cousin betty-第33章

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content；　and　congratulated　Wenceslas　on　his　happiness。

〃You　bad　boy！〃　said　she；　before　Hortense　and　her　mother；　〃if　you　had
only　told　me　the　evening　before　last　that　you　loved　my　cousin
Hortense；　and　that　she　loved　you；　you　would　have　spared　me　many　tears。
I　thought　that　you　were　deserting　your　old　friend；　your　governess；
while；　on　the　contrary；　you　are　to　become　my　cousin；　henceforth；　you
will　be　connected　with　me；　remotely；　it　is　true；　but　by　ties　that
amply　justify　the　feelings　I　have　for　you。〃　And　she　kissed　Wenceslas
on　the　forehead。

Hortense　threw　herself　into　Lisbeth's　arms　and　melted　into　tears。

〃I　owe　my　happiness　to　you；〃　said　she；　〃and　I　will　never　forget　it。〃

〃Cousin　Betty；〃　said　the　Baroness；　embracing　Lisbeth　in　her　excitement
at　seeing　matters　so　happily　settled；　〃the　Baron　and　I　owe　you　a　debt
of　gratitude；　and　we　will　pay　it。　Come　and　talk　things　over　with　me；〃
she　added；　leading　her　away。

So　Lisbeth；　to　all　appearances；　was　playing　the　part　of　a　good　angel
to　the　whole　family；　she　was　adored　by　Crevel　and　Hulot；　by　Adeline
and　Hortense。

〃We　wish　you　to　give　up　working；〃　said　the　Baroness。　〃If　you　earn
forty　sous　a　day；　Sundays　excepted；　that　makes　six　hundred　francs　a
year。　Well；　then；　how　much　have　you　saved？〃

〃Four　thousand　five　hundred　francs。〃

〃Poor　Betty！〃　said　her　cousin。

She　raised　her　eyes　to　heaven；　so　deeply　was　she　moved　at　the　thought
of　all　the　labor　and　privation　such　a　sum　must　represent　accumulated
during　thirty　years。

Lisbeth；　misunderstanding　the　meaning　of　the　exclamation；　took　it　as
the　ironical　pity　of　the　successful　woman；　and　her　hatred　was
strengthened　by　a　large　infusion　of　venom　at　the　very　moment　when　her
cousin　had　cast　off　her　last　shred　of　distrust　of　the　tyrant　of　her
childhood。

〃We　will　add　ten　thousand　five　hundred　francs　to　that　sum；〃　said
Adeline；　〃and　put　it　in　trust　so　that　you　shall　draw　the　interest　for
life　with　reversion　to　Hortense。　Thus；　you　will　have　six　hundred
francs　a　year。〃

Lisbeth　feigned　the　utmost　satisfaction。　When　she　went　in；　her
handkerchief　to　her　eyes；　wiping　away　tears　of　joy；　Hortense　told　her
of　all　the　favors　being　showered　on　Wenceslas；　beloved　of　the　family。

So　when　the　Baron　came　home；　he　found　his　family　all　present；　for　the
Baroness　had　formally　accepted　Wenceslas　by　the　title　of　Son；　and　the
wedding　was　fixed；　if　her　husband　should　approve；　for　a　day　a
fortnight　hence。　The　moment　he　came　into　the　drawing…room；　Hulot　was
rushed　at　by　his　wife　and　daughter；　who　ran　to　meet　him；　Adeline　to
speak　to　him　privately；　and　Hortense　to　kiss　him。

〃You　have　gone　too　far　in　pledging　me　to　this；　madame；〃　said　the　Baron
sternly。　〃You　are　not　married　yet；〃　he　added　with　a　look　at　Steinbock；
who　turned　pale。

〃He　has　heard　of　my　imprisonment；〃　said　the　luckless　artist　to
himself。

〃Come；　children；〃　said　he；　leading　his　daughter　and　the　young　man　into
the　garden；　they　all　sat　down　on　the　moss…eaten　seat　in　the　summer…
house。

〃Monsieur　le　Comte；　do　you　love　my　daughter　as　well　as　I　loved　her
mother？〃　he　asked。

〃More；　monsieur；〃　said　the　sculptor。

〃Her　mother　was　a　peasant's　daughter；　and　had　not　a　farthing　of　her
own。〃

〃Only　give　me　Mademoiselle　Hortense　just　as　she　is；　without　a
trousseau　even〃

〃So　I　should　think！〃　said　the　Baron；　smiling。　〃Hortense　is　the
daughter　of　the　Baron　Hulot　d'Ervy；　Councillor　of　State；　high　up　in
the　War　Office；　Grand　Commander　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；　and　the
brother　to　Count　Hulot；　whose　glory　is　immortal；　and　who　will　ere　long
be　Marshal　of　France！　Andshe　has　a　marriage　portion。

〃It　is　true；〃　said　the　impassioned　artist。　〃I　must　seem　very
ambitious。　But　if　my　dear　Hortense　were　a　laborer's　daughter；　I　would
marry　her〃

〃That　is　just　what　I　wanted　to　know；〃　replied　the　Baron。　〃Run　away；
Hortense；　and　leave　me　to　talk　business　with　Monsieur　le　Comte。He
really　loves　you；　you　see！〃

〃Oh；　papa；　I　was　sure　you　were　only　in　jest；〃　said　the　happy　girl。

〃My　dear　Steinbock；〃　said　the　Baron；　with　elaborate　grace　of　diction
and　the　most　perfect　manners；　as　soon　as　he　and　the　artist　were　alone；
〃I　promised　my　son　a　fortune　of　two　hundred　thousand　francs；　of　which
the　poor　boy　has　never　had　a　sou；　and　he　never　will　get　any　of　it。　My
daughter's　fortune　will　also　be　two　hundred　thousand　francs；　for　which
you　will　give　a　receipt〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur　le　Baron。〃

〃You　go　too　fast；〃　said　Hulot。　〃Have　the　goodness　to　hear　me　out。　I
cannot　expect　from　a　son…in…law　such　devotion　as　I　look　for　from　my
son。　My　son　knew　exactly　all　I　could　and　would　do　for　his　future
promotion：　he　will　be　a　Minister；　and　will　easily　make　good　his　two
hundred　thousand　francs。　But　with　you；　young　man；　matters　are
different。　I　shall　give　you　a　bond　for　sixty　thousand　francs　in　State
funds　at　five　per　cent；　in　your　wife's　name。　This　income　will　be
diminished　by　a　small　charge　in　the　form　of　an　annuity　to　Lisbeth；　but
she　will　not　live　long；　she　is　consumptive；　I　know。　Tell　no　one；　it　is
a　secret；　let　the　poor　soul　die　in　peace。My　daughter　will　have　a
trousseau　worth　twenty　thousand　francs；　her　mother　will　give　her　six
thousand　francs　worth　of　diamonds。

〃Monsieur；　you　overpower　me！〃　said　Steinbock；　quite　bewildered。

〃As　to　the　remaining　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　francs〃

〃Say　no　more；　monsieur；〃　said　Wenceslas。　〃I　ask　only　for　my　beloved
Hortense〃

〃Will　you　listen　to　me；　effervescent　youth！As　to　the　remaining
hundred　and　twenty　thousand　francs；　I　have　not　got　them；　but　you　will
have　them〃

〃Monsieur？〃

〃You　will　get　them　from　the　Government；　in　payment　for　commissions
which　I　will　secure　for　you；　I　pledge　you　my　word　of　honor。　You　are　to
have　a　studio；　you　see；　at　the　Government　depot。　Exhibit　a　few　fine
statues；　and　I　will　get　you　received　at　the　Institute。　The　highest
personages　have　a　regard　for　my　brother　and　for　me；　and　I　hope　to
succeed　in　securing　for　you　a　commission　for　sculpture　at　Versailles
up　to　a　quarter　of　the　whole　sum。　You　will　have　orders　from　the　City
of　Paris　and　from　the　Chamber　of　Peers；　in　short；　my　dear　fellow；　you
will　have　so　many　that　you　will　be　obliged　to　get　assistants。　In　that
way　I　shall　pay　off　my　debt　to　you。　You　must　say　whether　this　way　of
giving　a　portion　will　suit　you；　whether　you　are　equal　to　it。〃

〃I　am　equal　to　making　a　fortune　for　my　wife　single…handed　if　all　else
failed！〃　cried　the　artist…nobleman。

〃That　is　what　I　admire！〃　cried　the　Baron。　〃High…minded　youth　that
fears　nothing。　Come；〃　he　added；　clasping　hands　with　the　young　sculptor
to　conclude　the　bargain；　〃you　have　my　consent。　We　will　sign　the
contract　on　Sunday　next；　and　the　wedding　shall　be　on　the　following
Saturday；　my　wife's　fete…day。〃

〃It　is　alright；〃　said　the　Baroness　to　her　daughter；　who　stood　glued　to
the　window。　〃Your　suitor　and　your　father　are　embracing　each　other。〃

On　going　home　in　the　evening；　Wenceslas　found　the　solution　of　the
mystery　of　his　release。　The　porter　handed　him　a　thick　sealed　packet；
containing　the　schedule　of　his　debts；　with　a　signed　receipt　affixed　at
the　bottom　of　the　writ；　and　accompanied　by　this　letter：

　　〃MY　DEAR　WENCESLAS；I　went　to　fetch　you　at　ten　o'clock　this
　　morning　to　introduce　you　to　a　Royal　Highness　who　wishes　to　see
　　you。　There　I　learned　that　the　duns　had　had　you　conveyed　to　a
　　certain　little　domainchief　town；　/Clichy　Castle/。

　　〃So　off　I　went　to　Leon　de　Lora；　and　told　him；　for　a　joke；　that　you
　　could　not　leave　your　country　quarters　for　lack　of　four　thousand
　　francs；　and　that　you　would　spoil　your　future　prospects　if　you　did
　　not　make　your　bow　to　your　royal　patron。　Happily；　Bridau　was　there
　　a　man　of　genius；　who　has　known　what　it　is　to　be　poor；　and　has
　　heard　your　story。　My　boy；　between　them　they　have　found　the　money；
　　and　I　went　off　to　pay　the　Turk　who　committed　treason　against
　　genius　by　putting　you　in　quod。　As　I　had　to　be　at　the　Tuileries　at
　　noon；　I　could　not　wait　to　see　you　sniffing　the　outer　air。　I　know
　　you　to　be　a　gentleman；　and　I　answered　for　you　to　my　two　friends
　　but　look　them　up　to…morrow。

　　〃Leon　and　Bridau　do　not　want　your　cash；　they　will　ask　you　to　do
　　them　each　a　groupand　they　are　right。　At　least；　so　thinks　the　man
　　who　w