cousin betty-第50章

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what；　Hulot；　do　you　go　back　to　your　wife；　your　money　matters　are　not
looking　well；　I　have　heard　talk　of　certain　notes　of　hand　given　to　a
low　usurer　whose　special　line　of　business　is　lending　to　these　sluts；　a
man　named　Vauvinet。　For　my　part；　I　am　cured　of　your　'real　ladies。'
And；　after　all；　at　our　time　of　life　what　do　we　want　of　these　swindling
hussies；　who；　to　be　honest；　cannot　help　playing　us　false？　You　have
white　hair　and　false　teeth；　I　am　of　the　shape　of　Silenus。　I　shall　go
in　for　saving。　Money　never　deceives　one。　Though　the　Treasury　is　indeed
open　to　all　the　world　twice　a　year；　it　pays　you　interest；　and　this
woman　swallows　it。　With　you；　my　worthy　friend；　as　Gubetta；　as　my
partner　in　the　concern；　I　might　have　resigned　myself　to　a　shady
bargainno；　a　philosophical　calm。　But　with　a　Brazilian　who　has
possibly　smuggled　in　some　doubtful　colonial　produce〃

〃Woman　is　an　inexplicable　creature！〃　said　Hulot。

〃I　can　explain　her；〃　said　Crevel。　〃We　are　old；　the　Brazilian　is　young
and　handsome。〃

〃Yes；　that；　I　own；　is　true；〃　said　Hulot；　〃we　are　older　than　we　were。
But；　my　dear　fellow；　how　is　one　to　do　without　these　pretty　creatures
seeing　them　undress；　twist　up　their　hair；　smile　cunningly　through
their　fingers　as　they　screw　up　their　curl…papers；　put　on　all　their
airs　and　graces；　tell　all　their　lies；　declare　that　we　don't　love　them
when　we　are　worried　with　business；　and　they　cheer　us　in　spite　of
everything。〃

〃Yes；　by　the　Power！　It　is　the　only　pleasure　in　life！〃　cried　Crevel。
〃When　a　saucy　little　mug　smiles　at　you　and　says；　'My　old　dear；　you
don't　know　how　nice　you　are！　I　am　not　like　other　women；　I　suppose；　who
go　crazy　over　mere　boys　with　goats'　beards；　smelling　of　smoke；　and　as
coarse　as　serving…men！　For　in　their　youth　they　are　so　insolent！They
come　in　and　they　bid　you　good…morning；　and　out　they　go。I；　whom　you
think　such　a　flirt；　I　prefer　a　man　of　fifty　to　these　brats。　A　man　who
will　stick　by　me；　who　is　devoted；　who　knows　a　woman　is　not　to　be
picked　up　every　day；　and　appreciates　us。That　is　what　I　love　you　for；
you　old　monster！'and　they　fill　up　these　avowals　with　little　pettings
and　prettinesses　andFaugh！　they　are　as　false　as　the　bills　on　the
Hotel　de　Ville。〃

〃A　lie　is　sometimes　better　than　the　truth；〃　said　Hulot；　remembering
sundry　bewitching　scenes　called　up　by　Crevel；　who　mimicked　Valerie。
〃They　are　obliged　to　act　upon　their　lies；　to　sew　spangles　on　their
stage　frocks〃

〃And　they　are　ours；　after　all；　the　lying　jades！〃　said　Crevel　coarsely。

〃Valerie　is　a　witch；〃　said　the　Baron。　〃She　can　turn　an　old　man　into　a
young　one。〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　Crevel；　〃she　is　an　eel　that　wriggles　through　your
hands；　but　the　prettiest　eel；　as　white　and　sweet　as　sugar；　as　amusing
as　Arnaland　ingenious！〃

〃Yes；　she　is　full　of　fun；〃　said　Hulot；　who　had　now　quite　forgotten　his
wife。

The　colleagues　went　to　bed　the　best　friends　in　the　world；　reminding
each　other　of　Valerie's　perfections；　the　tones　of　her　voice；　her
kittenish　way；　her　movements；　her　fun；　her　sallies　of　wit；　and　of
affections；　for　she　was　an　artist　in　love；　and　had　charming　impulses；
as　tenors　may　sing　a　scena　better　one　day　than　another。　And　they　fell
asleep；　cradled　in　tempting　and　diabolical　visions　lighted　by　the
fires　of　hell。

At　nine　o'clock　next　morning　Hulot　went　off　to　the　War　Office；　Crevel
had　business　out　of　town；　they　left　the　house　together；　and　Crevel
held　out　his　hand　to　the　Baron；　saying：

〃To　show　that　there　is　no　ill…feeling。　For　we；　neither　of　us；　will
have　anything　more　to　say　to　Madame　Marneffe？〃

〃Oh；　this　is　the　end　of　everything；〃　replied　Hulot　with　a　sort　of
horror。



By　half…past　ten　Crevel　was　mounting　the　stairs；　four　at　a　time；　up　to
Madame　Marneffe's　apartment。　He　found　the　infamous　wretch；　the
adorable　enchantress；　in　the　most　becoming　morning　wrapper；　enjoying
an　elegant　little　breakfast　in　the　society　of　the　Baron　Montes　de
Montejanos　and　Lisbeth。　Though　the　sight　of　the　Brazilian　gave　him　a
shock；　Crevel　begged　Madame　Marneffe　to　grant　him　two　minutes'　speech
with　her。　Valerie　led　Crevel　into　the　drawing…room。

〃Valerie；　my　angel；〃　said　the　amorous　Mayor；　〃Monsieur　Marneffe　cannot
have　long　to　live。　If　you　will　be　faithful　to　me；　when　he　dies　we　will
be　married。　Think　it　over。　I　have　rid　you　of　Hulot。So　just　consider
whether　this　Brazilian　is　to　compare　with　a　Mayor　of　Paris；　a　man　who；
for　your　sake；　will　make　his　way　to　the　highest　dignities；　and　who　can
already　offer　you　eighty…odd　thousand　francs　a　year。〃

〃I　will　think　it　over；〃　said　she。　〃You　will　see　me　in　the　Rue　du
Dauphin　at　two　o'clock；　and　we　can　discuss　the　matter。　But　be　a　good
boyand　do　not　forget　the　bond　you　promised　to　transfer　to　me。〃

She　returned　to　the　dining…room；　followed　by　Crevel；　who　flattered
himself　that　he　had　hit　on　a　plan　for　keeping　Valerie　to　himself；　but
there　he　found　Baron　Hulot；　who；　during　this　short　colloquy；　had　also
arrived　with　the　same　end　in　view。　He；　like　Crevel；　begged　for　a　brief
interview。　Madame　Marneffe　again　rose　to　go　to　the　drawing…room；　with
a　smile　at　the　Brazilian　that　seemed　to　say；　〃What　fools　they　are！
Cannot　they　see　you？〃

〃Valerie；〃　said　the　official；　〃my　child；　that　cousin　of　yours　is　an
American　cousin〃

〃Oh；　that　is　enough！〃　she　cried；　interrupting　the　Baron。　〃Marneffe
never　has　been；　and　never　will　be；　never　can　be　my　husband！　The　first；
the　only　man　I　ever　loved；　has　come　back　quite　unexpectedly。　It　is　no
fault　of　mine！　But　look　at　Henri　and　look　at　yourself。　Then　ask
yourself　whether　a　woman；　and　a　woman　in　love；　can　hesitate　for　a
moment。　My　dear　fellow；　I　am　not　a　kept　mistress。　From　this　day　forth
I　refuse　to　play　the　part　of　Susannah　between　the　two　Elders。　If　you
really　care　for　me；　you　and　Crevel；　you　will　be　our　friends；　but　all
else　is　at　an　end；　for　I　am　six…and…twenty；　and　henceforth　I　mean　to
be　a　saint；　an　admirable　and　worthy　wifeas　yours　is。〃

〃Is　that　what　you　have　to　say？〃　answered　Hulot。　〃Is　this　the　way　you
receive　me　when　I　come　like　a　Pope　with　my　hands　full　of　Indulgences？
Well；　your　husband　will　never　be　a　first…class　clerk；　nor　be
promoted　in　the　Legion　of　Honor。〃

〃That　remains　to　be　seen；〃　said　Madame　Marneffe；　with　a　meaning　look
at　Hulot。

〃Well；　well；　no　temper；〃　said　Hulot　in　despair。　〃I　will　call　this
evening；　and　we　will　come　to　an　understanding。〃

〃In　Lisbeth's　rooms　then。〃

〃Very　goodat　Lisbeth's；〃　said　the　old　dotard。

Hulot　and　Crevel　went　downstairs　together　without　speaking　a　word　till
they　were　in　the　street；　but　outside　on　the　sidewalk　they　looked　at
each　other　with　a　dreary　laugh。

〃We　are　a　couple　of　old　fools；〃　said　Crevel。

〃I　have　got　rid　of　them；〃　said　Madame　Marneffe　to　Lisbeth；　as　she　sat
down　once　more。　〃I　never　loved　and　I　never　shall　love　any　man　but　my
Jaguar；〃　she　added；　smiling　at　Henri　Montes。　〃Lisbeth；　my　dear；　you
don't　know。　Henri　has　forgiven　me　the　infamy　to　which　I　was　reduced　by
poverty。〃

〃It　was　my　own　fault；〃　said　the　Brazilian。　〃I　ought　to　have　sent　you　a
hundred　thousand　francs。〃

〃Poor　boy！〃　said　Valerie；　〃I　might　have　worked　for　my　living；　but　my
fingers　were　not　made　for　thatask　Lisbeth。〃

The　Brazilian　went　away　the　happiest　man　in　Paris。

At　noon　Valerie　and　Lisbeth　were　chatting　in　the　splendid　bedroom
where　this　dangerous　woman　was　giving　to　her　dress　those　finishing
touches　which　a　lady　alone　can　give。　The　doors　were　bolted；　the
curtains　drawn　over　them；　and　Valerie　related　in　every　detail　all　the
events　of　the　evening；　the　night；　the　morning。

〃What　do　you　think　of　it　all；　my　darling？〃　she　said　to　Lisbeth　in
conclusion。　〃Which　shall　I　be　when　the　time　comesMadame　Crevel；　or
Madame　Montes？〃

〃Crevel　will　not　last　more　than　ten　years；　such　a　profligate　as　he
is；〃　replied　Lisbeth。　〃Montes　is　young。　Crevel　will　leave　you　about
thirty　thousand　francs　a　year。　Let　Montes　wait；　he　will　be　happy
enough　as　Benjamin。　And　so；　by　the　time　you　are　three…and…thirty；　if
you　take　care　of　your　looks；　you　may　marry　your　Brazilian　and　make　a
fine　show　with　sixty　thousand　francs　a　year　of　your　ownespecially
under　the　wing　of　a　Marechale。〃

〃Yes；　but　Montes　is　a　Brazilian；　he　will　never　make　his　mark；〃
observed　Valerie。

〃We　liv