cousin betty-第43章

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could　read　their　young　souls。　Now；　from　certain　stolen　looks　directed
by　Victorin　on　his　mother；　she　saw　that　some　disaster　was　hanging　over
Adeline　which　Victorin　hesitated　to　reveal。　The　famous　young　lawyer
had　some　covert　anxiety。　His　deep　reverence　for　his　mother　was　evident
in　the　regret　with　which　he　gazed　at　her。

Hortense　was　evidently　absorbed　in　her　own　woes；　for　a　fortnight　past；
as　Lisbeth　knew；　she　had　been　suffering　the　first　uneasiness　which
want　of　money　brings　to　honest　souls；　and　to　young　wives　on　whom　life
has　hitherto　smiled；　and　who　conceal　their　alarms。　Also　Lisbeth　had
immediately　guessed　that　her　mother　had　given　her　no　money。　Adeline's
delicacy　had　brought　her　so　low　as　to　use　the　fallacious　excuses　that
necessity　suggests　to　borrowers。

Hortense's　absence　of　mind；　with　her　brother's　and　the　Baroness'　deep
dejection；　made　the　dinner　a　melancholy　meal；　especially　with　the
added　chill　of　the　Marshal's　utter　deafness。　Three　persons　gave　a
little　life　to　the　scene：　Lisbeth；　Celestine；　and　Wenceslas。
Hortense's　affection　had　developed　the　artist's　natural　liveliness　as
a　Pole；　the　somewhat　swaggering　vivacity　and　noisy　high　spirits　that
characterize　these　Frenchmen　of　the　North。　His　frame　of　mind　and　the
expression　of　his　face　showed　plainly　that　he　believed　in　himself；　and
that　poor　Hortense；　faithful　to　her　mother's　training；　kept　all
domestic　difficulties　to　herself。

〃You　must　be　content；　at　any　rate；〃　said　Lisbeth　to　her　young　cousin；
as　they　rose　from　table；　〃since　your　mother　has　helped　you　with　her
money。〃

〃Mamma！〃　replied　Hortense　in　astonishment。　〃Oh；　poor　mamma！　It　is　for
me　that　she　would　like　to　make　money。　You　do　not　know；　Lisbeth；　but　I
have　a　horrible　suspicion　that　she　works　for　it　in　secret。〃

They　were　crossing　the　large；　dark　drawing…room　where　there　were　no
candles；　all　following　Mariette；　who　was　carrying　the　lamp　into
Adeline's　bedroom。　At　this　instant　Victorin　just　touched　Lisbeth　and
Hortense　on　the　arm。　The　two　women；　understanding　the　hint；　left
Wenceslas；　Celestine；　the　Marshal；　and　the　Baroness　to　go　on　together；
and　remained　standing　in　a　window…bay。

〃What　is　it；　Victorin？〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃Some　disaster　caused　by　your
father；　I　dare　wager。〃

〃Yes；　alas！〃　replied　Victorin。　〃A　money…lender　named　Vauvinet　has
bills　of　my　father's　to　the　amount　of　sixty　thousand　francs；　and　wants
to　prosecute。　I　tried　to　speak　of　the　matter　to　my　father　at　the
Chamber；　but　he　would　not　understand　me；　he　almost　avoided　me。　Had　we
better　tell　my　mother？〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃she　has　too　many　troubles；　it　would　be　a
death…blow；　you　must　spare　her。　You　have　no　idea　how　low　she　has
fallen。　But　for　your　uncle；　you　would　have　found　no　dinner　here　this
evening。〃

〃Dear　Heaven！　Victorin；　what　wretches　we　are！〃　said　Hortense　to　her
brother。　〃We　ought　to　have　guessed　what　Lisbeth　has　told　us。　My　dinner
is　choking　me！〃

Hortense　could　say　no　more；　she　covered　her　mouth　with　her
handkerchief　to　smother　a　sob；　and　melted　into　tears。

〃I　told　the　fellow　Vauvinet　to　call　on　me　to…morrow；〃　replied
Victorin；　〃but　will　he　be　satisfied　by　my　guarantee　on　a　mortgage？　I
doubt　it。　Those　men　insist　on　ready　money　to　sweat　others　on　usurious
terms。〃

〃Let　us　sell　out　of　the　funds！〃　said　Lisbeth　to　Hortense。

〃What　good　would　that　do？〃　replied　Victorin。　〃It　would　bring　fifteen
or　sixteen　thousand　francs；　and　we　want　sixty　thousand。〃

〃Dear　cousin！〃　cried　Hortense；　embracing　Lisbeth　with　the　enthusiasm
of　guilelessness。

〃No；　Lisbeth；　keep　your　little　fortune；〃　said　Victorin；　pressing　the
old　maid's　hand。　〃I　shall　see　to…morrow　what　this　man　would　be　up　to。
With　my　wife's　consent；　I　can　at　least　hinder　or　postpone　the
prosecutionfor　it　would　really　be　frightful　to　see　my　father's　honor
impugned。　What　would　the　War　Minister　say？　My　father's　salary；　which
he　pledged　for　three　years；　will　not　be　released　before　the　month　of
December；　so　we　cannot　offer　that　as　a　guarantee。　This　Vauvinet　has
renewed　the　bills　eleven　times；　so　you　may　imagine　what　my　father　must
pay　in　interest。　We　must　close　this　pit。〃

〃If　only　Madame　Marneffe　would　throw　him　over！〃　said　Hortense
bitterly。

〃Heaven　forbid！〃　exclaimed　Victorin。　〃He　would　take　up　some　one　else；
and　with　her；　at　any　rate；　the　worst　outlay　is　over。〃

What　a　change　in　children　formerly　so　respectful；　and　kept　so　long　by
their　mother　in　blind　worship　of　their　father！　They　knew　him　now　for
what　he　was。

〃But　for　me；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃your　father's　ruin　would　be　more　complete
than　it　is。〃

〃Come　in　to　mamma；〃　said　Hortense；　〃she　is　very　sharp；　and　will
suspect　something；　as　our　kind　Lisbeth　says；　let　us　keep　everything
from　herlet　us　be　cheerful。〃

〃Victorin；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃you　have　no　notion　of　what　your　father　will
be　brought　to　by　his　passion　for　women。　Try　to　secure　some　future
resource　by　getting　the　Marshal　to　marry　me。　Say　something　about　it
this　evening；　I　will　leave　early　on　purpose。〃

Victorin　went　into　the　bedroom。

〃And　you；　poor　little　thing！〃　said　Lisbeth　in　an　undertone　to
Hortense；　〃what　can　you　do？〃

〃Come　to　dinner　with　us　to…morrow；　and　we　will　talk　it　over；〃　answered
Hortense。　〃I　do　not　know　which　way　to　turn；　you　know　how　hard　life　is；
and　you　will　advise　me。〃



While　the　whole　family　with　one　consent　tried　to　persuade　the　Marshal
to　marry；　and　while　Lisbeth　was　making　her　way　home　to　the　Rue
Vanneau；　one　of　those　incidents　occurred　which；　in　such　women　as
Madame　Marneffe；　are　a　stimulus　to　vice　by　compelling　them　to　exert
their　energy　and　every　resource　of　depravity。　One　fact；　at　any　rate；
must　however　be　acknowledged：　life　in　Paris　is　too　full　for　vicious
persons　to　do　wrong　instinctively　and　unprovoked；　vice　is　only　a
weapon　of　defence　against　aggressorsthat　is　all。

Madame　Marneffe's　drawing…room　was　full　of　her　faithful　admirers；　and
she　had　just　started　the　whist…tables；　when　the　footman；　a　pensioned
soldier　recruited　by　the　Baron；　announced：

〃Monsieur　le　Baron　Montes　de　Montejanos。〃

Valerie's　heart　jumped；　but　she　hurried　to　the　door；　exclaiming：

〃My　cousin！〃　and　as　she　met　the　Brazilian；　she　whispered：

〃You　are　my　relationor　all　is　at　an　end　between　us！And　so　you　were
not　wrecked；　Henri？〃　she　went　on　audibly；　as　she　led　him　to　the　fire。
〃I　heard　you　were　lost；　and　have　mourned　for　you　these　three　years。〃

〃How　are　you；　my　good　fellow？〃　said　Marneffe；　offering　his　hand　to　the
stranger；　whose　get…up　was　indeed　that　of　a　Brazilian　and　a
millionaire。

Monsieur　le　Baron　Henri　Montes　de　Montejanos；　to　whom　the　climate　of
the　equator　had　given　the　color　and　stature　we　expect　to　see　in
Othello　on　the　stage；　had　an　alarming　look　of　gloom；　but　it　was　a
merely　pictorial　illusion；　for；　sweet　and　affectionate　by　nature；　he
was　predestined　to　be　the　victim　that　a　strong　man　often　is　to　a　weak
woman。　The　scorn　expressed　in　his　countenance；　the　muscular　strength
of　his　stalwart　frame；　all　his　physical　powers　were　shown　only　to　his
fellow…men；　a　form　of　flattery　which　women　appreciate；　nay；　which　so
intoxicates　them；　that　every　man　with　his　mistress　on　his　arm　assumes
a　matador　swagger　that　provokes　a　smile。　Very　well　set　up；　in　a
closely　fitting　blue　coat　with　solid　gold　buttons；　in　black　trousers；
spotless　patent　evening　boots；　and　gloves　of　a　fashionable　hue；　the
only　Brazilian　touch　in　the　Baron's　costume　was　a　large　diamond；　worth
about　a　hundred　thousand　francs；　which　blazed　like　a　star　on　a
handsome　blue　silk　cravat；　tucked　into　a　white　waistcoat　in　such　a　way
as　to　show　corners　of　a　fabulously　fine　shirt　front。

His　brow；　bossy　like　that　of　a　satyr；　a　sign　of　tenacity　in　his
passions；　was　crowned　by　thick　jet…black　hair　like　a　virgin　forest；
and　under　it　flashed　a　pair　of　hazel　eyes；　so　wild　looking　as　to
suggest　that　before　his　birth　his　mother　must　have　been　scared　by　a
jaguar。

This　fine　specimen　of　the　Portuguese　race　in　Brazil　took　his　stand
with　his　back　to　the　fire；　in　an　attitude　that　showed　familiarity　with
Paris　manners；　holding　his　hat　in　one　hand；　his　elbow　resting　on　the
velvet…covered　shelf；　he　bent　over　Madame　Marneffe；　talking　to　her　in
an　undertone；　and　troubling　himself　very　lit