cousin betty-第69章

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harangue　me　afterwards。　The　doors　are　locked；　no　doubt；　you　need　not
fear　that　she　will　get　away；　or　I　either；　seeing　the　costume　we　wear。〃

The　two　functionaries　bowed　to　the　magnate's　injunctions。

〃You；　come　here；　miserable　cur！〃　said　Hulot　in　a　low　voice　to
Marneffe；　taking　him　by　the　arm　and　drawing　him　closer。　〃It　is　not　I；
but　you；　who　will　be　the　murderer！　You　want　to　be　head…clerk　of　your
room　and　officer　of　the　Legion　of　Honor？〃

〃That　in　the　first　place；　Chief！〃　replied　Marneffe；　with　a　bow。

〃You　shall　be　all　that；　only　soothe　your　wife　and　dismiss　these
fellows。〃

〃Nay；　nay！〃　said　Marneffe　knowingly。　〃These　gentlemen　must　draw　up
their　report　as　eyewitnesses　to　the　fact；　without　that；　the　chief
evidence　in　my　case；　where　should　I　be？　The　higher　official　ranks　are
chokeful　of　rascalities。　You　have　done　me　out　of　my　wife；　and　you　have
not　promoted　me；　Monsieur　le　Baron；　I　give　you　only　two　days　to　get
out　of　the　scrape。　Here　are　some　letters〃

〃Some　letters！〃　interrupted　Hulot。

〃Yes；　letters　which　prove　that　you　are　the　father　of　the　child　my　wife
expects　to　give　birth　to。You　understand？　And　you　ought　to　settle　on
my　son　a　sum　equal　to　what　he　will　lose　through　this　bastard。　But　I
will　be　reasonable；　this　does　not　distress　me；　I　have　no　mania　for
paternity　myself。　A　hundred　louis　a　year　will　satisfy　me。　By　to…morrow
I　must　be　Monsieur　Coquet's　successor　and　see　my　name　on　the　list　for
promotion　in　the　Legion　of　Honor　at　the　July　fetes；　or　elsethe
documentary　evidence　and　my　charge　against　you　will　be　laid　before　the
Bench。　I　am　not　so　hard　to　deal　with　after　all；　you　see。〃

〃Bless　me；　and　such　a　pretty　woman！〃　said　the　Justice　of　the　Peace　to
the　police　constable。　〃What　a　loss　to　the　world　if　she　should　go　mad！〃

〃She　is　not　mad；〃　said　the　constable　sententiously。　The　police　is
always　the　incarnation　of　scepticism。〃Monsieur　le　Baron　Hulot　has
been　caught　by　a　trick；〃　he　added；　loud　enough　for　Valerie　to　hear
him。

Valerie　shot　a　flash　from　her　eye　which　would　have　killed　him　on　the
spot　if　looks　could　effect　the　vengeance　they　express。　The　police…
officer　smiled；　he　had　laid　a　snare；　and　the　woman　had　fallen　into　it。
Marneffe　desired　his　wife　to　go　into　the　other　room　and　clothe　herself
decently；　for　he　and　the　Baron　had　come　to　an　agreement　on　all　points；
and　Hulot　fetched　his　dressing…gown　and　came　out　again。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　he　to　the　two　officials；　〃I　need　not　impress　on　you
to　be　secret。〃

The　functionaries　bowed。

The　police…officer　rapped　twice　on　the　door；　his　clerk　came　in；　sat
down　at　the　〃bonheur…du…jour；〃　and　wrote　what　the　constable　dictated
to　him　in　an　undertone。　Valerie　still　wept　vehemently。　When　she　was
dressed；　Hulot　went　into　the　other　room　and　put　on　his　clothes。
Meanwhile　the　report　was　written。

Marneffe　then　wanted　to　take　his　wife　home；　but　Hulot；　believing　that
he　saw　her　for　the　last　time；　begged　the　favor　of　being　allowed　to
speak　with　her。

〃Monsieur；　your　wife　has　cost　me　dear　enough　for　me　to　be　allowed　to
say　good…bye　to　herin　the　presence　of　you　all；　of　course。〃

Valerie　went　up　to　Hulot；　and　he　whispered　in　her　ear：

〃There　is　nothing　left　for　us　but　to　fly；　but　how　can　we　correspond？
We　have　been　betrayed〃

〃Through　Reine；〃　she　answered。　〃But　my　dear　friend；　after　this　scandal
we　can　never　meet　again。　I　am　disgraced。　Besides；　you　will　hear
dreadful　things　about　meyou　will　believe　them〃

The　Baron　made　a　gesture　of　denial。

〃You　will　believe　them；　and　I　can　thank　God　for　that；　for　then　perhaps
you　will　not　regret　me。〃

〃He　will　/not/　die　a　second…class　clerk！〃　said　Marneffe　to　Hulot；　as
he　led　his　wife　away；　saying　roughly；　〃Come；　madame；　if　I　am　foolish
to　you；　I　do　not　choose　to　be　a　fool　to　others。〃

Valerie　left　the　house；　Crevel's　Eden；　with　a　last　glance　at　the
Baron；　so　cunning　that　he　thought　she　adored　him。　The　Justice　of　the
Peace　gave　Madame　Marneffe　his　arm　to　the　hackney　coach　with　a
flourish　of　gallantry。　The　Baron；　who　was　required　to　witness　the
report；　remained　quite　bewildered；　alone　with　the　police…officer。　When
the　Baron　had　signed；　the　officer　looked　at　him　keenly；　over　his
glasses。

〃You　are　very　sweet　on　the　little　lady；　Monsieur　le　Baron？〃

〃To　my　sorrow；　as　you　see。〃

〃Suppose　that　she　does　not　care　for　you？〃　the　man　went　on；　〃that　she
is　deceiving　you？〃

〃I　have　long　known　that；　monsieurhere；　in　this　very　spot；　Monsieur
Crevel　and　I　told　each　other〃

〃Oh！　Then　you　knew　that　you　were　in　Monsieur　le　Maire's　private
snuggery？〃

〃Perfectly。〃

The　constable　lightly　touched　his　hat　with　a　respectful　gesture。

〃You　are　very　much　in　love；〃　said　he。　〃I　say　no　more。　I　respect　an
inveterate　passion；　as　a　doctor　respects　an　inveterate　complaint。I
saw　Monsieur　de　Nucingen；　the　banker；　attacked　in　the　same　way〃

〃He　is　a　friend　of　mine；〃　said　the　Baron。　〃Many　a　time　have　I　supped
with　his　handsome　Esther。　She　was　worth　the　two　million　francs　she
cost　him。〃

〃And　more；〃　said　the　officer。　〃That　caprice　of　the　old　Baron's　cost
four　persons　their　lives。　Oh！　such　passions　as　these　are　like　the
cholera！〃

〃What　had　you　to　say　to　me？〃　asked　the　Baron；　who　took　this　indirect
warning　very　ill。

〃Oh！　why　should　I　deprive　you　of　your　illusions？〃　replied　the　officer。
〃Men　rarely　have　any　left　at　your　age！〃

〃Rid　me　of　them！〃　cried　the　Councillor。

〃You　will　curse　the　physician　later；〃　replied　the　officer；　smiling。

〃I　beg　of　you；　monsieur。〃

〃Well；　then；　that　woman　was　in　collusion　with　her　husband。〃

〃Oh！〃

〃Yes；　sir；　and　so　it　is　in　two　cases　out　of　every　ten。　Oh！　we　know　it
well。〃

〃What　proof　have　you　of　such　a　conspiracy？〃

〃In　the　first　place；　the　husband！〃　said　the　other；　with　the　calm
acumen　of　a　surgeon　practised　in　unbinding　wounds。　〃Mean　speculation
is　stamped　in　every　line　of　that　villainous　face。　But　you；　no　doubt；
set　great　store　by　a　certain　letter　written　by　that　woman　with　regard
to　the　child？〃

〃So　much　so；　that　I　always　have　it　about　me；〃　replied　Hulot；　feeling
in　his　breast…pocket　for　the　little　pocketbook　which　he　always　kept
there。

〃Leave　your　pocketbook　where　it　is；〃　said　the　man；　as　crushing　as　a
thunder…clap。　〃Here　is　the　letter。I　now　know　all　I　want　to　know。
Madame　Marneffe；　of　course；　was　aware　of　what　that　pocketbook
contained？〃

〃She　alone　in　the　world。〃

〃So　I　supposed。Now　for　the　proof　you　asked　for　of　her　collusion　with
her　husband。〃

〃Let　us　hear！〃　said　the　Baron；　still　incredulous。

〃When　we　came　in　here；　Monsieur　le　Baron；　that　wretched　creature
Marneffe　led　the　way；　and　he　took　up　this　letter；　which　his　wife；　no
doubt；　had　placed　on　this　writing…table；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the
/bonheur…du…jour/。　〃That　evidently　was　the　spot　agreed　upon　by　the
couple；　in　case　she　should　succeed　in　stealing　the　letter　while　you
were　asleep；　for　this　letter；　as　written　to　you　by　the　lady；　is；
combined　with　those　you　wrote　to　her；　decisive　evidence　in　a　police…
court。〃

He　showed　Hulot　the　note　that　Reine　had　delivered　to　him　in　his
private　room　at　the　office。

〃It　is　one　of　the　documents　in　the　case；〃　said　the　police…agent；
〃return　it　to　me；　monsieur。〃

〃Well；　monsieur；〃　replied　Hulot　with　bitter　expression；　〃that　woman　is
profligacy　itself　in　fixed　ratios。　I　am　certain　at　this　moment　that
she　has　three　lovers。〃

〃That　is　perfectly　evident；〃　said　the　officer。　〃Oh；　they　are　not　all
on　the　streets！　When　a　woman　follows　that　trade　in　a　carriage　and　a
drawing…room；　and　her　own　house；　it　is　not　a　case　for　francs　and
centimes；　Monsieur　le　Baron。　Mademoiselle　Esther；　of　whom　you　spoke；
and　who　poisoned　herself；　made　away　with　millions。If　you　will　take
my　advice；　you　will　get　out　of　it；　monsieur。　This　last　little　game
will　have　cost　you　dear。　That　scoundrel　of　a　husband　has　the　law　on
his　side。　And　indeed；　but　for　me；　that　little　woman　would　have　caught
you　again！〃

〃Thank　you；　monsieur；〃　said　the　Baron；　trying　to　maintain　his　dignity。

〃Now　we　will　lock　up；　the　farce　is　played　out；　and　you　can　send　your
key　to　Monsieur　the　Mayor。〃

Hulot　went　home　in　a　state　of　dejection　bordering　on　helplessness；　and
sunk　in　the　gloomiest　thoughts。　He　woke　his　noble　and　saintly　wife；
and　poured　int