cousin betty-第83章

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the　time　Mariette　came　to　give　the　Baroness　this　note；　and　say　that
her　master　had　gone　out。　Adeline　flew　back　into　her　room；　trembling
more　violently　than　ever；　her　children　followed　on　hearing　her　give　a
piercing　cry。　They　found　her　in　a　dead　faint；　and　they　put　her　to　bed；
for　she　was　seized　by　a　nervous　fever　which　held　her　for　a　month
between　life　and　death。

〃Where　is　he？〃　was　the　only　thing　she　would　say。

Victorin　sought　for　him　in　vain。

And　this　is　why。　The　Baron　had　driven　to　the　Place　du　Palais　Royal。
There　this　man；　who　had　recovered　all　his　wits　to　work　out　a　scheme
which　he　had　premeditated　during　the　days　he　had　spent　crushed　with
pain　and　grief；　crossed　the　Palais　Royal　on　foot；　and　took　a　handsome
carriage　from　a　livery…stable　in　the　Rue　Joquelet。　In　obedience　to　his
orders；　the　coachman　went　to　the　Rue　de　la　Ville　l'Eveque；　and　into
the　courtyard　of　Josepha's　mansion；　the　gates　opening　at　once　at　the
call　of　the　driver　of　such　a　splendid　vehicle。　Josepha　came　out；
prompted　by　curiosity；　for　her　man…servant　had　told　her　that　a
helpless　old　gentleman；　unable　to　get　out　of　his　carriage；　begged　her
to　come　to　him　for　a　moment。

〃Josepha！it　is　I〃

The　singer　recognized　her　Hulot　only　by　his　voice。

〃What？　you；　poor　old　man？On　my　honor；　you　look　like　a　twenty…franc
piece　that　the　Jews　have　sweated　and　the　money…changers　refuse。〃

〃Alas；　yes；〃　replied　Hulot；　〃I　am　snatched　from　the　jaws　of　death！　But
you　are　as　lovely　as　ever。　Will　you　be　kind？〃

〃That　depends；〃　said　she；　〃everything　is　relative。〃

〃Listen；〃　said　Hulot；　〃can　you　put　me　up　for　a　few　days　in　a　servant's
room　under　the　roof？　I　have　nothingnot　a　farthing；　not　a　hope；　no
food；　no　pension；　no　wife；　no　children；　no　roof　over　my　head；　without
honor；　without　courage；　without　a　friend；　and　worse　than　all　that；
liable　to　imprisonment　for　not　meeting　a　bill。〃

〃Poor　old　fellow！　you　are　without　most　things。Are　you　also　/sans
culotte/？〃

〃You　laugh　at　me！　I　am　done　for；〃　cried　the　Baron。　〃And　I　counted　on
you　as　Gourville　did　on　Ninon。〃

〃And　it　was　a　'real　lady；'　I　am　told　who　brought　you　to　this；〃　said
Josepha。　〃Those　precious　sluts　know　how　to　pluck　a　goose　even　better
than　we　do！Why；　you　are　like　a　corpse　that　the　crows　have　done　with
I　can　see　daylight　through！〃

〃Time　is　short；　Josepha！〃

〃Come　in；　old　boy；　I　am　alone；　as　it　happens；　and　my　people　don't　know
you。　Send　away　your　trap。　Is　it　paid　for？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　Baron；　getting　out　with　the　help　of　Josepha's　arm。

〃You　may　call　yourself　my　father　if　you　like；〃　said　the　singer；　moved
to　pity。

She　made　Hulot　sit　down　in　the　splendid　drawing…room　where　he　had　last
seen　her。

〃And　is　it　the　fact；　old　man；〃　she　went　on；　〃that　you　have　killed　your
brother　and　your　uncle；　ruined　your　family；　mortgaged　your　children's
house　over　and　over　again；　and　robbed　the　Government　till　in　Africa；
all　for　your　princess？〃

Hulot　sadly　bent　his　head。

〃Well；　I　admire　that！〃　cried　Josepha；　starting　up　in　her　enthusiasm。
〃It　is　a　general　flare…up！　It　is　Sardanapalus！　Splendid；　thoroughly
complete！　I　may　be　a　hussy；　but　I　have　a　soul！　I　tell　you；　I　like　a
spendthrift；　like　you；　crazy　over　a　woman；　a　thousand　times　better
than　those　torpid；　heartless　bankers；　who　are　supposed　to　be　so　good；
and　who　ruin　no　end　of　families　with　their　railsgold　for　them；　and
iron　for　their　gulls！　You　have　only　ruined　those　who　belong　to　you；
you　have　sold　no　one　but　yourself；　and　then　you　have　excuses；　physical
and　moral。〃

She　struck　a　tragic　attitude；　and　spouted：

　　〃　'Tis　Venus　whose　grasp　never　parts　from　her　prey。

And　there　you　are！〃　and　she　pirouetted　on　her　toe。

Vice；　Hulot　found；　could　forgive　him；　vice　smiled　on　him　from　the
midst　of　unbridled　luxury。　Here；　as　before　a　jury；　the　magnitude　of　a
crime　was　an　extenuating　circumstance。　〃And　is　your　lady　pretty　at　any
rate？〃　asked　Josepha；　trying　as　a　preliminary　act　of　charity；　to
divert　Hulot's　thoughts；　for　his　depression　grieved　her。

〃On　my　word；　almost　as　pretty　as　you　are；〃　said　the　Baron　artfully。

〃And　monstrously　droll？　So　I　have　been　told。　What　does　she　do；　I　say？
Is　she　better　fun　than　I　am？〃

〃I　don't　want　to　talk　about　her；〃　said　Hulot。

〃And　I　hear　she　has　come　round　my　Crevel；　and　little　Steinbock；　and　a
gorgeous　Brazilian？〃

〃Very　likely。〃

〃And　that　she　has　got　a　house　as　good　as　this；　that　Crevel　has　given
her。　The　baggage！　She　is　my　provost…marshal；　and　finishes　off　those　I
have　spoiled。　I　tell　you　why　I　am　so　curious　to　know　what　she　is　like；
old　boy；　I　just　caught　sight　of　her　in　the　Bois；　in　an　open　carriage
but　a　long　way　off。　She　is　a　most　accomplished　harpy；　Carabine　says。
She　is　trying　to　eat　up　Crevel；　but　he　only　lets　her　nibble。　Crevel　is
a　knowing　hand；　good…natured　but　hard…headed；　who　will　always　say　Yes；
and　then　go　his　own　way。　He　is　vain　and　passionate；　but　his　cash　is
cold。　You　can　never　get　anything　out　of　such　fellows　beyond　a　thousand
to　three　thousand　francs　a　month；　they　jib　at　any　serious　outlay；　as　a
donkey　does　at　a　running　stream。

〃Not　like　you；　old　boy。　You　are　a　man　of　passions；　you　would　sell　your
country　for　a　woman。　And；　look　here；　I　am　ready　to　do　anything　for
you！　You　are　my　father；　you　started　me　in　life；　it　is　a　sacred　duty。
What　do　you　want？　Do　you　want　a　hundred　thousand　francs？　I　will　wear
myself　to　a　rag　to　gain　them。　As　to　giving　you　bed　and　boardthat　is
nothing。　A　place　will　be　laid　for　you　here　every　day；　you　can　have　a
good　room　on　the　second　floor；　and　a　hundred　crowns　a　month　for
pocket…money。〃

The　Baron；　deeply　touched　by　such　a　welcome；　had　a　last　qualm　of
honor。

〃No；　my　dear　child；　no；　I　did　not　come　here　for　you　to　keep　me；〃　said
he。

〃At　your　age　it　is　something　to　be　proud　of；〃　said　she。

〃This　is　what　I　wish；　my　child。　Your　Duc　d'Herouville　has　immense
estates　in　Normandy；　and　I　want　to　be　his　steward；　under　the　name　of
Thoul。　I　have　the　capacity；　and　I　am　honest。　A　man　may　borrow　of　the
Government；　and　yet　not　steal　from　a　cash…box〃

〃H'm；　h'm；〃　said　Josepha。　〃Once　drunk；　drinks　again。〃

〃In　short；　I　only　want　to　live　out　of　sight　for　three　years〃

〃Well；　it　is　soon　done；〃　said　Josepha。　〃This　evening；　after　dinner；　I
have　only　to　speak。　The　Duke　would　marry　me　if　I　wished　it；　but　I　have
his　fortune；　and　I　want　something　betterhis　esteem。　He　is　a　Duke　of
the　first　water。　He　is　high…minded；　as　noble　and　great　as　Louis　XIV。
and　Napoleon　rolled　into　one；　though　he　is　a　dwarf。　Besides；　I　have
done　for　him　what　la　Schontz　did　for　Rochefide；　by　taking　my　advice　he
has　made　two　millions。

〃Now；　listen　to　me；　old　popgun。　I　know　you；　you　are　always　after　the
women；　and　you　would　be　dancing　attendance　on　the　Normandy　girls；　who
are　splendid　creatures；　and　getting　your　ribs　cracked　by　their　lovers
and　fathers；　and　the　Duke　would　have　to　get　you　out　of　the　scrape。
Why；　can't　I　see　by　the　way　you　look　at　me　that　the　/young/　man　is　not
dead　in　youas　Fenelon　put　it。No；　this　stewardship　is　not　the　thing
for　you。　A　man　cannot　be　off　with　his　Paris　and　with　us；　old　boy；　for
the　saying！　You　would　die　of　weariness　at　Herouville。〃

〃What　is　to　become　of　me？〃　said　the　Baron；　〃for　I　will　only　stay　here
till　I　see　my　way。〃

〃Well；　shall　I　find　a　pigeon…hole　for　you？　Listen；　you　old　pirate。
Women　are　what　you　want。　They　are　consolation　in　all　circumstances。
Attend　now。At　the　end　of　the　Alley；　Rue　Saint…Maur…du…Temple；　there
is　a　poor　family　I　know　of　where　there　is　a　jewel　of　a　little　girl；
prettier　than　I　was　at　sixteen。Ah！　there　is　a　twinkle　in　your　eye
already！The　child　works　sixteen　hours　a　day　at　embroidering　costly
pieces　for　the　silk　merchants；　and　earns　sixteen　sous　a　dayone　sou
an　hour！and　feeds　like　the　Irish；　on　potatoes　fried　in　rats'
dripping；　with　bread　five　times　a　weekand　drinks　canal　water　out　of
the　town　pipes；　because　the　Seine　water　costs　too　much；　and　she　cannot
set　up　on　her　own　account　for　lack　of　six　or　seven　thousand　francs。
Your　wife　and　children　bore　you　to　death；　don't　they？Besides；　one
cannot　submit　to　be　nobody　where　one　has　been　a　little　Almighty。　A
father　who　has　neither　money　nor　honor　can　only　be　stuffed　and　kept　in
a　glass　case。〃

The　B