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her daughter should take possession of everything； securing to her
mother fifteen hundred francs a year and the house at Auteuil。 The
landed property of the old farmer was sold in lots； and brought in
thirty thousand francs。 Lemprun's estate had given as much more； so
that Madame Thuillier's fortune； including her 〃dot；〃 amounted in 1818
to ninety thousand francs。 Joining the revenue of this property to
that of the brother and sister； the Thuillier household had an income；
in 1818； amounting to eleven thousand francs； managed by Brigitte
alone on her sole responsibility。 It is necessary to begin by stating
this financial position； not only to prevent objections but to rid the
drama of difficulties。
Brigitte began； from the first； by allowing her brother five hundred
francs a month； and by sailing the household boat at the rate of five
thousand francs a year。 She granted to her sister…in…law fifty francs
a month； explaining to her carefully that she herself was satisfied
with forty。 To strengthen her despotism by the power of money；
Brigitte laid by the surplus of her own funds。 She made； so it was
said in business offices； usurious loans by means of her brother； who
appeared as a money…lender。 If； between the years 1813 and 1830；
Brigitte had capitalized sixty thousand francs； that sum can be
explained by the rise in the Funds； and there is no need to have
recourse to accusations more or less well founded； which have nothing
to do with our present history。
From the first days of the marriage； Brigitte subdued the unfortunate
Madame Thuillier with a touch of the spur and a jerk of the bit； both
of which she made her feel severely。 A further display of tyranny was
useless； the victim resigned herself at once。 Celeste； thoroughly
understood by Brigitte； a girl without mind or education； accustomed
to a sedentary life and a tranquil atmosphere； was extremely gentle by
nature； she was pious in the fullest acceptation of the word； she
would willingly have expiated by the hardest punishments the
involuntary wrong of giving pain to her neighbor。 She was utterly
ignorant of life； accustomed to be waited on by her mother； who did
the whole service of the house； for Celeste was unable to make much
exertion； owing to a lymphatic constitution which the least toil
wearied。 She was truly a daughter of the people of Paris； where
children； seldom handsome； and of no vigor； the product of poverty and
toil； of homes without fresh air； without freedom of action； without
any of the conveniences of life； meet us at every turn。
At the time of the marriage； Celeste was seen to be a little woman；
fair and faded almost to sickliness； fat； slow； and silly in the
countenance。 Her forehead； much too large and too prominent； suggested
water on the brain； and beneath that waxen cupola her face； noticeably
too small and ending in a point like the nose of a mouse； made some
people fear she would become； sooner or later； imbecile。 Her eyes；
which were light blue； and her lips； always fixed in a smile； did not
contradict that idea。 On the solemn occasion of her marriage she had
the manner； air； and attitude of a person condemned to death； whose
only desire is that it might all be over speedily。
〃She is rather round；〃 said Colleville to Thuillier。
Brigitte was just the knife to cut into such a nature； to which her
own formed the strongest contrast。 Mademoiselle Thuillier was
remarkable for her regular and correct beauty； but a beauty injured by
toil which； from her very childhood； had bent her down to painful；
thankless tasks； and by the secret privations she imposed upon herself
in order to amass her little property。 Her complexion； early
discolored； had something the tint of steel。 Her brown eyes were
framed in brown； on the upper lip was a brown floss like a sort of
smoke。 Her lips were thin； and her imperious forehead was surmounted
by hair once black； now turning to chinchilla。 She held herself as
straight as the fairest beauty； but all things else about her showed
the hardiness of her life； the deadening of her natural fire； the cost
of what she was！
To Brigitte； Celeste was simply a fortune to lay hold of； a future
mother to rule； one more subject in her empire。 She soon reproached
her for being WEAK； a constant word in her vocabulary； and the jealous
old maid； who would strongly have resented any signs of activity in
her sister…in…law； now took a savage pleasure in prodding the languid
inertness of the feeble creature。 Celeste； ashamed to see her sister…
in…law displaying such energy in household work； endeavored to help
her； and fell ill in consequence。 Instantly； Brigitte was devoted to
her； nursed her like a beloved sister； and would say； in presence of
Thuillier： 〃You haven't any strength； my child； you must never do
anything again。〃 She showed up Celeste's incapacity by that display of
sympathy with which strength； seeming to pity weakness； finds means to
boast of its own powers。
But； as all despotic natures liking to exercise their strength are
full of tenderness for physical sufferings； Brigitte took such real
care of her sister…in…law as to satisfy Celeste's mother when she came
to see her daughter。 After Madame Thuillier recovered； however； she
called her； in Celeste's hearing； 〃a helpless creature； good for
nothing！〃 which sent the poor thing crying to her room。 When Thuillier
found her there； drying her eyes； he excused her sister； saying：
〃She is an excellent woman； but rather hasty； she loves you in her own
way； she behaves just so with me。〃
Celeste； remembering the maternal care of her sister…in…law during her
illness； forgave the wound。 Brigitte always treated her brother as the
king of the family； she exalted him to Celeste； and made him out an
autocrat； a Ladislas； an infallible pope。 Madame Thuillier having lost
her father and grandfather； and being well…nigh deserted by her
mother； who came to see her on Thursdays only （she herself spending
Sundays at Auteuil in summer）； had no one left to love except her
husband； and she did love him；in the first place； because he was her
husband； and secondly； because he still remained to her 〃that handsome
Thuillier。〃 Besides； he sometimes treated her like a wife； and all
these reasons together made her adore him。 He seemed to her all the
more perfect because he often took up her defence and scolded his
sister； not from any real interest in his wife； but for pure
selfishness； and in order to have peace in the household during the
very few moments that he stayed there。
In fact； that handsome Thuillier was never at home except at dinner；
after which meal he went out； returning very late at night。 He went to
balls and other social festivities by himself； precisely as if he were
still a bachelor。 Thus the two women were always alone together。
Celeste insensibly fell into a passive attitude； and became what
Brigitte wanted her；a helot。 The Queen Elizabeth of the household
then passed from despotism to a sort of pity for the poor victim who
was always sacrificed。 She ended by softening her haughty ways； her
cutting speech； her contemptuous tones； as soon as she was certain
that her sister…in…law was completely under the yoke。 When she saw the
wounds it made on the neck of her victim； she took care of her as a
thing of her own； and Celeste entered upon happier days。 Comparing the
end with the beginning； she even felt a sort of love for her torturer。
To gain some power of self…defence； to become something less a cipher
in the household； supported； unknown to herself； by her own means； the
poor helot had but a single chance； and that chance never came to her。
Celeste had no child。 This barrenness； which； from month to month；
brought floods of tears from her eyes； was long the cause of
Brigitte's scorn； she reproached the poor woman bitterly for being fit
for nothing； not even to bear children。 The old maid； who had longed
to love her brother's child as if it were her own； was unable； for
years； to reconcile herself to this irremediable sterility。
At the time when our history begins； namely； in 1840； Celeste； then
forty…six years old； had ceased to weep； she now had the certainty of
never being a mother。 And here is a strange thing。 After twenty…five
years of this life； in which victory had ended by first dulling and
then breaking its own knife； Brigitte loved Celeste as much as Celeste
loved Brigitte。 Time； ease； and the perpetual rubbing of domestic
life； had worn off the angles and smoothed the asperities； Celeste's
resignation and lamb…like gentleness had brought； at last； a serene
and peaceful autumn。 The two women were still further united by the
one sentiment that lay within them； namely； their adoration for the
lucky and selfish Thuillier。
Moreover； these two women； both childless； had each； like all women
who have vainly desired children； fallen in love with a child。 This
fictitious motherhood； equal in strength to a real motherhood； needs
an explanation which will carry us to the very heart of our drama； and
will show the reason of the new occupation which Mademoiselle
Thuillier provided for her brother。
CHAPTER III
COLLEVILLE
Thuillier