cousin betty-第29章

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the　palette　by　reason　of　his　importance　in　this　domestic　drama。



Have　you　ever　observed　how　in　childhood；　or　at　the　early　stages　of
social　life；　we　create　a　model　for　our　own　imitation；　with　our　own
hands　as　it　were；　and　often　without　knowing　it？　The　banker's　clerk；
for　instance；　as　he　enters　his　master's　drawing…room；　dreams　of
possessing　such　another。　If　he　makes　a　fortune；　it　will　not　be　the
luxury　of　the　day；　twenty　years　later；　that　you　will　find　in　his
house；　but　the　old…fashioned　splendor　that　fascinated　him　of　yore。　It
is　impossible　to　tell　how　many　absurdities　are　due　to　this
retrospective　jealousy；　and　in　the　same　way　we　know　nothing　of　the
follies　due　to　the　covert　rivalry　that　urges　men　to　copy　the　type　they
have　set　themselves；　and　exhaust　their　powers　in　shining　with　a
reflected　light；　like　the　moon。

Crevel　was　deputy　mayor　because　his　predecessor　had　been；　he　was　Major
because　he　coveted　Cesar　Birotteau's　epaulettes。　In　the　same　way；
struck　by　the　marvels　wrought　by　Grindot　the　architect；　at　the　time
when　Fortune　had　carried　his　master　to　the　top　of　the　wheel；　Crevel
had　〃never　looked　at　both　sides　of　a　crown…piece；〃　to　use　his　own
language；　when　he　wanted　to　〃do　up〃　his　rooms；　he　had　gone　with　his
purse　open　and　his　eyes　shut　to　Grindot；　who　by　this　time　was　quite
forgotten。　It　is　impossible　to　guess　how　long　an　extinct　reputation
may　survive；　supported　by　such　stale　admiration。

So　Grindot；　for　the　thousandth　time　had　displayed　his　white…and…gold
drawing…room　paneled　with　crimson　damask。　The　furniture；　of　rosewood；
clumsily　carved；　as　such　work　is　done　for　the　trade；　had　in　the
country　been　the　source　of　just　pride　in　Paris　workmanship　on　the
occasion　of　an　industrial　exhibition。　The　candelabra；　the　fire…dogs；
the　fender；　the　chandelier；　the　clock；　were　all　in　the　most　unmeaning
style　of　scroll…work；　the　round　table；　a　fixture　in　the　middle　of　the
room；　was　a　mosaic　of　fragments　of　Italian　and　antique　marbles；
brought　from　Rome；　where　these　dissected　maps　are　made　of
mineralogical　specimensfor　all　the　world　like　tailors'　patternsan
object　of　perennial　admiration　to　Crevel's　citizen　friends。　The
portraits　of　the　late　lamented　Madame　Crevel；　of　Crevel　himself；　of
his　daughter　and　his　son…in…law；　hung　on　the　walls；　two　and　two；　they
were　the　work　of　Pierre　Grassou；　the　favored　painter　of　the
bourgeoisie；　to　whom　Crevel　owed　his　ridiculous　Byronic　attitude。　The
frames；　costing　a　thousand　francs　each；　were　quite　in　harmony　with
this　coffee…house　magnificence；　which　would　have　made　any　true　artist
shrug　his　shoulders。

Money　never　yet　missed　the　smallest　opportunity　of　being　stupid。　We
should　have　in　Paris　ten　Venices　if　our　retired　merchants　had　had　the
instinct　for　fine　things　characteristic　of　the　Italians。　Even　in　our
own　day　a　Milanese　merchant　could　leave　five　hundred　thousand　francs
to　the　Duomo；　to　regild　the　colossal　statue　of　the　Virgin　that　crowns
the　edifice。　Canova；　in　his　will；　desired　his　brother　to　build　a
church　costing　four　million　francs；　and　that　brother　adds　something　on
his　own　account。　Would　a　citizen　of　Parisand　they　all；　like　Rivet；
love　their　Paris　in　their　heartever　dream　of　building　the　spires
that　are　lacking　to　the　towers　of　Notre…Dame？　And　only　think　of　the
sums　that　revert　to　the　State　in　property　for　which　no　heirs　are
found。

All　the　improvements　of　Paris　might　have　been　completed　with　the　money
spent　on　stucco　castings；　gilt　mouldings；　and　sham　sculpture　during
the　last　fifteen　years　by　individuals　of　the　Crevel　stamp。

Beyond　this　drawing…room　was　a　splendid　boudoir　furnished　with　tables
and　cabinets　in　imitation　of　Boulle。

The　bedroom；　smart　with　chintz；　also　opened　out　of　the　drawing…room。
Mahogany　in　all　its　glory　infested　the　dining…room；　and　Swiss　views；
gorgeously　framed；　graced　the　panels。　Crevel；　who　hoped　to　travel　in
Switzerland；　had　set　his　heart　on　possessing　the　scenery　in　painting
till　the　time　should　come　when　he　might　see　it　in　reality。

So；　as　will　have　been　seen；　Crevel；　the　Mayor's　deputy；　of　the　Legion
of　Honor　and　of　the　National　Guard；　had　faithfully　reproduced　all　the
magnificence；　even　as　to　furniture；　of　his　luckless　predecessor。　Under
the　Restoration；　where　one　had　sunk；　this　other；　quite　overlooked；　had
come　to　the　topnot　by　any　strange　stroke　of　fortune；　but　by　the
force　of　circumstance。　In　revolutions；　as　in　storms　at　sea；　solid
treasure　goes　to　the　bottom；　and　light　trifles　are　floated　to　the
surface。　Cesar　Birotteau；　a　Royalist；　in　favor　and　envied；　had　been
made　the　mark　of　bourgeois　hostility；　while　bourgeoisie　triumphant
found　its　incarnation　in　Crevel。

This　apartment；　at　a　rent　of　a　thousand　crowns；　crammed　with　all　the
vulgar　magnificence　that　money　can　buy；　occupied　the　first　floor　of　a
fine　old　house　between　a　courtyard　and　a　garden。　Everything　was　as
spick…and…span　as　the　beetles　in　an　entomological　case；　for　Crevel
lived　very　little　at　home。

This　gorgeous　residence　was　the　ambitious　citizen's　legal　domicile。
His　establishment　consisted　of　a　woman…cook　and　a　valet；　he　hired　two
extra　men；　and　had　a　dinner　sent　in　by　Chevet；　whenever　he　gave　a
banquet　to　his　political　friends；　to　men　he　wanted　to　dazzle　or　to　a
family　party。

The　seat　of　Crevel's　real　domesticity；　formerly　in　the　Rue　Notre…Dame
de　Lorette；　with　Mademoiselle　Heloise　Brisetout；　had　lately　been
transferred；　as　we　have　seen；　to　the　Rue　Chauchat。　Every　morning　the
retired　merchantevery　ex…tradesman　is　a　retired　merchantspent　two
hours　in　the　Rue　des　Saussayes　to　attend　to　business；　and　gave　the
rest　of　his　time　to　Mademoiselle　Zaire；　which　annoyed　Zaire　very　much。
Orosmanes…Crevel　had　a　fixed　bargain　with　Mademoiselle　Heloise；　she
owed　him　five　hundred　francs　worth　of　enjoyment　every　month；　and　no
〃bills　delivered。〃　He　paid　separately　for　his　dinner　and　all　extras。
This　agreement；　with　certain　bonuses；　for　he　made　her　a　good　many
presents；　seemed　cheap　to　the　ex…attache　of　the　great　singer；　and　he
would　say　to　widowers　who　were　fond　of　their　daughters；　that　it　paid
better　to　job　your　horses　than　to　have　a　stable　of　your　own。　At　the
same　time；　if　the　reader　remembers　the　speech　made　to　the　Baron　by　the
porter　at　the　Rue　Chauchat；　Crevel　did　not　escape　the　coachman　and　the
groom。

Crevel；　as　may　be　seen；　had　turned　his　passionate　affection　for　his
daughter　to　the　advantage　of　his　self…indulgence。　The　immoral　aspect
of　the　situation　was　justified　by　the　highest　morality。　And　then　the
ex…perfumer　derived　from　this　style　of　livingit　was　the　inevitable；
a　free…and…easy　life；　/Regence；　Pompadour；　Marechal　de　Richelieu/；
what　nota　certain　veneer　of　superiority。　Crevel　set　up　for　being　a
man　of　broad　views；　a　fine　gentleman　with　an　air　and　grace；　a　liberal
man　with　nothing　narrow　in　his　ideasand　all　for　the　small　sum　of
about　twelve　to　fifteen　hundred　francs　a　month。　This　was　the　result
not　of　hypocritical　policy；　but　of　middle…class　vanity；　though　it　came
to　the　same　in　the　end。

On　the　Bourse　Crevel　was　regarded　as　a　man　superior　to　his　time；　and
especially　as　a　man　of　pleasure；　a　/bon　vivant/。　In　this　particular
Crevel　flattered　himself　that　he　had　overtopped　his　worthy　friend
Birotteau　by　a　hundred　cubits。

〃And　is　it　you？〃　cried　Crevel；　flying　into　a　rage　as　he　saw　Lisbeth
enter　the　room；　〃who　have　plotted　this　marriage　between　Mademoiselle
Hulot　and　your　young　Count；　whom　you　have　been　bringing　up　by　hand　for
her？〃

〃You　don't　seem　best　pleased　at　it？〃　said　Lisbeth；　fixing　a　piercing
eye　on　Crevel。　〃What　interest　can　you　have　in　hindering　my　cousin's
marriage？　For　it　was　you；　I　am　told；　who　hindered　her　marrying
Monsieur　Lebas'　son。〃

〃You　are　a　good　soul　and　to　be　trusted；〃　said　Crevel。　〃Well；　then；　do
you　suppose　that　I　will　ever　forgive　Monsieur　Hulot　for　the　crime　of
having　robbed　me　of　Josephaespecially　when　he　turned　a　decent　girl；
whom　I　should　have　married　in　my　old　age；　into　a　good…for…nothing
slut；　a　mountebank；　an　opera　singer！No；　no。　Never！〃

〃He　is　a　very　good　fellow；　too；　is　Monsieur　Hulot；〃　said　Cousin　Betty。

〃Amiable；　very　amiabletoo　amiable；〃　replied　Crevel。　〃I　wish　him　no
harm；　but　I　do　wish　to　have　my　revenge；　and　I　will