himself as he noted the bareness of the place （Crevel's word）：
〃Poor woman！ She lives here like some fine picture stowed in a loft by
a man who knows nothing of painting。〃
Crevel； seeing Comte Popinot； the Minister of Commerce； buy pictures
and statues； wanted also to figure as a Maecenas of Paris； whose love
of Art consists in making good investments。
Adeline smiled graciously at Crevel； pointing to a chair facing her。
〃Here I am； fair lady； at your command；〃 said Crevel。
Monsieur the Mayor； a political personage； now wore black broadcloth。
His face； at the top of this solemn suit； shone like a full moon
rising above a mass of dark clouds。 His shirt； buttoned with three
large pearls worth five hundred francs apiece； gave a great idea of
his thoracic capacity； and he was apt to say； 〃In me you see the
coming athlete of the tribune！〃 His enormous vulgar hands were encased
in yellow gloves even in the morning； his patent leather boots spoke
of the chocolate…colored coupe with one horse in which he drove。
In the course of three years ambition had altered Crevel's
pretensions。 Like all great artists； he had come to his second manner。
In the great world； when he went to the Prince de Wissembourg's； to
the Prefecture； to Comte Popinot's； and the like； he held his hat in
his hand in an airy manner taught him by Valerie； and he inserted the
thumb of the other hand in the armhole of his waistcoat with a knowing
air； and a simpering face and expression。 This new grace of attitude
was due to the satirical inventiveness of Valerie； who； under pretence
of rejuvenating her mayor； had given him an added touch of the
ridiculous。
〃I begged you to come； my dear kind Monsieur Crevel；〃 said the
Baroness in a husky voice； 〃on a matter of the greatest importance〃
〃I can guess what it is； madame；〃 said Crevel； with a knowing air；
〃but what you would ask is impossible。Oh； I am not a brutal father；
a manto use Napoleon's wordsset hard and fast on sheer avarice。
Listen to me； fair lady。 If my children were ruining themselves for
their own benefit； I would help them out of the scrape； but as for
backing your husband； madame？ It is like trying to fill the vat of the
Danaides！ Their house is mortgaged for three hundred thousand francs
for an incorrigible father！ Why； they have nothing left； poor
wretches！ And they have no fun for their money。 All they have to live
upon is what Victorin may make in Court。 He must wag his tongue more；
must monsieur your son！ And he was to have been a Minister； that
learned youth！ Our hope and pride。 A pretty pilot； who runs aground
like a land…lubber； for if he had borrowed to enable him to get on； if
he had run into debt for feasting Deputies； winning votes； and
increasing his influence； I should be the first to say； 'Here is my
pursedip your hand in； my friend！' But when it comes of paying for
papa's follyfolly I warned you of！Ah！ his father has deprived him
of every chance of power。It is I who shall be Minister！〃
〃Alas； my dear Crevel； it has nothing to do with the children； poor
devoted souls！If your heart is closed to Victorin and Celestine； I
shall love them so much that perhaps I may soften the bitterness of
their souls caused by your anger。 You are punishing your children for
a good action！〃
〃Yes； for a good action badly done！ That is half a crime；〃 said
Crevel； much pleased with his epigram。
〃Doing good； my dear Crevel； does not mean sparing money out of a
purse that is bursting with it； it means enduring privations to be
generous； suffering for liberality！ It is being prepared for
ingratitude！ Heaven does not see the charity that costs us nothing〃
〃Saints； madame； may if they please go to the workhouse； they know
that it is for them the door of heaven。 For my part； I am worldly…
minded； I fear God； but yet more I fear the hell of poverty。 To be
destitute is the last depth of misfortune in society as now
constituted。 I am a man of my time； I respect money。〃
〃And you are right；〃 said Adeline； 〃from the worldly point of view。〃
She was a thousand miles from her point； and she felt herself on a
gridiron； like Saint Laurence； as she thought of her uncle； for she
could see him blowing his brains out。
She looked down； then she raised her eyes to gaze at Crevel with
angelic sweetnessnot with the inviting suggestiveness which was part
of Valerie's wit。 Three years ago she could have bewitched Crevel by
that beautiful look。
〃I have known the time；〃 said she； 〃when you were more generousyou
used to talk of three hundred thousand francs like a grand
gentleman〃
Crevel looked at Madame Hulot； he beheld her like a lily in the last
of its bloom； vague sensations rose within him； but he felt such
respect for this saintly creature that he spurned all suspicions and
buried them in the most profligate corner of his heart。
〃I； madame； am still the same； but a retired merchant； if he is a
grand gentleman； plays； and must play； the part with method and
economy； he carries his ideas of order into everything。 He opens an
account for his little amusements； and devotes certain profits to that
head of expenditure； but as to touching his capital！ it would be
folly。 My children will have their fortune intact； mine and my wife's；
but I do not suppose that they wish their father to be dull； a monk
and a mummy！ My life is a very jolly one； I float gaily down the
stream。 I fulfil all the duties imposed on me by law； by my
affections； and by family ties； just as I always used to be punctual
in paying my bills when they fell due。 If only my children conduct
themselves in their domestic life as I do； I shall be satisfied； and
for the present； so long as my folliesfor I have committed follies
are no loss to any one but the gullsexcuse me； you do not perhaps
understand the slang wordthey will have nothing to blame me for； and
will find a tidy little sum still left when I die。 Your children
cannot say as much of their father； who is ruining his son and my
daughter by his pranks〃
The Baroness was getting further from her object as he went on。
〃You are very unkind about my husband； my dear Creveland yet； if you
had found his wife obliging； you would have been his best friend〃
She shot a burning glance at Crevel； but； like Dubois； who gave the
Regent three kicks； she affected too much； and the rakish perfumer's
thoughts jumped at such profligate suggestions； that he said to
himself； 〃Does she want to turn the tables on Hulot？Does she think
me more attractive as a Mayor than as a National Guardsman？ Women are
strange creatures！〃
And he assumed the position of his second manner； looking at the
Baroness with his /Regency/ leer。
〃I could almost fancy；〃 she went on； 〃that you want to visit on him
your resentment against the virtue that resisted youin a woman whom
you loved well enoughtoto buy her；〃 she added in a low voice。
〃In a divine woman；〃 Crevel replied； with a meaning smile at the
Baroness； who looked down while tears rose to her eyes。 〃For you have
swallowed not a few bitter pills！in these three yearshey； my
beauty？〃
〃Do not talk of my troubles； dear Crevel； they are too much for the
endurance of a mere human being。 Ah！ if you still love me； you may
drag me out of the pit in which I lie。 Yes； I am in hell torment！ The
regicides who were racked and nipped and torn into quarters by four
horses were on roses compared with me； for their bodies only were
dismembered； and my heart is torn in quarters〃
Crevel's thumb moved from his armhole； he placed his hand on the work…
table； he abandoned his attitude； he smiled！ The smile was so vacuous
that it misled the Baroness； she took it for an expression of
kindness。
〃You see a woman； not indeed in despair； but with her honor at the
point of death； and prepared for everything； my dear friend； to hinder
a crime。〃
Fearing that Hortense might come in； she bolted the door； then with
equal impetuosity she fell at Crevel's feet； took his hand and kissed
it。
〃Be my deliverer！〃 she cried。
She thought there was some generous fibre in this mercantile soul； and
full of sudden hope that she might get the two hundred thousand francs
without degrading herself：
〃Buy a soulyou were once ready to buy virtue！〃 she went on； with a
frenzied gaze。 〃Trust to my honesty as a woman； to my honor； of which
you know the worth！ Be my friend！ Save a whole family from ruin；
shame； despair； keep it from falling into a bog where the quicksands
are mingled with blood！ Oh！ ask for no explanations；〃 she exclaimed；
at a movement on Crevel's part； who was about to speak。 〃Above all； do
not say to me； 'I told you so！' like a friend who is glad at a
misfortune。 Come now； yield to her whom you used to love； to the woman
whose humiliation at your feet is perhaps the crowning moment of her
glory； ask nothing of her； expect what you will from her gratitude！
No； no。 Give me nothing； but lendlend to me whom you used to call
Adeline〃
At this point her tears flowed so fast； Adeline was sobbing so
passionately； that Crevel's gloves were wet。 The words； 〃I need two
hundred thousand francs；〃 were scarcely articulate in the torrent of
weeping； as stones； however large； a