cousin betty-第3章

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〃Monsieur；　you　may　at　this　day　see　in　the　Ministry　of　Commerce
Monsieur　Popinot；　formerly　a　druggist　in　the　Rue　des　Lombards〃

〃And　a　friend　of　mine；　madame；〃　said　the　ex…perfumer。　〃For　I；　Celestin
Crevel；　foreman　once　to　old　Cesar　Birotteau；　brought　up　the　said　Cesar
Birotteau's　stock；　and　he　was　Popinot's　father…in…law。　Why；　that　very
Popinot　was　no　more　than　a　shopman　in　the　establishment；　and　he　is　the
first　to　remind　me　of　it；　for　he　is　not　proud；　to　do　him　justice；　to
men　in　a　good　position　with　an　income　of　sixty　thousand　francs　in　the
funds。〃

〃Well　then；　monsieur；　the　notions　you　term　'Regency'　are　quite　out　of
date　at　a　time　when　a　man　is　taken　at　his　personal　worth；　and　that　is
what　you　did　when　you　married　your　daughter　to　my　son。〃

〃But　you　do　not　know　how　the　marriage　was　brought　about！〃　cried
Crevel。　〃Oh；　that　cursed　bachelor　life！　But　for　my　misconduct；　my
Celestine　might　at　this　day　be　Vicomtesse　Popinot！〃

〃Once　more　have　done　with　recriminations　over　accomplished　facts；〃
said　the　Baroness　anxiously。　〃Let　us　rather　discuss　the　complaints　I
have　found　on　your　strange　behavior。　My　daughter　Hortense　had　a　chance
of　marrying；　the　match　depended　entirely　on　you；　I　believed　you　felt
some　sentiments　of　generosity；　I　thought　you　would　do　justice　to　a
woman　who　has　never　had　a　thought　in　her　heart　for　any　man　but　her
husband；　that　you　would　have　understood　how　necessary　it　is　for　her
not　to　receive　a　man　who　may　compromise　her；　and　that　for　the　honor　of
the　family　with　which　you　are　allied　you　would　have　been　eager　to
promote　Hortense's　settlement　with　Monsieur　le　Conseiller　Lebas。And
it　is　you；　monsieur；　you　have　hindered　the　marriage。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　the　ex…perfumer；　〃I　acted　the　part　of　an　honest　man。　I
was　asked　whether　the　two　hundred　thousand　francs　to　be　settled　on
Mademoiselle　Hortense　would　be　forthcoming。　I　replied　exactly　in　these
words：　'I　would　not　answer　for　it。　My　son…in…law；　to　whom　the　Hulots
had　promised　the　same　sum；　was　in　debt；　and　I　believe　that　if　Monsieur
Hulot　d'Ervy　were　to　die　to…morrow；　his　widow　would　have　nothing　to
live　on。'There；　fair　lady。〃

〃And　would　you　have　said　as　much；　monsieur；〃　asked　Madame　Hulot；
looking　Crevel　steadily　in　the　face；　〃if　I　had　been　false　to　my　duty？〃

〃I　should　not　be　in　a　position　to　say　it；　dearest　Adeline；〃　cried　this
singular　adorer；　interrupting　the　Baroness；　〃for　you　would　have　found
the　amount　in　my　pocket…book。〃

And　adding　action　to　word；　the　fat　guardsman　knelt　down　on　one　knee
and　kissed　Madame　Hulot's　hand；　seeing　that　his　speech　had　filled　her
with　speechless　horror；　which　he　took　for　hesitancy。

〃What；　buy　my　daughter's　fortune　at　the　cost　of？　Rise；　monsieur
or　I　ring　the　bell。〃

Crevel　rose　with　great　difficulty。　This　fact　made　him　so　furious　that
he　again　struck　his　favorite　attitude。　Most　men　have　some　habitual
position　by　which　they　fancy　that　they　show　to　the　best　advantage　the
good　points　bestowed　on　them　by　nature。　This　attitude　in　Crevel
consisted　in　crossing　his　arms　like　Napoleon；　his　head　showing　three…
quarters　face；　and　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　horizon；　as　the　painter　has
shown　the　Emperor　in　his　portrait。

〃To　be　faithful；〃　he　began；　with　well…acted　indignation；　〃so　faithful
to　a　liber〃

〃To　a　husband　who　is　worthy　of　such　fidelity；〃　Madame　Hulot　put　in；　to
hinder　Crevel　from　saying　a　word　she　did　not　choose　to　hear。

〃Come；　madame；　you　wrote　to　bid　me　here；　you　ask　the　reasons　for　my
conduct；　you　drive　me　to　extremities　with　your　imperial　airs；　your
scorn；　and　your　contempt！　Any　one　might　think　I　was　a　Negro。　But　I
repeat　it；　and　you　may　believe　me；　I　have　a　right　toto　make　love　to
you；　for　But　no；　I　love　you　well　enough　to　hold　my　tongue。〃

〃You　may　speak；　monsieur。　In　a　few　days　I　shall　be　eight…and…forty；　I
am　no　prude；　I　can　hear　whatever　you　can　say。〃

〃Then　will　you　give　me　your　word　of　honor　as　an　honest　womanfor　you
are；　alas　for　me！　an　honest　womannever　to　mention　my　name　or　to　say
that　it　was　I　who　betrayed　the　secret？〃

〃If　that　is　the　condition　on　which　you　speak；　I　will　swear　never　to
tell　any　one　from　whom　I　heard　the　horrors　you　propose　to　tell　me；　not
even　my　husband。〃

〃I　should　think　not　indeed；　for　only　you　and　he　are　concerned。〃

Madame　Hulot　turned　pale。

〃Oh；　if　you　still　really　love　Hulot；　it　will　distress　you。　Shall　I　say
no　more？〃

〃Speak；　monsieur；　for　by　your　account　you　wish　to　justify　in　my　eyes
the　extraordinary　declarations　you　have　chosen　to　make　me；　and　your
persistency　in　tormenting　a　woman　of　my　age；　whose　only　wish　is　to　see
her　daughter　married；　and　thento　die　in　peace〃

〃You　see；　you　are　unhappy。〃

〃I；　monsieur？〃

〃Yes；　beautiful；　noble　creature！〃　cried　Crevel。　〃You　have　indeed　been
too　wretched！〃

〃Monsieur；　be　silent　and　goor　speak　to　me　as　you　ought。〃

〃Do　you　know；　madame；　how　Master　Hulot　and　I　first　made　acquaintance？
At　our　mistresses'；　madame。〃

〃Oh；　monsieur！〃

〃Yes；　madame；　at　our　mistresses'；〃　Crevel　repeated　in　a　melodramatic
tone；　and　leaving　his　position　to　wave　his　right　hand。

〃Well；　and　what　then？〃　said　the　Baroness　coolly；　to　Crevel's　great
amazement。

Such　mean　seducers　cannot　understand　a　great　soul。

〃I；　a　widower　five　years　since；〃　Crevel　began；　in　the　tone　of　a　man
who　has　a　story　to　tell；　〃and　not　wishing　to　marry　again　for　the　sake
of　the　daughter　I　adore；　not　choosing　either　to　cultivate　any　such
connection　in　my　own　establishment；　though　I　had　at　the　time　a　very
pretty　lady…accountant。　I　set　up；　'on　her　own　account；'　as　they　say；　a
little　sempstress　of　fifteenreally　a　miracle　of　beauty；　with　whom　I
fell　desperately　in　love。　And　in　fact；　madame；　I　asked　an　aunt　of　my
own；　my　mother's　sister；　whom　I　sent　for　from　the　country；　to　live
with　the　sweet　creature　and　keep　an　eye　on　her；　that　she　might　behave
as　well　as　might　be　in　this　ratherwhat　shall　I　sayshady？no；
delicate　position。

〃The　child；　whose　talent　for　music　was　striking；　had　masters；　she　was
educatedI　had　to　give　her　something　to　do。　Besides；　I　wished　to　be
at　once　her　father；　her　benefactor；　andwell；　out　with　ither　lover；
to　kill　two　birds　with　one　stone；　a　good　action　and　a　sweetheart。　For
five　years　I　was　very　happy。　The　girl　had　one　of　those　voices　that
make　the　fortune　of　a　theatre；　I　can　only　describe　her　by　saying　that
she　is　a　Duprez　in　petticoats。　It　cost　me　two　thousand　francs　a　year
only　to　cultivate　her　talent　as　a　singer。　She　made　me　music…mad；　I
took　a　box　at　the　opera　for　her　and　for　my　daughter；　and　went　there
alternate　evenings　with　Celestine　or　Josepha。〃

〃What；　the　famous　singer？〃

〃Yes；　madame；〃　said　Crevel　with　pride；　〃the　famous　Josepha　owes
everything　to　me。At　last；　in　1834；　when　the　child　was　twenty；
believing　that　I　had　attached　her　to　me　for　ever；　and　being　very　weak
where　she　was　concerned；　I　thought　I　would　give　her　a　little
amusement；　and　I　introduced　her　to　a　pretty　little　actress；　Jenny
Cadine；　whose　life　had　been　somewhat　like　her　own。　This　actress　also
owed　everything　to　a　protector　who　had　brought　her　up　in　leading…
strings。　That　protector　was　Baron　Hulot。〃

〃I　know　that；〃　said　the　Baroness；　in　a　calm　voice　without　the　least
agitation。

〃Bless　me！〃　cried　Crevel；　more　and　more　astounded。　〃Well！　But　do　you
know　that　your　monster　of　a　husband　took　Jenny　Cadine　in　hand　at　the
age　of　thirteen？〃

〃What　then？〃　said　the　Baroness。

〃As　Jenny　Cadine　and　Josepha　were　both　aged　twenty　when　they　first
met；〃　the　ex…tradesman　went　on；　〃the　Baron　had　been　playing　the　part
of　Louis　XV。　to　Mademoiselle　de　Romans　ever　since　1826；　and　you　were
twelve　years　younger　then〃

〃I　had　my　reasons；　monsieur；　for　leaving　Monsieur　Hulot　his　liberty。〃

〃That　falsehood；　madame；　will　surely　be　enough　to　wipe　out　every　sin
you　have　ever　committed；　and　to　open　to　you　the　gates　of　Paradise；〃
replied　Crevel；　with　a　knowing　air　that　brought　the　color　to　the
Baroness'　cheeks。　〃Sublime　and　adored　woman；　tell　that　to　those　who
will　believe　it；　but　not　to　old　Crevel；　who　has；　I　may　tell　you；
feasted　too　often　as　one　of　four　with　your　rascally　husband　not　to
know　what　your　high　merits　are！　Many　a　time　has　he　blamed　himself　when
half　tipsy　as　he　has　expatiated