am not ungenerous； for this advice is against my own interests。〃
〃Oh； Monsieur Crevel； if you would indeed be my friend and give up
your ridiculous notions〃
〃Ridiculous？ Madame； do not run yourself down。 Look at yourselfI
love you； and you will come to be mine。 The day will come when I shall
say to Hulot； 'You took Josepha； I have taken your wife！'
〃It is the old law of tit…for…tat！ And I will persevere till I have
attained my end； unless you should become extremely ugly。I shall
succeed； and I will tell you why；〃 he went on； resuming his attitude；
and looking at Madame Hulot。 〃You will not meet with such an old man；
or such a young lover；〃 he said after a pause； 〃because you love your
daughter too well to hand her over to the manoeuvres of an old
libertine； and because youthe Baronne Hulot； sister of the old
Lieutenant…General who commanded the veteran Grenadiers of the Old
Guardwill not condescend to take a man of spirit wherever you may
find him； for he might be a mere craftsman； as many a millionaire of
to…day was ten years ago； a working artisan； or the foreman of a
factory。
〃And then； when you see the girl； urged by her twenty years； capable
of dishonoring you all； you will say to yourself； 'It will be better
that I should fall！ If Monsieur Crevel will but keep my secret； I will
earn my daughter's portiontwo hundred thousand francs for ten years'
attachment to that old glovesellerold Crevel！'I disgust you no
doubt； and what I am saying is horribly immoral； you think？ But if you
happened to have been bitten by an overwhelming passion； you would
find a thousand arguments in favor of yieldingas women do when they
are in love。Yes； and Hortense's interests will suggest to your
feelings such terms of surrendering your conscience〃
〃Hortense has still an uncle。〃
〃What！ Old Fischer？ He is winding up his concerns； and that again is
the Baron's fault； his rake is dragged over every till within his
reach。〃
〃Comte Hulot〃
〃Oh； madame； your husband has already made thin air of the old
General's savings。 He spent them in furnishing his singer's rooms。
Now； come； am I to go without a hope？〃
〃Good…bye； monsieur。 A man easily gets over a passion for a woman of
my age； and you will fall back on Christian principles。 God takes care
of the wretched〃
The Baroness rose to oblige the captain to retreat； and drove him back
into the drawing…room。
〃Ought the beautiful Madame Hulot to be living amid such squalor？〃
said he； and he pointed to an old lamp； a chandelier bereft of its
gilding； the threadbare carpet； the very rags of wealth which made the
large room； with its red； white； and gold； look like a corpse of
Imperial festivities。
〃Monsieur； virtue shines on it all。 I have no wish to owe a handsome
abode to having made of the beauty you are pleased to ascribe to me a
/man…trap/ and /a money…box for five…franc pieces/！〃
The captain bit his lips as he recognized the words he had used to
vilify Josepha's avarice。
〃And for whom are you so magnanimous？〃 said he。 By this time the
baroness had got her rejected admirer as far as the door。〃For a
libertine！〃 said he； with a lofty grimace of virtue and superior
wealth。
〃If you are right； my constancy has some merit； monsieur。 That is
all。〃
After bowing to the officer as a woman bows to dismiss an importune
visitor； she turned away too quickly to see him once more fold his
arms。 She unlocked the doors she had closed； and did not see the
threatening gesture which was Crevel's parting greeting。 She walked
with a proud； defiant step； like a martyr to the Coliseum； but her
strength was exhausted； she sank on the sofa in her blue room； as if
she were ready to faint； and sat there with her eyes fixed on the
tumble…down summer…house； where her daughter was gossiping with Cousin
Betty。
From the first days of her married life to the present time the
Baroness had loved her husband； as Josephine in the end had loved
Napoleon； with an admiring； maternal； and cowardly devotion。 Though
ignorant of the details given her by Crevel； she knew that for twenty
years past Baron Hulot been anything rather than a faithful husband；
but she had sealed her eyes with lead； she had wept in silence； and no
word of reproach had ever escaped her。 In return for this angelic
sweetness； she had won her husband's veneration and something
approaching to worship from all who were about her。
A wife's affection for her husband and the respect she pays him are
infectious in a family。 Hortense believed her father to be a perfect
model of conjugal affection； as to their son； brought up to admire the
Baron； whom everybody regarded as one of the giants who so effectually
backed Napoleon； he knew that he owed his advancement to his father's
name； position； and credit； and besides； the impressions of childhood
exert an enduring influence。 He still was afraid of his father； and if
he had suspected the misdeeds revealed by Crevel； as he was too much
overawed by him to find fault； he would have found excuses in the view
every man takes of such matters。
It now will be necessary to give the reasons for the extraordinary
self…devotion of a good and beautiful woman； and this； in a few words；
is her past history。
Three brothers； simple laboring men； named Fischer； and living in a
village situated on the furthest frontier of Lorraine； were compelled
by the Republican conscription to set out with the so…called army of
the Rhine。
In 1799 the second brother； Andre； a widower； and Madame Hulot's
father； left his daughter to the care of his elder brother； Pierre
Fischer； disabled from service by a wound received in 1797； and made a
small private venture in the military transport service； an opening he
owed to the favor of Hulot d'Ervy； who was high in the commissariat。
By a very obvious chance Hulot； coming to Strasbourg； saw the Fischer
family。 Adeline's father and his younger brother were at that time
contractors for forage in the province of Alsace。
Adeline； then sixteen years of age； might be compared with the famous
Madame du Barry； like her； a daughter of Lorraine。 She was one of
those perfect and striking beautiesa woman like Madame Tallien；
finished with peculiar care by Nature； who bestows on them all her
choicest giftsdistinction； dignity； grace； refinement； elegance；
flesh of a superior texture； and a complexion mingled in the unknown
laboratory where good luck presides。 These beautiful creatures all
have something in common： Bianca Capella； whose portrait is one of
Bronzino's masterpieces； Jean Goujon's Venus； painted from the famous
Diane de Poitiers； Signora Olympia； whose picture adorns the Doria
gallery； Ninon； Madame du Barry； Madame Tallien； Mademoiselle Georges；
Madame Recamier。all these women who preserved their beauty in spite
of years； of passion； and of their life of excess and pleasure； have
in figure； frame； and in the character of their beauty certain
striking resemblances； enough to make one believe that there is in the
ocean of generations an Aphrodisian current whence every such Venus is
born； all daughters of the same salt wave。
Adeline Fischer； one of the loveliest of this race of goddesses； had
the splendid type； the flowing lines； the exquisite texture of a woman
born a queen。 The fair hair that our mother Eve received from the hand
of God； the form of an Empress； an air of grandeur； and an august line
of profile； with her rural modesty； made every man pause in delight as
she passed； like amateurs in front of a Raphael； in short； having once
seen her； the Commissariat officer made Mademoiselle Adeline Fischer
his wife as quickly as the law would permit； to the great astonishment
of the Fischers； who had all been brought up in the fear of their
betters。
The eldest； a soldier of 1792； severely wounded in the attack on the
lines at Wissembourg； adored the Emperor Napoleon and everything that
had to do with the /Grande Armee/。 Andre and Johann spoke with respect
of Commissary Hulot； the Emperor's protege； to whom indeed they owed
their prosperity； for Hulot d'Ervy； finding them intelligent and
honest； had taken them from the army provision wagons to place them in
charge of a government contract needing despatch。 The brothers Fischer
had done further service during the campaign of 1804。 At the peace
Hulot had secured for them the contract for forage from Alsace； not
knowing that he would presently be sent to Strasbourg to prepare for
the campaign of 1806。
This marriage was like an Assumption to the young peasant girl。 The
beautiful Adeline was translated at once from the mire of her village
to the paradise of the Imperial Court； for the contractor； one of the
most conscientious and hard…working of the Commissariat staff； was
made a Baron； obtained a place near the Emperor； and was attached to
the Imperial Guard。 The handsome rustic bravely set to work to educate
herself for love of her husband； for she was simply crazy about him；
and； indeed； the Commissariat office was as a man a perfect match for
Adeline as a woman。 He was one of the picked corps of fine men。 Tall；
well…built； fair； with beautiful blue eyes full of irresistible fire
and life； his elegant appearance made him remarkable by the side of
d'Orsay； Forbin； Ouvrard； in short； in the battalion of fine men that
surrounded the Emperor。 A conquering 〃buck；〃 and holding the ideas of
the Directoire with regard to women； his career of gallantry was
interrupted for some long time by his conjugal affection。
To Adeline the Baron was from the first a sort of god who could do no
wrong。 To him she owed everything： fortuneshe had a carriage； a fine
house； every luxury of the day； happinesshe was devoted to her in
the face of the world； a title； for she was a Baroness； fame； for she
was spoken of as the beautiful Madame Hulotand in Paris！ Finally；
she had the honor of refusing the Emperor's advances； for Napoleon
made her a present of a diamond necklace； and always remembered her；
asking now and again； 〃And is the beautiful Madame Hulot still a model
of virtue？〃 in the tone of a man who might have taken his revenge on
one who should have triumphed where he had failed。
So it needs no great