already melted awaypartly in paying his debts； and partly in the
purchase of necessaries for furnishing a house； but chiefly in
gratifying the requirements of a pretty young wife； accustomed in her
mother's house to luxuries she did not choose to dispense with。 The
situation of the Rue du Doyenne； within easy distance of the War
Office； and the gay part of Paris； smiled on Monsieur and Madame
Marneffe； and for the last four years they had dwelt under the same
roof as Lisbeth Fischer。
Monsieur Jean…Paul…Stanislas Marneffe was one of the class of employes
who escape sheer brutishness by the kind of power that comes of
depravity。 The small； lean creature； with thin hair and a starved
beard； an unwholesome pasty face； worn rather than wrinkled； with red…
lidded eyes harnessed with spectacles； shuffling in his gait； and yet
meaner in his appearance； realized the type of man that any one would
conceive of as likely to be placed in the dock for an offence against
decency。
The rooms inhabited by this couple had the illusory appearance of sham
luxury seen in many Paris homes； and typical of a certain class of
household。 In the drawing…room； the furniture covered with shabby
cotton velvet； the plaster statuettes pretending to be Florentine
bronze； the clumsy cast chandelier merely lacquered； with cheap glass
saucers； the carpet； whose small cost was accounted for in advancing
life by the quality of cotton used in the manufacture； now visible to
the naked eye；everything； down to the curtains； which plainly showed
that worsted damask has not three years of prime； proclaimed poverty
as loudly as a beggar in rags at a church door。
The dining…room； badly kept by a single servant； had the sickening
aspect of a country inn； everything looked greasy and unclean。
Monsieur's room； very like a schoolboy's； furnished with the bed and
fittings remaining from his bachelor days； as shabby and worn as he
was； dusted perhaps once a weekthat horrible room where everything
was in a litter； with old socks hanging over the horsehair…seated
chairs； the pattern outlined in dust； was that of a man to whom home
is a matter of indifference； who lives out of doors； gambling in cafes
or elsewhere。
Madame's room was an exception to the squalid slovenliness that
disgraced the living rooms； where the curtains were yellow with smoke
and dust； and where the child； evidently left to himself； littered
every spot with his toys。 Valerie's room and dressing…room were
situated in the part of the house which； on one side of the courtyard；
joined the front half； looking out on the street； to the wing forming
the inner side of the court backing against the adjoining property。
Handsomely hung with chintz； furnished with rosewood； and thickly
carpeted； they proclaimed themselves as belonging to a pretty woman
and indeed suggested the kept mistress。 A clock in the fashionable
style stood on the velvet…covered mantelpiece。 There was a nicely
fitted cabinet； and the Chinese flower…stands were handsomely filled。
The bed； the toilet…table； the wardrobe with its mirror； the little
sofa； and all the lady's frippery bore the stamp of fashion or
caprice。 Though everything was quite third…rate as to elegance or
quality； and nothing was absolutely newer than three years old； a
dandy would have had no fault to find but that the taste of all this
luxury was commonplace。 Art； and the distinction that comes of the
choice of things that taste assimilates； was entirely wanting。 A
doctor of social science would have detected a lover in two or three
specimens of costly trumpery； which could only have come there through
that demi…godalways absent； but always present if the lady is
married。
The dinner； four hours behind time； to which the husband； wife； and
child sat down； betrayed the financial straits in which the household
found itself； for the table is the surest thermometer for gauging the
income of a Parisian family。 Vegetable soup made with the water
haricot beans had been boiled in； a piece of stewed veal and potatoes
sodden with water by way of gravy； a dish of haricot beans； and cheap
cherries； served and eaten in cracked plates and dishes； with the
dull…looking and dull…sounding forks of German silverwas this a
banquet worthy of this pretty young woman？ The Baron would have wept
could he have seen it。 The dingy decanters could not disguise the vile
hue of wine bought by the pint at the nearest wineshop。 The table…
napkins had seen a week's use。 In short； everything betrayed
undignified penury； and the equal indifference of the husband and wife
to the decencies of home。 The most superficial observer on seeing them
would have said that these two beings had come to the stage when the
necessity of living had prepared them for any kind of dishonor that
might bring luck to them。 Valerie's first words to her husband will
explain the delay that had postponed the dinner by the not
disinterested devotion of the cook。
〃Samanon will only take your bills at fifty per cent； and insists on a
lien on your salary as security。〃
So poverty； still unconfessed in the house of the superior official；
and hidden under a stipend of twenty…four thousand francs；
irrespective of presents； had reached its lowest stage in that of the
clerk。
〃You have caught on with the chief；〃 said the man； looking at his
wife。
〃I rather think so；〃 replied she； understanding the full meaning of
his slang expression。
〃What is to become of us？〃 Marneffe went on。 〃The landlord will be
down on us to…morrow。 And to think of your father dying without making
a will！ On my honor； those men of the Empire all think themselves as
immortal as their Emperor。〃
〃Poor father！〃 said she。 〃I was his only child； and he was very fond
of me。 The Countess probably burned the will。 How could he forget me
when he used to give us as much as three or four thousand…franc notes
at once； from time to time？〃
〃We owe four quarters' rent； fifteen hundred francs。 Is the furniture
worth so much？ /That is the question/； as Shakespeare says。〃
〃Now； good…bye； ducky！〃 said Valerie； who had only eaten a few
mouthfuls of the veal； from which the maid had extracted all the gravy
for a brave soldier just home from Algiers。 〃Great evils demand heroic
remedies。〃
〃Valerie； where are you off to？〃 cried Marneffe； standing between his
wife and the door。
〃I am going to see the landlord；〃 she replied； arranging her ringlets
under her smart bonnet。 〃You had better try to make friends with that
old maid； if she really is your chief's cousin。〃
The ignorance in which the dwellers under one roof can exist as to the
social position of their fellow…lodgers is a permanent fact which； as
much as any other； shows what the rush of Paris life is。 Still； it is
easily conceivable that a clerk who goes early every morning to his
office； comes home only to dinner； and spends every evening out； and a
woman swallowed up in a round of pleasures； should know nothing of an
old maid living on the third floor beyond the courtyard of the house
they dwell in； especially when she lives as Mademoiselle Fischer did。
Up in the morning before any one else； Lisbeth went out to buy her
bread； milk； and live charcoal； never speaking to any one； and she
went to bed with the sun； she never had a letter or a visitor； nor
chatted with her neighbors。 Here was one of those anonymous；
entomological existences such as are to be met with in many large
tenements where； at the end of four years； you unexpectedly learn that
up on the fourth floor there is an old man lodging who knew Voltaire；
Pilatre de Rozier； Beaujon； Marcel； Mole； Sophie Arnould； Franklin；
and Robespierre。 What Monsieur and Madame Marneffe had just said
concerning Lisbeth Fischer they had come to know； in consequence；
partly； of the loneliness of the neighborhood； and of the alliance； to
which their necessities had led； between them and the doorkeepers；
whose goodwill was too important to them not to have been carefully
encouraged。
Now； the old maid's pride； silence； and reserve had engendered in the
porter and his wife the exaggerated respect and cold civility which
betray the unconfessed annoyance of an inferior。 Also； the porter
thought himself in all essentials the equal of any lodger whose rent
was no more than two hundred and fifty francs。 Cousin Betty's
confidences to Hortense were true； and it is evident that the porter's
wife might be very likely to slander Mademoiselle Fischer in her
intimate gossip with the Marneffes； while only intending to tell
tales。
When Lisbeth had taken her candle from the hands of worthy Madame
Olivier the portress； she looked up to see whether the windows of the
garret over her own rooms were lighted up。 At that hour； even in July；
it was so dark within the courtyard that the old maid could not get to
bed without a light。
〃Oh； you may be quite easy； Monsieur Steinbock is in his room。 He has
not been out even；〃 said Madame Olivier； with meaning。
Lisbeth made no reply。 She was still a peasant； in so far that she was
indifferent to the gossip of persons unconnected with her。 Just as a
peasant sees nothing beyond his village； she cared for nobody's
opinion outside the little circle in which she lived。 So she boldly
went up； not to her own room； but to the garret； and this is why。 At
dessert she had filled her bag with fruit and sweets for her lover；
and she went to give them to him； exactly as an old lady brings home a
biscuit for her dog。
She found the hero of Hortense's dreams working by the light of a
small lamp； of which the light was intensified by the use of a bottle
of water as a lensa pale young man； seated at a workman's bench
covered with a modeler's tools； wax； chisels； rough…hewn stone； and
bronze castings； he wore a blouse； and had in his hand a little group
in red wax； which he gazed at like a poet absorbed in his labors。
〃Here； Wenceslas； see what I have brought you；〃 said she； laying her
handkerchief on a corner of the table； then she carefully took the
sweetmeats and fruit out of her bag。
〃You are very kind； mademoiselle；〃 replied the exile in melancholy
tones。
〃It will do you good； poor boy。 You get feverish by