column。〃
The ten months' widowhood insisted on by the law had now elapsed some
few days since。 The estate of Presles was purchased。 Victorin and
Celestine had that very morning sent Lisbeth to make inquiries as to
the marriage of the fascinating widow to the Mayor of Paris； now a
member of the Common Council of the Department of Seine…et…Oise。
Celestine and Hortense； in whom the ties of affection had been drawn
closer since they had lived under the same roof； were almost
inseparable。 The Baroness； carried away by a sense of honesty which
led her to exaggerate the duties of her place； devoted herself to the
work of charity of which she was the agent； she was out almost every
day from eleven till five。 The sisters…in…law； united in their cares
for the children whom they kept together； sat at home and worked。 They
had arrived at the intimacy which thinks aloud； and were a touching
picture of two sisters； one cheerful and the other sad。 The less happy
of the two； handsome； lively； high…spirited； and clever； seemed by her
manner to defy her painful situation； while the melancholy Celestine；
sweet and calm； and as equable as reason itself； might have been
supposed to have some secret grief。 It was this contradiction；
perhaps； that added to their warm friendship。 Each supplied the other
with what she lacked。
Seated in a little summer…house in the garden； which the speculator's
trowel had spared by some fancy of the builder's； who believed that he
was preserving these hundred feet square of earth for his own
pleasure； they were admiring the first green shoots of the lilac…
trees； a spring festival which can only be fully appreciated in Paris
when the inhabitants have lived for six months oblivious of what
vegetation means； among the cliffs of stone where the ocean of
humanity tosses to and fro。
〃Celestine；〃 said Hortense to her sister…in…law； who had complained
that in such fine weather her husband should be kept at the Chamber；
〃I think you do not fully appreciate your happiness。 Victorin is a
perfect angel； and you sometimes torment him。〃
〃My dear； men like to be tormented！ Certain ways of teasing are a
proof of affection。 If your poor mother had only beenI will not say
exacting； but always prepared to be exacting； you would not have had
so much to grieve over。〃
〃Lisbeth is not come back。 I shall have to sing the song of
/Malbrouck/；〃 said Hortense。 〃I do long for some news of Wenceslas！
What does he live on？ He has not done a thing these two years。〃
〃Victorin saw him； he told me； with that horrible woman not long ago；
and he fancied that she maintains him in idleness。If you only would；
dear soul； you might bring your husband back to you yet。〃
Hortense shook her head。
〃Believe me；〃 Celestine went on； 〃the position will ere long be
intolerable。 In the first instance； rage； despair； indignation； gave
you strength。 The awful disasters that have come upon us sincetwo
deaths； ruin； and the disappearance of Baron Hulothave occupied your
mind and heart； but now you live in peace and silence； you will find
it hard to bear the void in your life； and as you cannot； and will
never leave the path of virtue； you will have to be reconciled to
Wenceslas。 Victorin； who loves you so much； is of that opinion。 There
is something stronger than one's feelings even； and that is Nature！〃
〃But such a mean creature！〃 cried the proud Hortense。 〃He cares for
that woman because she feeds him。And has she paid his debts； do you
suppose？Good Heaven！ I think of that man's position day and night！
He is the father of my child； and he is degrading himself。〃
〃But look at your mother； my dear；〃 said Celestine。
Celestine was one of those women who； when you have given them reasons
enough to convince a Breton peasant； still go back for the hundredth
time to their original argument。 The character of her face； somewhat
flat； dull； and common； her light…brown hair in stiff； neat bands； her
very complexion spoke of a sensible woman； devoid of charm； but also
devoid of weakness。
〃The Baroness would willingly go to join her husband in his disgrace；
to comfort him and hide him in her heart from every eye；〃 Celestine
went on。 〃Why； she has a room made ready upstairs for Monsieur Hulot；
as if she expected to find him and bring him home from one day to the
next。〃
〃Oh yes； my mother is sublime！〃 replied Hortense。 〃She has been so
every minute of every day for six…and…twenty years； but I am not like
her； it is not my nature。How can I help it？ I am angry with myself
sometimes； but you do not know； Celestine； what it would be to make
terms with infamy。〃
〃There is my father！〃 said Celestine placidly。 〃He has certainly
started on the road that ruined yours。 He is ten years younger than
the Baron； to be sure； and was only a tradesman； but how can it end？
This Madame Marneffe has made a slave of my father； he is her dog； she
is mistress of his fortune and his opinions； and nothing can open his
eyes。 I tremble when I remember that their banns of marriage are
already published！My husband means to make a last attempt； he thinks
it a duty to try to avenge society and the family； and bring that
woman to account for all her crimes。 Alas！ my dear Hortense； such
lofty souls as Victorin and hearts like ours come too late to a
comprehension of the world and its ways！This is a secret； dear； and
I have told you because you are interested in it； but never by a word
or a look betray it to Lisbeth； or your mother； or anybody； for〃
〃Here is Lisbeth！〃 said Hortense。 〃Well； cousin； and how is the
Inferno of the Rue Barbet going on？〃
〃Badly for you； my children。Your husband； my dear Hortense； is more
crazy about that woman than ever； and she； I must own； is madly in
love with him。Your father； dear Celestine； is gloriously blind。
That； to be sure； is nothing； I have had occasion to see it once a
fortnight； really； I am lucky never to have had anything to do with
men； they are besotted creatures。Five days hence you； dear child；
and Victorin will have lost your father's fortune。〃
〃Then the banns are cried？〃 said Celestine。
〃Yes；〃 said Lisbeth； 〃and I have just been arguing your case。 I
pointed out to that monster； who is going the way of the other； that
if he would only get you out of the difficulties you are in by paying
off the mortgage on the house； you would show your gratitude and
receive your stepmother〃
Hortense started in horror。
〃Victorin will see about that；〃 said Celestine coldly。
〃But do you know what Monsieur le Maire's answer was？〃 said Lisbeth。
〃 'I mean to leave them where they are。 Horses can only be broken in
by lack of food； sleep； and sugar。'Why； Baron Hulot was not so bad
as Monsieur Crevel。
〃So； my poor dears； you may say good…bye to the money。 And such a fine
fortune！ Your father paid three million francs for the Presles estate；
and he has thirty thousand francs a year in stocks！ Oh！he has no
secrets from me。 He talks of buying the Hotel de Navarreins； in the
Rue du Bac。 Madame Marneffe herself has forty thousand francs a year。
Ah！here is our guardian angel； here comes your mother！〃 she
exclaimed； hearing the rumble of wheels。
And presently the Baroness came down the garden steps and joined the
party。 At fifty…five； though crushed by so many troubles； and
constantly trembling as if shivering with ague； Adeline； whose face
was indeed pale and wrinkled； still had a fine figure； a noble
outline； and natural dignity。 Those who saw her said； 〃She must have
been beautiful！〃 Worn with the grief of not knowing her husband's
fate； of being unable to share with him this oasis in the heart of
Paris； this peace and seclusion and the better fortune that was
dawning on the family； her beauty was the beauty of a ruin。 As each
gleam of hope died out； each day of search proved vain； Adeline sank
into fits of deep melancholy that drove her children to despair。
The Baroness had gone out that morning with fresh hopes； and was
anxiously expected。 An official； who was under obligations to Hulot；
to whom he owed his position and advancement； declared that he had
seen the Baron in a box at the Ambigu…Comique theatre with a woman of
extraordinary beauty。 So Adeline had gone to call on the Baron
Verneuil。 This important personage； while asserting that he had
positively seen his old patron； and that his behaviour to the woman
indicated an illicit establishment； told Madame Hulot that to avoid
meeting him the Baron had left long before the end of the play。
〃He looked like a man at home with the damsel； but his dress betrayed
some lack of means；〃 said he in conclusion。
〃Well？〃 said the three women as the Baroness came towards them。
〃Well； Monsieur Hulot is in Paris； and to me；〃 said Adeline； 〃it is a
gleam of happiness only to know that he is within reach of us。〃
〃But he does not seem to have mended his ways；〃 Lisbeth remarked when
Adeline had finished her report of her visit to Baron Verneuil。 〃He
has taken up some little work…girl。 But where can he get the money
from？ I could bet that he begs of his former mistressesMademoiselle
Jenny Cadine or Josepha。〃
The Baroness trembled more severely than ever； every nerve quivered；
s