off； 〃but you do not know why I was three years thinking about it。〃
〃No； savage！〃 said Carabine。
〃Well； she had so repeatedly told me that she longed to live with me
alone in a desert〃
〃Oh； ho！ he is not a savage after all；〃 cried Carabine； with a shout
of laughter。 〃He is of the highly…civilized tribe of Flats！〃
〃She had told me this so often；〃 Montes went on； regardless of the
courtesan's mockery； 〃that I had a lovely house fitted up in the heart
of that vast estate。 I came back to France to fetch Valerie； and the
first evening I saw her〃
〃Saw her is very proper！〃 said Carabine。 〃I will remember it。〃
〃She told me to wait till that wretched Marneffe was dead； and I
agreed； and forgave her for having admitted the attentions of Hulot。
Whether the devil had her in hand I don't know； but from that instant
that woman has humored my every whim； complied with all my demands
never for one moment has she given me cause to suspect her！〃
〃That is supremely clever！〃 said Carabine to Madame Nourrisson； who
nodded in sign of assent。
〃My faith in that woman；〃 said Montes； and he shed a tear； 〃was a
match for my love。 Just now； I was ready to fight everybody at
table〃
〃So I saw；〃 said Carabine。
〃And if I am cheated； if she is going to be married； if she is at this
moment in Steinbock's arms； she deserves a thousand deaths！ I will
kill her as I would smash a fly〃
〃And how about the gendarmes； my son？〃 said Madame Nourrisson； with a
smile that made your flesh creep。
〃And the police agents； and the judges； and the assizes； and all the
set…out？〃 added Carabine。
〃You are bragging； my dear fellow；〃 said the old woman； who wanted to
know all the Brazilian's schemes of vengeance。
〃I will kill her；〃 he calmly repeated。 〃You called me a savage。Do
you imagine that I am fool enough to go； like a Frenchman； and buy
poison at the chemist's shop？During the time while we were driving
her； I thought out my means of revenge； if you should prove to be
right as concerns Valerie。 One of my negroes has the most deadly of
animal poisons； and incurable anywhere but in Brazil。 I will
administer it to Cydalise； who will give it to me； then by the time
when death is a certainty to Crevel and his wife； I shall be beyond
the Azores with your cousin； who will be cured； and I will marry her。
We have our own little tricks； we savages！Cydalise；〃 said he；
looking at the country girl； 〃is the animal I need。How much does she
owe？〃
〃A hundred thousand francs；〃 said Cydalise。
〃She says littlebut to the purpose；〃 said Carabine； in a low tone to
Madame Nourrisson。
〃I am going mad！〃 cried the Brazilian； in a husky voice； dropping on
to a sofa。 〃I shall die of this！ But I must see； for it is impossible！
A lithographed note！ What is to assure me that it is not a forgery？
Baron Hulot was in love with Valerie？〃 said he； recalling Josepha's
harangue。 〃Nay； the proof that he did not love is that she is still
aliveI will not leave her living for anybody else； if she is not
wholly mine。〃
Montes was terrible to behold。 He bellowed； he stormed； he broke
everything he touched； rosewood was as brittle as glass。
〃How he destroys things！〃 said Carabine； looking at the old woman。 〃My
good boy；〃 said she； giving the Brazilian a little slap； 〃Roland the
Furious is very fine in a poem； but in a drawing…room he is prosaic
and expensive。〃
〃My son；〃 said old Nourrisson； rising to stand in front of the
crestfallen Baron； 〃I am of your way of thinking。 When you love in
that way； and are joined 'till death does you part；' life must answer
for love。 The one who first goes； carries everything away； it is a
general wreck。 You command my esteem； my admiration； my consent；
especially for your inoculation； which will make me a Friend of the
Negro。But you love her！ You will hark back？〃
〃I？If she is so infamous； I〃
〃Well； come now； you are talking too much； it strikes me。 A man who
means to be avenged； and who says he has the ways and means of a
savage； doesn't do that。If you want to see your 'object' in her
paradise； you must take Cydalise and walk straight in with her on your
arm； as if the servant had made a mistake。 But no scandal！ If you mean
to be revenged； you must eat the leek； seem to be in despair； and
allow her to bully you。Do you see？〃 said Madame Nourrisson； finding
the Brazilian quite amazed by so subtle a scheme。
〃All right； old ostrich；〃 he replied。 〃Come along： I understand。〃
〃Good…bye； little one！〃 said the old woman to Carabine。
She signed to Cydalise to go on with Montes； and remained a minute
with Carabine。
〃Now； child； I have but one fear； and that is that he will strangle
her！ I should be in a very tight place； we must do everything gently。
I believe you have won your picture by Raphael； but they tell me it is
only a Mignard。 Never mind； it is much prettier； all the Raphaels are
gone black； I am told； whereas this one is as bright as a Girodet。〃
〃All I want is to crow over Josepha； and it is all the same to me
whether I have a Mignard or a Raphael！That thief had on such pearls
this evening！you would sell your soul for them。〃
Cydalise； Montes； and Madame Nourrisson got into a hackney coach that
was waiting at the door。 Madame Nourrisson whispered to the driver the
address of a house in the same block as the Italian Opera House； which
they could have reached in five or six minutes from the Rue Saint…
Georges； but Madame Nourrisson desired the man to drive along the Rue
le Peletier； and to go very slowly； so as to be able to examine the
carriages in waiting。
〃Brazilian；〃 said the old woman； 〃look out for your angel's carriage
and servants。〃
The Baron pointed out Valerie's carriage as they passed it。
〃She has told them to come for her at ten o'clock； and she is gone in
a cab to the house where she visits Count Steinbock。 She has dined
there； and will come to the Opera in half an hour。It is well
contrived！〃 said Madame Nourrisson。 〃Thus you see how she has kept you
so long in the dark。〃
The Brazilian made no reply。 He had become the tiger； and had
recovered the imperturbable cool ferocity that had been so striking at
dinner。 He was as calm as a bankrupt the day after he has stopped
payment。
At the door of the house stood a hackney coach with two horses； of the
kind known as a /Compagnie Generale/； from the Company that runs them。
〃Stay here in the box；〃 said the old woman to Montes。 〃This is not an
open house like a tavern。 I will send for you。〃
The paradise of Madame Marneffe and Wenceslas was not at all like that
of Crevelwho； finding it useless now； had just sold his to the Comte
Maxime de Trailles。 This paradise； the paradise of all comers；
consisted of a room on the fourth floor opening to the landing； in a
house close to the Italian Opera。 On each floor of this house there
was a room which had originally served as the kitchen to the
apartments on that floor。 But the house having become a sort of inn；
let out for clandestine love affairs at an exorbitant price； the
owner； the real Madame Nourrisson； an old…clothes buyer in the Rue
Nueve Saint…Marc； had wisely appreciated the great value of these
kitchens； and had turned them into a sort of dining…rooms。 Each of
these rooms； built between thick party…walls and with windows to the
street； was entirely shut in by very thick double doors on the
landing。 Thus the most important secrets could be discussed over a
dinner； with no risk of being overheard。 For greater security； the
windows had shutters inside and out。 These rooms； in consequence of
this peculiarity； were let for twelve hundred francs a month。 The
whole house； full of such paradises and mysteries was rented by Madame
Nourrisson the First for twenty…eight thousand francs of clear profit；
after paying her housekeeper； Madame Nourrisson the Second； for she
did not manage it herself。
The paradise let to Count Steinbock had been hung with chintz； the
cold； hard floor； of common tiles reddened with encaustic； was not
felt through a soft thick carpet。 The furniture consisted of two
pretty chairs and a bed in an alcove； just now half hidden by a table
loaded with the remains of an elegant dinner； while two bottles with
long necks and an empty champagne…bottle in ice strewed the field of
bacchus cultivated by Venus。
There were alsothe property； no doubt； of Valeriea low easy…chair
and a man's smoking…chair； and a pretty toilet chest of drawers in
rosewood； the mirror handsomely framed /a la/ Pompadour。 A lamp
hanging from the ceiling gave a subdued light； increased by wax
candles on the table and on the chimney…shelf。
This sketch will suffice to give an idea； /urbi et orbi/； of
clandestine passion in the squalid style stamped on it in Paris in
1840。 How far； alas！ from the adulterous love； symbolized by Vulcan's
nets； three thousand years ago。
When Montes and Cydalise came upstairs； Valerie； standing before the
fire； where a log was blazing； was allowing Wenceslas to lace her
stays。
This is a moment when a woman who is neither too fat nor too thin； but
like Valerie； elegant and slender； displays divine beauty。 The rosy
skin； mostly soft； invites the sleepiest eye。 The lines of