“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 then she has encouraged my ambition.  I shall be a Deputy; and I shall make no blunders, for I shall consult my Egeria.  Every great politician, from Numa to our present Prime Minister, has had his Sibyl of the fountain.  A score of deputies visit Valerie; she is acquiring considerable influence; and now that she is about to be established in a charming house, with a carriage, she will be one of the occult rulers of Paris.

“A fine locomotive!  That is what such a woman is.  Oh, I have blessed you many a time for your stern virtue.”

“It is enough to make one doubt the goodness of God!” cried Adeline, whose indignation had dried her tears.  “But, no!  Divine justice must be hanging over her head.”