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households； and day after day these girls would tell him the cancans
which were going the round of Alencon。 He called them his 〃petticoat
gazettes；〃 his 〃talking feuilletons。〃 Never did Monsieur de Sartines
have spies more intelligent and less expensive； or minions who showed
more honor while displaying their rascality of mind。 So it may be said
that in the mornings； while breakfasting； the chevalier usually amused
himself as much as the saints in heaven。
Suzanne was one of his favorites； a clever； ambitious girl； made of
the stuff of a Sophie Arnold； and handsome withal； as the handsomest
courtesan invited by Titian to pose on black velvet for a model of
Venus； although her face； fine about the eyes and forehead；
degenerated； lower down； into commonness of outline。 Hers was a Norman
beauty； fresh； high…colored； redundant； the flesh of Rubens covering
the muscles of the Farnese Hercules； and not the slender articulations
of the Venus de' Medici； Apollo's graceful consort。
〃Well； my child； tell me your great or your little adventure； whatever
it is。〃
The particular point about the chevalier which would have made him
noticeable from Paris to Pekin； was the gentle paternity of his manner
to grisettes。 They reminded him of the illustrious operatic queens of
his early days； whose celebrity was European during a good third of
the eighteenth century。 It is certain that the old gentleman； who had
lived in days gone by with that feminine nation now as much forgotten
as many other great things；like the Jesuits； the Buccaneers； the
Abbes； and the Farmers…General；had acquired an irresistible good…
humor； a kindly ease； a laisser…aller devoid of egotism； the self…
effacement of Jupiter with Alcmene； of the king intending to be duped；
who casts his thunderbolts to the devil； wants his Olympus full of
follies； little suppers； feminine profusionsbut with Juno out of the
way； be it understood。
In spite of his old green damask dressing…gown and the bareness of the
room in which he sat； where the floor was covered with a shabby
tapestry in place of carpet； and the walls were hung with tavern…paper
presenting the profiles of Louis XVI。 and members of his family；
traced among the branches of a weeping willow with other
sentimentalities invented by royalism during the Terror；in spite of
his ruins； the chevalier； trimming his beard before a shabby old
toilet…table； draped with trumpery lace； exhaled an essence of the
eighteenth century。 All the libertine graces of his youth reappeared；
he seemed to have the wealth of three hundred thousand francs of debt；
while his vis…a…vis waited before the door。 He was grand；like
Berthier on the retreat from Moscow； issuing orders to an army that
existed no longer。
〃Monsieur le chevalier；〃 replied Suzanne； drolly； 〃seems to me I
needn't tell you anything； you've only to look。〃
And Suzanne presented a side view of herself which gave a sort of
lawyer's comment to her words。 The chevalier； who； you must know； was
a sly old bird； lowered his right eye on the grisette； still holding
the razor at his throat； and pretended to understand。
〃Well； well； my little duck； we'll talk about that presently。 But you
are rather previous； it seems to me。〃
〃Why； Monsieur le chevalier； ought I to wait until my mother beats me
and Madame Lardot turns me off？ If I don't get away soon to Paris； I
shall never be able to marry here； where men are so ridiculous。〃
〃It can't be helped； my dear； society is changing； women are just as
much victims to the present state of things as the nobility
themselves。 After political overturn comes the overturn of morals。
Alas！ before long woman won't exist〃 （he took out the cotton…wool to
arrange his ears）： 〃she'll lose everything by rushing into sentiment；
she'll wring her nerves； good…bye to all the good little pleasures of
our time； desired without shame； accepted without nonsense。〃 （He
polished up the little negroes' heads。） 〃Women had hysterics in those
days to get their ends； but now〃 （he began to laugh） 〃their vapors end
in charcoal。 In short； marriage〃 （here he picked up his pincers to
remove a hair） 〃will become a thing intolerable； whereas it used to be
so gay in my day！ The reigns of Louis XIV。 and Louis XV。remember
this； my childsaid farewell to the finest manners and morals ever
known to the world。〃
〃But； Monsieur le chevalier；〃 said the grisette； 〃the matter now
concerns the morals and honor of your poor little Suzanne； and I hope
you won't abandon her。〃
〃Abandon her！〃 cried the chevalier； finishing his hair； 〃I'd sooner
abandon my own name。〃
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed Suzanne。
〃Now； listen to me； you little mischief；〃 said the chevalier； sitting
down on a huge sofa； formerly called a duchesse； which Madame Lardot
had been at some pains to find for him。
He drew the magnificent Suzanne before him； holding her legs between
his knees。 She let him do as he liked； although in the street she was
offish enough to other men； refusing their familiarities partly from
decorum and partly for contempt for their commonness。 She now stood
audaciously in front of the chevalier； who； having fathomed in his day
many other mysteries in minds that were far more wily； took in the
situation at a single glance。 He knew very well that no young girl
would joke about a real dishonor； but he took good care not to knock
over the pretty scaffolding of her lie as he touched it。
〃We slander ourselves；〃 he said with inimitable craft； 〃we are as
virtuous as that beautiful biblical girl whose name we bear； we can
always marry as we please； but we are thirsty for Paris； where
charming creaturesand we are no foolget rich without trouble。 We
want to go and see if the great capital of pleasures hasn't some young
Chevalier de Valois in store for us； with a carriage； diamonds； an
opera…box； and so forth。 Russians； Austrians； Britons； have millions
on which we have an eye。 Besides； we are patriotic； we want to help
France in getting back her money from the pockets of those gentry。
Hey！ hey！ my dear little devil's duck！ it isn't a bad plan。 The world
you live in may cry out a bit； but success justifies all things。 The
worst thing in this world； my dear； is to be without money； that's our
disease； yours and mine。 Now inasmuch as we have plenty of wit； we
thought it would be a good thing to parade our dear little honor； or
dishonor； to catch an old boy； but that old boy； my dear heart； knows
the Alpha and Omega of female tricks；which means that you could
easier put salt on a sparrow's tail than to make me believe I have
anything to do with your little affair。 Go to Paris； my dear； go at
the cost of an old celibate； I won't prevent it； in fact； I'll help
you； for an old bachelor； Suzanne； is the natural money…box of a young
girl。 But don't drag me into the matter。 Listen； my queen； you who
know life pretty well； you would me great harm and give me much pain；
harm； because you would prevent my marriage in a town where people
cling to morality； pain； because if you are in trouble （which I deny；
you sly puss！） I haven't a penny to get you out of it。 I'm as poor as
a church mouse； you know that； my dear。 Ah！ if I marry Mademoiselle
Cormon； if I am once more rich； of course I would prefer you to
Cesarine。 You've always seemed to me as fine as the gold they gild on
lead； you were made to be the love of a great seigneur。 I think you so
clever that the trick you are trying to play off on me doesn't
surprise me one bit； I expected it。 You are flinging the scabbard
after the sword； and that's daring for a girl。 It takes nerve and
superior ideas to do it； my angel； and therefore you have won my
respectful esteem。〃
〃Monsieur le chevalier； I assure you； you are mistaken； and〃
She colored； and did not dare to say more。 The chevalier； with a
single glance； had guessed and fathomed her whole plan。
〃Yes； yes！ I understand： you want me to believe it；〃 he said。 〃Well！ I
do believe it。 But take my advice： go to Monsieur du Bousquier。
Haven't you taken linen there for the last six or eight months？ I'm
not asking what went on between you； but I know the man： he has
immense conceit； he is an old bachelor； and very rich； and he only
spends a quarter of a comfortable income。 If you are as clever as I
suppose； you can go to Paris at his expense。 There； run along； my
little doe； go and twist him round your finger。 Only； mind this： be as
supple as silk； at every word take a double turn round him and make a
knot。 He is a man to fear scandal； and if he has given you a chance to
put him in the pilloryin short； understand； threaten him with the
ladies of the Maternity Hospital。 Besides； he's ambitious。 A man
succeeds through his wife； and you are handsome and clever enough to
make the fortune of a husband。 Hey！ the mischief！ you could hold your
own against all the court ladies。〃
Suzanne； whose mind took i