cousin betty-第63章

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simply　to　give　them　places；　without　any　regard　for　the　office。We　are
old　friends〃

〃Yes；〃　the　Baron　put　in；　〃and　it　is　in　order　not　to　impair　our　old　and
valued　friendship　that　I〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　the　departmental　manager；　seeing　Hulot's　face
clouded　with　embarrassment；　〃I　will　take　myself　off；　old　fellow。But
I　warn　you！　you　have　enemiesthat　is　to　say；　men　who　covet　your
splendid　appointment；　and　you　have　but　one　anchor　out。　Now　if；　like
me；　you　were　a　Deputy；　you　would　have　nothing　to　fear；　so　mind　what
you　are　about。〃

This　speech；　in　the　most　friendly　spirit；　made　a　deep　impression　on
the　Councillor　of　State。

〃But；　after　all；　Roger；　what　is　it　that　is　wrong？　Do　not　make　any
mysteries　with　me。〃

The　individual　addressed　as　Roger　looked　at　Hulot；　took　his　hand；　and
pressed　it。

〃We　are　such　old　friends；　that　I　am　bound　to　give　you　warning。　If　you
want　to　keep　your　place；　you　must　make　a　bed　for　yourself；　and　instead
of　asking　the　Marshal　to　give　Coquet's　place　to　Marneffe；　in　your
place　I　would　beg　him　to　use　his　influence　to　reserve　a　seat　for　me　on
the　General　Council　of　State；　there　you　may　die　in　peace；　and；　like
the　beaver；　abandon　all　else　to　the　pursuers。〃

〃What；　do　you　think　the　Marshal　would　forget〃

〃The　Marshal　has　already　taken　your　part　so　warmly　at　a　General
Meeting　of　the　Ministers；　that　you　will　not　now　be　turned　out；　but　it
was　seriously　discussed！　So　give　them　no　excuse。　I　can　say　no　more。　At
this　moment　you　may　make　your　own　terms；　you　may　sit　on　the　Council　of
State　and　be　made　a　Peer　of　the　Chamber。　If　you　delay　too　long；　if　you
give　any　one　a　hold　against　you；　I　can　answer　for　nothing。Now；　am　I
to　go？〃

〃Wait　a　little。　I　will　see　the　Marshal；〃　replied　Hulot；　〃and　I　will
send　my　brother　to　see　which　way　the　wind　blows　at　headquarters。〃

The　humor　in　which　the　Baron　came　back　to　Madame　Marneffe's　may　be
imagined；　he　had　almost　forgotten　his　fatherhood；　for　Roger　had　taken
the　part　of　a　true　and　kind　friend　in　explaining　the　position。　At　the
same　time　Valerie's　influence　was　so　great　that；　by　the　middle　of
dinner；　the　Baron　was　tuned　up　to　the　pitch；　and　was　all　the　more
cheerful　for　having　unwonted　anxieties　to　conceal；　but　the　hapless　man
was　not　yet　aware　that　in　the　course　of　that　evening　he　would　find
himself　in　a　cleft　stick；　between　his　happiness　and　the　danger　pointed
out　by　his　friendcompelled；　in　short；　to　choose　between　Madame
Marneffe　and　his　official　position。

At　eleven　o'clock；　when　the　evening　was　at　its　gayest；　for　the　room
was　full　of　company；　Valerie　drew　Hector　into　a　corner　of　her　sofa。

〃My　dear　old　boy；〃　said　she；　〃your　daughter　is　so　annoyed　at　knowing
that　Wenceslas　comes　here；　that　she　has　left　him　'planted。'　Hortense
is　wrong…headed。　Ask　Wenceslas　to　show　you　the　letter　the　little　fool
has　written　to　him。

〃This　division　of　two　lovers；　of　which　I　am　reputed　to　be　the　cause；
may　do　me　the　greatest　harm；　for　this　is　how　virtuous　women　undermine
each　other。　It　is　disgraceful　to　pose　as　a　victim　in　order　to　cast　the
blame　on　a　woman　whose　only　crime　is　that　she　keeps　a　pleasant　house。
If　you　love　me；　you　will　clear　my　character　by　reconciling　the　sweet
turtle…doves。

〃I　do　not　in　the　least　care　about　your　son…in…law's　visits；　you
brought　him　heretake　him　away　again！　If　you　have　any　authority　in
your　family；　it　seems　to　me　that　you　may　very　well　insist　on　your
wife's　patching　up　this　squabble。　Tell　the　worthy　old　lady　from　me；
that　if　I　am　unjustly　charged　with　having　caused　a　young　couple　to
quarrel；　with　upsetting　the　unity　of　a　family；　and　annexing　both　the
father　and　the　son…in…law；　I　will　deserve　my　reputation　by　annoying
them　in　my　own　way！　Why；　here　is　Lisbeth　talking　of　throwing　me　over！
She　prefers　to　stick　to　her　family；　and　I　cannot　blame　her　for　it。　She
will　throw　me　over；　says　she；　unless　the　young　people　make　friends
again。　A　pretty　state　of　things！　Our　expenses　here　will　be　trebled！〃

〃Oh；　as　for　that！〃　said　the　Baron；　on　hearing　of　his　daughter's　strong
measures；　〃I　will　have　no　nonsense　of　that　kind。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Valerie。　〃And　now　for　the　next　thing。What　about
Coquet's　place？〃

〃That；〃　said　Hector；　looking　away；　〃is　more　difficult；　not　to　say
impossible。〃

〃Impossible；　my　dear　Hector？〃　said　Madame　Marneffe　in　the　Baron's　ear。
〃But　you　do　not　know　to　what　lengths　Marneffe　will　go。　I　am　completely
in　his　power；　he　is　immoral　for　his　own　gratification；　like　most　men；
but　he　is　excessively　vindictive；　like　all　weak　and　impotent　natures。
In　the　position　to　which　you　have　reduced　me；　I　am　in　his　power。　I　am
bound　to　be　on　terms　with　him　for　a　few　days；　and　he　is　quite　capable
of　refusing　to　leave　my　room　any　more。〃

Hulot　started　with　horror。

〃He　would　leave　me　alone　on　condition　of　being　head…clerk。　It　is
abominablebut　logical。〃

〃Valerie；　do　you　love　me？〃

〃In　the　state　in　which　I　am；　my　dear；　the　question　is　the　meanest
insult。〃

〃Well；　thenif　I　were　to　attempt；　merely　to　attempt；　to　ask　the
Prince　for　a　place　for　Marneffe；　I　should　be　done　for；　and　Marneffe
would　be　turned　out。〃

〃I　thought　that　you　and　the　Prince　were　such　intimate　friends。〃

〃We　are；　and　he　has　amply　proved　it；　but；　my　child；　there　is　authority
above　the　Marshal'sfor　instance；　the　whole　Council　of　Ministers。
With　time　and　a　little　tacking；　we　shall　get　there。　But；　to　succeed；　I
must　wait　till　the　moment　when　some　service　is　required　of　me。　Then　I
can　say　one　good　turn　deserves　another〃

〃If　I　tell　Marneffe　this　tale；　my　poor　Hector；　he　will　play　us　some
mean　trick。　You　must　tell　him　yourself　that　he　has　to　wait。　I　will　not
undertake　to　do　so。　Oh！　I　know　what　my　fate　would　be。　He　knows　how　to
punish　me！　He　will　henceforth　share　my　room

〃Do　not　forget　to　settle　the　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year　on　the
little　one！〃

Hulot；　seeing　his　pleasures　in　danger；　took　Monsieur　Marneffe　aside；
and　for　the　first　time　derogated　from　the　haughty　tone　he　had　always
assumed　towards　him；　so　greatly　was　he　horrified　by　the　thought　of
that　half…dead　creature　in　his　pretty　young　wife's　bedroom。

〃Marneffe；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　been　talking　of　you
to…day。　But　you　cannot　be　promoted　to　the　first　class　just　yet。　We
must　have　time。〃

〃I　will　be；　Monsieur　le　Baron；〃　said　Marneffe　shortly。

〃But；　my　dear　fellow〃

〃I　/will/　be；　Monsieur　le　Baron；〃　Marneffe　coldly　repeated；　looking
alternately　at　the　Baron　and　at　Valerie。　〃You　have　placed　my　wife　in　a
position　that　necessitates　her　making　up　her　differences　with　me；　and
I　mean　to　keep　her；　for；　/my　dear　fellow/；　she　is　a　charming
creature；〃　he　added；　with　crushing　irony。　〃I　am　master　heremore　than
you　are　at　the　War　Office。〃

The　Baron　felt　one　of　those　pangs　of　fury　which　have　the　effect；　in
the　heart；　of　a　fit　of　raging　toothache；　and　he　could　hardly　conceal
the　tears　in　his　eyes。

During　this　little　scene；　Valerie　had　been　explaining　Marneffe's
imaginary　determination　to　Montes；　and　thus　had　rid　herself　of　him　for
a　time。

Of　her　four　adherents；　Crevel　alone　was　exempted　from　the　rule
Crevel；　the　master　of　the　little　〃bijou〃　apartment；　and　he　displayed
on　his　countenance　an　air　of　really　insolent　beatitude；
notwithstanding　the　wordless　reproofs　administered　by　Valerie　in
frowns　and　meaning　grimaces。　His　triumphant　paternity　beamed　in　every
feature。

When　Valerie　was　whispering　a　word　of　correction　in　his　ear；　he
snatched　her　hand；　and　put　in：

〃To…morrow；　my　Duchess；　you　shall　have　your　own　little　house！　The
papers　are　to　be　signed　to…morrow。〃

〃And　the　furniture？〃　said　she；　with　a　smile。

〃I　have　a　thousand　shares　in　the　Versailles　/rive　gauche/　railway。　I
bought　them　at　twenty…five；　and　they　will　go　up　to　three　hundred　in
consequence　of　the　amalgamation　of　the　two　lines；　which　is　a　secret
told　to　me。　You　shall　have　furniture　fit　for　a　queen。　But　then　you
will　be　mine　alone　henceforth？〃

〃Yes；　burly　Maire；〃　said　this　middle…class　Madame　de　Merteuil。　〃But
behave　yourself；　respect　the　future　Madame　Crevel。〃

〃My　dear　cousin；〃　Lisbeth　was　saying　to　the　Baron；　〃I　shall　go　to　see
Adeline　early　to…morrow；　for；　as　you　must　see；　I　cannot；　with　any
decency；　remain　here。　I　will　go　and　keep　ho