cousin betty-第82章

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feeling；　of　good　taste；　and　sincere　respect　which　from　time　to　time
remind　us　of　the　virtues　and　dignity　of　the　old　French　nobility。
Following　the　Marshal's　bier　came　the　old　Marquis　de　Montauran；　the
brother　of　him　who；　in　the　great　rising　of　the　Chouans　in　1799；　had
been　the　foe；　the　luckless　foe；　of　Hulot。　That　Marquis；　killed　by　the
balls　of　the　〃Blues；〃　had　confided　the　interests　of　his　young　brother
to　the　Republican　soldier。　（See　/Les　Chouans/。）　Hulot　had　so
faithfully　acted　on　the　noble　Royalist's　verbal　will；　that　he
succeeded　in　saving　the　young　man's　estates；　though　he　himself　was　at
the　time　an　emigre。　And　so　the　homage　of　the　old　French　nobility　was
not　wanting　to　the　leader　who；　nine　years　since；　had　conquered　MADAME。

This　death；　happening　just　four　days　before　the　banns　were　cried　for
the　last　time；　came　upon　Lisbeth　like　the　thunderbolt　that　burns　the
garnered　harvest　with　the　barn。　The　peasant　of　Lorraine；　as　often
happens；　had　succeeded　too　well。　The　Marshal　had　died　of　the　blows
dealt　to　the　family　by　herself　and　Madame　Marneffe。

The　old　maid's　vindictiveness；　which　success　seemed　to　have　somewhat
mollified；　was　aggravated　by　this　disappointment　of　her　hopes。　Lisbeth
went；　crying　with　rage；　to　Madame　Marneffe；　for　she　was　homeless；　the
Marshal　having　agreed　that　his　lease　was　at　any　time　to　terminate　with
his　life。　Crevel；　to　console　Valerie's　friend；　took　charge　of　her
savings；　added　to　them　considerably；　and　invested　the　capital　in　five
per　cents；　giving　her　the　life　interest；　and　putting　the　securities
into　Celestine's　name。　Thanks　to　this　stroke　of　business；　Lisbeth　had
an　income　of　about　two　thousand　francs。

When　the　Marshal's　property　was　examined　and　valued；　a　note　was　found；
addressed　to　his　sister…in…law；　to　his　niece　Hortense；　and　to　his
nephew　Victorin；　desiring　that　they　would　pay　among　them　an　annuity　of
twelve　hundred　francs　to　Mademoiselle　Lisbeth　Fischer；　who　was　to　have
been　his　wife。

Adeline；　seeing　her　husband　between　life　and　death；　succeeded　for　some
days　in　hiding　from　him　the　fact　of　his　brother's　death；　but　Lisbeth
came；　in　mourning；　and　the　terrible　truth　was　told　him　eleven　days
after　the　funeral。

The　crushing　blow　revived　the　sick　man's　energies。　He　got　up；　found
his　family　collected　in　the　drawing…room；　all　in　black；　and　suddenly
silent　as　he　came　in。　In　a　fortnight；　Hulot；　as　lean　as　a　spectre；
looked　to　his　family　the　mere　shadow　of　himself。

〃I　must　decide　on　something；〃　said　he　in　a　husky　voice；　as　he　seated
himself　in　an　easy…chair；　and　looked　round　at　the　party；　of　whom
Crevel　and　Steinbock　were　absent。

〃We　cannot　stay　here；　the　rent　is　too　high；〃　Hortense　was　saying　just
as　her　father　came　in。

〃As　to　a　home；〃　said　Victorin；　breaking　the　painful　silence；　〃I　can
offer　my　mother〃

As　he　heard　these　words；　which　excluded　him；　the　Baron　raised　his
head；　which　was　sunk　on　his　breast　as　though　he　were　studying　the
pattern　of　the　carpet；　though　he　did　not　even　see　it；　and　he　gave　the
young　lawyer　an　appealing　look。　The　rights　of　a　father　are　so
indefeasibly　sacred；　even　when　he　is　a　villain　and　devoid　of　honor；
that　Victorin　paused。

〃To　your　mother；〃　the　Baron　repeated。　〃You　are　right；　my　son。〃

〃The　rooms　over　ours　in　our　wing；〃　said　Celestine；　finishing　her
husband's　sentence。

〃I　am　in　your　way；　my　dears？〃　said　the　Baron；　with　the　mildness　of　a
man　who　has　judged　himself。　〃But　do　not　be　uneasy　as　to　the　future；
you　will　have　no　further　cause　for　complaint　of　your　father；　you　will
not　see　him　till　the　time　when　you　need　no　longer　blush　for　him。〃

He　went　up　to　Hortense　and　kissed　her　brow。　He　opened　his　arms　to　his
son；　who　rushed　into　his　embrace；　guessing　his　father's　purpose。　The
Baron　signed　to　Lisbeth；　who　came　to　him；　and　he　kissed　her　forehead。
Then　he　went　to　his　room；　whither　Adeline　followed　him　in　an　agony　of
dread。

〃My　brother　was　quite　right；　Adeline；〃　he　said；　holding　her　hand。　〃I
am　unworthy　of　my　home　life。　I　dared　not　bless　my　children；　who　have
behaved　so　nobly；　but　in　my　heart；　tell　them　that　I　could　only　venture
to　kiss　them；　for　the　blessing　of　a　bad　man；　a　father　who　has　been　an
assassin　and　the　scourge　of　his　family　instead　of　its　protector　and
its　glory；　might　bring　evil　on　them；　but　assure　them　that　I　shall
bless　them　every　day。As　to　you；　God　alone；　for　He　is　Almighty；　can
ever　reward　you　according　to　your　merits！I　can　only　ask　your
forgiveness！〃　and　he　knelt　at　her　feet；　taking　her　hands　and　wetting
them　with　his　tears。

〃Hector；　Hector！　Your　sins　have　been　great；　but　Divine　Mercy　is
infinite；　and　you　may　repair　all　by　staying　with　me。Rise　up　in
Christian　charity；　my　dearI　am　your　wife；　and　not　your　judge。　I　am
your　possession；　do　what　you　will　with　me；　take　me　wherever　you　go；　I
feel　strong　enough　comfort　you；　to　make　life　endurable　to　you；　by　the
strength　of　my　love；　my　care；　and　respect。Our　children　are　settled
in　life；　they　need　me　no　more。　Let　me　try　to　be　an　amusement　to　you；
an　occupation。　Let　me　share　the　pain　of　your　banishment　and　of　your
poverty；　and　help　to　mitigate　it。　I　could　always　be　of　some　use；　if　it
were　only　to　save　the　expense　of　a　servant。〃

〃Can　you　forgive；　my　dearly…beloved　Adeline？〃

〃Yes；　only　get　up；　my　dear！〃

〃Well；　with　that　forgiveness　I　can　live；〃　said　he；　rising　to　his　feet。
〃I　came　back　into　this　room　that　my　children　should　not　see　their
father's　humiliation。　Oh！　the　sight　constantly　before　their　eyes　of　a
father　so　guilty　as　I　am　is　a　terrible　thing；　it　must　undermine
parental　influence　and　break　every　family　tie。　So　I　cannot　remain
among　you；　and　I　must　go　to　spare　you　the　odious　spectacle　of　a　father
bereft　of　dignity。　Do　not　oppose　my　departure　Adeline。　It　would　only
be　to　load　with　your　own　hand　the　pistol　to　blow　my　brains　out。　Above
all；　do　not　seek　me　in　my　hiding…place；　you　would　deprive　me　of　the
only　strong　motive　remaining　in　me；　that　of　remorse。〃

Hector's　decisiveness　silenced　his　dejected　wife。　Adeline；　lofty　in
the　midst　of　all　this　ruin；　had　derived　her　courage　from　her　perfect
union　with　her　husband；　for　she　had　dreamed　of　having　him　for　her　own；
of　the　beautiful　task　of　comforting　him；　of　leading　him　back　to　family
life；　and　reconciling　him　to　himself。

〃But；　Hector；　would　you　leave　me　to　die　of　despair；　anxiety；　and
alarms！〃　said　she；　seeing　herself　bereft　of　the　mainspring　of　her
strength。

〃I　will　come　back　to　you；　dear　angelsent　from　Heaven　expressly　for
me；　I　believe。　I　will　come　back；　if　not　rich；　at　least　with　enough　to
live　in　ease。Listen；　my　sweet　Adeline；　I　cannot　stay　here　for　many
reasons。　In　the　first　place；　my　pension　of　six　thousand　francs　is
pledged　for　four　years；　so　I　have　nothing。　That　is　not　all。　I　shall　be
committed　to　prison　within　a　few　days　in　consequence　of　the　bills　held
by　Vauvinet。　So　I　must　keep　out　of　the　way　until　my　son；　to　whom　I
will　give　full　instructions；　shall　have　bought　in　the　bills。　My
disappearance　will　facilitate　that。　As　soon　as　my　pension　is　my　own；
and　Vauvinet　is　paid　off；　I　will　return　to　you。You　would　be　sure　to
let　out　the　secret　of　my　hiding…place。　Be　calm；　do　not　cry；　Adeline
it　is　only　for　a　month〃

〃Where　will　you　go？　What　will　you　do？　What　will　become　of　you？　Who
will　take　care　of　you　now　that　you　are　no　longer　young？　Let　me　go　with
youwe　will　go　abroad〃　said　she。

〃Well；　well；　we　will　see；〃　he　replied。

The　Baron　rang　and　ordered　Mariette　to　collect　all　his　things　and　pack
them　quickly　and　secretly。　Then；　after　embracing　his　wife　with　a
warmth　of　affection　to　which　she　was　unaccustomed；　he　begged　her　to
leave　him　alone　for　a　few　minutes　while　he　wrote　his　instructions　for
Victorin；　promising　that　he　would　not　leave　the　house　till　dark；　or
without　her。

As　soon　as　the　Baroness　was　in　the　drawing…room；　the　cunning　old　man
stole　out　through　the　dressing…closet　to　the　anteroom；　and　went　away；
giving　Mariette　a　slip　of　paper；　on　which　was　written；　〃Address　my
trunks　to　go　by　railway　to　Corbeilto　Monsieur　Hector；　cloak…room；
Corbeil。〃

The　Baron　jumped　into　a　hackney　coach；　and　was　rushing　across　Paris　by
the　time　Mariette　came　to　give　the　Baroness　this　note；　and　say　that
her　master　had　gone　out。