cousin betty-第36章

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magnates。　There　were　nearly　two　hundred　indispensable　invitations。　How
natural；　then；　that　little　Madame　Marneffe　was　bent　on　figuring　in　all
her　glory　amid　such　an　assembly。　The　Baroness　had；　a　month　since；　sold
her　diamonds　to　set　up　her　daughter's　house；　while　keeping　the　finest
for　the　trousseau。　The　sale　realized　fifteen　thousand　francs；　of　which
five　thousand　were　sunk　in　Hortense's　clothes。　And　what　was　ten
thousand　francs　for　the　furniture　of　the　young　folks'　apartment；
considering　the　demands　of　modern　luxury？　However；　young　Monsieur　and
Madame　Hulot；　old　Crevel；　and　the　Comte　de　Forzheim　made　very　handsome
presents；　for　the　old　soldier　had　set　aside　a　sum　for　the　purchase　of
plate。　Thanks　to　these　contributions；　even　an　exacting　Parisian　would
have　been　pleased　with　the　rooms　the　young　couple　had　taken　in　the　Rue
Saint…Dominique；　near　the　Invalides。　Everything　seemed　in　harmony　with
their　love；　pure；　honest；　and　sincere。

At　last　the　great　day　dawnedfor　it　was　to　be　a　great　day　not　only
for　Wenceslas　and　Hortense；　but　for　old　Hulot　too。　Madame　Marneffe　was
to　give　a　house…warming　in　her　new　apartment　the　day　after　becoming
Hulot's　mistress　/en　titre/；　and　after　the　marriage　of　the　lovers。

Who　but　has　once　in　his　life　been　a　guest　at　a　wedding…ball？　Every
reader　can　refer　to　his　reminiscences；　and　will　probably　smile　as　he
calls　up　the　images　of　all　that　company　in　their　Sunday…best　faces　as
well　as　their　finest　frippery。

If　any　social　event　can　prove　the　influence　of　environment；　is　it　not
this？　In　fact；　the　Sunday…best　mood　of　some　reacts　so　effectually　on
the　rest　that　the　men　who　are　most　accustomed　to　wearing　full　dress
look　just　like　those　to　whom　the　party　is　a　high　festival；　unique　in
their　life。　And　think　too　of　the　serious　old　men　to　whom　such　things
are　so　completely　a　matter　of　indifference；　that　they　are　wearing
their　everyday　black　coats；　the　long…married　men；　whose　faces　betray
their　sad　experience　of　the　life　the　young　pair　are　but　just　entering
on；　and　the　lighter　elements；　present　as　carbonic…acid　gas　is　in
champagne；　and　the　envious　girls；　the　women　absorbed　in　wondering　if
their　dress　is　a　success；　the　poor　relations　whose　parsimonious　〃get…
up〃　contrasts　with　that　of　the　officials　in　uniform；　and　the　greedy
ones；　thinking　only　of　the　supper；　and　the　gamblers；　thinking　only　of
cards。

There　are　some　of　every　sort；　rich　and　poor；　envious　and　envied；
philosophers　and　dreamers；　all　grouped　like　the　plants　in　a　flower…bed
round　the　rare；　choice　blossom；　the　bride。　A　wedding…ball　is　an
epitome　of　the　world。

At　the　liveliest　moment　of　the　evening　Crevel　led　the　Baron　aside；　and
said　in　a　whisper；　with　the　most　natural　manner　possible：

〃By　Jove！　that's　a　pretty　womanthe　little　lady　in　pink　who　has
opened　a　racking　fire　on　you　from　her　eyes。〃

〃Which？〃

〃The　wife　of　that　clerk　you　are　promoting；　heaven　knows　how！Madame
Marneffe。〃

〃What　do　you　know　about　it？〃

〃Listen；　Hulot；　I　will　try　to　forgive　you　the　ill　you　have　done　me　if
only　you　will　introduce　me　to　herI　will　take　you　to　Heloise。
Everybody　is　asking　who　is　that　charming　creature。　Are　you　sure　that
it　will　strike　no　one　how　and　why　her　husband's　appointment　got　itself
signed？You　happy　rascal；　she　is　worth　a　whole　office。I　would　serve
in　her　office　only　too　gladly。Come；　cinna；　let　us　be　friends。〃

〃Better　friends　than　ever；〃　said　the　Baron　to　the　perfumer；　〃and　I
promise　you　I　will　be　a　good　fellow。　Within　a　month　you　shall　dine
with　that　little　angel。For　it　is　an　angel　this　time；　old　boy。　And　I
advise　you；　like　me；　to　have　done　with　the　devils。〃

Cousin　Betty；　who　had　moved　to　the　Rue　Vanneau；　into　a　nice　little
apartment　on　the　third　floor；　left　the　ball　at　ten　o'clock；　but　came
back　to　see　with　her　own　eyes　the　two　bonds　bearing　twelve　hundred
francs　interest；　one　of　them　was　the　property　of　the　Countess
Steinbock；　the　other　was　in　the　name　of　Madame　Hulot。

It　is　thus　intelligible　that　Monsieur　Crevel　should　have　spoken　to
Hulot　about　Madame　Marneffe；　as　knowing　what　was　a　secret　to　the　rest
of　the　world；　for；　as　Monsieur　Marneffe　was　away；　no　one　but　Lisbeth
Fischer；　besides　the　Baron　and　Valerie；　was　initiated　into　the
mystery。

The　Baron　had　made　a　blunder　in　giving　Madame　Marneffe　a　dress　far　too
magnificent　for　the　wife　of　a　subordinate　official；　other　women　were
jealous　alike　of　her　beauty　and　of　her　gown。　There　was　much　whispering
behind　fans；　for　the　poverty　of　the　Marneffes　was　known　to　every　one
in　the　office；　the　husband　had　been　petitioning　for　help　at　the　very
moment　when　the　Baron　had　been　so　smitten　with　madame。　Also；　Hector
could　not　conceal　his　exultation　at　seeing　Valerie's　success；　and　she；
severely　proper；　very　lady…like；　and　greatly　envied；　was　the　object　of
that　strict　examination　which　women　so　greatly　fear　when　they　appear
for　the　first　time　in　a　new　circle　of　society。

After　seeing　his　wife　into　a　carriage　with　his　daughter　and　his　son…
in…law；　Hulot　managed　to　escape　unperceived；　leaving　his　son　and
Celestine　to　do　the　honors　of　the　house。　He　got　into　Madame　Marneffe's
carriage　to　see　her　home；　but　he　found　her　silent　and　pensive；　almost
melancholy。

〃My　happiness　makes　you　very　sad；　Valerie；〃　said　he；　putting　his　arm
round　her　and　drawing　her　to　him。

〃Can　you　wonder；　my　dear；〃　said　she；　〃that　a　hapless　woman　should　be　a
little　depressed　at　the　thought　of　her　first　fall　from　virtue；　even
when　her　husband's　atrocities　have　set　her　free？　Do　you　suppose　that　I
have　no　soul；　no　beliefs；　no　religion？　Your　glee　this　evening　has　been
really　too　barefaced；　you　have　paraded　me　odiously。　Really；　a
schoolboy　would　have　been　less　of　a　coxcomb。　And　the　ladies　have
dissected　me　with　their　side…glances　and　their　satirical　remarks。
Every　woman　has　some　care　for　her　reputation；　and　you　have　wrecked
mine。

〃Oh；　I　am　yours　and　no　mistake！　And　I　have　not　an　excuse　left　but　that
of　being　faithful　to　you。Monster　that　you　are！〃　she　added；　laughing；
and　allowing　him　to　kiss　her；　〃you　knew　very　well　what　you　were　doing！
Madame　Coquet；　our　chief　clerk's　wife；　came　to　sit　down　by　me；　and
admired　my　lace。　'English　point！'　said　she。　'Was　it　very　expensive；
madame？''I　do　not　know。　This　lace　was　my　mother's。　I　am　not　rich
enough　to　buy　the　like；'　said　I。〃

Madame　Marneffe；　in　short；　had　so　bewitched　the　old　beau；　that　he
really　believed　she　was　sinning　for　the　first　time　for　his　sake；　and
that　he　had　inspired　such　a　passion　as　had　led　her　to　this　breach　of
duty。　She　told　him　that　the　wretch　Marneffe　had　neglected　her　after
they　had　been　three　days　married；　and　for　the　most　odious　reasons。
Since　then　she　had　lived　as　innocently　as　a　girl；　marriage　had　seemed
to　her　so　horrible。　This　was　the　cause　of　her　present　melancholy。

〃If　love　should　prove　to　be　like　marriage〃　said　she　in　tears。

These　insinuating　lies；　with　which　almost　every　woman　in　Valerie's
predicament　is　ready；　gave　the　Baron　distant　visions　of　the　roses　of
the　seventh　heaven。　And　so　Valerie　coquetted　with　her　lover；　while　the
artist　and　Hortense　were　impatiently　awaiting　the　moment　when　the
Baroness　should　have　given　the　girl　her　last　kiss　and　blessing。

At　seven　in　the　morning　the　Baron；　perfectly　happyfor　his　Valerie
was　at　once　the　most　guileless　of　girls　and　the　most　consummate　of
demonswent　back　to　release　his　son　and　Celestine　from　their　duties。
All　the　dancers；　for　the　most　part　strangers；　had　taken　possession　of
the　territory；　as　they　do　at　every　wedding…ball；　and　were　keeping　up
the　endless　figures　of　the　cotillions；　while　the　gamblers　were　still
crowding　round　the　/bouillotte/　tables；　and　old　Crevel　had　won　six
thousand　francs。

The　morning　papers；　carried　round　the　town；　contained　this　paragraph
in　the　Paris　article：

　　〃The　marriage　was　celebrated　this　morning；　at　the　Church　of　Saint…
　　Thomas　d'Aquin；　between　Monsieur　le　Comte　Steinbock　and
　　Mademoiselle　Hortense　Hulot；　daughter　of　Baron　Hulot　d'Ervy；
　　Councillor　of　State；　and　a　Director　at　the　War　Office；　niece　of
　　the　famous　General　Comte　de　Forzheim。　The　ceremony　attracted　a
　　large　gathering。　There　were　present　some　of　the　most　distinguished
　　artists　of　the　day：　Leon　de