cousin betty-第105章

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neck。〃

〃Could　you　send　for　the　girl　to　come　here？〃　said　Madame　Hulot。　〃I
should　see　her　quietly；　and　find　out　what　could　be　done〃

The　stove…fitter's　wife　signed　to　her　eldest　girl；　who　ran　off。　Ten
minutes　later　she　returned；　leading　by　the　hand　a　child　of　fifteen　and
a　half；　a　beauty　of　the　Italian　type。　Mademoiselle　Judici　inherited
from　her　father　that　ivory　skin　which；　rather　yellow　by　day；　is　by
artificial　light　of　lily…whiteness；　eyes　of　Oriental　beauty；　form；　and
brilliancy；　close　curling　lashes　like　black　feathers；　hair　of　ebony
hue；　and　that　native　dignity　of　the　Lombard　race　which　makes　the
foreigner；　as　he　walks　through　Milan　on　a　Sunday；　fancy　that　every
porter's　daughter　is　a　princess。

Atala；　told　by　the　stove…fitter's　daughter　that　she　was　to　meet　the
great　lady　of　whom　she　had　heard　so　much；　had　hastily　dressed　in　a
black　silk　gown；　a　smart　little　cape；　and　neat　boots。　A　cap　with　a
cherry…colored　bow　added　to　the　brilliant　effect　of　her　coloring。　The
child　stood　in　an　attitude　of　artless　curiosity；　studying　the　Baroness
out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye；　for　her　palsied　trembling　puzzled　her
greatly。

Adeline　sighed　deeply　as　she　saw　this　jewel　of　womanhood　in　the　mire
of　prostitution；　and　determined　to　rescue　her　to　virtue。

〃What　is　your　name；　my　dear？〃

〃Atala；　madame。〃

〃And　can　you　read　and　write？〃

〃No；　madame；　but　that　does　not　matter；　as　monsieur　can。〃

〃Did　your　parents　ever　take　you　to　church？　Have　you　been　to　your　first
Communion？　Do　you　know　your　Catechism？〃

〃Madame；　papa　wanted　to　make　me　do　something　of　the　kind　you　speak　of；
but　mamma　would　not　have　it〃

〃Your　mother？〃　exclaimed　the　Baroness。　〃Is　she　bad　to　you；　then？〃

〃She　was　always　beating　me。　I　don't　know　why；　but　I　was　always　being
quarreled　over　by　my　father　and　mother〃

〃Did　you　ever　hear　of　God？〃　cried　the　Baroness。

The　girl　looked　up　wide…eyed。

〃Oh；　yes；　papa　and　mamma　often　said　'Good　God；'　and　'In　God's　name；'
and　'God's　thunder；'　〃　said　she；　with　perfect　simplicity。

〃Then　you　never　saw　a　church？　Did　you　never　think　of　going　into　one？〃

〃A　church？Notre…Dame；　the　Pantheon？I　have　seen　them　from　a
distance；　when　papa　took　me　into　town；　but　that　was　not　very　often。
There　are　no　churches　like　those　in　the　Faubourg。〃

〃Which　Faubourg　did　you　live　in？〃

〃In　the　Faubourg。〃

〃Yes；　but　which？〃

〃In　the　Rue　de　Charonne；　madame。〃

The　inhabitants　of　the　Faubourg　Saint…Antoine　never　call　that
notorious　district　other　than　/the/　Faubourg。　To　them　it　is　the　one
and　only　Faubourg；　and　manufacturers　generally　understand　the　words　as
meaning　the　Faubourg　Saint…Antoine。

〃Did　no　one　ever　tell　you　what　was　right　or　wrong？〃

〃Mamma　used　to　beat　me　when　I　did　not　do　what　pleased　her。〃

〃But　did　you　not　know　that　it　was　very　wicked　to　run　away　from　your
father　and　mother　to　go　to　live　with　an　old　man？〃

Atala　Judici　gazed　at　the　Baroness　with　a　haughty　stare；　but　made　no
reply。

〃She　is　a　perfect　little　savage；〃　murmured　Adeline。

〃There　are　a　great　many　like　her　in　the　Faubourg；　madame；〃　said　the
stove…fitter's　wife。

〃But　she　knows　nothingnot　even　what　is　wrong。　Good　Heavens！Why　do
you　not　answer　me？〃　said　Madame　Hulot；　putting　out　her　hand　to　take
Atala's。

Atala　indignantly　withdrew　a　step。

〃You　are　an　old　fool！〃　said　she。　〃Why；　my　father　and　mother　had　had
nothing　to　eat　for　a　week。　My　mother　wanted　me　to　do　much　worse　than
that；　I　think；　for　my　father　thrashed　her　and　called　her　a　thief！
However；　Monsieur　Vyder　paid　all　their　debts；　and　gave　them　some　money
oh；　a　bagful！　And　he　brought　me　away；　and　poor　papa　was　crying。　But
we　had　to　part！Was　it　wicked？〃　she　asked。

〃And　are　you　very　fond　of　Monsieur　Vyder？〃

〃Fond　of　him？〃　said　she。　〃I　should　think　so！　He　tells　me　beautiful
stories；　madame；　every　evening；　and　he　has　given　me　nice　gowns；　and
linen；　and　a　shawl。　Why；　I　am　figged　out　like　a　princess；　and　I　never
wear　sabots　now。　And　then；　I　have　not　known　what　it　is　to　be　hungry
these　two　months　past。　And　I　don't　live　on　potatoes　now。　He　brings　me
bonbons　and　burnt　almonds；　and　chocolate　almonds。Aren't　they　good？
I　do　anything　he　pleases　for　a　bag　of　chocolate。Then　my　old　Daddy　is
very　kind；　he　takes　such　care　of　me；　and　is　so　nice；　I　know　now　what
my　mother　ought　to　have　been。He　is　going　to　get　an　old　woman　to　help
me；　for　he　doesn't　like　me　to　dirty　my　hands　with　cooking。　For　the
past　month；　too；　he　has　been　making　a　little　money；　and　he　gives　me
three　francs　every　evening　that　I　put　into　a　money…box。　Only　he　will
never　let　me　out　except　to　come　hereand　he　calls　me　his　little
kitten！　Mamma　never　called　me　anything　but　bad　namesand　thief；　and
vermin！〃

〃Well；　then；　my　child；　why　should　not　Daddy　Vyder　be　your　husband？〃

〃But　he　is；　madame；〃　said　the　girl；　looking　at　Adeline　with　calm
pride；　without　a　blush；　her　brow　smooth；　her　eyes　steady。　〃He　told　me
that　I　was　his　little　wife；　but　it　is　a　horrid　bore　to　be　a　man's　wife
if　it　were　not　for　the　burnt　almonds！〃

〃Good　Heaven！〃　said　the　Baroness　to　herself；　〃what　monster　can　have
had　the　heart　to　betray　such　perfect；　such　holy　innocence？　To　restore
this　child　to　the　ways　of　virtue　would　surely　atone　for　many　sins。I
knew　what　I　was　doing。〃　thought　she；　remembering　the　scene　with
Crevel。　〃But　sheshe　knows　nothing。〃

〃Do　you　know　Monsieur　Samanon？〃　asked　Atala；　with　an　insinuating　look。

〃No；　my　child；　but　why　do　you　ask？〃

〃Really　and　truly？〃　said　the　artless　girl。

〃You　have　nothing　to　fear　from　this　lady；〃　said　the　Italian　woman。
〃She　is　an　angel。〃

〃It　is　because　my　good　old　boy　is　afraid　of　being　caught　by　Samanon。
He　is　hiding；　and　I　wish　he　could　be　free〃

〃Why？〃

〃On！　then　he　would　take　me　to　Bobino；　perhaps　to　the　Ambigu。〃

〃What　a　delightful　creature！〃　said　the　Baroness；　kissing　the　girl。

〃Are　you　rich？〃　asked　Atala；　who　was　fingering　the　Baroness'　lace
ruffles。

〃Yes；　and　No；〃　replied　Madame　Hulot。　〃I　am　rich　for　dear　little　girls
like　you　when　they　are　willing　to　be　taught　their　duties　as　Christians
by　a　priest；　and　to　walk　in　the　right　way。〃

〃What　way　is　that？〃　said　Atala；　〃I　walk　on　my　two　feet。〃

〃The　way　of　virtue。〃

Atala　looked　at　the　Baroness　with　a　crafty　smile。

〃Look　at　madame；〃　said　the　Baroness；　pointing　to　the　stove…fitter's
wife；　〃she　has　been　quite　happy　because　she　was　received　into　the
bosom　of　the　Church。　You　married　like　the　beasts　that　perish。〃

〃I？〃　said　Atala。　〃Why；　if　you　will　give　me　as　much　as　Daddy　Vyder
gives　me；　I　shall　be　quite　happy　unmarried　again。　It　is　a　grind。Do
you　know　what　it　is　to？〃

〃But　when　once　you　are　united　to　a　man　as　you　are；〃　the　Baroness　put
in；　〃virtue　requires　you　to　remain　faithful　to　him。〃

〃Till　he　dies；〃　said　Atala；　with　a　knowing　flash。　〃I　shall　not　have　to
wait　long。　If　you　only　knew　how　Daddy　Vyder　coughs　and　blows。Poof；
poof；〃　and　she　imitated　the　old　man。

〃Virtue　and　morality　require　that　the　Church；　representing　God；　and
the　Mayor；　representing　the　law；　should　consecrate　your　marriage；〃
Madame　Hulot　went　on。　〃Look　at　madame；　she　is　legally　married〃

〃Will　it　make　it　more　amusing？〃　asked　the　girl。

〃You　will　be　happier；〃　said　the　Baroness；　〃for　no　one　could　then　blame
you。　You　would　satisfy　God！　Ask　her　if　she　was　married　without　the
sacrament　of　marriage！〃

Atala　looked　at　the　Italian。

〃How　is　she　any　better　than　I　am？〃　she　asked。　〃I　am　prettier　than　she
is。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　am　an　honest　woman；〃　said　the　wife；　〃and　you　may　be　called
by　a　bad　name。〃

〃How　can　you　expect　God　to　protect　you　if　you　trample　every　law；　human
and　divine；　under　foot？〃　said　the　Baroness。　〃Don't　you　know　that　God
has　Paradise　in　store　for　those　who　obey　the　injunctions　of　His
Church？〃

〃What　is　there　in　Paradise？　Are　there　playhouses？〃

〃Paradise！〃　said　Adeline；　〃is　every　joy　you　can　conceive　of。　It　is
full　of　angels　with　white　wings。　You　see　God　in　all　His　glory；　you
share　His　power；　you　are　happy　for　every　minute　of　eternity！〃

Atala　listened　to　the　lady　as　she　might　have　listened　to　music；　but
Adeline；　seeing　that　she　was　incapable　of　understanding　her；　thought
she　had　better　take　another　line　of　action　and　speak　to　the　old　man。

〃Go　home；　then；　my　child；　and