old woman。 Though handsomely dressed； she was terrible to look upon；
for her flat； colorless； strongly…marked face； furrowed with wrinkles；
expressed a sort of cold malignity。 Marat； as a woman of that age；
might have been like this creature； a living embodiment of the Reign
of Terror。
This sinister old woman's small； pale eyes twinkled with a tiger's
bloodthirsty greed。 Her broad； flat nose； with nostrils expanded into
oval cavities； breathed the fires of hell； and resembled the beak of
some evil bird of prey。 The spirit of intrigue lurked behind her low；
cruel brow。 Long hairs had grown from her wrinkled chin； betraying the
masculine character of her schemes。 Any one seeing that woman's face
would have said that artists had failed in their conceptions of
Mephistopheles。
〃My dear sir；〃 she began； with a patronizing air； 〃I have long since
given up active business of any kind。 What I have come to you to do； I
have undertaken； for the sake of my dear nephew； whom I love more than
I could love a son of my own。Now； the Head of the Policeto whom
the President of the Council said a few words in his ear as regards
yourself； in talking to Monsieur Chapuzotthinks as the police ought
not to appear in a matter of this description； you understand。 They
gave my nephew a free hand； but my nephew will have nothing to say to
it； except as before the Council； he will not be seen in it。〃
〃Then your nephew is〃
〃You have hit it； and I am rather proud of him；〃 said she；
interrupting the lawyer； 〃for he is my pupil； and he soon could teach
his teacher。We have considered this case； and have come to our own
conclusions。 Will you hand over thirty thousand francs to have the
whole thing taken off your hands？ I will make a clean sweep of all；
and you need not pay till the job is done。〃
〃Do you know the persons concerned？〃
〃No； my dear sir； I look for information from you。 What we are told
is； that a certain old idiot has fallen into the clutches of a widow。
This widow； of nine…and…twenty； has played her cards so well； that she
has forty thousand francs a year； of which she has robbed two fathers
of families。 She is now about to swallow down eighty thousand francs a
year by marrying an old boy of sixty…one。 She will thus ruin a
respectable family； and hand over this vast fortune to the child of
some lover by getting rid at once of the old husband。That is the
case as stated。〃
〃Quite correct；〃 said Victorin。 〃My father…in…law； Monsieur Crevel〃
〃Formerly a perfumer； a mayoryes； I live in his district under the
name of Ma'ame Nourrisson；〃 said the woman。
〃The other person is Madame Marneffe。〃
〃I do not know；〃 said Madame de Saint…Esteve。 〃But within three days I
will be in a position to count her shifts。〃
〃Can you hinder the marriage？〃 asked Victorin。
〃How far have they got？〃
〃To the second time of asking。〃
〃We must carry off the woman。To…day is Sundaythere are but three
days； for they will be married on Wednesday； no doubt； it is
impossible。But she may be killed〃
Victorin Hulot started with an honest man's horror at hearing these
five words uttered in cold blood。
〃Murder？〃 said he。 〃And how could you do it？〃
〃For forty years； now； monsieur； we have played the part of fate；〃
replied she； with terrible pride； 〃and do just what we will in Paris。
More than one familyeven in the Faubourg Saint…Germainhas told me
all its secrets； I can tell you。 I have made and spoiled many a match；
I have destroyed many a will and saved many a man's honor。 I have in
there；〃 and she tapped her forehead； 〃a store of secrets which are
worth thirty…six thousand francs a year to me； and youyou will be
one of my lambs； hoh！ Could such a woman as I am be what I am if she
revealed her ways and means？ I act。
〃Whatever I may do； sir； will be the result of an accident； you need
feel no remorse。 You will be like a man cured by a clairvoyant； by the
end of a month； it seems all the work of Nature。〃
Victorin broke out in a cold sweat。 The sight of an executioner would
have shocked him less than this prolix and pretentious Sister of the
Hulks。 As he looked at her purple…red gown； she seemed to him dyed in
blood。
〃Madame； I do not accept the help of your experience and skill if
success is to cost anybody's life； or the least criminal act is to
come of it。〃
〃You are a great baby； monsieur；〃 replied the woman； 〃you wish to
remain blameless in your own eyes； while you want your enemy to be
overthrown。〃
Victorin shook his head in denial。
〃Yes；〃 she went on； 〃you want this Madame Marneffe to drop the prey
she has between her teeth。 But how do you expect to make a tiger drop
his piece of beef？ Can you do it by patting his back and saying； 'Poor
Puss'？ You are illogical。 You want a battle fought； but you object to
blows。Well； I grant you the innocence you are so careful over。 I
have always found that there was material for hypocrisy in honesty！
One day； three months hence； a poor priest will come to beg of you
forty thousand francs for a pious worka convent to be rebuilt in the
Levantin the desert。If you are satisfied with your lot； give the
good man the money。 You will pay more than that into the treasury。 It
will be a mere trifle in comparison with what you will get； I can tell
you。〃
She rose； standing on the broad feet that seemed to overflow her satin
shoes； she smiled； bowed； and vanished。
〃The Devil has a sister；〃 said Victorin； rising。
He saw the hideous stranger to the door； a creature called up from the
dens of the police； as on the stage a monster comes up from the third
cellar at the touch of a fairy's wand in a ballet…extravaganza。
After finishing what he had to do at the Courts； Victorin went to call
on Monsieur Chapuzot； the head of one of the most important branches
of the Central Police； to make some inquiries about the stranger。
Finding Monsieur Chapuzot alone in his office； Victorin thanked him
for his help。
〃You sent me an old woman who might stand for the incarnation of the
criminal side of Paris。〃
Monsieur Chapuzot laid his spectacles on his papers and looked at the
lawyer with astonishment。
〃I should not have taken the liberty of sending anybody to see you
without giving you notice beforehand； or a line of introduction；〃 said
he。
〃Then it was Monsieur le Prefet？〃
〃I think not；〃 said Chapuzot。 〃The last time that the Prince de
Wissembourg dined with the Minister of the Interior； he spoke to the
Prefet of the position in which you find yourselfa deplorable
positionand asked him if you could be helped in any friendly way。
The Prefet； who was interested by the regrets his Excellency expressed
as to this family affair； did me the honor to consult me about it。
〃Ever since the present Prefet has held the reins of this department
so useful and so vilifiedhe has made it a rule that family matters
are never to be interfered in。 He is right in principle and in
morality； but in practice he is wrong。 In the forty…five years that I
have served in the police； it did； from 1799 till 1815； great services
in family concerns。 Since 1820 a constitutional government and the
press have completely altered the conditions of existence。 So my
advice； indeed； was not to intervene in such a case； and the Prefet
did me the honor to agree with my remarks。 The Head of the detective
branch has orders； in my presence； to take no steps； so if you have
had any one sent to you by him； he will be reprimanded。 It might cost
him his place。 'The Police will do this or that；' is easily said； the
Police； the Police！ But； my dear sir； the Marshal and the Ministerial
Council do not know what the Police is。 The Police alone knows the
Police； but as for ours； only Fouche； Monsieur Lenoir； and Monsieur de
Sartines have had any notion of it。Everything is changed now； we are
reduced and disarmed！ I have seen many private disasters develop；
which I could have checked with five grains of despotic power。We
shall be regretted by the very men who have crippled us when they；
like you； stand face to face with some moral monstrosities； which
ought to be swept away as we sweep away mud！ In public affairs the
Police is expected to foresee everything； or when the safety of the
public is involvedbut the family？It is sacred！ I would do my
utmost to discover and hinder a plot against the King's life； I would
see through the walls of a house； but as to laying a finger on a
household； or peeping into private interestsnever； so long as I sit
in this office。 I should be afraid。〃
〃Of what？〃
〃Of the Press； Monsieur le Depute； of the left centre。〃
〃What； then； can I do？〃 said Hulot； after a pause。
〃Well； you are the Family；〃 said the official。 〃That settles it； you
can do what you please。 But as to helping you； as to using the Police
as an instrument of private feelings； and interests； how is it
possible？ There lies； you see； the secret of the persecution；
necessary； but pronounced illegal； by the Bench； which was brought to
bear against the predecessor of our present chief detective。 Bibi…
Lupin undertook investigations for the benefit of private persons。
This might have led to great social dangers。 With the means at his
command； the m