e enough to wipe out every sin you
have ever committed, and to open to you the gates of Paradise," replied
Crevel, with a knowing air that brought the color to the Baroness'
cheeks. "Sublime and adored woman, tell that to those who will believe
it, but not to old Crevel, who has, I may tell you, feasted too often as
one of four with your rascally husband not to know what your high
merits are! Many a time has he blamed himself when half tipsy as he has
expatiated on your perfections. Oh, I know you well!--A libertine might
hesitate between you and a girl of twenty. I do not hesitate----"

"Monsieur!"

"Well, I say no more. But you must know, saintly and noble woman, that
a husband under certain circumstances will tell things about his wife to
his mistress that will mightily amuse her."

Tears of shame hanging to Madame Hulot's long lashes checked the
National Guardsman. He stopped short, and forgot his attitude.

"To proceed," said he. "We became intimate, the Baron and I, through
the two hussies. The Baron, like all bad lots, is very pleasant, a
thoroughly jolly good fellow. Yes, he took my fancy, the old rascal. He
could be so funny!--Well, enough of those reminiscences. We got to be
like brothers. The scoundrel--quite Regency in his notions--tried indeed
to deprave me altogether, preached Saint-Simonism as to women, and all
sorts of lordly ideas; but, you see, I was fond enough of my girl to
have married her, only I was afraid of having children.

"Then between two old daddies, such friends as--as we were, what
more natural than that we should think of our children marrying each
other?--Three months after his son had married my Celestine, Hulot--I
don't know how I can utter the wretch's name! he has cheated us both,
madame--well, the villain did me out of my little Josepha. The scoundrel
knew that he was supplanted in the heart of Jenny Cadine by a young
lawyer and by an artist--only two of them!--for the girl had more and
more of a howling success, and he stole my sweet little girl, a
perfect darling--but you must have seen her at the opera; he got her
an engagement there. Your husband is not so well behaved as I am. I am
ruled as straight as a sheet of music-paper. He had dropped a good deal
of money on Jenny Cadine, who must have cost him near on thirty thousand
francs a year. Well, I can only tell you that he is ruining himself
outright for Josepha.

"Josepha, madame, is a Jewess. Her name is Mirah, the anag