had so suddenly come upon her。
〃Yes； why； look；〃 said Crevel； taking Adeline by the arm and showing
her that she was shaking with nervousness。 〃Come； madame；〃 he added
respectfully； 〃compose yourself； I am going to the Bank at once。〃
〃And come back quickly！ Remember；〃 she added； betraying all her
secrets； 〃that the first point is to prevent the suicide of our poor
Uncle Fischer involved by my husbandfor I trust you now； and I am
telling you everything。 Oh； if we should not be on time； I know my
brother…in…law； the Marshal； and he has such a delicate soul； that he
would die of it in a few days。〃
〃I am off； then；〃 said Crevel； kissing the Baroness' hand。 〃But what
has that unhappy Hulot done？〃
〃He has swindled the Government。〃
〃Good Heavens！ I fly； madame； I understand； I admire you！〃
Crevel bent one knee； kissed Madame Hulot's skirt； and vanished；
saying； 〃You will see me soon。〃
Unluckily； on his way from the Rue Plumet to his own house； to fetch
the securities； Crevel went along the Rue Vanneau； and he could not
resist going in to see his little Duchess。 His face still bore an
agitated expression。
He went straight into Valerie's room； who was having her hair dressed。
She looked at Crevel in her glass； and； like every woman of that sort；
was annoyed； before she knew anything about it； to see that he was
moved by some strong feeling of which she was not the cause。
〃What is the matter； my dear？〃 said she。 〃Is that a face to bring in
to your little Duchess？ I will not be your Duchess any more； monsieur；
no more than I will be your 'little duck；' you old monster。〃
Crevel replied by a melancholy smile and a glance at the maid。
〃Reine； child； that will do for to…day； I can finish my hair myself。
Give me my Chinese wrapper； my gentleman seems to me out of sorts。〃
Reine； whose face was pitted like a colander； and who seemed to have
been made on purpose to wait on Valerie； smiled meaningly in reply；
and brought the dressing…gown。 Valerie took off her combing…wrapper；
she was in her shift； and she wriggled into the dressing…gown like a
snake into a clump of grass。
〃Madame is not at home？〃
〃What a question！〃 said Valerie。〃Come； tell me； my big puss； have
/Rives Gauches/ gone down？〃
〃No。〃
〃They have raised the price of the house？〃
〃No。〃
〃You fancy that you are not the father of our little Crevel？〃
〃What nonsense！〃 replied he； sure of his paternity。
〃On my honor； I give it up！〃 said Madame Marneffe。 〃If I am expected
to extract my friend's woes as you pull the cork out of a bottle of
Bordeaux； I let it alone。Go away； you bore me。〃
〃It is nothing；〃 said Crevel。 〃I must find two hundred thousand francs
in two hours。〃
〃Oh； you can easily get them。I have not spent the fifty thousand
francs we got out of Hulot for that report； and I can ask Henri for
fifty thousand〃
〃Henriit is always Henri！〃 exclaimed Crevel。
〃And do you suppose； you great baby of a Machiavelli； that I will cast
off Henri？ Would France disarm her fleet？Henri！ why； he is a dagger
in a sheath hanging on a nail。 That boy serves as a weather…glass to
show me if you love meand you don't love me this morning。〃
〃I don't love you； Valerie？〃 cried Crevel。 〃I love you as much as a
million。〃
〃That is not nearly enough！〃 cried she； jumping on to Crevel's knee；
and throwing both arms round his neck as if it were a peg to hang on
by。 〃I want to be loved as much as ten millions； as much as all the
gold in the world； and more to that。 Henri would never wait a minute
before telling me all he had on his mind。 What is it； my great pet？
Have it out。 Make a clean breast of it to your own little duck！〃
And she swept her hair over Crevel's face； while she jestingly pulled
his nose。
〃Can a man with a nose like that；〃 she went on； 〃have any secrets from
his /Vavaleleririe/？〃
And at the /Vava/ she tweaked his nose to the right； at /lele/ it went
to the left； at /ririe/ she nipped it straight again。
〃Well； I have just seen〃 Crevel stopped and looked at Madame
Marneffe。
〃Valerie； my treasure； promise me on your honorours； you know？not
to repeat a single word of what I tell you。〃
〃Of course； Mayor； we know all about that。 One hand upsoand one
footso！〃 And she put herself in an attitude which； to use Rabelais'
phrase； stripped Crevel bare from his brain to his heels； so quaint
and delicious was the nudity revealed through the light film of lawn。
〃I have just seen virtue in despair。〃
〃Can despair possess virtue？〃 said she； nodding gravely and crossing
her arms like Napoleon。
〃It is poor Madame Hulot。 She wants two hundred thousand francs； or
else Marshal Hulot and old Johann Fischer will blow their brains out；
and as you； my little Duchess； are partly at the bottom of the
mischief； I am going to patch matters up。 She is a saintly creature； I
know her well； she will repay you every penny。〃
At the name of Hulot； at the words two hundred thousand francs； a
gleam from Valerie's eyes flashed from between her long eyelids like
the flame of a cannon through the smoke。
〃What did the old thing do to move you to compassion？ Did she show you
what？herher religion？〃
〃Do not make game of her； sweetheart； she is a very saintly； a very
noble and pious woman； worthy of all respect。〃
〃Am I not worthy of respect then； heh？〃 answered Valerie； with a
threatening gaze at Crevel。
〃I never said so；〃 replied he； understanding that the praise of virtue
might not be gratifying to Madame Marneffe。
〃I am pious too；〃 Valerie went on； taking her seat in an armchair；
〃but I do not make a trade of my religion。 I go to church in secret。〃
She sat in silence； and paid no further heed to Crevel。 He； extremely
ill at ease； came to stand in front of the chair into which Valerie
had thrown herself； and saw her lost in the reflections he had been so
foolish as to suggest。
〃Valerie； my little Angel！〃
Utter silence。 A highly problematical tear was furtively dashed away。
〃One word； my little duck？〃
〃Monsieur！〃
〃What are you thinking of； my darling？〃
〃Oh； Monsieur Crevel； I was thinking of the day of my first communion！
How pretty I was！ How pure； how saintly！immaculate！Oh！ if any one
had come to my mother and said； 'Your daughter will be a hussy； and
unfaithful to her husband； one day a police…officer will find her in a
disreputable house； she will sell herself to a Crevel to cheat a Hulot
two horrible old men' Poof！ horribleshe would have died before
the end of the sentence； she was so fond of me； poor dear！〃
〃Nay； be calm。〃
〃You cannot think how well a woman must love a man before she can
silence the remorse that gnaws at the heart of an adulterous wife。 I
am quite sorry that Reine is not here； she would have told you that
she found me this morning praying with tears in my eyes。 I； Monsieur
Crevel； for my part； do not make a mockery of religion。 Have you ever
heard me say a word I ought not on such a subject？〃
Crevel shook his head in negation。
〃I will never allow it to be mentioned in my presence。 I can make fun
of anything under the sun： Kings； politics； finance； everything that
is sacred in the eyes of the worldjudges； matrimony； and loveold
men and maidens。 But the Church and God！There I draw the line。I
know I am wicked； I am sacrificing my future life to you。 And you have
no conception of the immensity of my love。〃
Crevel clasped his hands。
〃No； unless you could see into my heart； and fathom the depth of my
conviction so as to know the extent of my sacrifice！ I feel in me the
making of a Magdalen。And see how respectfully I treat the priests；
think of the gifts I make to the Church！ My mother brought me up in
the Catholic Faith； and I know what is meant by God！ It is to sinners
like us that His voice is most awful。〃
Valerie wiped away two tears that trickled down her cheeks。 Crevel was
in dismay。 Madame Marneffe stood up in her excitement。
〃Be calm； my darlingyou alarm me！〃
Madame Marneffe fell on her knees。
〃Dear Heaven！ I am not bad all through！〃 she cried； clasping her
hands。 〃Vouchsafe to rescue Thy wandering lamb； strike her； crush her；
snatch her from foul and adulterous hands； and how gladly she will
nestle on Thy shoulder！ How willingly she will return to the fold！〃
She got up and looked at Crevel； her colorless eyes frightened him。
〃Yes； Crevel； and； do you know？ I； too； am frightened sometimes。 The
justice of God is exerted in this nether world as well as in the next。
What mercy can I expect at God's hands？ His vengeance overtakes the
guilty in many ways； it assumes every aspect of disaster。 That is what
my mother told me on her death…bed； speaking of her own old age。But
if I should lose you； she added； hugging Crevel with a sort of savage
frenzy〃oh！ I should die！〃
Madame Marneffe released Crevel； knelt down again at the armchair；
folded her handsand in what a bewitching attitude！and with
incredible fervor poured out the following prayer：
〃And thou； Saint Valerie； my patron saint； why dost thou so rarely
visit the pillow of her who was intrusted to thy care？ Oh； come this
evening； as thou didst this morning； to inspire me with holy thoughts；
and I will quit the path of sin； like the Magdalen； I will give up
deluding joys and the false glitter of the world； even the man I love
so well〃
〃My precious duck！〃
〃No more of the 'precious duck；' monsieur！〃 said she； turning round
like a virtuous wife； her eyes full of tears； but dignified； cold； and
indifferent。
〃Leave me；〃 she went on； pushing him from her。 〃What is my duty？ To
belong wholly to my husband。He is a dying man； and what am I doing？
Deceiving him on the edge of the grave。 He believes your child to be
his。 I will tell him the truth； and begin by securing his pardon
before I ask for God's。We must part。 Good…bye； Monsieur Crevel；〃 and
she stood up to offer him an icy cold hand。 〃Good…bye； my friend； we
shall meet no more till we meet in a better world。You have to thank
me for some enjoyment； criminal indeed； now I wantoh yes； I shall
have your esteem。〃
Crevel was weeping bitter tears。
〃You great pumpkin！〃 she exclaimed； with an infernal peal of laughter。
〃That is how your pious women go about it