Lupin undertook investigations for the benefit of private persons。
This might have led to great social dangers。 With the means at his
command； the man would have been formidable； an underlying fate〃
〃But in my place？〃 said Hulot。
〃Why； you ask my advice？ You who sell it！〃 replied Monsieur Chapuzot。
〃Come； come； my dear sir； you are making fun of me。〃
Hulot bowed to the functionary； and went away without seeing that
gentleman's almost imperceptible shrug as he rose to open the door。
〃And he wants to be a statesman！〃 said Chapuzot to himself as he
returned to his reports。
Victorin went home； still full of perplexities which he could confide
to no one。
At dinner the Baroness joyfully announced to her children that within
a month their father might be sharing their comforts； and end his days
in peace among his family。
〃Oh； I would gladly give my three thousand six hundred francs a year
to see the Baron here！〃 cried Lisbeth。 〃But； my dear Adeline； do not
dream beforehand of such happiness； I entreat you！〃
〃Lisbeth is right；〃 said Celestine。 〃My dear mother； wait till the
end。〃
The Baroness； all feeling and all hope； related her visit to Josepha；
expressed her sense of the misery of such women in the midst of good
fortune； and mentioned Chardin the mattress…picker； the father of the
Oran storekeeper； thus showing that her hopes were not groundless。
By seven next morning Lisbeth had driven in a hackney coach to the
Quai de la Tournelle； and stopped the vehicle at the corner of the Rue
de Poissy。
〃Go to the Rue des Bernardins；〃 said she to the driver； 〃No。 7； a
house with an entry and no porter。 Go up to the fourth floor； ring at
the door to the left； on which you will see 'Mademoiselle Chardin
Lace and shawls mended。' She will answer the door。 Ask for the
Chevalier。 She will say he is out。 Say in reply； 'Yes； I know； but
find him； for his /bonne/ is out on the quay in a coach； and wants to
see him。' 〃
Twenty minutes later； an old man； who looked about eighty； with
perfectly white hair； and a nose reddened by the cold； and a pale；
wrinkled face like an old woman's； came shuffling slowly along in list
slippers； a shiny alpaca overcoat hanging on his stooping shoulders；
no ribbon at his buttonhole； the sleeves of an under…vest showing
below his coat…cuffs； and his shirt…front unpleasantly dingy。 He
approached timidly； looked at the coach； recognized Lisbeth； and came
to the window。
〃Why； my dear cousin； what a state you are in！〃
〃Elodie keeps everything for herself；〃 said Baron Hulot。 〃Those
Chardins are a blackguard crew。〃
〃Will you come home to us？〃
〃Oh； no； no！〃 cried the old man。 〃I would rather go to America。〃
〃Adeline is on the scent。〃
〃Oh； if only some one would pay my debts！〃 said the Baron； with a
suspicious look； 〃for Samanon is after me。〃
〃We have not paid up the arrears yet； your son still owes a hundred
thousand francs。〃
〃Poor boy！〃
〃And your pension will not be free before seven or eight months。If
you will wait a minute； I have two thousand francs here。〃
The Baron held out his hand with fearful avidity。
〃Give it me； Lisbeth； and may God reward you！ Give it me； I know where
to go。〃
〃But you will tell me； old wretch？〃
〃Yes； yes。 Then I can wait eight months； for I have discovered a
little angel； a good child； an innocent thing not old enough to be
depraved。〃
〃Do not forget the police…court；〃 said Lisbeth； who flattered herself
that she would some day see Hulot there。
〃No。It is in the Rue de Charonne；〃 said the Baron； 〃a part of the
town where no fuss is made about anything。 No one will ever find me
there。 I am called Pere Thorec； Lisbeth； and I shall be taken for a
retired cabinet…maker； the girl is fond of me； and I will not allow my
back to be shorn any more。〃
〃No； that has been done；〃 said Lisbeth； looking at his coat。
〃Supposing I take you there。〃
Baron Hulot got into the coach； deserting Mademoiselle Elodie without
taking leave of her； as he might have tossed aside a novel he had
finished。
In half an hour； during which Baron Hulot talked to Lisbeth of nothing
but little Atala Judicifor he had fallen by degrees to those base
passions that ruin old menshe set him down with two thousand francs
in his pocket； in the Rue de Charonne； Faubourg Saint…Antoine； at the
door of a doubtful and sinister…looking house。
〃Good…day； cousin； so now you are to be called Thorec； I suppose？ Send
none but commissionaires if you need me； and always take them from
different parts。〃
〃Trust me！ Oh； I am really very lucky！〃 said the Baron； his face
beaming with the prospect of new and future happiness。
〃No one can find him there；〃 said Lisbeth； and she paid the coach at
the Boulevard Beaumarchais； and returned to the Rue Louis…le…Grand in
the omnibus。
On the following day Crevel was announced at the hour when all the
family were together in the drawing…room； just after breakfast。
Celestine flew to throw her arms round her father's neck； and behaved
as if she had seen him only the day before； though in fact he had not
called there for more than two years。
〃Good…morning； father；〃 said Victorin； offering his hand。
〃Good…morning； children；〃 said the pompous Crevel。 〃Madame la Baronne；
I throw myself at your feet！ Good Heavens； how the children grow！ they
are pushing us off the perch'Grand…pa；' they say； 'we want our turn
in the sunshine。'Madame la Comtesse； you are as lovely as ever；〃 he
went on； addressing Hortense。〃Ah； ha！ and here is the best of good
money： Cousin Betty； the Wise Virgin。〃
〃Why； you are really very comfortable here；〃 said he； after scattering
these greetings with a cackle of loud laughter that hardly moved the
rubicund muscles of his broad face。
He looked at his daughter with some contempt。
〃My dear Celestine； I will make you a present of all my furniture out
of the Rue des Saussayes； it will just do here。 Your drawing…room
wants furnishing up。Ha！ there is that little rogue Wenceslas。 Well；
and are we very good children； I wonder？ You must have pretty manners；
you know。〃
〃To make up for those who have none；〃 said Lisbeth。
〃That sarcasm； my dear Lisbeth； has lost its sting。 I am going； my
dear children； to put an end to the false position in which I have so
long been placed； I have come； like a good father； to announce my
approaching marriage without any circumlocution。〃
〃You have a perfect right to marry；〃 said Victorin。 〃And for my part；
I give you back the promise you made me when you gave me the hand of
my dear Celestine〃
〃What promise？〃 said Crevel。
〃Not to marry；〃 replied the lawyer。 〃You will do me the justice to
allow that I did not ask you to pledge yourself； that you gave your
word quite voluntarily and in spite of my desire； for I pointed out to
you at the time that you were unwise to bind yourself。〃
〃Yes； I do remember； my dear fellow；〃 said Crevel； ashamed of himself。
〃But； on my honor； if you will but live with Madame Crevel； my
children； you will find no reason to repent。Your good feeling
touches me； Victorin； and you will find that generosity to me is not
unrewarded。Come； by the Poker！ welcome your stepmother and come to
the wedding。〃
〃But you have not told us the lady's name； papa；〃 said Celestine。
〃Why； it is an open secret；〃 replied Crevel。 〃Do not let us play at
guess who can！ Lisbeth must have told you。〃
〃My dear Monsieur Crevel；〃 replied Lisbeth； 〃there are certain names
we never utter here〃
〃Well； then； it is Madame Marneffe。〃
〃Monsieur Crevel；〃 said the lawyer very sternly； 〃neither my wife nor
I can be present at that marriage； not out of interest； for I spoke in
all sincerity just now。 Yes； I am most happy to think that you may
find happiness in this union； but I act on considerations of honor and
good feeling which you must understand； and which I cannot speak of
here； as they reopen wounds still ready to bleed〃
The Baroness telegraphed a signal to Hortense； who tucked her little
one under her arm； saying； 〃Come Wenceslas； and have your bath！Good…
bye； Monsieur Crevel。〃
The Baroness also bowed to Crevel without a word； and Crevel could not
help smiling at the child's astonishment when threatened with this
impromptu tubbing。
〃You； monsieur；〃 said Victorin； when he found himself alone with
Lisbeth； his wife； and his father…in…law； 〃are about to marry a woman
loaded with the spoils of my father； it was she who； in cold blood；
brought him down to such depths； a woman who is the son…in…law's
mistress after ruining the father…in…law； who is the cause of constant
grief to my sister！And you fancy that I shall seem to sanction your
madness by my presence？ I deeply pity you； dear Monsieur Crevel； you
have no family feeling； you do not understand the unity of the honor
which binds the members of it together。 There is no arguing with
passionas I have too much reason to know。 The slaves of their
passions are as deaf as they are blind。 Your daughter Celestine has
too strong a sense of her duty to proffer a word of reproach。〃
〃That would； indeed； be a pretty thing！〃 cried Crevel； trying to cut
short this harangue。
〃Celestine would not be my wife if she made the sli