offered the touching spectacle of one of those friendships between
women； so cordial and so improbable； that men； always too keen…tongued
in Paris； forthwith slander them。 The contrast between Lisbeth's dry
masculine nature and Valerie's creole prettiness encouraged calumny。
And Madame Marneffe had unconsciously given weight to the scandal by
the care she took of her friend； with matrimonial views； which were；
as will be seen； to complete Lisbeth's revenge。
An immense change had taken place in Cousin Betty； and Valerie； who
wanted to smarten her； had turned it to the best account。 The strange
woman had submitted to stays； and laced tightly； she used bandoline to
keep her hair smooth； wore her gowns as the dressmaker sent them home；
neat little boots； and gray silk stockings； all of which were included
in Valerie's bills； and paid for by the gentleman in possession。 Thus
furbished up； and wearing the yellow cashmere shawl； Lisbeth would
have been unrecognizable by any one who had not seen her for three
years。
This other diamonda black diamond； the rarest of allcut by a
skilled hand； and set as best became her； was appreciated at her full
value by certain ambitious clerks。 Any one seeing her for the first
time might have shuddered involuntarily at the look of poetic wildness
which the clever Valerie had succeeded in bringing out by the arts of
dress in this Bleeding Nun； framing the ascetic olive face in thick
bands of hair as black as the fiery eyes； and making the most of the
rigid； slim figure。 Lisbeth； like a Virgin by Cranach or Van Eyck； or
a Byzantine Madonna stepped out of its frame； had all the stiffness；
the precision of those mysterious figures； the more modern cousins of
Isis and her sister goddesses sheathed in marble folds by Egyptian
sculptors。 It was granite； basalt； porphyry； with life and movement。
Saved from want for the rest of her life； Lisbeth was most amiable；
wherever she dined she brought merriment。 And the Baron paid the rent
of her little apartment； furnished； as we know； with the leavings of
her friend Valerie's former boudoir and bedroom。
〃I began；〃 she would say； 〃as a hungry nanny goat； and I am ending as
a /lionne/。〃
She still worked for Monsieur Rivet at the more elaborate kinds of
gold…trimming； merely； as she said； not to lose her time。 At the same
time； she was； as we shall see； very full of business； but it is
inherent in the nature of country…folks never to give up bread…
winning； in this they are like the Jews。
Every morning； very early； Cousin Betty went off to market with the
cook。 It was part of Lisbeth's scheme that the house…book； which was
ruining Baron Hulot； was to enrich her dear Valerieas it did indeed。
Is there a housewife who； since 1838； has not suffered from the evil
effects of Socialist doctrines diffused among the lower classes by
incendiary writers？ In every household the plague of servants is
nowadays the worst of financial afflictions。 With very few exceptions；
who ought to be rewarded with the Montyon prize； the cook； male or
female； is a domestic robber； a thief taking wages； and perfectly
barefaced； with the Government for a fence； developing the tendency to
dishonesty； which is almost authorized in the cook by the time…honored
jest as to the 〃handle of the basket。〃 The women who formerly picked
up their forty sous to buy a lottery ticket now take fifty francs to
put into the savings bank。 And the smug Puritans who amuse themselves
in France with philanthropic experiments fancy that they are making
the common people moral！
Between the market and the master's table the servants have their
secret toll； and the municipality of Paris is less sharp in collecting
the city…dues than the servants are in taking theirs on every single
thing。 To say nothing of fifty per cent charged on every form of food；
they demand large New Year's premiums from the tradesmen。 The best
class of dealers tremble before this occult power； and subsidize it
without a wordcoachmakers； jewelers； tailors； and all。 If any
attempt is made to interfere with them； the servants reply with
impudent retorts； or revenge themselves by the costly blunders of
assumed clumsiness； and in these days they inquire into their master's
character as； formerly； the master inquired into theirs。 This mischief
is now really at its height； and the law…courts are beginning to take
cognizance of it； but in vain； for it cannot be remedied but by a law
which shall compel domestic servants； like laborers； to have a pass…
book as a guarantee of conduct。 Then the evil will vanish as if by
magic。 If every servant were obliged to show his pass…book； and if
masters were required to state in it the cause of his dismissal； this
would certainly prove a powerful check to the evil。
The men who are giving their attentions to the politics of the day
know not to what lengths the depravity of the lower classes has gone。
Statistics are silent as to the startling number of working men of
twenty who marry cooks of between forty and fifty enriched by robbery。
We shudder to think of the result of such unions from the three points
of view of increasing crime； degeneracy of the race； and miserable
households。
As to the mere financial mischief that results from domestic
peculation； that too is immense from a political point of view。 Life
being made to cost double； any superfluity becomes impossible in most
households。 Now superfluity means half the trade of the world； as it
is half the elegance of life。 Books and flowers are to many persons as
necessary as bread。
Lisbeth； well aware of this dreadful scourge of Parisian households；
determined to manage Valerie's； promising her every assistance in the
terrible scene when the two women had sworn to be like sisters。 So she
had brought from the depths of the Vosges a humble relation on her
mother's side； a very pious and honest soul； who had been cook to the
Bishop of Nancy。 Fearing； however； her inexperience of Paris ways； and
yet more the evil counsel which wrecks such fragile virtue； at first
Lisbeth always went to market with Mathurine； and tried to teach her
what to buy。 To know the real prices of things and command the
salesman's respect； to purchase unnecessary delicacies； such as fish；
only when they were cheap； to be well informed as to the price current
of groceries and provisions； so as to buy when prices are low in
anticipation of a rise；all this housekeeping skill is in Paris
essential to domestic economy。 As Mathurine got good wages and many
presents； she liked the house well enough to be glad to drive good
bargains。 And by this time Lisbeth had made her quite a match for
herself； sufficiently experienced and trustworthy to be sent to market
alone； unless Valerie was giving a dinnerwhich； in fact； was not
unfrequently the case。 And this was how it came about。
The Baron had at first observed the strictest decorum； but his passion
for Madame Marneffe had ere long become so vehement； so greedy； that
he would never quit her if he could help it。 At first he dined there
four times a week； then he thought it delightful to dine with her
every day。 Six months after his daughter's marriage he was paying her
two thousand francs a month for his board。 Madame Marneffe invited any
one her dear Baron wished to entertain。 The dinner was always arranged
for six； he could bring in three unexpected guests。 Lisbeth's economy
enabled her to solve the extraordinary problem of keeping up the table
in the best style for a thousand francs a month； giving the other
thousand to Madame Marneffe。 Valerie's dress being chiefly paid for by
Crevel and the Baron； the two women saved another thousand francs a
month on this。
And so this pure and innocent being had already accumulated a hundred
and fifty thousand francs in savings。 She had capitalized her income
and monthly bonus； and swelled the amount by enormous interest； due to
Crevel's liberality in allowing his 〃little Duchess〃 to invest her
money in partnership with him in his financial operations。 Crevel had
taught Valerie the slang and the procedure of the money market； and；
like every Parisian woman； she had soon outstripped her master。
Lisbeth； who never spent a sou of her twelve hundred francs； whose
rent and dress were given to her； and who never put her hand in her
pocket； had likewise a small capital of five or six thousand francs；
of which Crevel took fatherly care。
At the same time； two such lovers were a heavy burthen on Valerie。 On
the day when this drama reopens； Valerie； spurred by one of those
incidents which have the effect in life that the ringing of a bell has
in inducing a swarm of bees to settle； went up to Lisbeth's rooms to
give vent to one of those comforting lamentationsa sort of cigarette
blown off from the tongueby which women alleviate the minor miseries
of life。
〃Oh； Lisbeth； my love； two hours of Crevel this morning！ It is
crushing！ How I wish I could send you in my place！〃
〃That； unluckily； is impossible；〃 said Lisbeth； smiling。 〃I shall die
a maid。〃
〃Two old men lovers！ Really； I am ashamed sometimes！ If my poor mother
could see me。〃
〃You are mistaking me for Crevel！〃 said Lisbeth。
〃Tell me； my little Betty； do you not despise me？〃
〃Oh！ if I had but been pretty； what adventures I would have had！〃
cried Lisbeth。 〃That is your justification。〃
〃But you would have acted only at the dictates of your heart；〃 said
Madame Marneffe； with a sigh。
〃Pooh！ Marneffe is a dead man they have forgotten to bury；〃 replied
Lisbeth。 〃The Baron is as good as your husband； Crevel is your adorer；
it seems to me that you are quite in orderlike every other married
woman。〃
〃No； it is not that； dear； adorable thing； that is not where the shoe
pinches； you do not choose to understand。〃
〃Yes； I do；〃 said Lisbeth。 〃The unexpressed factor is part of my
revenge； what can I do？ I am working it out。〃
〃I love Wenceslas so that I am positively growing thin； and I can
never see him；〃 said Valerie； throwing up her arms。 〃Hulot asks him to
dinner； and my artist declines。 He does not know that I idolize him；
the wretch！ What is his wife after all？ Fine flesh！ Yes； she is
handsome； but II kno