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cousin betty-第105部分
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ought to be swept away as we sweep away mud! In public affairs the
Police is expected to foresee everything; or when the safety of the
public is involvedbut the family?It is sacred! I would do my
utmost to discover and hinder a plot against the King's life; I would
see through the walls of a house; but as to laying a finger on a
household; or peeping into private interestsnever; so long as I sit
in this office。 I should be afraid。〃
〃Of what?〃
〃Of the Press; Monsieur le Depute; of the left centre。〃
〃What; then; can I do?〃 said Hulot; after a pause。
〃Well; you are the Family;〃 said the official。 〃That settles it; you
can do what you please。 But as to helping you; as to using the Police
as an instrument of private feelings; and interests; how is it
possible? There lies; you see; the secret of the persecution;
necessary; but pronounced illegal; by the Bench; which was brought to
bear against the predecessor of our present chief detective。 Bibi…
Lupin undertook investigations for the benefit of private persons。
This might have led to great social dangers。 With the means at his
command; the man would have been formidable; an underlying fate〃
〃But in my place?〃 said Hulot。
〃Why; you ask my advice? You who sell it!〃 replied Monsieur Chapuzot。
〃Come; come; my dear sir; you are making fun of me。〃
Hulot bowed to the functionary; and went away without seeing that
gentleman's almost imperceptible shrug as he rose to open the door。
〃And he wants to be a statesman!〃 said Chapuzot to himself as he
returned to his reports。
Victorin went home; still full of perplexities which he could confide
to no one。
At dinner the Baroness joyfully announced to her children that within
a month their father might be sharing their comforts; and end his days
in peace among his family。
〃Oh; I would gladly give my three thousand six hundred francs a year
to see the Baron here!〃 cried Lisbeth。 〃But; my dear Adeline; do not
dream beforehand of such happiness; I entreat you!〃
〃Lisbeth is right;〃 said Celestine。 〃My dear mother; wait till the
end。〃
The Baroness; all feeling and all hope; related her visit to Josepha;
expressed her sense of the misery of such women in the midst of good
fortune; and mentioned Chardin the mattress…picker; the father of the
Oran storekeeper; thus showing that her hopes were not groundless。
By seven next morning Lisbeth had driven in a hackney coach to the
Quai de la Tournelle; and stopped the vehicle at the corner of the Rue
de Poissy。
〃Go to the Rue des Bernardins;〃 said she to the driver; 〃No。 7; a
house with an entry and no porter。 Go up to the fourth floor; ring at
the door to the left; on which you will see 'Mademoiselle Chardin
Lace and shawls mended。' She will answer the door。 Ask for the
Chevalier。 She will say he is out。 Say in reply; 'Yes; I know; but
find him; for his /bonne/ is out on the quay in a coach; and wants to
see him。' 〃
Twenty minutes later; an old man; who looked about eighty; with
perfectly white hair; and a nose reddened by the cold; and a pale;
wrinkled face like an old woman's; came shuffling slowly along in list
slippers; a shiny alpaca overcoat hanging on his stooping shoulders;
no ribbon at his buttonhole; the sleeves of an under…vest showing
below his coat…cuffs; and his shirt…front unpleasantly dingy。 He
approached timidly; looked at the coach; recognized Lisbeth; and came
to the window。
〃Why; my dear cousin; what a state you are in!〃
〃Elodie keeps everything for herself;〃 said Baron Hulot。 〃Those
Chardins are a blackguard crew。〃
〃Will you come home to us?〃
〃Oh; no; no!〃 cried the old man。 〃I would rather go to America。〃
〃Adeline is on the scent。〃
〃Oh; if only some one would pay my debts!〃 said the Baron; with a
suspicious look; 〃for Samanon is after me。〃
〃We have not paid up the arrears yet; your son still owes a hundred
thousand francs。〃
〃Poor boy!〃
〃And your pension will not be free before seven or eight months。If
you will wait a minute; I have two thousand francs here。〃
The Baron held out his hand with fearful avidity。
〃Give it me; Lisbeth; and may God reward you! Give it me; I know where
to go。〃
〃But you will tell me; old wretch?〃
〃Yes; yes。 Then I can wait eight months; for I have discovered a
little angel; a good child; an innocent thing not old enough to be
depraved。〃
〃Do not forget the police…court;〃 said Lisbeth; who flattered herself
that she would some day see Hulot there。
〃No。It is in the Rue de Charonne;〃 said the Baron; 〃a part of the
town where no fuss is made about anything。 No one will ever find me
there。 I am called Pere Thorec; Lisbeth; and I shall be taken for a
retired cabinet…maker; the girl is fond of me; and I will not allow my
back to be shorn any more。〃
〃No; that has been done;〃 said Lisbeth; looking at his coat。
〃Supposing I take you there。〃
Baron Hulot got into the coach; deserting Mademoiselle Elodie without
taking leave of her; as he might have tossed aside a novel he had
finished。
In half an hour; during which Baron Hulot talked to Lisbeth of nothing
but little Atala Judicifor he had fallen by degrees to those base
passions that ruin old menshe set him down with two thousand francs
in his pocket; in the Rue de Charonne; Faubourg Saint…Antoine; at the
door of a doubtful and sinister…looking house。
〃Good…day; cousin; so now you are to be called Thorec; I suppose? Send
none but commissionaires if you need me; and always take them from
different parts。〃
〃Trust me! Oh; I am really very lucky!〃 said the Baron; his face
beaming with the prospect of new and future happiness。
〃No one can find him there;〃 said Lisbeth; and she paid the coach at
the Boulevard Beaumarchais; and returned to the Rue Louis…le…Grand in
the omnibus。
On the following day Crevel was announced at the hour when all the
family were together in the drawing…room; just after breakfast。
Celestine flew to throw her arms round her father's neck; and behaved
as if she had seen him only the day before; though in fact he had not
called there for more than two years。
〃Good…morning; father;〃 said Victorin; offering his hand。
〃Good…morning; children;〃 said the pompous Crevel。 〃Madame la Baronne;
I throw myself at your feet! Good Heavens; how the children grow! they
are pushing us off the perch'Grand…pa;' they say; 'we want our turn
in the sunshine。'Madame la Comtesse; you are as lovely as ever;〃 he
went on; addressing Hortense。〃Ah; ha! and here is the best of good
money: Cousin Betty; the Wise Virgin。〃
〃Why; you are really very comfortable here;〃 said he; after scattering
these greetings with a cackle of loud laughter that hardly moved the
rubicund muscles of his broad face。
He looked at his daughter with some contempt。
〃My dear Celestine; I will make you a present of all my furniture out
of the Rue des Saussayes; it will just do here。 Your drawing…room
wants furnishing up。Ha! there is that little rogue Wenceslas。 Well;
and are we very good children; I wonder? You must have pretty manners;
you know。〃
〃To make up for those who have none;〃 said Lisbeth。
〃That sarcasm; my dear Lisbeth; has lost its sting。 I am going;
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