cousin betty-第35章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


said　Hulot；　producing　the　document　form　his　pocket。

〃But　if　you　should　lose　your　place？〃　said　the　millionaire　Baron；
laughing。

The　other　Baronnot　a　millionairelooked　grave。

〃Be　quite　easy；　I　only　raised　the　question　to　show　you　that　I　was　not
devoid　of　merit　in　handing　you　the　sum。　Are　you　so　short　of　cash？　for
the　Bank　will　take　your　signature。〃

〃My　daughter　is　to　be　married；〃　said　Baron　Hulot；　〃and　I　have　no
fortunelike　every　one　else　who　remains　in　office　in　these　thankless
times；　when　five　hundred　ordinary　men　seated　on　benches　will　never
reward　the　men　who　devote　themselves　to　the　service　as　handsomely　as
the　Emperor　did。〃

〃Well；　well；　but　you　had　Josepha　on　your　hands！〃　replied　Nucingen；
〃and　that　accounts　for　everything。　Between　ourselves；　the　Duc
d'Herouville　has　done　you　a　very　good　turn　by　removing　that　leech　from
sucking　your　purse　dry。　'I　have　known　what　that　is；　and　can　pity　your
case；'　〃　he　quoted。　〃Take　a　friend's　advice：　Shut　up　shop；　or　you　will
be　done　for。〃

This　dirty　business　was　carried　out　in　the　name　of　one　Vauvinet；　a
small　money…lender；　one　of　those　jobbers　who　stand　forward　to　screen
great　banking　houses；　like　the　little　fish　that　is　said　to　attend　the
shark。　This　stock…jobber's　apprentice　was　so　anxious　to　gain　the
patronage　of　Monsieur　le　Baron　Hulot；　that　he　promised　the　great　man
to　negotiate　bills　of　exchange　for　thirty　thousand　francs　at　eighty
days；　and　pledged　himself　to　renew　them　four　times；　and　never　pass
them　out　of　his　hands。

Fischer's　successor　was　to　pay　forty　thousand　francs　for　the　house　and
the　business；　with　the　promise　that　he　should　supply　forage　to　a
department　close　to　Paris。

This　was　the　desperate　maze　of　affairs　into　which　a　man　who　had
hitherto　been　absolutely　honest　was　led　by　his　passionsone　of　the
best　administrative　officials　under　Napoleonpeculation　to　pay　the
money…lenders；　and　borrowing　of　the　money…lenders　to　gratify　his
passions　and　provide　for　his　daughter。　All　the　efforts　of　this
elaborate　prodigality　were　directed　at　making　a　display　before　Madame
Marneffe；　and　to　playing　Jupiter　to　this　middle…class　Danae。　A　man
could　not　expend　more　activity；　intelligence；　and　presence　of　mind　in
the　honest　acquisition　of　a　fortune　than　the　Baron　displayed　in
shoving　his　head　into　a　wasp's　nest：　He　did　all　the　business　of　his
department；　he　hurried　on　the　upholsterers；　he　talked　to　the　workmen；
he　kept　a　sharp　lookout　on　the　smallest　details　of　the　house　in　the
Rue　Vanneau。　Wholly　devoted　to　Madame　Marneffe；　he　nevertheless
attended　the　sittings　of　the　Chambers；　he　was　everywhere　at　once；　and
neither　his　family　nor　anybody　else　discovered　where　his　thoughts
were。

Adeline；　quite　amazed　to　hear　that　her　uncle　was　rescued；　and　to　see　a
handsome　sum　figure　in　the　marriage…contract；　was　not　altogether　easy；
in　spite　of　her　joy　at　seeing　her　daughter　married　under　such
creditable　circumstances。　But；　on　the　day　before　the　wedding；　fixed　by
the　Baron　to　coincide　with　Madame　Marneffe's　removal　to　her　new
apartment；　Hector　allayed　his　wife's　astonishment　by　this　ministerial
communication：

〃Now；　Adeline；　our　girl　is　married；　all　our　anxieties　on　the　subject
are　at　an　end。　The　time　is　come　for　us　to　retire　from　the　world：　I
shall　not　remain　in　office　more　than　three　years　longeronly　the　time
necessary　to　secure　my　pension。　Why；　henceforth；　should　we　be　at　any
unnecessary　expense？　Our　apartment　costs　us　six　thousand　francs　a　year
in　rent；　we　have　four　servants；　we　eat　thirty　thousand　francs'　worth
of　food　in　a　year。　If　you　want　me　to　pay　off　my　billsfor　I　have
pledged　my　salary　for　the　sums　I　needed　to　give　Hortense　her　little
money；　and　pay　off　your　uncle〃

〃You　did　very　right！〃　said　she；　interrupting　her　husband；　and　kissing
his　hands。

This　explanation　relieved　Adeline　of　all　her　fears。

〃I　shall　have　to　ask　some　little　sacrifices　of　you；〃　he　went　on；
disengaging　his　hands　and　kissing　his　wife's　brow。　〃I　have　found　in
the　Rue　Plumet　a　very　good　flat　on　the　first　floor；　handsome；
splendidly　paneled；　at　only　fifteen　hundred　francs　a　year；　where　you
would　only　need　one　woman　to　wait　on　you；　and　I　could　be　quite　content
with　a　boy。〃

〃Yes；　my　dear。〃

〃If　we　keep　house　in　a　quiet　way；　keeping　up　a　proper　appearance　of
course；　we　should　not　spend　more　than　six　thousand　francs　a　year；
excepting　my　private　account；　which　I　will　provide　for。〃

The　generous…hearted　woman　threw　her　arms　round　her　husband's　neck　in
her　joy。

〃How　happy　I　shall　be；　beginning　again　to　show　you　how　truly　I　love
you！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃And　what　a　capital　manager　you　are！〃

〃We　will　have　the　children　to　dine　with　us　once　a　week。　I；　as　you
know；　rarely　dine　at　home。　You　can　very　well　dine　twice　a　week　with
Victorin　and　twice　a　week　with　Hortense。　And；　as　I　believe；　I　may
succeed　in　making　matters　up　completely　between　Crevel　and　us；　we　can
dine　once　a　week　with　him。　These　five　dinners　and　our　own　at　home　will
fill　up　the　week　all　but　one　day；　supposing　that　we　may　occasionally
be　invited　to　dine　elsewhere。〃

〃I　shall　save　a　great　deal　for　you；〃　said　Adeline。

〃Oh！〃　he　cried；　〃you　are　the　pearl　of　women！〃

〃My　kind；　divine　Hector；　I　shall　bless　you　with　my　latest　breath；〃
said　she；　〃for　you　have　done　well　for　my　dear　Hortense。〃

This　was　the　beginning　of　the　end　of　the　beautiful　Madame　Hulot's
home；　and；　it　may　be　added；　of　her　being　totally　neglected；　as　Hulot
had　solemnly　promised　Madame　Marneffe。

Crevel；　the　important　and　burly；　being　invited　as　a　matter　of　course
to　the　party　given　for　the　signing　of　the　marriage…contract；　behaved
as　though　the　scene　with　which　this　drama　opened　had　never　taken
place；　as　though　he　had　no　grievance　against　the　Baron。　Celestin
Crevel　was　quite　amiable；　he　was　perhaps　rather　too　much　the
ex…perfumer；　but　as　a　Major　he　was　beginning　to　acquire　majestic
dignity。　He　talked　of　dancing　at　the　wedding。

〃Fair　lady；〃　said　he　politely　to　the　Baroness；　〃people　like　us　know
how　to　forget。　Do　not　banish　me　from　your　home；　honor　me；　pray；　by
gracing　my　house　with　your　presence　now　and　then　to　meet　your
children。　Be　quite　easy；　I　will　never　say　anything　of　what　lies　buried
at　the　bottom　of　my　heart。　I　behaved；　indeed；　like　an　idiot；　for　I
should　lose　too　much　by　cutting　myself　off　from　seeing　you。〃

〃Monsieur；　an　honest　woman　has　no　ears　for　such　speeches　as　those　you
refer　to。　If　you　keep　your　word；　you　need　not　doubt　that　it　will　give
me　pleasure　to　see　the　end　of　a　coolness　which　must　always　be　painful
in　a　family。〃

〃Well；　you　sulky　old　fellow；〃　said　Hulot；　dragging　Crevel　out　into　the
garden；　〃you　avoid　me　everywhere；　even　in　my　own　house。　Are　two
admirers　of　the　fair　sex　to　quarrel　for　ever　over　a　petticoat？　Come；
this　is　really　too　plebeian！〃

〃I；　monsieur；　am　not　such　a　fine　man　as　you　are；　and　my　small
attractions　hinder　me　from　repairing　my　losses　so　easily　as　you
can〃

〃Sarcastic！〃　said　the　Baron。

〃Irony　is　allowable　from　the　vanquished　to　the　conquerer。〃

The　conversation；　begun　in　this　strain；　ended　in　a　complete
reconciliation；　still　Crevel　maintained　his　right　to　take　his　revenge。



Madame　Marneffe　particularly　wished　to　be　invited　to　Mademoiselle
Hulot's　wedding。　To　enable　him　to　receive　his　future　mistress　in　his
drawing…room；　the　great　official　was　obliged　to　invite　all　the　clerks
of　his　division　down　to　the　deputy　head…clerks　inclusive。　Thus　a　grand
ball　was　a　necessity。　The　Baroness；　as　a　prudent　housewife；　calculated
that　an　evening　party　would　cost　less　than　a　dinner；　and　allow　of　a
larger　number　of　invitations；　so　Hortense's　wedding　was　much　talked
about。

Marshal　Prince　Wissembourg　and　the　Baron　de　Nucingen　signed　in　behalf
of　the　bride；　the　Comtes　de　Rastignac　and　Popinot　in　behalf　of
Steinbock。　Then；　as　the　highest　nobility　among　the　Polish　emigrants
had　been　civil　to　Count　Steinbock　since　he　had　become　famous；　the
artist　thought　himself　bound　to　invite　them。　The　State　Council；　and
the　War　Office　to　which　the　Baron　belonged；　and　the　army；　anxious　to
do　honor　to　the　Comte　de　Forzheim；　were　all　represented　by　their
magnates。　There　were　nearly　two　hundred　indispensable　invitations。　How
natural；　then；　that　litt