cousin betty-第100章

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like　Valerie；　elegant　and　slender；　displays　divine　beauty。　The　rosy
skin；　mostly　soft；　invites　the　sleepiest　eye。　The　lines　of　her　figure；
so　little　hidden；　are　so　charmingly　outlined　by　the　white　pleats　of
the　shift　and　the　support　of　the　stays；　that　she　is　irresistiblelike
everything　that　must　be　parted　from。

With　a　happy　face　smiling　at　the　glass；　a　foot　impatiently　marking
time；　a　hand　put　up　to　restore　order　among　the　tumbled　curls；　and　eyes
expressive　of　gratitude；　with　the　glow　of　satisfaction　which；　like　a
sunset；　warms　the　least　details　of　the　countenanceeverything　makes
such　a　moment　a　mine　of　memories。

Any　man　who　dares　look　back　on　the　early　errors　of　his　life　may；
perhaps；　recall　some　such　reminiscences；　and　understand；　though　not
excuse；　the　follies　of　Hulot　and　Crevel。　Women　are　so　well　aware　of
their　power　at　such　a　moment；　that　they　find　in　it　what　may　be　called
the　aftermath　of　the　meeting。

〃Come；　come；　after　two　years'　practice；　you　do　not　yet　know　how　to
lace　a　woman's　stays！　You　are　too　much　a　Pole！There；　it　is　ten
o'clock；　my　Wenceslas！〃　said　Valerie；　laughing　at　him。

At　this　very　moment；　a　mischievous　waiting…woman；　by　inserting　a
knife；　pushed　up　the　hook　of　the　double　doors　that　formed　the　whole
security　of　Adam　and　Eve。　She　hastily　pulled　the　door　openfor　the
servants　of　these　dens　have　little　time　to　wasteand　discovered　one
of　the　bewitching　/tableaux　de　genre/　which　Gavarni　has　so　often　shown
at　the　Salon。

〃In　here；　madame；〃　said　the　girl；　and　Cydalise　went　in；　followed　by
Montes。

〃But　there　is　some　one　here。Excuse　me；　madame；〃　said　the　country
girl；　in　alarm。

〃What？Why！　it　is　Valerie！〃　cried　Montes；　violently　slamming　the
door。

Madame　Marneffe；　too　genuinely　agitated　to　dissemble　her　feelings；
dropped　on　to　the　chair　by　the　fireplace。　Two　tears　rose　to　her　eyes；
and　at　once　dried　away。　She　looked　at　Montes；　saw　the　girl；　and　burst
into　a　cackle　of　forced　laughter。　The　dignity　of　the　insulted　woman
redeemed　the　scantiness　of　her　attire；　she　walked　close　up　to　the
Brazilian；　and　looked　at　him　so　defiantly　that　her　eyes　glittered　like
knives。

〃So　that；〃　said　she；　standing　face　to　face　with　the　Baron；　and
pointing　to　Cydalise〃that　is　the　other　side　of　your　fidelity？　You；
who　have　made　me　promises　that　might　convert　a　disbeliever　in　love！
You；　for　whom　I　have　done　so　muchhave　even　committed　crimes！You
are　right；　monsieur；　I　am　not　to　compare　with　a　child　of　her　age　and
of　such　beauty！

〃I　know　what　you　are　going　to　say；〃　she　went　on；　looking　at　Wenceslas；
whose　undress　was　proof　too　clear　to　be　denied。　〃This　is　my　concern。
If　I　could　love　you　after　such　gross　treacheryfor　you　have　spied
upon　me；　you　have　paid　for　every　step　up　these　stairs；　paid　the
mistress　of　the　house；　and　the　servant；　perhaps　even　Reinea　noble
deed！If　I　had　any　remnant　of　affection　for　such　a　mean　wretch；　I
could　give　him　reasons　that　would　renew　his　passion！But　I　leave　you；
monsieur；　to　your　doubts；　which　will　become　remorse。Wenceslas；　my
gown！〃

She　took　her　dress　and　put　it　on；　looked　at　herself　in　the　glass；　and
finished　dressing　without　heeding　the　Baron；　as　calmly　as　if　she　had
been　alone　in　the　room。

〃Wenceslas；　are　you　ready？Go　first。〃

She　had　been　watching　Montes　in　the　glass　and　out　of　the　corner　of　her
eye；　and　fancied　she　could　see　in　his　pallor　an　indication　of　the
weakness　which　delivers　a　strong　man　over　to　a　woman's　fascinations；
she　now　took　his　hand；　going　so　close　to　him　that　he　could　not　help
inhaling　the　terrible　perfumes　which　men　love；　and　by　which　they
intoxicate　themselves；　then；　feeling　his　pulses　beat　high；　she　looked
at　him　reproachfully。

〃You　have　my　full　permission　to　go　and　tell　your　history　to　Monsieur
Crevel；　he　will　never　believe　you。　I　have　a　perfect　right　to　marry
him；　and　he　becomes　my　husband　the　day　after　to…morrow。I　shall　make
him　very　happy。Good…bye；　try　to　forget　me。〃

〃Oh！　Valerie；〃　cried　Henri　Montes；　clasping　her　in　his　arms；　〃that　is
impossible！Come　to　Brazil！〃

Valerie　looked　in　his　face；　and　saw　him　her　slave。

〃Well；　if　you　still　love　me；　Henri；　two　years　hence　I　will　be　your
wife；　but　your　expression　at　this　moment　strikes　me　as　very
suspicious。〃

〃I　swear　to　you　that　they　made　me　drink；　that　false　friends　threw　this
girl　on　my　hands；　and　that　the　whole　thing　is　the　outcome　of　chance！〃
said　Montes。

〃Then　I　am　to　forgive　you？〃　she　asked；　with　a　smile。

〃But　you　will　marry；　all　the　same？〃　asked　the　Baron；　in　an　agony　of
jealousy。

〃Eighty　thousand　francs　a　year！〃　said　she；　with　almost　comical
enthusiasm。　〃And　Crevel　loves　me　so　much　that　he　will　die　of　it！〃

〃Ah！　I　understand；〃　said　Montes。

〃Well；　then；　in　a　few　days　we　will　come　to　an　understanding；〃　said
she。

And　she　departed　triumphant。

〃I　have　no　scruples；〃　thought　the　Baron；　standing　transfixed　for　a　few
minutes。　〃What！　That　woman　believes　she　can　make　use　of　his　passion　to
be　quit　of　that　dolt；　as　she　counted　on　Marneffe's　decease！I　shall
be　the　instrument　of　divine　wrath。〃

Two　days　later　those　of　du　Tillet's　guests　who　had　demolished　Madame
Marneffe　tooth　and　nail；　were　seated　round　her　table　an　hour　after　she
has　shed　her　skin　and　changed　her　name　for　the　illustrious　name　of　a
Paris　mayor。　This　verbal　treason　is　one　of　the　commonest　forms　of
Parisian　levity。

Valerie　had　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　the　Brazilian　in　the
church；　for　Crevel；　now　so　entirely　the　husband；　had　invited　him　out
of　bravado。　And　the　Baron's　presence　at　the　breakfast　astonished　no
one。　All　these　men　of　wit　and　of　the　world　were　familiar　with　the
meanness　of　passion；　the　compromises　of　pleasure。

Steinbock's　deep　melancholyfor　he　was　beginning　to　despise　the　woman
whom　he　had　adored　as　an　angelwas　considered　to　be　in　excellent
taste。　The　Pole　thus　seemed　to　convey　that　all　was　at　an　end　between
Valerie　and　himself。　Lisbeth　came　to　embrace　her　dear　Madame　Crevel；
and　to　excuse　herself　for　not　staying　to　the　breakfast　on　the　score　of
Adeline's　sad　state　of　health。

〃Be　quite　easy；〃　said　she　to　Valerie；　〃they　will　call　on　you；　and　you
will　call　on　them。　Simply　hearing　the　words　/two　hundred　thousand
francs/　has　brought　the　Baroness　to　death's　door。　Oh；　you　have　them
all　hard　and　fast　by　that　tale！But　you　must　tell　it　to　me。〃

Within　a　month　of　her　marriage；　Valerie　was　at　her　tenth　quarrel　with
Steinbock；　he　insisted　on　explanations　as　to　Henri　Montes；　reminding
her　of　the　words　spoken　in　their　paradise；　and；　not　content　with
speaking　to　her　in　terms　of　scorn；　he　watched　her　so　closely　that　she
never　had　a　moment　of　liberty；　so　much　was　she　fettered　by　his
jealousy　on　one　side　and　Crevel's　devotion　on　the　other。

Bereft　now　of　Lisbeth；　whose　advice　had　always　been　so　valuable　she
flew　into　such　a　rage　as　to　reproach　Wenceslas　for　the　money　she　had
lent　him。　This　so　effectually　roused　Steinbock's　pride；　that　he　came
no　more　to　the　Crevels'　house。　So　Valerie　had　gained　her　point；　which
was　to　be　rid　of　him　for　a　time；　and　enjoy　some　freedom。　She　waited
till　Crevel　should　make　a　little　journey　into　the　country　to　see　Comte
Popinot；　with　a　view　to　arranging　for　her　introduction　to　the
Countess；　and　was　then　able　to　make　an　appointment　to　meet　the　Baron；
whom　she　wanted　to　have　at　her　command　for　a　whole　day　to　give　him
those　〃reasons〃　which　were　to　make　him　love　her　more　than　ever。

On　the　morning　of　that　day；　Reine；　who　estimated　the　magnitude　of　her
crime　by　that　of　the　bribe　she　received；　tried　to　warn　her　mistress；
in　whom　she　naturally　took　more　interest　than　in　strangers。　Still；　as
she　had　been　threatened　with　madness；　and　ending　her　days　in　the
Salpetriere　in　case　of　indiscretion；　she　was　cautious。

〃Madame；　you　are　so　well　off　now；〃　said　she。　〃Why　take　on　again　with
that　Brazilian？I　do　not　trust　him　at　all。〃

〃You　are　very　right；　Reine；　and　I　mean　to　be　rid　of　him。〃

〃Oh；　madame；　I　am　glad　to　hear　it；　he　frightens　me；　does　that　big
Moor！　I　believe　him　to　be　capable　of　anything。〃

〃Silly　child！　you　have　more　reason　to　be　afraid　for　him　when　he　is
with　me。〃

At　this　moment　Lisbeth　came　in。

〃My　dear　little　pet　Nanny；　what　an　age　since　we　met！〃　cried　Valerie。
〃I　am　so　unha