cousin betty-第30章

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harm；　but　I　do　wish　to　have　my　revenge；　and　I　will　have　it。　It　is　my
one　idea。〃

〃And　is　that　desire　the　reason　why　you　no　longer　visit　Madame　Hulot？〃

〃Possibly。〃

〃Ah；　ha！　then　you　were　courting　my　fair　cousin？〃　said　Lisbeth；　with　a
smile。　〃I　thought　as　much。〃

〃And　she　treated　me　like　a　dog！worse；　like　a　footman；　nay；　I　might
say　like　a　political　prisoner。But　I　will　succeed　yet；〃　said　he；
striking　his　brow　with　his　clenched　fist。

〃Poor　man！　It　would　be　dreadful　to　catch　his　wife　deceiving　him　after
being　packed　off　by　his　mistress。〃

〃Josepha？〃　cried　Crevel。　〃Has　Josepha　thrown　him　over；　packed　him　off；
turned　him　out　neck　and　crop？　Bravo；　Josepha；　you　have　avenged　me！　I
will　send　you　a　pair　of　pearls　to　hang　in　your　ears；　my　ex…sweetheart！
I　knew　nothing　of　it；　for　after　I　had　seen　you；　on　the　day　after
that　when　the　fair　Adeline　had　shown　me　the　door；　I　went　back　to　visit
the　Lebas；　at　Corbeil；　and　have　but　just　come　back。　Heloise　played　the
very　devil　to　get　me　into　the　country；　and　I　have　found　out　the
purpose　of　her　game；　she　wanted　me　out　of　the　way　while　she　gave　a
house…warming　in　the　Rue　Chauchat；　with　some　artists；　and　players；　and
writers。She　took　me　in！　But　I　can　forgive　her；　for　Heloise　amuses
me。　She　is　a　Dejazet　under　a　bushel。　What　a　character　the　hussy　is！
There　is　the　note　I　found　last　evening：

　　〃　'DEAR　OLD　CHAP；I　have　pitched　my　tent　in　the　Rue　Chauchat。　I
　　have　taken　the　precaution　of　getting　a　few　friends　to　clean　up　the
　　paint。　All　is　well。　Come　when　you　please；　monsieur；　Hagar　awaits
　　her　Abraham。'

〃Heloise　will　have　some　news　for　me；　for　she　has　her　bohemia　at　her
fingers'　end。〃

〃But　Monsieur　Hulot　took　the　disaster　very　calmly；〃　said　Lisbeth。

〃Impossible！〃　cried　Crevel；　stopping　in　a　parade　as　regular　as　the
swing　of　a　pendulum。

〃Monsieur　Hulot　is　not　as　young　as　he　was；〃　Lisbeth　remarked
significantly。

〃I　know　that；〃　said　Crevel；　〃but　in　one　point　we　are　alike：　Hulot
cannot　do　without　an　attachment。　He　is　capable　of　going　back　to　his
wife。　It　would　be　a　novelty　for　him；　but　an　end　to　my　vengeance。　You
smile；　Mademoiselle　Fischerah！　perhaps　you　know　something？〃

〃I　am　smiling　at　your　notions；〃　replied　Lisbeth。　〃Yes；　my　cousin　is
still　handsome　enough　to　inspire　a　passion。　I　should　certainly　fall　in
love　with　her　if　I　were　a　man。〃

〃Cut　and　come　again！〃　exclaimed　Crevel。　〃You　are　laughing　at　me。The
Baron　has　already　found　consolation？〃

Lisbeth　bowed　affirmatively。

〃He　is　a　lucky　man　if　he　can　find　a　second　Josepha　within　twenty…four
hours！〃　said　Crevel。　〃But　I　am　not　altogether　surprised；　for　he　told
me　one　evening　at　supper　that　when　he　was　a　young　man　he　always　had
three　mistresses　on　hand　that　he　might　not　be　left　high　and　drythe
one　he　was　giving　over；　the　one　in　possession；　and　the　one　he　was
courting　for　a　future　emergency。　He　had　some　smart　little　work…woman
in　reserve；　no　doubtin　his　fish…pondhis　/Parc…aux…cerfs/！　He　is
very　Louis　XV。；　is　my　gentleman。　He　is　in　luck　to　be　so　handsome！
However；　he　is　ageing；　his　face　shows　it。He　has　taken　up　with　some
little　milliner？〃

〃Dear　me；　no；〃　replied　Lisbeth。

〃Oh！〃　cried　Crevel；　〃what　would　I　not　do　to　hinder　him　from　hanging　up
his　hat！　I　could　not　win　back　Josepha；　women　of　that　kind　never　come
back　to　their　first　love。Besides；　it　is　truly　said；　such　a　return　is
not　love。But；　Cousin　Betty；　I　would　pay　down　fifty　thousand　francs
that　is　to　say；　I　would　spend　itto　rob　that　great　good…looking
fellow　of　his　mistress；　and　to　show　him　that　a　Major　with　a　portly
stomach　and　a　brain　made　to　become　Mayor　of　Paris；　though　he　is　a
grandfather；　is　not　to　have　his　mistress　tickled　away　by　a　poacher
without　turning　the　tables。〃

〃My　position；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃compels　me　to　hear　everything　and　know
nothing。　You　may　talk　to　me　without　fear；　I　never　repeat　a　word　of
what　any　one　may　choose　to　tell　me。　How　can　you　suppose　I　should　ever
break　that　rule　of　conduct？　No　one　would　ever　trust　me　again。〃

〃I　know；〃　said　Crevel；　〃you　are　the　very　jewel　of　old　maids。　Still；
come；　there　are　exceptions。　Look　here；　the　family　have　never　settled
an　allowance　on　you？〃

〃But　I　have　my　pride；〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃I　do　not　choose　to　be　an　expense
to　anybody。〃

〃If　you　will　but　help　me　to　my　revenge；〃　the　tradesman　went　on；　〃I
will　sink　ten　thousand　francs　in　an　annuity　for　you。　Tell　me；　my　fair
cousin；　tell　me　who　has　stepped　into　Josepha's　shoes；　and　you　will
have　money　to　pay　your　rent；　your　little　breakfast　in　the　morning；　the
good　coffee　you　love　so　wellyou　might　allow　yourself　pure　Mocha；
heh！　And　a　very　good　thing　is　pure　Mocha！〃

〃I　do　not　care　so　much　for　the　ten　thousand　francs　in　an　annuity；
which　would　bring　me　nearly　five　hundred　francs　a　year；　as　for
absolute　secrecy；〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃For；　you　see；　my　dear　Monsieur
Crevel；　the　Baron　is　very　good　to　me；　he　is　to　pay　my　rent〃

〃Oh　yes；　long　may　that　last！　I　advise　you　to　trust　him；〃　cried　Crevel。
〃Where　will　he　find　the　money？〃

〃Ah；　that　I　don't　know。　At　the　same　time；　he　is　spending　more　than
thirty　thousand　francs　on　the　rooms　he　is　furnishing　for　this　little
lady。〃

〃A　lady！　What；　a　woman　in　society；　the　rascal；　what　luck　he　has！　He　is
the　only　favorite！〃

〃A　married　woman；　and　quite　the　lady；〃　Lisbeth　affirmed。

〃Really　and　truly？〃　cried　Crevel；　opening　wide　eyes　flashing　with
envy；　quite　as　much　as　at　the　magic　words　/quite　the　lady/。

〃Yes；　really；〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃Clever；　a　musician；　three…and…twenty；　a
pretty；　innocent　face；　a　dazzling　white　skin；　teeth　like　a　puppy's；
eyes　like　stars；　a　beautiful　foreheadand　tiny　feet；　I　never　saw　the
like；　they　are　not　wider　than　her　stay…busk。〃

〃And　ears？〃　asked　Crevel；　keenly　alive　to　this　catalogue　of　charms。

〃Ears　for　a　model；〃　she　replied。

〃And　small　hands？〃

〃I　tell　you；　in　few　words；　a　gem　of　a　womanand　high…minded；　and
modest；　and　refined！　A　beautiful　soul；　an　angeland　with　every
distinction；　for　her　father　was　a　Marshal　of　France〃

〃A　Marshal　of　France！〃　shrieked　Crevel；　positively　bounding　with
excitement。　〃Good　Heavens！　by　the　Holy　Piper！　By　all　the　joys　in
Paradise！The　rascal！I　beg　your　pardon；　Cousin；　I　am　going　crazy！
I　think　I　would　give　a　hundred　thousand　francs〃

〃I　dare　say　you　would；　and；　I　tell　you；　she　is　a　respectable　womana
woman　of　virtue。　The　Baron　has　forked　out　handsomely。〃

〃He　has　not　a　sou；　I　tell　you。〃

〃There　is　a　husband　he　has　pushed〃

〃Where　did　he　push　him？〃　asked　Crevel；　with　a　bitter　laugh。

〃He　is　promoted　to　be　second　in　his　officethis　husband　who　will
oblige；　no　doubt；and　his　name　is　down　for　the　Cross　of　the　Legion　of
Honor。〃

〃The　Government　ought　to　be　judicious　and　respect　those　who　have　the
Cross　by　not　flinging　it　broadcast；〃　said　Crevel；　with　the　look　of　an
aggrieved　politician。　〃But　what　is　there　about　the　manthat　old
bulldog　of　a　Baron？〃　he　went　on。　〃It　seems　to　me　that　I　am　quite　a
match　for　him；〃　and　he　struck　an　attitude　as　he　looked　at　himself　in
the　glass。　〃Heloise　has　told　me　many　a　time；　at　moments　when　a　woman
speaks　the　truth；　that　I　was　wonderful。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃women　like　big　men；　they　are　almost　always　good…
natured；　and　if　I　had　to　decide　between　you　and　the　Baron；　I　should
choose　you。　Monsieur　Hulot　is　amusing；　handsome；　and　has　a　figure；　but
you；　you　are　substantial；　and　thenyou　seeyou　look　an　even　greater
scamp　than　he　does。〃

〃It　is　incredible　how　all　women；　even　pious　women；　take　to　men　who
have　that　about　them！〃　exclaimed　Crevel；　putting　his　arm　round
Lisbeth's　waist；　he　was　so　jubilant。

〃The　difficulty　does　not　lie　there；〃　said　Betty。　〃You　must　see　that　a
woman　who　is　getting　so　many　advantages　will　not　be　unfaithful　to　her
patron　for　nothing；　and　it　would　cost　you　more　than　a　hundred　odd
thousand　francs；　for　our　little　friend　can　look　forward　to　seeing　her
husband　at　the　head　of　his　office　within　two　years'　time。It　is
poverty　that　is　dragging　the　poor　little　angel　into　that　pit。〃

Crevel　was　striding　up　and　down　the　drawing…room　in　a　state　of　frenzy。

〃He　must　be　uncommonly　fond　of　the　woman？〃　he　inquired　after　a　pause；
while　his　desires；　thus　goaded　by　Lisbeth；　rose　to　a　sort　of　madness。

〃You　may　judge　for　yourself；