ess put in,
"virtue requires you to remain faithful to him."

"Till he dies," said Atala, with a knowing flash. "I shall not have to
wait long. If you only knew how Daddy Vyder coughs and blows.--Poof,
poof," and she imitated the old man.

"Virtue and morality require that the Church, representing God, and the
Mayor, representing the law, should consecrate your marriage," Madame
Hulot went on. "Look at madame; she is legally married--"

"Will it make it more amusing?" asked the girl.

"You will be happier," said the Baroness, "for no one could then blame
you. You would satisfy God! Ask her if she was married without the
sacrament of marriage!"

Atala looked at the Italian.

"How is she any better than I am?" she asked. "I am prettier than she
is."

"Yes, but I am an honest woman," said the wife, "and you may be called
by a bad name."

"How can you expect God to protect you if you trample every law, human
and divine, under foot?" said the Baroness. "Don't you know that God has
Paradise in store for those who obey the injunctions of His Church?"

"What is there in Paradise? Are there playhouses?"

"Paradise!" said Adeline, "is every joy you can conceive of. It is full
of angels with white wings. You see God in all His glory, you share His
power, you are happy for every minute of eternity!"

Atala listened to the lady as she might have listened to music; but
Adeline, seeing that she was incapable of understanding her, thought she
had better take another line of action and speak to the old man.

"Go home, then, my child, and I will go to see Monsieur Vyder. Is he a
Frenchman?"

"He is an Alsatian, madame. But he will be quite rich soon. If you
would pay what he owes to that vile Samanon, he would give you back
your money, for in a few months he will be getting six thousand francs
a year, he says, and we are to go to live in the country a long way off,
in the Vosges."

At the word _Vosges_ the Baroness sat lost in reverie. It called up
the vision of her native village. She was roused from her melancholy
meditation by the entrance of the stove-fitter, who came to assure her
of his prosperity.

"In a year's time, madame, I can repay the money you lent us, for it
is God's money, the money of the poor and wretched. If ever I make a
fortune, come to me for what you want, and I will render through you the
help to others which you first brought us."

"Just now," said Madame Hulot, "I do not need your money, but