cousin betty-第64章

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Adeline　early　to…morrow；　for；　as　you　must　see；　I　cannot；　with　any
decency；　remain　here。　I　will　go　and　keep　house　for　your　brother　the
Marshal。〃

〃I　am　going　home　this　evening；〃　said　Hulot。

〃Very　well；　you　will　see　me　at　breakfast　to…morrow；〃　said　Lisbeth；
smiling。

She　understood　that　her　presence　would　be　necessary　at　the　family
scene　that　would　take　place　on　the　morrow。　And　the　very　first　thing　in
the　morning　she　went　to　see　Victorin　and　to　tell　him　that　Hortense　and
Wenceslas　had　parted。

When　the　Baron　went　home　at　half…past　ten；　Mariette　and　Louise；　who
had　had　a　hard　day；　were　locking　up　the　apartment。　Hulot　had　not　to
ring。

Very　much　put　out　at　this　compulsory　virtue；　the　husband　went　straight
to　his　wife's　room；　and　through　the　half…open　door　he　saw　her　kneeling
before　her　Crucifix；　absorbed　in　prayer；　in　one　of　those　attitudes
which　make　the　fortune　of　the　painter　or　the　sculptor　who　is　so　happy
to　invent　and　then　to　express　them。　Adeline；　carried　away　by　her
enthusiasm；　was　praying　aloud：

〃O　God；　have　mercy　and　enlighten　him！〃

The　Baroness　was　praying　for　her　Hector。

At　this　sight；　so　unlike　what　he　had　just　left；　and　on　hearing　this
petition　founded　on　the　events　of　the　day；　the　Baron　heaved　a　sigh　of
deep　emotion。　Adeline　looked　round；　her　face　drowned　in　tears。　She　was
so　convinced　that　her　prayer　had　been　heard；　that；　with　one　spring；
she　threw　her　arms　round　Hector　with　the　impetuosity　of　happy
affection。　Adeline　had　given　up　all　a　wife's　instincts；　sorrow　had
effaced　even　the　memory　of　them。　No　feeling　survived　in　her　but　those
of　motherhood；　of　the　family　honor；　and　the　pure　attachment　of　a
Christian　wife　for　a　husband　who　has　gone　astraythe　saintly
tenderness　which　survives　all　else　in　a　woman's　soul。

〃Hector！〃　she　said；　〃are　you　come　back　to　us？　Has　God　taken　pity　on
our　family？〃

〃Dear　Adeline；〃　replied　the　Baron；　coming　in　and　seating　his　wife　by
his　side　on　a　couch；　〃you　are　the　saintliest　creature　I　ever　knew；　I
have　long　known　myself　to　be　unworthy　of　you。〃

〃You　would　have　very　little　to　do；　my　dear；〃　said　she；　holding　Hulot's
hand　and　trembling　so　violently　that　it　was　as　though　she　had　a　palsy；
〃very　little　to　set　things　in　order〃

She　dared　not　proceed；　she　felt　that　every　word　would　be　a　reproof；
and　she　did　not　wish　to　mar　the　happiness　with　which　this　meeting　was
inundating　her　soul。

〃It　is　Hortense　who　has　brought　me　here；〃　said　Hulot。　〃That　child　may
do　us　far　more　harm　by　her　hasty　proceeding　than　my　absurd　passion　for
Valerie　has　ever　done。　But　we　will　discuss　all　this　to…morrow　morning。
Hortense　is　asleep；　Mariette　tells　me；　we　will　not　disturb　her。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Madame　Hulot；　suddenly　plunged　into　the　depths　of　grief。

She　understood　that　the　Baron's　return　was　prompted　not　so　much　by　the
wish　to　see　his　family　as　by　some　ulterior　interest。

〃Leave　her　in　peace　till　to…morrow；〃　said　the　mother。　〃The　poor　child
is　in　a　deplorable　condition；　she　has　been　crying　all　day。〃



At　nine　the　next　morning；　the　Baron；　awaiting　his　daughter；　whom　he
had　sent　for；　was　pacing　the　large；　deserted　drawing…room；　trying　to
find　arguments　by　which　to　conquer　the　most　difficult　form　of
obstinacy　there　is　to　deal　withthat　of　a　young　wife；　offended　and
implacable；　as　blameless　youth　ever　is；　in　its　ignorance　of　the
disgraceful　compromises　of　the　world；　of　its　passions　and　interests。

〃Here　I　am；　papa；〃　said　Hortense　in　a　tremulous　voice；　and　looking
pale　from　her　miseries。

Hulot；　sitting　down；　took　his　daughter　round　the　waist；　and　drew　her
down　to　sit　on　his　knee。

〃Well；　my　child；〃　said　he；　kissing　her　forehead；　〃so　there　are
troubles　at　home；　and　you　have　been　hasty　and　headstrong？　That　is　not
like　a　well…bred　child。　My　Hortense　ought　not　to　have　taken　such　a
decisive　step　as　that　of　leaving　her　house　and　deserting　her　husband
on　her　own　account；　and　without　consulting　her　parents。　If　my　darling
girl　had　come　to　see　her　kind　and　admirable　mother；　she　would　not　have
given　me　this　cruel　pain　I　feel！You　do　not　know　the　world；　it　is
malignantly　spiteful。　People　will　perhaps　say　that　your　husband　sent
you　back　to　your　parents。　Children　brought　up　as　you　were；　on　your
mother's　lap；　remain　artless；　maidenly　passion　like　yours　for
Wenceslas；　unfortunately；　makes　no　allowances；　it　acts　on　every
impulse。　The　little　heart　is　moved；　the　head　follows　suit。　You　would
burn　down　Paris　to　be　revenged；　with　no　thought　of　the　courts　of
justice！

〃When　your　old　father　tells　you　that　you　have　outraged　the
proprieties；　you　may　take　his　word　for　it。I　say　nothing　of　the　cruel
pain　you　have　given　me。　It　is　bitter；　I　assure　you；　for　you　throw　all
the　blame　on　a　woman　of　whose　heart　you　know　nothing；　and　whose
hostility　may　become　disastrous。　And　you；　alas！　so　full　of　guileless
innocence　and　purity；　can　have　no　suspicions；　but　you　may　be　vilified
and　slandered。Besides；　my　darling　pet；　you　have　taken　a　foolish　jest
too　seriously。　I　can　assure　you；　on　my　honor；　that　your　husband　is
blameless。　Madame　Marneffe〃

So　far　the　Baron；　artistically　diplomatic；　had　formulated　his
remonstrances　very　judiciously。　He　had；　as　may　be　observed；　worked　up
to　the　mention　of　this　name　with　superior　skill；　and　yet　Hortense；　as
she　heard　it；　winced　as　if　stung　to　the　quick。

〃Listen　to　me；　I　have　had　great　experience；　and　I　have　seen　much；〃　he
went　on；　stopping　his　daughter's　attempt　to　speak。　〃That　lady　is　very
cold　to　your　husband。　Yes；　you　have　been　made　the　victim　of　a
practical　joke；　and　I　will　prove　it　to　you。　Yesterday　Wenceslas　was
dining　with　her〃

〃Dining　with　her！〃　cried　the　young　wife；　starting　to　her　feet；　and
looking　at　her　father　with　horror　in　every　feature。　〃Yesterday！　After
having　had　my　letter！　Oh；　great　God！Why　did　I　not　take　the　veil
rather　than　marry？　But　now　my　life　is　not　my　own！　I　have　the　child！〃
and　she　sobbed。

Her　weeping　went　to　Madame　Hulot's　heart。　She　came　out　of　her　room　and
ran　to　her　daughter；　taking　her　in　her　arms；　and　asking　her　those
questions；　stupid　with　grief；　which　first　rose　to　her　lips。

〃Now　we　have　tears；〃　said　the　Baron　to　himself；　〃and　all　was　going　so
well！　What　is　to　be　done　with　women　who　cry？〃

〃My　child；〃　said　the　Baroness；　〃listen　to　your　father！　He　loves　us　all
come；　come〃

〃Come；　Hortense；　my　dear　little　girl；　cry　no　more；　you　make　yourself
too　ugly！〃　said　the　Baron；　〃Now；　be　a　little　reasonable。　Go　sensibly
home；　and　I　promise　you　that　Wenceslas　shall　never　set　foot　in　that
woman's　house。　I　ask　you　to　make　the　sacrifice；　if　it　is　a　sacrifice
to　forgive　the　husband　you　love　so　small　a　fault。　I　ask　youfor　the
sake　of　my　gray　hairs；　and　of　the　love　you　owe　your　mother。　You　do　not
want　to　blight　my　later　years　with　bitterness　and　regret？〃

Hortense　fell　at　her　father's　feet　like　a　crazed　thing；　with　the
vehemence　of　despair；　her　hair；　loosely　pinned　up；　fell　about　her；　and
she　held　out　her　hands　with　an　expression　that　painted　her　misery。

〃Father；〃　she　said；　〃ask　my　life！　Take　it　if　you　will；　but　at　least
take　it　pure　and　spotless；　and　I　will　yield　it　up　gladly。　Do　not　ask
me　to　die　in　dishonor　and　crime。　I　am　not　at　all　like　my　husband；　I
cannot　swallow　an　outrage。　If　I　went　back　under　my　husband's　roof；　I
should　be　capable　of　smothering　him　in　a　fit　of　jealousyor　of　doing
worse！　Do　no　exact　from　me　a　thing　that　is　beyond　my　powers。　Do　not
have　to　mourn　for　me　still　living；　for　the　least　that　can　befall　me　is
to　go　mad。　I　feel　madness　close　upon　me！

〃Yesterday；　yesterday；　he　could　dine　with　that　woman；　after　having
read　my　letter？Are　other　men　made　so？　My　life　I　give　you；　but　do　not
let　my　death　be　ignominious！His　fault？A　small　one！　When　he　has　a
child　by　that　woman！〃

〃A　child！〃　cried　Hulot；　starting　back　a　step　or　two。　〃Come。　This　is
really　some　fooling。〃

At　this　juncture　Victorin　and　Lisbeth　arrived；　and　stood　dumfounded　at
the　scene。　The　daughter　was　prostrate　at　her　father's　feet。　The
Baroness；　speechless　between　her　maternal　feelings　and　her　conjugal
duty；　showed　a　harassed　face　bathed　in　tears。

〃Lisbeth；〃　said　the　Baron；　seizing　his　cousin　by　the　hand　and　pointing
to　Hortense；　〃you　can　help　me　here。　My　poor　child's　brain　is