cousin betty-第41章

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the　wretch！　What　is　his　wife　after　all？　Fine　flesh！　Yes；　she　is
handsome；　but　II　know　myselfI　am　worse！〃

〃Be　quite　easy；　my　child；　he　will　come；〃　said　Lisbeth；　in　the　tone　of
a　nurse　to　an　impatient　child。　〃He　shall。〃

〃But　when？〃

〃This　week　perhaps。〃

〃Give　me　a　kiss。〃

As　may　be　seen；　these　two　women　were　but　one。　Everything　Valerie　did；
even　her　most　reckless　actions；　her　pleasures；　her　little　sulks；　were
decided　on　after　serious　deliberation　between　them。

Lisbeth；　strangely　excited　by　this　harlot　existence；　advised　Valerie
on　every　step；　and　pursued　her　course　of　revenge　with　pitiless　logic。
She　really　adored　Valerie；　she　had　taken　her　to　be　her　child；　her
friend；　her　love；　she　found　her　docile；　as　Creoles　are；　yielding　from
voluptuous　indolence；　she　chattered　with　her　morning　after　morning
with　more　pleasure　than　with　Wenceslas；　they　could　laugh　together　over
the　mischief　they　plotted；　and　over　the　folly　of　men；　and　count　up　the
swelling　interest　on　their　respective　savings。

Indeed；　in　this　new　enterprise　and　new　affection；　Lisbeth　had　found
food　for　her　activity　that　was　far　more　satisfying　than　her　insane
passion　for　Wenceslas。　The　joys　of　gratified　hatred　are　the　fiercest
and　strongest　the　heart　can　know。　Love　is　the　gold；　hatred　the　iron　of
the　mine　of　feeling　that　lies　buried　in　us。　And　then；　Valerie　was；　to
Lisbeth；　Beauty　in　all　its　glorythe　beauty　she　worshiped；　as　we
worship　what　we　have　not；　beauty　far　more　plastic　to　her　hand　than
that　of　Wenceslas；　who　had　always　been　cold　to　her　and　distant。

At　the　end　of　nearly　three　years；　Lisbeth　was　beginning　to　perceive
the　progress　of　the　underground　mine　on　which　she　was　expending　her
life　and　concentrating　her　mind。　Lisbeth　planned；　Madame　Marneffe
acted。　Madame　Marneffe　was　the　axe；　Lisbeth　was　the　hand　the　wielded
it；　and　that　hand　was　rapidly　demolishing　the　family　which　was　every
day　more　odious　to　her；　for　we　can　hate　more　and　more；　just　as；　when
we　love；　we　love　better　every　day。

Love　and　hatred　are　feelings　that　feed　on　themselves；　but　of　the　two；
hatred　has　the　longer　vitality。　Love　is　restricted　within　limits　of
power；　it　derives　its　energies　from　life　and　from　lavishness。　Hatred
is　like　death；　like　avarice；　it　is；　so　to　speak；　an　active
abstraction；　above　beings　and　things。

Lisbeth；　embarked　on　the　existence　that　was　natural　to　her；　expended
in　it　all　her　faculties；　governing；　like　the　Jesuits；　by　occult
influences。　The　regeneration　of　her　person　was　equally　complete；　her
face　was　radiant。　Lisbeth　dreamed　of　becoming　Madame　la　Marechale
Hulot。

This　little　scene；　in　which　the　two　friends　had　bluntly　uttered　their
ideas　without　any　circumlocution　in　expressing　them；　took　place
immediately　on　Lisbeth's　return　from　market；　whither　she　had　been　to
procure　the　materials　for　an　elegant　dinner。　Marneffe；　who　hoped　to
get　Coquet's　place；　was　to　entertain　him　and　the　virtuous　Madame
Coquet；　and　Valerie　hoped　to　persuade　Hulot；　that　very　evening；　to
consider　the　head…clerk's　resignation。

Lisbeth　dressed　to　go　to　the　Baroness；　with　whom　she　was　to　dine。

〃You　will　come　back　in　time　to　make　tea　for　us；　my　Betty？〃　said
Valerie。

〃I　hope　so。〃

〃You　hope　sowhy？　Have　you　come　to　sleeping　with　Adeline　to　drink　her
tears　while　she　is　asleep？〃

〃If　only　I　could！〃　said　Lisbeth；　laughing。　〃I　would　not　refuse。　She　is
expiating　her　happinessand　I　am　glad；　for　I　remember　our　young　days。
It　is　my　turn　now。　She　will　be　in　the　mire；　and　I　shall　be　Comtesse　de
Forzheim！〃

Lisbeth　set　out　for　the　Rue　Plumet；　where　she　now　went　as　to　the
theatreto　indulge　her　emotions。



The　residence　Hulot　had　found　for　his　wife　consisted　of　a　large；　bare
entrance…room；　a　drawing…room；　and　a　bed　and　dressing…room。　The
dining…room　was　next　the　drawing…room　on　one　side。　Two　servants'　rooms
and　a　kitchen　on　the　third　floor　completed　the　accommodation；　which
was　not　unworthy　of　a　Councillor　of　State；　high　up　in　the　War　Office。
The　house；　the　court…yard；　and　the　stairs　were　extremely　handsome。

The　Baroness；　who　had　to　furnish　her　drawing…room；　bed…room；　and
dining…room　with　the　relics　of　her　splendor；　had　brought　away　the　best
of　the　remains　from　the　house　in　the　Rue　de　l'Universite。　Indeed；　the
poor　woman　was　attached　to　these　mute　witnesses　of　her　happier　life；
to　her　they　had　an　almost　consoling　eloquence。　In　memory　she　saw　her
flowers；　as　in　the　carpets　she　could　trace　patterns　hardly　visible　now
to　other　eyes。

On　going　into　the　spacious　anteroom；　where　twelve　chairs；　a　barometer；
a　large　stove；　and　long；　white　cotton　curtains；　bordered　with　red；
suggested　the　dreadful　waiting…room　of　a　Government　office；　the
visitor　felt　oppressed；　conscious　at　once　of　the　isolation　in　which
the　mistress　lived。　Grief；　like　pleasure；　infects　the　atmosphere。　A
first　glance　into　any　home　is　enough　to　tell　you　whether　love　or
despair　reigns　there。

Adeline　would　be　found　sitting　in　an　immense　bedroom　with　beautiful
furniture　by　Jacob　Desmalters；　of　mahogany　finished　in　the　Empire
style　with　ormolu；　which　looks　even　less　inviting　than　the　brass…work
of　Louis　XVI。！　It　gave　one　a　shiver　to　see　this　lonely　woman　sitting
on　a　Roman　chair；　a　work…table　with　sphinxes　before　her；　colorless；
affecting　false　cheerfulness；　but　preserving　her　imperial　air；　as　she
had　preserved　the　blue　velvet　gown　she　always　wore　in　the　house。　Her
proud　spirit　sustained　her　strength　and　preserved　her　beauty。

The　Baroness；　by　the　end　of　her　first　year　of　banishment　to　this
apartment；　had　gauged　every　depth　of　misfortune。

〃Still；　even　here　my　Hector　has　made　my　life　much　handsomer　than　it
should　be　for　a　mere　peasant；〃　said　she　to　herself。　〃He　chooses　that
it　should　be　so；　his　will　be　done！　I　am　Baroness　Hulot；　the　sister…in…
law　of　a　Marshal　of　France。　I　have　done　nothing　wrong；　my　two　children
are　settled　in　life；　I　can　wait　for　death；　wrapped　in　the　spotless
veil　of　an　immaculate　wife　and　the　crape　of　departed　happiness。〃

A　portrait　of　Hulot；　in　the　uniform　of　a　Commissary　General　of　the
Imperial　Guard；　painted　in　1810　by　Robert　Lefebvre；　hung　above　the
work…table；　and　when　visitors　were　announced；　Adeline　threw　into　a
drawer　an　/Imitation　of　Jesus　Christ/；　her　habitual　study。　This
blameless　Magdalen　thus　heard　the　Voice　of　the　Spirit　in　her　desert。

〃Mariette；　my　child；〃　said　Lisbeth　to　the　woman　who　opened　the　door；
〃how　is　my　dear　Adeline　to…day？〃

〃Oh；　she　looks　pretty　well；　mademoiselle；　but　between　you　and　me；　if
she　goes　on　in　this　way；　she　will　kill　herself；〃　said　Mariette　in　a
whisper。　〃You　really　ought　to　persuade　her　to　live　better。　Now；
yesterday　madame　told　me　to　give　her　two　sous'　worth　of　milk　and　a
roll　for　one　sou；　to　get　her　a　herring　for　dinner　and　a　bit　of　cold
veal；　she　had　a　pound　cooked　to　last　her　the　weekof　course；　for　the
days　when　she　dines　at　home　and　alone。　She　will　not　spend　more　than
ten　sous　a　day　for　her　food。　It　is　unreasonable。　If　I　were　to　say
anything　about　it　to　Monsieur　le　Marechal；　he　might　quarrel　with
Monsieur　le　Baron　and　leave　him　nothing；　whereas　you；　who　are　so　kind
and　clever；　can　manage　things〃

〃But　why　do　you　not　apply　to　my　cousin　the　Baron？〃　said　Lisbeth。

〃Oh；　dear　mademoiselle；　he　has　not　been　here　for　three　weeks　or　more；
in　fact；　not　since　we　last　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you！　Besides；
madame　has　forbidden　me；　under　threat　of　dismissal；　ever　to　ask　the
master　for　money。　But　as　for　grief！oh；　poor　lady；　she　has　been　very
unhappy。　It　is　the　first　time　that　monsieur　has　neglected　her　for　so
long。　Every　time　the　bell　rang　she　rushed　to　the　windowbut　for　the
last　five　days　she　has　sat　still　in　her　chair。　She　reads。　Whenever　she
goes　out　to　see　Madame　la　Comtesse；　she　says；　'Mariette；　if　monsieur
comes　in；'　says　she；　'tell　him　I　am　at　home；　and　send　the　porter　to
fetch　me；　he　shall　be　well　paid　for　his　trouble。'　〃

〃Poor　soul！〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃it　goes　to　my　heart。　I　speak　of　her　to　the
Baron　every　day。　What　can　I　do？　'Yes；'　says　he；　'Betty；　you　are　right；
I　am　a　wretch。　My　wife　is　an　angel；　and　I　am　a　monster！　I　will　go
to…morrow'　And　he　stays　with　Madame　Marneffe。　That　woman　is
ruining　him；　and　he　worships　her；　he　lives　only　in　her　sigh