cousin betty-第31章

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while　his　desires；　thus　goaded　by　Lisbeth；　rose　to　a　sort　of　madness。

〃You　may　judge　for　yourself；〃　replied　Lisbeth。　I　don't　believe　he　has
had　/that/　of　her；〃　said　she；　snapping　her　thumbnail　against　one　of
her　enormous　white　teeth；　〃and　he　has　given　her　ten　thousand　francs'
worth　of　presents　already。〃

〃What　a　good　joke　it　would　be！〃　cried　Crevel；　〃if　I　got　to　the　winning
post　first！〃

〃Good　heavens！　It　is　too　bad　of　me　to　be　telling　you　all　this　tittle…
tattle；〃　said　Lisbeth；　with　an　air　of　compunction。

〃No。I　mean　to　put　your　relations　to　the　blush。　To…morrow　I　shall
invest　in　your　name　such　a　sum　in　five…per…cents　as　will　give　you　six
hundred　francs　a　year；　but　then　you　must　tell　me　everythinghis
Dulcinea's　name　and　residence。　To　you　I　will　make　a　clean　breast　of
it。I　never　have　had　a　real　lady　for　a　mistress；　and　it　is　the　height
of　my　ambition。　Mahomet's　houris　are　nothing　in　comparison　with　what　I
fancy　a　woman　of　fashion　must　be。　In　short；　it　is　my　dream；　my　mania；
and　to　such　a　point；　that　I　declare　to　you　the　Baroness　Hulot　to　me
will　never　be　fifty；〃　said　he；　unconsciously　plagiarizing　one　of　the
greatest　wits　of　the　last　century。　〃I　assure　you；　my　good　Lisbeth；　I
am　prepared　to　sacrifice　a　hundred；　two　hundredHush！　Here　are　the
young　people；　I　see　them　crossing　the　courtyard。　I　shall　never　have
learned　anything　through　you；　I　give　you　my　word　of　honor；　for　I　do
not　want　you　to　lose　the　Baron's　confidence；　quite　the　contrary。　He
must　be　amazingly　fond　of　this　womanthat　old　boy。〃

〃He　is　crazy　about　her；〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃He　could　not　find　forty
thousand　francs　to　marry　his　daughter　off；　but　he　has　got　them　somehow
for　his　new　passion。〃

〃And　do　you　think　that　she　loves　him？〃

〃At　his　age！〃　said　the　old　maid。

〃Oh；　what　an　owl　I　am！〃　cried　Crevel；　〃when　I　myself　allowed　Heloise
to　keep　her　artist　exactly　as　Henri　IX。　allowed　Gabrielle　her
Bellegrade。　Alas！　old　age；　old　age！Good…morning；　Celestine。　How　do；
my　jewel！And　the　brat？　Ah！　here　he　comes；　on　my　honor；　he　is
beginning　to　be　like　me！Good…day；　Hulotquite　well？　We　shall　soon
be　having　another　wedding　in　the　family。〃

Celestine　and　her　husband；　as　a　hint　to　their　father；　glanced　at　the
old　maid；　who　audaciously　asked；　in　reply　to　Crevel：

〃Indeedwhose？〃

Crevel　put　on　an　air　of　reserve　which　was　meant　to　convey　that　he
would　make　up　for　her　indiscretions。

〃That　of　Hortense；〃　he　replied；　〃but　it　is　not　yet　quite　settled。　I
have　just　come　from　the　Lebas'；　and　they　were　talking　of　Mademoiselle
Popinot　as　a　suitable　match　for　their　son；　the　young　councillor；　for
he　would　like　to　get　the　presidency　of　a　provincial　court。Now；　come
to　dinner。〃



By　seven　o'clock　Lisbeth　had　returned　home　in　an　omnibus；　for　she　was
eager　to　see　Wenceslas；　whose　dupe　she　had　been　for　three　weeks；　and
to　whom　she　was　carrying　a　basket　filled　with　fruit　by　the　hands　of
Crevel　himself；　whose　attentions　were　doubled　towards　/his/　Cousin
Betty。

She　flew　up　to　the　attic　at　a　pace　that　took　her　breath　away；　and
found　the　artist　finishing　the　ornamentation　of　a　box　to　be　presented
to　the　adored　Hortense。　The　framework　of　the　lid　represented
hydrangeasin　French　called　/Hortensias/among　which　little　Loves
were　playing。　The　poor　lover；　to　enable　him　to　pay　for　the　materials
of　the　box；　of　which　the　panels　were　of　malachite；　had　designed　two
candlesticks　for　Florent　and　Chanor；　and　sold　them　the　copyrighttwo
admirable　pieces　of　work。

〃You　have　been　working　too　hard　these　last　few　days；　my　dear　fellow；〃
said　Lisbeth；　wiping　the　perspiration　from　his　brow；　and　giving　him　a
kiss。　〃Such　laborious　diligence　is　really　dangerous　in　the　month　of
August。　Seriously；　you　may　injure　your　health。　Look；　here　are　some
peaches　and　plums　from　Monsieur　Crevel。Now；　do　not　worry　yourself　so
much；　I　have　borrowed　two　thousand　francs；　and；　short　of　some
disaster；　we　can　repay　them　when　you　sell　your　clock。　At　the　same
time；　the　lender　seems　to　me　suspicious；　for　he　has　just　sent　in　this
document。〃

She　laid　the　writ　under　the　model　sketch　of　the　statue　of　General
Montcornet。

〃For　whom　are　you　making　this　pretty　thing？〃　said　she；　taking　up　the
model　sprays　of　hydrangea　in　red　wax　which　Wenceslas　had　laid　down
while　eating　the　fruit。

〃For　a　jeweler。〃

〃For　what　jeweler？〃

〃I　do　not　know。　Stidmann　asked　me　to　make　something　out　of　them；　as　he
is　very　busy。〃

〃But　these；〃　she　said　in　a　deep　voice；　〃are　/Hortensias/。　How　is　it
that　you　have　never　made　anything　in　wax　for　me？　Is　it　so　difficult　to
design　a　pin；　a　little　boxwhat　not；　as　a　keepsake？〃　and　she　shot　a
fearful　glance　at　the　artist；　whose　eyes　were　happily　lowered。　〃And
yet　you　say　you　love　me？〃

〃Can　you　doubt　it；　mademoiselle？〃

〃That　is　indeed　an　ardent　/mademoiselle/！Why；　you　have　been　my　only
thought　since　I　found　you　dyingjust　there。　When　I　saved　you；　you
vowed　you　were　mine；　I　mean　to　hold　you　to　that　pledge；　but　I　made　a
vow　to　myself！　I　said　to　myself；　'Since　the　boy　says　he　is　mine；　I
mean　to　make　him　rich　and　happy！'　Well；　and　I　can　make　your　fortune。〃

〃How？〃　said　the　hapless　artist；　at　the　height　of　joy；　and　too　artless
to　dream　of　a　snare。

〃Why；　thus；〃　said　she。

Lisbeth　could　not　deprive　herself　of　the　savage　pleasure　of　gazing　at
Wenceslas；　who　looked　up　at　her　with　filial　affection；　the　expression
really　of　his　love　for　Hortense；　which　deluded　the　old　maid。　Seeing　in
a　man's　eyes；　for　the　first　time　in　her　life；　the　blazing　torch　of
passion；　she　fancied　it　was　for　her　that　it　was　lighted。

〃Monsieur　Crevel　will　back　us　to　the　extent　of　a　hundred　thousand
francs　to　start　in　business；　if；　as　he　says；　you　will　marry　me。　He　has
queer　ideas；　has　the　worthy　man。Well；　what　do　you　say　to　it？〃　she
added。

The　artist；　as　pale　as　the　dead；　looked　at　his　benefactress　with　a
lustreless　eye；　which　plainly　spoke　his　thoughts。　He　stood　stupefied
and　open…mouthed。

〃I　never　before　was　so　distinctly　told　that　I　am　hideous；〃　said　she；
with　a　bitter　laugh。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Steinbock；　〃my　benefactress　can　never　be　ugly　in
my　eyes；　I　have　the　greatest　affection　for　you。　But　I　am　not　yet
thirty；　and〃

〃I　am　forty…three；〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃My　cousin　Adeline　is　forty…eight；
and　men　are　still　madly　in　love　with　her；　but　then　she　is　handsome
she　is！〃

〃Fifteen　years　between　us；　mademoiselle！　How　could　we　get　on　together！
For　both　our　sakes　I　think　we　should　be　wise　to　think　it　over。　My
gratitude　shall　be　fully　equal　to　your　great　kindness。And　your　money
shall　be　repaid　in　a　few　days。〃

〃My　money！〃　cried　she。　〃You　treat　me　as　if　I　were　nothing　but　an
unfeeling　usurer。〃

〃Forgive　me；〃　said　Wenceslas；　〃but　you　remind　me　of　it　so　often。
Well；　it　is　you　who　have　made　me；　do　not　crush　me。〃

〃You　mean　to　be　rid　of　me；　I　can　see；〃　said　she；　shaking　her　head。
〃Who　has　endowed　you　with　this　strength　of　ingratitudeyou　who　are　a
man　of　papier…mache？　Have　you　ceased　to　trust　meyour　good　genius？
me；　when　I　have　spent　so　many　nights　working　for　youwhen　I　have
given　you　every　franc　I　have　saved　in　my　lifetimewhen　for　four　years
I　have　shared　my　bread　with　you；　the　bread　of　a　hard…worked　woman；　and
given　you　all　I　had；　to　my　very　courage。〃

〃Mademoiselleno　more；　no　more！〃　he　cried；　kneeling　before　her　with
uplifted　hands。　〃Say　not　another　word！　In　three　days　I　will　tell　you；
you　shall　know　all。Let　me；　let　me　be　happy；〃　and　he　kissed　her
hands。　〃I　loveand　I　am　loved。〃

〃Well；　well；　my　child；　be　happy；〃　she　said；　lifting　him　up。　And　she
kissed　his　forehead　and　hair　with　the　eagerness　that　a　man　condemned
to　death　must　feel　as　he　lives　through　the　last　morning。

〃Ah！　you　are　of　all　creatures　the　noblest　and　best！　You　are　a　match
for　the　woman　I　love；〃　said　the　poor　artist。

〃I　love　you　well　enough　to　tremble　for　your　future　fate；〃　said　she
gloomily。　〃Judas　hanged　himselfthe　ungrateful　always　come　to　a　bad
end！　You　are　deserting　me；　and　you　will　never　again　do　any　good　work。
Consider　whether；　without　being　marriedfor　I　know　I　am　an　old　maid；
and　I　do　not　want　to　smother　the　blossom　of　your　youth；　your　poetry；
as　you　call　it；　in　my　arms；　that　are　like　vine…stocksbut　whether；
without　being　married；　we　could　not　get　on　toge