cousin betty-第58章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


see　a　gap。　Artists　are　so　heedless！　Or　if　he　should　have　been　stopped
by　robbers！It　is　the　first　time　he　has　ever　left　me　alone　here　for
six　hours　and　a　half！But　why　should　I　worry　myself？　He　cares　for　no
one　but　me。〃

Men　ought　to　be　faithful　to　the　wives　who　love　them；　were　it　only　on
account　of　the　perpetual　miracles　wrought　by　true　love　in　the　sublime
regions　of　the　spiritual　world。　The　woman　who　loves　is；　in　relation　to
the　man　she　loves；　in　the　position　of　a　somnambulist　to　whom　the
magnetizer　should　give　the　painful　power；　when　she　ceases　to　be　the
mirror　of　the　world；　of　being　conscious　as　a　woman　of　what　she　has
seen　as　a　somnambulist。　Passion　raises　the　nervous　tension　of　a　woman
to　the　ecstatic　pitch　at　which　presentiment　is　as　acute　as　the　insight
of　a　clairvoyant。　A　wife　knows　she　is　betrayed；　she　will　not　let
herself　say　so；　she　doubts　stillshe　loves　so　much！　She　gives　the　lie
to　the　outcry　of　her　own　Pythian　power。　This　paroxysm　of　love　deserves
a　special　form　of　worship。

In　noble　souls；　admiration　of　this　divine　phenomenon　will　always　be　a
safeguard　to　protect　them　from　infidelity。　How　should　a　man　not
worship　a　beautiful　and　intellectual　creature　whose　soul　can　soar　to
such　manifestations？

By　one　in　the　morning　Hortense　was　in　a　state　of　such　intense　anguish；
that　she　flew　to　the　door　as　she　recognized　her　husband's　ring　at　the
bell；　and　clasped　him　in　her　arms　like　a　mother。

〃At　lasthere　you　are！〃　cried　she；　finding　her　voice　again。　〃My
dearest；　henceforth　where　you　go　I　go；　for　I　cannot　again　endure　the
torture　of　such　waiting。I　pictured　you　stumbling　over　a　curbstone；
with　a　fractured　skull！　Killed　by　thieves！No；　a　second　time　I　know　I
should　go　mad。Have　you　enjoyed　yourself　so　much？And　without　me！
Bad　boy！〃

〃What　can　I　say；　my　darling？　There　was　Bixiou；　who　drew　fresh
caricatures　for　us；　Leon　de　Lora；　as　witty　as　ever；　Claude　Vignon；　to
whom　I　owe　the　only　consolatory　article　that　has　come　out　about　the
Montcornet　statue。　There　were〃

〃Were　there　no　ladies？〃　Hortense　eagerly　inquired。

〃Worthy　Madame　Florent〃

〃You　said　the　Rocher　de　Cancale。Were　you　at　the　Florents'？〃

〃Yes；　at　their　house；　I　made　a　mistake。〃

〃You　did　not　take　a　coach　to　come　home？〃

〃No。〃

〃And　you　have　walked　from　the　Rue　des　Tournelles？〃

〃Stidmann　and　Bixiou　came　back　with　me　along　the　boulevards　as　far　as
the　Madeleine；　talking　all　the　way。〃

〃It　is　dry　then　on　the　boulevards　and　the　Place　de　la　Concorde　and　the
Rue　de　Bourgogne？　You　are　not　muddy　at　all！〃　said　Hortense；　looking　at
her　husband's　patent　leather　boots。

It　had　been　raining；　but　between　the　Rue　Vanneau　and　the　Rue　Saint…
Dominique　Wenceslas　had　not　got　his　boots　soiled。

〃Herehere　are　five　thousand　francs　Chanor　has　been　so　generous　as　to
lend　me；〃　said　Wenceslas；　to　cut　short　this　lawyer…like　examination。

He　had　made　a　division　of　the　ten　thousand…franc　notes；　half　for
Hortense　and　half　for　himself；　for　he　had　five　thousand　francs'　worth
of　debts　of　which　Hortense　knew　nothing。　He　owed　money　to　his　foreman
and　his　workmen。

〃Now　your　anxieties　are　relieved；〃　said　he；　kissing　his　wife。　〃I　am
going　to　work　to…morrow　morning。　So　I　am　going　to　bed　this　minute　to
get　up　early；　by　your　leave；　my　pet。〃

The　suspicion　that　had　dawned　in　Hortense's　mind　vanished；　she　was
miles　away　from　the　truth。　Madame　Marneffe！　She　had　never　thought　of
her。　Her　fear　for　her　Wenceslas　was　that　he　should　fall　in　with　street
prostitutes。　The　names　of　Bixiou　and　Leon　de　Lora；　two　artists　noted
for　their　wild　dissipations；　had　alarmed　her。

Next　morning　she　saw　Wenceslas　go　out　at　nine　o'clock；　and　was　quite
reassured。

〃Now　he　is　at　work　again；〃　said　she　to　herself；　as　she　proceeded　to
dress　her　boy。　〃I　see　he　is　quite　in　the　vein！　Well；　well；　if　we
cannot　have　the　glory　of　Michael　Angelo；　we　may　have　that　of　Benvenuto
Cellini！〃

Lulled　by　her　own　hopes；　Hortense　believed　in　a　happy　future；　and　she
was　chattering　to　her　son　of　twenty　months　in　the　language　of
onomatopoeia　that　amuses　babes　when；　at　about　eleven　o'clock；　the
cook；　who　had　not　seen　Wenceslas　go　out；　showed　in　Stidmann。

〃I　beg　pardon；　madame；〃　said　he。　〃Is　Wenceslas　gone　out　already？〃

〃He　is　at　the　studio。〃

〃I　came　to　talk　over　the　work　with　him。〃

〃I　will　send　for　him；〃　said　Hortense；　offering　Stidmann　a　chair。

Thanking　Heaven　for　this　piece　of　luck；　Hortense　was　glad　to　detain
Stidmann　to　ask　some　questions　about　the　evening　before。　Stidmann
bowed　in　acknowledgment　of　her　kindness。　The　Countess　Steinbock　rang；
the　cook　appeared；　and　was　desired　to　go　at　once　and　fetch　her　master
from　the　studio。

〃You　had　an　amusing　dinner　last　night？〃　said　Hortense。　〃Wenceslas　did
not　come　in　till　past　one　in　the　morning。〃

〃Amusing？　not　exactly；〃　replied　the　artist；　who　had　intended　to
fascinate　Madame　Marneffe。　〃Society　is　not　very　amusing　unless　one　is
interested　in　it。　That　little　Madame　Marneffe　is　clever；　but　a　great
flirt。〃

〃And　what　did　Wenceslas　think　of　her？〃　asked　poor　Hortense；　trying　to
keep　calm。　〃He　said　nothing　about　her　to　me。〃

〃I　will　only　say　one　thing；〃　said　Stidmann；　〃and　that　is；　that　I　think
her　a　very　dangerous　woman。〃

Hortense　turned　as　pale　as　a　woman　after　childbirth。

〃Soit　was　atat　Madame　Marneffe's　that　you　dinedand　notnot　with
Chanor？〃　said　she；　〃yesterdayand　Wenceslasand　he〃

Stidmann；　without　knowing　what　mischief　he　had　done；　saw　that　he　had
blundered。

The　Countess　did　not　finish　her　sentence；　she　simply　fainted　away。　The
artist　rang；　and　the　maid　came　in。　When　Louise　tried　to　get　her
mistress　into　her　bedroom；　a　serious　nervous　attack　came　on；　with
violent　hysterics。　Stidmann；　like　any　man　who　by　an　involuntary
indiscretion　has　overthrown　the　structure　built　on　a　husband's　lie　to
his　wife；　could　not　conceive　that　his　words　should　produce　such　an
effect；　he　supposed　that　the　Countess　was　in　such　delicate　health　that
the　slightest　contradiction　was　mischievous。

The　cook　presently　returned　to　say；　unfortunately　in　loud　tones；　that
her　master　was　not　in　the　studio。　In　the　midst　of　her　anguish；
Hortense　heard；　and　the　hysterical　fit　came　on　again。

〃Go　and　fetch　madame's　mother；〃　said　Louise　to　the　cook。　〃Quickrun！〃

〃If　I　knew　where　to　find　Steinbock；　I　would　go　and　fetch　him！〃
exclaimed　Stidmann　in　despair。

〃He　is　with　that　woman！〃　cried　the　unhappy　wife。　〃He　was　not　dressed
to　go　to　his　work！〃

Stidmann　hurried　off　to　Madame　Marneffe's；　struck　by　the　truth　of　this
conclusion；　due　to　the　second…sight　of　passion。

At　that　moment　Valerie　was　posed　as　Delilah。　Stidmann；　too　sharp　to
ask　for　Madame　Marneffe；　walked　straight　in　past　the　lodge；　and　ran
quickly　up　to　the　second　floor；　arguing　thus：　〃If　I　ask　for　Madame
Marneffe；　she　will　be　out。　If　I　inquire　point…blank　for　Steinbock；　I
shall　be　laughed　at　to　my　face。Take　the　bull　by　the　horns！〃

Reine　appeared　in　answer　to　his　ring。

〃Tell　Monsieur　le　Comte　Steinbock　to　come　at　once；　his　wife　is
dying〃

Reine；　quite　a　match　for　Stidmann；　looked　at　him　with　blank　surprise。

〃But；　sirI　don't　knowdid　you　suppose〃

〃I　tell　you　that　my　friend　Monsieur　Steinbock　is　here；　his　wife　is
very　ill。　It　is　quite　serious　enough　for　you　to　disturb　your
mistress。〃　And　Stidmann　turned　on　his　heel。

〃He　is　there；　sure　enough！〃　said　he　to　himself。

And　in　point　of　fact；　after　waiting　a　few　minutes　in　the　Rue　Vanneau；
he　saw　Wenceslas　come　out；　and　beckoned　to　him　to　come　quickly。　After
telling　him　of　the　tragedy　enacted　in　the　Rue　Saint…Dominique；
Stidmann　scolded　Steinbock　for　not　having　warned　him　to　keep　the
secret　of　yesterday's　dinner。

〃I　am　done　for；〃　said　Wenceslas；　〃but　you　are　forgiven。　I　had　totally
forgotten　that　you　were　to　call　this　morning；　and　I　blundered　in　not
telling　you　that　we　were　to　have　dined　with　Florent。What　can　I　say？
That　Valerie　has　turned　my　head；　but；　my　dear　fellow；　for　her　glory　is
well　lost；　misfortune　well　won！　She　really　is！Good　Heavens！But　I
am　in　a　dreadful　fix。　Advise　me。　What　can　I　say？　How　can　I　excuse
myself？〃

〃I！　advise　you！　I　don't　know；〃　replied　Stidmann。　〃But　your　wife　loves
you；　I　imagine？　Well；　then；　she　will　believe　anything。　Tell　her　that
you　w