in a sheath hanging on a nail。 That boy serves as a weather…glass to
show me if you love meand you don't love me this morning。〃
〃I don't love you； Valerie？〃 cried Crevel。 〃I love you as much as a
million。〃
〃That is not nearly enough！〃 cried she； jumping on to Crevel's knee；
and throwing both arms round his neck as if it were a peg to hang on
by。 〃I want to be loved as much as ten millions； as much as all the
gold in the world； and more to that。 Henri would never wait a minute
before telling me all he had on his mind。 What is it； my great pet？
Have it out。 Make a clean breast of it to your own little duck！〃
And she swept her hair over Crevel's face； while she jestingly pulled
his nose。
〃Can a man with a nose like that；〃 she went on； 〃have any secrets from
his /Vavaleleririe/？〃
And at the /Vava/ she tweaked his nose to the right； at /lele/ it went
to the left； at /ririe/ she nipped it straight again。
〃Well； I have just seen〃 Crevel stopped and looked at Madame
Marneffe。
〃Valerie； my treasure； promise me on your honorours； you know？not
to repeat a single word of what I tell you。〃
〃Of course； Mayor； we know all about that。 One hand upsoand one
footso！〃 And she put herself in an attitude which； to use Rabelais'
phrase； stripped Crevel bare from his brain to his heels； so quaint
and delicious was the nudity revealed through the light film of lawn。
〃I have just seen virtue in despair。〃
〃Can despair possess virtue？〃 said she； nodding gravely and crossing
her arms like Napoleon。
〃It is poor Madame Hulot。 She wants two hundred thousand francs； or
else Marshal Hulot and old Johann Fischer will blow their brains out；
and as you； my little Duchess； are partly at the bottom of the
mischief； I am going to patch matters up。 She is a saintly creature； I
know her well； she will repay you every penny。〃
At the name of Hulot； at the words two hundred thousand francs； a
gleam from Valerie's eyes flashed from between her long eyelids like
the flame of a cannon through the smoke。
〃What did the old thing do to move you to compassion？ Did she show you
what？herher religion？〃
〃Do not make game of her； sweetheart； she is a very saintly； a very
noble and pious woman； worthy of all respect。〃
〃Am I not worthy of respect then； heh？〃 answered Valerie； with a
threatening gaze at Crevel。
〃I never said so；〃 replied he； understanding that the praise of virtue
might not be gratifying to Madame Marneffe。
〃I am pious too；〃 Valerie went on； taking her seat in an armchair；
〃but I do not make a trade of my religion。 I go to church in secret。〃
She sat in silence； and paid no further heed to Crevel。 He； extremely
ill at ease； came to stand in front of the chair into which Valerie
had thrown herself； and saw her lost in the reflections he had been so
foolish as to suggest。
〃Valerie； my little Angel！〃
Utter silence。 A highly problematical tear was furtively dashed away。
〃One word； my little duck？〃
〃Monsieur！〃
〃What are you thinking of； my darling？〃
〃Oh； Monsieur Crevel； I was thinking of the day of my first communion！
How pretty I was！ How pure； how saintly！immaculate！Oh！ if any one
had come to my mother and said； 'Your daughter will be a hussy； and
unfaithful to her husband； one day a police…officer will find her in a
disreputable house； she will sell herself to a Crevel to cheat a Hulot
two horrible old men' Poof！ horribleshe would have died before
the end of the sentence； she was so fond of me； poor dear！〃
〃Nay； be calm。〃
〃You cannot think how well a woman must love a man before she can
silence the remorse that gnaws at the heart of an adulterous wife。 I
am quite sorry that Reine is not here； she would have told you that
she found me this morning praying with tears in my eyes。 I； Monsieur
Crevel； for my part； do not make a mockery of religion。 Have you ever
heard me say a word I ought not on such a subject？〃
Crevel shook his head in negation。
〃I will never allow it to be mentioned in my presence。 I can make fun
of anything under the sun： Kings； politics； finance； everything that
is sacred in the eyes of the worldjudges； matrimony； and loveold
men and maidens。 But the Church and God！There I draw the line。I
know I am wicked； I am sacrificing my future life to you。 And you have
no conception of the immensity of my love。〃
Crevel clasped his hands。
〃No； unless you could see into my heart； and fathom the depth of my
conviction so as to know the extent of my sacrifice！ I feel in me the
making of a Magdalen。And see how respectfully I treat the priests；
think of the gifts I make to the Church！ My mother brought me up in
the Catholic Faith； and I know what is meant by God！ It is to sinners
like us that His voice is most awful。〃
Valerie wiped away two tears that trickled down her cheeks。 Crevel was
in dismay。 Madame Marneffe stood up in her excitement。
〃Be calm； my darlingyou alarm me！〃
Madame Marneffe fell on her knees。
〃Dear Heaven！ I am not bad all through！〃 she cried； clasping her
hands。 〃Vouchsafe to rescue Thy wandering lamb； strike her； crush her；
snatch her from foul and adulterous hands； and how gladly she will
nestle on Thy shoulder！ How willingly she will return to the fold！〃
She got up and looked at Crevel； her colorless eyes frightened him。
〃Yes； Crevel； and； do you know？ I； too； am frightened sometimes。 The
justice of God is exerted in this nether world as well as in the next。
What mercy can I expect at God's hands？ His vengeance overtakes the
guilty in many ways； it assumes every aspect of disaster。 That is what
my mother told me on her death…bed； speaking of her own old age。But
if I should lose you； she added； hugging Crevel with a sort of savage
frenzy〃oh！ I should die！〃
Madame Marneffe released Crevel； knelt down again at the armchair；
folded her handsand in what a bewitching attitude！and with
incredible fervor poured out the following prayer：
〃And thou； Saint Valerie； my patron saint； why dost thou so rarely
visit the pillow of her who was intrusted to thy care？ Oh； come this
evening； as thou didst this morning； to inspire me with holy thoughts；
and I will quit the path of sin； like the Magdalen； I will give up
deluding joys and the false glitter of the world； even the man I love
so well〃
〃My precious duck！〃
〃No more of the 'precious duck；' monsieur！〃 said she； turning round
like a virtuous wife； her eyes full of tears； but dignified； cold； and
indifferent。
〃Leave me；〃 she went on； pushing him from her。 〃What is my duty？ To
belong wholly to my husband。He is a dying man； and what am I doing？
Deceiving him on the edge of the grave。 He believes your child to be
his。 I will tell him the truth； and begin by securing his pardon
before I ask for God's。We must part。 Good…bye； Monsieur Crevel；〃 and
she stood up to offer him an icy cold hand。 〃Good…bye； my friend； we
shall meet no more till we meet in a better world。You have to thank
me for some enjoyment； criminal indeed； now I wantoh yes； I shall
have your esteem。〃
Crevel was weeping bitter tears。
〃You great pumpkin！〃 she exclaimed； with an infernal peal of laughter。
〃That is how your pious women go about it to drag from you a plum of
two hundred thousand francs。 And you； who talk of the Marechal de
Richelieu； the prototype of Lovelace； you could be taken in by such a
stale trick as that！ I could get hundreds of thousands of francs out
of you any day； if I chose； you old ninny！Keep your money！ If you
have more than you know what to do with； it is mine。 If you give two
sous to that 'respectable' woman； who is pious forsooth； because she
is fifty…six years of age； we shall never meet again； and you may take
her for your mistress！ You could come back to me next day bruised all
over from her bony caresses and sodden with her tears； and sick of her
little barmaid's caps and her whimpering； which must turn her favors
into showers〃
〃In point of fact；〃 said Crevel； 〃two hundred thousand francs is a
round sum of money。〃
〃They have fine appetites； have the goody sort！ By the poker！ they
sell their sermons dearer than we sell the rarest and realest thing on
earthpleasure。And they can spin a yarn！ There； I know them。 I have
seen plenty in my mother's house。 They think everything is allowable
for the Church and forReally； my dear love； you ought to be ashamed
of yourselffor you are not so open…handed！ You have not given me two
hundred thousand francs all told！〃
〃Oh yes；〃 said Crevel； 〃your little house will cost as much as that。〃
〃Then you have four hundred thousand francs？〃 said she thoughtfully。
〃No。〃
〃Then； sir； you meant to lend that old horror the two hundred thousand
francs due for my hotel？ What a crime； what high treason！〃
〃Only listen to me。〃
〃If you were giving the money to some idiotic philanthropic scheme；
you would be regarded as a coming man；〃 she went on； with increasing
eagerness； 〃and I should be the first to advise it； for you are too
simple to write a big political book that might make you famous； as
for style； you have not enough to butter a pamphlet； but you might do
as other men do who are in your predicament； and who get a halo of
glory about their name by putting it at