cousin betty-第65章

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to　Hortense；　〃you　can　help　me　here。　My　poor　child's　brain　is　turned；
she　believes　that　her　Wenceslas　is　Madame　Marneffe's　lover；　while　all
that　Valerie　wanted　was　to　have　a　group　by　him。〃

〃/Delilah/！〃　cried　the　young　wife。　〃The　only　thing　he　has　done　since
our　marriage。　The　man　would　not　work　for　me　or　for　his　son；　and　he　has
worked　with　frenzy　for　that　good…for…nothing　creature。Oh；　father；
kill　me　outright；　for　every　word　stabs　like　a　knife！〃

Lisbeth　turned　to　the　Baroness　and　Victorin；　pointing　with　a　pitying
shrug　to　the　Baron；　who　could　not　see　her。

〃Listen　to　me；〃　said　she　to　him。　〃I　had　no　ideawhen　you　asked　me　to
go　to　lodge　over　Madame　Marneffe　and　keep　house　for　herI　had　no　idea
of　what　she　was；　but　many　things　may　be　learned　in　three　years。　That
creature　is　a　prostitute；　and　one　whose　depravity　can　only　be　compared
with　that　of　her　infamous　and　horrible　husband。　You　are　the　dupe；　my
lord　pot…boiler；　of　those　people；　you　will　be　led　further　by　them　than
you　dream　of！　I　speak　plainly；　for　you　are　at　the　bottom　of　a　pit。〃

The　Baroness　and　her　daughter；　hearing　Lisbeth　speak　in　this　style；
cast　adoring　looks　at　her；　such　as　the　devout　cast　at　a　Madonna　for
having　saved　their　life。

〃That　horrible　woman　was　bent　on　destroying　your　son…in…law's　home。　To
what　end？I　know　not。　My　brain　is　not　equal　to　seeing　clearly　into
these　dark　intriguesperverse；　ignoble；　infamous！　Your　Madame
Marneffe　does　not　love　your　son…in…law；　but　she　will　have　him　at　her
feet　out　of　revenge。　I　have　just　spoken　to　the　wretched　woman　as　she
deserves。　She　is　a　shameless　courtesan；　I　have　told　her　that　I　am
leaving　her　house；　that　I　would　not　have　my　honor　smirched　in　that
muck…heap。I　owe　myself　to　my　family　before　all　else。

〃I　knew　that　Hortense　had　left　her　husband；　so　here　I　am。　Your
Valerie；　whom　you　believe　to　be　a　saint；　is　the　cause　of　this
miserable　separation；　can　I　remain　with　such　a　woman？　Our　poor　little
Hortense；〃　said　she；　touching　the　Baron's　arm；　with　peculiar　meaning；
〃is　perhaps　the　dupe　of　a　wish　of　such　women　as　these；　who；　to　possess
a　toy；　would　sacrifice　a　family。

〃I　do　not　think　Wenceslas　guilty；　but　I　think　him　weak；　and　I　cannot
promise　that　he　will　not　yield　to　her　refinements　of　temptation。My
mind　is　made　up。　The　woman　is　fatal　to　you；　she　will　bring　you　all　to
utter　ruin。　I　will　not　even　seem　to　be　concerned　in　the　destruction　of
my　own　family；　after　living　there　for　three　years　solely　to　hinder　it。

〃You　are　cheated；　Baron；　say　very　positively　that　you　will　have
nothing　to　say　to　the　promotion　of　that　dreadful　Marneffe；　and　you
will　see　then！　There　is　a　fine　rod　in　pickle　for　you　in　that　case。〃

Lisbeth　lifted　up　Hortense　and　kissed　her　enthusiastically。

〃My　dear　Hortense；　stand　firm；〃　she　whispered。

The　Baroness　embraced　Lisbeth　with　the　vehemence　of　a　woman　who　sees
herself　avenged。　The　whole　family　stood　in　perfect　silence　round　the
father；　who　had　wit　enough　to　know　what　that　silence　implied。　A　storm
of　fury　swept　across　his　brow　and　face　with　evident　signs；　the　veins
swelled；　his　eyes　were　bloodshot；　his　flesh　showed　patches　of　color。
Adeline　fell　on　her　knees　before　him　and　seized　his　hands。

〃My　dear；　forgive；　my　dear！〃

〃You　loathe　me！〃　cried　the　Baronthe　cry　of　his　conscience。

For　we　all　know　the　secret　of　our　own　wrong…doing。　We　almost　always
ascribe　to　our　victims　the　hateful　feelings　which　must　fill　them　with
the　hope　of　revenge；　and　in　spite　of　every　effort　of　hypocrisy；　our
tongue　or　our　face　makes　confession　under　the　rack　of　some　unexpected
anguish；　as　the　criminal　of　old　confessed　under　the　hands　of　the
torturer。

〃Our　children；〃　he　went　on；　to　retract　the　avowal；　〃turn　at　last　to　be
our　enemies〃

〃Father！〃　Victorin　began。

〃You　dare　to　interrupt　your　father！〃　said　the　Baron　in　a　voice　of
thunder；　glaring　at　his　son。

〃Father；　listen　to　me；〃　Victorin　went　on　in　a　clear；　firm　voice；　the
voice　of　a　puritanical　deputy。　〃I　know　the　respect　I　owe　you　too　well
ever　to　fail　in　it；　and　you　will　always　find　me　the　most　respectful
and　submissive　of　sons。〃

Those　who　are　in　the　habit　of　attending　the　sittings　of　the　Chamber
will　recognize　the　tactics　of　parliamentary　warfare　in　these　fine…
drawn　phrases；　used　to　calm　the　factions　while　gaining　time。

〃We　are　far　from　being　your　enemies；〃　his　son　went　on。　〃I　have
quarreled　with　my　father…in…law；　Monsieur　Crevel；　for　having　rescued
your　notes　of　hand　for　sixty　thousand　francs　from　Vauvinet；　and　that
money　is；　beyond　doubt；　in　Madame　Marneffe's　pocket。I　am　not　finding
fault　with　you；　father；〃　said　he；　in　reply　to　an　impatient　gesture　of
the　Baron's；　〃I　simply　wish　to　add　my　protest　to　my　cousin　Lisbeth's；
and　to　point　out　to　you　that　though　my　devotion　to　you　as　a　father　is
blind　and　unlimited；　my　dear　father；　our　pecuniary　resources；
unfortunately；　are　very　limited。〃

〃Money！〃　cried　the　excitable　old　man；　dropping　on　to　a　chair；　quite
crushed　by　this　argument。　〃From　my　son！You　shall　be　repaid　your
money；　sir；〃　said　he；　rising；　and　he　went　to　the　door。

〃Hector！〃

At　this　cry　the　Baron　turned　round；　suddenly　showing　his　wife　a　face
bathed　in　tears；　she　threw　her　arms　round　him　with　the　strength　of
despair。

〃Do　not　leave　us　thusdo　not　go　away　in　anger。　I　have　not　said　a　word
not　I！〃

At　this　heart…wrung　speech　the　children　fell　at　their　father's　feet。

〃We　all　love　you；〃　said　Hortense。

Lisbeth；　as　rigid　as　a　statue；　watched　the　group　with　a　superior　smile
on　her　lips。　Just　then　Marshal　Hulot's　voice　was　heard　in　the
anteroom。　The　family　all　felt　the　importance　of　secrecy；　and　the　scene
suddenly　changed。　The　young　people　rose；　and　every　one　tried　to　hide
all　traces　of　emotion。

A　discussion　was　going　on　at　the　door　between　Mariette　and　a　soldier；
who　was　so　persistent　that　the　cook　came　in。

〃Monsieur；　a　regimental　quartermaster；　who　says　he　is　just　come　from
Algiers；　insists　on　seeing　you。〃

〃Tell　him　to　wait。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Mariette　to　her　master　in　an　undertone；　〃he　told　me
to　tell　you　privately　that　it　has　to　do　with　your　uncle　there。〃

The　Baron　started；　he　believed　that　the　funds　had　been　sent　at　last
which　he　had　been　asking　for　these　two　months；　to　pay　up　his　bills；　he
left　the　family…party；　and　hurried　out　to　the　anteroom。

〃You　are　Monsieur　de　Paron　Hulot？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Your　own　self？〃

〃My　own　self。〃

The　man；　who　had　been　fumbling　meanwhile　in　the　lining　of　his　cap；
drew　out　a　letter；　of　which　the　Baron　hastily　broke　the　seal；　and　read
as　follows：

　　〃DEAR　NEPHEW；Far　from　being　able　to　send　you　the　hundred
　　thousand　francs　you　ask　of　me；　my　present　position　is　not　tenable
　　unless　you　can　take　some　decisive　steps　to　save　me。　We　are　saddled
　　with　a　public　prosecutor　who　talks　goody；　and　rhodomontades
　　nonsense　about　the　management。　It　is　impossible　to　get　the　black…
　　chokered　pump　to　hold　his　tongue。　If　the　War　Minister　allows
　　civilians　to　feed　out　of　his　hand；　I　am　done　for。　I　can　trust　the
　　bearer；　try　to　get　him　promoted；　he　has　done　us　good　service。　Do
　　not　abandon　me　to　the　crows！〃

This　letter　was　a　thunderbolt；　the　Baron　could　read　in　it　the
intestine　warfare　between　civil　and　military　authorities；　which　to
this　day　hampers　the　Government；　and　he　was　required　to　invent　on　the
spot　some　palliative　for　the　difficulty　that　stared　him　in　the　face。
He　desired　the　soldier　to　come　back　next　day；　dismissing　him　with
splendid　promises　of　promotion；　and　he　returned　to　the　drawing…room。
〃Good…day　and　good…bye；　brother；〃　said　he　to　the　Marshal。〃Good…bye；
children。Good…bye；　my　dear　Adeline。And　what　are　you　going　to　do；
Lisbeth？〃　he　asked。

〃I？I　am　going　to　keep　house　for　the　Marshal；　for　I　must　end　my　days
doing　what　I　can　for　one　or　another　of　you。〃

〃Do　not　leave　Valerie　till　I　have　seen　you　again；〃　said　Hulot　in　his
cousin's　ear。〃Good…bye；　Hortense；　refractory　little　puss；　try　to　be
reasonable。　I　have　important　business　to　be　attended　to　at　once；　we
will　discuss　your　reconciliation　another　time。　Now；　think　it　over；　my
child；〃　said　he　as　he　kissed　her。

And　he　went　away；　so　evidently　uneasy；　that　his　wife　and　children　felt
the　gravest　apprehensions。

〃Lisbeth；〃　said　the　Baron