Bartholo！ Ware Auguste； Hippolyte； Nestor； Victor/or/； that is gold；
in every form。 When once the child is fed and dressed； if she gets the
upper hand； she will drive you like a serf。I will see to settling
you comfortably。 The Duke does the handsome； he will lendthat is；
giveyou ten thousand francs； and he deposits eight thousand with his
notary； who will pay you six hundred francs every quarter； for I
cannot trust you。Now； am I nice？〃
〃Adorable。〃
Ten days after deserting his family； when they were gathered round
Adeline； who seemed to be dying； as she said again and again； in a
weak voice； 〃Where is he？〃 Hector； under the name of Thoul； was
established in the Rue Saint…Maur； at the head of a business as
embroiderer； under the name of Thoul and Bijou。
Victorin Hulot； under the overwhelming disasters of his family； had
received the finishing touch which makes or mars the man。 He was
perfection。 In the great storms of life we act like the captain of a
ship who； under the stress of a hurricane； lightens the ship of its
heaviest cargo。 The young lawyer lost his self…conscious pride； his
too evident assertiveness； his arrogance as an orator and his
political pretensions。 He was as a man what his wife was as a woman。
He made up his mind to make the best of his Celestinewho certainly
did not realize his dreamsand was wise enough to estimate life at
its true value by contenting himself in all things with the second
best。 He vowed to fulfil his duties； so much had he been shocked by
his father's example。
These feelings were confirmed as he stood by his mother's bed on the
day when she was out of danger。 Nor did this happiness come single。
Claude Vignon； who called every day from the Prince de Wissembourg to
inquire as to Madame Hulot's progress； desired the re…elected deputy
to go with him to see the Minister。
〃His Excellency；〃 said he； 〃wants to talk over your family affairs
with you。〃
The Prince had long known Victorin Hulot； and received him with a
friendliness that promised well。
〃My dear fellow；〃 said the old soldier； 〃I promised your uncle； in
this room； that I would take care of your mother。 That saintly woman；
I am told； is getting well again； now is the time to pour oil into
your wounds。 I have for you here two hundred thousand francs； I will
give them to you〃
The lawyer's gesture was worthy of his uncle the Marshal。
〃Be quite easy；〃 said the Prince； smiling； 〃it is money in trust。 My
days are numbered； I shall not always be here； so take this sum； and
fill my place towards your family。 You may use this money to pay off
the mortgage on your house。 These two hundred thousand francs are the
property of your mother and your sister。 If I gave the money to Madame
Hulot； I fear that； in her devotion to her husband； she would be
tempted to waste it。 And the intention of those who restore it to you
is； that it should produce bread for Madame Hulot and her daughter；
the Countess Steinbock。 You are a steady man； the worthy son of your
noble mother； the true nephew of my friend the Marshal； you are
appreciated here； you seeand elsewhere。 So be the guardian angel of
your family； and take this as a legacy from your uncle and me。〃
〃Monseigneur；〃 said Hulot； taking the Minister's hand and pressing it；
〃such men as you know that thanks in words mean nothing； gratitude
must be proven。〃
〃Prove yours〃 said the old man。
〃In what way？〃
〃By accepting what I have to offer you；〃 said the Minister。 〃We
propose to appoint you to be attorney to the War Office； which just
now is involved in litigations in consequence of the plan for
fortifying Paris； consulting clerk also to the Prefecture of Police；
and a member of the Board of the Civil List。 These three appointments
will secure you salaries amounting to eighteen thousand francs； and
will leave you politically free。 You can vote in the Chamber in
obedience to your opinions and your conscience。 Act in perfect freedom
on that score。 It would be a bad thing for us if there were no
national opposition！
〃Also； a few lines from your uncle； written a day or two before he
breathed his last； suggested what I could do for your mother； whom he
loved very truly。Mesdames Popinot； de Rastignac； de Navarreins；
d'Espard； de Grandlieu； de Carigliano； de Lenoncourt； and de la Batie
have made a place for your mother as a Lady Superintendent of their
charities。 These ladies； presidents of various branches of benevolent
work； cannot do everything themselves； they need a lady of character
who can act for them by going to see the objects of their beneficence；
ascertaining that charity is not imposed upon； and whether the help
given really reaches those who applied for it； finding out that the
poor who are ashamed to beg； and so forth。 Your mother will fulfil an
angelic function； she will be thrown in with none but priests and
these charitable ladies； she will be paid six thousand francs and the
cost of her hackney coaches。
〃You see； young man； that a pure and nobly virtuous man can still
assist his family； even from the grave。 Such a name as your uncle's
is； and ought to be； a buckler against misfortune in a well…organized
scheme of society。 Follow in his path； you have started in it； I know；
continue in it。〃
〃Such delicate kindness cannot surprise me in my mother's friend；〃
said Victorin。 〃I will try to come up to all your hopes。〃
〃Go at once； and take comfort to your family。By the way；〃 added the
Prince； as he shook hands with Victorin； 〃your father has
disappeared？〃
〃Alas！ yes。〃
〃So much the better。 That unhappy man has shown his wit； in which；
indeed； he is not lacking。〃
〃There are bills of his to be met。〃
〃Well； you shall have six months' pay of your three appointments in
advance。 This pre…payment will help you； perhaps； to get the notes out
of the hands of the money…lender。 And I will see Nucingen； and perhaps
may succeed in releasing your father's pension； pledged to him；
without its costing you or our office a sou。 The peer has not killed
the banker in Nucingen； he is insatiable； he wants some concession。I
know not what〃
So on his return to the Rue Plumet； Victorin could carry out his plan
of lodging his mother and sister under his roof。
The young lawyer； already famous； had； for his sole fortune； one of
the handsomest houses in Paris； purchased in 1834 in preparation for
his marriage； situated on the boulevard between the Rue de la Paix and
the Rue Louis…le…Grand。 A speculator had built two houses between the
boulevard and the street； and between these； with the gardens and
courtyards to the front and back； there remained still standing a
splendid wing； the remains of the magnificent mansion of the
Verneuils。 The younger Hulot had purchased this fine property； on the
strength of Mademoiselle Crevel's marriage…portion； for one million
francs； when it was put up to auction； paying five hundred thousand
down。 He lived on the ground floor； expecting to pay the remainder out
of letting the rest； but though it is safe to speculate in house…
property in Paris； such investments are capricious or hang fire；
depending on unforeseen circumstances。
As the Parisian lounger may have observed； the boulevard between the
Rue de la Paix and the Rue Louis…le…Grand prospered but slowly； it
took so long to furbish and beautify itself； that trade did not set up
its display there till 1840the gold of the money…changers； the
fairy…work of fashion； and the luxurious splendor of shop…fronts。
In spite of two hundred thousand francs given by Crevel to his
daughter at the time when his vanity was flattered by this marriage；
before the Baron had robbed him of Josepha； in spite of the two
hundred thousand francs paid off by Victorin in the course of seven
years； the property was still burdened with a debt of five hundred
thousand francs； in consequence of Victorin's devotion to his father。
Happily； a rise in rents and the advantages of the situation had at
this time improved the value of the houses。 The speculation was
justifying itself after eight years' patience； during which the lawyer
had strained every nerve to pay the interest and some trifling amounts
of the capital borrowed。
The tradespeople were ready to offer good rents for the shops； on
condition of being granted leases for eighteen years。 The dwelling
apartments rose in value by the shifting of the centre in Paris life
henceforth transferred to the region between the Bourse and the
Madeleine； now the seat of the political power and financial authority
in Paris。 The money paid to him by the Minister； added to a year's
rent in advance and the premiums paid by his tenants； would finally
reduce the outstanding debt to two hundred thousand francs。 The two
houses； if entirely let； would bring in a hundred thousand francs a
year。 Within two years more； during which the Hulots could live on his
salaries； added to by the Marshal's investments； Victorin would be in
a splendid position。
This was manna from heaven。 Victorin could give up the first floor of
his own house to his mother； and the second to Hortense； excepting two
rooms reserved for Lisbeth。 With Cousin Betty as the housekeeper； this
compound household could bear all these charges； and yet keep up a
good appearance； as beseemed a pleader of note。 The great stars of the
law…courts were rapidly disappearing； and Victorin Hulot； gifted with
a shrewd tongue and strict honesty； was listened to by the Bench and
Councillors； he studied his cases thoroughly； and advanced nothing
that he could not prove。 He would not hold every brief that offered；
in fact； he was a credit to the bar。
The Baroness' home in the Rue Plumet had become so odious to her； that
she allowed herself to be taken to the Rue Louis…le…Grand。 Thus； by
her son's care； Adeline occupied a fine apartment； she was spared all
the daily worries of life； for Lisbeth consented to begin again；
working wonders of domestic economy； such as she had achieved for
Madame Marneffe； seeing here a way of exerting her silent vengeance on
those three noble lives； the object； each； of her hatred； which was
kept growing by the overthrow of all her hopes。
Once a month she went to see Valerie；