cousin betty-第13部分

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he　will　be　famous　and　rich〃

〃Then　you　often　see　him？〃

〃Bless　me；　do　you　think　it　is　all　a　fable？　I　told　you　truth　in　jest。〃

〃And　he　is　in　love　with　you？〃　asked　Hortense　eagerly。

〃He　adores　me；〃　replied　Lisbeth　very　seriously。　〃You　see；　child；　he
had　never　seen　any　women　but　the　washed　out；　pale　things　they　all　are
in　the　north；　and　a　slender；　brown；　youthful　thing　like　me　warmed　his
heart。But；　mum；　you　promised；　you　know！〃

〃And　he　will　fare　like　the　five　others；〃　said　the　girl　ironically；　as
she　looked　at　the　seal。

〃Six　others；　miss。　I　left　one　in　Lorraine；　who；　to　this　day；　would
fetch　the　moon　down　for　me。〃

〃This　one　does　better　than　that；〃　said　Hortense；　〃he　has　brought　down
the　sun。〃

〃Where　can　that　be　turned　into　money？〃　asked　her　cousin。　〃It　takes
wide　lands　to　benefit　by　the　sunshine。〃

These　witticisms；　fired　in　quick　retort；　and　leading　to　the　sort　of
giddy　play　that　may　be　imagined；　had　given　cause　for　the　laughter
which　had　added　to　the　Baroness'　troubles　by　making　her　compare　her
daughter's　future　lot　with　the　present；　when　she　was　free　to　indulge
the　light…heartedness　of　youth。

〃But　to　give　you　a　gem　which　cost　him　six　months　of　work；　he　must　be
under　some　great　obligations　to　you？〃　said　Hortense；　in　whom　the
silver　seal　had　suggested　very　serious　reflections。

〃Oh；　you　want　to　know　too　much　at　once！〃　said　her　cousin。　〃But；
listen；　I　will　let　you　into　a　little　plot。〃

〃Is　your　lover　in　it　too？〃

〃Oh；　ho！　you　want　so　much　to　see　him！　But；　as　you　may　suppose；　an　old
maid　like　Cousin　Betty；　who　had　managed　to　keep　a　lover　for　five
years；　keeps　him　well　hidden。Now；　just　let　me　alone。　You　see；　I　have
neither　cat　nor　canary；　neither　dog　nor　a　parrot；　and　the　old　Nanny
Goat　wanted　something　to　pet　and　teaseso　I　treated　myself　to　a
Polish　Count。〃

〃Has　he　a　moustache？〃

〃As　long　as　that；〃　said　Lisbeth；　holding　up　her　shuttle　filled　with
gold　thread。　She　always　took　her　lace…work　with　her；　and　worked　till
dinner　was　served。

〃If　you　ask　too　many　questions；　you　will　be　told　nothing；〃　she　went
on。　〃You　are　but　two…and…twenty；　and　you　chatter　more　than　I　do　though
I　am　forty…twonot　to　say　forty…three。〃

〃I　am　listening；　I　am　a　wooden　image；〃　said　Hortense。

〃My　lover　has　finished　a　bronze　group　ten　inches　high；〃　Lisbeth　went
on。　〃It　represents　Samson　slaying　a　lion；　and　he　has　kept　it　buried
till　it　is　so　rusty　that　you　might　believe　it　to　be　as　old　as　Samson
himself。　This　fine　piece　is　shown　at　the　shop　of　one　of　the　old
curiosity　sellers　on　the　Place　du　Carrousel；　near　my　lodgings。　Now；
your　father　knows　Monsieur　Popinot；　the　Minister　of　Commerce　and
Agriculture；　and　the　Comte　de　Rastignac；　and　if　he　would　mention　the
group　to　them　as　a　fine　antique　he　had　seen　by　chance！　It　seems　that
such　things　take　the　fancy　of　your　grand　folks；　who　don't　care　so　much
about　gold　lace；　and　that　my　man's　fortune　would　be　made　if　one　of
them　would　buy　or　even　look　at　the　wretched　piece　of　metal。　The　poor
fellow　is　sure　that　it　might　be　mistaken　for　old　work；　and　that　the
rubbish　is　worth　a　great　deal　of　money。　And　then；　if　one　of　the
ministers　should　purchase　the　group；　he　would　go　to　pay　his　respects；
and　prove　that　he　was　the　maker；　and　be　almost　carried　in　triumph！　Oh！
he　believes　he　has　reached　the　pinnacle；　poor　young　man；　and　he　is　as
proud　as　two　newly…made　Counts。〃

〃Michael　Angelo　over　again；　but；　for　a　lover；　he　has　kept　his　head　on
his　shoulders！〃　said　Hortense。　〃And　how　much　does　he　want　for　it？〃

〃Fifteen　hundred　francs。　The　dealer　will　not　let　it　go　for　less；　since
he　must　take　his　commission。〃

〃Papa　is　in　the　King's　household　just　now；〃　said　Hortense。　〃He　sees
those　two　ministers　every　day　at　the　Chamber；　and　he　will　do　the　thing
I　undertake　that。　You　will　be　a　rich　woman；　Madame　la　Comtesse　de
Steinbock。〃

〃No；　the　boy　is　too　lazy；　for　whole　weeks　he　sits　twiddling　with　bits
of　red　wax；　and　nothing　comes　of　it。　Why；　he　spends　all　his　days　at
the　Louvre　and　the　Library；　looking　at　prints　and　sketching　things。　He
is　an　idler！〃

The　cousins　chatted　and　giggled；　Hortense　laughing　a　forced　laugh；　for
she　was　invaded　by　a　kind　of　love　which　every　girl　has　gone　through
the　love　of　the　unknown；　love　in　its　vaguest　form；　when　every　thought
is　accreted　round　some　form　which　is　suggested　by　a　chance　word；　as
the　efflorescence　of　hoar…frost　gathers　about　a　straw　that　the　wind
has　blown　against　the　window…sill。

For　the　past　ten　months　she　had　made　a　reality　of　her　cousin's
imaginary　romance；　believing；　like　her　mother；　that　Lisbeth　would
never　marry；　and　now；　within　a　week；　this　visionary　being　had　become
Comte　Wenceslas　Steinbock；　the　dream　had　a　certificate　of　birth；　the
wraith　had　solidified　into　a　young　man　of　thirty。　The　seal　she　held　in
her　handa　sort　of　Annunciation　in　which　genius　shone　like　an
immanent　lighthad　the　powers　of　a　talisman。　Hortense　felt　such　a
surge　of　happiness；　that　she　almost　doubted　whether　the　tale　were
true；　there　was　a　ferment　in　her　blood；　and　she　laughed　wildly　to
deceive　her　cousin。

〃But　I　think　the　drawing…room　door　is　open；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃let　us　go
and　see　if　Monsieur　Crevel　is　gone。〃

〃Mamma　has　been　very　much　out　of　spirits　these　two　days。　I　suppose　the
marriage　under　discussion　has　come　to　nothing！〃

〃Oh；　it　may　come　on　again。　He　isI　may　tell　you　so　mucha　Councillor
of　the　Supreme　Court。　How　would　you　like　to　be　Madame　la　Presidente？
If　Monsieur　Crevel　has　a　finger　in　it；　he　will　tell　me　about　it　if　I
ask　him。　I　shall　know　by　to…morrow　if　there　is　any　hope。〃

〃Leave　the　seal　with　me；〃　said　Hortense；　〃I　will　not　show　itmamma's
birthday　is　not　for　a　month　yet；　I　will　give　it　to　you　that　morning。〃

〃No；　no。　Give　it　back　to　me；　it　must　have　a　case。〃

〃But　I　will　let　papa　see　it；　that　he　may　know　what　he　is　talking　about
to　the　ministers；　for　men　in　authority　must　be　careful　what　they　say；〃
urged　the　girl。

〃Well；　do　not　show　it　to　your　motherthat　is　all　I　ask；　for　if　she
believed　I　had　a　lover；　she　would　make　game　of　me。〃

〃I　promise。〃

The　cousins　reached　the　drawing…room　just　as　the　Baroness　turned
faint。　Her　daughter's　cry　of　alarm　recalled　her　to　herself。　Lisbeth
went　off　to　fetch　some　salts。　When　she　came　back；　she　found　the　mother
and　daughter　in　each　other's　arms；　the　Baroness　soothing　her
daughter's　fears；　and　saying：

〃It　was　nothing；　a　little　nervous　attack。There　is　your　father；〃　she
added；　recognizing　the　Baron's　way　of　ringing　the　bell。　〃Say　not　a
word　to　him。〃

Adeline　rose　and　went　to　meet　her　husband；　intending　to　take　him　into
the　garden　and　talk　to　him　till　dinner　should　be　served　of　the
difficulties　about　the　proposed　match；　getting　him　to　come　to　some
decision　as　to　the　future；　and　trying　to　hint　at　some　warning　advice。



Baron　Hector　Hulot　came　in；　in　a　dress　at　once　lawyer…like　and
Napoleonic；　for　Imperial　menmen　who　had　been　attached　to　the　Emperor
were　easily　distinguishable　by　their　military　deportment；　their　blue
coats　with　gilt　buttons；　buttoned　to　the　chin；　their　black　silk　stock；
and　an　authoritative　demeanor　acquired　from　a　habit　of　command　in
circumstances　requiring　despotic　rapidity。　There　was　nothing　of　the