cousin betty-第26部分

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bring；〃　said　the　artist　in　reply。

The　dealer　was　placing　on　the　dining…room　sideboard　the　wax　model　of
the　twelve　Hours　that　the　Loves　were　trying　to　delay。

〃Leave　the　clock　with　me；〃　said　the　Baron；　astounded　at　the　beauty　of
the　sketch。　〃I　should　like　to　show　it　to　the　Ministers　of　the　Interior
and　of　Commerce。〃

〃Who　is　the　young　man　in　whom　you　take　so　much　interest？〃　the　Baroness
asked　her　daughter。

〃An　artist　who　could　afford　to　execute　this　model　could　get　a　hundred
thousand　francs　for　it；〃　said　the　curiosity…dealer；　putting　on　a
knowing　and　mysterious　look　as　he　saw　that　the　artist　and　the　girl
were　interchanging　glances。　〃He　would　only　need　to　sell　twenty　copies
at　eight　thousand　francs　eachfor　the　materials　would　cost　about　a
thousand　crowns　for　each　example。　But　if　each　copy　were　numbered　and
the　mould　destroyed；　it　would　certainly　be　possible　to　meet　with
twenty　amateurs　only　too　glad　to　possess　a　replica　of　such　a　work。〃

〃A　hundred　thousand　francs！〃　cried　Steinbock；　looking　from　the　dealer
to　Hortense；　the　Baron；　and　the　Baroness。

〃Yes；　a　hundred　thousand　francs；〃　repeated　the　dealer。　〃If　I　were　rich
enough；　I　would　buy　it　of　you　myself　for　twenty　thousand　francs；　for
by　destroying　the　mould　it　would　become　a　valuable　property。　But　one
of　the　princes　ought　to　pay　thirty　or　forty　thousand　francs　for　such　a
work　to　ornament　his　drawing…room。　No　man　has　ever　succeeded　in　making
a　clock　satisfactory　alike　to　the　vulgar　and　to　the　connoisseur；　and
this　one；　sir；　solves　the　difficulty。〃

〃This　is　for　yourself；　monsieur；〃　said　Hortense；　giving　six　gold
pieces　to　the　dealer。

〃Never　breath　a　word　of　this　visit　to　any　one　living；〃　said　the　artist
to　his　friend；　at　the　door。　〃If　you　should　be　asked　where　we　sold　the
group；　mention　the　Duc　d'Herouville；　the　famous　collector　in　the　Rue
de　Varenne。〃

The　dealer　nodded　assent。

〃And　your　name？〃　said　Hulot　to　the　artist　when　he　came　back。

〃Count　Steinbock。〃

〃Have　you　the　papers　that　prove　your　identity？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur　le　Baron。　They　are　in　Russian　and　in　German；　but　not
legalized。〃

〃Do　you　feel　equal　to　undertaking　a　statue　nine　feet　high？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃Well；　then；　if　the　persons　whom　I　shall　consult　are　satisfied　with
your　work；　I　can　secure　you　the　commission　for　the　statue　of　Marshal
Montcornet；　which　is　to　be　erected　on　his　monument　at　Pere…Lachaise。
The　Minister　of　War　and　the　old　officers　of　the　Imperial　Guard　have
subscribed　a　sum　large　enough　to　enable　us　to　select　our　artist。〃

〃Oh；　monsieur；　it　will　make　my　fortune！〃　exclaimed　Steinbock；
overpowered　by　so　much　happiness　at　once。

〃Be　easy；〃　replied　the　Baron　graciously。　〃If　the　two　ministers　to　whom
I　propose　to　show　your　group　and　this　sketch　in　wax　are　delighted　with
these　two　pieces；　your　prospects　of　a　fortune　are　good。〃

Hortense　hugged　her　father's　arm　so　tightly　as　to　hurt　him。

〃Bring　me　your　papers；　and　say　nothing　of　your　hopes　to　anybody；　not
even　to　our　old　Cousin　Betty。〃

〃Lisbeth？〃　said　Madame　Hulot；　at　last　understanding　the　end　of　all
this；　though　unable　to　guess　the　means。

〃I　could　give　proof　of　my　skill　by　making　a　bust　of　the　Baroness；〃
added　Wenceslas。

The　artist；　struck　by　Madame　Hulot's　beauty；　was　comparing　the　mother
and　daughter。

〃Indeed；　monsieur；　life　may　smile　upon　you；〃　said　the　Baron；　quite
charmed　by　Count　Steinbock's　refined　and　elegant　manner。　〃You　will
find　out　that　in　Paris　no　man　is　clever　for　nothing；　and　that
persevering　toil　always　finds　its　reward　here。〃

Hortense；　with　a　blush；　held　out　to　the　young　man　a　pretty　Algerine
purse　containing　sixty　gold　pieces。　The　artist；　with　something　still
of　a　gentleman's　pride；　responded　with　a　mounting　color　easy　enough　to
interpret。

〃This；　perhaps；　is　the　first　money　your　works　have　brought　you？〃　said
Adeline。

〃Yes；　madamemy　works　of　art。　It　is　not　the　first…fruits　of　my　labor；
for　I　have　been　a　workman。〃

〃Well；　we　must　hope　my　daughter's　money　will　bring　you　good　luck；〃
said　she。

〃And　take　it　without　scruple；〃　added　the　Baron；　seeing　that　Wenceslas
held　the　purse　in　his　hand　instead　of　pocketing　it。　〃The　sum　will　be
repaid　by　some　rich　man；　a　prince　perhaps；　who　will　offer　it　with
interest　to　possess　so　fine　a　work。〃

〃Oh；　I　want　it　too　much　myself；　papa；　to　give　it　up　to　anybody　in　the
world；　even　a　royal　prince！〃

〃I　can　make　a　far　prettier　thing　than　that　for　you；　mademoiselle。〃

〃But　it　would　not　be　this　one；〃　replied　she；　and　then；　as　if　ashamed
of　having　said　too　much；　she　ran　out　into　the　garden。

〃Then　I　shall　break　the　mould　and　the　model　as　soon　as　I　go　home；〃
said　Steinbock。

〃Fetch　me　your　papers；　and　you　will　hear　of　me　before　long；　if　you　are
equal　to　what　I　expect　of　you；　monsieur。〃

The　artist　on　this　could　but　take　leave。　After　bowing　to　Madame　Hulot
and　Hortense；　who　came　in　from　the　garden　on　purpose；　he　went　off　to
walk　in　the　Tuileries；　not　bearingnot　daringto　return　to　his
attic；　where　his　tyrant　would　pelt　him　with　questions　and　wring　his
secret　from　him。

Hortense's　adorer　conceived　of　groups　and　statues　by　the　hundred；　he
felt　strong　enough　to　hew　the　marble　himself；　like　Canova；　who　was
also　a　feeble　man；　and　nearly　died　of　it。　He　was　transfigured　by
Hortense；　who　was　to　him　inspiration　made　visible。

〃Now　then；〃　said　the　Baroness　to　her　daughter；　〃what　does　all　this
mean？〃

〃Well；　dear　mamma；　you　have　just　seen　Cousin　Lisbeth's　lover；　who　now；
I　hope；　is　mine。　But　shut　your　eyes；　know　nothing。　Good　Heavens！　I　was
to　keep　it　all　from　you；　and　I　cannot　help　telling　you　everything〃

〃Good…bye；　children！〃　said　the　Baron；　kissing　his　wife　and　daughter；
〃I　shall　perhaps　go　to　call　on　the　Nanny；　and　from　her　I　shall　hear　a
great　deal　about　our　young　man。〃

〃Papa；　be　cautious！〃　said　Hortense。

〃Oh！　little　girl！〃　cried　the　Baroness　when　Hortense　had　poured　out　her
poem；　of　which　the　morning's　adventure　was　the　last　canto；　〃dear
little　girl；　Artlessness　will　always　be　the　artfulest　puss　on　earth！〃

Genuine　passions　have　an　unerring　instinct。　Set　a　greedy　man　before　a
dish　of　fruit　and　he　will　make　no　mistake；　but　take　the　choicest　even
without　seeing　it。　In　the　same　way；　if　you　allow　a　girl　who　is　well
brought　up　to　choose　a　husband　for　herself；　if　she　is　in　a　position　to
meet　the　man　of　her　heart；　rarely　will　she　blunder。　The　act　of　nature
in　such　cases　is　known　as　love　at　first　sight；　and　in　love；　first
sight　is　practically　second　sight。

The　Baroness'　satisfaction；　though　disguised　under　maternal　dignity；
was　as　great　as　her　daughter's；　for；　of　the　three　ways　of　marrying
Hortense　of　which　Crevel　had　spoken；　the　best；　as　she　opined；　was
about　to　be　realized。　And　she　regarded　this　little　drama　as　an　answer
by　Providence　to　her　fervent　prayers。



Mademoiselle　Fischer's　galley　slave；　obliged　at　last　to　go　home；
thought　he　might　hide　his　joy　as　a　lover　under　his　glee　as　an　artist
rejoicing　over　his　first　success。

〃Victory！　my　group　is　sold　to　the　Duc　d'Herouville；　who　is　going　to
give　me　some　commissions；〃　cried　he；　throwing　the　twelve　hundred
francs　in　gold　on　the　table　before　the　old　maid。

He　had；　as　may　be　supposed　concealed　Hortens