Jenny Cadine or Josepha。〃
The Baroness trembled more severely than ever； every nerve quivered；
she wiped away the tears that rose to her eyes and looked mournfully
up to heaven。
〃I cannot think that a Grand Commander of the Legion of Honor will
have fallen so low；〃 said she。
〃For his pleasure what would he not do？〃 said Lisbeth。 〃He robbed the
State； he will rob private persons； commit murderwho knows？〃
〃Oh； Lisbeth！〃 cried the Baroness； 〃keep such thoughts to yourself。〃
At this moment Louise came up to the family group； now increased by
the arrival of the two Hulot children and little Wenceslas to see if
their grandmother's pockets did not contain some sweetmeats。
〃What is it； Louise？〃 asked one and another。
〃A man who wants to see Mademoiselle Fischer。〃
〃Who is the man？〃 asked Lisbeth。
〃He is in rags； mademoiselle； and covered with flue like a mattress…
picker； his nose is red； and he smells of brandy。He is one of those
men who work half of the week at most。〃
This uninviting picture had the effect of making Lisbeth hurry into
the courtyard of the house in the Rue Louis…le…Grand； where she found
a man smoking a pipe colored in a style that showed him an artist in
tobacco。
〃Why have you come here； Pere Chardin？〃 she asked。 〃It is understood
that you go； on the first Saturday in every month； to the gate of the
Hotel Marneffe； Rue Barbet…de…Jouy。 I have just come back after
waiting there for five hours； and you did not come。〃
〃I did go there； good and charitable lady！〃 replied the mattress…
picker。 〃But there was a game at pool going on at the Cafe des
Savants； Rue du Cerf…Volant； and every man has his fancy。 Now； mine is
billiards。 If it wasn't for billiards； I might be eating off silver
plate。 For； I tell you this；〃 and he fumbled for a scrap of paper in
his ragged trousers pocket； 〃it is billiards that leads on to a dram
and plum…brandy。It is ruinous； like all fine things； in the things
it leads to。 I know your orders； but the old 'un is in such a quandary
that I came on to forbidden grounds。If the hair was all hair； we
might sleep sound on it； but it is mixed。 God is not for all； as the
saying goes。 He has His favoriteswell； He has the right。 Now； here
is the writing of your estimable relative and my very good friendhis
political opinion。〃
Chardin attempted to trace some zigzag lines in the air with the
forefinger of his right hand。
Lisbeth； not listening to him； read these few words：
〃DEAR COUSIN；Be my Providence； give me three hundred francs this
day。
〃HECTOR。〃
〃What does he want so much money for？〃
〃The lan'lord！〃 said Chardin； still trying to sketch arabesques。 〃And
then my son； you see； has come back from Algiers through Spain and
Bayonee； and； andhe has /found/ nothingagainst his rule； for a
sharp cove is my son； saving your presence。 How can he help it； he is
in want of food； but he will repay all we lend him； for he is going to
get up a company。 He has ideas； he has； that will carry him〃
〃To the police court；〃 Lisbeth put in。 〃He murdered my uncle； I shall
not forget that。〃
〃Hewhy； he could not bleed a chicken； honorable lady。〃
〃Here are the three hundred francs；〃 said Lisbeth； taking fifteen gold
pieces out of her purse。 〃Now； go； and never come here again。〃
She saw the father of the Oran storekeeper off the premises； and
pointed out the drunken old creature to the porter。
〃At any time when that man comes here； if by chance he should come
again； do not let him in。 If he should ask whether Monsieur Hulot
junior or Madame la Baronne Hulot lives here； tell him you know of no
such persons。〃
〃Very good； mademoiselle。〃
〃Your place depends on it if you make any mistake； even without
intending it；〃 said Lisbeth； in the woman's ear。〃Cousin；〃 she went
on to Victorin； who just now came in； 〃a great misfortune is hanging
over your head。〃
〃What is that？〃 said Victorin。
〃Within a few days Madame Marneffe will be your wife's stepmother。〃
〃That remains to be seen；〃 replied Victorin。
For six months past Lisbeth had very regularly paid a little allowance
to Baron Hulot； her former protector； whom she now protected； she knew
the secret of his dwelling…place； and relished Adeline's tears； saying
to her； as we have seen； when she saw her cheerful and hopeful； 〃You
may expect to find my poor cousin's name in the papers some day under
the heading 'Police Report。' 〃
But in this； as on a former occasion； she let her vengeance carry her
too far。 She had aroused the prudent suspicions of Victorin。 He had
resolved to be rid of this Damocles' sword so constantly flourished
over them by Lisbeth； and of the female demon to whom his mother and
the family owed so many woes。 The Prince de Wissembourg； knowing all
about Madame Marneffe's conduct； approved of the young lawyer's secret
project； he had promised him； as a President of the Council can
promise； the secret assistance of the police； to enlighten Crevel and
rescue a fine fortune from the clutches of the diabolical courtesan；
whom he could not forgive either for causing the death of Marshal
Hulot or for the Baron's utter ruin。
The words spoken by Lisbeth； 〃He begs of his former mistresses；〃
haunted the Baroness all night。 Like sick men given over by the
physicians； who have recourse to quacks； like men who have fallen into
the lowest Dantesque circle of despair； or drowning creatures who
mistake a floating stick for a hawser； she ended by believing in the
baseness of which the mere idea had horrified her； and it occurred to
her that she might apply for help to one of those terrible women。
Next morning； without consulting her children or saying a word to
anybody； she went to see Mademoiselle Josepha Mirah； prima donna of
the Royal Academy of Music； to find or to lose the hope that had
gleamed before her like a will…o'…the…wisp。 At midday； the great
singer's waiting…maid brought her in the card of the Baronne Hulot；
saying that this person was waiting at the door； having asked whether
Mademoiselle could receive her。
〃Are the rooms done？〃
〃Yes； mademoiselle。〃
〃And the flowers fresh？〃
〃Yes； mademoiselle。〃
〃Just tell Jean to look round and see that everything is as it should
be before showing the lady in； and treat her with the greatest
respect。 Go； and come back to dress meI must look my very best。〃
She went to study herself in the long glass。
〃Now； to put our best foot foremost！〃 said she to herself。 〃Vice under
arms to meet virtue！Poor woman； what can she want of me？ I cannot
bear to see。
〃The noble victim of outrageous fortune！〃
And she sang through the famous aria as the maid came in again。
〃Madame；〃 said the girl； 〃the lady has a nervous trembling〃
〃Offer her some orange…water； some rum； some broth〃
〃I did； mademoiselle； but she declines everything； and says it is an
infirmity； a nervous complaint〃
〃Where is she？〃
〃In the big drawing…room。〃
〃Well； make haste； child。 Give me my smartest slippers； the dressing…
gown embroidered by Bijou； and no end of lace frills。 Do my hair in a
way to astonish a woman。This woman plays a part against mine； and
tell the ladyfor she is a real； great lady； my girl； nay； more； she
is what you will never be； a woman whose prayers can rescue souls from
your purgatorytell her I was in bed； as I was playing last night；
and that I am just getting up。〃
The Baroness； shown into Josepha's handsome drawing…room； did not note
how long she was kept waiting there； though it was a long half hour。
This room； entirely redecorated even since Josepha had had the house；
was hung with silk in purple and gold color。 The luxury which fine
gentlemen were wont to lavish on their /petites maisons/； the scenes
of their profligacy； of which the remains still bear witness to the
follies from which they were so aptly named； was displayed to
perfection； thanks to modern inventiveness； in the four rooms opening
into each other； where the warm temperature was maintained by a system
of hot…air pipes with invisible openings。
The Baroness； quite bewildered； examined each work of art with the
greatest amazement。 Here she found fortunes accounted for that melt in
the crucible under which pleasure and vanity feed the devouring
flames。 This woman； who for twenty…six years had lived among the dead
relics of imperial magnificence； whose eyes were accustomed to carpets
patterned with faded flowers； rubbed gilding； silks as forlorn as her
heart； half understood the powerful fascinations of vice as she
studied its results。 It was impossible not to wish to possess these
beautiful things； these admirable works of art； the creation of the
unknown talent which abounds in Paris in our day and produces
treasures for all Europe。 Each thing had the novel charm of unique
perfection。 The models being destroyed； every vase； every figure；
every piece of sculpture was the original。 This is the crowning grace
of modern luxury。 To own the thing which is not vulgarized by the two
thousand wealthy citizens whose notion of luxury is the lavish display
of the splendors that shops can supply； is the stamp of true luxury
the luxury of the fine gentlemen of the day； the shooting