l for having unwonted anxieties to conceal; but the hapless
man was not yet aware that in the course of that evening he would find
himself in a cleft stick, between his happiness and the danger pointed
out by his friend--compelled, in short, to choose between Madame
Marneffe and his official position.

At eleven o'clock, when the evening was at its gayest, for the room was
full of company, Valerie drew Hector into a corner of her sofa.

"My dear old boy," said she, "your daughter is so annoyed at knowing
that Wenceslas comes here, that she has left him 'planted.' Hortense is
wrong-headed. Ask Wenceslas to show you the letter the little fool has
written to him.

"This division of two lovers, of which I am reputed to be the cause, may
do me the greatest harm, for this is how virtuous women undermine each
other. It is disgraceful to pose as a victim in order to cast the blame
on a woman whose only crime is that she keeps a pleasant house. If
you love me, you will clear my character by reconciling the sweet
turtle-doves.

"I do not in the least care about your son-in-law's visits; you brought
him here--take him away again! If you have any authority in your family,
it seems to me that you may very well insist on your wife's patching up
this squabble. Tell the worthy old lady from me, that if I am unjustly
charged with having caused a young couple to quarrel, with upsetting the
unity of a family, and annexing both the father and the son-in-law, I
will deserve my reputation by annoying them in my own way! Why, here is
Lisbeth talking of throwing me over! She prefers to stick to her family,
and I cannot blame her for it. She will throw me over, says she, unless
the young people make friends again. A pretty state of things! Our
expenses here will be trebled!"

"Oh, as for that!" said the Baron, on hearing of his daughter's strong
measures, "I will have no nonsense of that kind."

"Very well," said Valerie. "And now for the next thing.--What about
Coquet's place?"

"That," said Hector, looking away, "is more difficult, not to say
impossible."

"Impossible, my dear Hector?" said Madame Marneffe in the Baron's ear.
"But you do not know to what lengths Marneffe will go. I am completely
in his power; he is immoral for his own gratification, like most men,
but he is excessively vindictive, like all weak and impotent natures. In
the position to which you have reduced me, I am in his power. I am
bound to be on terms with him f