cousin betty-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


there；　and　what　things　may　be　done　there　at　night；　at　an　hour　when　the
alley　is　a　cut…throat　pit；　and　the　vices　of　Paris　run　riot　there　under
the　cloak　of　night。　This　question；　frightful　in　itself；　becomes
appalling　when　we　note　that　these　dwelling…houses　are　shut　in　on　the
side　towards　the　Rue　de　Richelieu　by　marshy　ground；　by　a　sea　of
tumbled　paving…stones　between　them　and　the　Tuileries；　by　little
garden…plots　and　suspicious…looking　hovels　on　the　side　of　the　great
galleries；　and　by　a　desert　of　building…stone　and　old　rubbish　on　the
side　towards　the　old　Louvre。　Henri　III。　and　his　favorites　in　search　of
their　trunk…hose；　and　Marguerite's　lovers　in　search　of　their　heads；
must　dance　sarabands　by　moonlight　in　this　wilderness　overlooked　by　the
roof　of　a　chapel　still　standing　there　as　if　to　prove　that　the　Catholic
religionso　deeply　rooted　in　Francesurvives　all　else。

For　forty　years　now　has　the　Louvre　been　crying　out　by　every　gap　in
these　damaged　walls；　by　every　yawning　window；　〃Rid　me　of　these　warts
upon　my　face！〃　This　cutthroat　lane　has　no　doubt　been　regarded　as
useful；　and　has　been　thought　necessary　as　symbolizing　in　the　heart　of
Paris　the　intimate　connection　between　poverty　and　the　splendor　that　is
characteristic　of　the　queen　of　cities。　And　indeed　these　chill　ruins；
among　which　the　Legitimist　newspaper　contracted　the　disease　it　is
dying　ofthe　abominable　hovels　of　the　Rue　du　Musee；　and　the　hoarding
appropriated　by　the　shop　stalls　that　flourish　therewill　perhaps　live
longer　and　more　prosperously　than　three　successive　dynasties。

In　1823　the　low　rents　in　these　already　condemned　houses　had　tempted
Lisbeth　Fischer　to　settle　there；　notwithstanding　the　necessity　imposed
upon　her　by　the　state　of　the　neighborhood　to　get　home　before
nightfall。　This　necessity；　however；　was　in　accordance　with　the　country
habits　she　retained；　of　rising　and　going　to　bed　with　the　sun；　an
arrangement　which　saves　country　folk　considerable　sums　in　lights　and
fuel。　She　lived　in　one　of　the　houses　which；　since　the　demolition　of
the　famous　Hotel　Cambaceres；　command　a　view　of　the　square。

Just　as　Baron　Hulot　set　his　wife's　cousin　down　at　the　door　of　this
house；　saying；　〃Good…night；　Cousin；〃　an　elegant…looking　woman；　young；
small；　slender；　pretty；　beautifully　dressed；　and　redolent　of　some
delicate　perfume；　passed　between　the　wall　and　the　carriage　to　go　in。
This　lady；　without　any　premeditation；　glanced　up　at　the　Baron　merely
to　see　the　lodger's　cousin；　and　the　libertine　at　once　felt　the　swift
impression　which　all　Parisians　know　on　meeting　a　pretty　woman；
realizing；　as　entomologists　have　it；　their　/desiderata/；　so　he　waited
to　put　on　one　of　his　gloves　with　judicious　deliberation　before　getting
into　the　carriage　again；　to　give　himself　an　excuse　for　allowing　his
eye　to　follow　the　young　woman；　whose　skirts　were　pleasingly　set　out　by
something　else　than　these　odious　and　delusive　crinoline　bustles。

〃That；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃is　a　nice　little　person　whose　happiness　I
should　like　to　provide　for；　as　she　would　certainly　secure　mine。〃

When　the　unknown　fair　had　gone　into　the　hall　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs
going　up　to　the　front　rooms；　she　glanced　at　the　gate　out　of　the　corner
of　her　eye　without　precisely　looking　round；　and　she　could　see　the
Baron　riveted　to　the　spot　in　admiration；　consumed　by　curiosity　and
desire。　This　is　to　every　Parisian　woman　a　sort　of　flower　which　she
smells　at　with　delight；　if　she　meets　it　on　her　way。　Nay；　certain
women；　though　faithful　to　their　duties；　pretty；　and　virtuous；　come
home　much　put　out　if　they　have　failed　to　cull　such　a　posy　in　the
course　of　their　walk。

The　lady　ran　upstairs；　and　in　a　moment　a　window　on　the　second　floor
was　thrown　open；　and　she　appeared　at　it；　but　accompanied　by　a　man
whose　baldhead　and　somewhat　scowling　looks　announced　him　as　her
husband。

〃If　they　aren't　sharp　and　ingenious；　the　cunning　jades！〃　thought　the
Baron。　〃She　does　that　to　show　me　where　she　lives。　But　this　is　getting
rather　warm；　especially　for　this　part　of　Paris。　We　must　mind　what　we
are　at。〃

As　he　got　into　the　/milord/；　he　looked　up；　and　the　lady　and　the
husband　hastily　vanished；　as　though　the　Baron's　face　had　affected　them
like　the　mythological　head　of　Medusa。

〃It　would　seem　that　they　know　me；〃　thought　the　Baron。　〃That　would
account　for　everything。〃

As　the　carriage　went　up　the　Rue　du　Musee；　he　leaned　forward　to　see　the
lady　again；　and　in　fact　she　was　again　at　the　window。　Ashamed　of　being
caught　gazing　at　the　hood　under　which　her　admirer　was　sitting；　the
unknown　started　back　at　once。

〃Nanny　shall　tell　me　who　it　is；〃　said　the　Baron　to　himself。

The　sight　of　the　Government　official　had；　as　will　be　seen；　made　a　deep
impression　on　this　couple。

〃Why；　it　is　Baron　Hulot；　the　chief　of　the　department　to　which　my
office　belongs！〃　exclaimed　the　husband　as　he　left　the　window。

〃Well；　Marneffe；　the　old　maid　on　the　third　floor　at　the　back　of　the
courtyard；　who　lives　with　that　young　man；　is　his　cousin。　Is　it　not　odd
that　we　should　never　have　known　that　till　to…day；　and　now　find　it　out
by　chance？〃

〃Mademoiselle　Fischer　living　with　a　young　man？〃　repeated　the　husband。
〃That　is　porter's　gossip；　do　not　speak　so　lightly　of　the　cousin　of　a
Councillor　of　State　who　can　blow　hot　and　cold　in　the　office　as　he
pleases。　Now；　come　to　dinner；　I　have　been　waiting　for　you　since　four
o'clock。〃

Prettyvery　prettyMadame　Marneffe；　the　natural　daughter　of　Comte
Montcornet；　one　of　Napoleon's　most　famous　officers；　had；　on　the
strength　of　a　marriage　portion　of　twenty　thousand　francs；　found　a
husband　in　an　inferior　official　at　the　War　Office。　Through　the
interest　of　the　famous　lieutenant…generalmade　marshal　of　France　six
months　before　his　deaththis　quill…driver　had　risen　to　unhoped…for
dignity　as　head…clerk　of　his　office；　but　just　as　he　was　to　be　promoted
to　be　deputy…chief；　the　marshal's　death　had　cut　off　Marneffe's
ambitions　and　his　wife's　at　the　root。　The　very　small　salary　enjoyed　by
Sieur　Marneffe　had　compelled　the　couple　to　economize　in　the　matter　of
rent；　for　in　his　hands　Mademoiselle　Valerie　Fortin's　fortune　had
already　melted　awaypartly　in　paying　his　debts；　and　partly　in　the
purchase　of　necessaries　for　furnishing　a　house；　but　chiefly　in
gratifying　the　requirements　of　a　pretty　young　wife；　accustomed　in　her
mother's　house　to　luxuries　she　did　not　choose　to　dispense　with。　The
situation　of　the　Rue　du　Doyenne；　within　easy　distance　of　the　War
Office；　and　the　gay　part　of　Paris；　smiled　on　Monsieur　and　Madame
Marneffe；　and　for　the　last　four　years　they　had　dwelt　under　the　same
roof　as　Lisbeth　Fischer。

Monsieur　Jean…Paul…Stanislas　Marneffe　was　one　of　the　class　of　employes
who　escape　sheer　brutishness　by　the　kind　of　power　that　comes　of
depravity。　The　small；　lean　creature；　with　thin　hair　and　a　starved
beard；　an　unwholesome　pasty　face；　worn　rather　than　wrinkled；　with　red…
lidded　eyes　harnessed　with　spectacles；　shuffling　in　his　gait；　and　yet
meaner　in　his　appearance；　realized　the　type　of　man　that　any　one　would
conceive　of　as　likely　to　be　placed　in　the　dock　for　an　offence　against
decency。

The　rooms　inhabited　by　this　couple　had　the　illusory　appearance　of　sham
luxury　seen　in　many　Paris　homes；　and　typical　of　a　certain　class　of
household。　In　the　drawing…room；　the　furniture　covered　with　shabby
cotton　velvet；　the　plaster　statuettes　pretending　to　be　Florentine
bronze；　the　clumsy　cast　chandelier　merely　lacquered；　with　cheap　glass
saucers；　the　carpet；　whose　small　cost　was　accounted　for　in　advancing
life　by　the　quality　of　cotton　used　in　the　manufacture；　now　visible　to
the　naked　eye；everything；　down　to　the　curtains；　which　plainly　showed
that　worsted　damask　has　not　three　years　of　prime；　proclaimed　poverty
as　loudly　as　a　beggar　in　rags　at　a　church　door。

The　dining…room；　badly　kept　by　a　single　servant；　had　the　sickening
aspect　of　a　country　inn；　everything　looked　greasy　and　unclean。

Monsieur's　room；　very　like　a　schoolboy's；　furnished　with　the　bed　and
fittings　remaining　from　his　bachelor　days；　as　shabby　and　worn　as　he
was；　dusted　perhaps　once　a　weekthat　horrible　room　where　everything
was　in　a　litter；　with　old　socks　hanging　over　the　horsehair…seated
chairs；　the　pattern　outlined　in　dust