as other men do who are in your predicament； and who get a halo of
glory about their name by putting it at the top of some social； or
moral； or general； or national enterprise。 Benevolence is out of date；
quite vulgar。 Providing for old offenders； and making them more
comfortable than the poor devils who are honest； is played out。 What I
should like to see is some invention of your own with an endowment of
two hundred thousand francssomething difficult and really useful。
Then you would be talked about as a man of mark； a Montyon； and I
should be very proud of you！
〃But as to throwing two hundred thousand francs into a holy…water
shell； or lending them to a bigotcast off by her husband； and who
knows why？ there is always some reason： does any one cast me off； I
ask you？is a piece of idiocy which in our days could only come into
the head of a retired perfumer。 It reeks of the counter。 You would not
dare look at yourself in the glass two days after。
〃Go and pay the money in where it will be saferun； fly； I will not
admit you again without the receipt in your hand。 Go； as fast and soon
as you can！〃
She pushed Crevel out of the room by the shoulders； seeing avarice
blossoming in his face once more。 When she heard the outer door shut；
she exclaimed：
〃Then Lisbeth is revenged over and over again！ What a pity that she is
at her old Marshal's now！ We would have had a good laugh！ So that old
woman wants to take the bread out of my mouth。 I will startle her a
little！〃
Marshal Hulot； being obliged to live in a style suited to the highest
military rank； had taken a handsome house in the Rue du Mont…Parnasse；
where there are three or four princely residences。 Though he rented
the whole house； he inhabited only the ground floor。 When Lisbeth went
to keep house for him； she at once wished to let the first floor；
which； as she said； would pay the whole rent； so that the Count would
live almost rent…free； but the old soldier would not hear of it。
For some months past the Marshal had had many sad thoughts。 He had
guessed how miserably poor his sister…in…law was； and suspected her
griefs without understanding their cause。 The old man； so cheerful in
his deafness； became taciturn； he could not help thinking that his
house would one day be a refuge for the Baroness and her daughter； and
it was for them that he kept the first floor。 The smallness of his
fortune was so well known at headquarters； that the War Minister； the
Prince de Wissembourg； begged his old comrade to accept a sum of money
for his household expenses。 This sum the Marshal spent in furnishing
the ground floor； which was in every way suitable； for； as he said； he
would not accept the Marshal's baton to walk the streets with。
The house had belonged to a senator under the Empire； and the ground
floor drawing…rooms had been very magnificently fitted with carved
wood； white…and…gold； still in very good preservation。 The Marshal had
found some good old furniture in the same style； in the coach…house he
had a carriage with two batons in saltire on the panels； and when he
was expected to appear in full fig； at the Minister's； at the
Tuileries； for some ceremony or high festival； he hired horses for the
job。
His servant for more than thirty years was an old soldier of sixty；
whose sister was the cook； so he had saved ten thousand francs； adding
it by degrees to a little hoard he intended for Hortense。 Every day
the old man walked along the boulevard； from the Rue du Mont…Parnasse
to the Rue Plumet； and every pensioner as he passed stood at
attention； without fail； to salute him： then the Marshal rewarded the
veteran with a smile。
〃Who is the man you always stand at attention to salute？〃 said a young
workman one day to an old captain and pensioner。
〃I will tell you； boy；〃 replied the officer。
The 〃boy〃 stood resigned； as a man does to listen to an old gossip。
〃In 1809；〃 said the captain； 〃we were covering the flank of the main
army； marching on Vienna under the Emperor's command。 We came to a
bridge defended by three batteries of cannon； one above another； on a
sort of cliff； three redoubts like three shelves； and commanding the
bridge。 We were under Marshal Massena。 That man whom you see there was
Colonel of the Grenadier Guards； and I was one of them。 Our columns
held one bank of the river； the batteries were on the other。 Three
times they tried for the bridge； and three times they were driven
back。 'Go and find Hulot！' said the Marshal； 'nobody but he and his
men can bolt that morsel。' So we came。 The General； who was just
retiring from the bridge； stopped Hulot under fire； to tell him how to
do it； and he was in the way。 'I don't want advice； but room to pass；'
said our General coolly； marching across at the head of his men。 And
then； rattle； thirty guns raking us at once。〃
〃By Heaven！〃 cried the workman； 〃that accounts for some of these
crutches！〃
〃And if you； like me； my boy； had heard those words so quietly spoken；
you would bow before that man down to the ground！ It is not so famous
as Arcole； but perhaps it was finer。 We followed Hulot at the double；
right up to those batteries。 All honor to those we left there！〃 and
the old man lifted his hat。 〃The Austrians were amazed at the dash of
it。The Emperor made the man you saw a Count； he honored us all by
honoring our leader； and the King of to…day was very right to make him
a Marshal。〃
〃Hurrah for the Marshal！〃 cried the workman。
〃Oh； you may shoutshout away！ The Marshal is as deaf as a post from
the roar of cannon。〃
This anecdote may give some idea of the respect with which the
/Invalides/ regarded Marshal Hulot； whose Republican proclivities
secured him the popular sympathy of the whole quarter of the town。
Sorrow taking hold on a spirit so calm and strict and noble； was a
heart…breaking spectacle。 The Baroness could only tell lies； with a
woman's ingenuity； to conceal the whole dreadful truth from her
brother…in…law。
In the course of this miserable morning； the Marshal； who； like all
old men； slept but little； had extracted from Lisbeth full particulars
as to his brother's situation； promising to marry her as the reward of
her revelations。 Any one can imagine with what glee the old maid
allowed the secrets to be dragged from her which she had been dying to
tell ever since she had come into the house； for by this means she
made her marriage more certain。
〃Your brother is incorrigible！〃 Lisbeth shouted into the Marshal's
best ear。
Her strong； clear tones enabled her to talk to him； but she wore out
her lungs； so anxious was she to prove to her future husband that to
her he would never be deaf。
〃He has had three mistresses；〃 said the old man； 〃and his wife was an
Adeline！ Poor Adeline！〃
〃If you will take my advice；〃 shrieked Lisbeth； 〃you will use your
influence with the Prince de Wissembourg to secure her some suitable
appointment。 She will need it； for the Baron's pay is pledged for
three years。〃
〃I will go to the War Office；〃 said he； 〃and see the Prince； to find
out what he thinks of my brother； and ask for his interest to help my
sister。 Think of some place that is fit for her。〃
〃The charitable ladies of Paris； in concert with the Archbishop； have
formed various beneficent associations； they employ superintendents；
very decently paid； whose business it is to seek out cases of real
want。 Such an occupation would exactly suit dear Adeline； it would be
work after her own heart。〃
〃Send to order the horses；〃 said the Marshal。 〃I will go and dress。 I
will drive to Neuilly if necessary。〃
〃How fond he is of her！ She will always cross my path wherever I
turn！〃 said Lisbeth to herself。
Lisbeth was already supreme in the house； but not with the Marshal's
cognizance。 She had struck terror into the three servantsfor she had
allowed herself a housemaid； and she exerted her old…maidish energy in
taking stock of everything； examining everything； and arranging in
every respect for the comfort of her dear Marshal。 Lisbeth； quite as
Republican as he could be； pleased him by her democratic opinions； and
she flattered him with amazing dexterity； for the last fortnight the
old man； whose house was better kept； and who was cared for as a child
by its mother； had begun to regard Lisbeth as a part of what he had
dreamed of。
〃My dear Marshal；〃 she shouted； following him out on to the steps；
〃pull up the windows； do not sit in a draught； to oblige me！〃
The Marshal； who had never been so cosseted in his life； went off
smiling at Lisbeth； though his heart was aching。
At the same hour Baron Hulot was quitting the War Office to call on
his chief； Marshal the Prince de Wissembourg； who had sent for him。
Though there was nothing extraordinary in one of the Generals on the
Board being sent for； Hulot's conscience was so uneasy that he fancied
he saw a cold and sinister expression in Mitouflet's face。
〃Mitouflet； how is the Prince？〃 he asked； locking the door of his
private room and following the messenger who led the way。
〃He must have a crow to pluck with you； Monsieur le Baron；〃 replied
the man； 〃for his face is set at stormy。〃
Hulot turned pale； and said no