cousin betty-第98章

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fire。

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

〃Yes；　child；　I　came　in　person　to　fetch　my　little　allowance。　You　would
have　forgotten　me；　though　you　are　kind…hearted；　and　I　have　some　bills
to　pay　to…morrow。　Buying　and　selling　clothes；　I　am　always　short　of
cash。　Who　is　this　at　your　heels？　The　gentleman　looks　very　much　put　out
about　something。〃

The　dreadful　Madame　Nourrisson；　at　this　moment　so　completely　disguised
as　to　look　like　a　respectable　old　body；　rose　to　embrace　Carabine；　one
of　the　hundred　and　odd　courtesans　she　had　launched　on　their　horrible
career　of　vice。

〃He　is　an　Othello　who　is　not　to　be　taken　in；　whom　I　have　the　honor　of
introducing　to　youMonsieur　le　Baron　Montes　de　Montejanos。〃

〃Oh！　I　have　heard　him　talked　about；　and　know　his　name。You　are
nicknamed　Combabus；　because　you　love　but　one　woman；　and　in　Paris；　that
is　the　same　as　loving　no　one　at　all。　And　is　it　by　chance　the　object　of
your　affections　who　is　fretting　you？　Madame　Marneffe；　Crevel's　woman？
I　tell　you　what；　my　dear　sir；　you　may　bless　your　stars　instead　of
cursing　them。　She　is　a　good…for…nothing　baggage；　is　that　little　woman。
I　know　her　tricks！〃

〃Get　along；〃　said　Carabine；　into　whose　hand　Madame　Nourrisson　had
slipped　a　note　while　embracing　her；　〃you　do　not　know　your　Brazilians。
They　are　wrong…headed　creatures　that　insist　on　being　impaled　through
the　heart。　The　more　jealous　they　are；　the　more　jealous　they　want　to
be。　Monsieur　talks　of　dealing　death　all　round；　but　he　will　kill　nobody
because　he　is　in　love。However；　I　have　brought　him　here　to　give　him
the　proofs　of　his　discomfiture；　which　I　have　got　from　that　little
Steinbock。〃

Montes　was　drunk；　he　listened　as　if　the　women　were　talking　about
somebody　else。

Carabine　went　to　take　off　her　velvet　wrap；　and　read　a　facsimile　of　a
note；　as　follows：

　　〃DEAR　PUSS。He　dines　with　Popinot　this　evening；　and　will　come　to
　　fetch　me　from　the　Opera　at　eleven。　I　shall　go　out　at　about　half…
　　past　five　and　count　on　finding　you　at　our　paradise。　Order　dinner
　　to　be　sent　in　from　the　/Maison　d'or/。　Dress；　so　as　to　be　able　to
　　take　me　to　the　Opera。　We　shall　have　four　hours　to　ourselves。
　　Return　this　note　to　me；　not　that　your　Valerie　doubts　youI　would
　　give　you　my　life；　my　fortune；　and　my　honor；　but　I　am　afraid　of　the
　　tricks　of　chance。〃

〃Here；　Baron；　this　is　the　note　sent　to　Count　Steinbock　this　morning；
read　the　address。　The　original　document　is　burnt。〃

Montes　turned　the　note　over　and　over；　recognized　the　writing；　and　was
struck　by　a　rational　idea；　which　is　sufficient　evidence　of　the
disorder　of　his　brain。

〃And；　pray；〃　said　he；　looking　at　Carabine；　〃what　object　have　you　in
torturing　my　heart；　for　you　must　have　paid　very　dear　for　the　privilege
of　having　the　note　in　your　possession　long　enough　to　get　it
lithographed？〃

〃Foolish　man！〃　said　Carabine；　at　a　nod　from　Madame　Nourrisson；　〃don't
you　see　that　poor　child　Cydalisea　girl　of　sixteen；　who　has　been
pining　for　you　these　three　months；　till　she　has　lost　her　appetite　for
food　or　drink；　and　who　is　heart…broken　because　you　have　never　even
glanced　at　her？〃

Cydalise　put　her　handkerchief　to　her　eyes　with　an　appearance　of
emotion〃She　is　furious；〃　Carabine　went　on；　〃though　she　looks　as　if
butter　would　not　melt　in　her　mouth；　furious　to　see　the　man　she　adores
duped　by　a　villainous　hussy；　she　would　kill　Valerie〃

〃Oh；　as　for　that；〃　said　the　Brazilian；　〃that　is　my　business！〃

〃What；　killing？〃　said　old　Nourrisson。　〃No；　my　son；　we　don't　do　that
here　nowadays。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Montes；　〃I　am　not　a　native　of　this　country。　I　live　in　a
parish　where　I　can　laugh　at　your　laws；　and　if　you　give　me　proof〃

〃Well；　that　note。　Is　that　nothing？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　Brazilian。　〃I　do　not　believe　in　the　writing。　I　must　see
for　myself。〃

〃See！〃　cried　Carabine；　taking　the　hint　at　once　from　a　gesture　of　her
supposed　aunt。　〃You　shall　see；　my　dear　Tiger；　all　you　wish　to　seeon
one　condition。〃

〃And　that　is？〃

〃Look　at　Cydalise。〃

At　a　wink　from　Madame　Nourrisson；　Cydalise　cast　a　tender　look　at　the
Baron。

〃Will　you　be　good　to　her？　Will　you　make　her　a　home？〃　asked　Carabine。
〃A　girl　of　such　beauty　is　well　worth　a　house　and　a　carriage！　It　would
be　a　monstrous　shame　to　leave　her　to　walk　the　streets。　And　besides
she　is　in　debt。How　much　do　you　owe？〃　asked　Carabine；　nipping
Cydalise's　arm。

〃She　is　worth　all　she　can　get；〃　said　the　old　woman。　〃The　point　is　that
she　can　find　a　buyer。〃

〃Listen！〃　cried　Montes；　fully　aware　at　last　of　this　masterpiece　of
womankind　〃you　will　show　me　Valerie〃

〃And　Count　Steinbock。Certainly！〃　said　Madame　Nourrisson。

For　the　past　ten　minutes　the　old　woman　had　been　watching　the
Brazilian；　she　saw　that　he　was　an　instrument　tuned　up　to　the　murderous
pitch　she　needed；　and；　above　all；　so　effectually　blinded；　that　he
would　never　heed　who　had　led　him　on　to　it；　and　she　spoke：

〃Cydalise；　my　Brazilian　jewel；　is　my　niece；　so　her　concerns　are　partly
mine。　All　this　catastrophe　will　be　the　work　of　a　few　minutes；　for　a
friend　of　mine　lets　the　furnished　room　to　Count　Steinbock　where
Valerie　is　at　this　moment　taking　coffeea　queer　sort　of　coffee；　but
she　calls　it　her　coffee。　So　let　us　understand　each　other；　Brazil！I
like　Brazil；　it　is　a　hot　country。What　is　to　become　of　my　niece？〃

〃You　old　ostrich；〃　said　Montes；　the　plumes　in　the　woman's　bonnet
catching　his　eye；　〃you　interrupted　me。If　you　show　meif　I　see
Valerie　and　that　artist　together〃

〃As　you　would　wish　to　be〃　said　Carabine；　〃that　is　understood。〃

〃Then　I　will　take　this　girl　and　carry　her　away〃

〃Where？〃　asked　Carabine。

〃To　Brazil；〃　replied　the　Baron。　〃I　will　make　her　my　wife。　My　uncle
left　me　ten　leagues　square　of　entailed　estate；　that　is　how　I　still
have　that　house　and　home。　I　have　a　hundred　negroesnothing　but
negroes　and　negresses　and　negro　brats；　all　bought　by　my　uncle〃

〃Nephew　to　a　nigger…driver；〃　said　Carabine；　with　a　grimace。　〃That
needs　some　consideration。Cydalise；　child；　are　you　fond　of　the
blacks？〃

〃Pooh！　Carabine；　no　nonsense；〃　said　the　old　woman。　〃The　deuce　is　in
it！　Monsieur　and　I　are　doing　business。〃

〃If　I　take　up　another　Frenchwoman；　I　mean　to　have　her　to　myself；〃　the
Brazilian　went　on。　〃I　warn　you；　mademoiselle；　I　am　king　there；　and　not
a　constitutional　king。　I　am　Czar；　my　subjects　are　mine　by　purchase；
and　no　one　can　escape　from　my　kingdom；　which　is　a　hundred　leagues　from
any　human　settlement；　hemmed　in　by　savages　on　the　interior；　and
divided　from　the　sea　by　a　wilderness　as　wide　as　France。〃

〃I　should　prefer　a　garret　here。〃

〃So　thought　I；〃　said　Montes；　〃since　I　sold　all　my　land　and　possessions
at　Rio　to　come　back　to　Madame　Marneffe。〃

〃A　man　does　not　make　such　a　voyage　for　nothing；〃　remarked　Madame
Nourrisson。　〃You　have　a　right　to　look　for　love　for　your　own　sake；
particularly　being　so　good…looking。Oh；　he　is　very　handsome！〃　said
she　to　Carabine。

〃Very　handsome；　handsomer　than　the　/Postillon　de　Longjumeau/；〃　replied
the　courtesan。

Cydalise　took　the　Brazilian's　hand；　but　he　released　it　as　politely　as
he　could。

〃I　came　back　for　Madame　Marneffe；〃　the　man　went　on　where　he　had　left
off；　〃but　you　do　not　know　why　I　was　three　years　thinking　about　it。〃

〃No；　savage！〃　said　Carabine。

〃Well；　she　had　so　repeatedly　told　me　that　she　longed　to　live　with　me
alone　in　a　desert〃

〃Oh；　ho！　he　is　not　a　savage　after　all；〃　cried　Carabine；　with　a　shout
of　laughter。　〃He　is　of　the　highly…civilized　tribe　of　Flats！〃

〃She　had　told　me　this　so　often；〃　Montes　went　on；　regardless　of　the
courtesan's　mockery；　〃that　I　had　a　lovely　house　fitted　up　in　the　heart
of　that　vast　estate。　I　came　back　to　France　to　fetch　Valerie；　and　the
first　evening　I　saw　her〃

〃Saw　her　is　very　proper！〃　said　Carabine。　〃I　will　remember　it。〃

〃She　told　me　to　wait　till　that　wretched　Marneffe　was　dead；　and　I
agreed；　and　forgave　her　for　having　admitted　the　attentions　of　Hulot。
Whether　the　devil　had　her　in　hand　I　don't　know；　but　from　that　instant
that　woman　has　humored　my　every　whim；　complied　with　all　my　demands
never　for　one　moment　has　she　given　me　cause　to　suspect　her！〃

〃That　is　supremely　clever！〃　said　Carabine　to　Madame　Nourrisson；　who
nodded　in　sign　of　assent。

〃My　faith　in　that　woman；〃　said　Montes；　and　he　shed