cousin betty-第70章

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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　into　her　heart　the　history　of　the　past　three　years；　sobbing
like　a　child　deprived　of　a　toy。　This　confession　from　an　old　man　young
in　feeling；　this　frightful　and　heart…rending　narrative；　while　it
filled　Adeline　with　pity；　also　gave　her　the　greatest　joy；　she　thanked
Heaven　for　this　last　catastrophe；　for　in　fancy　she　saw　the　husband
settled　at　last　in　the　bosom　of　his　family。

〃Lisbeth　was　right；〃　said　Madame　Hulot　gently　and　without　any　useless
recrimination；　〃she　told　us　how　it　would　be。〃

〃Yes。　If　only　I　had　listened　to　her；　instead　of　flying　into　a　rage；
that　day　when　I　wanted　poor　Hortense　to　go　home　rather　than　compromise
the　reputation　of　thatOh！　my　dear　Adeline；　we　must　save　Wenceslas。
He　is　up　to　his　chin　in　that　mire！〃

〃My　poor　old　man；　the　respectable　middle…classes　have　turned　out　no
better　than　the　actresses；〃　said　Adeline；　with　a　smile。

The　Baroness　was　alarmed　at　the　change　in　her　Hector；　when　she　saw　him
so　unhappy；　ailing；　crushed　under　his　weight　of　woes；　she　was　all
heart；　all　pity；　all　love；　she　would　have　shed　her　blood　to　make　Hulot
happy。

〃Stay　with　us；　my　dear　Hector。　Tell　me　what　is　it　that　such　women　do
to　attract　you　so　powerfully。　I　too　will　try。　Why　have　you　not　taught
me　to　be　what　you　want？　Am　I　deficient　in　intelligence？　Men　still
think　me　handsome　enough　to　court　my　favor。〃

Many　a　married　woman；　attached　to　her　duty　and　to　her　husband；　may
here　pause　to　ask　herself　why　strong　and　affectionate　men；　so　tender…
hearted　to　the　Madame　Marneffes；　do　not　take　their　wives　for　the
object　of　their　fancies　and　passions；　especially　wives　like　the
Baronne　Adeline　Hulot。

This　is；　indeed；　one　of　the　most　recondite　mysteries　of　human　nature。
Love；　which　is　debauch　of　reason；　the　strong　and　austere　joy　of　a
lofty　soul；　and　pleasure；　the　vulgar　counterfeit　sold　in　the　market…
place；　are　two　aspects　of　the　same　thing。　The　woman　who　can　satisfy
both　these　devouring　appetites　is　as　rare　in　her　sex　as　a　great
general；　a　great　writer；　a　great　artist；　a　great　inventor　in　a　nation。
A　man　of　superior　intellect　or　an　idiota　Hulot　or　a　Crevelequally
crave　for　the　ideal　and　for　enjoyment；　all　alike　go　in　search　of　the
mysterious　compound；　so　rare　that　at　last　it　is　usually　found　to　be　a
work　in　two　volumes。　This　craving　is　a　depraved　impulse　due　to
society。

Marriage；　no　doubt；　must　be　accepted　as　a　tie；　it　is　life；　with　its
duties　and　its　stern　sacrifices　on　both　parts　equally。　Libertines；　who
seek　for　hidden　treasure；　are　as　guilty　as　other　evil…doers　who　are
more　hardly　dealt　with　than　they。　These　reflections　are　not　a　mere
veneer　of　moralizing；　they　show　the　reason　of　many　unexplained
misfortunes。　But；　indeed；　this　drama　points　its　own　moralor　morals；
for　they　are　of　many　kinds。

The　Baron　presently　went　to　call　on　the　Marshal　Prince　de　Wissembourg；
whose　powerful　patronage　was　now　his　only　chance。　Having　dwelt　under
his　protection　for　five…and…thirty　years；　he　was　a　visitor　at　all
hours；　and　would　be　admitted　to　his　rooms　as　soon　as　he　was　up。

〃Ah！　How　are　you；　my　dear　Hector？〃　said　the　great　and　worthy　leader。
〃What　is　the　matter？　You　look　anxious。　And　yet　the　session　is　ended。
One　more　over！　I　speak　of　that　now　as　I　used　to　speak　of　a　campaign。
And　indeed　I　believe　the　newspapers　nowadays　speak　of　the　sessions　as
parliamentary　campaigns。〃

〃We　have　been　in　difficulties；　I　must　confess；　Marshal；　but　the　times
are　hard！〃　said　Hulot。　〃It　cannot　be　helped；　the　world　was　made　so。
Every　phase　has　its　own　drawbacks。　The　worst　misfortunes　in　the　year
1841　is　that　neither　the　King　nor　the　ministers　are　free　to　act　as
Napoleon　was。〃

The　Marshal　gave　Hulot　one　of　those　eagle　flashes　which　in　its　pride；
clearness；　and　perspicacity　showed　that；　in　spite　of　years；　that　lofty
soul　was　still　upright　and　vigorous。

〃You　want　me　to　so　something　for　you？〃　said　he；　in　a　hearty　tone。

〃I　find　myself　under　the　necessity　of　applying　to　you　for　the
promotion　of　one　of　my　second　clerks　to　the　head　of　a　roomas　a
personal　favor　to　myselfand　his　advancement　to　be　officer　of　the
Legion　of　Honor。〃

〃What　is　his　name？〃　said　the　Marshal；　with　a　look　like　a　lightning
flash。

〃Marneffe。〃

〃He　has　a　pretty　wife；　I　saw　her　on　the　occasion　of　your　daughter's
marriage。If　Rogerbut　Roger　is　away！Hector；　my　boy；　this　is
concerned　with　your　pleasures。　What；　you　still　indulge？　Well；　you
are　a　credit　to　the　old　Guard。　That　is　what　comes　of　having　been　in
the　Commissariat；　you　have　reserves！But　have　nothing　to　do　with　this
little　job；　my　dear　boy；　it　is　too　strong　of　the　petticoat　to　be　good
business。〃

〃No；　Marshal；　it　is　bad　business；　for　the　police　courts　have　a　finger
in　it。　Would　you　like　to　see　me　go　there？〃

〃The　devil！〃　said　the　Prince　uneasily。　〃Go　on！〃

〃Well；　I　am　in　the　predicament　of　a　trapped　fox。　You　have　always　been
so　kind　to　me；　that　you　will；　I　am　sure；　condescend　to　help　me　out　of
the　shameful　position　in　which　I　am　placed。〃

Hulot　related　his　misadventures；　as　wittily　and　as　lightly　as　he
could。

〃And　you；　Prince；　will　you　allow　my　brother　to　die　of　grief；　a　man　you
love　so　well；　or　leave　one　of　your　staff　in　the　War　Office；　a
Councillor　of　State；　to　live　in　disgrace。　This　Marneffe　is　a　wretched
creature；　he　can　be　shelved　in　two　or　three　years。〃

〃How　you　talk　of　two　or　three　years；　my　dear　fellow！〃　said　the
Marshal。

〃But；　Prince；　the　Imperial　Guard　is　immortal。〃

〃I　am　the　last　of　the　first　batch　of　Marshals；〃　said　the　Prince。
〃Listen；　Hector。　You　do　not　know　the　extent　of　my　attachment　to　you；
you　shall　see。　On　the　day　when　I　retire　from　office；　we　will　go
together。　But　you　are　not　a　Deputy；　my　friend。　Many　men　want　your
place；　but　for　me；　you　would　be　out　of　it　by　this　time。　Yes；　I　have
fought　many　a　pitched　battle　to　keep　you　in　it。Well；　I　grant　you
your　two　requests；　it　would　be　too　bad　to　see　you　riding　the　bar　at
your　age　and　in　the　position　you　hold。　But　you　stretch　your　credit　a
little　too　far。　If　this　appointment　gives　rise　to　discussion；　we　shall
not　be　held　blameless。　I　can　laugh　at　such　things；　but　you　will　find
it　a　thorn　under　your　feet。　And　the　next　session　will　see　your
dismissal。　Your　place　is　held　out　as　a　bait　to　five　or　six　influential
men；　and　you　have　been　enabled　to　keep　it　solely　by　the　force　of　my
arguments。　I　tell　you；　on　the　day　when　you　retire；　there　will　be　five
malcontents　to　one　happy　man；　whereas；　by　keeping　you　hanging　on　by　a
thread　for　two　or　three　years；　we　shall　secure　all　six　votes。　There
was　a　great　laugh　at　the　Council　meeting；　the　Veteran　of　the　Old
Guard；　as　they　say；　was　becoming　desperately　wide　awake　in
parliamentary　tactics！　I　am　frank　with　you。And　you　are　growing　gray；
you　are　a　happy　man　to　be　able　to　get　into　such　difficulties　as　these！
How　long　is　it　since　ILieutenant　Cottinhad　a　mistress？〃

He　rang　the　bell。

〃That　police　report　must　be　destroyed；〃　he　added。

〃Monseigneur；　you　are　as　a　father　to　me！　I　dared　not　mention　my
anxiety　on　that　point。〃

〃I　still　wish　I　had　Roger　here；〃　cried　the　Prince；　as　Mitouflet；　his
groom　of　the　chambers；　came　in。　〃I　was　just　going　to　send　for　him！
You　may　go；　Mitouflet。Go　you；　my　dear　old　fellow；　go　and　have　the
nomination　made　out；　I　will　sign　it。　At　the　same　time；　that　low
schemer　will　not　long　enjoy　the　fruit　of　his　crimes。　He　will　be
sharply　watched；　and　drummed　out　of　the　regiment　for　the　smallest
fault。You　are　saved　this　time；　my　dear　Hector；　take　care　for　the
future。　Do　not　exhaust　your　friends'　patience。　You　shall　have　the
nomination　this　morning；　and　your　man　shall　get　his　promotion　in　the
Legion　of　Honor。How　old　are　you　now？〃

〃Within　three　months　of　seventy。〃

〃What　a　scapegrace！〃　said　the　Prince；　laughing。　〃It　is　you　who　deserve
a　promotion；　but；　by　thunder！　we　are　not　under　Louis　XV。！〃

Such　is　the　sense　of　comradeship　that　binds　the　glorious　survivors　of
the　Napoleonic　phalanx；　that　they　always　feel　as　if　they　were　in　camp
together；　and　bound　to　stand　together　through　thick　and　thin。

〃One　more　favor　such　as　this；〃　Hulot　reflected