cousin betty-第19章

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jealousy　of　a　wife；　and　the　spirit　of　a　dragon；　hence　she　managed　to
put　every　kind　of　folly　or　dissipation　out　of　his　power　by　leaving　him
destitute　of　money。　She　longed　to　keep　her　victim　and　companion　for
herself　alone；　well　conducted　perforce；　and　she　had　no　conception　of
the　cruelty　of　this　senseless　wish；　since　she；　for　her　own　part；　was
accustomed　to　every　privation。　She　loved　Steinbock　well　enough　not　to
marry　him；　and　too　much　to　give　him　up　to　any　other　woman；　she　could
not　resign　herself　to　be　no　more　than　a　mother　to　him；　though　she　saw
that　she　was　mad　to　think　of　playing　the　other　part。

These　contradictions；　this　ferocious　jealousy；　and　the　joy　of　having　a
man　to　herself；　all　agitated　her　old　maid's　heart　beyond　measure。
Really　in　love　as　she　had　been　for　four　years；　she　cherished　the
foolish　hope　of　prolonging　this　impossible　and　aimless　way　of　life　in
which　her　persistence　would　only　be　the　ruin　of　the　man　she　thought　of
as　her　child。　This　contest　between　her　instincts　and　her　reason　made
her　unjust　and　tyrannical。　She　wreaked　on　the　young　man　her　vengeance
for　her　own　lot　in　being　neither　young；　rich；　nor　handsome；　then；
after　each　fit　of　rage；　recognizing　herself　wrong；　she　stooped　to
unlimited　humility；　infinite　tenderness。　She　never　could　sacrifice　to
her　idol　till　she　had　asserted　her　power　by　blows　of　the　axe。　In　fact；
it　was　the　converse　of　Shakespeare's　/Tempest/Caliban　ruling　Ariel
and　Prospero。

As　to　the　poor　youth　himself；　high…minded；　meditative；　and　inclined　to
be　lazy；　the　desert　that　his　protectress　made　in　his　soul　might　be
seen　in　his　eyes；　as　in　those　of　a　caged　lion。　The　penal　servitude
forced　on　him　by　Lisbeth　did　not　fulfil　the　cravings　of　his　heart。　His
weariness　became　a　physical　malady；　and　he　was　dying　without　daring　to
ask；　or　knowing　where　to　procure；　the　price　of　some　little　necessary
dissipation。　On　some　days　of　special　energy；　when　a　feeling　of　utter
ill…luck　added　to　his　exasperation；　he　would　look　at　Lisbeth　as　a
thirsty　traveler　on　a　sandy　shore　must　look　at　the　bitter　sea…water。

These　harsh　fruits　of　indigence；　and　this　isolation　in　the　midst　of
Paris；　Lisbeth　relished　with　delight。　And　besides；　she　foresaw　that
the　first　passion　would　rob　her　of　her　slave。　Sometimes　she　even
blamed　herself　because　her　own　tyranny　and　reproaches　had　compelled
the　poetic　youth　to　become　so　great　an　artist　of　delicate　work；　and
she　had　thus　given　him　the　means　of　casting　her　off。



On　the　day　after；　these　three　lives；　so　differently　but　so　utterly
wretchedthat　of　a　mother　in　despair；　that　of　the　Marneffe　household；
and　that　of　the　unhappy　exilewere　all　to　be　influenced　by　Hortense's
guileless　passion；　and　by　the　strange　outcome　of　the　Baron's　luckless
passion　for　Josepha。

Just　as　Hulot　was　going　into　the　opera…house；　he　was　stopped　by　the
darkened　appearance　of　the　building　and　of　the　Rue　le　Peletier；　where
there　were　no　gendarmes；　no　lights；　no　theatre…servants；　no　barrier　to
regulate　the　crowd。　He　looked　up　at　the　announcement…board；　and　beheld
a　strip　of　white　paper；　on　which　was　printed　the　solemn　notice：

〃CLOSED　ON　ACCOUNT　OF　ILLNESS。〃

He　rushed　off　to　Josepha's　lodgings　in　the　Rue　Chauchat；　for；　like　all
the　singers；　she　lived　close　at　hand。

〃Whom　do　you　want；　sir？〃　asked　the　porter；　to　the　Baron's　great
astonishment。

〃Have　you　forgotten　me？〃　said　Hulot；　much　puzzled。

〃On　the　contrary；　sir；　it　is　because　I　have　the　honor　to　remember　you
that　I　ask　you；　Where　are　you　going？〃

A　mortal　chill　fell　upon　the　Baron。

〃What　has　happened？〃　he　asked。

〃If　you　go　up　to　Mademoiselle　Mirah's　rooms；　Monsieur　le　Baron；　you
will　find　Mademoiselle　Heloise　Brisetout　thereand　Monsieur　Bixiou；
Monsieur　Leon　de　Lora；　Monsieur　Lousteau；　Monsieur　de　Vernisset；
Monsieur　Stidmann；　and　ladies　smelling　of　patchouliholding　a
housewarming。〃

〃Then；　wherewhere　is？〃

〃Mademoiselle　Mirah？I　don't　know　that　I　ought　to　tell　you。〃

The　Baron　slipped　two　five…franc　pieces　into　the　porter's　hand。

〃Well；　she　is　now　in　the　Rue　de　la　Ville　l'Eveque；　in　a　fine　house；
given　to　her；　they　say；　by　the　Duc　d'Herouville；〃　replied　the　man　in　a
whisper。

Having　ascertained　the　number　of　the　house；　Monsieur　Hulot　called　a
/milord/　and　drove　to　one　of　those　pretty　modern　houses　with　double
doors；　where　everything；　from　the　gaslight　at　the　entrance；　proclaims
luxury。

The　Baron；　in　his　blue　cloth　coat；　white　neckcloth；　nankeen　trousers；
patent　leather　boots；　and　stiffly　starched　shirt…frill；　was　supposed
to　be　a　guest；　though　a　late　arrival；　by　the　janitor　of　this　new　Eden。
His　alacrity　of　manner　and　quick　step　justified　this　opinion。

The　porter　rang　a　bell；　and　a　footman　appeared　in　the　hall。　This　man；
as　new　as　the　house；　admitted　the　visitor；　who　said　to　him　in　an
imperious　tone；　and　with　a　lordly　gesture：

〃Take　in　this　card　to　Mademoiselle　Josepha。〃

The　victim　mechanically　looked　round　the　room　in　which　he　found
himselfan　anteroom　full　of　choice　flowers　and　of　furniture　that　must
have　cost　twenty　thousand　francs。　The　servant；　on　his　return；　begged
monsieur　to　wait　in　the　drawing…room　till　the　company　came　to　their
coffee。

Though　the　Baron　had　been　familiar　with　Imperial　luxury；　which　was
undoubtedly　prodigious；　while　its　productions；　though　not　durable　in
kind；　had　nevertheless　cost　enormous　sums；　he　stood　dazzled；
dumfounded；　in　this　drawing…room　with　three　windows　looking　out　on　a
garden　like　fairyland；　one　of　those　gardens　that　are　created　in　a
month　with　a　made　soil　and　transplanted　shrubs；　while　the　grass　seems
as　if　it　must　be　made　to　grow　by　some　chemical　process。　He　admired　not
only　the　decoration；　the　gilding；　the　carving；　in　the　most　expensive
Pompadour　style；　as　it　is　called；　and　the　magnificent　brocades；　all　of
which　any　enriched　tradesman　could　have　procured　for　money；　but　he
also　noted　such　treasures　as　only　princes　can　select　and　find；　can　pay
for　and　give　away；　two　pictures　by　Greuze；　two　by　Watteau；　two　heads
by　Vandyck；　two　landscapes　by　Ruysdael；　and　two　by　le　Guaspre；　a
Rembrandt；　a　Holbein；　a　Murillo；　and　a　Titian；　two　paintings；　by
Teniers；　and　a　pair　by　Metzu；　a　Van　Huysum；　and　an　Abraham　Mignonin
short；　two　hundred　thousand　francs'　worth　of　pictures　superbly　framed。
The　gilding　was　worth　almost　as　much　as　the　paintings。

〃Ah；　ha！　Now　you　understand；　my　good　man？〃　said　Josepha。

She　had　stolen　in　on　tiptoe　through　a　noiseless　door；　over　Persian
carpets；　and　came　upon　her　adorer；　standing　lost　in　amazementin　the
stupid　amazement　when　a　man's　ears　tingle　so　loudly　that　he　hears
nothing　but　that　fatal　knell。

The　words　〃my　good　man；〃　spoken　to　an　official　of　such　high
importance；　so　perfectly　exemplified　the　audacity　with　which　these
creatures　pour　contempt　on　the　loftiest；　that　the　Baron　was　nailed　to
the　spot。　Josepha；　in　white　and　yellow；　was　so　beautifully　dressed　for
the　banquet；　that　amid　all　this　lavish　magnificence　she　still　shone
like　a　rare　jewel。

〃Isn't　this　really　fine？〃　said　she。　〃The　Duke　has　spent　all　the　money
on　it　that　he　got　out　of　floating　a　company；　of　which　the　shares　all
sold　at　a　premium。　He　is　no　fool；　is　my　little　Duke。　There　is　nothing
like　a　man　who　has　been　a　grandee　in　his　time　for　turning　coals　into
gold。　Just　before　dinner　the　notary　brought　me　the　title…deeds　to　sign
and　the　bills　receipted！They　are　all　a　first…class　set　in　there
d'Esgrignon；　Rastignac；　Maxime；　Lenoncourt；　Verneuil；　Laginski；
Rochefide；　la　Palferine；　and　from　among　the　bankers　Nucingen　and　du
Tillet；　with　Antonia；　Malaga；　Carabine；　and　la　Schontz；　and　they　all
feel　for　you　deeply。Yes；　old　boy；　and　they　hope　you　will　join　them；
but　on　condition　that　you　forthwith　drink　up　to　two　bottles　full　of
Hungarian　wine；　Champagne；　or　Cape；　just　to　bring　you　up　to　their
mark。My　dear　fellow；　we　are　all　so　much　/on/　here；　that　it　was
necessary　to　close　the　Opera。　The　manager　is　as　drunk　as　a　cornet…a…
piston；　he　is　hiccuping　already。〃

〃Oh；　Josepha！〃　cried　the　Baron。

〃Now；　can　anything　be　more　absurd　than　explanations？〃　she　broke　in
with　a　smile。　〃Look　here；　can　you　stand　six　hundred　thousand　francs
which　this　house　and　furniture　cost？　Can　you　give　me　a　bond　to　the