to submission.

"That Brazilian----" he began, but, overpowered by Valerie's fixed look
of contempt, he broke off.

"What of him?" said she.

"That cousin--"

"Is no cousin of mine," said she. "He is my cousin to the world and to
Monsieur Marneffe. And if he were my lover, it would be no concern of
yours. A tradesman who pays a woman to be revenged on another man, is,
in my opinion, beneath the man who pays her for love of her. You did not
care for me; all you saw in me was Monsieur Hulot's mistress. You bought
me as a man buys a pistol to kill his adversary. I wanted bread--I
accepted the bargain."

"But you have not carried it out," said Crevel, the tradesman once more.

"You want Baron Hulot to be told that you have robbed him of his
mistress, to pay him out for having robbed you of Josepha? Nothing can
more clearly prove your baseness. You say you love a woman, you treat
her like a duchess, and then you want to degrade her? Well, my good
fellow, and you are right. This woman is no match for Josepha. That
young person has the courage of her disgrace, while I--I am a hypocrite,
and deserve to be publicly whipped.--Alas! Josepha is protected by
her cleverness and her wealth. I have nothing to shelter me but my
reputation; I am still the worthy and blameless wife of a plain citizen;
if you create a scandal, what is to become of me? If I were rich, then
indeed; but my income is fifteen thousand francs a year at most, I
suppose."

"Much more than that," said Crevel. "I have doubled your savings in
these last two months by investing in _Orleans_."

"Well, a position in Paris begins with fifty thousand. And you certainly
will not make up to me for the position I should surrender.--What was
my aim? I want to see Marneffe a first-class clerk; he will then draw
a salary of six thousand francs. He has been twenty-seven years in his
office; within three years I shall have a right to a pension of fifteen
hundred francs when he dies. You, to whom I have been entirely kind, to
whom I have given your fill of happiness--you cannot wait!--And that is
what men call love!" she exclaimed.

"Though I began with an ulterior purpose," said Crevel, "I have become
your poodle. You trample on my heart, you crush me, you stultify me, and
I love you as I have never loved in my life. Valerie, I love you as much
as I love my Celestine. I am capable of anything for your sake.--Listen,
instead of coming twice a week to the Rue du Dauphin