prompted by curiosity； for her man…servant had told her that a
helpless old gentleman； unable to get out of his carriage； begged her
to come to him for a moment。
〃Josepha！it is I〃
The singer recognized her Hulot only by his voice。
〃What？ you； poor old man？On my honor； you look like a twenty…franc
piece that the Jews have sweated and the money…changers refuse。〃
〃Alas； yes；〃 replied Hulot； 〃I am snatched from the jaws of death！ But
you are as lovely as ever。 Will you be kind？〃
〃That depends；〃 said she； 〃everything is relative。〃
〃Listen；〃 said Hulot； 〃can you put me up for a few days in a servant's
room under the roof？ I have nothingnot a farthing； not a hope； no
food； no pension； no wife； no children； no roof over my head； without
honor； without courage； without a friend； and worse than all that；
liable to imprisonment for not meeting a bill。〃
〃Poor old fellow！ you are without most things。Are you also /sans
culotte/？〃
〃You laugh at me！ I am done for；〃 cried the Baron。 〃And I counted on
you as Gourville did on Ninon。〃
〃And it was a 'real lady；' I am told who brought you to this；〃 said
Josepha。 〃Those precious sluts know how to pluck a goose even better
than we do！Why； you are like a corpse that the crows have done with
I can see daylight through！〃
〃Time is short； Josepha！〃
〃Come in； old boy； I am alone； as it happens； and my people don't know
you。 Send away your trap。 Is it paid for？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the Baron； getting out with the help of Josepha's arm。
〃You may call yourself my father if you like；〃 said the singer； moved
to pity。
She made Hulot sit down in the splendid drawing…room where he had last
seen her。
〃And is it the fact； old man；〃 she went on； 〃that you have killed your
brother and your uncle； ruined your family； mortgaged your children's
house over and over again； and robbed the Government till in Africa；
all for your princess？〃
Hulot sadly bent his head。
〃Well； I admire that！〃 cried Josepha； starting up in her enthusiasm。
〃It is a general flare…up！ It is Sardanapalus！ Splendid； thoroughly
complete！ I may be a hussy； but I have a soul！ I tell you； I like a
spendthrift； like you； crazy over a woman； a thousand times better
than those torpid； heartless bankers； who are supposed to be so good；
and who ruin no end of families with their railsgold for them； and
iron for their gulls！ You have only ruined those who belong to you；
you have sold no one but yourself； and then you have excuses； physical
and moral。〃
She struck a tragic attitude； and spouted：
〃 'Tis Venus whose grasp never parts from her prey。
And there you are！〃 and she pirouetted on her toe。
Vice； Hulot found； could forgive him； vice smiled on him from the
midst of unbridled luxury。 Here； as before a jury； the magnitude of a
crime was an extenuating circumstance。 〃And is your lady pretty at any
rate？〃 asked Josepha； trying as a preliminary act of charity； to
divert Hulot's thoughts； for his depression grieved her。
〃On my word； almost as pretty as you are；〃 said the Baron artfully。
〃And monstrously droll？ So I have been told。 What does she do； I say？
Is she better fun than I am？〃
〃I don't want to talk about her；〃 said Hulot。
〃And I hear she has come round my Crevel； and little Steinbock； and a
gorgeous Brazilian？〃
〃Very likely。〃
〃And that she has got a house as good as this； that Crevel has given
her。 The baggage！ She is my provost…marshal； and finishes off those I
have spoiled。 I tell you why I am so curious to know what she is like；
old boy； I just caught sight of her in the Bois； in an open carriage
but a long way off。 She is a most accomplished harpy； Carabine says。
She is trying to eat up Crevel； but he only lets her nibble。 Crevel is
a knowing hand； good…natured but hard…headed； who will always say Yes；
and then go his own way。 He is vain and passionate； but his cash is
cold。 You can never get anything out of such fellows beyond a thousand
to three thousand francs a month； they jib at any serious outlay； as a
donkey does at a running stream。
〃Not like you； old boy。 You are a man of passions； you would sell your
country for a woman。 And； look here； I am ready to do anything for
you！ You are my father； you started me in life； it is a sacred duty。
What do you want？ Do you want a hundred thousand francs？ I will wear
myself to a rag to gain them。 As to giving you bed and boardthat is
nothing。 A place will be laid for you here every day； you can have a
good room on the second floor； and a hundred crowns a month for
pocket…money。〃
The Baron； deeply touched by such a welcome； had a last qualm of
honor。
〃No； my dear child； no； I did not come here for you to keep me；〃 said
he。
〃At your age it is something to be proud of；〃 said she。
〃This is what I wish； my child。 Your Duc d'Herouville has immense
estates in Normandy； and I want to be his steward； under the name of
Thoul。 I have the capacity； and I am honest。 A man may borrow of the
Government； and yet not steal from a cash…box〃
〃H'm； h'm；〃 said Josepha。 〃Once drunk； drinks again。〃
〃In short； I only want to live out of sight for three years〃
〃Well； it is soon done；〃 said Josepha。 〃This evening； after dinner； I
have only to speak。 The Duke would marry me if I wished it； but I have
his fortune； and I want something betterhis esteem。 He is a Duke of
the first water。 He is high…minded； as noble and great as Louis XIV。
and Napoleon rolled into one； though he is a dwarf。 Besides； I have
done for him what la Schontz did for Rochefide； by taking my advice he
has made two millions。
〃Now； listen to me； old popgun。 I know you； you are always after the
women； and you would be dancing attendance on the Normandy girls； who
are splendid creatures； and getting your ribs cracked by their lovers
and fathers； and the Duke would have to get you out of the scrape。
Why； can't I see by the way you look at me that the /young/ man is not
dead in youas Fenelon put it。No； this stewardship is not the thing
for you。 A man cannot be off with his Paris and with us； old boy； for
the saying！ You would die of weariness at Herouville。〃
〃What is to become of me？〃 said the Baron； 〃for I will only stay here
till I see my way。〃
〃Well； shall I find a pigeon…hole for you？ Listen； you old pirate。
Women are what you want。 They are consolation in all circumstances。
Attend now。At the end of the Alley； Rue Saint…Maur…du…Temple； there
is a poor family I know of where there is a jewel of a little girl；
prettier than I was at sixteen。Ah！ there is a twinkle in your eye
already！The child works sixteen hours a day at embroidering costly
pieces for the silk merchants； and earns sixteen sous a dayone sou
an hour！and feeds like the Irish； on potatoes fried in rats'
dripping； with bread five times a weekand drinks canal water out of
the town pipes； because the Seine water costs too much； and she cannot
set up on her own account for lack of six or seven thousand francs。
Your wife and children bore you to death； don't they？Besides； one
cannot submit to be nobody where one has been a little Almighty。 A
father who has neither money nor honor can only be stuffed and kept in
a glass case。〃
The Baron could not help smiling at these abominable jests。
〃Well； now； Bijou is to come to…morrow morning to bring me an
embroidered wrapper； a gem！ It has taken six months to make； no one
else will have any stuff like it！ Bijou is very fond of me； I give her
tidbits and my old gowns。 And I send orders for bread and meat and
wood to the family； who would break the shin…bones of the first comer
if I bid them。I try to do a little good。 Ah！ I know what I endured
from hunger myself！Bijou has confided to me all her little sorrows。
There is the making of a super at the Ambigu…Comique in that child。
Her dream is to wear fine dresses like mine； above all； to ride in a
carriage。 I shall say to her； 'Look here； little one； would you like
to have a friend of' How old are you？〃 she asked； interrupting
herself。 〃Seventy…two？〃
〃I have given up counting。〃
〃 'Would you like an old gentleman of seventy…two？' I shall say。 'Very
clean and neat； and who does not take snuff； who is as sound as a
bell； and as good as a young man？ He will marry you （in the Thirteenth
Arrondissement） and be very kind to you； he will place seven thousand
francs in your account； and furnish you a room all in mahogany； and if
you are good； he will sometimes take you to the play。 He will give you
a hundred francs a month for pocket…money； and fifty francs for
housekeeping。'I know Bijou； she is myself at fourteen。 I jumped for
joy when that horrible Crevel made me his atrocious offers。 Well； and
you； old man； will be disposed of for three years。 She is a good
child； well behaved； for three or four years she will have her
illusionsnot for longer。〃
Hulot did not hesitate； he had made up his mind to refuse； but to seem
grateful to the kind…hearted singer； who was benevolent after her
lights； he affected to hesitate between vice and virtue。
〃Why； you are as cold as a paving…stone in winter！〃 she exclaimed in
amazement。 〃Come； now。 You will make a whole family happya
grandfather who runs all the errands； a mother who is