cousin betty-第81章

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gold　on　the　lid　of　the　box；　which　was　inlaid　with　gold。

The　Marshal　counted　the　bank…notes　it　contained；　he　had　a　hundred　and
fifty…two　thousand　francs。　He　saw　this　with　satisfaction。　At　the　same
moment　Madame　Hulot　came　into　the　room　in　a　state　to　touch　the　heart
of　the　sternest　judge。　She　flew　into　Hector's　arms；　looking
alternately　with　a　crazy　eye　at　the　Marshal　and　at　the　case　of
pistols。

〃What　have　you　to　say　against　your　brother？　What　has　my　husband　done
to　you？〃　said　she；　in　such　a　voice　that　the　Marshal　heard　her。

〃He　has　disgraced　us　all！〃　replied　the　Republican　veteran；　who　spoke
with　a　vehemence　that　reopened　one　of　his　old　wounds。　〃He　has　robbed
the　Government！　He　has　cast　odium　on　my　name；　he　makes　me　wish　I　were
deadhe　has　killed　me！I　have　only　strength　enough　left　to　make
restitution！

〃I　have　been　abased　before　the　Conde　of　the　Republic；　the　man　I　esteem
above　all　others；　and　to　whom　I　unjustifiably　gave　the　liethe　Prince
of　Wissembourg！Is　that　nothing？　That　is　the　score　his　country　has
against　him！〃

He　wiped　away　a　tear。

〃Now；　as　to　his　family；〃　he　went　on。　〃He　is　robbing　you　of　the　bread　I
had　saved　for　you；　the　fruit　of　thirty　years'　economy；　of　the
privations　of　an　old　soldier！　Here　is　what　was　intended　for　you；〃　and
he　held　up　the　bank…notes。　〃He　has　killed　his　Uncle　Fischer；　a　noble
and　worthy　son　of　Alsace　who　could　notas　he　canendure　the　thought
of　a　stain　on　his　peasant's　honor。

〃To　crown　all；　God；　in　His　adorable　clemency；　had　allowed　him　to
choose　an　angel　among　women；　he　has　had　the　unspeakable　happiness　of
having　an　Adeline　for　his　wife！　And　he　has　deceived　her；　he　has　soaked
her　in　sorrows；　he　has　neglected　her　for　prostitutes；　for　street…
hussies；　for　ballet…girls；　actressesCadine；　Josepha；　Marneffe！And
that　is　the　brother　I　treated　as　a　son　and　made　my　pride！

〃Go；　wretched　man；　if　you　can　accept　the　life　of　degradation　you　have
made　for　yourself；　leave　my　house！　I　have　not　the　heart　to　curse　a
brother　I　have　loved　so　wellI　am　as　foolish　about　him　as　you　are；
Adelinebut　never　let　me　see　him　again。　I　forbid　his　attending　my
funeral　or　following　me　to　the　grave。　Let　him　show　the　decency　of　a
criminal　if　he　can　feel　no　remorse。〃

The　Marshal；　as　pale　as　death；　fell　back　on　the　settee；　exhausted　by
his　solemn　speech。　And；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　perhaps；　tears
gathered　in　his　eyes　and　rolled　down　his　cheeks。

〃My　poor　uncle！〃　cried　Lisbeth；　putting　a　handkerchief　to　her　eyes。

〃Brother！〃　said　Adeline；　kneeling　down　by　the　Marshal；　〃live　for　my
sake。　Help　me　in　the　task　of　reconciling　Hector　to　the　world　and
making　him　redeem　the　past。〃

〃He！〃　cried　the　Marshal。　〃If　he　lives；　he　is　not　at　the　end　of　his
crimes。　A　man　who　has　misprized　an　Adeline；　who　has　smothered　in　his
own　soul　the　feelings　of　a　true　Republican　which　I　tried　to　instill
into　him；　the　love　of　his　country；　of　his　family；　and　of　the　poor
that　man　is　a　monster；　a　swine！Take　him　away　if　you　still　care　for
him；　for　a　voice　within　me　cries　to　me　to　load　my　pistols　and　blow　his
brains　out。　By　killing　him　I　should　save　you　all；　and　I　should　save
him　too　from　himself。〃

The　old　man　started　to　his　feet　with　such　a　terrifying　gesture　that
poor　Adeline　exclaimed：

〃Hectorcome！〃

She　seized　her　husband's　arm；　dragged　him　away；　and　out　of　the　house；
but　the　Baron　was　so　broken　down；　that　she　was　obliged　to　call　a　coach
to　take　him　to　the　Rue　Plumet；　where　he　went　to　bed。　The　man　remained
there　for　several　days　in　a　sort　of　half…dissolution；　refusing　all
nourishment　without　a　word。　By　floods　of　tears；　Adeline　persuaded　him
to　swallow　a　little　broth；　she　nursed　him；　sitting　by　his　bed；　and
feeling　only；　of　all　the　emotions　that　once　had　filled　her　heart；　the
deepest　pity　for　him。

At　half…past　twelve；　Lisbeth　showed　into　her　dear　Marshal's　roomfor
she　would　not　leave　him；　so　much　was　she　alarmed　at　the　evident　change
in　himCount　Steinbock　and　the　notary。

〃Monsieur　le　Comte；〃　said　the　Marshal；　〃I　would　beg　you　to　be　so　good
as　to　put　your　signature　to　a　document　authorizing　my　niece；　your
wife；　to　sell　a　bond　for　certain　funds　of　which　she　at　present　holds
only　the　reversion。You；　Mademoiselle　Fischer；　will　agree　to　this
sale；　thus　losing　your　life　interest　in　the　securities。〃

〃Yes；　dear　Count；〃　said　Lisbeth　without　hesitation。

〃Good；　my　dear；〃　said　the　old　soldier。　〃I　hope　I　may　live　to　reward
you。　But　I　did　not　doubt　you；　you　are　a　true　Republican；　a　daughter　of
the　people。〃　He　took　the　old　maid's　hand　and　kissed　it。

〃Monsieur　Hannequin；〃　he　went　on；　speaking　to　the　notary；　〃draw　up　the
necessary　document　in　the　form　of　a　power　of　attorney；　and　let　me　have
it　within　two　hours；　so　that　I　may　sell　the　stock　on　the　Bourse
to…day。　My　niece；　the　Countess；　holds　the　security；　she　will　be　here
to　sign　the　power　of　attorney　when　you　bring　it；　and　so　will
mademoiselle。　Monsieur　le　Comte　will　be　good　enough　to　go　with　you　and
sign　it　at　your　office。〃

The　artist；　at　a　nod　from　Lisbeth；　bowed　respectfully　to　the　Marshal
and　went　away。

Next　morning；　at　ten　o'clock；　the　Comte　de　Forzheim　sent　in　to
announce　himself　to　the　Prince；　and　was　at　once　admitted。

〃Well；　my　dear　Hulot；〃　said　the　Prince；　holding　out　the　newspapers　to
his　old　friend；　〃we　have　saved　appearances；　you　see。Read。〃

Marshal　Hulot　laid　the　papers　on　his　comrade's　table；　and　held　out　to
him　the　two　hundred　thousand　francs。

〃Here　is　the　money　of　which　my　brother　robbed　the　State；〃　said　he。

〃What　madness！〃　cried　the　Minister。　〃It　is　impossible；〃　he　said　into
the　speaking…trumpet　handed　to　him　by　the　Marshal；　〃to　manage　this
restitution。　We　should　be　obliged　to　declare　your　brother's　dishonest
dealings；　and　we　have　done　everything　to　hide　them。〃

〃Do　what　you　like　with　the　money；　but　the　family　shall　not　owe　one　sou
of　its　fortune　to　a　robbery　on　the　funds　of　the　State；〃　said　the
Count。

〃I　will　take　the　King's　commands　in　the　matter。　We　will　discuss　it　no
further；〃　replied　the　Prince；　perceiving　that　it　would　be　impossible
to　conquer　the　old　man's　sublime　obstinacy　on　the　point。

〃Good…bye；　Cottin；〃　said　the　old　soldier；　taking　the　Prince's　hand。　〃I
feel　as　if　my　soul　were　frozen〃

Then；　after　going　a　step　towards　the　door；　he　turned　round；　looked　at
the　Prince；　and　seeing　that　he　was　deeply　moved；　he　opened　his　arms　to
clasp　him　in　them；　the　two　old　soldiers　embraced　each　other。

〃I　feel　as　if　I　were　taking　leave　of　the　whole　of　the　old　army　in
you；〃　said　the　Count。

〃Good…bye；　my　good　old　comrade！〃　said　the　Minister。

〃Yes；　it　is　good…bye；　for　I　am　going　where　all　our　brave　men　are　for
whom　we　have　mourned〃

Just　then　Claude　Vignon　was　shown　in。　The　two　relics　of　the　Napoleonic
phalanx　bowed　gravely　to　each　other；　effacing　every　trace　of　emotion。

〃You　have；　I　hope；　been　satisfied　by　the　papers；〃　said　the　Master　of
Appeals…elect。　〃I　contrived　to　let　the　Opposition　papers　believe　that
they　were　letting　out　our　secrets。〃

〃Unfortunately；　it　is　all　in　vain；〃　replied　the　Minister；　watching
Hulot　as　he　left　the　room。　〃I　have　just　gone　through　a　leave…taking
that　has　been　a　great　grief　to　me。　For；　indeed；　Marshal　Hulot　has　not
three　days　to　live；　I　saw　that　plainly　enough　yesterday。　That　man；　one
of　those　honest　souls　that　are　above　proof；　a　soldier　respected　by　the
bullets　in　spite　of　his　valor；　received　his　death…blowthere；　in　that
armchairand　dealt　by　my　hand；　in　a　letter！Ring　and　order　my
carriage。　I　must　go　to　Neuilly；〃　said　he；　putting　the　two　hundred
thousand　francs　into　his　official　portfolio。



Notwithstanding　Lisbeth's　nursing；　Marshal　Hulot　three　days　later　was
a　dead　man。　Such　men　are　the　glory　of　the　party　they　support。　To
Republicans；　the　Marshal　was　the　ideal　of　patriotism；　and　they　all
attended　his　funeral；　which　was　followed　by　an　immense　crowd。　The
army；　the　State　officials；　the　Court；　and　the　populace　all　came　to　do
homage　to　this　lofty　virtue；　this　spotless　honesty；　this　immaculate
glory。　Such　a　last　tribute　of　the　people　is　not　a　thing　to　be　had　for
the　asking。

This　funeral　was　distinguished　by　one　of　those　tributes　of　delicate
feeling；　of　good　taste；　and　sincere　respect　which　from　time　to　time