cousin betty-第73章

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himself　as　he　noted　the　bareness　of　the　place　（Crevel's　word）：

〃Poor　woman！　She　lives　here　like　some　fine　picture　stowed　in　a　loft　by
a　man　who　knows　nothing　of　painting。〃

Crevel；　seeing　Comte　Popinot；　the　Minister　of　Commerce；　buy　pictures
and　statues；　wanted　also　to　figure　as　a　Maecenas　of　Paris；　whose　love
of　Art　consists　in　making　good　investments。

Adeline　smiled　graciously　at　Crevel；　pointing　to　a　chair　facing　her。

〃Here　I　am；　fair　lady；　at　your　command；〃　said　Crevel。

Monsieur　the　Mayor；　a　political　personage；　now　wore　black　broadcloth。
His　face；　at　the　top　of　this　solemn　suit；　shone　like　a　full　moon
rising　above　a　mass　of　dark　clouds。　His　shirt；　buttoned　with　three
large　pearls　worth　five　hundred　francs　apiece；　gave　a　great　idea　of
his　thoracic　capacity；　and　he　was　apt　to　say；　〃In　me　you　see　the
coming　athlete　of　the　tribune！〃　His　enormous　vulgar　hands　were　encased
in　yellow　gloves　even　in　the　morning；　his　patent　leather　boots　spoke
of　the　chocolate…colored　coupe　with　one　horse　in　which　he　drove。

In　the　course　of　three　years　ambition　had　altered　Crevel's
pretensions。　Like　all　great　artists；　he　had　come　to　his　second　manner。
In　the　great　world；　when　he　went　to　the　Prince　de　Wissembourg's；　to
the　Prefecture；　to　Comte　Popinot's；　and　the　like；　he　held　his　hat　in
his　hand　in　an　airy　manner　taught　him　by　Valerie；　and　he　inserted　the
thumb　of　the　other　hand　in　the　armhole　of　his　waistcoat　with　a　knowing
air；　and　a　simpering　face　and　expression。　This　new　grace　of　attitude
was　due　to　the　satirical　inventiveness　of　Valerie；　who；　under　pretence
of　rejuvenating　her　mayor；　had　given　him　an　added　touch　of　the
ridiculous。

〃I　begged　you　to　come；　my　dear　kind　Monsieur　Crevel；〃　said　the
Baroness　in　a　husky　voice；　〃on　a　matter　of　the　greatest　importance〃

〃I　can　guess　what　it　is；　madame；〃　said　Crevel；　with　a　knowing　air；
〃but　what　you　would　ask　is　impossible。Oh；　I　am　not　a　brutal　father；
a　manto　use　Napoleon's　wordsset　hard　and　fast　on　sheer　avarice。
Listen　to　me；　fair　lady。　If　my　children　were　ruining　themselves　for
their　own　benefit；　I　would　help　them　out　of　the　scrape；　but　as　for
backing　your　husband；　madame？　It　is　like　trying　to　fill　the　vat　of　the
Danaides！　Their　house　is　mortgaged　for　three　hundred　thousand　francs
for　an　incorrigible　father！　Why；　they　have　nothing　left；　poor
wretches！　And　they　have　no　fun　for　their　money。　All　they　have　to　live
upon　is　what　Victorin　may　make　in　Court。　He　must　wag　his　tongue　more；
must　monsieur　your　son！　And　he　was　to　have　been　a　Minister；　that
learned　youth！　Our　hope　and　pride。　A　pretty　pilot；　who　runs　aground
like　a　land…lubber；　for　if　he　had　borrowed　to　enable　him　to　get　on；　if
he　had　run　into　debt　for　feasting　Deputies；　winning　votes；　and
increasing　his　influence；　I　should　be　the　first　to　say；　'Here　is　my
pursedip　your　hand　in；　my　friend！'　But　when　it　comes　of　paying　for
papa's　follyfolly　I　warned　you　of！Ah！　his　father　has　deprived　him
of　every　chance　of　power。It　is　I　who　shall　be　Minister！〃

〃Alas；　my　dear　Crevel；　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　children；　poor
devoted　souls！If　your　heart　is　closed　to　Victorin　and　Celestine；　I
shall　love　them　so　much　that　perhaps　I　may　soften　the　bitterness　of
their　souls　caused　by　your　anger。　You　are　punishing　your　children　for
a　good　action！〃

〃Yes；　for　a　good　action　badly　done！　That　is　half　a　crime；〃　said
Crevel；　much　pleased　with　his　epigram。

〃Doing　good；　my　dear　Crevel；　does　not　mean　sparing　money　out　of　a
purse　that　is　bursting　with　it；　it　means　enduring　privations　to　be
generous；　suffering　for　liberality！　It　is　being　prepared　for
ingratitude！　Heaven　does　not　see　the　charity　that　costs　us　nothing〃

〃Saints；　madame；　may　if　they　please　go　to　the　workhouse；　they　know
that　it　is　for　them　the　door　of　heaven。　For　my　part；　I　am　worldly…
minded；　I　fear　God；　but　yet　more　I　fear　the　hell　of　poverty。　To　be
destitute　is　the　last　depth　of　misfortune　in　society　as　now
constituted。　I　am　a　man　of　my　time；　I　respect　money。〃

〃And　you　are　right；〃　said　Adeline；　〃from　the　worldly　point　of　view。〃

She　was　a　thousand　miles　from　her　point；　and　she　felt　herself　on　a
gridiron；　like　Saint　Laurence；　as　she　thought　of　her　uncle；　for　she
could　see　him　blowing　his　brains　out。

She　looked　down；　then　she　raised　her　eyes　to　gaze　at　Crevel　with
angelic　sweetnessnot　with　the　inviting　suggestiveness　which　was　part
of　Valerie's　wit。　Three　years　ago　she　could　have　bewitched　Crevel　by
that　beautiful　look。

〃I　have　known　the　time；〃　said　she；　〃when　you　were　more　generousyou
used　to　talk　of　three　hundred　thousand　francs　like　a　grand
gentleman〃

Crevel　looked　at　Madame　Hulot；　he　beheld　her　like　a　lily　in　the　last
of　its　bloom；　vague　sensations　rose　within　him；　but　he　felt　such
respect　for　this　saintly　creature　that　he　spurned　all　suspicions　and
buried　them　in　the　most　profligate　corner　of　his　heart。

〃I；　madame；　am　still　the　same；　but　a　retired　merchant；　if　he　is　a
grand　gentleman；　plays；　and　must　play；　the　part　with　method　and
economy；　he　carries　his　ideas　of　order　into　everything。　He　opens　an
account　for　his　little　amusements；　and　devotes　certain　profits　to　that
head　of　expenditure；　but　as　to　touching　his　capital！　it　would　be
folly。　My　children　will　have　their　fortune　intact；　mine　and　my　wife's；
but　I　do　not　suppose　that　they　wish　their　father　to　be　dull；　a　monk
and　a　mummy！　My　life　is　a　very　jolly　one；　I　float　gaily　down　the
stream。　I　fulfil　all　the　duties　imposed　on　me　by　law；　by　my
affections；　and　by　family　ties；　just　as　I　always　used　to　be　punctual
in　paying　my　bills　when　they　fell　due。　If　only　my　children　conduct
themselves　in　their　domestic　life　as　I　do；　I　shall　be　satisfied；　and
for　the　present；　so　long　as　my　folliesfor　I　have　committed　follies
are　no　loss　to　any　one　but　the　gullsexcuse　me；　you　do　not　perhaps
understand　the　slang　wordthey　will　have　nothing　to　blame　me　for；　and
will　find　a　tidy　little　sum　still　left　when　I　die。　Your　children
cannot　say　as　much　of　their　father；　who　is　ruining　his　son　and　my
daughter　by　his　pranks〃

The　Baroness　was　getting　further　from　her　object　as　he　went　on。

〃You　are　very　unkind　about　my　husband；　my　dear　Creveland　yet；　if　you
had　found　his　wife　obliging；　you　would　have　been　his　best　friend〃

She　shot　a　burning　glance　at　Crevel；　but；　like　Dubois；　who　gave　the
Regent　three　kicks；　she　affected　too　much；　and　the　rakish　perfumer's
thoughts　jumped　at　such　profligate　suggestions；　that　he　said　to
himself；　〃Does　she　want　to　turn　the　tables　on　Hulot？Does　she　think
me　more　attractive　as　a　Mayor　than　as　a　National　Guardsman？　Women　are
strange　creatures！〃

And　he　assumed　the　position　of　his　second　manner；　looking　at　the
Baroness　with　his　/Regency/　leer。

〃I　could　almost　fancy；〃　she　went　on；　〃that　you　want　to　visit　on　him
your　resentment　against　the　virtue　that　resisted　youin　a　woman　whom
you　loved　well　enoughtoto　buy　her；〃　she　added　in　a　low　voice。

〃In　a　divine　woman；〃　Crevel　replied；　with　a　meaning　smile　at　the
Baroness；　who　looked　down　while　tears　rose　to　her　eyes。　〃For　you　have
swallowed　not　a　few　bitter　pills！in　these　three　yearshey；　my
beauty？〃

〃Do　not　talk　of　my　troubles；　dear　Crevel；　they　are　too　much　for　the
endurance　of　a　mere　human　being。　Ah！　if　you　still　love　me；　you　may
drag　me　out　of　the　pit　in　which　I　lie。　Yes；　I　am　in　hell　torment！　The
regicides　who　were　racked　and　nipped　and　torn　into　quarters　by　four
horses　were　on　roses　compared　with　me；　for　their　bodies　only　were
dismembered；　and　my　heart　is　torn　in　quarters〃

Crevel's　thumb　moved　from　his　armhole；　he　placed　his　hand　on　the　work…
table；　he　abandoned　his　attitude；　he　smiled！　The　smile　was　so　vacuous
that　it　misled　the　Baroness；　she　took　it　for　an　expression　of
kindness。

〃You　see　a　woman；　not　indeed　in　despair；　but　with　her　honor　at　the
point　of　death；　and　prepared　for　everything；　my　dear　friend；　to　hinder
a　crime。〃

Fearing　that　Hortense　might　come　in；　she　bolted　the　door；　then　with
equal　impetuosity　she　fell　at　Crevel's　feet；　took　his　hand　and　kissed
it。

〃Be　my　deliverer！〃　she　cried。

She　thought　there　was　some　generous　fibre　in　this　mercantile　soul；　and
full　of　sudden　hope　that　she　might　get　the　two　hundred　thousand　francs
without　degradin