hundred thousand francs；〃 were scarcely articulate in the torrent of
weeping； as stones； however large； are invisible in Alpine cataracts
swollen by the melting of the snows。
This is the inexperience of virtue。 Vice asks for nothing； as we have
seen in Madame Marneffe； it gets everything offered to it。 Women of
that stamp are never exacting till they have made themselves
indispensable； or when a man has to be worked as a quarry is worked
where the lime is rather scarcegoing to ruin； as the quarry…men say。
On hearing these words； 〃Two hundred thousand francs；〃 Crevel
understood all。 He cheerfully raised the Baroness； saying insolently：
〃Come； come； bear up； mother；〃 which Adeline； in her distraction；
failed to hear。 The scene was changing its character。 Crevel was
becoming 〃master of the situation；〃 to use his own words。 The vastness
of the sum startled Crevel so greatly that his emotion at seeing this
handsome woman in tears at his feet was forgotten。 Besides； however
angelical and saintly a woman may be； when she is crying bitterly her
beauty disappears。 A Madame Marneffe； as has been seen； whimpers now
and then； a tear trickles down her cheek； but as to melting into tears
and making her eyes and nose red！never would she commit such a
blunder。
〃Come； child； compose yourself。Deuce take it！〃 Crevel went on；
taking Madame Hulot's hands in his own and patting them。 〃Why do you
apply to me for two hundred thousand francs？ What do you want with
them？ Whom are they for？〃
〃Do not；〃 said she； 〃insist on any explanations。 Give me the money！
You will save three lives and the honor of our children。〃
〃And do you suppose； my good mother； that in all Paris you will find a
man who at a word from a half…crazy woman will go off /hic et nunc/；
and bring out of some drawer； Heaven knows where； two hundred thousand
francs that have been lying simmering there till she is pleased to
scoop them up？ Is that all you know of life and of business； my
beauty？ Your folks are in a bad way； you may send them the last
sacraments； for no one in Paris but her Divine Highness Madame la
Banque； or the great Nucingen； or some miserable miser who is in love
with gold as we other folks are with a woman； could produce such a
miracle！ The civil list； civil as it may be； would beg you to call
again tomorrow。 Every one invests his money； and turns it over to the
best of his powers。
〃You are quite mistaken； my angel； if you suppose that King Louis…
Philippe rules us； he himself knows better than that。 He knows as well
as we do that supreme above the Charter reigns the holy； venerated；
substantial； delightful； obliging； beautiful； noble； ever…youthful；
and all…powerful five…franc piece！ But money； my beauty； insists on
interest； and is always engaged in seeking it！ 'God of the Jews； thou
art supreme！' says Racine。 The perennial parable of the golden calf；
you see！In the days of Moses there was stock…jobbing in the desert！
〃We have reverted to Biblical traditions； the Golden Calf was the
first State ledger；〃 he went on。 〃You； my Adeline； have not gone
beyond the Rue Plumet。 The Egyptians had lent enormous sums to the
Hebrews； and what they ran after was not God's people； but their
capital。〃
He looked at the Baroness with an expression which said； 〃How clever I
am！〃
〃You know nothing of the devotion of every city man to his sacred
hoard！〃 he went on； after a pause。 〃Excuse me。 Listen to me。 Get this
well into your head。You want two hundred thousand francs？ No one can
produce the sum without selling some security。 Now consider！ To have
two hundred thousand francs in hard cash it would be needful to sell
about seven hundred thousand francs' worth of stock at three per cent。
Well； and then you would only get the money on the third day。 That is
the quickest way。 To persuade a man to part with a fortunefor two
hundred thousand francs is the whole fortune of many a manhe ought
at least to know where it is all going to； and for what purpose〃
〃It is going； my dear kind Crevel； to save the lives of two men； one
of whom will die of grief and the other will kill himself！ And to save
me too from going mad！ Am I not a little mad already？〃
〃Not so mad！〃 said he； taking Madame Hulot round the knees； 〃old
Crevel has his price； since you thought of applying to him； my angel。〃
〃They submit to have a man's arms round their knees； it would seem！〃
thought the saintly woman； covering her face with her hands。
〃Once you offered me a fortune！〃 said she； turning red。
〃Ay； mother！ but that was three years ago！〃 replied Crevel。 〃Well； you
are handsomer now than ever I saw you！〃 he went on； taking the
Baroness' arm and pressing it to his heart。 〃You have a good memory；
my dear； by Jove！And now you see how wrong you were to be so
prudish； for those three hundred thousand francs that you refused so
magnanimously are in another woman's pocket。 I loved you then； I love
you still； but just look back these three years。
〃When I said to you； 'You shall be mine；' what object had I in view？ I
meant to be revenged on that rascal Hulot。 But your husband； my
beauty； found himself a mistressa jewel of a woman； a pearl； a
cunning hussy then aged three…and…twenty； for she is six…and…twenty
now。 It struck me as more amusing； more complete； more Louis XV。； more
Marechal de Richelieu； more first…class altogether； to filch away that
charmer； who； in point of fact； never cared for Hulot； and who for
these three years has been madly in love with your humble servant。〃
As he spoke； Crevel； from whose hands the Baroness had released her
own； had resumed his favorite attitude； both thumbs were stuck into
his armholes； and he was patting his ribs with his fingers； like two
flapping wings； fancying that he was thus making himself very
attractive and charming。 It was as much as to say； 〃And this is the
man you would have nothing to say to！〃
〃There you are my dear； I had my revenge； and your husband knows it。 I
proved to him clearly that he was basketedjust where he was before；
as we say。 Madame Marneffe is my mistress； and when her precious
Marneffe kicks the bucket； she will be my wife。〃
Madame Hulot stared at Crevel with a fixed and almost dazed look。
〃Hector knew it？〃 she said。
〃And went back to her；〃 replied Crevel。 〃And I allowed it； because
Valerie wished to be the wife of a head…clerk； but she promised me
that she would manage things so that our Baron should be so
effectually bowled over that he can never interfere any more。 And my
little duchessfor that woman is a born duchess； on my soul！kept
her word。 She restores you your Hector； madame； virtuous in
perpetuity； as she saysshe is so witty！ He has had a good lesson； I
can tell you！ The Baron has had some hard knocks； he will help no more
actresses or fine ladies； he is radically cured； cleaned out like a
beer…glass。
〃If you had listened to Crevel in the first instance； instead of
scorning him and turning him out of the house； you might have had four
hundred thousand francs； for my revenge has cost me all of that。But
I shall get my change back； I hope； when Marneffe diesI have
invested in a wife； you see； that is the secret of my extravagance。 I
have solved the problem of playing the lord on easy terms。〃
〃Would you give your daughter such a mother…in…law？ cried Madame
Hulot。
〃You do not know Valerie； madame；〃 replied Crevel gravely； striking
the attitude of his first manner。 〃She is a woman with good blood in
her veins； a lady； and a woman who enjoys the highest consideration。
Why； only yesterday the vicar of the parish was dining with her。 She
is pious； and we have presented a splendid monstrance to the church。
〃Oh！ she is clever； she is witty； she is delightful； well informed
she has everything in her favor。 For my part； my dear Adeline； I owe
everything to that charming woman； she has opened my mind； polished my
speech； as you may have noticed； she corrects my impetuosity； and
gives me words and ideas。 I never say anything now that I ought not。 I
have greatly improved； you must have noticed it。 And then she has
encouraged my ambition。 I shall be a Deputy； and I shall make no
blunders； for I shall consult my Egeria。 Every great politician； from
Numa to our present Prime Minister； has had his Sibyl of the fountain。
A score of deputies visit Valerie； she is acquiring considerable
influence； and now that she is about to be established in a charming
house； with a carriage； she will be one of the occult rulers of Paris。
〃A fine locomotive！ That is what such a woman is。 Oh； I have blessed
you many a time for your stern virtue。〃
〃It is enough to make one doubt the goodness of God！〃 cried Adeline；
whose indignation had dried her tears。 〃But； no！ Divine justice must
be hanging over her head。〃
〃You know nothing of the world； my beauty；〃 said the great politician；
deeply offended。 〃The world； my Adeline； loves success！ Say； now； has
it come to seek out your sublime virtue； priced at two hundred
thousand francs？〃
The words made Madame Hulot shudder； the nervous trembling attacked
her once more。 She saw that the ex…perfumer was taking a mean revenge
on her as he had on Hulot； she felt sick with d