of a woman whom； as you told me； you can no longer love？
Wenceslas； you are too great an artist to submit to such dominion。
Home is the grave of glory。Consider now； are you the Wenceslas
of the Rue du Doyenne？ You missed fire with my father's statue；
but in you the lover is greater than the artist； and you have had
better luck with his daughter。 You are a father； my beloved
Wenceslas。
〃If you do not come to me in the state I am in； your friends would
think very badly of you。 But I love you so madly； that I feel I
should never have the strength to curse you。 May I sign myself as
ever；
〃YOUR VALERIE。〃
〃What do you say to my scheme for sending this note to the studio at a
time when our dear Hortense is there by herself？〃 asked Valerie。 〃Last
evening I heard from Stidmann that Wenceslas is to pick him up at
eleven this morning to go on business to Chanor's； so that gawk
Hortense will be there alone。〃
〃But after such a trick as that；〃 replied Lisbeth； 〃I cannot continue
to be your friend in the eyes of the world； I shall have to break with
you； to be supposed never to visit you； or even to speak to you。〃
〃Evidently；〃 said Valerie； 〃but〃
〃Oh！ be quite easy；〃 interrupted Lisbeth； 〃we shall often meet when I
am Madame la Marechale。 They are all set upon it now。 Only the Baron
is in ignorance of the plan； but you can talk him over。〃
〃Well；〃 said Valerie； 〃but it is quite likely that the Baron and I may
be on distant terms before long。〃
〃Madame Olivier is the only person who can make Hortense demand to see
the letter；〃 said Lisbeth。 〃And you must send her to the Rue Saint…
Dominique before she goes on to the studio。〃
〃Our beauty will be at home； no doubt；〃 said Valerie； ringing for
Reine to call up Madame Olivier。
Ten minutes after the despatch of this fateful letter； Baron Hulot
arrived。 Madame Marneffe threw her arms round the old man's neck with
kittenish impetuosity。
〃Hector； you are a father！〃 she said in his ear。 〃That is what comes
of quarreling and making friends again〃
Perceiving a look of surprise； which the Baron did not at once
conceal； Valerie assumed a reserve which brought the old man to
despair。 She made him wring the proofs from her one by one。 When
conviction； led on by vanity； had at last entered his mind； she
enlarged on Monsieur Marneffe's wrath。
〃My dear old veteran；〃 said she； 〃you can hardly avoid getting your
responsible editor； our representative partner if you like； appointed
head…clerk and officer of the Legion of Honor； for you really have
done for the poor man； he adores his Stanislas； the little monstrosity
who is so like him； that to me he is insufferable。 Unless you prefer
to settle twelve hundred francs a year on Stanislasthe capital to be
his； and the life…interest payable to me； of course〃
〃But if I am to settle securities； I would rather it should be on my
own son； and not on the monstrosity；〃 said the Baron。
This rash speech； in which the words 〃my own son〃 came out as full as
a river in flood； was； by the end of the hour； ratified as a formal
promise to settle twelve hundred francs a year on the future boy。 And
this promise became； on Valerie's tongue and in her countenance； what
a drum is in the hands of a child； for three weeks she played on it
incessantly。
At the moment when Baron Hulot was leaving the Rue Vanneau； as happy
as a man who after a year of married life still desires an heir；
Madame Olivier had yielded to Hortense； and given up the note she was
instructed to give only into the Count's own hands。 The young wife
paid twenty francs for that letter。 The wretch who commits suicide
must pay for the opium； the pistol； the charcoal。
Hortense read and re…read the note； she saw nothing but this sheet of
white paper streaked with black lines； the universe held for her
nothing but that paper； everything was dark around her。 The glare of
the conflagration that was consuming the edifice of her happiness
lighted up the page； for blackest night enfolded her。 The shouts of
her little Wenceslas at play fell on her ear； as if he had been in the
depths of a valley and she on a high mountain。 Thus insulted at four…
and…twenty； in all the splendor of her beauty； enhanced by pure and
devoted loveit was not a stab； it was death。 The first shock had
been merely on the nerves； the physical frame had struggled in the
grip of jealousy； but now certainty had seized her soul； her body was
unconscious。
For about ten minutes Hortense sat under the incubus of this
oppression。 Then a vision of her mother appeared before her； and
revulsion ensued； she was calm and cool； and mistress of her reason。
She rang。
〃Get Louise to help you； child；〃 said she to the cook。 〃As quickly as
you can； pack up everything that belongs to me and everything wanted
for the little boy。 I give you an hour。 When all is ready； fetch a
hackney coach from the stand； and call me。
〃Make no remarks！ I am leaving the house； and shall take Louise with
me。 You must stay here with monsieur； take good care of him〃
She went into her room； and wrote the following letter：
〃MONSIEUR LE COMTE；
〃The letter I enclose will sufficiently account for the
determination I have come to。
〃When you read this； I shall have left your house and have found
refuge with my mother； taking our child with me。
〃Do not imagine that I shall retrace my steps。 Do not imagine that
I am acting with the rash haste of youth； without reflection； with
the anger of offended affection； you will be greatly mistaken。
〃I have been thinking very deeply during the last fortnight of
life； of love； of our marriage； of our duties to each other。 I
have known the perfect devotion of my mother； she has told me all
her sorrows！ She has been heroicalevery day for twenty…three
years。 But I have not the strength to imitate her； not because I
love you less than she loves my father； but for reasons of spirit
and nature。 Our home would be a hell； I might lose my head so far
as to disgrace youdisgrace myself and our child。
〃I refuse to be a Madame Marneffe； once launched on such a course；
a woman of my temper might not； perhaps； be able to stop。 I am；
unfortunately for myself； a Hulot； not a Fischer。
〃Alone； and absent from the scene of your dissipations； I am sure
of myself； especially with my child to occupy me； and by the side
of a strong and noble mother； whose life cannot fail to influence
the vehement impetuousness of my feelings。 There； I can be a good
mother； bring our boy up well； and live。 Under your roof the wife
would oust the mother； and constant contention would sour my
temper。
〃I can accept a death…blow； but I will not endure for twenty…five
years； like my mother。 If； at the end of three years of perfect；
unwavering love； you can be unfaithful to me with your father…in…
law's mistress； what rivals may I expect to have in later years？
Indeed； monsieur； you have begun your career of profligacy much
earlier than my father did； the life of dissipation； which is a
disgrace to the father of a family； which undermines the respect
of his children； and which ends in shame and despair。
〃I am not unforgiving。 Unrelenting feelings do not beseem erring
creatures living under the eye of God。 If you win fame and fortune
by sustained work； if you have nothing to do with courtesans and
ignoble； defiling ways； you will find me still a wife worthy of
you。
〃I believe you to be too much a gentleman； Monsieur le Comte； to
have recourse to the law。 You will respect my wishes； and leave me
under my mother's roof。 Above all； never let me see you there。 I
have left all the money lent to you by that odious woman。
Farewell。
〃HORTENSE HULOT。〃
This letter was written in anguish。 Hortense abandoned herself to the
tears； the outcries of murdered love。 She laid down her pen and took
it up again； to express as simply as possible all that passion
commonly proclaims in this sort of testamentary letter。 Her heart went
forth in exclamations； wailing and weeping； but reason dictated the
words。
Informed by Louise that all was ready； the young wife slowly went
round the little garden； through the bedroom and drawing…room； looking
at everything for the last time。 Then she earnestly enjoined the cook
to take the greatest care for her master's comfort； promising to
reward her handsomely if she would be honest。 At last she got into the
hackney coach to drive to her mother's house； her heart quite broken；
crying so much as to distress the maid； and covering little Wenceslas
with kisses； which betrayed her still unfailing love for his father。
The Baroness knew already from Lisbeth that the father…in…law was
largely to blame for the son…in…law's fault； nor was she surprised to
see her daughter； whose conduct she approved； and she consented to
give her shelter。 Adeline； perceiving that her own gentleness and
patience had never checked Hector； for whom her respect was indeed
fast diminishing； thought her daughter very right to adopt another
course。
In three weeks the poor mother had suffered two wounds of which the
pain was greater than any ill…fortune she had hitherto endured。 The
Baron had placed Victorin and his wife in great difficulties； and
then； by Lisbeth's account； he was the cause of his son…in…law's
misconduct； and had corrupted Wenceslas。 The dignity of the father of
the family； so long upheld by her really foolish self…sacrifice； was
now overthrown。 Though they did not regret the money the young Hulots
were full alike of doubts and uneasiness as regarded the Baron。 This
sentiment； which was evidence enough； distressed the Baroness； she
foresaw a break…up of the family tie。
Hortense was accommodated in the dining…room； arranged as a bedroom
with the help of the Marshal's money； and the anteroom became the
dining…room； as it is in many apartments。
When Wenceslas returned home and had read the two letters； he felt a
kind of gladness mingled with regret。 Kept so constantly under his
wife's eye； so to speak； he had inwardly rebelled against this fresh
thraldom； /a la/ Lisbeth。 Full fed with love