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cousin betty-第103部分

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〃What! old Chardin? As if he lived anywhere at all!He is drunk by
six in the morning; he makes a mattress once a month; he hangs about
the wineshops all day; he plays at pools〃

〃He plays at pools?〃 said Josepha。

〃You do not understand; madame; pools of billiards; I mean; and he
wins three or four a day; and then he drinks。〃

〃Water out of the pools; I suppose?〃 said Josepha。 〃But if Idamore
haunts the Boulevard; by inquiring through my friend Vraulard; we
could find him。〃

〃I don't know; madame; all this was six months ago。 Idamore was one of
the sort who are bound to find their way into the police courts; and
from that to Melunand thewho knows?〃

〃To the prison yard!〃 said Josepha。

〃Well; madame; you know everything;〃 said the old woman; smiling。
〃Well; if my girl had never known that scamp; she would now beStill;
she was in luck; all the same; you will say; for Monsieur Grenouville
fell so much in love with her that he married her〃

〃And what brought that about?〃

〃Olympe was desperate; madame。 When she found herself left in the
lurch for that little actressand she took a rod out of pickle for
her; I can tell you; my word; but she gave her a dressing!and when
she had lost poor old Thoul; who worshiped her; she would have nothing
more to say to the men。 'Wever; Monsieur Grenouville; who had been
dealing largely with usto the tune of two hundred embroidered China…
crape shawls every quarterhe wanted to console her; but whether or
no; she would not listen to anything without the mayor and the priest。
'I mean to be respectable;' said she; 'or perish!' and she stuck to
it。 Monsieur Grenouville consented to marry her; on condition of her
giving us all up; and we agreed〃

〃For a handsome consideration?〃 said Josepha; with her usual
perspicacity。

〃Yes; madame; ten thousand francs; and an allowance to my father; who
is past work。〃

〃I begged your daughter to make old Thoul happy; and she has thrown me
over。 That is not fair。 I will take no interest in any one for the
future! That is what comes of trying to do good! Benevolence certainly
does not answer as a speculation!Olympe ought; at least; to have
given me notice of this jobbing。 Now; if you find the old man Thoul
within a fortnight; I will give you a thousand francs。〃

〃It will be a hard task; my good lady; still; there are a good many
five…franc pieces in a thousand francs; and I will try to earn your
money。〃

〃Good…morning; then; Madame Bijou。〃

On going into the boudoir; the singer found that Madame Hulot had
fainted; but in spite of having lost consciousness; her nervous
trembling kept her still perpetually shaking; as the pieces of a snake
that has been cut up still wriggle and move。 Strong salts; cold water;
and all the ordinary remedies were applied to recall the Baroness to
her senses; or rather; to the apprehension of her sorrows。

〃Ah! mademoiselle; how far has he fallen!〃 cried she; recognizing
Josepha; and finding that she was alone with her。

〃Take heart; madame;〃 replied the actress; who had seated herself on a
cushion at Adeline's feet; and was kissing her hands。 〃We shall find
him; and if he is in the mire; well; he must wash himself。 Believe me;
with people of good breeding it is a matter of clothes。Allow me to
make up for you the harm I have done you; for I see how much you are
attached to your husband; in spite of his misconductor you should
not have come here。Well; you see; the poor man is so fond of women。
If you had had a little of our dash; you would have kept him from
running about the world; for you would have been what we can never be
all the women man wants。

〃The State ought to subsidize a school of manners for honest women!
But governments are so prudish! Still; they are guided by men; whom we
privately guide。 My word; I pity nations!

〃But the matter in question is how you can be helped; and not to laugh
at the world。Well; madame; be easy; go home again; and do not worry。
I will bring your Hector back to you as he was as a man of thirty。〃

〃Ah; mademoiselle; let us go to see that Madame Grenouville;〃 said the
Baroness。 〃She surely knows something! Perhaps I may see the Baron
this very day; and be able to snatch him at once from poverty and
disgrace。〃

〃Madame; I will show you the deep gratitude I feel towards you by not
displaying the stage…singer Josepha; the Duc d'Herouville's mistress;
in the company of the noblest; saintliest image of virtue。 I respect
you too much to be seen by your side。 This is not acted humility; it
is sincere homage。 You make me sorry; madame; that I cannot tread in
your footsteps; in spite of the thorns that tear your feet and hands。
But it cannot be helped! I am one with art; as you are one with
virtue。〃

〃Poor child!〃 said the Baroness; moved amid her own sorrows by a
strange sense of compassionate sympathy; 〃I will pray to God for you;
for you are the victim of society; which must have theatres。 When you
are old; repentyou will be heard if God vouchsafes to hear the
prayers of a〃

〃Of a martyr; madame;〃 Josepha put in; and she respectfully kissed the
Baroness' skirt。

But Adeline took the actress' hand; and drawing her towards her;
kissed her on the forehead。 Coloring with pleasure Josepha saw the
Baroness into the hackney coach with the humblest politeness。

〃It must be some visiting Lady of Charity;〃 said the man…servant to
the maid; 〃for she does not do so much for any one; not even for her
dear friend Madame Jenny Cadine。〃

〃Wait a few days;〃 said she; 〃and you will see him; madame; or I
renounce the God of my fathersand that from a Jewess; you know; is a
promise of success。〃



At the very time when Madame Hulot was calling on Josepha; Victorin;
in his study; was receiving an old woman of about seventy…five; who;
to gain admission to the lawyer; had used the terrible name of the
head of the detective force。 The man in waiting announced:

〃Madame de Saint…Esteve。〃

〃I have assumed one of my business names;〃 said she; taking a seat。

Victorin felt a sort of internal chill at the sight of this dreadful
old woman。 Though handsomely dressed; she was terrible to look upon;
for her flat; colorless; strongly…marked face; furrowed with wrinkles;
expressed a sort of cold malignity。 Marat; as a woman of that age;
might have been like this creature; a living embodiment of the Reign
of Terror。

This sinister old woman's small; pale eyes twinkled with a tiger's
bloodthirsty greed。 Her broad; flat nose; with nostrils expanded into
oval cavities; breathed the fires of hell; and resembled the beak of
some evil bird of prey。 The spirit of intrigue lurked behind her low;
cruel brow。 Long hairs had grown from her wrinkled chin; betraying the
masculine character of her schemes。 Any one seeing that woman's face
would have said that artists had failed in their conceptions of
Mephistopheles。

〃My dear sir;〃 she began; with a patronizing air; 〃I have long since
given up active business of any kind。 What I have come to you to do; I
have undertaken; for the sake of my dear nephew; whom I love more than
I could love a son of my own。Now; the Head of the Policeto whom
the President of the Counc
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