Chapter 37

Madame Victorin, who managed this enormous household with great skill, due, no doubt, to Lisbeth’s training, had found it necessary to have a man-cook. This again necessitated a kitchen-maid. Kitchen-maids are in these days ambitious creatures, eager to detect the _chef’s_ secrets, and to become cooks as soon as they have learnt to stir a sauce. Consequently, the kitchen-maid is liable to frequent change.

At the beginning of 1845 Celestine engaged as kitchen-maid a sturdy Normandy peasant come from Isigny--short-waisted, with strong red arms, a common face, as dull as an “occasional piece” at the play, and hardly to be persuaded out of wearing the classical linen cap peculiar to the women of Lower Normandy. This girl, as buxom as a wet-nurse, looked as if she would burst the blue cotton check in which she clothed her person. Her florid face might have been hewn out of stone, so hard were its tawny outlines.

Of course no attention was paid to the advent in the house of this girl, whose name was Agathe--an ordinary, wide-awake specimen, such as is daily imported from the provinces. Agathe had no attractions for the cook, her tongue was too rough, for she had served in a suburban inn, waiting on carters; and instead of making a conquest of her chief and winning from him the secrets of the high art of the kitchen, she was the object of his great contempt. The _chef’s_ attentions were, in fact, devoted to Louise, the Countess Steinbock’s maid. The country girl, thinking herself ill-used, complained bitterly that she was always sent out of the way on some pretext when the _chef_ was finishing a dish or putting the crowning touch to a sauce.

“I am out of luck,” said she, “and I shall go to another place.”

And yet she stayed though she had twice given notice to quit.

One night, Adeline, roused by some unusual noise, did not see Hector in the bed he occupied near hers; for they slept side by side in two beds, as beseemed an old couple. She lay awake an hour, but he did not return. Seized with a panic, fancying some tragic end had overtaken him--an apoplectic attack, perhaps--she went upstairs to the floor occupied by the servants, and then was attracted to the room where Agathe slept, partly by seeing a light below the door, and partly by the murmur of voices. She stood still in dismay on recognizing the voice of her husband, who, a victim to Agathe’s charms, to vanquish this strapping wench’s not disinterested resistance, went to the length of saying:

“My wife has not long to live, and if you like you may be a Baroness.”

Adeline gave a cry, dropped her candlestick, and fled.

Three days later the Baroness, who had received the last sacraments, was dying, surrounded by her weeping family.

Just before she died, she took her husband’s hand and pressed it, murmuring in his ear:

“My dear, I had nothing left to give up to you but my life. In a minute or two you will be free, and can make another Baronne Hulot.”

And, rare sight, tears oozed from her dead eyes.

This desperateness of vice had vanquished the patience of the angel, who, on the brink of eternity, gave utterance to the only reproach she had ever spoken in her life.

The Baron left Paris three days after his wife’s funeral. Eleven months after Victorin heard indirectly of his father’s marriage to Mademoiselle Agathe Piquetard, solemnized at Isigny, on the 1st February 1846.

“Parents may hinder their children’s marriage, but children cannot interfere with the insane acts of their parents in their second childhood,” said Maitre Hulot to Maitre Popinot, the second son of the Minister of Commerce, who was discussing this marriage.

ADDENDUM

The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy.

Beauvisage, Phileas The Member for Arcis

Berthier (Parisian notary) Cousin Pons

Bianchon, Horace Father Goriot The Atheist’s Mass Cesar Birotteau The Commission in Lunacy Lost Illusions A Distinguished Provincial at Paris A Bachelor’s Establishment The Secrets of a Princess The Government Clerks Pierrette A Study of Woman Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life Honorine The Seamy Side of History The Magic Skin A Second Home A Prince of Bohemia Letters of Two Brides The Muse of the Department The Imaginary Mistress The Middle Classes The Country Parson In addition, M. Bianchon narrated the following: Another Study of Woman La Grande Breteche

Bixiou, Jean-Jacques The Purse A Bachelor’s Establishment The Government Clerks Modeste Mignon Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life The Firm of Nucingen The Muse of the Department The Member for Arcis Beatrix A Man of Business Gaudissart II. The Unconscious Humorists Cousin Pons

Braulard A Distinguished Provincial at Paris Cousin Pons

Bridau, Joseph The Purse A Bachelor’s Establishment A Distinguished Provincial at Paris A Start in Life Modeste Mignon Another Study of Woman Pierre Grassou Letters of Two Brides The Member for Arcis

Brisetout, Heloise Cousin Pons The Middle Classes

Cadine, Jenny Beatrix The Unconscious Humorists The Member for Arcis

Chanor Cousin Pons

Chocardelle, Mademoiselle Beatrix A Prince of Bohemia A Man of Business The Member for Arcis

Colleville, Flavie Minoret, Madame The Government Clerks The Middle Classes

Collin, Jacqueline Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life The Unconscious Humorists

Crevel, Celestin Cesar Birotteau Cousin Pons

Esgrignon, Victurnien, Comte (then Marquis d’) Jealousies of a Country Town Letters of Two Brides A Man of Business The Secrets of a Princess

Falcon, Jean The Chouans The Muse of the Department

Graff, Wolfgang Cousin Pons

Grassou, Pierre Pierre Grassou A Bachelor’s Establishment The Middle Classes Cousin Pons

Grindot Cesar Birotteau Lost Illusions A Distinguished Provincial at Paris A Start in Life Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life Beatrix The Middle Classes

Hannequin, Leopold Albert Savarus Beatrix Cousin Pons

Herouville, Duc d’ The Hated Son Jealousies of a Country Town Modeste Mignon

Hulot (Marshal) The Chouans The Muse of the Department

Hulot, Victorin The Member for Arcis

La Bastie la Briere, Madame Ernest de Modeste Mignon The Member for Arcis

La Baudraye, Madame Polydore Milaud de The Muse of the Department A Prince of Bohemia

La Chanterie, Baronne Henri le Chantre de The Seamy Side of History

Laginski, Comte Adam Mitgislas Another Study of Woman The Imaginary Mistress

La Palferine, Comte de A Prince of Bohemia A Man of Business Beatrix The Imaginary Mistress

La Roche-Hugon, Martial de Domestic Peace The Peasantry A Daughter of Eve The Member for Arcis The Middle Classes

Lebas, Joseph At the Sign of the Cat and Racket Cesar Birotteau

Lebas, Madame Joseph (Virginie) At the Sign of the Cat and Racket Cesar Birotteau

Lebas The Muse of the Department

Lefebvre, Robert The Gondreville Mystery

Lenoncourt-Givry, Duc de Letters of Two Brides The Member for Arcis

Lora, Leon de The Unconscious Humorists A Bachelor’s Establishment A Start in Life Pierre Grassou Honorine Beatrix

Lousteau, Etienne A Distinguished Provincial at Paris A Bachelor’s Establishment Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life A Daughter of Eve Beatrix The Muse of the Department A Prince of Bohemia A Man of Business The Middle Classes The Unconscious Humorists

Massol Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life The Magic Skin A Daughter of Eve The Unconscious Humorists

Montauran, Marquis de (younger brother of Alphonse de) The Chouans The Seamy Side of History

Montcornet, Marechal, Comte de Domestic Peace Lost Illusions A Distinguished Provincial at Paris Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life The Peasantry A Man of Business

Navarreins, Duc de A Bachelor’s Establishment Colonel Chabert The Muse of the Department The Thirteen Jealousies of a Country Town The Peasantry Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life The Country Parson The Magic Skin The Gondreville Mystery The Secrets of a Princess

Nourrisson, Madame Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life The Unconscious Humorists

Nucingen, Baron Frederic de The Firm of Nucingen Father Goriot Pierrette Cesar Birotteau Lost Illusions A Distinguished Provincial at Paris Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life Another Study of Woman The Secrets of a Princess A Man of Business The Muse of the Department The Unconscious Humorists

Paz, Thaddee The Imaginary Mistress

Popinot, Anselme Cesar Birotteau Gaudissart the Great Cousin Pons

Popinot, Madame Anselme Cesar Birotteau A Prince of Bohemia Cousin Pons

Popinot, Vicomte Cousin Pons

Rastignac, Eugene de Father Goriot A Distinguished Provincial at Paris Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life The Ball at Sceaux The Commission in Lunacy A Study of Woman Another Study of Woman The Magic Skin The Secrets of a Princess A Daughter of Eve The Gondreville Mystery The Firm of Nucingen The Member for Arcis The Unconscious Humorists

Rivet, Achille Cousin Pons

Rochefide, Marquis Arthur de Beatrix

Ronceret, Madame Fabien du Beatrix The Muse of the Department The Unconscious Humorists

Samanon A Distinguished Provincial at Paris The Government Clerks A Man of Business

Sinet, Seraphine The Unconscious Humorists

Steinbock, Count Wenceslas The Imaginary Mistress

Stidmann Modeste Mignon Beatrix The Member for Arcis Cousin Pons The Unconscious Humorists

Tillet, Ferdinand du Cesar Birotteau The Firm of Nucingen The Middle Classes A Bachelor’s Establishment Pierrette Melmoth Reconciled A Distinguished Provincial at Paris The Secrets of a Princess A Daughter of Eve The Member for Arcis The Unconscious Humorists

Trailles, Comte Maxime de Cesar Birotteau Father Goriot Gobseck Ursule Mirouet A Man of Business The Member for Arcis The Secrets of a Princess The Member for Arcis Beatrix The Unconscious Humorists

Turquet, Marguerite The Imaginary Mistress The Muse of the Department A Man of Business

Vauvinet The Unconscious Humorists

Vernisset, Victor de The Seamy Side of History Beatrix

Vernou, Felicien A Bachelor’s Establishment Lost Illusions A Distinguished Provincial at Paris Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life A Daughter of Eve

Vignon, Claude A Distinguished Provincial at Paris A Daughter of Eve Honorine Beatrix The Unconscious Humorists