On the next day when the happiness was due for which the amorous old
man had resigned himself to domestic rules； at about eight in the
morning； Reine came and asked to see the Baron。 Hulot； fearing some
catastrophe； went out to speak with Reine； who would not come into the
anteroom。 The faithful waiting…maid gave him the following note：
〃DEAR OLD MAN；Do not go to the Rue du Dauphin。 Our incubus is
ill； and I must nurse him； but be there this evening at nine。
Crevel is at Corbeil with Monsieur Lebas； so I am sure he will
bring no princess to his little palace。 I have made arrangements
here to be free for the night and get back before Marneffe is
awake。 Answer me as to all this； for perhaps your long elegy of a
wife no longer allows you your liberty as she did。 I am told she
is still so handsome that you might play me false； you are such a
gay dog！ Burn this note； I am suspicious of every one。〃
Hulot wrote this scrap in reply：
〃MY LOVE；As I have told you； my wife has not for five…and…twenty
years interfered with my pleasures。 For you I would give up a
hundred Adelines。I will be in the Crevel sanctum at nine this
evening awaiting my divinity。 Oh that your clerk might soon die！
We should part no more。 And this is the dearest wish of
〃