cousin betty-第15章

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was　in　a　litter；　with　old　socks　hanging　over　the　horsehair…seated
chairs；　the　pattern　outlined　in　dust；　was　that　of　a　man　to　whom　home
is　a　matter　of　indifference；　who　lives　out　of　doors；　gambling　in　cafes
or　elsewhere。

Madame's　room　was　an　exception　to　the　squalid　slovenliness　that
disgraced　the　living　rooms；　where　the　curtains　were　yellow　with　smoke
and　dust；　and　where　the　child；　evidently　left　to　himself；　littered
every　spot　with　his　toys。　Valerie's　room　and　dressing…room　were
situated　in　the　part　of　the　house　which；　on　one　side　of　the　courtyard；
joined　the　front　half；　looking　out　on　the　street；　to　the　wing　forming
the　inner　side　of　the　court　backing　against　the　adjoining　property。
Handsomely　hung　with　chintz；　furnished　with　rosewood；　and　thickly
carpeted；　they　proclaimed　themselves　as　belonging　to　a　pretty　woman
and　indeed　suggested　the　kept　mistress。　A　clock　in　the　fashionable
style　stood　on　the　velvet…covered　mantelpiece。　There　was　a　nicely
fitted　cabinet；　and　the　Chinese　flower…stands　were　handsomely　filled。
The　bed；　the　toilet…table；　the　wardrobe　with　its　mirror；　the　little
sofa；　and　all　the　lady's　frippery　bore　the　stamp　of　fashion　or
caprice。　Though　everything　was　quite　third…rate　as　to　elegance　or
quality；　and　nothing　was　absolutely　newer　than　three　years　old；　a
dandy　would　have　had　no　fault　to　find　but　that　the　taste　of　all　this
luxury　was　commonplace。　Art；　and　the　distinction　that　comes　of　the
choice　of　things　that　taste　assimilates；　was　entirely　wanting。　A
doctor　of　social　science　would　have　detected　a　lover　in　two　or　three
specimens　of　costly　trumpery；　which　could　only　have　come　there　through
that　demi…godalways　absent；　but　always　present　if　the　lady　is
married。

The　dinner；　four　hours　behind　time；　to　which　the　husband；　wife；　and
child　sat　down；　betrayed　the　financial　straits　in　which　the　household
found　itself；　for　the　table　is　the　surest　thermometer　for　gauging　the
income　of　a　Parisian　family。　Vegetable　soup　made　with　the　water
haricot　beans　had　been　boiled　in；　a　piece　of　stewed　veal　and　potatoes
sodden　with　water　by　way　of　gravy；　a　dish　of　haricot　beans；　and　cheap
cherries；　served　and　eaten　in　cracked　plates　and　dishes；　with　the
dull…looking　and　dull…sounding　forks　of　German　silverwas　this　a
banquet　worthy　of　this　pretty　young　woman？　The　Baron　would　have　wept
could　he　have　seen　it。　The　dingy　decanters　could　not　disguise　the　vile
hue　of　wine　bought　by　the　pint　at　the　nearest　wineshop。　The　table…
napkins　had　seen　a　week's　use。　In　short；　everything　betrayed
undignified　penury；　and　the　equal　indifference　of　the　husband　and　wife
to　the　decencies　of　home。　The　most　superficial　observer　on　seeing　them
would　have　said　that　these　two　beings　had　come　to　the　stage　when　the
necessity　of　living　had　prepared　them　for　any　kind　of　dishonor　that
might　bring　luck　to　them。　Valerie's　first　words　to　her　husband　will
explain　the　delay　that　had　postponed　the　dinner　by　the　not
disinterested　devotion　of　the　cook。

〃Samanon　will　only　take　your　bills　at　fifty　per　cent；　and　insists　on　a
lien　on　your　salary　as　security。〃

So　poverty；　still　unconfessed　in　the　house　of　the　superior　official；
and　hidden　under　a　stipend　of　twenty…four　thousand　francs；
irrespective　of　presents；　had　reached　its　lowest　stage　in　that　of　the
clerk。

〃You　have　caught　on　with　the　chief；〃　said　the　man；　looking　at　his
wife。

〃I　rather　think　so；〃　replied　she；　understanding　the　full　meaning　of
his　slang　expression。

〃What　is　to　become　of　us？〃　Marneffe　went　on。　〃The　landlord　will　be
down　on　us　to…morrow。　And　to　think　of　your　father　dying　without　making
a　will！　On　my　honor；　those　men　of　the　Empire　all　think　themselves　as
immortal　as　their　Emperor。〃

〃Poor　father！〃　said　she。　〃I　was　his　only　child；　and　he　was　very　fond
of　me。　The　Countess　probably　burned　the　will。　How　could　he　forget　me
when　he　used　to　give　us　as　much　as　three　or　four　thousand…franc　notes
at　once；　from　time　to　time？〃

〃We　owe　four　quarters'　rent；　fifteen　hundred　francs。　Is　the　furniture
worth　so　much？　/That　is　the　question/；　as　Shakespeare　says。〃

〃Now；　good…bye；　ducky！〃　said　Valerie；　who　had　only　eaten　a　few
mouthfuls　of　the　veal；　from　which　the　maid　had　extracted　all　the　gravy
for　a　brave　soldier　just　home　from　Algiers。　〃Great　evils　demand　heroic
remedies。〃

〃Valerie；　where　are　you　off　to？〃　cried　Marneffe；　standing　between　his
wife　and　the　door。

〃I　am　going　to　see　the　landlord；〃　she　replied；　arranging　her　ringlets
under　her　smart　bonnet。　〃You　had　better　try　to　make　friends　with　that
old　maid；　if　she　really　is　your　chief's　cousin。〃



The　ignorance　in　which　the　dwellers　under　one　roof　can　exist　as　to　the
social　position　of　their　fellow…lodgers　is　a　permanent　fact　which；　as
much　as　any　other；　shows　what　the　rush　of　Paris　life　is。　Still；　it　is
easily　conceivable　that　a　clerk　who　goes　early　every　morning　to　his
office；　comes　home　only　to　dinner；　and　spends　every　evening　out；　and　a
woman　swallowed　up　in　a　round　of　pleasures；　should　know　nothing　of　an
old　maid　living　on　the　third　floor　beyond　the　courtyard　of　the　house
they　dwell　in；　especially　when　she　lives　as　Mademoiselle　Fischer　did。

Up　in　the　morning　before　any　one　else；　Lisbeth　went　out　to　buy　her
bread；　milk；　and　live　charcoal；　never　speaking　to　any　one；　and　she
went　to　bed　with　the　sun；　she　never　had　a　letter　or　a　visitor；　nor
chatted　with　her　neighbors。　Here　was　one　of　those　anonymous；
entomological　existences　such　as　are　to　be　met　with　in　many　large
tenements　where；　at　the　end　of　four　years；　you　unexpectedly　learn　that
up　on　the　fourth　floor　there　is　an　old　man　lodging　who　knew　Voltaire；
Pilatre　de　Rozier；　Beaujon；　Marcel；　Mole；　Sophie　Arnould；　Franklin；
and　Robespierre。　What　Monsieur　and　Madame　Marneffe　had　just　said
concerning　Lisbeth　Fischer　they　had　come　to　know；　in　consequence；
partly；　of　the　loneliness　of　the　neighborhood；　and　of　the　alliance；　to
which　their　necessities　had　led；　between　them　and　the　doorkeepers；
whose　goodwill　was　too　important　to　them　not　to　have　been　carefully
encouraged。

Now；　the　old　maid's　pride；　silence；　and　reserve　had　engendered　in　the
porter　and　his　wife　the　exaggerated　respect　and　cold　civility　which
betray　the　unconfessed　annoyance　of　an　inferior。　Also；　the　porter
thought　himself　in　all　essentials　the　equal　of　any　lodger　whose　rent
was　no　more　than　two　hundred　and　fifty　francs。　Cousin　Betty's
confidences　to　Hortense　were　true；　and　it　is　evident　that　the　porter's
wife　might　be　very　likely　to　slander　Mademoiselle　Fischer　in　her
intimate　gossip　with　the　Marneffes；　while　only　intending　to　tell
tales。

When　Lisbeth　had　taken　her　candle　from　the　hands　of　worthy　Madame
Olivier　the　portress；　she　looked　up　to　see　whether　the　windows　of　the
garret　over　her　own　rooms　were　lighted　up。　At　that　hour；　even　in　July；
it　was　so　dark　within　the　courtyard　that　the　old　maid　could　not　get　to
bed　without　a　light。

〃Oh；　you　may　be　quite　easy；　Monsieur　Steinbock　is　in　his　room。　He　has
not　been　out　even；〃　said　Madame　Olivier；　with　meaning。

Lisbeth　made　no　reply。　She　was　still　a　peasant；　in　so　far　that　she　was
indifferent　to　the　gossip　of　persons　unconnected　with　her。　Just　as　a
peasant　sees　nothing　beyond　his　village；　she　cared　for　nobody's
opinion　outside　the　little　circle　in　which　she　lived。　So　she　boldly
went　up；　not　to　her　own　room；　but　to　the　garret；　and　this　is　why。　At
dessert　she　had　filled　her　bag　with　fruit　and　sweets　for　her　lover；
and　she　went　to　give　them　to　him；　exactly　as　an　old　lady　brings　home　a
biscuit　for　her　dog。

She　found　the　hero　of　Hortense's　dreams　working　by　the　light　of　a
small　lamp；　of　which　the　light　was　intensified　by　the　use　of　a　bottle
of　water　as　a　lensa　pale　young　man；　seated　at　a　workman's　bench
covered　with　a　modeler's　tools；　wax；　chisels；　rough…hewn　stone；　and
bronze　castings；　he　wore　a　blouse；　and　had　in　his　hand　a　little　group
in　red　wax；　which　he　gazed　at　like　a　poet　absorbed　in　his　labors。

〃Here；　Wenceslas；　see　what　I　have　brought　you；〃　said　she；　laying　her
handkerchief　on　a　corner　of　the　table；　then　she　carefully　took　the
sweetmeats　and　fruit　out　of　her　bag。

〃You　are　very　kind；　mademoiselle；〃　replied　the　exile　in　melancholy
tones。

〃It　will　do　you　good；