cousin betty-第77章

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snatch　her　from　foul　and　adulterous　hands；　and　how　gladly　she　will
nestle　on　Thy　shoulder！　How　willingly　she　will　return　to　the　fold！〃

She　got　up　and　looked　at　Crevel；　her　colorless　eyes　frightened　him。

〃Yes；　Crevel；　and；　do　you　know？　I；　too；　am　frightened　sometimes。　The
justice　of　God　is　exerted　in　this　nether　world　as　well　as　in　the　next。
What　mercy　can　I　expect　at　God's　hands？　His　vengeance　overtakes　the
guilty　in　many　ways；　it　assumes　every　aspect　of　disaster。　That　is　what
my　mother　told　me　on　her　death…bed；　speaking　of　her　own　old　age。But
if　I　should　lose　you；　she　added；　hugging　Crevel　with　a　sort　of　savage
frenzy〃oh！　I　should　die！〃

Madame　Marneffe　released　Crevel；　knelt　down　again　at　the　armchair；
folded　her　handsand　in　what　a　bewitching　attitude！and　with
incredible　fervor　poured　out　the　following　prayer：

〃And　thou；　Saint　Valerie；　my　patron　saint；　why　dost　thou　so　rarely
visit　the　pillow　of　her　who　was　intrusted　to　thy　care？　Oh；　come　this
evening；　as　thou　didst　this　morning；　to　inspire　me　with　holy　thoughts；
and　I　will　quit　the　path　of　sin；　like　the　Magdalen；　I　will　give　up
deluding　joys　and　the　false　glitter　of　the　world；　even　the　man　I　love
so　well〃

〃My　precious　duck！〃

〃No　more　of　the　'precious　duck；'　monsieur！〃　said　she；　turning　round
like　a　virtuous　wife；　her　eyes　full　of　tears；　but　dignified；　cold；　and
indifferent。

〃Leave　me；〃　she　went　on；　pushing　him　from　her。　〃What　is　my　duty？　To
belong　wholly　to　my　husband。He　is　a　dying　man；　and　what　am　I　doing？
Deceiving　him　on　the　edge　of　the　grave。　He　believes　your　child　to　be
his。　I　will　tell　him　the　truth；　and　begin　by　securing　his　pardon
before　I　ask　for　God's。We　must　part。　Good…bye；　Monsieur　Crevel；〃　and
she　stood　up　to　offer　him　an　icy　cold　hand。　〃Good…bye；　my　friend；　we
shall　meet　no　more　till　we　meet　in　a　better　world。You　have　to　thank
me　for　some　enjoyment；　criminal　indeed；　now　I　wantoh　yes；　I　shall
have　your　esteem。〃

Crevel　was　weeping　bitter　tears。

〃You　great　pumpkin！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　an　infernal　peal　of　laughter。
〃That　is　how　your　pious　women　go　about　it　to　drag　from　you　a　plum　of
two　hundred　thousand　francs。　And　you；　who　talk　of　the　Marechal　de
Richelieu；　the　prototype　of　Lovelace；　you　could　be　taken　in　by　such　a
stale　trick　as　that！　I　could　get　hundreds　of　thousands　of　francs　out
of　you　any　day；　if　I　chose；　you　old　ninny！Keep　your　money！　If　you
have　more　than　you　know　what　to　do　with；　it　is　mine。　If　you　give　two
sous　to　that　'respectable'　woman；　who　is　pious　forsooth；　because　she
is　fifty…six　years　of　age；　we　shall　never　meet　again；　and　you　may　take
her　for　your　mistress！　You　could　come　back　to　me　next　day　bruised　all
over　from　her　bony　caresses　and　sodden　with　her　tears；　and　sick　of　her
little　barmaid's　caps　and　her　whimpering；　which　must　turn　her　favors
into　showers〃

〃In　point　of　fact；〃　said　Crevel；　〃two　hundred　thousand　francs　is　a
round　sum　of　money。〃

〃They　have　fine　appetites；　have　the　goody　sort！　By　the　poker！　they
sell　their　sermons　dearer　than　we　sell　the　rarest　and　realest　thing　on
earthpleasure。And　they　can　spin　a　yarn！　There；　I　know　them。　I　have
seen　plenty　in　my　mother's　house。　They　think　everything　is　allowable
for　the　Church　and　forReally；　my　dear　love；　you　ought　to　be　ashamed
of　yourselffor　you　are　not　so　open…handed！　You　have　not　given　me　two
hundred　thousand　francs　all　told！〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Crevel；　〃your　little　house　will　cost　as　much　as　that。〃

〃Then　you　have　four　hundred　thousand　francs？〃　said　she　thoughtfully。

〃No。〃

〃Then；　sir；　you　meant　to　lend　that　old　horror　the　two　hundred　thousand
francs　due　for　my　hotel？　What　a　crime；　what　high　treason！〃

〃Only　listen　to　me。〃

〃If　you　were　giving　the　money　to　some　idiotic　philanthropic　scheme；
you　would　be　regarded　as　a　coming　man；〃　she　went　on；　with　increasing
eagerness；　〃and　I　should　be　the　first　to　advise　it；　for　you　are　too
simple　to　write　a　big　political　book　that　might　make　you　famous；　as
for　style；　you　have　not　enough　to　butter　a　pamphlet；　but　you　might　do
as　other　men　do　who　are　in　your　predicament；　and　who　get　a　halo　of
glory　about　their　name　by　putting　it　at　the　top　of　some　social；　or
moral；　or　general；　or　national　enterprise。　Benevolence　is　out　of　date；
quite　vulgar。　Providing　for　old　offenders；　and　making　them　more
comfortable　than　the　poor　devils　who　are　honest；　is　played　out。　What　I
should　like　to　see　is　some　invention　of　your　own　with　an　endowment　of
two　hundred　thousand　francssomething　difficult　and　really　useful。
Then　you　would　be　talked　about　as　a　man　of　mark；　a　Montyon；　and　I
should　be　very　proud　of　you！

〃But　as　to　throwing　two　hundred　thousand　francs　into　a　holy…water
shell；　or　lending　them　to　a　bigotcast　off　by　her　husband；　and　who
knows　why？　there　is　always　some　reason：　does　any　one　cast　me　off；　I
ask　you？is　a　piece　of　idiocy　which　in　our　days　could　only　come　into
the　head　of　a　retired　perfumer。　It　reeks　of　the　counter。　You　would　not
dare　look　at　yourself　in　the　glass　two　days　after。

〃Go　and　pay　the　money　in　where　it　will　be　saferun；　fly；　I　will　not
admit　you　again　without　the　receipt　in　your　hand。　Go；　as　fast　and　soon
as　you　can！〃

She　pushed　Crevel　out　of　the　room　by　the　shoulders；　seeing　avarice
blossoming　in　his　face　once　more。　When　she　heard　the　outer　door　shut；
she　exclaimed：

〃Then　Lisbeth　is　revenged　over　and　over　again！　What　a　pity　that　she　is
at　her　old　Marshal's　now！　We　would　have　had　a　good　laugh！　So　that　old
woman　wants　to　take　the　bread　out　of　my　mouth。　I　will　startle　her　a
little！〃



Marshal　Hulot；　being　obliged　to　live　in　a　style　suited　to　the　highest
military　rank；　had　taken　a　handsome　house　in　the　Rue　du　Mont…Parnasse；
where　there　are　three　or　four　princely　residences。　Though　he　rented
the　whole　house；　he　inhabited　only　the　ground　floor。　When　Lisbeth　went
to　keep　house　for　him；　she　at　once　wished　to　let　the　first　floor；
which；　as　she　said；　would　pay　the　whole　rent；　so　that　the　Count　would
live　almost　rent…free；　but　the　old　soldier　would　not　hear　of　it。

For　some　months　past　the　Marshal　had　had　many　sad　thoughts。　He　had
guessed　how　miserably　poor　his　sister…in…law　was；　and　suspected　her
griefs　without　understanding　their　cause。　The　old　man；　so　cheerful　in
his　deafness；　became　taciturn；　he　could　not　help　thinking　that　his
house　would　one　day　be　a　refuge　for　the　Baroness　and　her　daughter；　and
it　was　for　them　that　he　kept　the　first　floor。　The　smallness　of　his
fortune　was　so　well　known　at　headquarters；　that　the　War　Minister；　the
Prince　de　Wissembourg；　begged　his　old　comrade　to　accept　a　sum　of　money
for　his　household　expenses。　This　sum　the　Marshal　spent　in　furnishing
the　ground　floor；　which　was　in　every　way　suitable；　for；　as　he　said；　he
would　not　accept　the　Marshal's　baton　to　walk　the　streets　with。

The　house　had　belonged　to　a　senator　under　the　Empire；　and　the　ground
floor　drawing…rooms　had　been　very　magnificently　fitted　with　carved
wood；　white…and…gold；　still　in　very　good　preservation。　The　Marshal　had
found　some　good　old　furniture　in　the　same　style；　in　the　coach…house　he
had　a　carriage　with　two　batons　in　saltire　on　the　panels；　and　when　he
was　expected　to　appear　in　full　fig；　at　the　Minister's；　at　the
Tuileries；　for　some　ceremony　or　high　festival；　he　hired　horses　for　the
job。

His　servant　for　more　than　thirty　years　was　an　old　soldier　of　sixty；
whose　sister　was　the　cook；　so　he　had　saved　ten　thousand　francs；　adding
it　by　degrees　to　a　little　hoard　he　intended　for　Hortense。　Every　day
the　old　man　walked　along　the　boulevard；　from　the　Rue　du　Mont…Parnasse
to　the　Rue　Plumet；　and　every　pensioner　as　he　passed　stood　at
attention；　without　fail；　to　salute　him：　then　the　Marshal　rewarded　the
veteran　with　a　smile。

〃Who　is　the　man　you　always　stand　at　attention　to　salute？〃　said　a　young
workman　one　day　to　an　old　captain　and　pensioner。

〃I　will　tell　you；　boy；〃　replied　the　officer。

The　〃boy〃　stood　resigned；　as　a　man　does　to　listen　to　an　old　gossip。

〃In　1809；〃　said　the　captain；　〃we　were　covering　the　flank　of　the　main
army；　marching　on　Vienna　under　the　Emperor's　command。　We　came　to　a
bridge　defended　by　three　batteries　of　cannon；　one　above　another；　on　a
sort　of　cliff；　three　redoubts　like　three　shelves；　and　commanding　the