cousin betty-第61章

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　　of　a　woman　whom；　as　you　told　me；　you　can　no　longer　love？
　　Wenceslas；　you　are　too　great　an　artist　to　submit　to　such　dominion。
　　Home　is　the　grave　of　glory。Consider　now；　are　you　the　Wenceslas
　　of　the　Rue　du　Doyenne？　You　missed　fire　with　my　father's　statue；
　　but　in　you　the　lover　is　greater　than　the　artist；　and　you　have　had
　　better　luck　with　his　daughter。　You　are　a　father；　my　beloved
　　Wenceslas。

　　〃If　you　do　not　come　to　me　in　the　state　I　am　in；　your　friends　would
　　think　very　badly　of　you。　But　I　love　you　so　madly；　that　I　feel　I
　　should　never　have　the　strength　to　curse　you。　May　I　sign　myself　as
　　ever；

〃YOUR　VALERIE。〃


〃What　do　you　say　to　my　scheme　for　sending　this　note　to　the　studio　at　a
time　when　our　dear　Hortense　is　there　by　herself？〃　asked　Valerie。　〃Last
evening　I　heard　from　Stidmann　that　Wenceslas　is　to　pick　him　up　at
eleven　this　morning　to　go　on　business　to　Chanor's；　so　that　gawk
Hortense　will　be　there　alone。〃

〃But　after　such　a　trick　as　that；〃　replied　Lisbeth；　〃I　cannot　continue
to　be　your　friend　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；　I　shall　have　to　break　with
you；　to　be　supposed　never　to　visit　you；　or　even　to　speak　to　you。〃

〃Evidently；〃　said　Valerie；　〃but〃

〃Oh！　be　quite　easy；〃　interrupted　Lisbeth；　〃we　shall　often　meet　when　I
am　Madame　la　Marechale。　They　are　all　set　upon　it　now。　Only　the　Baron
is　in　ignorance　of　the　plan；　but　you　can　talk　him　over。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Valerie；　〃but　it　is　quite　likely　that　the　Baron　and　I　may
be　on　distant　terms　before　long。〃

〃Madame　Olivier　is　the　only　person　who　can　make　Hortense　demand　to　see
the　letter；〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃And　you　must　send　her　to　the　Rue　Saint…
Dominique　before　she　goes　on　to　the　studio。〃

〃Our　beauty　will　be　at　home；　no　doubt；〃　said　Valerie；　ringing　for
Reine　to　call　up　Madame　Olivier。

Ten　minutes　after　the　despatch　of　this　fateful　letter；　Baron　Hulot
arrived。　Madame　Marneffe　threw　her　arms　round　the　old　man's　neck　with
kittenish　impetuosity。

〃Hector；　you　are　a　father！〃　she　said　in　his　ear。　〃That　is　what　comes
of　quarreling　and　making　friends　again〃

Perceiving　a　look　of　surprise；　which　the　Baron　did　not　at　once
conceal；　Valerie　assumed　a　reserve　which　brought　the　old　man　to
despair。　She　made　him　wring　the　proofs　from　her　one　by　one。　When
conviction；　led　on　by　vanity；　had　at　last　entered　his　mind；　she
enlarged　on　Monsieur　Marneffe's　wrath。

〃My　dear　old　veteran；〃　said　she；　〃you　can　hardly　avoid　getting　your
responsible　editor；　our　representative　partner　if　you　like；　appointed
head…clerk　and　officer　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；　for　you　really　have
done　for　the　poor　man；　he　adores　his　Stanislas；　the　little　monstrosity
who　is　so　like　him；　that　to　me　he　is　insufferable。　Unless　you　prefer
to　settle　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year　on　Stanislasthe　capital　to　be
his；　and　the　life…interest　payable　to　me；　of　course〃

〃But　if　I　am　to　settle　securities；　I　would　rather　it　should　be　on　my
own　son；　and　not　on　the　monstrosity；〃　said　the　Baron。

This　rash　speech；　in　which　the　words　〃my　own　son〃　came　out　as　full　as
a　river　in　flood；　was；　by　the　end　of　the　hour；　ratified　as　a　formal
promise　to　settle　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year　on　the　future　boy。　And
this　promise　became；　on　Valerie's　tongue　and　in　her　countenance；　what
a　drum　is　in　the　hands　of　a　child；　for　three　weeks　she　played　on　it
incessantly。

At　the　moment　when　Baron　Hulot　was　leaving　the　Rue　Vanneau；　as　happy
as　a　man　who　after　a　year　of　married　life　still　desires　an　heir；
Madame　Olivier　had　yielded　to　Hortense；　and　given　up　the　note　she　was
instructed　to　give　only　into　the　Count's　own　hands。　The　young　wife
paid　twenty　francs　for　that　letter。　The　wretch　who　commits　suicide
must　pay　for　the　opium；　the　pistol；　the　charcoal。

Hortense　read　and　re…read　the　note；　she　saw　nothing　but　this　sheet　of
white　paper　streaked　with　black　lines；　the　universe　held　for　her
nothing　but　that　paper；　everything　was　dark　around　her。　The　glare　of
the　conflagration　that　was　consuming　the　edifice　of　her　happiness
lighted　up　the　page；　for　blackest　night　enfolded　her。　The　shouts　of
her　little　Wenceslas　at　play　fell　on　her　ear；　as　if　he　had　been　in　the
depths　of　a　valley　and　she　on　a　high　mountain。　Thus　insulted　at　four…
and…twenty；　in　all　the　splendor　of　her　beauty；　enhanced　by　pure　and
devoted　loveit　was　not　a　stab；　it　was　death。　The　first　shock　had
been　merely　on　the　nerves；　the　physical　frame　had　struggled　in　the
grip　of　jealousy；　but　now　certainty　had　seized　her　soul；　her　body　was
unconscious。

For　about　ten　minutes　Hortense　sat　under　the　incubus　of　this
oppression。　Then　a　vision　of　her　mother　appeared　before　her；　and
revulsion　ensued；　she　was　calm　and　cool；　and　mistress　of　her　reason。

She　rang。

〃Get　Louise　to　help　you；　child；〃　said　she　to　the　cook。　〃As　quickly　as
you　can；　pack　up　everything　that　belongs　to　me　and　everything　wanted
for　the　little　boy。　I　give　you　an　hour。　When　all　is　ready；　fetch　a
hackney　coach　from　the　stand；　and　call　me。

〃Make　no　remarks！　I　am　leaving　the　house；　and　shall　take　Louise　with
me。　You　must　stay　here　with　monsieur；　take　good　care　of　him〃

She　went　into　her　room；　and　wrote　the　following　letter：

　　〃MONSIEUR　LE　COMTE；

　　〃The　letter　I　enclose　will　sufficiently　account　for　the
　　determination　I　have　come　to。

　　〃When　you　read　this；　I　shall　have　left　your　house　and　have　found
　　refuge　with　my　mother；　taking　our　child　with　me。

　　〃Do　not　imagine　that　I　shall　retrace　my　steps。　Do　not　imagine　that
　　I　am　acting　with　the　rash　haste　of　youth；　without　reflection；　with
　　the　anger　of　offended　affection；　you　will　be　greatly　mistaken。

　　〃I　have　been　thinking　very　deeply　during　the　last　fortnight　of
　　life；　of　love；　of　our　marriage；　of　our　duties　to　each　other。　I
　　have　known　the　perfect　devotion　of　my　mother；　she　has　told　me　all
　　her　sorrows！　She　has　been　heroicalevery　day　for　twenty…three
　　years。　But　I　have　not　the　strength　to　imitate　her；　not　because　I
　　love　you　less　than　she　loves　my　father；　but　for　reasons　of　spirit
　　and　nature。　Our　home　would　be　a　hell；　I　might　lose　my　head　so　far
　　as　to　disgrace　youdisgrace　myself　and　our　child。

　　〃I　refuse　to　be　a　Madame　Marneffe；　once　launched　on　such　a　course；
　　a　woman　of　my　temper　might　not；　perhaps；　be　able　to　stop。　I　am；
　　unfortunately　for　myself；　a　Hulot；　not　a　Fischer。

　　〃Alone；　and　absent　from　the　scene　of　your　dissipations；　I　am　sure
　　of　myself；　especially　with　my　child　to　occupy　me；　and　by　the　side
　　of　a　strong　and　noble　mother；　whose　life　cannot　fail　to　influence
　　the　vehement　impetuousness　of　my　feelings。　There；　I　can　be　a　good
　　mother；　bring　our　boy　up　well；　and　live。　Under　your　roof　the　wife
　　would　oust　the　mother；　and　constant　contention　would　sour　my
　　temper。

　　〃I　can　accept　a　death…blow；　but　I　will　not　endure　for　twenty…five
　　years；　like　my　mother。　If；　at　the　end　of　three　years　of　perfect；
　　unwavering　love；　you　can　be　unfaithful　to　me　with　your　father…in…
　　law's　mistress；　what　rivals　may　I　expect　to　have　in　later　years？
　　Indeed；　monsieur；　you　have　begun　your　career　of　profligacy　much
　　earlier　than　my　father　did；　the　life　of　dissipation；　which　is　a
　　disgrace　to　the　father　of　a　family；　which　undermines　the　respect
　　of　his　children；　and　which　ends　in　shame　and　despair。

　　〃I　am　not　unforgiving。　Unrelenting　feelings　do　not　beseem　erring
　　creatures　living　under　the　eye　of　God。　If　you　win　fame　and　fortune
　　by　sustained　work；　if　you　have　nothing　to　do　with　courtesans　and
　　ignoble；　defiling　ways；　you　will　find　me　still　a　wife　worthy　of
　　you。

　　〃I　believe　you　to　be　too　much　a　gentleman；　Monsieur　le　Comte；　to
　　have　recourse　to　the　law。　You　will　respect　my　wishes；　and　leave　me
　　under　my　mother's　roof。　Above　all；　never　let　me　see　you　there。　I
　　have　left　all　the　money　lent　to　you　by　that　odious　woman。
　　Farewell。

〃HORTENSE　HULOT。〃


This　letter　was　written　in　anguish。　Hortense　abandoned　herself　to　the
tears；　the　outcries　of　murdered　love。　She　laid　down　her　pen　and　took
it　up　again；　to　express　as　simply　as　possible　all　that　passion
commonly　proclaims　in　this　sort　of　testamentary　letter。　Her　heart　went
forth　in　exclamations；　wailing　and　weeping；　but　reason　dictated　the
words。

Informed　by　Louise　that　all　was　r