irit of cavalry; they fancy they can ride down every obstacle and
come out victorious. The spur applied by Lisbeth to Steinbock's vanity
was intensified by the appearance of the dining-room, bright with
handsome silver plate; the dinner was served with every refinement and
extravagance of Parisian luxury.

"I should have done better to take Celimene," thought he to himself.

All through the dinner Hulot was charming; pleased to see his son-in-law
at that table, and yet more happy in the prospect of a reconciliation
with Valerie, whose fidelity he proposed to secure by the promise of
Coquet's head-clerkship. Stidmann responded to the Baron's amiability by
shafts of Parisian banter and an artist's high spirits. Steinbock would
not allow himself to be eclipsed by his friend; he too was witty, said
amusing things, made his mark, and was pleased with himself; Madame
Marneffe smiled at him several times to show that she quite understood
him.

The good meal and heady wines completed the work; Wenceslas was deep in
what must be called the slough of dissipation. Excited by just a
glass too much, he stretched himself on a settee after dinner, sunk
in physical and mental ecstasy, which Madame Marneffe wrought to the
highest pitch by coming to sit down by him--airy, scented, pretty enough
to damn an angel. She bent over Wenceslas and almost touched his ear as
she whispered to him:

"We cannot talk over business matters this evening, unless you will
remain till the last. Between us--you, Lisbeth, and me--we can settle
everything to suit you."

"Ah, Madame, you are an angel!" replied Wenceslas, also in a murmur. "I
was a pretty fool not to listen to Lisbeth--"

"What did she say?"

"She declared, in the Rue du Doyenne, that you loved me!"

Madame Marneffe looked at him, seemed covered with confusion, and
hastily left her seat. A young and pretty woman never rouses the hope of
immediate success with impunity. This retreat, the impulse of a virtuous
woman who is crushing a passion in the depths of her heart, was a
thousand times more effective than the most reckless avowal. Desire was
so thoroughly aroused in Wenceslas that he doubled his attentions to
Valerie. A woman seen by all is a woman wished for. Hence the terrible
power of actresses. Madame Marneffe, knowing that she was watched,
behaved like an admired actress. She was quite charming, and her success
was immense.

"I no longer wonder at my father-in-law's follies,"