Twentyminutesafter，LisbethandCrevelreachedthehouseintheRueBarbet，whereMadameMarneffewasawaiting，inmildimpatience，theresultofasteptakenbyhercommands。Valeriehadintheendfallenapreytotheabsorbinglovewhich，onceinherlife，mastersawoman’sheart。Wenceslaswasitsobject，and，afailureasanartist，hebecameinMadameMarneffe’shandsaloversoperfectthathewastoherwhatshehadbeentoBaronHulot。
Valeriewasholdingaslipperinonehand，andSteinbockclaspedtheother，whileherheadrestedonhisshoulder。TheramblingconversationinwhichtheyhadbeenengagedeversinceCrevelwentoutmaybeticketed，likecertainlengthyliteraryeffortsofourday，”/Allrightsreserved/，”foritcannotbereproduced。Thismasterpieceofpersonalpoetrynaturallybroughtaregrettotheartist’slips，andhesaid，notwithoutsomebitterness：”WhatapityitisthatImarried；forifIhadbutwaited，asLisbethtoldme，Imightnowhavemarriedyou。””WhobutaPolewouldwishtomakeawifeofadevotedmistress？”
criedValerie。”Tochangeloveintoduty，andpleasureintoabore。””Iknowyoutobesofickle，”repliedSteinbock。”DidInothearyoutalkingtoLisbethofthatBrazilian，BaronMontes？””Doyouwanttoridmeofhim？””Itwouldbetheonlywaytohinderhisseeingyou，”saidtheex-
sculptor。”Letmetellyou，mydarling——forItellyoueverything，”saidValerie——”Iwassavinghimupforahusband——ThepromisesIhavemadetothatman！——Oh，longbeforeIknewyou，”saidshe，inreplytoamovementfromWenceslas。”Andthosepromises，ofwhichheavailshimselftoplagueme，obligemetogetmarriedalmostsecretly；forifheshouldhearthatIammarryingCrevel，heisthesortofmanthat——
thatwouldkillme。””Oh，astothat！”saidSteinbock，withascornfulexpression，whichconveyedthatsuchadangerwassmallindeedforawomanbelovedbyaPole。