Hortense threw herself into Lisbeth’s arms and melted into tears.

“I owe my happiness to you,” said she, “and I will never forget it.”

“Cousin Betty,” said the Baroness, embracing Lisbeth in her excitement at seeing matters so happily settled, “the Baron and I owe you a debt of gratitude, and we will pay it.  Come and talk things over with me,” she added, leading her away.

So Lisbeth, to all appearances, was playing the part of a good angel to the whole family; she was adored by Crevel and Hulot, by Adeline and Hortense.

“We wish you to give up working,” said the Baroness.  “If you earn forty sous a day, Sundays excepted, that makes six hundred francs a year.  Well, then, how much have you saved?”

“Four thousand five hundred francs.”

“Poor Betty!” said her cousin.

She raised her eyes to heaven, so deeply was she moved at the thought of all the labor and privation such a sum must represent accumulated during thirty years.

Lisbeth, misunderstanding the meaning of the exclamation, took it as the ironical pity of the successful woman, and her hatred was strengthened by a large infusion of venom at the very moment when her cousin had cast off her last shred of distrust of the tyrant of her childhood.

“We will add ten thousand five hundred francs to that sum,” said Adeline, “and put it in trust so that you shall draw the interest for life with reversion to Hortense.  Thus, you will have six hundred francs a year.”

Lisbeth feigned the utmost satisfaction.  When she went in, her handkerchief to her eyes, wiping away tears of joy, Hortense told her of all the favors being showered on Wenceslas, beloved of the family.

So when the Baron came home, he found his family all present; for the Baroness had formally accepted Wenceslas by the title of Son, and the wedding was fixed, if her husband should approve, for a day a fortnight hence.  The moment he came into the drawing-room, Hulot was rushed at by his wife and daughter, who ran to meet him, Adeline to speak to him privately, and Hortense to kiss him.

“You have gone too far in pledging me to this, madame,” said the Baron sternly.  “You are not married yet,” he added with a look at Steinbock, who turned pale.

“He has heard of my imprisonment,” said the luckless artist to himself.

“Come, children,” said he, leading his daughter and the young man into the garden; they all sat down on the moss-eaten seat in the summer-house.

“Monsieur le Comte, do you love my daughter as well as I loved her mother?” he asked.

“More, monsieur,” said the sculptor.

“Her mother was a peasant’s daughter, and had not a farthing of her own.”

“Only give me Mademoiselle Hortense just as she is, without a trousseau even——­”

“So I should think!” said the Baron, smiling.  “Hortense is the daughter of the Baron Hulot d’Ervy, Councillor of State, high up in the War Office, Grand Commander of the Legion of Honor, and the brother to Count Hulot, whose glory is immortal, and who will ere long be Marshal of France!  And—­she has a marriage portion.