cousin betty-第49章

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him　so　blank；　so　utterly　a　void；　and　so　out　of　joint　from　his
financial　difficulties；　that　he　was　within　an　ace　of　yielding　to　the
evil　prompting　that　bid　him　fling　Crevel　into　the　river　and　throw
himself　in　after。

On　reaching　the　Rue　du　Dauphin；　which　had　not　yet　been　widened；　Crevel
stopped　before　a　door　in　a　wall。　It　opened　into　a　long　corridor　paved
with　black…and…white　marble；　and　serving　as　an　entrance…hall；　at　the
end　of　which　there　was　a　flight　of　stairs　and　a　doorkeeper's　lodge；
lighted　from　an　inner　courtyard；　as　is　often　the　case　in　Paris。　This
courtyard；　which　was　shared　with　another　house；　was　oddly　divided　into
two　unequal　portions。　Crevel's　little　house；　for　he　owned　it；　had
additional　rooms　with　a　glass　skylight；　built　out　on　to　the　adjoining
plot；　under　conditions　that　it　should　have　no　story　added　above　the
ground　floor；　so　that　the　structure　was　entirely　hidden　by　the　lodge
and　the　projecting　mass　of　the　staircase。

This　back　building　had　long　served　as　a　store…room；　backshop；　and
kitchen　to　one　of　the　shops　facing　the　street。　Crevel　had　cut　off
these　three　rooms　from　the　rest　of　the　ground　floor；　and　Grindot　had
transformed　them　into　an　inexpensive　private　residence。　There　were　two
ways　infrom　the　front；　through　the　shop　of　a　furniture…dealer；　to
whom　Crevel　let　it　at　a　low　price；　and　only　from　month　to　month；　so　as
to　be　able　to　get　rid　of　him　in　case　of　his　telling　tales；　and　also
through　a　door　in　the　wall　of　the　passage；　so　ingeniously　hidden　as　to
be　almost　invisible。　The　little　apartment；　comprising　a　dining…room；
drawing…room；　and　bedroom；　all　lighted　from　above；　and　standing　partly
on　Crevel's　ground　and　partly　on　his　neighbor's；　was　very　difficult　to
find。　With　the　exception　of　the　second…hand　furniture…dealer；　the
tenants　knew　nothing　of　the　existence　of　this　little　paradise。

The　doorkeeper；　paid　to　keep　Crevel's　secrets；　was　a　capital　cook。　So
Monsieur　le　Maire　could　go　in　and　out　of　his　inexpensive　retreat　at
any　hour　of　the　night　without　any　fear　of　being　spied　upon。　By　day；　a
lady；　dressed　as　Paris　women　dress　to　go　shopping；　and　having　a　key；
ran　no　risk　in　coming　to　Crevel's　lodgings；　she　would　stop　to　look　at
the　cheapened　goods；　ask　the　price；　go　into　the　shop；　and　come　out
again；　without　exciting　the　smallest　suspicion　if　any　one　should
happen　to　meet　her。

As　soon　as　Crevel　had　lighted　the　candles　in　the　sitting…room；　the
Baron　was　surprised　at　the　elegance　and　refinement　it　displayed。　The
perfumer　had　given　the　architect　a　free　hand；　and　Grindot　had　done
himself　credit　by　fittings　in　the　Pompadour　style；　which　had　in　fact
cost　sixty　thousand　francs。

〃What　I　want；〃　said　Crevel　to　Grindot；　〃is　that　a　duchess；　if　I
brought　one　there；　should　be　surprised　at　it。〃

He　wanted　to　have　a　perfect　Parisian　Eden　for　his　Eve；　his　〃real
lady；〃　his　Valerie；　his　duchess。

〃There　are　two　beds；〃　said　Crevel　to　Hulot；　showing　him　a　sofa　that
could　be　made　wide　enough　by　pulling　out　a　drawer。　〃This　is　one；　the
other　is　in　the　bedroom。　We　can　both　spend　the　night　here。〃

〃Proof！〃　was　all　the　Baron　could　say。

Crevel　took　a　flat　candlestick　and　led　Hulot　into　the　adjoining　room；
where　he　saw；　on　a　sofa；　a　superb　dressing…gown　belonging　to　Valerie；
which　he　had　seen　her　wear　in　the　Rue　Vanneau；　to　display　it　before
wearing　it　in　Crevel's　little　apartment。　The　Mayor　pressed　the　spring
of　a　little　writing…table　of　inlaid　work；　known　as　a　/bonheur…du…
jour/；　and　took　out　of　it　a　letter　that　he　handed　to　the　Baron。

〃Read　that；〃　said　he。

The　Councillor　read　these　words　written　in　pencil：

　　〃I　have　waited　in　vain；　you　old　wretch！　A　woman　of　my　quality　does
　　not　expect　to　be　kept　waiting　by　a　retired　perfumer。　There　was　no
　　dinner　orderedno　cigarettes。　I　will　make　you　pay　for　this！〃

〃Well；　is　that　her　writing？〃

〃Good　God！〃　gasped　Hulot；　sitting　down　in　dismay。　〃I　see　all　the
things　she　usesher　caps；　her　slippers。　Why；　how　long　since？〃

Crevel　nodded　that　he　understood；　and　took　a　packet　of　bills　out　of
the　little　inlaid　cabinet。

〃You　can　see；　old　man。　I　paid　the　decorators　in　December；　1838。　In
October；　two　months　before；　this　charming　little　place　was　first
used。〃

Hulot　bent　his　head。

〃How　the　devil　do　you　manage　it？　I　know　how　she　spends　every　hour　of
her　day。〃

〃How　about　her　walk　in　the　Tuileries？〃　said　Crevel；　rubbing　his　hands
in　triumph。

〃What　then？〃　said　Hulot；　mystified。

〃Your　lady　love　comes　to　the　Tuileries；　she　is　supposed　to　be　airing
herself　from　one　till　four。　But；　hop；　skip；　and　jump；　and　she　is　here。
You　know　your　Moliere？　Well；　Baron；　there　is　nothing　imaginary　in　your
title。〃

Hulot；　left　without　a　shred　of　doubt；　sat　sunk　in　ominous　silence。
Catastrophes　lead　intelligent　and　strong…minded　men　to　be
philosophical。　The　Baron；　morally；　was　at　this　moment　like　a　man
trying　to　find　his　way　by　night　through　a　forest。　This　gloomy
taciturnity　and　the　change　in　that　dejected　countenance　made　Crevel
very　uneasy；　for　he　did　not　wish　the　death　of　his　colleague。

〃As　I　said；　old　fellow；　we　are　now　even；　let　us　play　for　the　odd。　Will
you　play　off　the　tie　by　hook　and　by　crook？　Come！〃

〃Why；〃　said　Hulot；　talking　to　himself〃why　is　it　that　out　of　ten
pretty　women　at　least　seven　are　false？〃

But　the　Baron　was　too　much　upset　to　answer　his　own　question。　Beauty　is
the　greatest　of　human　gifts　for　power。　Every　power　that　has　no
counterpoise；　no　autocratic　control；　leads　to　abuses　and　folly。
Despotism　is　the　madness　of　power；　in　women　the　despot　is　caprice。

〃You　have　nothing　to　complain　of；　my　good　friend；　you　have　a　beautiful
wife；　and　she　is　virtuous。〃

〃I　deserve　my　fate；〃　said　Hulot。　〃I　have　undervalued　my　wife　and　made
her　miserable；　and　she　is　an　angel！　Oh；　my　poor　Adeline！　you　are
avenged！　She　suffers　in　solitude　and　silence；　and　she　is　worthy　of　my
love；　I　oughtfor　she　is　still　charming；　fair　and　girlish　evenBut
was　there　ever　a　woman　known　more　base；　more　ignoble；　more　villainous
than　this　Valerie？〃

〃She　is　a　good…for…nothing　slut；〃　said　Crevel；　〃a　hussy　that　deserves
whipping　on　the　Place　du　Chatelet。　But；　my　dear　Canillac；　though　we
are　such　blades；　so　Marechal　de　Richelieu；　Louis　XV。；　Pompadour；
Madame　du　Barry；　gay　dogs；　and　everything　that　is　most　eighteenth
century；　there　is　no　longer　a　lieutenant　of　police。〃

〃How　can　we　make　them　love　us？〃　Hulot　wondered　to　himself　without
heeding　Crevel。

〃It　is　sheer　folly　in　us　to　expect　to　be　loved；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said
Crevel。　〃We　can　only　be　endured；　for　Madame　Marneffe　is　a　hundred
times　more　profligate　than　Josepha。〃

〃And　avaricious！　she　costs　me　a　hundred　and　ninety…two　thousand　francs
a　year！〃　cried　Hulot。

〃And　how　many　centimes！〃　sneered　Crevel；　with　the　insolence　of　a
financier　who　scorns　so　small　a　sum。

〃You　do　not　love　her；　that　is　very　evident；〃　said　the　Baron　dolefully。

〃I　have　had　enough　of　her；〃　replied　Crevel；　〃for　she　has　had　more　than
three　hundred　thousand　francs　of　mine！〃

〃Where　is　it？　Where　does　it　all　go？〃　said　the　Baron；　clasping　his　head
in　his　hands。

〃If　we　had　come　to　an　agreement；　like　the　simple　young　men　who　combine
to　maintain　a　twopenny　baggage；　she　would　have　cost　us　less。〃

〃That　is　an　idea〃！　replied　the　Baron。　〃But　she　would　still　be　cheating
us；　for；　my　burly　friend；　what　do　you　say　to　this　Brazilian？〃

〃Ay；　old　sly　fox；　you　are　right；　we　are　swindled　likelike
shareholders！〃　said　Crevel。　〃All　such　women　are　an　unlimited
liability；　and　we　the　sleeping　partners。〃

〃Then　it　was　she　who　told　you　about　the　candle　in　the　window？〃

〃My　good　man；〃　replied　Crevel；　striking　an　attitude；　〃she　has　fooled
us　both。　Valerie　is　aShe　told　me　to　keep　you　here。Now　I　see　it
all。　She　has　got　her　Brazilian！Oh；　I　have　done　with　her；　for　if　you
hold　her　hands；　she　would　find　a　way　to　cheat　you　with　her　feet！
There！　she　is　a　minx；　a　jade！〃

〃She　is　lower　than　a　prostitute；〃　said　the　Baron。　〃Josepha　and　Jenny
Cadine　were　in　their　rights　when　they　were　false　to　us；　they　make　a
trade　of　their　charms。〃

〃But　she；　who　affects　the　saintthe　prude！〃　said　Crevel。　〃I　tell　you
what；　Hulot；　do　you　go　back　to　your　wife；　your　money　matters　are　not
looking　well；　I　have　heard　talk　o