cousin betty-第45章

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He　too　believed　that　the　Brazilian　was　in　the　house。

Monsieur　Marneffe　agreed。　The　Mayor　was　a　match　for　the　Baron。　Simply
by　playing　cards　with　the　husband　he　could　stay　on　indefinitely；　and
Marneffe；　since　the　suppression　of　the　public　tables；　was　quite
satisfied　with　the　more　limited　opportunities　of　private　play。

Baron　Hulot　went　quickly　up　to　Lisbeth's　apartment；　but　the　door　was
locked；　and　the　usual　inquiries　through　the　door　took　up　time　enough
to　enable　the　two　light…handed　and　cunning　women　to　arrange　the　scene
of　an　attack　of　indigestion　with　the　accessories　of　tea。　Lisbeth　was
in　such　pain　that　Valerie　was　very　much　alarmed；　and　consequently
hardly　paid　any　heed　to　the　Baron's　furious　entrance。　Indisposition　is
one　of　the　screens　most　often　placed　by　women　to　ward　off　a　quarrel。
Hulot　peeped　about；　here　and　there；　but　could　see　no　spot　in　Cousin
Betty's　room　where　a　Brazilian　might　lie　hidden。

〃Your　indigestion　does　honor　to　my　wife's　dinner；　Lisbeth；〃　said　he；
scrutinizing　her；　for　Lisbeth　was　perfectly　well；　trying　to　imitate
the　hiccough　of　spasmodic　indigestion　as　she　drank　her　tea。

〃How　lucky　it　is　that　dear　Betty　should　be　living　under　my　roof！〃　said
Madame　Marneffe。　〃But　for　me；　the　poor　thing　would　have　died。〃

〃You　look　as　if　you　only　half　believed　it；〃　added　Lisbeth；　turning　to
the　Baron；　〃and　that　would　be　a　shame〃

〃Why？〃　asked　the　Baron。　〃Do　you　know　the　purpose　of　my　visit？〃

And　he　leered　at　the　door　of　a　dressing…closet　from　which　the　key　had
been　withdrawn。

〃Are　you　talking　Greek？〃　said　Madame　Marneffe；　with　an　appealing　look
of　misprized　tenderness　and　devotedness。

〃But　it　is　all　through　you；　my　dear　cousin；　yes；　it　is　your　doing　that
I　am　in　such　a　state；〃　said　Lisbeth　vehemently。

This　speech　diverted　the　Baron's　attention；　he　looked　at　the　old　maid
with　the　greatest　astonishment。

〃You　know　that　I　am　devoted　to　you；〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃I　am　here；　that
says　everything。　I　am　wearing　out　the　last　shreds　of　my　strength　in
watching　over　your　interests；　since　they　are　one　with　our　dear
Valerie's。　Her　house　costs　one…tenth　of　what　any　other　does　that　is
kept　on　the　same　scale。　But　for　me；　Cousin；　instead　of　two　thousand
francs　a　month；　you　would　be　obliged　to　spend　three　or　four　thousand。〃

〃I　know　all　that；〃　replied　the　Baron　out　of　patience；　〃you　are　our
protectress　in　many　ways；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Madame　Marneffe　and
putting　his　arm　round　her　neck。〃Is　not　she；　my　pretty　sweet？〃

〃On　my　honor；〃　exclaimed　Valerie；　〃I　believe　you　are　gone　mad！〃

〃Well；　you　cannot　doubt　my　attachment；〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃But　I　am　also
very　fond　of　my　cousin　Adeline；　and　I　found　her　in　tears。　She　has　not
seen　you　for　a　month。　Now　that　is　really　too　bad；　you　leave　my　poor
Adeline　without　a　sou。　Your　daughter　Hortense　almost　died　of　it　when
she　was　told　that　it　is　thanks　to　your　brother　that　we　had　any　dinner
at　all。　There　was　not　even　bread　in　your　house　this　day。

〃Adeline　is　heroically　resolved　to　keep　her　sufferings　to　herself。　She
said　to　me；　'I　will　do　as　you　have　done！'　The　speech　went　to　my　heart；
and　after　dinner；　as　I　thought　of　what　my　cousin　had　been　in　1811；　and
of　what　she　is　in　1841thirty　years　afterI　had　a　violent
indigestion。I　fancied　I　should　get　over　it；　but　when　I　got　home；　I
thought　I　was　dying〃

〃You　see；　Valerie；　to　what　my　adoration　of　you　has　brought　me！　To
crimedomestic　crime！〃

〃Oh！　I　was　wise　never　to　marry！〃　cried　Lisbeth；　with　savage　joy。　〃You
are　a　kind；　good　man；　Adeline　is　a　perfect　angel；and　this　is　the
reward　of　her　blind　devotion。〃

〃An　elderly　angel！〃　said　Madame　Marneffe　softly；　as　she　looked　half
tenderly；　half　mockingly；　at　her　Hector；　who　was　gazing　at　her　as　an
examining　judge　gazes　at　the　accused。

〃My　poor　wife！〃　said　Hulot。　〃For　more　than　nine　months　I　have　given
her　no　money；　though　I　find　it　for　you；　Valerie；　but　at　what　a　cost！
No　one　else　will　ever　love　you　so；　and　what　torments　you　inflict　on　me
in　return！〃

〃Torments？〃　she　echoed。　〃Then　what　do　you　call　happiness？〃

〃I　do　not　yet　know　on　what　terms　you　have　been　with　this　so…called
cousin　whom　you　never　mentioned　to　me；〃　said　the　Baron；　paying　no　heed
to　Valerie's　interjection。　〃But　when　he　came　in　I　felt　as　if　a
penknife　had　been　stuck　into　my　heart。　Blinded　I　may　be；　but　I　am　not
blind。　I　could　read　his　eyes；　and　yours。　In　short；　from　under　that
ape's　eyelids　there　flashed　sparks　that　he　flung　at　youand　your
eyes！Oh！　you　have　never　looked　at　me　so；　never！　As　to　this　mystery；
Valerie；　it　shall　all　be　cleared　up。　You　are　the　only　woman　who　ever
made　me　know　the　meaning　of　jealousy；　so　you　need　not　be　surprised　by
what　I　say。But　another　mystery　which　has　rent　its　cloud；　and　it
seems　to　me　infamous〃

〃Go　on；　go　on；〃　said　Valerie。

〃It　is　that　Crevel；　that　square　lump　of　flesh　and　stupidity；　is　in
love　with　you；　and　that　you　accept　his　attentions　with　so　good　a　grace
that　the　idiot　flaunts　his　passion　before　everybody。〃

〃Only　three！　Can　you　discover　no　more？〃　asked　Madame　Marneffe。

〃There　may　be　more！〃　retorted　the　Baron。

〃If　Monsieur　Crevel　is　in　love　with　me；　he　is　in　his　rights　as　a　man
after　all；　if　I　favored　his　passion；　that　would　indeed　be　the　act　of　a
coquette；　or　of　a　woman　who　would　leave　much　to　be　desired　on　your
part。Well；　love　me　as　you　find　me；　or　let　me　alone。　If　you　restore
me　to　freedom；　neither　you　nor　Monsieur　Crevel　will　ever　enter　my
doors　again。　But　I　will　take　up　with　my　cousin；　just　to　keep　my　hand
in；　in　those　charming　habits　you　suppose　me　to　indulge。Good…bye；
Monsieur　le　Baron　Hulot。〃

She　rose；　but　the　Baron　took　her　by　the　arm　and　made　her　sit　down
again。　The　old　man　could　not　do　without　Valerie。　She　had　become　more
imperatively　indispensable　to　him　than　the　necessaries　of　life；　he
preferred　remaining　in　uncertainty　to　having　any　proof　of　Valerie's
infidelity。

〃My　dearest　Valerie；〃　said　he；　〃do　you　not　see　how　miserable　I　am？　I
only　ask　you　to　justify　yourself。　Give　me　sufficient　reasons〃

〃Well；　go　downstairs　and　wait　for　me；　for　I　suppose　you　do　not　wish　to
look　on　at　the　various　ceremonies　required　by　your　cousin's　state。〃

Hulot　slowly　turned　away

〃You　old　profligate；〃　cried　Lisbeth；　〃you　have　not　even　asked　me　how
your　children　are？　What　are　you　going　to　do　for　Adeline？　I；　at　any
rate；　will　take　her　my　savings　to…morrow。〃

〃You　owe　your　wife　white　bread　to　eat　at　least；〃　said　Madame　Marneffe；
smiling。

The　Baron；　without　taking　offence　at　Lisbeth's　tone；　as　despotic　as
Josepha's；　got　out　of　the　room；　only　too　glad　to　escape　so　importunate
a　question。



The　door　bolted　once　more；　the　Brazilian　came　out　of　the　dressing…
closet；　where　he　had　been　waiting；　and　he　appeared　with　his　eyes　full
of　tears；　in　a　really　pitiable　condition。　Montes　had　heard　everything。

〃Henri；　you　must　have　ceased　to　love　me；　I　know　it！〃　said　Madame
Marneffe；　hiding　her　face　in　her　handkerchief　and　bursting　into　tears。

It　was　the　outcry　of　real　affection。　The　cry　of　a　woman's　despair　is
so　convincing　that　it　wins　the　forgiveness　that　lurks　at　the　bottom　of
every　lover's　heartwhen　she　is　young　and　pretty；　and　wears　a　gown　so
low　that　she　could　slip　out　at　the　top　and　stand　in　the　garb　of　Eve。

〃But　why；　if　you　love　me；　do　you　not　leave　everything　for　my　sake？〃
asked　the　Brazilian。

This　South　American　born；　being　logical；　as　men　are　who　have　lived　the
life　of　nature；　at　once　resumed　the　conversation　at　the　point　where　it
had　been　broken　off；　putting　his　arm　round　Valerie's　waist。

〃Why？〃　she　repeated；　gazing　up　at　Henri；　whom　she　subjugated　at　once
by　a　look　charged　with　passion；　〃why；　my　dear　boy；　I　am　married；　we
are　in　Paris；　not　in　the　savannah；　the　pampas；　the　backwoods　of
America。My　dear　Henri；　my　first　and　only　love；　listen　to　me。　That
husband　of　mine；　a　second　clerk　in　the　War　Office；　is　bent　on　being　a
head…clerk　and　officer　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；　can　I　help　his　being
ambitious？　Now　for　the　very　reason　that　made　him　leave　us　our　liberty
nearly　four　years　ago；　do　you　remember；　you　bad　boy？he　now
abandons　me　to　Monsieur　Hulot。　I　cannot　get　rid　of　that　dreadful
official；　who　snorts　like　a　grampus；　who　has　fins　in　his　nostrils；　who
is　sixty…t