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 disgust； and a spasm
rose to her throat； hindering speech。
〃Money！〃 she said at last。 〃Always money！〃
〃You touched me deeply；〃 said Crevel； reminded by these words of the
woman's humiliation； 〃when I beheld you there； weeping at my feet！
You perhaps will not believe me； but if I had my pocket…book about me；
it would have been yours。Come； do you really want such a sum？〃
As she heard this question； big with two hundred thousand francs；
Adeline forgot the odious insults heaped on her by this cheap…jack
fine gentleman； before the tempting picture of success described by
Machiavelli…Crevel； who only wanted to find out her secrets and laugh
over them with Valerie。
〃Oh！ I will do anything； everything；〃 cried the unhappy woman。
〃Monsieur； I will sell myselfI will be a Valerie； if I must。〃
〃You will find that difficult；〃 replied Crevel。 〃Valerie is a
masterpiece in her way。 My good mother； twenty…five years of virtue
are always repellent； like a badly treated disease。 And your virtue
has grown very mouldy； my dear child。 But you shall see how much I
love you。 I will manage to get you your two hundred thousand francs。〃
Adeline； incapable of uttering a word； seized his hand and laid it on
her heart； a tear of joy trembled in her eyes。
〃Oh！ don't be in a hurry； there will be some hard pulling。 I am a
jolly good fellow； a good soul with no prejudices； and I will put
things plainly to you。 You want to do as Valerie doesvery good。 But
that is not all； you must have a gull； a stockholder； a Hulot。Well；
I know a retired tradesmanin fact； a hosier。 He is heavy； dull； has
not an idea； I am licking him into shape； but I don't know when he
will do me credit。 My man is a deputy； stupid and conceited； the
tyranny of a turbaned wife； in the depths of the country； has
preserved him in a state of utter virginity as to the luxury and
pleasures of Paris life。 But Beauvisagehis name is Beauvisageis a
millionaire； and； like me； my dear； three years ago； he will give a
hundred thousand crowns to be the lover of a real lady。Yes； you
see；〃 he went on； misunderstanding a gesture on Adeline's part； 〃he is
jealous of me； you understand； jealous of my happiness with Madame
Marneffe； and he is a fellow quite capable of selling an estate to
purchase a〃
〃Enough； Monsieur Crevel！〃 said Madame Hulot； no longer controlling
her disgust； and showing all her shame in her face。 〃I am punished
beyond my deserts。 My conscience； so sternly repressed by the iron
hand of necessity； tells me； at this final insult； that such
sacrifices are impossible。My pride is gone； I do not say now； as I
did the first time； 'Go！' after receiving this mortal thrust。 I have
lost the right to do so。 I have flung myself before you like a
prostitute。
〃Yes；〃 she went on； in reply to a negative on Crevel's part； 〃I have
fouled my life； till now so pure； by a degrading thought； and I am
inexcusable！I know it！I deserve every insult you can offer me！
God's will be done！ If； indeed； He desires the death of two creatures
worthy to appear before Him； they must die！ I shall mourn them； and
pray for them！ If it is His will that my family should be humbled to
the dust； we must bow to His avenging sword； nay； and kiss it； since
we are Christians。I know how to expiate this disgrace； which will be
the torment of all my remaining days。
〃I who speak to you； monsieur； am not Madame Hulot； but a wretched；
humble sinner； a Christian whose heart henceforth will know but one
feeling； and that is repentance； all my time given up to prayer and
charity。 With such a sin on my soul； I am the last of women； the first
only of penitents。You have been the means of bringing me to a right
mind； I can hear the Voice of God speaking within me； and I can thank
you！〃
She was shaking with the nervous trembling which from that hour never
left her。 Her low； sweet tones were quite unlike the fevered accents
of the woman who was ready for dishonor to save her family。 The blood
faded from her cheeks； her face was colorless； and her eyes were dry。
〃And I played my part very badly； did I not？〃 she went on； looking at
Crevel with the sweetness that martyrs must have shown in their eyes
as they looked up at the Proconsul。 〃True love； the sacred love of a
devoted woman； gives other pleasures； no doubt； than those that are
bought in the open market！But why so many words？〃 said she； suddenly
bethinking herself； and advancing a step further in the way to
perfection。 〃They sound like irony； but I am not ironical！ Forgive me。
Besides； monsieur； I did not want to hurt any one but myself〃
The dignity of virtue and its holy flame had expelled the transient
impurity of the woman who； splendid in her own peculiar beauty； looked
taller in Crevel's eyes。 Adeline had； at this moment； the majesty of
the figures of Religion clinging to the Cross； as painted by the old
Venetians； but she expressed； too； the immensity of her love and the
grandeur of the Catholic Church； to which she flew like a wounded
dove。
Crevel was dazzled； astounded。
〃Madame； I am your slave； without conditions；〃 said he； in an
inspiration of generosity。 〃We will look into this matterand
whatever you wantthe impossible evenI will do。 I will pledge my
securities at the Bank； and in two hours you shall have the money。〃
〃Good God！ a miracle！〃 said poor Adeline； falling on her knees。
She prayed to Heaven with such fervor as touched Crevel deeply； Madame
Hulot saw that he had tears in his eyes when； having ended her prayer；
she rose to her feet。
〃Be a friend to me； monsieur；〃 said she。 〃Your heart is better than
your words and conduct。 God gave you your soul； your passions and the
world have given you your ideas。 Oh； I will love you truly；〃 she
exclaimed； with an angelic tenderness in strange contrast with her
attempts at coquettish trickery。
〃But cease to tremble so；〃 said Crevel。
〃Am I trembling？〃 said the Baroness； unconscious of the infirmity that
had so suddenly come upon her。
〃Yes； why； look；〃 said Crevel； taking Adeline by the arm and showing
her that she was shaking with nervousness。 〃Come； madame；〃 he added
respectfully； 〃compose yourself； I am going to the Bank at once。〃
〃And come back quickly！ Remember；〃 she added； betraying all her
secrets； 〃that the first point is to prevent the suicide of our poor
Uncle Fischer involved by my husbandfor I trust you now； and I am
telling you everything。 Oh； if we should not be on time； I know my
brother…in…law； the Marshal； and he has such a delicate soul； that he
would die of it in a few days。〃
〃I am off； then；〃 said Crevel； kissing the Baroness' hand。 〃But what
has that unhappy Hulot done？〃
〃He has swindled the Government。〃
〃Good Heavens！ I fly； madame； I understand； I admire you！〃
Crevel bent one knee； kissed Madame Hulot's skirt； and vanished；
saying； 〃You will see me soon。〃
Unluckily； on his way from the Rue Plumet to his own house； to fetch
the securities； Crevel went along the Rue Vanneau； and he could not
resist going in to see his little Duchess。 His face still bore an
agitated expression。
He went straight into Valerie's room； who was having her hair dressed。
She looked at Crevel in her glass； and； like every woman of that sort；
was annoyed； before she knew anything about it； to see that he was
moved by some strong feeling of which she was not the cause。
〃What is the matter； my dear？〃 said she。 〃Is that a face to bring in
to your little Duchess？ I will not be your Duchess any more； monsieur；
no more than I will be your 'little duck；' you old monster。〃
Crevel replied by a melancholy smile and a glance at the maid。
〃Reine； child； that will do for to…day； I can finish my hair myself。
Give me my Chinese wrapper； my gentleman seems to me out of sorts。〃
Reine； whose face was pitted like a colander； and who seemed to have
been made on purpose to wait on Valerie； smiled meaningly in reply；
and brought the dressing…gown。 Valerie took off her combing…wrapper；
she was in her shift； and she wriggled into the dressing…gown like a
snake into a clump of grass。
〃Madame is not at home？〃
〃What a question！〃 said Valerie。〃Come； tell me； my big puss； have
/Rives Gauches/ gone down？〃
〃No。〃
〃They have raised the price of the house？〃
〃No。〃
〃You fancy that you are not the father of our little Crevel？〃
〃What nonsense！〃 replied he； sure of his paternity。
〃On my honor； I give it up！〃 said Madame Marneffe。 〃If I am expected
to extract my friend's woes as you pull the cork out of a bottle of
Bordeaux； I let it alone。Go away； you bore me。〃
〃It is nothing；〃 said Crevel。 〃I must find two hundred thousand francs
in two hours。〃
〃Oh； you can easily get them。I have not spent the fifty thousand
francs we got out of Hulot for that report； and I can ask Henri for
fifty thousand〃
〃Henriit is always Henri！〃 exclaimed Crevel。
〃And do you suppose； you great baby of a Machiavelli； that I will cast
off Henri？ Would France disarm her fleet？Henri！ why； he is a dagger
in a sheath hanging on a nail。 That boy serves as a weather…glass to
show me if you