cousin betty-第20章

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which　this　house　and　furniture　cost？　Can　you　give　me　a　bond　to　the
tune　of　thirty　thousand　francs　a　year；　which　is　what　the　Duke　has　just
given　me　in　a　packet　of　common　sugared　almonds　from　the　grocer's？a
pretty　notion　that〃

〃What　an　atrocity！〃　cried　Hulot；　who　in　his　fury　would　have　given　his
wife's　diamonds　to　stand　in　the　Duc　d'Herouville's　shoes　for　twenty…
four　hours。

〃Atrocity　is　my　trade；〃　said　she。　〃So　that　is　how　you　take　it？　Well；
why　don't　you　float　a　company？　Goodness　me！　my　poor　dyed　Tom；　you
ought　to　be　grateful　to　me；　I　have　thrown　you　over　just　when　you　would
have　spent　on　me　your　widow's　fortune；　your　daughter's　portion。What；
tears！　The　Empire　is　a　thing　of　the　pastI　hail　the　coming　Empire！〃

She　struck　a　tragic　attitude；　and　exclaimed：

　　〃They　call　you　Hulot！　Nay；　I　know　you　not〃

And　she　went　into　the　other　room。

Through　the　door；　left　ajar；　there　came；　like　a　lightning…flash；　a
streak　of　light　with　an　accompaniment　of　the　crescendo　of　the　orgy　and
the　fragrance　of　a　banquet　of　the　choicest　description。

The　singer　peeped　through　the　partly　open　door；　and　seeing　Hulot
transfixed　as　if　he　had　been　a　bronze　image；　she　came　one　step　forward
into　the　room。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　handed　over　the　rubbish　in　the　Rue
Chauchat　to　Bixiou's　little　Heloise　Brisetout。　If　you　wish　to　claim
your　cotton　nightcap；　your　bootjack；　your　belt；　and　your　wax　dye；　I
have　stipulated　for　their　return。〃

This　insolent　banter　made　the　Baron　leave　the　room　as　precipitately　as
Lot　departed　from　Gomorrah；　but　he　did　not　look　back　like　Mrs。　Lot。

Hulot　went　home；　striding　along　in　a　fury；　and　talking　to　himself；　he
found　his　family　still　playing　the　game　of　whist　at　two　sous　a　point；
at　which　he　left　them。　On　seeing　her　husband　return；　poor　Adeline
imagined　something　dreadful；　some　dishonor；　she　gave　her　cards　to
Hortense；　and　led　Hector　away　into　the　very　room　where；　only　five
hours　since；　Crevel　had　foretold　her　the　utmost　disgrace　of　poverty。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　she　said；　terrified。

〃Oh；　forgive　mebut　let　me　tell　you　all　these　horrors。〃　And　for　ten
minutes　he　poured　out　his　wrath。

〃But；　my　dear；〃　said　the　unhappy　woman；　with　heroic　courage；　〃these
creatures　do　not　know　what　love　meanssuch　pure　and　devoted　love　as
you　deserve。　How　could　you；　so　clear…sighted　as　you　are；　dream　of
competing　with　millions？〃

〃Dearest　Adeline！〃　cried　the　Baron；　clasping　her　to　his　heart。

The　Baroness'　words　had　shed　balm　on　the　bleeding　wounds　to　his
vanity。

〃To　be　sure；　take　away　the　Duc　d'Herouville's　fortune；　and　she　could
not　hesitate　between　us！〃　said　the　Baron。

〃My　dear；〃　said　Adeline　with　a　final　effort；　〃if　you　positively　must
have　mistresses；　why　do　you　not　seek　them；　like　Crevel；　among　women
who　are　less　extravagant；　and　of　a　class　that　can　for　a　time　be
content　with　little？　We　should　all　gain　by　that　arrangement。I
understand　your　needbut　I　do　not　understand　that　vanity〃

〃Oh；　what　a　kind　and　perfect　wife　you　are！〃　cried　he。　〃I　am　an　old
lunatic；　I　do　not　deserve　to　have　such　a　wife！〃

〃I　am　simply　the　Josephine　of　my　Napoleon；〃　she　replied；　with　a　touch
of　melancholy。

〃Josephine　was　not　to　compare　with　you！〃　said　he。　〃Come；　I　will　play　a
game　of　whist　with　my　brother　and　the　children。　I　must　try　my　hand　at
the　business　of　a　family　man；　I　must　get　Hortense　a　husband；　and　bury
the　libertine。〃

His　frankness　so　greatly　touched　poor　Adeline；　that　she　said：

〃The　creature　has　no　taste　to　prefer　any　man　in　the　world　to　my
Hector。　Oh；　I　would　not　give　you　up　for　all　the　gold　on　earth。　How　can
any　woman　throw　you　over　who　is　so　happy　as　to　be　loved　by　you？〃

The　look　with　which　the　Baron　rewarded　his　wife's　fanaticism　confirmed
her　in　her　opinion　that　gentleness　and　docility　were　a　woman's
strongest　weapons。

But　in　this　she　was　mistaken。　The　noblest　sentiments；　carried　to　an
excess；　can　produce　mischief　as　great　as　do　the　worst　vices。　Bonaparte
was　made　Emperor　for　having　fired　on　the　people；　at　a　stone's　throw
from　the　spot　where　Louis　XVI。　lost　his　throne　and　his　head　because　he
would　not　allow　a　certain　Monsieur　Sauce　to　be　hurt。



On　the　following　morning；　Hortense；　who　had　slept　with　the　seal　under
her　pillow；　so　as　to　have　it　close　to　her　all　night；　dressed　very
early；　and　sent　to　beg　her　father　to　join　her　in　the　garden　as　soon　as
he　should　be　down。

By　about　half…past　nine；　the　father；　acceding　to　his　daughter's
petition；　gave　her　his　arm　for　a　walk；　and　they　went　along　the　quays
by　the　Pont　Royal　to　the　Place　du　Carrousel。

〃Let　us　look　into　the　shop　windows；　papa；〃　said　Hortense；　as　they　went
through　the　little　gate　to　cross　the　wide　square。

〃Whathere？〃　said　her　father；　laughing　at　her。

〃We　are　supposed　to　have　come　to　see　the　pictures；　and　over　there〃
and　she　pointed　to　the　stalls　in　front　of　the　houses　at　a　right　angle
to　the　Rue　du　Doyenne〃look！　there　are　dealers　in　curiosities　and
pictures〃

〃Your　cousin　lives　there。〃

〃I　know　it；　but　she　must　not　see　us。〃

〃And　what　do　you　want　to　do？〃　said　the　Baron；　who；　finding　himself
within　thirty　yards　of　Madame　Marneffe's　windows；　suddenly　remembered
her。

Hortense　had　dragged　her　father　in　front　of　one　of　the　shops　forming
the　angle　of　a　block　of　houses　built　along　the　front　of　the　Old
Louvre；　and　facing　the　Hotel　de　Nantes。　She　went　into　this　shop；　her
father　stood　outside；　absorbed　in　gazing　at　the　windows　of　the　pretty
little　lady；　who；　the　evening　before；　had　left　her　image　stamped　on
the　old　beau's　heart；　as　if　to　alleviate　the　wound　he　was　so　soon　to
receive；　and　he　could　not　help　putting　his　wife's　sage　advice　into
practice。

〃I　will　fall　back　on　a　simple　little　citizen's　wife；〃　said　he　to
himself；　recalling　Madame　Marneffe's　adorable　graces。　〃Such　a　woman　as
that　will　soon　make　me　forget　that　grasping　Josepha。〃

Now；　this　was　what　was　happening　at　the　same　moment　outside　and　inside
the　curiosity　shop。

As　he　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　windows　of　his　new　/belle/；　the　Baron　saw
the　husband；　who；　while　brushing　his　coat　with　his　own　hands；　was
apparently　on　the　lookout；　expecting　to　see　some　one　on　the　square。
Fearing　lest　he　should　be　seen；　and　subsequently　recognized；　the
amorous　Baron　turned　his　back　on　the　Rue　du　Doyenne；　or　rather　stood
at　three…quarters'　face；　as　it　were；　so　as　to　be　able　to　glance　round
from　time　to　time。　This　manoeuvre　brought　him　face　to　face　with　Madame
Marneffe；　who；　coming　up　from　the　quay；　was　doubling　the　promontory　of
houses　to　go　home。

Valerie　was　evidently　startled　as　she　met　the　Baron's　astonished　eye；
and　she　responded　with　a　prudish　dropping　of　her　eyelids。

〃A　pretty　woman；〃　exclaimed　he；　〃for　whom　a　man　would　do　many　foolish
things。〃

〃Indeed；　monsieur？〃　said　she；　turning　suddenly；　like　a　woman　who　has
just　come　to　some　vehement　decision；　〃you　are　Monsieur　le　Baron　Hulot；
I　believe？〃

The　Baron；　more　and　more　bewildered；　bowed　assent。

〃Then；　as　chance　has　twice　made　our　eyes　meet；　and　I　am　so　fortunate
as　to　have　interested　or　puzzled　you；　I　may　tell　you　that；　instead　of
doing　anything　foolish；　you　ought　to　do　justice。My　husband's　fate
rests　with　you。〃

〃And　how　may　that　be？〃　asked　the　gallant　Baron。

〃He　is　employed　in　your　department　in　the　War　Office；　under　Monsieur
Lebrun；　in　Monsieur　Coquet's　room；〃　said　she　with　a　smile。

〃I　am　quite　disposed；　MadameMadame？〃

〃Madame　Marneffe。〃

〃Dear　little　Madame　Marneffe；　to　do　injustice　for　your　sake。I　have　a
cousin　living　in　your　house；　I　will　go　to　see　her　one　day　soonas
soon　as　possible；　bring　your　petition　to　me　in　her　rooms。〃

〃Pardon　my　boldness；　Monsieur　le　Baron；　you　must　understand　that　if　I
dare　to　address　you　thus；　it　is　because　I　have　no　friend　to　protect
me〃

〃Ah；　ha！〃

〃Monsieur；　you　misunderstand　me；〃　said　she；　lowering　her　eyelids。

Hulot　felt　as　if　the　sun　had　disappeared。

〃I　am　at　my　wits'　end；　but　I　am　an　honest　woman！〃　she　went　on。　〃About
six　months　ago　my　only　protector　died；　Marshal　Montcornet〃

〃Ah！　You　are　his　daughter？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur；　but　he　never　acknowledged　me。〃

〃That　was　that　he　might　leave　you　part　of　his　fortune。〃

〃He　left　me　nothing；　he　made　no　will。〃

〃Indeed！　Poor