had the heart to betray such perfect； such holy innocence？ To restore
this child to the ways of virtue would surely atone for many sins。I
knew what I was doing。〃 thought she； remembering the scene with
Crevel。 〃But sheshe knows nothing。〃
〃Do you know Monsieur Samanon？〃 asked Atala； with an insinuating look。
〃No； my child； but why do you ask？〃
〃Really and truly？〃 said the artless girl。
〃You have nothing to fear from this lady；〃 said the Italian woman。
〃She is an angel。〃
〃It is because my good old boy is afraid of being caught by Samanon。
He is hiding； and I wish he could be free〃
〃Why？〃
〃On！ then he would take me to Bobino； perhaps to the Ambigu。〃
〃What a delightful creature！〃 said the Baroness； kissing the girl。
〃Are you rich？〃 asked Atala； who was fingering the Baroness' lace
ruffles。
〃Yes； and No；〃 replied Madame Hulot。 〃I am rich for dear little girls
like you when they are willing to be taught their duties as Christians
by a priest； and to walk in the right way。〃
〃What way is that？〃 said Atala； 〃I walk on my two feet。〃
〃The way of virtue。〃
Atala looked at the Baroness with a crafty smile。
〃Look at madame；〃 said the Baroness； pointing to the stove…fitter's
wife； 〃she has been quite happy because she was received into the
bosom of the Church。 You married like the beasts that perish。〃
〃I？〃 said Atala。 〃Why； if you will give me as much as Daddy Vyder
gives me； I shall be quite happy unmarried again。 It is a grind。Do
you know what it is to？〃
〃But when once you are united to a man as you are；〃 the Baroness put
in； 〃virtue requires you to remain faithful to him。〃
〃Till he dies；〃 said Atala； with a knowing flash。 〃I shall not have to
wait long。 If you only knew how Daddy Vyder coughs and blows。Poof；
poof；〃 and she imitated the old man。
〃Virtue and morality require that the Church； representing God； and
the Mayor； representing the law； should consecrate your marriage；〃
Madame Hulot went on。 〃Look at madame； she is legally married〃
〃Will it make it more amusing？〃 asked the girl。
〃You will be happier；〃 said the Baroness； 〃for no one could then blame
you。 You would satisfy God！ Ask her if she was married without the
sacrament of marriage！〃
Atala looked at the Italian。
〃How is she any better than I am？〃 she asked。 〃I am prettier than she
is。〃
〃Yes； but I am an honest woman；〃 said the wife； 〃and you may be called
by a bad name。〃
〃How can you expect God to protect you if you trample every law； human
and divine； under foot？〃 said the Baroness。 〃Don't you know that God
has Paradise in store for those who obey the injunctions of His
Church？〃
〃What is there in Paradise？ Are there playhouses？〃
〃Paradise！〃 said Adeline； 〃is every joy you can conceive of。 It is
full of angels with white wings。 You see God in all His glory； you
share His power； you are happy for every minute of eternity！〃
Atala listened to the lady as she might have listened to music； but
Adeline； seeing that she was incapable of understanding her； thought
she had better take another line of action and speak to the old man。
〃Go home； then； my child； and I will go to see Monsieur Vyder。 Is he a
Frenchman？〃
〃He is an Alsatian； madame。 But he will be quite rich soon。 If you
would pay what he owes to that vile Samanon； he would give you back
your money； for in a few months he will be getting six thousand francs
a year； he says； and we are to go to live in the country a long way
off； in the Vosges。〃
At the word /Vosges/ the Baroness sat lost in reverie。 It called up
the vision of her native village。 She was roused from her melancholy
meditation by the entrance of the stove…fitter； who came to assure her
of his prosperity。
〃In a year's time； madame； I can repay the money you lent us； for it
is God's money； the money of the poor and wretched。 If ever I make a
fortune； come to me for what you want； and I will render through you
the help to others which you first brought us。〃
〃Just now；〃 said Madame Hulot； 〃I do not need your money； but I ask
your assistance in a good work。 I have just seen that little Judici；
who is living with an old man； and I mean to see them regularly and
legally married。〃
〃Ah！ old Vyder； he is a very worthy old fellow； with plenty of good
sense。 The poor old man has already made friends in the neighborhood；
though he has been here but two months。 He keeps my accounts for me。
He is； I believe； a brave Colonel who served the Emperor well。 And how
he adores Napoleon！He has some orders； but he never wears them。 He
is waiting till he is straight again； for he is in debt； poor old boy！
In fact； I believe he is hiding； threatened by the law〃
〃Tell him that I will pay his debts if he will marry the child。〃
〃Oh； that will soon be settled。Suppose you were to see him； madame；
it is not two steps away； in the Passage du Soleil。〃
So the lady and the stove…fitter went out。
〃This way； madame；〃 said the man； turning down the Rue de la
Pepiniere。
The alley runs； in fact； from the bottom of this street through to the
Rue du Rocher。 Halfway down this passage； recently opened through；
where the shops let at a very low rent； the Baroness saw on a window；
screened up to a height with a green； gauze curtain； which excluded
the prying eyes of the passer…by； the words：
〃ECRIVAIN PUBLIC〃；
and on the door the announcement：
BUSINESS TRANSACTED。
/Petitions Drawn Up； Accounts Audited； Etc。/
/With Secrecy and Dispatch。/
The shop was like one of those little offices where travelers by
omnibus wait the vehicles to take them on to their destination。 A
private staircase led up； no doubt； to the living…rooms on the
entresol which were let with the shop。 Madame Hulot saw a dirty
writing…table of some light wood； some letter…boxes； and a wretched
second…hand chair。 A cap with a peak and a greasy green shade for the
eyes suggested either precautions for disguise； or weak eyes； which
was not unlikely in an old man。
〃He is upstairs；〃 said the stove…fitter。 〃I will go up and tell him to
come down。〃
Adeline lowered her veil and took a seat。 A heavy step made the narrow
stairs creak； and Adeline could not restrain a piercing cry when she
saw her husband； Baron Hulot； in a gray knitted jersey； old gray
flannel trousers； and slippers。
〃What is your business； madame？〃 said Hulot； with a flourish。
She rose； seized Hulot by the arm； and said in a voice hoarse with
emotion：
〃At lastI have found you！〃
〃Adeline！〃 exclaimed the Baron in bewilderment； and he locked the shop
door。 〃Joseph； go out the back way；〃 he added to the stove…fitter。
〃My dear！〃 she said； forgetting everything in her excessive joy； 〃you
can come home to us all； we are rich。 Your son draws a hundred and
sixty thousand francs a year！ Your pension is released； there are
fifteen thousand francs of arrears you can get on showing that you are
alive。 Valerie is dead； and left you three hundred thousand francs。
〃Your name is quite forgotten by this time； you may reappear in the
world； and you will find a fortune awaiting you at your son's house。
Come； our happiness will be complete。 For nearly three years I have
been seeking you； and I felt so sure of finding you that a room is
ready waiting for you。 Oh！ come away from this； come away from the
dreadful state I see you in！〃
〃I am very willing；〃 said the bewildered Baron； 〃but can I take the
girl？〃
〃Hector； give her up！ Do that much for your Adeline； who has never
before asked you to make the smallest sacrifice。 I promise you I will
give the child a marriage portion； I will see that she marries well；
and has some education。 Let it be said of one of the women who have
given you happiness that she too is happy； and do not relapse into
vice； into the mire。〃
〃So it was you；〃 said the Baron； with a smile； 〃who wanted to see me
married？Wait a few minutes；〃 he added； 〃I will go upstairs and
dress； I have some decent clothes in a trunk。〃
Adeline； left alone； and looking round the squalid shop； melted into
tears。
〃He has been living here； and we rolling in wealth！〃 said she to
herself。 〃Poor man； he has indeed been punishedhe who was elegance
itself。〃
The stove…fitter returned to make his bow to his benefactress； and she
desired him to fetch a coach。 When he came back； she begged him to
give little Atala Judici a home； and to take her away at once。
〃And tell her that if she will place herself under the guidance of
Monsieur the Cure of the Madeleine； on the day when she attends her
first Communion I will give her thirty thousand francs and find her a
good husband； some worthy young man。〃
〃My eldest son； then madame！ He is two…and…twenty； and he worships the
child。〃
The Baron now came down； there were tears in his eyes。
〃You are forcing me to desert the only creature who had ever begun to
love me at all as you do！〃 said he in a whisper to his wife。 〃She is
crying bitterly； and I cannot abandon her so〃
〃Be quite easy； Hector。 She will find a home with honest people； and I
will answer for her conduct。〃
〃Well； then； I can go with you；〃 said the Baron； escorting his wife to
the cab。
Hector； the Baron d'Ervy once more； had put on a blue coat a