itude; both thumbs were stuck into
his armholes, and he was patting his ribs with his fingers, like two
flapping wings, fancying that he was thus making himself very attractive
and charming. It was as much as to say, "And this is the man you would
have nothing to say to!"

"There you are my dear; I had my revenge, and your husband knows it. I
proved to him clearly that he was basketed--just where he was before, as
we say. Madame Marneffe is my mistress, and when her precious Marneffe
kicks the bucket, she will be my wife."

Madame Hulot stared at Crevel with a fixed and almost dazed look.

"Hector knew it?" she said.

"And went back to her," replied Crevel. "And I allowed it, because
Valerie wished to be the wife of a head-clerk; but she promised me
that she would manage things so that our Baron should be so effectually
bowled over that he can never interfere any more. And my little
duchess--for that woman is a born duchess, on my soul!--kept her word.
She restores you your Hector, madame, virtuous in perpetuity, as she
says--she is so witty! He has had a good lesson, I can tell you! The
Baron has had some hard knocks; he will help no more actresses or fine
ladies; he is radically cured; cleaned out like a beer-glass.

"If you had listened to Crevel in the first instance, instead of
scorning him and turning him out of the house, you might have had four
hundred thousand francs, for my revenge has cost me all of that.--But I
shall get my change back, I hope, when Marneffe dies--I have invested
in a wife, you see; that is the secret of my extravagance. I have solved
the problem of playing the lord on easy terms."

"Would you give your daughter such a mother-in-law? cried Madame Hulot.

"You do not know Valerie, madame," replied Crevel gravely, striking the
attitude of his first manner. "She is a woman with good blood in her
veins, a lady, and a woman who enjoys the highest consideration. Why,
only yesterday the vicar of the parish was dining with her. She is
pious, and we have presented a splendid monstrance to the church.

"Oh! she is clever, she is witty, she is delightful, well informed--she
has everything in her favor. For my part, my dear Adeline, I owe
everything to that charming woman; she has opened my mind, polished my
speech, as you may have noticed; she corrects my impetuosity, and gives
me words and ideas. I never say anything now that I ought not. I have
greatly improved; you must have noticed it. And