the luxury of the fine gentlemen of the day； the shooting stars of the
Paris firmament。
As she examined the flower…stands； filled with the choicest exotic
plants； mounted in chased brass and inlaid in the style of Boulle； the
Baroness was scared by the idea of the wealth in this apartment。 And
this impression naturally shed a glamour over the person round whom
all this profusion was heaped。 Adeline imagined that Josepha Mirah
whose portrait by Joseph Bridau was the glory of the adjoining boudoir
must be a singer of genius； a Malibran； and she expected to see a
real star。 She was sorry she had come。 But she had been prompted by a
strong and so natural a feeling； by such purely disinterested
devotion； that she collected all her courage for the interview。
Besides； she was about to satisfy her urgent curiosity； to see for
herself what was the charm of this kind of women； that they could
extract so much gold from the miserly ore of Paris mud。
The Baroness looked at herself to see if she were not a blot on all
this splendor； but she was well dressed in her velvet gown； with a
little cape trimmed with beautiful lace； and her velvet bonnet of the
same shade was becoming。 Seeing herself still as imposing as any
queen； always a queen even in her fall； she reflected that the dignity
of sorrow was a match for the dignity of talent。
At last； after much opening and shutting of doors； she saw Josepha。
The singer bore a strong resemblance to Allori's /Judith/； which
dwells in the memory of all who have ever seen it in the Pitti palace；
near the door of one of the great rooms。 She had the same haughty
mien； the same fine features； black hair simply knotted； and a yellow
wrapper with little embroidered flowers； exactly like the brocade worn
by the immortal homicide conceived of by Bronzino's nephew。
〃Madame la Baronne； I am quite overwhelmed by the honor you do me in
coming here；〃 said the singer； resolved to play her part as a great
lady with a grace。
She pushed forward an easy…chair for the Baroness and seated herself
on a stool。 She discerned the faded beauty of the woman before her；
and was filled with pity as she saw her shaken by the nervous palsy
that； on the least excitement； became convulsive。 She could read at a
glance the saintly life described to her of old by Hulot and Crevel；
and she not only ceased to think of a contest with her； she humiliated
herself before a superiority she appreciated。 The great artist could
admire what the courtesan laughed to scorn。
〃Mademoiselle； despair brought me here。 It reduces us to any means〃
A look in Josepha's face made the Baroness feel that she had wounded
the woman from whom she hoped for so much； and she looked at her。 Her
beseeching eyes extinguished the flash in Josepha's； the singer
smiled。 It was a wordless dialogue of pathetic eloquence。
〃It is now two years and a half since Monsieur Hulot left his family；
and I do not know where to find him； though I know that he lives in
Paris；〃 said the Baroness with emotion。 〃A dream suggested to me the
ideaan absurd one perhapsthat you may have interested yourself in
Monsieur Hulot。 If you could enable me to see himoh！ mademoiselle； I
would pray Heaven for you every day as long as I live in this world〃
Two large tears in the singer's eyes told what her reply would be。
〃Madame；〃 said she； 〃I have done you an injury without knowing you；
but； now that I have the happiness of seeing in you the most perfect
virtue on earth； believe me I am sensible of the extent of my fault； I
repent sincerely； and believe me； I will do all in my power to remedy
it！〃
She took Madame Hulot's hand and before the lady could do anything to
hinder her； she kissed it respectfully； even humbling herself to bend
one knee。 Then she rose； as proud as when she stood on the stage in
the part of /Mathilde/； and rang the bell。
〃Go on horseback；〃 said she to the man…servant； 〃and kill the horse if
you must； to find little Bijou； Rue Saint…Maur…du…Temple； and bring
her here。 Put her into a coach and pay the coachman to come at a
gallop。 Do not lose a momentor you lose your place。
〃Madame；〃 she went on； coming back to the Baroness； and speaking to
her in respectful tones； 〃you must forgive me。 As soon as the Duc
d'Herouville became my protector； I dismissed the Baron； having heard
that he was ruining his family for me。 What more could I do？ In an
actress' career a protector is indispensable from the first day of her
appearance on the boards。 Our salaries do not pay half our expenses；
we must have a temporary husband。 I did not value Monsieur Hulot； who
took me away from a rich man； a conceited idiot。 Old Crevel would
undoubtedly have married me〃
〃So he told me；〃 said the Baroness； interrupting her。
〃Well； then； you see； madame； I might at this day have been an honest
woman； with only one legitimate husband！〃
〃You have many excuses； mademoiselle；〃 said Adeline； 〃and God will
take them into account。 But； for my part； far from reproaching you； I
came； on the contrary； to make myself your debtor in gratitude〃
〃Madame； for nearly three years I have provided for Monsieur le
Baron's necessities〃
〃You？〃 interrupted the Baroness； with tears in her eyes。 〃Oh； what can
I do for you？ I can only pray〃
〃I and Monsieur le Duc d'Herouville；〃 the singer said； 〃a noble soul；
a true gentleman〃 and Josepha related the settling and /marriage/ of
Monsieur Thoul。
〃And so； thanks to you； mademoiselle； the Baron has wanted nothing？〃
〃We have done our best to that end； madame。〃
〃And where is he now？〃
〃About six months ago； Monsieur le Duc told me that the Baron； known
to the notary by the name of Thoul； had drawn all the eight thousand
francs that were to have been paid to him in fixed sums once a
quarter；〃 replied Josepha。 〃We have heard no more of the Baron；
neither I nor Monsieur d'Herouville。 Our lives are so full； we artists
are so busy； that I really have not time to run after old Thoul。 As it
happens； for the last six months； Bijou； who works for mehiswhat
shall I say？〃
〃His mistress；〃 said Madame Hulot。
〃His mistress；〃 repeated Josepha； 〃has not been here。 Mademoiselle
Olympe Bijou is perhaps divorced。 Divorce is common in the thirteenth
arrondissement。〃
Josepha rose； and foraging among the rare plants in her stands； made a
charming bouquet for Madame Hulot； whose expectations； it may be said；
were by no means fulfilled。 Like those worthy fold； who take men of
genius to be a sort of monsters； eating； drinking； walking； and
speaking unlike other people； the Baroness had hoped to see Josepha
the opera singer； the witch； the amorous and amusing courtesan； she
saw a calm and well…mannered woman； with the dignity of talent； the
simplicity of an actress who knows herself to be at night a queen； and
also； better than all； a woman of the town whose eyes； attitude； and
demeanor paid full and ungrudging homage to the virtuous wife； the
/Mater dolorosa/ of the sacred hymn； and who was crowning her sorrows
with flowers； as the Madonna is crowned in Italy。
〃Madame；〃 said the man…servant； reappearing at the end of half an
hour； 〃Madame Bijou is on her way； but you are not to expect little
Olympe。 Your needle…woman； madame； is settled in life； she is
married〃
〃More or less？〃 said Josepha。
〃No； madame； really married。 She is at the head of a very fine
business； she has married the owner of a large and fashionable shop；
on which they have spent millions of francs； on the Boulevard des
Italiens； and she has left the embroidery business to her sister and
mother。 She is Madame Grenouville。 The fat tradesman〃
〃A Crevel？〃
〃Yes； madame；〃 said the man。 〃Well； he has settled thirty thousand
francs a year on Mademoiselle Bijou by the marriage articles。 And her
elder sister； they say； is going to be married to a rich butcher。〃
〃Your business looks rather hopeless； I am afraid；〃 said Josepha to
the Baroness。 〃Monsieur le Baron is no longer where I lodged him。〃
Ten minutes later Madame Bijou was announced。 Josepha very prudently
placed the Baroness in the boudoir； and drew the curtain over the
door。
〃You would scare her；〃 said she to Madame Hulot。 〃She would let
nothing out if she suspected that you were interested in the
information。 Leave me to catechise her。 Hide there； and you will hear
everything。 It is a scene that is played quite as often in real life
as on the stage〃
〃Well； Mother Bijou；〃 she said to an old woman dressed in tartan
stuff； and who looked like a porter's wife in her Sunday best； 〃so you
are all very happy？ Your daughter is in luck。〃
〃Oh； happy？ As for that！My daughter gives us a hundred francs a
month； while she rides in a carriage and eats off silver plateshe is
a millionary； is my daughter！ Olympe might have lifted me above labor。
To have to work at my age？ Is that being good to me？〃
〃She ought not to be ungrateful； for she owes her beauty to you；〃
replied Josepha； 〃but why did she not come to see me？ It was I who
placed her in ease by settling her with my uncle。〃
〃Yes； madame； with old Monsieur Thoul； but he is very old and
broken〃
〃But what have you done with him？ Is he with you？ She was very foolis