cousin betty-第75章

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I　shall　get　my　change　back；　I　hope；　when　Marneffe　diesI　have
invested　in　a　wife；　you　see；　that　is　the　secret　of　my　extravagance。　I
have　solved　the　problem　of　playing　the　lord　on　easy　terms。〃

〃Would　you　give　your　daughter　such　a　mother…in…law？　cried　Madame
Hulot。

〃You　do　not　know　Valerie；　madame；〃　replied　Crevel　gravely；　striking
the　attitude　of　his　first　manner。　〃She　is　a　woman　with　good　blood　in
her　veins；　a　lady；　and　a　woman　who　enjoys　the　highest　consideration。
Why；　only　yesterday　the　vicar　of　the　parish　was　dining　with　her。　She
is　pious；　and　we　have　presented　a　splendid　monstrance　to　the　church。

〃Oh！　she　is　clever；　she　is　witty；　she　is　delightful；　well　informed
she　has　everything　in　her　favor。　For　my　part；　my　dear　Adeline；　I　owe
everything　to　that　charming　woman；　she　has　opened　my　mind；　polished　my
speech；　as　you　may　have　noticed；　she　corrects　my　impetuosity；　and
gives　me　words　and　ideas。　I　never　say　anything　now　that　I　ought　not。　I
have　greatly　improved；　you　must　have　noticed　it。　And　then　she　has
encouraged　my　ambition。　I　shall　be　a　Deputy；　and　I　shall　make　no
blunders；　for　I　shall　consult　my　Egeria。　Every　great　politician；　from
Numa　to　our　present　Prime　Minister；　has　had　his　Sibyl　of　the　fountain。
A　score　of　deputies　visit　Valerie；　she　is　acquiring　considerable
influence；　and　now　that　she　is　about　to　be　established　in　a　charming
house；　with　a　carriage；　she　will　be　one　of　the　occult　rulers　of　Paris。

〃A　fine　locomotive！　That　is　what　such　a　woman　is。　Oh；　I　have　blessed
you　many　a　time　for　your　stern　virtue。〃

〃It　is　enough　to　make　one　doubt　the　goodness　of　God！〃　cried　Adeline；
whose　indignation　had　dried　her　tears。　〃But；　no！　Divine　justice　must
be　hanging　over　her　head。〃

〃You　know　nothing　of　the　world；　my　beauty；〃　said　the　great　politician；
deeply　offended。　〃The　world；　my　Adeline；　loves　success！　Say；　now；　has
it　come　to　seek　out　your　sublime　virtue；　priced　at　two　hundred
thousand　francs？〃

The　words　made　Madame　Hulot　shudder；　the　nervous　trembling　attacked
her　once　more。　She　saw　that　the　ex…perfumer　was　taking　a　mean　revenge
on　her　as　he　had　on　Hulot；　she　felt　sick　with　disgust；　and　a　spasm
rose　to　her　throat；　hindering　speech。

〃Money！〃　she　said　at　last。　〃Always　money！〃

〃You　touched　me　deeply；〃　said　Crevel；　reminded　by　these　words　of　the
woman's　humiliation；　〃when　I　beheld　you　there；　weeping　at　my　feet！
You　perhaps　will　not　believe　me；　but　if　I　had　my　pocket…book　about　me；
it　would　have　been　yours。Come；　do　you　really　want　such　a　sum？〃

As　she　heard　this　question；　big　with　two　hundred　thousand　francs；
Adeline　forgot　the　odious　insults　heaped　on　her　by　this　cheap…jack
fine　gentleman；　before　the　tempting　picture　of　success　described　by
Machiavelli…Crevel；　who　only　wanted　to　find　out　her　secrets　and　laugh
over　them　with　Valerie。

〃Oh！　I　will　do　anything；　everything；〃　cried　the　unhappy　woman。
〃Monsieur；　I　will　sell　myselfI　will　be　a　Valerie；　if　I　must。〃

〃You　will　find　that　difficult；〃　replied　Crevel。　〃Valerie　is　a
masterpiece　in　her　way。　My　good　mother；　twenty…five　years　of　virtue
are　always　repellent；　like　a　badly　treated　disease。　And　your　virtue
has　grown　very　mouldy；　my　dear　child。　But　you　shall　see　how　much　I
love　you。　I　will　manage　to　get　you　your　two　hundred　thousand　francs。〃

Adeline；　incapable　of　uttering　a　word；　seized　his　hand　and　laid　it　on
her　heart；　a　tear　of　joy　trembled　in　her　eyes。

〃Oh！　don't　be　in　a　hurry；　there　will　be　some　hard　pulling。　I　am　a
jolly　good　fellow；　a　good　soul　with　no　prejudices；　and　I　will　put
things　plainly　to　you。　You　want　to　do　as　Valerie　doesvery　good。　But
that　is　not　all；　you　must　have　a　gull；　a　stockholder；　a　Hulot。Well；
I　know　a　retired　tradesmanin　fact；　a　hosier。　He　is　heavy；　dull；　has
not　an　idea；　I　am　licking　him　into　shape；　but　I　don't　know　when　he
will　do　me　credit。　My　man　is　a　deputy；　stupid　and　conceited；　the
tyranny　of　a　turbaned　wife；　in　the　depths　of　the　country；　has
preserved　him　in　a　state　of　utter　virginity　as　to　the　luxury　and
pleasures　of　Paris　life。　But　Beauvisagehis　name　is　Beauvisageis　a
millionaire；　and；　like　me；　my　dear；　three　years　ago；　he　will　give　a
hundred　thousand　crowns　to　be　the　lover　of　a　real　lady。Yes；　you
see；〃　he　went　on；　misunderstanding　a　gesture　on　Adeline's　part；　〃he　is
jealous　of　me；　you　understand；　jealous　of　my　happiness　with　Madame
Marneffe；　and　he　is　a　fellow　quite　capable　of　selling　an　estate　to
purchase　a〃

〃Enough；　Monsieur　Crevel！〃　said　Madame　Hulot；　no　longer　controlling
her　disgust；　and　showing　all　her　shame　in　her　face。　〃I　am　punished
beyond　my　deserts。　My　conscience；　so　sternly　repressed　by　the　iron
hand　of　necessity；　tells　me；　at　this　final　insult；　that　such
sacrifices　are　impossible。My　pride　is　gone；　I　do　not　say　now；　as　I
did　the　first　time；　'Go！'　after　receiving　this　mortal　thrust。　I　have
lost　the　right　to　do　so。　I　have　flung　myself　before　you　like　a
prostitute。

〃Yes；〃　she　went　on；　in　reply　to　a　negative　on　Crevel's　part；　〃I　have
fouled　my　life；　till　now　so　pure；　by　a　degrading　thought；　and　I　am
inexcusable！I　know　it！I　deserve　every　insult　you　can　offer　me！
God's　will　be　done！　If；　indeed；　He　desires　the　death　of　two　creatures
worthy　to　appear　before　Him；　they　must　die！　I　shall　mourn　them；　and
pray　for　them！　If　it　is　His　will　that　my　family　should　be　humbled　to
the　dust；　we　must　bow　to　His　avenging　sword；　nay；　and　kiss　it；　since
we　are　Christians。I　know　how　to　expiate　this　disgrace；　which　will　be
the　torment　of　all　my　remaining　days。

〃I　who　speak　to　you；　monsieur；　am　not　Madame　Hulot；　but　a　wretched；
humble　sinner；　a　Christian　whose　heart　henceforth　will　know　but　one
feeling；　and　that　is　repentance；　all　my　time　given　up　to　prayer　and
charity。　With　such　a　sin　on　my　soul；　I　am　the　last　of　women；　the　first
only　of　penitents。You　have　been　the　means　of　bringing　me　to　a　right
mind；　I　can　hear　the　Voice　of　God　speaking　within　me；　and　I　can　thank
you！〃

She　was　shaking　with　the　nervous　trembling　which　from　that　hour　never
left　her。　Her　low；　sweet　tones　were　quite　unlike　the　fevered　accents
of　the　woman　who　was　ready　for　dishonor　to　save　her　family。　The　blood
faded　from　her　cheeks；　her　face　was　colorless；　and　her　eyes　were　dry。

〃And　I　played　my　part　very　badly；　did　I　not？〃　she　went　on；　looking　at
Crevel　with　the　sweetness　that　martyrs　must　have　shown　in　their　eyes
as　they　looked　up　at　the　Proconsul。　〃True　love；　the　sacred　love　of　a
devoted　woman；　gives　other　pleasures；　no　doubt；　than　those　that　are
bought　in　the　open　market！But　why　so　many　words？〃　said　she；　suddenly
bethinking　herself；　and　advancing　a　step　further　in　the　way　to
perfection。　〃They　sound　like　irony；　but　I　am　not　ironical！　Forgive　me。
Besides；　monsieur；　I　did　not　want　to　hurt　any　one　but　myself〃

The　dignity　of　virtue　and　its　holy　flame　had　expelled　the　transient
impurity　of　the　woman　who；　splendid　in　her　own　peculiar　beauty；　looked
taller　in　Crevel's　eyes。　Adeline　had；　at　this　moment；　the　majesty　of
the　figures　of　Religion　clinging　to　the　Cross；　as　painted　by　the　old
Venetians；　but　she　expressed；　too；　the　immensity　of　her　love　and　the
grandeur　of　the　Catholic　Church；　to　which　she　flew　like　a　wounded
dove。

Crevel　was　dazzled；　astounded。

〃Madame；　I　am　your　slave；　without　conditions；〃　said　he；　in　an
inspiration　of　generosity。　〃We　will　look　into　this　matterand
whatever　you　wantthe　impossible　evenI　will　do。　I　will　pledge　my
securities　at　the　Bank；　and　in　two　hours　you　shall　have　the　money。〃

〃Good　God！　a　miracle！〃　said　poor　Adeline；　falling　on　her　knees。

She　prayed　to　Heaven　with　such　fervor　as　touched　Crevel　deeply；　Madame
Hulot　saw　that　he　had　tears　in　his　eyes　when；　having　ended　her　prayer；
she　rose　to　her　feet。

〃Be　a　friend　to　me；　monsieur；〃　said　she。　〃Your　heart　is　better　than
your　words　and　conduct。　God　gave　you　your　soul；　your　passions　and　the
world　have　given　you　your　ideas。　Oh；　I　will　love　you　truly；〃　she
exclaimed；　with　an　angelic　tenderness　in　strange　contrast　with　her
attempts　at　coquettish　trickery。

〃But　cease　to　tremble　so；〃　said　Crevel。

〃Am　I　trembling？〃　said　the　Baroness；　unconscious　of　the　infirmity　that
had　so　suddenly　come　upon　her。

〃Yes；　why；　look；〃　said　Crevel；　taking　Adeline　by　the　arm　and　showing
he