like Valerie； elegant and slender； displays divine beauty。 The rosy
skin； mostly soft； invites the sleepiest eye。 The lines of her figure；
so little hidden； are so charmingly outlined by the white pleats of
the shift and the support of the stays； that she is irresistiblelike
everything that must be parted from。
With a happy face smiling at the glass； a foot impatiently marking
time； a hand put up to restore order among the tumbled curls； and eyes
expressive of gratitude； with the glow of satisfaction which； like a
sunset； warms the least details of the countenanceeverything makes
such a moment a mine of memories。
Any man who dares look back on the early errors of his life may；
perhaps； recall some such reminiscences； and understand； though not
excuse； the follies of Hulot and Crevel。 Women are so well aware of
their power at such a moment； that they find in it what may be called
the aftermath of the meeting。
〃Come； come； after two years' practice； you do not yet know how to
lace a woman's stays！ You are too much a Pole！There； it is ten
o'clock； my Wenceslas！〃 said Valerie； laughing at him。
At this very moment； a mischievous waiting…woman； by inserting a
knife； pushed up the hook of the double doors that formed the whole
security of Adam and Eve。 She hastily pulled the door openfor the
servants of these dens have little time to wasteand discovered one
of the bewitching /tableaux de genre/ which Gavarni has so often shown
at the Salon。
〃In here； madame；〃 said the girl； and Cydalise went in； followed by
Montes。
〃But there is some one here。Excuse me； madame；〃 said the country
girl； in alarm。
〃What？Why！ it is Valerie！〃 cried Montes； violently slamming the
door。
Madame Marneffe； too genuinely agitated to dissemble her feelings；
dropped on to the chair by the fireplace。 Two tears rose to her eyes；
and at once dried away。 She looked at Montes； saw the girl； and burst
into a cackle of forced laughter。 The dignity of the insulted woman
redeemed the scantiness of her attire； she walked close up to the
Brazilian； and looked at him so defiantly that her eyes glittered like
knives。
〃So that；〃 said she； standing face to face with the Baron； and
pointing to Cydalise〃that is the other side of your fidelity？ You；
who have made me promises that might convert a disbeliever in love！
You； for whom I have done so muchhave even committed crimes！You
are right； monsieur； I am not to compare with a child of her age and
of such beauty！
〃I know what you are going to say；〃 she went on； looking at Wenceslas；
whose undress was proof too clear to be denied。 〃This is my concern。
If I could love you after such gross treacheryfor you have spied
upon me； you have paid for every step up these stairs； paid the
mistress of the house； and the servant； perhaps even Reinea noble
deed！If I had any remnant of affection for such a mean wretch； I
could give him reasons that would renew his passion！But I leave you；
monsieur； to your doubts； which will become remorse。Wenceslas； my
gown！〃
She took her dress and put it on； looked at herself in the glass； and
finished dressing without heeding the Baron； as calmly as if she had
been alone in the room。
〃Wenceslas； are you ready？Go first。〃
She had been watching Montes in the glass and out of the corner of her
eye； and fancied she could see in his pallor an indication of the
weakness which delivers a strong man over to a woman's fascinations；
she now took his hand； going so close to him that he could not help
inhaling the terrible perfumes which men love； and by which they
intoxicate themselves； then； feeling his pulses beat high； she looked
at him reproachfully。
〃You have my full permission to go and tell your history to Monsieur
Crevel； he will never believe you。 I have a perfect right to marry
him； and he becomes my husband the day after to…morrow。I shall make
him very happy。Good…bye； try to forget me。〃
〃Oh！ Valerie；〃 cried Henri Montes； clasping her in his arms； 〃that is
impossible！Come to Brazil！〃
Valerie looked in his face； and saw him her slave。
〃Well； if you still love me； Henri； two years hence I will be your
wife； but your expression at this moment strikes me as very
suspicious。〃
〃I swear to you that they made me drink； that false friends threw this
girl on my hands； and that the whole thing is the outcome of chance！〃
said Montes。
〃Then I am to forgive you？〃 she asked； with a smile。
〃But you will marry； all the same？〃 asked the Baron； in an agony of
jealousy。
〃Eighty thousand francs a year！〃 said she； with almost comical
enthusiasm。 〃And Crevel loves me so much that he will die of it！〃
〃Ah！ I understand；〃 said Montes。
〃Well； then； in a few days we will come to an understanding；〃 said
she。
And she departed triumphant。
〃I have no scruples；〃 thought the Baron； standing transfixed for a few
minutes。 〃What！ That woman believes she can make use of his passion to
be quit of that dolt； as she counted on Marneffe's decease！I shall
be the instrument of divine wrath。〃
Two days later those of du Tillet's guests who had demolished Madame
Marneffe tooth and nail； were seated round her table an hour after she
has shed her skin and changed her name for the illustrious name of a
Paris mayor。 This verbal treason is one of the commonest forms of
Parisian levity。
Valerie had had the satisfaction of seeing the Brazilian in the
church； for Crevel； now so entirely the husband； had invited him out
of bravado。 And the Baron's presence at the breakfast astonished no
one。 All these men of wit and of the world were familiar with the
meanness of passion； the compromises of pleasure。
Steinbock's deep melancholyfor he was beginning to despise the woman
whom he had adored as an angelwas considered to be in excellent
taste。 The Pole thus seemed to convey that all was at an end between
Valerie and himself。 Lisbeth came to embrace her dear Madame Crevel；
and to excuse herself for not staying to the breakfast on the score of
Adeline's sad state of health。
〃Be quite easy；〃 said she to Valerie； 〃they will call on you； and you
will call on them。 Simply hearing the words /two hundred thousand
francs/ has brought the Baroness to death's door。 Oh； you have them
all hard and fast by that tale！But you must tell it to me。〃
Within a month of her marriage； Valerie was at her tenth quarrel with
Steinbock； he insisted on explanations as to Henri Montes； reminding
her of the words spoken in their paradise； and； not content with
speaking to her in terms of scorn； he watched her so closely that she
never had a moment of liberty； so much was she fettered by his
jealousy on one side and Crevel's devotion on the other。
Bereft now of Lisbeth； whose advice had always been so valuable she
flew into such a rage as to reproach Wenceslas for the money she had
lent him。 This so effectually roused Steinbock's pride； that he came
no more to the Crevels' house。 So Valerie had gained her point； which
was to be rid of him for a time； and enjoy some freedom。 She waited
till Crevel should make a little journey into the country to see Comte
Popinot； with a view to arranging for her introduction to the
Countess； and was then able to make an appointment to meet the Baron；
whom she wanted to have at her command for a whole day to give him
those 〃reasons〃 which were to make him love her more than ever。
On the morning of that day； Reine； who estimated the magnitude of her
crime by that of the bribe she received； tried to warn her mistress；
in whom she naturally took more interest than in strangers。 Still； as
she had been threatened with madness； and ending her days in the
Salpetriere in case of indiscretion； she was cautious。
〃Madame； you are so well off now；〃 said she。 〃Why take on again with
that Brazilian？I do not trust him at all。〃
〃You are very right； Reine； and I mean to be rid of him。〃
〃Oh； madame； I am glad to hear it； he frightens me； does that big
Moor！ I believe him to be capable of anything。〃
〃Silly child！ you have more reason to be afraid for him when he is
with me。〃
At this moment Lisbeth came in。
〃My dear little pet Nanny； what an age since we met！〃 cried Valerie。
〃I am so unhappy！ Crevel bores me to death； and Wenceslas is gonewe
quarreled。〃
〃I know；〃 said Lisbeth； 〃and that is what brings me here。 Victorin met
him at about five in the afternoon going into an eating…house at five…
and…twenty sous； and he brought him home； hungry； by working on his
feelings； to the Rue Louis…le…Grand。Hortense； seeing Wenceslas lean
and ill and badly dressed； held out her hand。 This is how you throw me
over〃
〃Monsieur Henri； madame；〃 the man…servant announced in a low voice to
Valerie。
〃Leave me now； Lisbeth； I will explain it all to…morrow。〃 But； as will
be seen； Valerie was ere long not in a state to explain anything to
anybody。
Towards the end of May； Baron Hulot's pension was released by
Victorin's regular payment to Baron Nucingen。 As everybody knows；
pensions are paid half…yearly； and only on the presentation of a
certificate that the recipient is alive： and as Hulot's residence was
unknown； the arrears unpaid on Vauvinet's demand remained to his
credit in the Tre