cousin betty-第51部分

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〃Very　well；〃　said　Valerie。　〃And　now　for　the　next　thing。What　about
Coquet's　place？〃

〃That；〃　said　Hector；　looking　away；　〃is　more　difficult；　not　to　say
impossible。〃

〃Impossible；　my　dear　Hector？〃　said　Madame　Marneffe　in　the　Baron's　ear。
〃But　you　do　not　know　to　what　lengths　Marneffe　will　go。　I　am　completely
in　his　power；　he　is　immoral　for　his　own　gratification；　like　most　men；
but　he　is　excessively　vindictive；　like　all　weak　and　impotent　natures。
In　the　position　to　which　you　have　reduced　me；　I　am　in　his　power。　I　am
bound　to　be　on　terms　with　him　for　a　few　days；　and　he　is　quite　capable
of　refusing　to　leave　my　room　any　more。〃

Hulot　started　with　horror。

〃He　would　leave　me　alone　on　condition　of　being　head…clerk。　It　is
abominablebut　logical。〃

〃Valerie；　do　you　love　me？〃

〃In　the　state　in　which　I　am；　my　dear；　the　question　is　the　meanest
insult。〃

〃Well；　thenif　I　were　to　attempt；　merely　to　attempt；　to　ask　the
Prince　for　a　place　for　Marneffe；　I　should　be　done　for；　and　Marneffe
would　be　turned　out。〃

〃I　thought　that　you　and　the　Prince　were　such　intimate　friends。〃

〃We　are；　and　he　has　amply　proved　it；　but；　my　child；　there　is　authority
above　the　Marshal'sfor　instance；　the　whole　Council　of　Ministers。
With　time　and　a　little　tacking；　we　shall　get　there。　But；　to　succeed；　I
must　wait　till　the　moment　when　some　service　is　required　of　me。　Then　I
can　say　one　good　turn　deserves　another〃

〃If　I　tell　Marneffe　this　tale；　my　poor　Hector；　he　will　play　us　some
mean　trick。　You　must　tell　him　yourself　that　he　has　to　wait。　I　will　not
undertake　to　do　so。　Oh！　I　know　what　my　fate　would　be。　He　knows　how　to
punish　me！　He　will　henceforth　share　my　room

〃Do　not　forget　to　settle　the　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year　on　the
little　one！〃

Hulot；　seeing　his　pleasures　in　danger；　took　Monsieur　Marneffe　aside；
and　for　the　first　time　derogated　from　the　haughty　tone　he　had　always
assumed　towards　him；　so　greatly　was　he　horrified　by　the　thought　of
that　half…dead　creature　in　his　pretty　young　wife's　bedroom。

〃Marneffe；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　been　talking　of　you
to…day。　But　you　cannot　be　promoted　to　the　first　class　just　yet。　We
must　have　time。〃

〃I　will　be；　Monsieur　le　Baron；〃　said　Marneffe　shortly。

〃But；　my　dear　fellow〃

〃I　/will/　be；　Monsieur　le　Baron；〃　Marneffe　coldly　repeated；　looking
alternately　at　the　Baron　and　at　Valerie。　〃You　have　placed　my　wife　in　a
position　that　necessitates　her　making　up　her　differences　with　me；　and
I　mean　to　keep　her；　for；　/my　dear　fellow/；　she　is　a　charming
creature；〃　he　added；　with　crushing　irony。　〃I　am　master　heremore　than
you　are　at　the　War　Office。〃

The　Baron　felt　one　of　those　pangs　of　fury　which　have　the　effect；　in
the　heart；　of　a　fit　of　raging　toothache；　and　he　could　hardly　conceal
the　tears　in　his　eyes。

During　this　little　scene；　Valerie　had　been　explaining　Marneffe's
imaginary　determination　to　Montes；　and　thus　had　rid　herself　of　him　for
a　time。

Of　her　four　adherents；　Crevel　alone　was　exempted　from　the　rule
Crevel；　the　master　of　the　little　〃bijou〃　apartment；　and　he　displayed
on　his　countenance　an　air　of　really　insolent　beatitude；
notwithstanding　the　wordless　reproofs　administered　by　Valerie　in
frowns　and　meaning　grimaces。　His　triumphant　paternity　beamed　in　every
feature。

When　Valerie　was　whispering　a　word　of　correction　in　his　ear；　he
snatched　her　hand；　and　put　in：

〃To…morrow；　my　Duchess；　you　shall　have　your　own　little　house！　The
papers　are　to　be　signed　to…morrow。〃

〃And　the　furniture？〃　said　she；　with　a　smile。

〃I　have　a　thousand　shares　in　the　Versailles　/rive　gauche/　railway。　I
bought　them　at　twenty…five；　and　they　will　go　up　to　three　hundred　in
consequence　of　the　amalgamation　of　the　two　lines；　which　is　a　secret
told　to　me。　You　shall　have　furniture　fit　for　a　queen。　But　then　you
will　be　mine　alone　henceforth？〃

〃Yes；　burly　Maire；〃　said　this　middle…class　Madame　de　Merteuil。　〃But
behave　yourself；　respect　the　future　Madame　Crevel。〃

〃My　dear　cousin；〃　Lisbeth　was　saying　to　the　Baron；　〃I　shall　go　to　see
Adeline　early　to…morrow；　for；　as　you　must　see；　I　cannot；　with　any
decency；　remain　here。　I　will　go　and　keep　house　for　your　brother　the
Marshal。〃

〃I　am　going　home　this　evening；〃　said　Hulot。

〃Very　well；　you　will　see　me　at　breakfast　to…morrow；〃　said　Lisbeth；
smiling。

She　understood　that　her　presence　would　be　necessary　at　the　family
scene　that　would　take　place　on　the　morrow。　And　the　very　first　thing　in
the　morning　she　went　to　see　Victorin　and　to　tell　him　that　Hortense　and
Wenceslas　had　parted。

When　the　Baron　went　home　at　half…past　ten；　Mariette　and　Louise；　who
had　had　a　hard　day；　were　locking　up　the　apartment。　Hulot　had　not　to
ring。

Very　much　put　out　at　this　compulsory　virtue；　the　husband　went　straight
to　his　wife's　room；　and　through　the　half…open　door　he　saw　her　kneeling
before　her　Crucifix；　absorbed　in　prayer；　in　one　of　those　attitudes
which　make　the　fortune　of　the　painter　or　the　sculptor　who　is　so　happy
to　invent　and　then　to　express　them。　Adeline；　carried　away　by　her
enthusiasm；　was　praying　aloud：

〃O　God；　have　mercy　and　enlighten　him！〃

The　Baroness　was　praying　for　her　Hector。

At　this　sight；　so　unlike　what　he　had　just　left；　and　on　hearing　this
petition　founded　on　the　events　of　the　day；　the　Baron　heaved　a　sigh　of
deep　emotion。　Adeline　looked　round；　her　face　drowned　in　tears。　She　was
so　convinced　that　her　prayer　had　been　heard；　that；　with　one　spring；
she　threw　her　arms　round　Hector　with　the　impetuosity　of　happy
affection。　Adeline　had　given　up　all　a　wife's　instincts；　sorrow　had
effaced　even　the　memory　of　them。　No　feeling　survived　in　her　but　those
of　motherhood；　of　the　family　honor；　and　the　pure　attachment　of　a
Christian　wife　for　a　husband　who　has　gone　astraythe　saintly
tenderness　which　survives　all　else　in　a　woman's　soul。

〃Hector！〃　she　said；　〃are　you　come　back　to　us？　Has　God　taken　pity　on
our　family？〃

〃Dear　Adeline；〃　replied　the　Baron；　coming　in　and　seating　his　wife　by
his　side　on　a　couch；　〃you　are　the　saintliest　creature　I　ever　knew；　I
have　long　known　myself　to　be　unworthy　of　you。〃

〃You　would　have　very　little　to　do；　my　dear；〃　said　she；　holding　Hulot's
hand　and　trembling　so　violently　that　it　was　as　though　she　had　a　palsy；
〃very　little　to　set　things　in　order〃

She　dared　not　proceed；　she　felt　that　every　word　would　be　a　reproof；
and　she　did　not　wish　to　mar　the　happiness　with　which　this　meeting　was
inundating　her　soul。

〃It　is　Hortense　who　has　brought　me　here；〃　said　Hulot。　〃That　child　may
do　us　far　more　harm　by　her　hasty　proceeding　than　my　absurd　passion　for
Valerie　has　ever　done。　But　we　will　discuss　all　this　to…morrow　morning。
Hortense　is　asleep；　Mariette　tells　me；　we　will　not　disturb　her。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Madame　Hulot；　suddenly　plunged　into　the　depths　of　grief。

She　understood　that　the　Baron's　return　was　prompted　not　so　much　by　the
wish　to　see　his　family　as　by　some　ulterior　interest。

〃Leave　her　in　peace　till　to…morrow；〃　said　the　mother。　〃The　poor　child
is　in　a　deplorable　condition；　she　has　been　crying　all　day。〃



At　nine　the　next　morning；　the　Baron；　awaiting　his　daughter；　whom　he
had　sent　for；　was　pacing　the　large；　deserted　drawing…room；　trying　to
find　arguments　by　which　to　conquer　the　most　difficult　form　of
obstinacy　there　is　to　deal　withthat　of　a　young　wife；　offended　and
implacable；　as　blameless　youth　ever　is；　in　its　ignorance　of　the
disgraceful　compromises　of　the　world；　of　its　passions　and　interests。

〃Here　I　am；　papa；〃　said　Hortense　in　a　tremulous　voice；　and　looking
pale　from　her　miseries。

Hulot；　sitting　down；　took　his　daughter　round　the　waist；　and　drew　her
down　to　sit　on　his　knee。

〃Well；　my　child；〃　said　he；　kissing　her　forehead；　〃so　there　are
troubles　at　home；　and　you　have　been　hasty　and　headstrong？　That　is　not
like　a　well…bred　child。　My　Hortense　ought　not　to　have　taken　such　a
decisive　step　as　that　of　leaving　her　house　and　deserting　her　husband
on　her　own　account；　and　without　consulting　her　parents。　If　my　darling
girl　had　come　to　see　her　kind　and　admirable　mother；　she　would　not　have
given　me　this　cruel　pain　I　feel！You　do　not　know　the　world；　it　is
malignantly　spiteful。　People　will　perhaps　say　that　your　husband　sent
you　back　to　your　parents。　Children　brought　up　as　you　were；　on　your
mother's　lap；　remain　artless；　maidenly　passion　like　yours　for
Wenceslas；　unfortunately；　makes　no　allowances；　it　acts　on　every
impulse。　The　little　heart　is　moved；　the　head　follows　suit。　You　would
burn　down　Paris　to　be　revenged；　with　no　thought　of　the　courts　of
justice！

〃When　your　old　father　tells　you　that　you　have　outraged　the
proprieties；　you　may　take　his　word　for　it。I　say　nothing　of　the　cruel
pain　you　have　given　me。　It　is　bitter；　I　assure　you；　for　you　throw　all
the　blame　on　a　woman　of　whose　heart　you　know　nothing；　and　whose
hostility　may　become　disastrous。　And　you；　alas！　so　full　of　guileless
innocence　and　purity；　can　have　no　suspicions；　but　you　may　be　vilified
and　slandered。Besides；　my　darling　pet；　you　have　taken　a　foolish　jest
too　seriously。　I　can　assure　you；　on　my　honor；　that　your　husband　is
blameless。　Madame　Marneffe〃

So　far　the　Baron；　artistically　diplomatic；　had　formulated　his
remonstrances　very　judiciously。　He　had；　as　may　be　observed；　worked　up
to　the　mention　of　this　name　with　superior　skill；　and　yet　Hortense；　as
she　heard　it；　winced　as　if　stung　to　the　quick。

〃Listen　to　me；　I　have　had　great　experience；　and　I　have　seen　much；〃　he
went　on；　stopping　his　daughter's　attempt　to　speak。　〃That　lady　is　very
cold　to　your　husband。　Yes；　you　have　been　made　the　victim　of　a
practical　joke；　and　I　will　prove　it　to　you。　Yesterday　Wenceslas　was
dining　with　her〃

〃Dining　with　her！〃　cried　the　young　wife；　starting　to　her　feet；　and
looking　at　her　father　with　horror　in　every　feature。　〃Yesterday！　After
having　had　my　letter！　Oh；　great　God！Why　did　I　not　take　the　veil
rather　than　marry？　But　now　my　life　is　not　my　own！　I　have　the　child！〃
and　she　sobbed。

Her　weeping　went　to　Madame　Hulot's　heart。　She　came　out　of　her　room　and
ran　to　her　daughter；　taking　her　in　her　arms；　and　asking　her　those
questions；　stupid　with　grief；　which　first　rose　to　her　lips。

〃Now　we　have　tears；〃　said　the　Baron　to　himself；　〃and　all　was　going　so
well！　What　is　to　be　done　with　women　who　cry？〃

〃My　c