cousin betty-第2章

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The　cousin's　dress　might；　at　need；　have　explained　this　free…and…easy
demeanor。　The　old　maid　wore　a　merino　gown　of　a　dark　plum　color；　of
which　the　cut　and　trimming　dated　from　the　year　of　the　Restoration；　a
little　worked　collar；　worth　perhaps　three　francs；　and　a　common　straw
hat　with　blue　satin　ribbons　edged　with　straw　plait；　such　as　the　old…
clothes　buyers　wear　at　market。　On　looking　down　at　her　kid　shoes；　made；
it　was　evident；　by　the　veriest　cobbler；　a　stranger　would　have
hesitated　to　recognize　Cousin　Betty　as　a　member　of　the　family；　for　she
looked　exactly　like　a　journeywoman　sempstress。　But　she　did　not　leave
the　room　without　bestowing　a　little　friendly　nod　on　Monsieur　Crevel；
to　which　that　gentleman　responded　by　a　look　of　mutual　understanding。

〃You　are　coming　to　us　to…morrow；　I　hope；　Mademoiselle　Fischer？〃　said
he。

〃You　have　no　company？〃　asked　Cousin　Betty。

〃My　children　and　yourself；　no　one　else；〃　replied　the　visitor。

〃Very　well；〃　replied　she；　〃depend　on　me。〃

〃And　here　am　I；　madame；　at　your　orders；〃　said　the　citizen…captain；
bowing　again　to　Madame　Hulot。

He　gave　such　a　look　at　Madame　Hulot　as　Tartuffe　casts　at　Elmirewhen
a　provincial　actor　plays　the　part　and　thinks　it　necessary　to　emphasize
its　meaningat　Poitiers；　or　at　Coutances。

〃If　you　will　come　into　this　room　with　me；　we　shall　be　more
conveniently　placed　for　talking　business　than　we　are　in　this　room；〃
said　Madame　Hulot；　going　to　an　adjoining　room；　which；　as　the　apartment
was　arranged；　served　as　a　cardroom。

It　was　divided　by　a　slight　partition　from　a　boudoir　looking　out　on　the
garden；　and　Madame　Hulot　left　her　visitor　to　himself　for　a　minute；　for
she　thought　it　wise　to　shut　the　window　and　the　door　of　the　boudoir；　so
that　no　one　should　get　in　and　listen。　She　even　took　the　precaution　of
shutting　the　glass　door　of　the　drawing…room；　smiling　on　her　daughter
and　her　cousin；　whom　she　saw　seated　in　an　old　summer…house　at　the　end
of　the　garden。　As　she　came　back　she　left　the　cardroom　door　open；　so　as
to　hear　if　any　one　should　open　that　of　the　drawing…room　to　come　in。

As　she　came　and　went；　the　Baroness；　seen　by　nobody；　allowed　her　face
to　betray　all　her　thoughts；　and　any　one　who　could　have　seen　her　would
have　been　shocked　to　see　her　agitation。　But　when　she　finally　came　back
from　the　glass　door　of　the　drawing…room；　as　she　entered　the　cardroom；
her　face　was　hidden　behind　the　impenetrable　reserve　which　every　woman；
even　the　most　candid；　seems　to　have　at　her　command。

During　all　these　preparationsodd；　to　say　the　leastthe　National
Guardsman　studied　the　furniture　of　the　room　in　which　he　found　himself。
As　he　noted　the　silk　curtains；　once　red；　now　faded　to　dull　purple　by
the　sunshine；　and　frayed　in　the　pleats　by　long　wear；　the　carpet；　from
which　the　hues　had　faded；　the　discolored　gilding　of　the　furniture；　and
the　silk　seats；　discolored　in　patches；　and　wearing　into　strips
expressions　of　scorn；　satisfaction；　and　hope　dawned　in　succession
without　disguise　on　his　stupid　tradesman's　face。　He　looked　at　himself
in　the　glass　over　an　old　clock　of　the　Empire；　and　was　contemplating
the　general　effect；　when　the　rustle　of　her　silk　skirt　announced　the
Baroness。　He　at　once　struck　at　attitude。

After　dropping　on　to　a　sofa；　which　had　been　a　very　handsome　one　in　the
year　1809；　the　Baroness；　pointing　to　an　armchair　with　the　arms　ending
in　bronze　sphinxes'　heads；　while　the　paint　was　peeling　from　the　wood；
which　showed　through　in　many　places；　signed　to　Crevel　to　be　seated。

〃All　the　precautions　you　are　taking；　madame；　would　seem　full　of
promise　to　a〃

〃To　a　lover；〃　said　she；　interrupting　him。

〃The　word　is　too　feeble；〃　said　he；　placing　his　right　hand　on　his
heart；　and　rolling　his　eyes　in　a　way　which　almost　always　makes　a　woman
laugh　when　she；　in　cold　blood；　sees　such　a　look。　〃A　lover！　A　lover？
Say　a　man　bewitched〃

〃Listen；　Monsieur　Crevel；〃　said　the　Baroness；　too　anxious　to　be　able
to　laugh；　〃you　are　fiftyten　years　younger　than　Monsieur　Hulot；　I
know；　but　at　my　age　a　woman's　follies　ought　to　be　justified　by　beauty；
youth；　fame；　superior　meritsome　one　of　the　splendid　qualities　which
can　dazzle　us　to　the　point　of　making　us　forget　all　elseeven　at　our
age。　Though　you　may　have　fifty　thousand　francs　a　year；　your　age
counterbalances　your　fortune；　thus　you　have　nothing　whatever　of　what　a
woman　looks　for〃

〃But　love！〃　said　the　officer；　rising　and　coming　forward。　〃Such　love
as〃

〃No；　monsieur；　such　obstinacy！〃　said　the　Baroness；　interrupting　him　to
put　an　end　to　his　absurdity。

〃Yes；　obstinacy；〃　said　he；　〃and　love；　but　something　stronger　stilla
claim〃

〃A　claim！〃　cried　Madame　Hulot；　rising　sublime　with　scorn；　defiance；
and　indignation。　〃But；〃　she　went　on；　〃this　will　bring　us　to　no　issues；
I　did　not　ask　you　to　come　here　to　discuss　the　matter　which　led　to　your
banishment　in　spite　of　the　connection　between　our　families〃

〃I　had　fancied　so。〃

〃What！　still？〃　cried　she。　〃Do　you　not　see；　monsieur；　by　the　entire
ease　and　freedom　with　which　I　can　speak　of　lovers　and　love；　of
everything　least　creditable　to　a　woman；　that　I　am　perfectly　secure　in
my　own　virtue？　I　fear　nothingnot　even　to　shut　myself　in　alone　with
you。　Is　that　the　conduct　of　a　weak　woman？　You　know　full　well　why　I
begged　you　to　come。〃

〃No；　madame；〃　replied　Crevel；　with　an　assumption　of　great　coldness。　He
pursed　up　his　lips；　and　again　struck　an　attitude。

〃Well；　I　will　be　brief；　to　shorten　our　common　discomfort；〃　said　the
Baroness；　looking　at　Crevel。

Crevel　made　an　ironical　bow；　in　which　a　man　who　knew　the　race　would
have　recognized　the　graces　of　a　bagman。

〃Our　son　married　your　daughter〃

〃And　if　it　were　to　do　again〃　said　Crevel。

〃It　would　not　be　done　at　all；　I　suspect；〃　said　the　baroness　hastily。
〃However；　you　have　nothing　to　complain　of。　My　son　is　not　only　one　of
the　leading　pleaders　of　Paris；　but　for　the　last　year　he　has　sat　as
Deputy；　and　his　maiden　speech　was　brilliant　enough　to　lead　us　to
suppose　that　ere　long　he　will　be　in　office。　Victorin　has　twice　been
called　upon　to　report　on　important　measures；　and　he　might　even　now；　if
he　chose；　be　made　Attorney…General　in　the　Court　of　Appeal。　So；　if　you
mean　to　say　that　your　son…in…law　has　no　fortune〃

〃Worse　than　that；　madame；　a　son…in…law　whom　I　am　obliged　to　maintain；〃
replied　Crevel。　〃Of　the　five　hundred　thousand　francs　that　formed　my
daughter's　marriage　portion；　two　hundred　thousand　have　vanishedGod
knows　how！in　paying　the　young　gentleman's　debts；　in　furnishing　his
house　splendaciouslya　house　costing　five　hundred　thousand　francs；
and　bringing　in　scarcely　fifteen　thousand；　since　he　occupies　the
larger　part　of　it；　while　he　owes　two　hundred　and　sixty　thousand　francs
of　the　purchase…money。　The　rent　he　gets　barely　pays　the　interest　on
the　debt。　I　have　had　to　give　my　daughter　twenty　thousand　francs　this
year　to　help　her　to　make　both　ends　meet。　And　then　my　son…in…law；　who
was　making　thirty　thousand　francs　a　year　at　the　Assizes；　I　am　told；　is
going　to　throw　that　up　for　the　Chamber〃

〃This；　again；　Monsieur　Crevel；　is　beside　the　mark；　we　are　wandering
from　the　point。　Still；　to　dispose　of　it　finally；　it　may　be　said　that
if　my　son　gets　into　office；　if　he　has　you　made　an　officer　of　the
Legion　of　Honor　and　councillor　of　the　municipality　of　Paris；　you；　as　a
retired　perfumer；　will　not　have　much　to　complain　of〃

〃Ah！　there　we　are　again；　madame！　Yes；　I　am　a　tradesman；　a　shopkeeper；
a　retail　dealer　in　almond…paste；　eau…de…Portugal；　and　hair…oil；　and
was　only　too　much　honored　when　my　only　daughter　was　married　to　the　son
of　Monsieur　le　Baron　Hulot　d'Ervymy　daughter　will　be　a　Baroness！
This　is　Regency；　Louis　XV。；　（Eil…de…boeufquite　tip…top！very　good。）
I　love　Celestine　as　a　man　loves　his　only　childso　well　indeed；　that；
to　preserve　her　from　having　either　brother　or　sister；　I　resigned
myself　to　all　the　privations　of　a　widowerin　Paris；　and　in　the　prime
of　life；　madame。　But　you　must　understand　that；　in　spite　of　this
extravagant　affection　for　my　daughter；　I　do　not　intend　to　reduce　my
fortune　for　the　sake　of　your　son；　whose　expenses　are　not　wholly
accounted　forin　my　eyes；　as　an　old　man　of　business。〃

〃Monsieur；　you　may　at　this　day　see　in　the　Ministry　of　Commerce
Monsieur　Popinot；　for