cousin betty-第97章

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such　company；　the　loveliestbut　the　freshest　woman　in　all　Paris。〃

〃Everything　is　fresh　here；　even　the　fish；　it　is　what　the　house　is
famous　for；〃　said　Carabine。

Baron　Montes　looked　good…naturedly　at　the　painter；　and　said：

〃Very　good！　I　drink　to　your　very　good　health；〃　and　bowing　to　Leon　de
Lora；　he　lifted　his　glass　of　port　wine　and　drank　it　with　much　dignity。

〃Are　you　then　truly　in　love？〃　asked　Malaga　of　her　neighbor；　thus
interpreting　his　toast。

The　Brazilian　refilled　his　glass；　bowed　to　Carabine；　and　drank　again。

〃To　the　lady's　health　then！〃　said　the　courtesan；　in　such　a　droll　tone
that　Lora；　du　Tillet；　and　Bixiou　burst　out　laughing。

The　Brazilian　sat　like　a　bronze　statue。　This　impassibility　provoked
Carabine。　She　knew　perfectly　well　that　Montes　was　devoted　to　Madame
Marneffe；　but　she　had　not　expected　this　dogged　fidelity；　this
obstinate　silence　of　conviction。

A　woman　is　as　often　gauged　by　the　attitude　of　her　lover　as　a　man　is
judged　from　the　tone　of　his　mistress。　The　Baron　was　proud　of　his
attachment　to　Valerie；　and　of　hers　to　him；　his　smile　had；　to　these
experienced　connoisseurs；　a　touch　of　irony；　he　was　really　grand　to
look　upon；　wine　had　not　flushed　him；　and　his　eyes；　with　their　peculiar
lustre　as　of　tarnished　gold；　kept　the　secrets　of　his　soul。　Even
Carabine　said　to　herself：

〃What　a　woman　she　must　be！　How　she　has　sealed　up　that　heart！〃

〃He　is　a　rock！〃　said　Bixiou　in　an　undertone；　imagining　that　the　whole
thing　was　a　practical　joke；　and　never　suspecting　the　importance　to
Carabine　of　reducing　this　fortress。

While　this　conversation；　apparently　so　frivolous；　was　going　on　at
Carabine's　right；　the　discussion　of　love　was　continued　on　her　left
between　the　Duc　d'Herouville；　Lousteau；　Josepha；　Jenny　Cadine；　and
Massol。　They　were　wondering　whether　such　rare　phenomena　were　the
result　of　passion；　obstinacy；　or　affection。　Josepha；　bored　to　death　by
it　all；　tried　to　change　the　subject。

〃You　are　talking　of　what　you　know　nothing　about。　Is　there　a　man　among
you　who　ever　loved　a　womana　woman　beneath　himenough　to　squander
his　fortune　and　his　children's；　to　sacrifice　his　future　and　blight　his
past；　to　risk　going　to　the　hulks　for　robbing　the　Government；　to　kill
an　uncle　and　a　brother；　to　let　his　eye　be　so　effectually　blinded　that
he　did　not　even　perceive　that　it　was　done　to　hinder　his　seeing　the
abyss　into　which；　as　a　crowning　jest；　he　was　being　driven？　Du　Tillet
has　a　cash…box　under　his　left　breast；　Leon　de　Lora　has　his　wit；　Bixiou
would　laugh　at　himself　for　a　fool　if　he　loved　any　one　but　himself；
Massol　has　a　minister's　portfolio　in　the　place　of　a　heart；　Lousteau
can　have　nothing　but　viscera；　since　he　could　endure　to　be　thrown　over
by　Madame　de　Baudraye；　Monsieur　le　Duc　is　too　rich　to　prove　his　love
by　his　ruin；　Vauvinet　is　not　in　itI　do　not　regard　a　bill…broker　as
one　of　the　human　race；　and　you　have　never　loved；　nor　I；　nor　Jenny
Cadine；　nor　Malaga。　For　my　part；　I　never　but　once　even　saw　the
phenomenon　I　have　described。　It　was；〃　and　she　turned　to　Jenny　Cadine；
〃that　poor　Baron　Hulot；　whom　I　am　going　to　advertise　for　like　a　lost
dog；　for　I　want　to　find　him。〃

〃Oh；　ho！〃　said　Carabine　to　herself；　and　looking　keenly　at　Josepha；
〃then　Madame　Nourrisson　has　two　pictures　by　Raphael；　since　Josepha　is
playing　my　hand！〃

〃Poor　fellow；〃　said　Vauvinet；　〃he　was　a　great　man！　Magnificent！　And
what　a　figure；　what　a　style；　the　air　of　Francis　I。！　What　a　volcano！
and　how　full　of　ingenious　ways　of　getting　money！　He　must　be　looking
for　it　now；　wherever　he　is；　and　I　make　no　doubt　he　extracts　it　even
from　the　walls　built　of　bones　that　you　may　see　in　the　suburbs　of　Paris
near　the　city　gates〃

〃And　all　that；〃　said　Bixiou；　〃for　that　little　Madame　Marneffe！　There
is　a　precious　hussy　for　you！〃

〃She　is　just　going　to　marry　my　friend　Crevel；〃　said　du　Tillet。

〃And　she　is　madly　in　love　with　my　friend　Steinbock；〃　Leon　de　Lora　put
in。

These　three　phrases　were　like　so　many　pistol…shots　fired　point…blank
at　Montes。　He　turned　white；　and　the　shock　was　so　painful　that　he　rose
with　difficulty。

〃You　are　a　set　of　blackguards！〃　cried　he。　〃You　have　no　right　to　speak
the　name　of　an　honest　woman　in　the　same　breath　with　those　fallen
creaturesabove　all；　not　to　make　it　a　mark　for　your　slander！〃

He　was　interrupted　by　unanimous　bravos　and　applause。　Bixiou；　Leon　de
Lora；　Vauvinet；　du　Tillet；　and　Massol　set　the　example；　and　there　was　a
chorus。

〃Hurrah　for　the　Emperor！〃　said　Bixiou。

〃Crown　him！　crown　him！〃　cried　Vauvinet。

〃Three　groans　for　such　a　good　dog！　Hurrah　for　Brazil！〃　cried　Lousteau。

〃So；　my　copper…colored　Baron；　it　is　our　Valerie　that　you　love；　and　you
are　not　disgusted？〃　said　Leon　de　Lora。

〃His　remark　is　not　parliamentary；　but　it　is　grand！〃　observed　Massol。

〃But；　my　most　delightful　customer；〃　said　du　Tillet；　〃you　were
recommended　to　me；　I　am　your　banker；　your　innocence　reflects　on　my
credit。〃

〃Yes；　tell　me；　you　are　a　reasonable　creature〃　said　the　Brazilian
to　the　banker。

〃Thanks　on　behalf　of　the　company；〃　said　Bixiou　with　a　bow。

〃Tell　me　the　real　facts；〃　Montes　went　on；　heedless　of　Bixiou's
interjection。

〃Well；　then；〃　replied　du　Tillet；　〃I　have　the　honor　to　tell　you　that　I
am　asked　to　the　Crevel　wedding。〃

〃Ah；　ha！　Combabus　holds　a　brief　for　Madame　Marneffe！〃　said　Josepha；
rising　solemnly。

She　went　round　to　Montes　with　a　tragic　look；　patted　him　kindly　on　the
head；　looked　at　him　for　a　moment　with　comical　admiration；　and　nodded
sagely。

〃Hulot　was　the　first　instance　of　love　through　fire　and　water；〃　said
she；　〃this　is　the　second。　But　it　ought　not　to　count；　as　it　comes　from
the　Tropics。〃

Montes　had　dropped　into　his　chair　again；　when　Josepha　gently　touched
his　forehead；　and　looked　at　du　Tillet　as　he　said：

〃If　I　am　the　victim　of　a　Paris　jest；　if　you　only　wanted　to　get　at　my
secret〃　and　he　sent　a　flashing　look　round　the　table；　embracing　all
the　guests　in　a　flaming　glance　that　blazed　with　the　sun　of　Brazil；〃I
beg　of　you　as　a　favor　to　tell　me　so；〃　he　went　on；　in　a　tone　of　almost
childlike　entreaty；　〃but　do　not　vilify　the　woman　I　love。〃

〃Nay；　indeed；〃　said　Carabine　in　a　low　voice；　〃but　if；　on　the　contrary；
you　are　shamefully　betrayed；　cheated；　tricked　by　Valerie；　if　I　should
give　you　the　proof　in　an　hour；　in　my　own　house；　what　then？〃

〃I　cannot　tell　you　before　all　these　Iagos；〃　said　the　Brazilian。

Carabine　understood　him　to　say　/magots/　（baboons）。

〃Well；　well；　say　no　more！〃　she　replied；　smiling。　〃Do　not　make　yourself
a　laughing…stock　for　all　the　wittiest　men　in　Paris；　come　to　my　house；
we　will　talk　it　over。〃

Montes　was　crushed。　〃Proofs；〃　he　stammered；　〃consider〃

〃Only　too　many；〃　replied　Carabine；　〃and　if　the　mere　suspicion　hits　you
so　hard；　I　fear　for　your　reason。〃

〃Is　this　creature　obstinate；　I　ask　you？　He　is　worse　than　the　late
lamented　King　of　Holland！I　say；　Lousteau；　Bixiou；　Massol；　all　the
crew　of　you；　are　you　not　invited　to　breakfast　with　Madame　Marneffe　the
day　after　to…morrow？〃　said　Leon　de　Lora。

〃/Ya/；〃　said　du　Tillet；　〃I　have　the　honor　of　assuring　you；　Baron；　that
if　you　had　by　any　chance　thought　of　marrying　Madame　Marneffe；　you　are
thrown　out　like　a　bill　in　Parliament；　beaten　by　a　blackball　called
Crevel。　My　friend；　my　old　comrade　Crevel；　has　eighty　thousand　francs　a
year；　and　you；　I　suppose；　did　not　show　such　a　good　hand；　for　if　you
had；　you；　I　imagine；　would　have　been　preferred。〃

Montes　listened　with　a　half…absent；　half…smiling　expression；　which
struck　them　all　with　terror。

At　this　moment　the　head…waiter　came　to　whisper　to　Carabine　that　a
lady；　a　relation　of　hers；　was　in　the　drawing…room　and　wished　to　speak
to　her。

Carabine　rose　and　went　out　to　find　Madame　Nourrisson；　decently　veiled
with　black　lace。

〃Well；　child；　am　I　to　go　to　your　house？　Has　he　taken　the　hook？〃

〃Yes；　mother；　and　the　pistol　is　so　fully　loaded；　that　my　only　fear　is
that　it　will　burst；〃　said　Carabine。

About　an　hour　later；　Montes；　Cydalise；　and　Carabine；　returning　from
the　/Rocher　de　Cancale/；　entered　Carabine's　little　sitting…room　in　the
Rue　Saint…Georges。　Madame　Nourrisson　was　sitting　in　an　armchair　by　the
fire。

〃Here　is　my　worthy　old　aunt；〃　said　Carabine。

〃Yes；　child；　I　came　in　person　to　fet