the special acumen of the kept woman； read the character of her
grotesque adorer at a glance。 The phrase 〃I never had a lady for a
mistress；〃 spoken by Crevel to Lisbeth； and repeated by Lisbeth to her
dear Valerie； had been handsomely discounted in the bargain by which
she got her six thousand francs a year in five per cents。 And since
then she had never allowed her prestige to grow less in the eyes of
Cesar Birotteau's erewhile bagman。
Crevel himself had married for money the daughter of a miller of la
Brie； an only child indeed； whose inheritance constituted three…
quarters of his fortune； for when retail…dealers grow rich； it is
generally not so much by trade as through some alliance between the
shop and rural thrift。 A large proportion of the farmers； corn…
factors； dairy…keepers； and market…gardeners in the neighborhood of
Paris； dream of the glories of the desk for their daughters； and look
upon a shopkeeper； a jeweler； or a money…changer as a son…in…law after
their own heart； in preference to a notary or an attorney； whose
superior social position is a ground of suspicion； they are afraid of
being scorned in the future by these citizen bigwigs。
Madame Crevel； ugly； vulgar； and silly； had given her husband no
pleasures but those of paternity； she died young。 Her libertine
husband； fettered at the beginning of his commercial career by the
necessity for working； and held in thrall by want of money； had led
the life of Tantalus。 Thrown inas he phrased itwith the most
elegant women in Paris； he let them out of the shop with servile
homage； while admiring their grace； their way of wearing the fashions；
and all the nameless charms of what is called breeding。 To rise to the
level of one of these fairies of the drawing…room was a desire formed
in his youth； but buried in the depths of his heart。 Thus to win the
favors of Madame Marneffe was to him not merely the realization of his
chimera； but； as has been shown； a point of pride； of vanity； of self…
satisfaction。 His ambition grew with success； his brain was turned
with elation； and when the mind is captivated； the heart feels more
keenly； every gratification is doubled。
Also； it must be said that Madame Marneffe offered to Crevel a
refinement of pleasure of which he had no idea； neither Josepha nor
Heloise had loved him； and Madame Marneffe thought it necessary to
deceive him thoroughly； for this man； she saw； would prove an
inexhaustible till。 The deceptions of a venal passion are more
delightful than the real thing。 True love is mixed up with birdlike
squabbles； in which the disputants wound each other to the quick； but
a quarrel without animus is； on the contrary； a piece of flattery to
the dupe's conceit。
The rare interviews granted to Crevel kept his passion at white heat。
He was constantly blocked by Valerie's virtuous severity； she acted
remorse； and wondered what her father must be thinking of her in the
paradise of the brave。 Again and again he had to contend with a sort
of coldness； which the cunning slut made him believe he had overcome
by seeming to surrender to the man's crazy passion； and then； as if
ashamed； she entrenched herself once more in her pride of
respectability and airs of virtue； just like an Englishwoman； neither
more nor less； and she always crushed her Crevel under the weight of
her dignityfor Crevel had； in the first instance； swallowed her
pretensions to virtue。
In short； Valerie had special veins of affections which made her
equally indispensable to Crevel and to the Baron。 Before the world she
displayed the attractive combination of modest and pensive innocence；
of irreproachable propriety； with a bright humor enhanced by the
suppleness； the grace and softness of the Creole； but in a /tete…a…
tete/ she would outdo any courtesan； she was audacious； amusing； and
full of original inventiveness。 Such a contrast is irresistible to a
man of the Crevel type； he is flattered by believing himself sole
author of the comedy； thinking it is performed for his benefit alone；
and he laughs at the exquisite hypocrisy while admiring the hypocrite。
Valerie had taken entire possession of Baron Hulot； she had persuaded
him to grow old by one of those subtle touches of flattery which
reveal the diabolical wit of women like her。 In all evergreen
constitutions a moment arrives when the truth suddenly comes out； as
in a besieged town which puts a good face on affairs as long as
possible。 Valerie； foreseeing the approaching collapse of the old beau
of the Empire； determined to forestall it。
〃Why give yourself so much bother； my dear old veteran？〃 said she one
day； six months after their doubly adulterous union。 〃Do you want to
be flirting？ To be unfaithful to me？ I assure you； I should like you
better without your make…up。 Oblige me by giving up all your
artificial charms。 Do you suppose that it is for two sous' worth of
polish on your boots that I love you？ For your india…rubber belt； your
strait…waistcoat； and your false hair？ And then； the older you look；
the less need I fear seeing my Hulot carried off by a rival。〃
And Hulot； trusting to Madame Marneffe's heavenly friendship as much
as to her love； intending； too； to end his days with her； had taken
this confidential hint； and ceased to dye his whiskers and hair。 After
this touching declaration from his Valerie； handsome Hector made his
appearance one morning perfectly white。 Madame Marneffe could assure
him that she had a hundred times detected the white line of the growth
of the hair。
〃And white hair suits your face to perfection；〃 said she； 〃it softens
it。 You look a thousand times better； quite charming。〃
The Baron； once started on this path of reform； gave up his leather
waistcoat and stays； he threw off all his bracing。 His stomach fell
and increased in size。 The oak became a tower； and the heaviness of
his movements was all the more alarming because the Baron grew
immensely older by playing the part of Louis XII。 His eyebrows were
still black； and left a ghostly reminiscence of Handsome Hulot； as
sometimes on the wall of some feudal building a faint trace of
sculpture remains to show what the castle was in the days of its
glory。 This discordant detail made his eyes； still bright and
youthful； all the more remarkable in his tanned face； because it had
so long been ruddy with the florid hues of a Rubens； and now a certain
discoloration and the deep tension of the wrinkles betrayed the
efforts of a passion at odds with natural decay。 Hulot was now one of
those stalwart ruins in which virile force asserts itself by tufts of
hair in the ears and nostrils and on the fingers； as moss grows on the
almost eternal monuments of the Roman Empire。
How had Valerie contrived to keep Crevel and Hulot side by side； each
tied to an apron…string； when the vindictive Mayor only longed to
triumph openly over Hulot？ Without immediately giving an answer to
this question； which the course of the story will supply； it may be
said that Lisbeth and Valerie had contrived a powerful piece of
machinery which tended to this result。 Marneffe； as he saw his wife
improved in beauty by the setting in which she was enthroned； like the
sun at the centre of the sidereal system； appeared； in the eyes of the
world； to have fallen in love with her again himself； he was quite
crazy about her。 Now； though his jealousy made him somewhat of a
marplot； it gave enhanced value to Valerie's favors。 Marneffe
meanwhile showed a blind confidence in his chief； which degenerated
into ridiculous complaisance。 The only person whom he really would not
stand was Crevel。
Marneffe； wrecked by the debauchery of great cities； described by
Roman authors； though modern decency has no name for it； was as
hideous as an anatomical figure in wax。 But this disease on feet；
clothed in good broadcloth； encased his lathlike legs in elegant
trousers。 The hollow chest was scented with fine linen； and musk
disguised the odors of rotten humanity。 This hideous specimen of
decaying vice； trotting in red heelsfor Valerie dressed the man as
beseemed his income； his cross； and his appointmenthorrified Crevel；
who could not meet the colorless eyes of the Government clerk。
Marneffe was an incubus to the Mayor。 And the mean rascal； aware of
the strange power conferred on him by Lisbeth and his wife； was amused
by it； he played on it as on an instrument； and cards being the last
resource of a mind as completely played out as the body； he plucked
Crevel again and again； the Mayor thinking himself bound to
subserviency to the worthy official whom /he was cheating/。
Seeing Crevel a mere child in the hands of that hideous and atrocious
mummy； of whose utter vileness the Mayor knew nothing； and seeing him；
yet more； an object of deep contempt to Valerie； who made game of
Crevel as of some mountebank； the Baron apparently thought him so
impossible as a rival that he constantly invited him to dinner。
Valerie； protected by two lovers on guard； and by a jealous husband；
attracted every eye； and excited every desire in the circle she shone
upon。 And thus； while keeping up appearances； she had； in the course
of three years； achieved the most difficult conditions of the success
a courtesan most cares for and most rarely attains； even with the help
of audacity and the glitter of an existence in the light of the sun。
Valerie's beauty； formerly buried in the mud of the Rue du Doyenne；
now； like a well…cut diamond exquisitely set by Chanor； was worth more
than its real valueit could break hearts。 Claude Vignon adored
Valerie in secret。
This retrospective explanation； quite necessary after the lapse of
three years； shows Valerie's balance…sheet。 Now for that of her
partner； Lisbeth。
Lisbeth Fischer filled the place in the Marneffe household of a
relation who combines the functions of a lady companion and a
housekeeper； but she suffered from none of the humiliations which； for
the most part； weigh upon the women who are so unhappy as to be
obliged to fill these ambiguous situations。 Lisbeth and Valerie
offered the touching spectacle of one of those friendships between
women； so cordial and so improbable； that men； always too keen…tongu