ay be taken by a look and a nod more solemnly than in a court
of justice.

"I keep up every appearance of respectability," Valerie went on, laying
her hand on Lisbeth's as if to accept her pledge. "I am a married
woman, and my own mistress, to such a degree, that in the morning, when
Marneffe sets out for the office, if he takes it into his head to say
good-bye and finds my door locked, he goes off without a word. He cares
less for his boy than I care for one of the marble children that play
at the feet of one of the river-gods in the Tuileries. If I do not come
home to dinner, he dines quite contentedly with the maid, for the maid
is devoted to monsieur; and he goes out every evening after dinner, and
does not come in till twelve or one o'clock. Unfortunately, for a year
past, I have had no ladies' maid, which is as much as to say that I am a
widow!

"I have had one passion, once have been happy--a rich Brazilian--who
went away a year ago--my only lapse!--He went away to sell his estates,
to realize his land, and come back to live in France. What will he find
left of his Valerie? A dunghill. Well! it is his fault and not mine;
why does he delay coming so long? Perhaps he has been wrecked--like my
virtue."

"Good-bye, my dear," said Lisbeth abruptly; "we are friends for ever. I
love you, I esteem you, I am wholly yours! My cousin is tormenting me
to go and live in the house you are moving to, in the Rue Vanneau; but
I would not go, for I saw at once the reasons for this fresh piece of
kindness----"

"Yes; you would have kept an eye on me, I know!" said Madame Marneffe.

"That was, no doubt, the motive of his generosity," replied Lisbeth. "In
Paris, most beneficence is a speculation, as most acts of ingratitude
are revenge! To a poor relation you behave as you do to rats to whom
you offer a bit of bacon. Now, I will accept the Baron's offer, for this
house has grown intolerable to me. You and I have wit enough to hold our
tongues about everything that would damage us, and tell all that needs
telling. So, no blabbing--and we are friends."

"Through thick and thin!" cried Madame Marneffe, delighted to have a
sheep-dog, a confidante, a sort of respectable aunt. "Listen to me; the
Baron is doing a great deal in the Rue Vanneau----"

"I believe you!" interrupted Lisbeth. "He has spent thirty thousand
francs! Where he got the money, I am sure I don't know, for Josepha
the singer bled him dry.--Oh! you are in luck," she