〃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 and
trousers； a white waistcoat； a black stock； and gloves。 When the
Baroness had taken her seat in the vehicle； Atala slipped in like an
eel。
〃Oh； madame；〃 she said； 〃let me go with you。 I will be so good； so
obedient； I will do whatever you wish； but do not part me from my
Daddy Vyder； my kind Daddy who gives me such nice things。 I shall be
beaten〃
〃Come； come； Atala；〃 said the Baron； 〃this lady is my wifewe must
part〃
〃She！ As old as that！ and shaking like a leaf！〃 said the child。 〃Look
at her head！〃 and she laughingly mimicked the Baroness' palsy。
The stove…fitter； who had run after the girl； came to the carriage
door。
〃Take her away！〃 said Adeline。 The man put his arms round Atala and
fairly carried her off。
〃Thanks for such a sacrifice； my dearest；〃 said Adeline； taking the
Baron's hand and clutching it with delirious joy。 〃How much you are
altered！ you must have suffered so much！ What a surprise for Hortense
and for your son！〃
Adeline talked as lovers talk who meet after a long absence； of a
hundred things at once。
In ten minutes the Baron and his wife reached the Rue Louis…le…Grand；
and there Adeline found this note awaiting her：
〃MADAME LA BARONNE；
〃Monsieur le Baron Hulot d'Ervy lived for one month in the Rue de
Charonne under the name of Thorec； an anagram of Hector。 He is now
in the Passage du Soleil by the name of Vyder。 He says he is an
Alsatian； and does writing； and he lives with a girl named Atala
Judici。 Be very cautious； madame； for search is on foot； the Baron
is wanted； on what score I know not。
〃The actress has kept her word； and remains； as ever；
〃Madame la Baronne； your humble servant；
〃J。 M。〃
The Baron's return was hailed with such joy as reconciled him to
domestic life。 He forgot little Atala Judici； for excesses of
profligacy had reduced him to the volatility of feeling that is
characteristic of childhood。 But the happiness of the family was
dashed by the change that had come over him。 He had been still hale
when he had gone away from his home； he had come back almost a
hundred； broken； bent； and his expression even debased。
A splendid dinner； improvised by Celestine； reminded the old man of
the singer's banquets； he was dazzled by the splendor of his home。
〃A feast in honor of the return of the prodigal father？〃 said he in a
murmur to Adeline。
〃Hush！〃 said she； 〃all is forgotten。〃
〃And Lisbeth？〃 he asked； not seeing the old maid。
〃I am sorry to say that she is in bed；〃 replied Hortense。 〃She can
never get up； and we shall have the grief of losing her ere long。 She
hopes to see you after dinner。〃
At daybreak next morning Victorin Hulot was informed by the porter's
wife that soldiers of the municipal guard were posted all round the
premises； the police demanded Baron Hulot。 The bailiff； who had
followed the woman； laid a summons in due form before the lawyer； and
asked him whether he meant to pay his father's debts。 The claim was
for ten thousand francs at the suit of an usurer named Samanon； who
had probably lent the Baron two or three thousand at most。 Victorin
desired the bailiff to dismiss his men； and paid。
〃But is it the last？〃 he anxiously wondered。
Lisbeth； miserable already at seeing the family so prosperous； could
not survive this happy event。 She grew so rapidly worse that Bianchon
gave her but a week to live； conquered at last in the long struggle in
which she had scored so many victories。
She kept the secret of her hatred even through a painful death from
pulmonary consumption。 And； indeed； she had the supreme satisfaction
of seeing Adeline； Hortense； Hulot； Victorin； Steinbock； Celestine；
and their children standing in tears round her bed and mourning for
her as the angel of the family。
Baron Hulot； enjoying a course of solid food such as he had not known
for nearly three years； recovered flesh and strength； and was almost
himself again。 This improvement was such a joy to Adeline that her
nervous trembling perceptibly diminished。
〃She will be happy after all；〃 said Lisbeth to herself on the day
before she died； as she saw the veneration with which the Baron
regarded his wife； of whose sufferings he had heard from Hortense and
Victorin。
And vindictiveness hastened Cousin Betty's end。 The family followed
her； weeping； to the grave。
The Baron and Baroness； having reached the age which looks for perfect
rest； gave up the handsome rooms on the first floor to the Count and
Countess Steinbock； and took those above。 The Baron by his son's
exertions found an official position in the management of a railroad；
in 1845； with a salary of six thousand francs； which； added to the six
thousand of his pension and the money left to him by Madame Crevel；
secured him an income of twenty…four thousand francs。 Hortense having
enjoyed her independent income during the three years of separation
from Wenceslas； Victorin now invested the two hundred thousand francs
he had in trust； in his sister's name and he allowed her twelve
thousand francs。
Wenceslas； as the husband of a rich woman； was not unfaithful； but he
was an idler； he could not make up his mind to begin any work； however
trifling。 Once more he became the artist /in partibus/； he was popular
in society； and consulted by amateurs； in short； he became a critic；
like all the feeble folk who fall below their promise。
Thus each household； though living as one family； had its own fortune。
The Baroness； taught by bitter experience； left the management of
matters to her son； and the Baron was thus reduced to his salary； in
hope that the smallness of his income would prevent his relapsing into
mischief。 And by some singular good fortune； on which neither the
mother nor the son had reckoned； Hulot seemed to have foresworn the
fair sex。 His subdued behaviour； ascribed to the course of nature； so
completely reassured the family； that they enjoyed to the full his
recovered amiability and delightful qualities。 He was unfailingly
attentive to his wife and children； escorted them to the play；
reappeared in society； and did the honors to his son's house with
exquisite grace。 In short； this reclaimed prodigal was the joy of his
family。
He was a most agreeable old man； a ruin； but full of wit； having
retained no more of his vice than made it an added social grace。
Of course； everybody was quite satisfied and easy。 The young people
and the Baroness lauded the model father to the skies； forgetting the
death of the two uncles。 Life cannot go on without much forgetting！
Madame Victorin； who managed this enormous household with great skill；
due； no doubt； to Lisbeth's training； had found it necessary to have a
man…cook。 This again necessitated a kitchen…maid。 Kitchen…maids are in
these days ambitious creatures； eager to detect the /chef's/ secrets；
and to become cooks as soon as they have learnt to stir a sauce。
Consequently； the kitchen…maid is liable to frequent change。
At the beginning of 1845 Celestine engaged as kitchen…maid a sturdy
Normandy peasant come from Isignyshort…waisted； with strong red
arms； a common face； as dull as an 〃occasional piece〃 at the play； and
hardly to be persuaded out of wearing the classical linen cap peculiar
to the women of Lower Normandy。 This girl； as buxom as a wet…nurse；
looked as if she would burst the blue cotton check in which she
clothed her person。 Her florid face might have been hewn out of stone；
so hard were its tawny outlines。
Of course no attention was paid to the advent in the house of this
girl； whose name was Agathean ordinary； wide…awake specimen； such as
is daily imported from the provinces。 Agathe had no attractions for
the cook； her tongue was too rough； for she had served in a suburban
inn； waiting on carters； and instead of making a conquest of her chief
and winning from him the secrets of the high art of the kitchen； she
was the object of his great contempt。 The /chef's/ attentions were； in
fact； devoted to Louise； the Countess Steinbock's maid。 The country
girl； thinking herself ill…used； complained bitterly that she was
always sent out of the way on some pretext when the /chef/ was
finishing a dish or putting the crowning touch to a sauce。
〃I am out of luck；〃 said she； 〃and I shall go to another place。〃
And yet she stayed though she had twice given notice to quit。
One night； Adeline； roused by some unusual noise； did not see Hector
in the bed he occupied near hers； for they slept side by side in two
beds； as beseemed an old couple。 She lay awake an hour； but he did not
return。 Seized with a panic； fancying some tragic end had overtaken
himan apoplectic attack； perhapsshe went upstairs to the floor
occupied by the servants； and then was attracted to the room where
Agathe slept； partly by seeing a light below the door； and partly by
the murmur of voices。 She stood still in dismay on recognizing the
voice of her husband； who； a victim to Agathe's charms； to vanquish
this strapping wench's not disinterested resistance； went to the
length of saying：
〃My wif