cousin betty-第101部分

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way　to　astonish　a　woman。This　woman　plays　a　part　against　mine；　and
tell　the　ladyfor　she　is　a　real；　great　lady；　my　girl；　nay；　more；　she
is　what　you　will　never　be；　a　woman　whose　prayers　can　rescue　souls　from
your　purgatorytell　her　I　was　in　bed；　as　I　was　playing　last　night；
and　that　I　am　just　getting　up。〃

The　Baroness；　shown　into　Josepha's　handsome　drawing…room；　did　not　note
how　long　she　was　kept　waiting　there；　though　it　was　a　long　half　hour。
This　room；　entirely　redecorated　even　since　Josepha　had　had　the　house；
was　hung　with　silk　in　purple　and　gold　color。　The　luxury　which　fine
gentlemen　were　wont　to　lavish　on　their　/petites　maisons/；　the　scenes
of　their　profligacy；　of　which　the　remains　still　bear　witness　to　the
follies　from　which　they　were　so　aptly　named；　was　displayed　to
perfection；　thanks　to　modern　inventiveness；　in　the　four　rooms　opening
into　each　other；　where　the　warm　temperature　was　maintained　by　a　system
of　hot…air　pipes　with　invisible　openings。

The　Baroness；　quite　bewildered；　examined　each　work　of　art　with　the
greatest　amazement。　Here　she　found　fortunes　accounted　for　that　melt　in
the　crucible　under　which　pleasure　and　vanity　feed　the　devouring
flames。　This　woman；　who　for　twenty…six　years　had　lived　among　the　dead
relics　of　imperial　magnificence；　whose　eyes　were　accustomed　to　carpets
patterned　with　faded　flowers；　rubbed　gilding；　silks　as　forlorn　as　her
heart；　half　understood　the　powerful　fascinations　of　vice　as　she
studied　its　results。　It　was　impossible　not　to　wish　to　possess　these
beautiful　things；　these　admirable　works　of　art；　the　creation　of　the
unknown　talent　which　abounds　in　Paris　in　our　day　and　produces
treasures　for　all　Europe。　Each　thing　had　the　novel　charm　of　unique
perfection。　The　models　being　destroyed；　every　vase；　every　figure；
every　piece　of　sculpture　was　the　original。　This　is　the　crowning　grace
of　modern　luxury。　To　own　the　thing　which　is　not　vulgarized　by　the　two
thousand　wealthy　citizens　whose　notion　of　luxury　is　the　lavish　display
of　the　splendors　that　shops　can　supply；　is　the　stamp　of　true　luxury
the　luxury　of　the　fine　gentlemen　of　the　day；　the　shooting　stars　of　the
Paris　firmament。

As　she　examined　the　flower…stands；　filled　with　the　choicest　exotic
plants；　mounted　in　chased　brass　and　inlaid　in　the　style　of　Boulle；　the
Baroness　was　scared　by　the　idea　of　the　wealth　in　this　apartment。　And
this　impression　naturally　shed　a　glamour　over　the　person　round　whom
all　this　profusion　was　heaped。　Adeline　imagined　that　Josepha　Mirah
whose　portrait　by　Joseph　Bridau　was　the　glory　of　the　adjoining　boudoir
must　be　a　singer　of　genius；　a　Malibran；　and　she　expected　to　see　a
real　star。　She　was　sorry　she　had　come。　But　she　had　been　prompted　by　a
strong　and　so　natural　a　feeling；　by　such　purely　disinterested
devotion；　that　she　collected　all　her　courage　for　the　interview。
Besides；　she　was　about　to　satisfy　her　urgent　curiosity；　to　see　for
herself　what　was　the　charm　of　this　kind　of　women；　that　they　could
extract　so　much　gold　from　the　miserly　ore　of　Paris　mud。

The　Baroness　looked　at　herself　to　see　if　she　were　not　a　blot　on　all
this　splendor；　but　she　was　well　dressed　in　her　velvet　gown；　with　a
little　cape　trimmed　with　beautiful　lace；　and　her　velvet　bonnet　of　the
same　shade　was　becoming。　Seeing　herself　still　as　imposing　as　any
queen；　always　a　queen　even　in　her　fall；　she　reflected　that　the　dignity
of　sorrow　was　a　match　for　the　dignity　of　talent。

At　last；　after　much　opening　and　shutting　of　doors；　she　saw　Josepha。
The　singer　bore　a　strong　resemblance　to　Allori's　/Judith/；　which
dwells　in　the　memory　of　all　who　have　ever　seen　it　in　the　Pitti　palace；
near　the　door　of　one　of　the　great　rooms。　She　had　the　same　haughty
mien；　the　same　fine　features；　black　hair　simply　knotted；　and　a　yellow
wrapper　with　little　embroidered　flowers；　exactly　like　the　brocade　worn
by　the　immortal　homicide　conceived　of　by　Bronzino's　nephew。

〃Madame　la　Baronne；　I　am　quite　overwhelmed　by　the　honor　you　do　me　in
coming　here；〃　said　the　singer；　resolved　to　play　her　part　as　a　great
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