cousin betty-第47章

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the　Mayor　of　thirty　francs　when　Hulot　came　in。

〃Hey　day！〃　said　he；　amazed　to　find　no　company。　〃Are　you　alone？　Where
is　everybody　gone？〃

〃Your　pleasant　temper　put　them　all　to　flight；〃　said　Crevel。

〃No；　it　was　my　wife's　cousin；〃　replied　Marneffe。　〃The　ladies　and
gentlemen　supposed　that　Valerie　and　Henri　might　have　something　to　say
to　each　other　after　three　years'　separation；　and　they　very　discreetly
retired。If　I　had　been　in　the　room；　I　would　have　kept　them；　but　then；
as　it　happens；　it　would　have　been　a　mistake；　for　Lisbeth；　who　always
comes　down　to　make　tea　at　half…past　ten；　was　taken　ill；　and　that　upset
everything〃

〃Then　is　Lisbeth　really　unwell？〃　asked　Crevel　in　a　fury。

〃So　I　was　told；〃　replied　Marneffe；　with　the　heartless　indifference　of
a　man　to　whom　women　have　ceased　to　exist。

The　Mayor　looked　at　the　clock；　and；　calculating　the　time；　the　Baron
seemed　to　have　spent　forty　minutes　in　Lisbeth's　rooms。　Hector's
jubilant　expression　seriously　incriminated　Valerie；　Lisbeth；　and
himself。

〃I　have　just　seen　her；　she　is　in　great　pain；　poor　soul！〃　said　the
Baron。

〃Then　the　sufferings　of　others　must　afford　you　much　joy；　my　friend；〃
retorted　Crevel　with　acrimony；　〃for　you　have　come　down　with　a　face
that　is　positively　beaming。　Is　Lisbeth　likely　to　die？　For　your
daughter；　they　say；　is　her　heiress。　You　are　not　like　the　same　man。　You
left　this　room　looking　like　the　Moor　of　Venice；　and　you　come　back　with
the　air　of　Saint…Preux！I　wish　I　could　see　Madame　Marneffe's　face　at
this　minute〃

〃And　pray；　what　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　said　Marneffe　to　Crevel；　packing
his　cards　and　laying　them　down　in　front　of　him。

A　light　kindled　in　the　eyes　of　this　man；　decrepit　at　the　age　of　forty…
seven；　a　faint　color　flushed　his　flaccid　cold　cheeks；　his　ill…
furnished　mouth　was　half　open；　and　on　his　blackened　lips　a　sort　of
foam　gathered；　thick；　and　as　white　as　chalk。　This　fury　in　such　a
helpless　wretch；　whose　life　hung　on　a　thread；　and　who　in　a　duel　would
risk　nothing　while　Crevel　had　everything　to　lose；　frightened　the
Mayor。

〃I　said；〃　repeated　Crevel；　〃that　I　should　like　to　see　Madame
Marneffe's　face。　And　with　all　the　more　reason　since　yours；　at　this
moment；　is　most　unpleasant。　On　my　honor；　you　are　horribly　ugly；　my
dear　Marneffe〃

〃Do　you　know　that　you　are　very　uncivil？〃

〃A　man　who　has　won　thirty　francs　of　me　in　forty…five　minutes　cannot
look　handsome　in　my　eyes。〃

〃Ah；　if　you　had　but　seen　me　seventeen　years　ago！〃　replied　the　clerk。

〃You　were　so　good…looking？〃　asked　Crevel。

〃That　was　my　ruin；　now；　if　I　had　been　like　youI　might　be　a　mayor　and
a　peer。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Crevel；　with　a　smile；　〃you　have　been　too　much　in　the　wars；
and　of　the　two　forms　of　metal　that　may　be　earned　by　worshiping　the　god
of　trade；　you　have　taken　the　worsethe　dross！〃　＇This　dialogue　is
garnished　with　puns　for　which　it　is　difficult　to　find　any　English
equivalent。＇　And　Crevel　roared　with　laughter。　Though　Marneffe　could
take　offence　if　his　honor　were　in　peril；　he　always　took　these　rough
pleasantries　in　good　part；　they　were　the　small　coin　of　conversation
between　him　and　Crevel。

〃The　daughters　of　Eve　cost　me　dear；　no　doubt；　but；　by　the　powers！
'Short　and　sweet'　is　my　motto。〃

〃　'Long　and　happy'　is　more　to　my　mind；〃　returned　Crevel。

Madame　Marneffe　now　came　in；　she　saw　that　her　husband　was　at　cards
with　Crevel；　and　only　the　Baron　in　the　room　besides；　a　mere　glance　at
the　municipal　dignitary　showed　her　the　frame　of　mind　he　was　in；　and
her　line　of　conduct　was　at　once　decided　on。

〃Marneffe；　my　dear　boy；〃　said　she；　leaning　on　her　husband's　shoulder；
and　passing　her　pretty　fingers　through　his　dingy　gray　hair；　but
without　succeeding　in　covering　his　bald　head　with　it；　〃it　is　very　late
for　you；　you　ought　to　be　in　bed。　To…morrow；　you　know；　you　must　dose
yourself　by　the　doctor's　orders。　Reine　will　give　you　your　herb　tea　at
seven。　If　you　wish　to　live；　give　up　your　game。〃

〃We　will　pay　it　out　up　to　five　points；〃　said　Marneffe　to　Crevel。

〃Very　goodI　have　scored　two；〃　replied　the　Mayor。

〃How　long　will　it　take　you？〃

〃Ten　minutes；〃　said　Marneffe。

〃It　is　eleven　o'clock；〃　replied　Valerie。　〃Really；　Monsieur　Crevel；　one
might　fancy　you　meant　to　kill　my　husband。　Make　haste；　at　any　rate。〃

This　double…barreled　speech　made　Crevel　and　Hulot　smile；　and　even
Marneffe　himself。　Valerie　sat　down　to　talk　to　Hector。

〃You　must　leave；　my　dearest；〃　said　she　in　Hulot's　ear。　〃Walk　up　and
down　the　Rue　Vanneau；　and　come　in　again　when　you　see　Crevel　go　out。〃

〃I　would　rather　leave　this　room　and　go　into　your　room　through　the
dressing…room　door。　You　could　tell　Reine　to　let　me　in。〃

〃Reine　is　upstairs　attending　to　Lisbeth。〃

〃Well；　suppose　then　I　go　up　to　Lisbeth's　rooms？〃

Danger　hemmed　in　Valerie　on　every　side；　she　foresaw　a　discussion　with
Crevel；　and　could　not　allow　Hulot　to　be　in　her　room；　where　he　could
hear　all　that　went　on。And　the　Brazilian　was　upstairs　with　Lisbeth。

〃Really；　you　men；　when　you　have　a　notion　in　your　head；　you　would　burn
a　house　down　to　get　into　it！〃　exclaimed　she。　〃Lisbeth　is　not　in　a　fit
state　to　admit　you。Are　you　afraid　of　catching　cold　in　the　street？　Be
off　thereor　good…night。〃

〃Good　evening；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　Baron　to　the　other　two。

Hulot；　when　piqued　in　his　old　man's　vanity；　was　bent　on　proving　that
he　could　play　the　young　man　by　waiting　for　the　happy　hour　in　the　open
air；　and　he　went　away。

Marneffe　bid　his　wife　good…night；　taking　her　hands　with　a　semblance　of
devotion。　Valerie　pressed　her　husband's　hand　with　a　significant
glance；　conveying：

〃Get　rid　of　Crevel。〃

〃Good…night；　Crevel；〃　said　Marneffe。　〃I　hope　you　will　not　stay　long
with　Valerie。　Yes！　I　am　jealousa　little　late　in　the　day；　but　it　has
me　hard　and　fast。　I　shall　come　back　to　see　if　you　are　gone。〃

〃We　have　a　little　business　to　discuss；　but　I　shall　not　stay　long；〃
said　Crevel。

〃Speak　low。What　is　it？〃　said　Valerie；　raising　her　voice；　and　looking
at　him　with　a　mingled　expression　of　haughtiness　and　scorn。

Crevel；　as　he　met　this　arrogant　stare；　though　he　was　doing　Valerie
important　services；　and　had　hoped　to　plume　himself　on　the　fact；　was　at
once　reduced　to　submission。

〃That　Brazilian〃　he　began；　but；　overpowered　by　Valerie's　fixed
look　of　contempt；　he　broke　off。

〃What　of　him？〃　said　she。

〃That　cousin〃

〃Is　no　cousin　of　mine；〃　said　she。　〃He　is　my　cousin　to　the　world　and　to
Monsieur　Marneffe。　And　if　he　were　my　lover；　it　would　be　no　concern　of
yours。　A　tradesman　who　pays　a　woman　to　be　revenged　on　another　man；　is；
in　my　opinion；　beneath　the　man　who　pays　her　for　love　of　her。　You　did
not　care　for　me；　all　you　saw　in　me　was　Monsieur　Hulot's　mistress。　You
bought　me　as　a　man　buys　a　pistol　to　kill　his　adversary。　I　wanted
breadI　accepted　the　bargain。〃

〃But　you　have　not　carried　it　out；〃　said　Crevel；　the　tradesman　once
more。

〃You　want　Baron　Hulot　to　be　told　that　you　have　robbed　him　of　his
mistress；　to　pay　him　out　for　having　robbed　you　of　Josepha？　Nothing　can
more　clearly　prove　your　baseness。　You　say　you　love　a　woman；　you　treat
her　like　a　duchess；　and　then　you　want　to　degrade　her？　Well；　my　good
fellow；　and　you　are　right。　This　woman　is　no　match　for　Josepha。　That
young　person　has　the　courage　of　her　disgrace；　while　II　am　a
hypocrite；　and　deserve　to　be　publicly　whipped。Alas！　Josepha　is
protected　by　her　cleverness　and　her　wealth。　I　have　nothing　to　shelter
me　but　my　reputation；　I　am　still　the　worthy　and　blameless　wife　of　a
plain　citizen；　if　you　create　a　scandal；　what　is　to　become　of　me？　If　I
were　rich；　then　indeed；　but　my　income　is　fifteen　thousand　francs　a
year　at　most；　I　suppose。〃

〃Much　more　than　that；〃　said　Crevel。　〃I　have　doubled　your　savings　in
these　last　two　months　by　investing　in　/Orleans/。〃

〃Well；　a　position　in　Paris　begins　with　fifty　thousand。　And　you
certainly　will　not　make　up　to　me　for　the　position　I　should　surrender。
What　was　my　aim？　I　want　to　see　Marneffe　a　first…class　clerk；　he　will
then　draw　a　salary　of　six　thousand　francs。　He　has　been　twenty…seven
years　in　his　office；　within　three　years　I　shall　have　a　right　to　a
pension　of　fifteen　hundred　francs　when　he　dies。　You；　to　whom　I　have
been　entirely　kind；　to　whom　I　have　given　your　fill　of　happinessyou
cannot