cousin betty-第12章

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is　an　idler！〃

The　cousins　chatted　and　giggled；　Hortense　laughing　a　forced　laugh；　for
she　was　invaded　by　a　kind　of　love　which　every　girl　has　gone　through
the　love　of　the　unknown；　love　in　its　vaguest　form；　when　every　thought
is　accreted　round　some　form　which　is　suggested　by　a　chance　word；　as
the　efflorescence　of　hoar…frost　gathers　about　a　straw　that　the　wind
has　blown　against　the　window…sill。

For　the　past　ten　months　she　had　made　a　reality　of　her　cousin's
imaginary　romance；　believing；　like　her　mother；　that　Lisbeth　would
never　marry；　and　now；　within　a　week；　this　visionary　being　had　become
Comte　Wenceslas　Steinbock；　the　dream　had　a　certificate　of　birth；　the
wraith　had　solidified　into　a　young　man　of　thirty。　The　seal　she　held　in
her　handa　sort　of　Annunciation　in　which　genius　shone　like　an
immanent　lighthad　the　powers　of　a　talisman。　Hortense　felt　such　a
surge　of　happiness；　that　she　almost　doubted　whether　the　tale　were
true；　there　was　a　ferment　in　her　blood；　and　she　laughed　wildly　to
deceive　her　cousin。

〃But　I　think　the　drawing…room　door　is　open；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃let　us　go
and　see　if　Monsieur　Crevel　is　gone。〃

〃Mamma　has　been　very　much　out　of　spirits　these　two　days。　I　suppose　the
marriage　under　discussion　has　come　to　nothing！〃

〃Oh；　it　may　come　on　again。　He　isI　may　tell　you　so　mucha　Councillor
of　the　Supreme　Court。　How　would　you　like　to　be　Madame　la　Presidente？
If　Monsieur　Crevel　has　a　finger　in　it；　he　will　tell　me　about　it　if　I
ask　him。　I　shall　know　by　to…morrow　if　there　is　any　hope。〃

〃Leave　the　seal　with　me；〃　said　Hortense；　〃I　will　not　show　itmamma's
birthday　is　not　for　a　month　yet；　I　will　give　it　to　you　that　morning。〃

〃No；　no。　Give　it　back　to　me；　it　must　have　a　case。〃

〃But　I　will　let　papa　see　it；　that　he　may　know　what　he　is　talking　about
to　the　ministers；　for　men　in　authority　must　be　careful　what　they　say；〃
urged　the　girl。

〃Well；　do　not　show　it　to　your　motherthat　is　all　I　ask；　for　if　she
believed　I　had　a　lover；　she　would　make　game　of　me。〃

〃I　promise。〃

The　cousins　reached　the　drawing…room　just　as　the　Baroness　turned
faint。　Her　daughter's　cry　of　alarm　recalled　her　to　herself。　Lisbeth
went　off　to　fetch　some　salts。　When　she　came　back；　she　found　the　mother
and　daughter　in　each　other's　arms；　the　Baroness　soothing　her
daughter's　fears；　and　saying：

〃It　was　nothing；　a　little　nervous　attack。There　is　your　father；〃　she
added；　recognizing　the　Baron's　way　of　ringing　the　bell。　〃Say　not　a
word　to　him。〃

Adeline　rose　and　went　to　meet　her　husband；　intending　to　take　him　into
the　garden　and　talk　to　him　till　dinner　should　be　served　of　the
difficulties　about　the　proposed　match；　getting　him　to　come　to　some
decision　as　to　the　future；　and　trying　to　hint　at　some　warning　advice。



Baron　Hector　Hulot　came　in；　in　a　dress　at　once　lawyer…like　and
Napoleonic；　for　Imperial　menmen　who　had　been　attached　to　the　Emperor
were　easily　distinguishable　by　their　military　deportment；　their　blue
coats　with　gilt　buttons；　buttoned　to　the　chin；　their　black　silk　stock；
and　an　authoritative　demeanor　acquired　from　a　habit　of　command　in
circumstances　requiring　despotic　rapidity。　There　was　nothing　of　the
old　man　in　the　Baron；　it　must　be　admitted；　his　sight　was　still　so
good；　that　he　could　read　without　spectacles；　his　handsome　oval　face；
framed　in　whiskers　that　were　indeed　too　black；　showed　a　brilliant
complexion；　ruddy　with　the　veins　that　characterize　a　sanguine
temperament；　and　his　stomach；　kept　in　order　by　a　belt；　had　not
exceeded　the　limits　of　〃the　majestic；〃　as　Brillat…Savarin　says。　A　fine
aristocratic　air　and　great　affability　served　to　conceal　the　libertine
with　whom　Crevel　had　had　such　high　times。　He　was　one　of　those　men
whose　eyes　always　light　up　at　the　sight　of　a　pretty　woman；　even　of
such　as　merely　pass　by；　never　to　be　seen　again。

〃Have　you　been　speaking；　my　dear？〃　asked　Adeline；　seeing　him　with　an
anxious　brow。

〃No；〃　replied　Hector；　〃but　I　am　worn　out　with　hearing　others　speak　for
two　hours　without　coming　to　a　vote。　They　carry　on　a　war　of　words；　in
which　their　speeches　are　like　a　cavalry　charge　which　has　no　effect　on
the　enemy。　Talk　has　taken　the　place　of　action；　which　goes　very　much
against　the　grain　with　men　who　are　accustomed　to　marching　orders；　as　I
said　to　the　Marshal　when　I　left　him。　However；　I　have　enough　of　being
bored　on　the　ministers'　bench；　here　I　may　play。How　do；　la　Chevre！
Good　morning；　little　kid；〃　and　he　took　his　daughter　round　the　neck；
kissed　her；　and　made　her　sit　on　his　knee；　resting　her　head　on　his
shoulder；　that　he　might　feel　her　soft　golden　hair　against　his　cheek。

〃He　is　tired　and　worried；〃　said　his　wife　to　herself。　〃I　shall　only
worry　him　more。I　will　wait。Are　you　going　to　be　at　home　this
evening？〃　she　asked　him。

〃No；　children。　After　dinner　I　must　go　out。　If　it　had　not　been　the　day
when　Lisbeth　and　the　children　and　my　brother　come　to　dinner；　you　would
not　have　seen　me　at　all。〃

The　Baroness　took　up　the　newspaper；　looked　down　the　list　of　theatres；
and　laid　it　down　again　when　she　had　seen　that　Robert　/le　Diable/　was
to　be　given　at　the　Opera。　Josepha；　who　had　left　the　Italian　Opera　six
months　since　for　the　French　Opera；　was　to　take　the　part　of　Alice。

This　little　pantomime　did　not　escape　the　Baron；　who　looked　hard　at　his
wife。　Adeline　cast　down　her　eyes　and　went　out　into　the　garden；　her
husband　followed　her。

〃Come；　what　is　it；　Adeline？〃　said　he；　putting　his　arm　round　her　waist
and　pressing　her　to　his　side。　〃Do　not　you　know　that　I　love　you　more
than〃

〃More　than　Jenny　Cadine　or　Josepha！〃　said　she；　boldly　interrupting
him。

〃Who　put　that　into　your　head？〃　exclaimed　the　Baron；　releasing　his
wife；　and　starting　back　a　step　or　two。

〃I　got　an　anonymous　letter；　which　I　burnt　at　once；　in　which　I　was
told；　my　dear；　that　the　reason　Hortense's　marriage　was　broken　off　was
the　poverty　of　our　circumstances。　Your　wife；　my　dear　Hector；　would
never　have　said　a　word；　she　knew　of　your　connection　with　Jenny　Cadine；
and　did　she　ever　complain？But　as　the　mother　of　Hortense；　I　am　bound
to　speak　the　truth。〃

Hulot；　after　a　short　silence；　which　was　terrible　to　his　wife；　whose
heart　beat　loud　enough　to　be　heard；　opened　his　arms；　clasped　her　to
his　heart；　kissed　her　forehead；　and　said　with　the　vehemence　of
enthusiasm：

〃Adeline；　you　are　an　angel；　and　I　am　a　wretch〃

〃No；　no；〃　cried　the　Baroness；　hastily　laying　her　hand　upon　his　lips　to
hinder　him　from　speaking　evil　of　himself。

〃Yes；　for　I　have　not　at　this　moment　a　sou　to　give　to　Hortense；　and　I
am　most　unhappy。　But　since　you　open　your　heart　to　me；　I　may　pour　into
it　the　trouble　that　is　crushing　me。Your　Uncle　Fischer　is　in
difficulties；　and　it　is　I　who　dragged　him　there；　for　he　has　accepted
bills　for　me　to　the　amount　of　twenty…five　thousand　francs！　And　all　for
a　woman　who　deceives　me；　who　laughs　at　me　behind　my　back；　and　calls　me
an　old　dyed　Tom。　It　is　frightful！　A　vice　which　costs　me　more　than　it
would　to　maintain　a　family！And　I　cannot　resist！I　would　promise　you
here　and　now　never　to　see　that　abominable　Jewess　again；　but　if　she
wrote　me　two　lines；　I　should　go　to　her；　as　we　marched　into　fire　under
the　Emperor。〃

〃Do　not　be　so　distressed；〃　cried　the　poor　woman　in　despair；　but
forgetting　her　daughter　as　she　saw　the　tears　in　her　husband's　eyes。
〃There　are　my　diamonds；　whatever　happens；　save　my　uncle。〃

〃Your　diamonds　are　worth　scarcely　twenty　thousand　francs　nowadays。
That　would　not　be　enough　for　old　Fischer；　so　keep　them　for　Hortense；　I
will　see　the　Marshal　to…morrow。〃

〃My　poor　dear！〃　said　the　Baroness；　taking　her　Hector's　hands　and
kissing　them。

This　was　all　the　scolding　he　got。　Adeline　sacrificed　her　jewels；　the
father　made　them　a　present　to　Hortense；　she　regarded　this　as　a　sublime
action；　and　she　was　helpless。

〃He　is　the　master；　he　could　take　everything；　and　he　leaves　me　my
diamonds；　he　is　divine！〃

This　was　the　current　of　her　thoughts；　and　indeed　the　wife　had　gained
more　by　her　sweetness　than　another　perhaps　could　have　achieved　by　a
fit　of　angry　jealousy。

The　moralist　cannot　deny　that；　as　a　rule；　well…bred　though　very　wicked
men　are　far　more　attractive　and　lovable　than　virtuous　men；　having
crimes　to　atone　for；　they　crave　indulgence　by　anticipation；　by　b