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Updated: May 13, 2025
But in this, as on a former occasion, she let her vengeance carry her too far. She had aroused the prudent suspicions of Victorin. He had resolved to be rid of this Damocles' sword so constantly flourished over them by Lisbeth, and of the female demon to whom his mother and the family owed so many woes.
And, indeed, she had the supreme satisfaction of seeing Adeline, Hortense, Hulot, Victorin, Steinbock, Celestine, and their children standing in tears round her bed and mourning for her as the angel of the family. Baron Hulot, enjoying a course of solid food such as he had not known for nearly three years, recovered flesh and strength, and was almost himself again.
Nor did this happiness come single. Claude Vignon, who called every day from the Prince de Wissembourg to inquire as to Madame Hulot's progress, desired the re-elected deputy to go with him to see the Minister. "His Excellency," said he, "wants to talk over your family affairs with you." The Prince had long known Victorin Hulot, and received him with a friendliness that promised well.
"Oh, Papa!" cried Celestine, "if only you could be well again, I would make friends with my stepmother I make a vow!" "Poor little Celestine!" said Crevel, "come and kiss me." Victorin held back his wife, who was rushing forward. "You do not know, perhaps," said the lawyer gently, "that your disease is contagious, monsieur." "To be sure," replied Crevel.
Having known Victorin and Hortense from their birth, their faces were to her like panes of glass, through which she could read their young souls. Now, from certain stolen looks directed by Victorin on his mother, she saw that some disaster was hanging over Adeline which Victorin hesitated to reveal. The famous young lawyer had some covert anxiety.
She explained and bewailed the terms of the marriage-contract, but found Celestine and her husband insensible to the disastrous news. "You have provoked your father, my children. Madame Marneffe swears that you shall receive Monsieur Crevel's wife and go to her house," said she. "Never!" said Victorin. "Never!" said Celestine. "Never!" said Hortense.
The two women, understanding the hint, left Wenceslas, Celestine, the Marshal, and the Baroness to go on together, and remained standing in a window-bay. "What is it, Victorin?" said Lisbeth. "Some disaster caused by your father, I dare wager." "Yes, alas!" replied Victorin. "A money-lender named Vauvinet has bills of my father's to the amount of sixty thousand francs, and wants to prosecute.
"How much to you want of me?" "Whatever you feel that you ought to give me." Victorin took a five-franc piece from a little pile on his table, and handed it to the stranger. "That is not much on account of fifty thousand francs," said the pilgrim of the desert. This speech removed all Victorin's doubts. "And has Heaven kept its word?" he said, with a frown.
Victorin went home, still full of perplexities which he could confide to no one. At dinner the Baroness joyfully announced to her children that within a month their father might be sharing their comforts, and end his days in peace among his family. "Oh, I would gladly give my three thousand six hundred francs a year to see the Baron here!" cried Lisbeth.
The monk held out his hand without a word, and without a word Victorin Hulot gave him eighty thousand-franc notes, taken from a sum of money found in Crevel's desk. Young Madame Hulot inherited the estate of Presles and thirty thousand francs a year. Madame Crevel had bequeathed a sum of three hundred thousand francs to Baron Hulot.
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