cousin betty-第44章

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an　undertone；　and　troubling　himself　very　little　about　the　dreadful
people　who；　in　his　opinion；　were　so　very　much　in　the　way。

This　fashion　of　taking　the　stage；　with　the　Brazilian's　attitude　and
expression；　gave；　alike　to　Crevel　and　to　the　baron；　an　identical　shock
of　curiosity　and　anxiety。　Both　were　struck　by　the　same　impression　and
the　same　surmise。　And　the　manoeuvre　suggested　in　each　by　their　very
genuine　passion　was　so　comical　in　its　simultaneous　results；　that　it
made　everybody　smile　who　was　sharp　enough　to　read　its　meaning。　Crevel；
a　tradesman　and　shopkeeper　to　the　backbone；　though　a　mayor　of　Paris；
unluckily；　was　a　little　slower　to　move　than　his　rival　partner；　and
this　enabled　the　Baron　to　read　at　a　glance　Crevel's　involuntary　self…
betrayal。　This　was　a　fresh　arrow　to　rankle　in　the　very　amorous　old
man's　heart；　and　he　resolved　to　have　an　explanation　from　Valerie。

〃This　evening；〃　said　Crevel　to　himself　too；　as　he　sorted　his　hand；　〃I
must　know　where　I　stand。〃

〃You　have　a　heart！〃　cried　Marneffe。　〃You　have　just　revoked。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Crevel；　trying　to　withdraw　his　card。〃This
Baron　seems　to　me　very　much　in　the　way；〃　he　went　on；　thinking　to
himself。　〃If　Valerie　carries　on　with　my　Baron；　well　and　goodit　is　a
means　to　my　revenge；　and　I　can　get　rid　of　him　if　I　choose；　but　as　for
this　cousin！He　is　one　Baron　too　many；　I　do　not　mean　to　be　made　a
fool　of。　I　will　know　how　they　are　related。〃

That　evening；　by　one　of　those　strokes　of　luck　which　come　to　pretty
women；　Valerie　was　charmingly　dressed。　Her　white　bosom　gleamed　under　a
lace　tucker　of　rusty　white；　which　showed　off　the　satin　texture　of　her
beautiful　shouldersfor　Parisian　women；　Heaven　knows　how；　have　some
way　of　preserving　their　fine　flesh　and　remaining　slender。　She　wore　a
black　velvet　gown　that　looked　as　if　it　might　at　any　moment　slip　off
her　shoulders；　and　her　hair　was　dressed　with　lace　and　drooping
flowers。　Her　arms；　not　fat　but　dimpled；　were　graced　by　deep　ruffles　to
her　sleeves。　She　was　like　a　luscious　fruit　coquettishly　served　in　a
handsome　dish；　and　making　the　knife…blade　long　to　be　cutting　it。

〃Valerie；〃　the　Brazilian　was　saying　in　her　ear；　〃I　have　come　back
faithful　to　you。　My　uncle　is　dead；　I　am　twice　as　rich　as　I　was　when　I
went　away。　I　mean　to　live　and　die　in　Paris；　for　you　and　with　you。〃

〃Lower；　Henri；　I　implore　you〃

〃Pooh！　I　mean　to　speak　to　you　this　evening；　even　if　I　should　have　to
pitch　all　these　creatures　out　of　window；　especially　as　I　have　lost　two
days　in　looking　for　you。　I　shall　stay　till　the　last。I　can；　I
suppose？〃

Valerie　smiled　at　her　adopted　cousin；　and　said：

〃Remember　that　you　are　the　son　of　my　mother's　sister；　who　married　your
father　during　Junot's　campaign　in　Portugal。〃

〃What；　I；　Montes　de　Montejanos；　great　grandson　of　a　conquerer　of
Brazil！　Tell　a　lie？〃

〃Hush；　lower；　or　we　shall　never　meet　again。〃

〃Pray；　why？〃

〃Marneffe；　like　all　dying　wretches；　who　always　take　up　some　last　whim；
has　a　revived　passion　for　me〃

〃That　cur？〃　said　the　Brazilian；　who　knew　his　Marneffe；　〃I　will　settle
him！〃

〃What　violence！〃

〃And　where　did　you　get　all　this　splendor？〃　the　Brazilian　went　on；　just
struck　by　the　magnificence　of　the　apartment。

She　began　to　laugh。

〃Henri！　what　bad　taste！〃　said　she。

She　had　felt　two　burning　flashes　of　jealousy　which　had　moved　her　so
far　as　to　make　her　look　at　the　two　souls　in　purgatory。　Crevel；　playing
against　Baron　Hulot　and　Monsieur　Coquet；　had　Marneffe　for　his　partner。
The　game　was　even；　because　Crevel　and　the　Baron　were　equally　absent…
minded；　and　made　blunder　after　blunder。　Thus；　in　one　instant；　the　old
men　both　confessed　the　passion　which　Valerie　had　persuaded　them　to
keep　secret　for　the　past　three　years；　but　she　too　had　failed　to　hide
the　joy　in　her　eyes　at　seeing　the　man　who　had　first　taught　her　heart
to　beat；　the　object　of　her　first　love。　The　rights　of　such　happy
mortals　survive　as　long　as　the　woman　lives　over　whom　they　have
acquired　them。

With　these　three　passions　at　her　sideone　supported　by　the　insolence
of　wealth；　the　second　by　the　claims　of　possession；　and　the　third　by
youth；　strength；　fortune；　and　priorityMadame　Marneffe　preserved　her
coolness　and　presence　of　mind；　like　General　Bonaparte　when；　at　the
siege　of　Mantua；　he　had　to　fight　two　armies；　and　at　the　same　time
maintain　the　blockade。

Jealousy；　distorting　Hulot's　face；　made　him　look　as　terrible　as　the
late　Marshal　Montcornet　leading　a　cavalry　charge　against　a　Russian
square。　Being　such　a　handsome　man；　he　had　never　known　any　ground　for
jealousy；　any　more　than　Murat　knew　what　it　was　to　be　afraid。　He　had
always　felt　sure　that　he　should　triumph。　His　rebuff　by　Josepha；　the
first　he　had　ever　met；　he　ascribed　to　her　love　of　money；　〃he　was
conquered　by　millions；　and　not　by　a　changeling；〃　he　would　say　when
speaking　of　the　Duc　d'Herouville。　And　now；　in　one　instant；　the　poison
and　delirium　that　the　mad　passion　sheds　in　a　flood　had　rushed　to　his
heart。　He　kept　turning　from　the　whist…table　towards　the　fireplace　with
an　action　/a　la/　Mirabeau；　and　as　he　laid　down　his　cards　to　cast　a
challenging　glance　at　the　Brazilian　and　Valerie；　the　rest　of　the
company　felt　the　sort　of　alarm　mingled　with　curiosity　that　is　caused
by　evident　violence　ready　to　break　out　at　any　moment。　The　sham　cousin
stared　at　Hulot　as　he　might　have　looked　at　some　big　China　mandarin。

This　state　of　things　could　not　last；　it　was　bound　to　end　in　some
tremendous　outbreak。　Marneffe　was　as　much　afraid　of　Hulot　as　Crevel
was　of　Marneffe；　for　he　was　anxious　not　to　die　a　mere　clerk。　Men
marked　for　death　believe　in　life　as　galley…slaves　believe　in　liberty；
this　man　was　bent　on　being　a　first…class　clerk　at　any　cost。　Thoroughly
frightened　by　the　pantomime　of　the　Baron　and　Crevel；　he　rose；　said　a
few　words　in　his　wife's　ear；　and　then；　to　the　surprise　of　all；　Valerie
went　into　the　adjoining　bedroom　with　the　Brazilian　and　her　husband。

〃Did　Madame　Marneffe　ever　speak　to　you　of　this　cousin　of　hers？〃　said
Crevel　to　Hulot。

〃Never！〃　replied　the　Baron；　getting　up。　〃That　is　enough　for　this
evening；〃　said　he。　〃I　have　lost　two　louisthere　they　are。〃

He　threw　the　two　gold　pieces　on　the　table；　and　seated　himself　on　the
sofa　with　a　look　which　everybody　else　took　as　a　hint　to　go。　Monsieur
and　Madame　Coquet；　after　exchanging　a　few　words；　left　the　room；　and
Claude　Vignon；　in　despair；　followed　their　example。　These　two
departures　were　a　hint　to　less　intelligent　persons；　who　now　found　that
they　were　not　wanted。　The　Baron　and　Crevel　were　left　together；　and
spoke　never　a　word。　Hulot；　at　last；　ignoring　Crevel；　went　on　tiptoe　to
listen　at　the　bedroom　door；　but　he　bounded　back　with　a　prodigious
jump；　for　Marneffe　opened　the　door　and　appeared　with　a　calm　face；
astonished　to　find　only　the　two　men。

〃And　the　tea？〃　said　he。

〃Where　is　Valerie？〃　replied　the　Baron　in　a　rage。

〃My　wife；〃　said　Marneffe。　〃She　is　gone　upstairs　to　speak　to
mademoiselle　your　cousin。　She　will　come　down　directly。〃

〃And　why　has　she　deserted　us　for　that　stupid　creature？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Marneffe；　〃Mademoiselle　Lisbeth　came　back　from　dining
with　the　Baroness　with　an　attack　of　indigestion　and　Mathurine　asked
Valerie　for　some　tea　for　her；　so　my　wife　went　up　to　see　what　was　the
matter。〃

〃And　/her/　cousin？〃

〃He　is　gone。〃

〃Do　you　really　believe　that？〃　said　the　Baron。

〃I　have　seen　him　to　his　carriage；〃　replied　Marneffe；　with　a　hideous
smirk。

The　wheels　of　a　departing　carriage　were　audible　in　the　street。　The
Baron；　counting　Marneffe　for　nothing；　went　upstairs　to　Lisbeth。　An
idea　flashed　through　him　such　as　the　heart　sends　to　the　brain　when　it
is　on　fire　with　jealousy。　Marneffe's　baseness　was　so　well　known　to
him；　that　he　could　imagine　the　most　degrading　connivance　between
husband　and　wife。

〃What　has　become　of　all　the　ladies　and　gentlemen？〃　said　Marneffe；
finding　himself　alone　with　Crevel。

〃When　the　sun　goes　to　bed；　the　cocks　and　hens　follow　suit；〃　said
Crevel。　〃Madame　Marneffe　disappeared；　and　her　adorers　departed。　Will
you　play　a　game　of　piquet？〃　added　Crevel；　who　meant　to　remain。

He　too　believed　that　the　Brazilian　was　in　the　house。

Monsieur　Marneffe　agreed。　The　Mayor　was　a　match　for　the　Baron。　Simp