cousin betty-第123部分

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fact；　devoted　to　Louise；　the　Countess　Steinbock's　maid。　The　country
girl；　thinking　herself　ill…used；　complained　bitterly　that　she　was
always　sent　out　of　the　way　on　some　pretext　when　the　/chef/　was
finishing　a　dish　or　putting　the　crowning　touch　to　a　sauce。

〃I　am　out　of　luck；〃　said　she；　〃and　I　shall　go　to　another　place。〃

And　yet　she　stayed　though　she　had　twice　given　notice　to　quit。

One　night；　Adeline；　roused　by　some　unusual　noise；　did　not　see　Hector
in　the　bed　he　occupied　near　hers；　for　they　slept　side　by　side　in　two
beds；　as　beseemed　an　old　couple。　She　lay　awake　an　hour；　but　he　did　not
return。　Seized　with　a　panic；　fancying　some　tragic　end　had　overtaken
himan　apoplectic　attack；　perhapsshe　went　upstairs　to　the　floor
occupied　by　the　servants；　and　then　was　attracted　to　the　room　where
Agathe　slept；　partly　by　seeing　a　light　below　the　door；　and　partly　by
the　murmur　of　voices。　She　stood　still　in　dismay　on　recognizing　the
voice　of　her　husband；　who；　a　victim　to　Agathe's　charms；　to　vanquish
this　strapping　wench's　not　disinterested　resistance；　went　to　the
length　of　saying：

〃My　wife　has　not　long　to　live；　and　if　you　like　you　may　be　a　Baroness。〃

Adeline　gave　a　cry；　dropped　her　candlestick；　and　fled。

Three　days　later　the　Baroness；　who　had　received　the　last　sacraments；
was　dying；　surrounded　by　her　weeping　family。

Just　before　she　died；　she　took　her　husband's　hand　and　pressed　it；
murmuring　in　his　ear：

〃My　dear；　I　had　nothing　left　to　give　up　to　you　but　my　life。　In　a
minute　or　two　you　will　be　free；　and　can　make　another　Baronne　Hulot。〃

And；　rare　sight；　tears　oozed　from　her　dead　eyes。

This　desperateness　of　vice　had　vanquished　the　patience　of　the　angel；
who；　on　the　brink　of　eternity；　gave　utterance　to　the　only　reproach　she
had　ever　spoken　in　her　life。

The　Baron　left　Paris　three　days　after　his　wife's　funeral。　Eleven
months　after　Victorin　heard　indirectly　of　his　father's　marriage　to
Mademoiselle　Agathe　Piquetard；　solemnized　at　Isigny；　on　the　1st
February　1846。

〃Parents　may　hinder　their　children's　marriage；　but　children　cannot
interfere　with　the　insane　acts　of　their　parents　in　their　second
childhood；〃　said　Maitre　Hulot　to　Maitre　Popinot；　the　second　son　of　the
Minister　of　Commerce；　who　was　discussing　this　marriage。







End