cousin betty-第22章

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purchaser。　It　is　an　art　with　no　demand　nowadays；　where　there　are　no
princely　houses；　no　great　fortunes；　no　entailed　mansions；　no
hereditary　estates。　Only　small　pictures　and　small　figures　can　find　a
place；　the　arts　are　endangered　by　this　need　of　small　things。〃

〃But　if　a　great　artist　could　find　a　demand？〃　said　Hortense。

〃That　indeed　would　solve　the　problem。〃

〃Or　had　some　one　to　back　him？〃

〃That　would　be　even　better。〃

〃If　he　were　of　noble　birth？〃

〃Pooh！〃

〃A　Count。〃

〃And　a　sculptor？〃

〃He　has　no　money。〃

〃And　so　he　counts　on　that　of　Mademoiselle　Hortense　Hulot？〃　said　the
Baron　ironically；　with　an　inquisitorial　look　into　his　daughter's　eyes。

〃This　great　artist；　a　Count　and　a　sculptor；　has　just　seen　your
daughter　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　and　for　the　space　of　five
minutes；　Monsieur　le　Baron；〃　Hortense　calmly　replied。　〃Yesterday；　you
must　know；　dear　little　father；　while　you　were　at　the　Chamber；　mamma
had　a　fainting　fit。　This；　which　she　ascribed　to　a　nervous　attack；　was
the　result　of　some　worry　that　had　to　do　with　the　failure　of　my
marriage；　for　she　told　me　that　to　get　rid　of　me…〃

〃She　is　too　fond　of　you　to　have　used　an　expression〃

〃So　unparliamentary！〃　Hortense　put　in　with　a　laugh。　〃No；　she　did　not
use　those　words；　but　I　know　that　a　girl　old　enough　to　marry　and　who
does　not　find　a　husband　is　a　heavy　cross　for　respectable　parents　to
bear。Well；　she　thinks　that　if　a　man　of　energy　and　talent　could　be
found；　who　would　be　satisfied　with　thirty　thousand　francs　for　my
marriage　portion；　we　might　all　be　happy。　In　fact；　she　thought　it
advisable　to　prepare　me　for　the　modesty　of　my　future　lot；　and　to
hinder　me　from　indulging　in　too　fervid　dreams。Which　evidently　meant
an　end　to　the　intended　marriage；　and　no　settlements　for　me！〃

〃Your　mother　is　a　very　good　woman；　noble；　admirable！〃　replied　the
father；　deeply　humiliated；　though　not　sorry　to　hear　this　confession。

〃She　told　me　yesterday　that　she　had　your　permission　to　sell　her
diamonds　so　as　to　give　me　something　to　marry　on；　but　I　should　like　her
to　keep　her　jewels；　and　to　find　a　husband　myself。　I　think　I　have　found
the　man；　the　possible　husband；　answering　to　mamma's　prospectus〃

〃There？in　the　Place　du　Carrousel？and　in　one　morning？〃

〃Oh；　papa；　the　mischief　lies　deeper！〃　said　she　archly。

〃Well；　come；　my　child；　tell　the　whole　story　to　your　good　old　father；〃
said　he　persuasively；　and　concealing　his　uneasiness。

Under　promise　of　absolute　secrecy；　Hortense　repeated　the　upshot　of　her
various　conversations　with　her　Cousin　Betty。　Then；　when　they　got　home；
she　showed　the　much…talked…of…seal　to　her　father　in　evidence　of　the
sagacity　of　her　views。　The　father；　in　the　depth　of　his　heart；　wondered
at　the　skill　and　acumen　of　girls　who　act　on　instinct；　discerning　the
simplicity　of　the　scheme　which　her　idealized　love　had　suggested　in　the
course　of　a　single　night　to　his　guileless　daughter。

〃You　will　see　the　masterpiece　I　have　just　bought；　it　is　to　be　brought
home；　and　that　dear　Wenceslas　is　to　come　with　the　dealer。The　man　who
made　that　group　ought　to　make　a　fortune；　only　use　your　influence　to
get　him　an　order　for　a　statue；　and　rooms　at　the　Institut〃

〃How　you　run　on！〃　cried　her　father。　〃Why；　if　you　had　your　own　way；　you
would　be　man　and　wife　within　the　legal　periodin　eleven　days〃

〃Must　we　wait　so　long？〃　said　she；　laughing。　〃But　I　fell　in　love　with
him　in　five　minutes；　as　you　fell　in　love　with　mamma　at　first　sight。
And　he　loves　me　as　if　we　had　known　each　other　for　two　years。　Yes；〃　she
said　in　reply　to　her　father's　look；　〃I　read　ten　volumes　of　love　in　his
eyes。　And　will　not　you　and　mamma　accept　him　as　my　husband　when　you　see
that　he　is　a　man　of　genius？　Sculpture　is　the　greatest　of　the　Arts；〃
she　cried；　clapping　her　hands　and　jumping。　〃I　will　tell　you
everything〃

〃What；　is　there　more　to　come？〃　asked　her　father；　smiling。

The　child's　complete　and　effervescent　innocence　had　restored　her
father's　peace　of　mind。

〃A　confession　of　the　first　importance；〃　said　she。　〃I　loved　him　without
knowing　him；　and；　for　the　last　hour；　since　seeing　him；　I　am　crazy
about　him。〃

〃A　little　too　crazy！〃　said　the　Baron；　who　was　enjoying　the　sight　of
this　guileless　passion。

〃Do　not　punish　me　for　confiding　in　you；〃　replied　she。　〃It　is　so
delightful　to　say　to　my　father's　heart；　'I　love　him！　I　am　so　happy　in
loving　him！'You　will　see　my　Wenceslas！　His　brow　is　so　sad。　The　sun
of　genius　shines　in　his　gray　eyesand　what　an　air　he　has！　What　do　you
think　of　Livonia？　Is　it　a　fine　country？The　idea　of　Cousin　Betty's
marrying　that　young　fellow！　She　might　be　his　mother。　It　would　be
murder！　I　am　quite　jealous　of　all　she　has　ever　done　for　him。　But　I
don't　think　my　marriage　will　please　her。〃

〃See；　my　darling；　we　must　hide　nothing　from　your　mother。〃

〃I　should　have　to　show　her　the　seal；　and　I　promised　not　to　betray
Cousin　Lisbeth；　who　is　afraid；　she　says；　of　mamma's　laughing　at　her；〃
said　Hortense。

〃You　have　scruples　about　the　seal；　and　none　about　robbing　your　cousin
of　her　lover。〃

〃I　promised　about　the　sealI　made　no　promise　about　the　sculptor。〃

This　adventure；　patriarchal　in　its　simplicity；　came　admirably　/a
propos/　to　the　unconfessed　poverty　of　the　family；　the　Baron；　while
praising　his　daughter　for　her　candor；　explained　to　her　that　she　must
now　leave　matters　to　the　discretion　of　her　parents。

〃You　understand；　my　child；　that　it　is　not　your　part　to　ascertain
whether　your　cousin's　lover　is　a　Count；　if　he　has　all　his　papers
properly　certified；　and　if　his　conduct　is　a　guarantee　for　his
respectability。As　for　your　cousin；　she　refused　five　offers　when　she
was　twenty　years　younger；　that　will　prove　no　obstacle；　I　undertake　to
say。〃

〃Listen　to　me；　papa；　if　you　really　wish　to　see　me　married；　never　say　a
word　to　Lisbeth　about　it　till　just　before　the　contract　is　signed。　I
have　been　catechizing　her　about　this　business　for　the　last　six　months！
Well；　there　is　something　about　her　quite　inexplicable〃

〃What？〃　said　her　father；　puzzled。

〃Well；　she　looks　evil　when　I　say　too　much；　even　in　joke；　about　her
lover。　Make　inquiries；　but　leave　me　to　row　my　own　boat。　My　confidence
ought　to　reassure　you。〃

〃The　Lord　said；　'Suffer　little　children　to　come　unto　Me。'　You　are　one
of　those　who　have　come　back　again；〃　replied　the　Baron　with　a　touch　of
irony。

After　breakfast　the　dealer　was　announced；　and　the　artist　with　his
group。　The　sudden　flush　that　reddened　her　daughter's　face　at　once　made
the　Baroness　suspicious　and　then　watchful；　and　the　girl's　confusion
and　the　light　in　her　eyes　soon　betrayed　the　mystery　so　badly　guarded
in　her　simple　heart。

Count　Steinbock；　dressed　in　black；　struck　the　Baron　as　a　very
gentlemanly　young　man。

〃Would　you　undertake　a　bronze　statue？〃　he　asked；　as　he　held　up　the
group。

After　admiring　it　on　trust；　he　passed　it　on　to　his　wife；　who　knew
nothing　about　sculpture。

〃It　is　beautiful；　isn't　it；　mamma？〃　said　Hortense　in　her　mother'　ear。

〃A　statue！　Monsieur；　it　is　less　difficult　to　execute　a　statue　than　to
make　a　clock　like　this；　which　my　friend　here　has　been　kind　enough　to
bring；〃　said　the　artist　in　reply。

The　dealer　was　placing　on　the　dining…room　sideboard　the　wax　model　of
the　twelve　Hours　that　the　Loves　were　trying　to　delay。

〃Leave　the　clock　with　me；〃　said　the　Baron；　astounded　at　the　beauty　of
the　sketch。　〃I　should　like　to　show　it　to　the　Ministers　of　the　Interior
and　of　Commerce。〃

〃Who　is　the　young　man　in　whom　you　take　so　much　interest？〃　the　Baroness
asked　her　daughter。

〃An　artist　who　could　afford　to　execute　this　model　could　get　a　hundred
thousand　francs　for　it；〃　said　the　curiosity…dealer；　putting　on　a
knowing　and　mysterious　look　as　he　saw　that　the　artist　and　the　girl
were　interchanging　glances。　〃He　would　only　need　to　sell　twenty　copies
at　eight　thousand　francs　eachfor　the　materials　would　cost　about　a
thousand　crowns　for　each　example。　But　if　each　copy　were　numbered　and
the　mould　destroyed；　it　would　certainly　be　possible　to　meet　with
twenty　amateurs　only　too　glad　to　possess　a　replica　of　such　a　work。〃

〃A　hundred　thousand　francs！〃　cried　Steinbock；　looking　from　the　dealer
to　Hortense；　the　Baron；　and　the　Baroness。

〃Yes；　a　hundred　thousand　francs；〃　repeated　the　deal