cousin betty-第13章

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men　are　far　more　attractive　and　lovable　than　virtuous　men；　having
crimes　to　atone　for；　they　crave　indulgence　by　anticipation；　by　being
lenient　to　the　shortcomings　of　those　who　judge　them；　and　they　are
thought　most　kind。　Though　there　are　no　doubt　some　charming　people
among　the　virtuous；　Virtue　considers　itself　fair　enough；　unadorned；　to
be　at　no　pains　to　please；　and　then　all　really　virtuous　persons；　for
the　hypocrites　do　not　count；　have　some　slight　doubts　as　to　their
position；　they　believe　that　they　are　cheated　in　the　bargain　of　life　on
the　whole；　and　they　indulge　in　acid　comments　after　the　fashion　of
those　who　think　themselves　unappreciated。

Hence　the　Baron；　who　accused　himself　of　ruining　his　family；　displayed
all　his　charm　of　wit　and　his　most　seductive　graces　for　the　benefit　of
his　wife；　for　his　children；　and　his　Cousin　Lisbeth。

Then；　when　his　son　arrived　with　Celestine；　Crevel's　daughter；　who　was
nursing　the　infant　Hulot；　he　was　delightful　to　his　daughter…in…law；
loading　her　with　complimentsa　treat　to　which　Celestine's　vanity　was
little　accustomed　for　no　moneyed　bride　more　commonplace　or　more
utterly　insignificant　was　ever　seen。　The　grandfather　took　the　baby
from　her；　kissed　it；　declared　it　was　a　beauty　and　a　darling；　he　spoke
to　it　in　baby　language；　prophesied　that　it　would　grow　to　be　taller
than　himself；　insinuated　compliments　for　his　son's　benefit；　and
restored　the　child　to　the　Normandy　nurse　who　had　charge　of　it。
Celestine；　on　her　part；　gave　the　Baroness　a　look；　as　much　as　to　say；
〃What　a　delightful　man！〃　and　she　naturally　took　her　father…in…law's
part　against　her　father。

After　thus　playing　the　charming　father…in…law　and　the　indulgent
grandpapa；　the　Baron　took　his　son　into　the　garden；　and　laid　before　him
a　variety　of　observations　full　of　good　sense　as　to　the　attitude　to　be
taken　up　by　the　Chamber　on　a　certain　ticklish　question　which　had　that
morning　come　under　discussion。　The　young　lawyer　was　struck　with
admiration　for　the　depth　of　his　father's　insight；　touched　by　his
cordiality；　and　especially　by　the　deferential　tone　which　seemed　to
place　the　two　men　on　a　footing　of　equality。

Monsieur　Hulot　/junior/　was　in　every　respect　the　young　Frenchman；　as
he　has　been　moulded　by　the　Revolution　of　1830；　his　mind　infatuated
with　politics；　respectful　of　his　own　hopes；　and　concealing　them　under
an　affectation　of　gravity；　very　envious　of　successful　men；　making
sententiousness　do　the　duty　of　witty　rejoindersthe　gems　of　the
French　languagewith　a　high　sense　of　importance；　and　mistaking
arrogance　for　dignity。

Such　men　are　walking　coffins；　each　containing　a　Frenchman　of　the　past；
now　and　again　the　Frenchman　wakes　up　and　kicks　against　his　English…
made　casing；　but　ambition　stifles　him；　and　he　submits　to　be　smothered。
The　coffin　is　always　covered　with　black　cloth。

〃Ah；　here　is　my　brother！〃　said　Baron　Hulot；　going　to　meet　the　Count　at
the　drawing…room　door。

Having　greeted　the　probable　successor　of　the　late　Marshal　Montcornet；
he　led　him　forward　by　the　arm　with　every　show　of　affection　and
respect。

The　older　man；　a　member　of　the　Chamber　of　Peers；　but　excused　from
attendance　on　account　of　his　deafness；　had　a　handsome　head；　chilled　by
age；　but　with　enough　gray　hair　still　to　be　marked　in　a　circle　by　the
pressure　of　his　hat。　He　was　short；　square；　and　shrunken；　but　carried
his　hale　old　age　with　a　free…and…easy　air；　and　as　he　was　full　of
excessive　activity；　which　had　now　no　purpose；　he　divided　his　time
between　reading　and　taking　exercise。　In　a　drawing…room　he　devoted　his
attention　to　waiting　on　the　wishes　of　the　ladies。

〃You　are　very　merry　here；〃　said　he；　seeing　that　the　Baron　shed　a
spirit　of　animation　on　the　little　family　gathering。　〃And　yet　Hortense
is　not　married；〃　he　added；　noticing　a　trace　of　melancholy　on　his
sister…in…law's　countenance。

〃That　will　come　all　in　good　time；〃　Lisbeth　shouted　in　his　ear　in　a
formidable　voice。

〃So　there　you　are；　you　wretched　seedling　that　could　never　blossom；〃
said　he；　laughing。

The　hero　of　Forzheim　rather　liked　Cousin　Betty；　for　there　were　certain
points　of　resemblance　between　them。　A　man　of　the　ranks；　without　any
education；　his　courage　had　been　the　sole　mainspring　of　his　military
promotion；　and　sound　sense　had　taken　the　place　of　brilliancy。　Of　the
highest　honor　and　clean…handed；　he　was　ending　a　noble　life　in　full
contentment　in　the　centre　of　his　family；　which　claimed　all　his
affections；　and　without　a　suspicion　of　his　brother's　still
undiscovered　misconduct。　No　one　enjoyed　more　than　he　the　pleasing
sight　of　this　family　party；　where　there　never　was　the　smallest
disagreement；　for　the　brothers　and　sisters　were　all　equally　attached；
Celestine　having　been　at　once　accepted　as　one　of　the　family。　But　the
worthy　little　Count　wondered　now　and　then　why　Monsieur　Crevel　never
joined　the　party。　〃Papa　is　in　the　country；〃　Celestine　shouted；　and　it
was　explained　to　him　that　the　ex…perfumer　was　away　from　home。

This　perfect　union　of　all　her　family　made　Madame　Hulot　say　to　herself；
〃This；　after　all；　is　the　best　kind　of　happiness；　and　who　can　deprive
us　of　it？〃

The　General；　on　seeing　his　favorite　Adeline　the　object　of　her
husband's　attentions；　laughed　so　much　about　it　that　the　Baron；　fearing
to　seem　ridiculous；　transferred　his　gallantries　to　his　daughter…in…
law；　who　at　these　family　dinners　was　always　the　object　of　his　flattery
and　kind　care；　for　he　hoped　to　win　Crevel　back　through　her；　and　make
him　forego　his　resentment。

Any　one　seeing　this　domestic　scene　would　have　found　it　hard　to　believe
that　the　father　was　at　his　wits'　end；　the　mother　in　despair；　the　son
anxious　beyond　words　as　to　his　father's　future　fate；　and　the　daughter
on　the　point　of　robbing　her　cousin　of　her　lover。



At　seven　o'clock　the　Baron；　seeing　his　brother；　his　son；　the　Baroness；
and　Hortense　all　engaged　at　whist；　went　off　to　applaud　his　mistress　at
the　Opera；　taking　with　him　Lisbeth　Fischer；　who　lived　in　the　Rue　du
Doyenne；　and　who　always　made　an　excuse　of　the　solitude　of　that
deserted　quarter　to　take　herself　off　as　soon　as　dinner　was　over。
Parisians　will　all　admit　that　the　old　maid's　prudence　was　but
rational。

The　existence　of　the　maze　of　houses　under　the　wing　of　the　old　Louvre
is　one　of　those　protests　against　obvious　good　sense　which　Frenchmen
love；　that　Europe　may　reassure　itself　as　to　the　quantum　of　brains　they
are　known　to　have；　and　not　be　too　much　alarmed。　Perhaps　without
knowing　it；　this　reveals　some　profound　political　idea。

It　will　surely　not　be　a　work　of　supererogation　to　describe　this　part
of　Paris　as　it　is　even　now；　when　we　could　hardly　expect　its　survival；
and　our　grandsons；　who　will　no　doubt　see　the　Louvre　finished；　may
refuse　to　believe　that　such　a　relic　of　barbarism　should　have　survived
for　six…and…thirty　years　in　the　heart　of　Paris　and　in　the　face　of　the
palace　where　three　dynasties　of　kings　have　received；　during　those
thirty…six　years；　the　elite　of　France　and　of　Europe。

Between　the　little　gate　leading　to　the　Bridge　of　the　Carrousel　and　the
Rue　du　Musee；　every　one　having　come　to　Paris；　were　it　but　for　a　few
days；　must　have　seen　a　dozen　of　houses　with　a　decayed　frontage　where
the　dejected　owners　have　attempted　no　repairs；　the　remains　of　an　old
block　of　buildings　of　which　the　destruction　was　begun　at　the　time　when
Napoleon　determined　to　complete　the　Louvre。　This　street；　and　the　blind
alley　known　as　the　Impasse　du　Doyenne；　are　the　only　passages　into　this
gloomy　and　forsaken　block；　inhabited　perhaps　by　ghosts；　for　there
never　is　anybody　to　be　seen。　The　pavement　is　much　below　the　footway　of
the　Rue　du　Musee；　on　a　level　with　that　of　the　Rue　Froidmanteau。　Thus；
half　sunken　by　the　raising　of　the　soil；　these　houses　are　also　wrapped
in　the　perpetual　shadow　cast　by　the　lofty　buildings　of　the　Louvre；
darkened　on　that　side　by　the　northern　blast。　Darkness；　silence；　an　icy
chill；　and　the　cavernous　depth　of　the　soil　combine　to　make　these
houses　a　kind　of　crypt；　tombs　of　the　living。　As　we　drive　in　a　hackney
cab　past　this　dead…alive　spot；　and　chance　to　look　down　the　little　Rue
du　Doyenne；　a　shudder　freezes　the　soul；　and　we　wonder　who　can　lie
there；　and　what　things　may　be　done　there　at　night；　at　an　hour　when　the
al