cousin betty-第26章

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Caillou；　the　depot　for　marble；　your　Pole　will　be　made　the　Director；　I
should　not　wonder；　with　two　thousand　francs　a　year　and　a　ring　on　his
finger。〃

〃How　do　you　know　all　this　when　I　have　heard　nothing　about　it？〃　said
Lisbeth　at　last；　shaking　off　her　amazement。

〃Now；　my　dear　little　Cousin　Betty；〃　said　Madame　Marneffe；　in　an
insinuating　voice；　〃are　you　capable　of　devoted　friendship；　put　to　any
test？　Shall　we　henceforth　be　sisters？　Will　you　swear　to　me　never　to
have　a　secret　from　me　any　more　than　I　from　youto　act　as　my　spy；　as　I
will　be　yours？Above　all；　will　you　pledge　yourself　never　to　betray　me
either　to　my　husband　or　to　Monsieur　Hulot；　and　never　reveal　that　it
was　I　who　told　you？〃

Madame　Marneffe　broke　off　in　this　spurring　harangue；　Lisbeth
frightened　her。　The　peasant…woman's　face　was　terrible；　her　piercing
black　eyes　had　the　glare　of　the　tiger's；　her　face　was　like　that　we
ascribe　to　a　pythoness；　she　set　her　teeth　to　keep　them　from
chattering；　and　her　whole　frame　quivered　convulsively。　She　had　pushed
her　clenched　fingers　under　her　cap　to　clutch　her　hair　and　support　her
head；　which　felt　too　heavy；　she　was　on　fire。　The　smoke　of　the　flame
that　scorched　her　seemed　to　emanate　from　her　wrinkles　as　from　the
crevasses　rent　by　a　volcanic　eruption。　It　was　a　startling　spectacle。

〃Well；　why　do　you　stop？〃　she　asked　in　a　hollow　voice。　〃I　will　be　all
to　you　that　I　have　been　to　him。Oh；　I　would　have　given　him　my　life…
blood！〃

〃You　loved　him　then？〃

〃Like　a　child　of　my　own！〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　Madame　Marneffe；　with　a　breath　of　relief；　〃if　you
only　love　him　in　that　way；　you　will　be　very　happyfor　you　wish　him　to
be　happy？〃

Lisbeth　replied　by　a　nod　as　hasty　as　a　madwoman's。

〃He　is　to　marry　your　Cousin　Hortense　in　a　month's　time。〃

〃Hortense！〃　shrieked　the　old　maid；　striking　her　forehead；　and　starting
to　her　feet。

〃Well；　but　then　you　were　really　in　love　with　this　young　man？〃　asked
Valerie。

〃My　dear；　we　are　bound　for　life　and　death；　you　and　I；〃　said
Mademoiselle　Fischer。　〃Yes；　if　you　have　any　love　affairs；　to　me　they
are　sacred。　Your　vices　will　be　virtues　in　my　eyes。For　I　shall　need
your　vices！〃

〃Then　did　you　live　with　him？〃　asked　Valerie。

〃No；　I　meant　to　be　a　mother　to　him。〃

〃I　give　it　up。　I　cannot　understand；〃　said　Valerie。　〃In　that　case　you
are　neither　betrayed　nor　cheated；　and　you　ought　to　be　very　happy　to
see　him　so　well　married；　he　is　now　fairly　afloat。　And；　at　any　rate；
your　day　is　over。　Our　artist　goes　to　Madame　Hulot's　every　evening　as
soon　as　you　go　out　to　dinner。〃

〃Adeline！〃　muttered　Lisbeth。　〃Oh；　Adeline；　you　shall　pay　for　this！　I
will　make　you　uglier　than　I　am。〃

〃You　are　as　pale　as　death！〃　exclaimed　Valerie。　〃There　is　something
wrong？Oh；　what　a　fool　I　am！　The　mother　and　daughter　must　have
suspected　that　you　would　raise　some　obstacles　in　the　way　of　this
affair　since　they　have　kept　it　from　you；〃　said　Madame　Marneffe。　〃But
if　you　did　not　live　with　the　young　man；　my　dear；　all　this　is　a　greater
puzzle　to　me　than　my　husband's　feelings〃

〃Ah；　you　don't　know；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃you　have　no　idea　of　all　their
tricks。　It　is　the　last　blow　that　kills。　And　how　many　such　blows　have　I
had　to　bruise　my　soul！　You　don't　know　that　from　the　time　when　I　could
first　feel；　I　have　been　victimized　for　Adeline。　I　was　beaten；　and　she
was　petted；　I　was　dressed　like　a　scullion；　and　she　had　clothes　like　a
lady's；　I　dug　in　the　garden　and　cleaned　the　vegetables；　and　sheshe
never　lifted　a　finger　for　anything　but　to　make　up　some　finery！She
married　the　Baron；　she　came　to　shine　at　the　Emperor's　Court；　while　I
stayed　in　our　village　till　1809；　waiting　for　four　years　for　a　suitable
match；　they　brought　me　away；　to　be　sure；　but　only　to　make　me　a　work…
woman；　and　to　offer　me　clerks　or　captains　like　coalheavers　for　a
husband！　I　have　had　their　leavings　for　twenty…six　years！And　now　like
the　story　in　the　Old　Testament；　the　poor　relation　has　one　ewe…lamb
which　is　all　her　joy；　and　the　rich　man　who　has　flocks　covets　the　ewe…
lamb　and　steals　itwithout　warning；　without　asking。　Adeline　has
meanly　robbed　me　of　my　happiness！Adeline！　Adeline！　I　will　see　you　in
the　mire；　and　sunk　lower　than　myself！And　HortenseI　loved　her；　and
she　has　cheated　me。　The　Baron。No；　it　is　impossible。　Tell　me　again
what　is　really　true　of　all　this。〃

〃Be　calm；　my　dear　child。〃

〃Valerie；　my　darling；　I　will　be　calm；〃　said　the　strange　creature；
sitting　down　again。　〃One　thing　only　can　restore　me　to　reason；　give　me
proofs。〃

〃Your　Cousin　Hortense　has　the　/Samson/　grouphere　is　a　lithograph
from　it　published　in　a　review。　She　paid　for　it　out　of　her　pocket…
money；　and　it　is　the　Baron　who；　to　benefit　his　future　son…in…law；　is
pushing　him；　getting　everything　for　him。〃

〃Water！water！〃　said　Lisbeth；　after　glancing　at　the　print；　below
which　she　read；　〃A　group　belonging　to　Mademoiselle　Hulot　d'Ervy。〃
〃Water！　my　head　is　burning；　I　am　going　mad！〃

Madame　Marneffe　fetched　some　water。　Lisbeth　took　off　her　cap；
unfastened　her　black　hair；　and　plunged　her　head　into　the　basin　her　new
friend　held　for　her。　She　dipped　her　forehead　into　it　several　times；
and　checked　the　incipient　inflammation。　After　this　douche　she
completely　recovered　her　self…command。

〃Not　a　word；〃　said　she　to　Madame　Marneffe　as　she　wiped　her　face〃not
a　word　of　all　this。You　see；　I　am　quite　calm；　everything　is
forgotten。　I　am　thinking　of　something　very　different。〃

〃She　will　be　in　Charenton　to…morrow；　that　is　very　certain；〃　thought
Madame　Marneffe；　looking　at　the　old　maid。

〃What　is　to　be　done？〃　Lisbeth　went　on。　〃You　see；　my　angel；　there　is
nothing　for　it　but　to　hold　my　tongue；　bow　my　head；　and　drift　to　the
grave；　as　all　water　runs　to　the　river。　What　could　I　try　to　do？　I
should　like　to　grind　them　allAdeline；　her　daughter；　and　the　Baron
all　to　dust！　But　what　can　a　poor　relation　do　against　a　rich　family？　It
would　be　the　story　of　the　earthen　pot　and　the　iron　pot。〃

〃Yes；　you　are　right；〃　said　Valerie。　〃You　can　only　pull　as　much　hay　as
you　can　to　your　side　of　the　manger。　That　is　all　the　upshot　of　life　in
Paris。〃

〃Besides；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃I　shall　soon　die；　I　can　tell　you；　if　I　lose
that　boy　to　whom　I　fancied　I　could　always　be　a　mother；　and　with　whom　I
counted　on　living　all　my　days〃

There　were　tears　in　her　eyes；　and　she　paused。　Such　emotion　in　this
woman　made　of　sulphur　and　flame；　made　Valerie　shudder。

〃Well；　at　any　rate；　I　have　found　you；〃　said　Lisbeth；　taking　Valerie's
hand；　〃that　is　some　consolation　in　this　dreadful　trouble。We　shall　be
true　friends；　and　why　should　we　ever　part？　I　shall　never　cross　your
track。　No　one　will　ever　be　in　love　with　me！Those　who　would　have
married　me；　would　only　have　done　it　to　secure　my　Cousin　Hulot's
interest。　With　energy　enough　to　scale　Paradise；　to　have　to　devote　it
to　procuring　bread　and　water；　a　few　rags；　and　a　garret！That　is
martyrdom；　my　dear；　and　I　have　withered　under　it。〃

She　broke　off　suddenly；　and　shot　a　black　flash　into　Madame　Marneffe's
blue　eyes；　a　glance　that　pierced　the　pretty　woman's　soul；　as　the　point
of　a　dagger　might　have　pierced　her　heart。

〃And　what　is　the　use　of　talking？〃　she　exclaimed　in　reproof　to　herself。
〃I　never　said　so　much　before；　believe　me！　The　tables　will　be　turned
yet！〃　she　added　after　a　pause。　〃As　you　so　wisely　say；　let　us　sharpen
our　teeth；　and　pull　down　all　the　hay　we　can　get。〃

〃You　are　very　wise；〃　said　Madame　Marneffe；　who　had　been　frightened　by
this　scene；　and　had　no　remembrance　of　having　uttered　this　maxim。　〃I　am
sure　you　are　right；　my　dear　child。　Life　is　not　so　long　after　all；　and
we　must　make　the　best　of　it；　and　make　use　of　others　to　contribute　to
our　enjoyment。　Even　I　have　learned　that；　young　as　I　am。　I　was　brought
up　a　spoilt　child；　my　father　married　ambitiously；　and　almost　forgot
me；　after　making　me　his　idol　and　bringing　me　up　like　a　queen's
daughter！　My　poor　mother；　who　filled　my　head　with　splendid　visions；
died　of　grief　at　seeing　me　married　to　an　office　clerk　with　twelve
hundred　francs　a　year；　at　nine…and…thirty　an　aged　and　hardened
libertine；　as　corrupt　as　the　hulks；　looking　on　me；　as　others　looked　on
you；　as　a　means　of　fortune！Well；　in　that　wretched　man；　I　have　found
the　best　of　husbands。　He　prefers　the　squalid　sluts　he　picks　up　at