cousin betty-第106章

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she　had　better　take　another　line　of　action　and　speak　to　the　old　man。

〃Go　home；　then；　my　child；　and　I　will　go　to　see　Monsieur　Vyder。　Is　he　a
Frenchman？〃

〃He　is　an　Alsatian；　madame。　But　he　will　be　quite　rich　soon。　If　you
would　pay　what　he　owes　to　that　vile　Samanon；　he　would　give　you　back
your　money；　for　in　a　few　months　he　will　be　getting　six　thousand　francs
a　year；　he　says；　and　we　are　to　go　to　live　in　the　country　a　long　way
off；　in　the　Vosges。〃

At　the　word　/Vosges/　the　Baroness　sat　lost　in　reverie。　It　called　up
the　vision　of　her　native　village。　She　was　roused　from　her　melancholy
meditation　by　the　entrance　of　the　stove…fitter；　who　came　to　assure　her
of　his　prosperity。

〃In　a　year's　time；　madame；　I　can　repay　the　money　you　lent　us；　for　it
is　God's　money；　the　money　of　the　poor　and　wretched。　If　ever　I　make　a
fortune；　come　to　me　for　what　you　want；　and　I　will　render　through　you
the　help　to　others　which　you　first　brought　us。〃

〃Just　now；〃　said　Madame　Hulot；　〃I　do　not　need　your　money；　but　I　ask
your　assistance　in　a　good　work。　I　have　just　seen　that　little　Judici；
who　is　living　with　an　old　man；　and　I　mean　to　see　them　regularly　and
legally　married。〃

〃Ah！　old　Vyder；　he　is　a　very　worthy　old　fellow；　with　plenty　of　good
sense。　The　poor　old　man　has　already　made　friends　in　the　neighborhood；
though　he　has　been　here　but　two　months。　He　keeps　my　accounts　for　me。
He　is；　I　believe；　a　brave　Colonel　who　served　the　Emperor　well。　And　how
he　adores　Napoleon！He　has　some　orders；　but　he　never　wears　them。　He
is　waiting　till　he　is　straight　again；　for　he　is　in　debt；　poor　old　boy！
In　fact；　I　believe　he　is　hiding；　threatened　by　the　law〃

〃Tell　him　that　I　will　pay　his　debts　if　he　will　marry　the　child。〃

〃Oh；　that　will　soon　be　settled。Suppose　you　were　to　see　him；　madame；
it　is　not　two　steps　away；　in　the　Passage　du　Soleil。〃

So　the　lady　and　the　stove…fitter　went　out。

〃This　way；　madame；〃　said　the　man；　turning　down　the　Rue　de　la
Pepiniere。

The　alley　runs；　in　fact；　from　the　bottom　of　this　street　through　to　the
Rue　du　Rocher。　Halfway　down　this　passage；　recently　opened　through；
where　the　shops　let　at　a　very　low　rent；　the　Baroness　saw　on　a　window；
screened　up　to　a　height　with　a　green；　gauze　curtain；　which　excluded
the　prying　eyes　of　the　passer…by；　the　words：


〃ECRIVAIN　PUBLIC〃；

and　on　the　door　the　announcement：

BUSINESS　TRANSACTED。

/Petitions　Drawn　Up；　Accounts　Audited；　Etc。/

/With　Secrecy　and　Dispatch。/


The　shop　was　like　one　of　those　little　offices　where　travelers　by
omnibus　wait　the　vehicles　to　take　them　on　to　their　destination。　A
private　staircase　led　up；　no　doubt；　to　the　living…rooms　on　the
entresol　which　were　let　with　the　shop。　Madame　Hulot　saw　a　dirty
writing…table　of　some　light　wood；　some　letter…boxes；　and　a　wretched
second…hand　chair。　A　cap　with　a　peak　and　a　greasy　green　shade　for　the
eyes　suggested　either　precautions　for　disguise；　or　weak　eyes；　which
was　not　unlikely　in　an　old　man。

〃He　is　upstairs；〃　said　the　stove…fitter。　〃I　will　go　up　and　tell　him　to
come　down。〃

Adeline　lowered　her　veil　and　took　a　seat。　A　heavy　step　made　the　narrow
stairs　creak；　and　Adeline　could　not　restrain　a　piercing　cry　when　she
saw　her　husband；　Baron　Hulot；　in　a　gray　knitted　jersey；　old　gray
flannel　trousers；　and　slippers。

〃What　is　your　business；　madame？〃　said　Hulot；　with　a　flourish。

She　rose；　seized　Hulot　by　the　arm；　and　said　in　a　voice　hoarse　with
emotion：

〃At　lastI　have　found　you！〃

〃Adeline！〃　exclaimed　the　Baron　in　bewilderment；　and　he　locked　the　shop
door。　〃Joseph；　go　out　the　back　way；〃　he　added　to　the　stove…fitter。

〃My　dear！〃　she　said；　forgetting　everything　in　her　excessive　joy；　〃you
can　come　home　to　us　all；　we　are　rich。　Your　son　draws　a　hundred　and
sixty　thousand　francs　a　year！　Your　pension　is　released；　there　are
fifteen　thousand　francs　of　arrears　you　can　get　on　showing　that　you　are
alive。　Valerie　is　dead；　and　left　you　three　hundred　thousand　francs。

〃Your　name　is　quite　forgotten　by　this　time；　you　may　reappear　in　the
world；　and　you　will　find　a　fortune　awaiting　you　at　your　son's　house。
Come；　our　happiness　will　be　complete。　For　nearly　three　years　I　have
been　seeking　you；　and　I　felt　so　sure　of　finding　you　that　a　room　is
ready　waiting　for　you。　Oh！　come　away　from　this；　come　away　from　the
dreadful　state　I　see　you　in！〃

〃I　am　very　willing；〃　said　the　bewildered　Baron；　〃but　can　I　take　the
girl？〃

〃Hector；　give　her　up！　Do　that　much　for　your　Adeline；　who　has　never
before　asked　you　to　make　the　smallest　sacrifice。　I　promise　you　I　will
give　the　child　a　marriage　portion；　I　will　see　that　she　marries　well；
and　has　some　education。　Let　it　be　said　of　one　of　the　women　who　have
given　you　happiness　that　she　too　is　happy；　and　do　not　relapse　into
vice；　into　the　mire。〃

〃So　it　was　you；〃　said　the　Baron；　with　a　smile；　〃who　wanted　to　see　me
married？Wait　a　few　minutes；〃　he　added；　〃I　will　go　upstairs　and
dress；　I　have　some　decent　clothes　in　a　trunk。〃

Adeline；　left　alone；　and　looking　round　the　squalid　shop；　melted　into
tears。

〃He　has　been　living　here；　and　we　rolling　in　wealth！〃　said　she　to
herself。　〃Poor　man；　he　has　indeed　been　punishedhe　who　was　elegance
itself。〃

The　stove…fitter　returned　to　make　his　bow　to　his　benefactress；　and　she
desired　him　to　fetch　a　coach。　When　he　came　back；　she　begged　him　to
give　little　Atala　Judici　a　home；　and　to　take　her　away　at　once。

〃And　tell　her　that　if　she　will　place　herself　under　the　guidance　of
Monsieur　the　Cure　of　the　Madeleine；　on　the　day　when　she　attends　her
first　Communion　I　will　give　her　thirty　thousand　francs　and　find　her　a
good　husband；　some　worthy　young　man。〃

〃My　eldest　son；　then　madame！　He　is　two…and…twenty；　and　he　worships　the
child。〃

The　Baron　now　came　down；　there　were　tears　in　his　eyes。

〃You　are　forcing　me　to　desert　the　only　creature　who　had　ever　begun　to
love　me　at　all　as　you　do！〃　said　he　in　a　whisper　to　his　wife。　〃She　is
crying　bitterly；　and　I　cannot　abandon　her　so〃

〃Be　quite　easy；　Hector。　She　will　find　a　home　with　honest　people；　and　I
will　answer　for　her　conduct。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　can　go　with　you；〃　said　the　Baron；　escorting　his　wife　to
the　cab。

Hector；　the　Baron　d'Ervy　once　more；　had　put　on　a　blue　coat　and
trousers；　a　white　waistcoat；　a　black　stock；　and　gloves。　When　the
Baroness　had　taken　her　seat　in　the　vehicle；　Atala　slipped　in　like　an
eel。

〃Oh；　madame；〃　she　said；　〃let　me　go　with　you。　I　will　be　so　good；　so
obedient；　I　will　do　whatever　you　wish；　but　do　not　part　me　from　my
Daddy　Vyder；　my　kind　Daddy　who　gives　me　such　nice　things。　I　shall　be
beaten〃

〃Come；　come；　Atala；〃　said　the　Baron；　〃this　lady　is　my　wifewe　must
part〃

〃She！　As　old　as　that！　and　shaking　like　a　leaf！〃　said　the　child。　〃Look
at　her　head！〃　and　she　laughingly　mimicked　the　Baroness'　palsy。

The　stove…fitter；　who　had　run　after　the　girl；　came　to　the　carriage
door。

〃Take　her　away！〃　said　Adeline。　The　man　put　his　arms　round　Atala　and
fairly　carried　her　off。

〃Thanks　for　such　a　sacrifice；　my　dearest；〃　said　Adeline；　taking　the
Baron's　hand　and　clutching　it　with　delirious　joy。　〃How　much　you　are
altered！　you　must　have　suffered　so　much！　What　a　surprise　for　Hortense
and　for　your　son！〃

Adeline　talked　as　lovers　talk　who　meet　after　a　long　absence；　of　a
hundred　things　at　once。

In　ten　minutes　the　Baron　and　his　wife　reached　the　Rue　Louis…le…Grand；
and　there　Adeline　found　this　note　awaiting　her：

　　〃MADAME　LA　BARONNE；

　　〃Monsieur　le　Baron　Hulot　d'Ervy　lived　for　one　month　in　the　Rue　de
　　Charonne　under　the　name　of　Thorec；　an　anagram　of　Hector。　He　is　now
　　in　the　Passage　du　Soleil　by　the　name　of　Vyder。　He　says　he　is　an
　　Alsatian；　and　does　writing；　and　he　lives　with　a　girl　named　Atala
　　Judici。　Be　very　cautious；　madame；　for　search　is　on　foot；　the　Baron
　　is　wanted；　on　what　score　I　know　not。

　　〃The　actress　has　kept　her　word；　and　remains；　as　ever；

〃Madame　la　Baronne；　your　humble　servant；
〃J。　M。〃


The　Baron's　return　was　hailed　with　such　joy　as　reconciled　him　to
domestic　life。　He　forgot　little　Atala　Judici；　for　excesses　of
profligacy　had　reduced　him　to　the　volatility　of　feeling　that　is
characteristic　of　childhood。　But　the　happiness　of　the　family　was
dashed　by　the　change　that　had　come　over　him。　He　had　been　stil