magnates。 There were nearly two hundred indispensable invitations。 How
natural； then； that little Madame Marneffe was bent on figuring in all
her glory amid such an assembly。 The Baroness had； a month since； sold
her diamonds to set up her daughter's house； while keeping the finest
for the trousseau。 The sale realized fifteen thousand francs； of which
five thousand were sunk in Hortense's clothes。 And what was ten
thousand francs for the furniture of the young folks' apartment；
considering the demands of modern luxury？ However； young Monsieur and
Madame Hulot； old Crevel； and the Comte de Forzheim made very handsome
presents； for the old soldier had set aside a sum for the purchase of
plate。 Thanks to these contributions； even an exacting Parisian would
have been pleased with the rooms the young couple had taken in the Rue
Saint…Dominique； near the Invalides。 Everything seemed in harmony with
their love； pure； honest； and sincere。
At last the great day dawnedfor it was to be a great day not only
for Wenceslas and Hortense； but for old Hulot too。 Madame Marneffe was
to give a house…warming in her new apartment the day after becoming
Hulot's mistress /en titre/； and after the marriage of the lovers。
Who but has once in his life been a guest at a wedding…ball？ Every
reader can refer to his reminiscences； and will probably smile as he
calls up the images of all that company in their Sunday…best faces as
well as their finest frippery。
If any social event can prove the influence of environment； is it not
this？ In fact； the Sunday…best mood of some reacts so effectually on
the rest that the men who are most accustomed to wearing full dress
look just like those to whom the party is a high festival； unique in
their life。 And think too of the serious old men to whom such things
are so completely a matter of indifference； that they are wearing
their everyday black coats； the long…married men； whose faces betray
their sad experience of the life the young pair are but just entering
on； and the lighter elements； present as carbonic…acid gas is in
champagne； and the envious girls； the women absorbed in wondering if
their dress is a success； the poor relations whose parsimonious 〃get…
up〃 contrasts with that of the officials in uniform； and the greedy
ones； thinking only of the supper； and the gamblers； thinking only of
cards。
There are some of every sort； rich and poor； envious and envied；
philosophers and dreamers； all grouped like the plants in a flower…bed
round the rare； choice blossom； the bride。 A wedding…ball is an
epitome of the world。
At the liveliest moment of the evening Crevel led the Baron aside； and
said in a whisper； with the most natural manner possible：
〃By Jove！ that's a pretty womanthe little lady in pink who has
opened a racking fire on you from her eyes。〃
〃Which？〃
〃The wife of that clerk you are promoting； heaven knows how！Madame
Marneffe。〃
〃What do you know about it？〃
〃Listen； Hulot； I will try to forgive you the ill you have done me if
only you will introduce me to herI will take you to Heloise。
Everybody is asking who is that charming creature。 Are you sure that
it will strike no one how and why her husband's appointment got itself
signed？You happy rascal； she is worth a whole office。I would serve
in her office only too gladly。Come； cinna； let us be friends。〃
〃Better friends than ever；〃 said the Baron to the perfumer； 〃and I
promise you I will be a good fellow。 Within a month you shall dine
with that little angel。For it is an angel this time； old boy。 And I
advise you； like me； to have done with the devils。〃
Cousin Betty； who had moved to the Rue Vanneau； into a nice little
apartment on the third floor； left the ball at ten o'clock； but came
back to see with her own eyes the two bonds bearing twelve hundred
francs interest； one of them was the property of the Countess
Steinbock； the other was in the name of Madame Hulot。
It is thus intelligible that Monsieur Crevel should have spoken to
Hulot about Madame Marneffe； as knowing what was a secret to the rest
of the world； for； as Monsieur Marneffe was away； no one but Lisbeth
Fischer； besides the Baron and Valerie； was initiated into the
mystery。
The Baron had made a blunder in giving Madame Marneffe a dress far too
magnificent for the wife of a subordinate official； other women were
jealous alike of her beauty and of her gown。 There was much whispering
behind fans； for the poverty of the Marneffes was known to every one
in the office； the husband had been petitioning for help at the very
moment when the Baron had been so smitten with madame。 Also； Hector
could not conceal his exultation at seeing Valerie's success； and she；
severely proper； very lady…like； and greatly envied； was the object of
that strict examination which women so greatly fear when they appear
for the first time in a new circle of society。
After seeing his wife into a carriage with his daughter and his son…
in…law； Hulot managed to escape unperceived； leaving his son and
Celestine to do the honors of the house。 He got into Madame Marneffe's
carriage to see her home； but he found her silent and pensive； almost
melancholy。
〃My happiness makes you very sad； Valerie；〃 said he； putting his arm
round her and drawing her to him。
〃Can you wonder； my dear；〃 said she； 〃that a hapless woman should be a
little depressed at the thought of her first fall from virtue； even
when her husband's atrocities have set her free？ Do you suppose that I
have no soul； no beliefs； no religion？ Your glee this evening has been
really too barefaced； you have paraded me odiously。 Really； a
schoolboy would have been less of a coxcomb。 And the ladies have
dissected me with their side…glances and their satirical remarks。
Every woman has some care for her reputation； and you have wrecked
mine。
〃Oh； I am yours and no mistake！ And I have not an excuse left but that
of being faithful to you。Monster that you are！〃 she added； laughing；
and allowing him to kiss her； 〃you knew very well what you were doing！
Madame Coquet； our chief clerk's wife； came to sit down by me； and
admired my lace。 'English point！' said she。 'Was it very expensive；
madame？''I do not know。 This lace was my mother's。 I am not rich
enough to buy the like；' said I。〃
Madame Marneffe； in short； had so bewitched the old beau； that he
really believed she was sinning for the first time for his sake； and
that he had inspired such a passion as had led her to this breach of
duty。 She told him that the wretch Marneffe had neglected her after
they had been three days married； and for the most odious reasons。
Since then she had lived as innocently as a girl； marriage had seemed
to her so horrible。 This was the cause of her present melancholy。
〃If love should prove to be like marriage〃 said she in tears。
These insinuating lies； with which almost every woman in Valerie's
predicament is ready； gave the Baron distant visions of the roses of
the seventh heaven。 And so Valerie coquetted with her lover； while the
artist and Hortense were impatiently awaiting the moment when the
Baroness should have given the girl her last kiss and blessing。
At seven in the morning the Baron； perfectly happyfor his Valerie
was at once the most guileless of girls and the most consummate of
demonswent back to release his son and Celestine from their duties。
All the dancers； for the most part strangers； had taken possession of
the territory； as they do at every wedding…ball； and were keeping up
the endless figures of the cotillions； while the gamblers were still
crowding round the /bouillotte/ tables； and old Crevel had won six
thousand francs。
The morning papers； carried round the town； contained this paragraph
in the Paris article：
〃The marriage was celebrated this morning； at the Church of Saint…
Thomas d'Aquin； between Monsieur le Comte Steinbock and
Mademoiselle Hortense Hulot； daughter of Baron Hulot d'Ervy；
Councillor of State； and a Director at the War Office； niece of
the famous General Comte de Forzheim。 The ceremony attracted a
large gathering。 There were present some of the most distinguished
artists of the day： Leon de Lora； Joseph Bridau； Stidmann； and
Bixiou； the magnates of the War Office； of the Council of State；
and many members of the two Chambers； also the most distinguished
of the Polish exiles living in Paris： Counts Paz； Laginski； and
others。
〃Monsieur le Comte Wenceslas Steinbock is grandnephew to the
famous general who served under Charles XII。； King of Sweden。 The
young Count； having taken part in the Polish rebellion； found a
refuge in France； where his well…earned fame as a sculptor has
procured him a patent of naturalization。〃
And so； in spite of the Baron's cruel lack of money； nothing was
lacking that public opinion could require； not even the trumpeting of
the newspapers over his daughter's marriage； which was solemnized in
the same way； in every particular； as his son's had been to
Mademoiselle Crevel。 This display moderated the reports current as to
the Baron's financial position； while the fortune assigned to his
daughter explained the need for having borrowed money。
Here ends what is； in a way； the introduction to this story。 It is to
the drama that follows that the premise is to a syllogism； what the
prologue is to a classical tragedy。
In Paris； when a woman determines to make a business； a trade； of her
beauty； it does not follow that she will make a fortune。 Lovely
creatures may be found there； and full of wit； who are in wretched
circumstances； ending in misery a life begun in pleasure。 And this is
why。 It is not enough merely to accept the shameful life of a
courtesan with a view to earning its profits； and at the same time to
bear the simple garb of a respectable middle…class wife。 Vice does not
triumph so easily； it resembles genius in so far that they both need a
concurrence of favorable conditions to develop the coalition of
fortune and gifts。 Eliminate the strange prologue of the Revolution；
and the Emperor would never have existed； he would have been no more
than a second edition of Fabert。 Venal beauty； if it finds no
amateurs； no