cousin betty-第89章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


lady　with　a　grace。

She　pushed　forward　an　easy…chair　for　the　Baroness　and　seated　herself
on　a　stool。　She　discerned　the　faded　beauty　of　the　woman　before　her；
and　was　filled　with　pity　as　she　saw　her　shaken　by　the　nervous　palsy
that；　on　the　least　excitement；　became　convulsive。　She　could　read　at　a
glance　the　saintly　life　described　to　her　of　old　by　Hulot　and　Crevel；
and　she　not　only　ceased　to　think　of　a　contest　with　her；　she　humiliated
herself　before　a　superiority　she　appreciated。　The　great　artist　could
admire　what　the　courtesan　laughed　to　scorn。

〃Mademoiselle；　despair　brought　me　here。　It　reduces　us　to　any　means〃

A　look　in　Josepha's　face　made　the　Baroness　feel　that　she　had　wounded
the　woman　from　whom　she　hoped　for　so　much；　and　she　looked　at　her。　Her
beseeching　eyes　extinguished　the　flash　in　Josepha's；　the　singer
smiled。　It　was　a　wordless　dialogue　of　pathetic　eloquence。

〃It　is　now　two　years　and　a　half　since　Monsieur　Hulot　left　his　family；
and　I　do　not　know　where　to　find　him；　though　I　know　that　he　lives　in
Paris；〃　said　the　Baroness　with　emotion。　〃A　dream　suggested　to　me　the
ideaan　absurd　one　perhapsthat　you　may　have　interested　yourself　in
Monsieur　Hulot。　If　you　could　enable　me　to　see　himoh！　mademoiselle；　I
would　pray　Heaven　for　you　every　day　as　long　as　I　live　in　this　world〃

Two　large　tears　in　the　singer's　eyes　told　what　her　reply　would　be。

〃Madame；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　done　you　an　injury　without　knowing　you；
but；　now　that　I　have　the　happiness　of　seeing　in　you　the　most　perfect
virtue　on　earth；　believe　me　I　am　sensible　of　the　extent　of　my　fault；　I
repent　sincerely；　and　believe　me；　I　will　do　all　in　my　power　to　remedy
it！〃

She　took　Madame　Hulot's　hand　and　before　the　lady　could　do　anything　to
hinder　her；　she　kissed　it　respectfully；　even　humbling　herself　to　bend
one　knee。　Then　she　rose；　as　proud　as　when　she　stood　on　the　stage　in
the　part　of　/Mathilde/；　and　rang　the　bell。

〃Go　on　horseback；〃　said　she　to　the　man…servant；　〃and　kill　the　horse　if
you　must；　to　find　little　Bijou；　Rue　Saint…Maur…du…Temple；　and　bring
her　here。　Put　her　into　a　coach　and　pay　the　coachman　to　come　at　a
gallop。　Do　not　lose　a　momentor　you　lose　your　place。

〃Madame；〃　she　went　on；　coming　back　to　the　Baroness；　and　speaking　to
her　in　respectful　tones；　〃you　must　forgive　me。　As　soon　as　the　Duc
d'Herouville　became　my　protector；　I　dismissed　the　Baron；　having　heard
that　he　was　ruining　his　family　for　me。　What　more　could　I　do？　In　an
actress'　career　a　protector　is　indispensable　from　the　first　day　of　her
appearance　on　the　boards。　Our　salaries　do　not　pay　half　our　expenses；
we　must　have　a　temporary　husband。　I　did　not　value　Monsieur　Hulot；　who
took　me　away　from　a　rich　man；　a　conceited　idiot。　Old　Crevel　would
undoubtedly　have　married　me〃

〃So　he　told　me；〃　said　the　Baroness；　interrupting　her。

〃Well；　then；　you　see；　madame；　I　might　at　this　day　have　been　an　honest
woman；　with　only　one　legitimate　husband！〃

〃You　have　many　excuses；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Adeline；　〃and　God　will
take　them　into　account。　But；　for　my　part；　far　from　reproaching　you；　I
came；　on　the　contrary；　to　make　myself　your　debtor　in　gratitude〃

〃Madame；　for　nearly　three　years　I　have　provided　for　Monsieur　le
Baron's　necessities〃

〃You？〃　interrupted　the　Baroness；　with　tears　in　her　eyes。　〃Oh；　what　can
I　do　for　you？　I　can　only　pray〃

〃I　and　Monsieur　le　Duc　d'Herouville；〃　the　singer　said；　〃a　noble　soul；
a　true　gentleman〃　and　Josepha　related　the　settling　and　/marriage/　of
Monsieur　Thoul。

〃And　so；　thanks　to　you；　mademoiselle；　the　Baron　has　wanted　nothing？〃

〃We　have　done　our　best　to　that　end；　madame。〃

〃And　where　is　he　now？〃

〃About　six　months　ago；　Monsieur　le　Duc　told　me　that　the　Baron；　known
to　the　notary　by　the　name　of　Thoul；　had　drawn　all　the　eight　thousand
francs　that　were　to　have　been　paid　to　him　in　fixed　sums　once　a
quarter；〃　replied　Josepha。　〃We　have　heard　no　more　of　the　Baron；
neither　I　nor　Monsieur　d'Herouville。　Our　lives　are　so　full；　we　artists
are　so　busy；　that　I　really　have　not　time　to　run　after　old　Thoul。　As　it
happens；　for　the　last　six　months；　Bijou；　who　works　for　mehiswhat
shall　I　say？〃

〃His　mistress；〃　said　Madame　Hulot。

〃His　mistress；〃　repeated　Josepha；　〃has　not　been　here。　Mademoiselle
Olympe　Bijou　is　perhaps　divorced。　Divorce　is　common　in　the　thirteenth
arrondissement。〃

Josepha　rose；　and　foraging　among　the　rare　plants　in　her　stands；　made　a
charming　bouquet　for　Madame　Hulot；　whose　expectations；　it　may　be　said；
were　by　no　means　fulfilled。　Like　those　worthy　fold；　who　take　men　of
genius　to　be　a　sort　of　monsters；　eating；　drinking；　walking；　and
speaking　unlike　other　people；　the　Baroness　had　hoped　to　see　Josepha
the　opera　singer；　the　witch；　the　amorous　and　amusing　courtesan；　she
saw　a　calm　and　well…mannered　woman；　with　the　dignity　of　talent；　the
simplicity　of　an　actress　who　knows　herself　to　be　at　night　a　queen；　and
also；　better　than　all；　a　woman　of　the　town　whose　eyes；　attitude；　and
demeanor　paid　full　and　ungrudging　homage　to　the　virtuous　wife；　the
/Mater　dolorosa/　of　the　sacred　hymn；　and　who　was　crowning　her　sorrows
with　flowers；　as　the　Madonna　is　crowned　in　Italy。

〃Madame；〃　said　the　man…servant；　reappearing　at　the　end　of　half　an
hour；　〃Madame　Bijou　is　on　her　way；　but　you　are　not　to　expect　little
Olympe。　Your　needle…woman；　madame；　is　settled　in　life；　she　is
married〃

〃More　or　less？〃　said　Josepha。

〃No；　madame；　really　married。　She　is　at　the　head　of　a　very　fine
business；　she　has　married　the　owner　of　a　large　and　fashionable　shop；
on　which　they　have　spent　millions　of　francs；　on　the　Boulevard　des
Italiens；　and　she　has　left　the　embroidery　business　to　her　sister　and
mother。　She　is　Madame　Grenouville。　The　fat　tradesman〃

〃A　Crevel？〃

〃Yes；　madame；〃　said　the　man。　〃Well；　he　has　settled　thirty　thousand
francs　a　year　on　Mademoiselle　Bijou　by　the　marriage　articles。　And　her
elder　sister；　they　say；　is　going　to　be　married　to　a　rich　butcher。〃

〃Your　business　looks　rather　hopeless；　I　am　afraid；〃　said　Josepha　to
the　Baroness。　〃Monsieur　le　Baron　is　no　longer　where　I　lodged　him。〃

Ten　minutes　later　Madame　Bijou　was　announced。　Josepha　very　prudently
placed　the　Baroness　in　the　boudoir；　and　drew　the　curtain　over　the
door。

〃You　would　scare　her；〃　said　she　to　Madame　Hulot。　〃She　would　let
nothing　out　if　she　suspected　that　you　were　interested　in　the
information。　Leave　me　to　catechise　her。　Hide　there；　and　you　will　hear
everything。　It　is　a　scene　that　is　played　quite　as　often　in　real　life
as　on　the　stage〃

〃Well；　Mother　Bijou；〃　she　said　to　an　old　woman　dressed　in　tartan
stuff；　and　who　looked　like　a　porter's　wife　in　her　Sunday　best；　〃so　you
are　all　very　happy？　Your　daughter　is　in　luck。〃

〃Oh；　happy？　As　for　that！My　daughter　gives　us　a　hundred　francs　a
month；　while　she　rides　in　a　carriage　and　eats　off　silver　plateshe　is
a　millionary；　is　my　daughter！　Olympe　might　have　lifted　me　above　labor。
To　have　to　work　at　my　age？　Is　that　being　good　to　me？〃

〃She　ought　not　to　be　ungrateful；　for　she　owes　her　beauty　to　you；〃
replied　Josepha；　〃but　why　did　she　not　come　to　see　me？　It　was　I　who
placed　her　in　ease　by　settling　her　with　my　uncle。〃

〃Yes；　madame；　with　old　Monsieur　Thoul；　but　he　is　very　old　and
broken〃

〃But　what　have　you　done　with　him？　Is　he　with　you？　She　was　very　foolish
to　leave　him；　he　is　worth　millions　now。〃

〃Heaven　above　us！〃　cried　the　mother。　〃What　did　I　tell　her　when　she
behaved　so　badly　to　him；　and　he　as　mild　as　milk；　poor　old　fellow？　Oh！
didn't　she　just　give　it　him　hot？Olympe　was　perverted；　madame？〃

〃But　how？〃

〃She　got　to　know　a　/claqueur/；　madame；　saving　your　presence；　a　man
paid　to　clap；　you　know；　the　grand　nephew　of　an　old　mattress…picker　of
the　Faubourg　Saint…Marceau。　This　good…for…naught；　as　all　your　good…
looking　fellows　are；　paid　to　make　a　piece　go；　is　the　cock　of　the　walk
out　on　the　Boulevard　du　Temple；　where　he　works　up　the　new　plays；　and
takes　care　that　the　actresses　get　a　reception；　as　he　calls　it。　First；
he　has　a　good　breakfast　in　the　morning；　then；　before　the　play；　he
dines；　to　be　'up　to　the　mark；'　as　he　says；　in　short；　he　is　a　born
lover　of　billiards　and　drams。　'But　that　is　not　following　a　trade；'　as
I　said　to　Olympe。〃

〃It　is　a　trade　men　follow；　unfortunately；〃　said　Jos