cousin betty-第29部分

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much　as　in　his　own。　And　Monsieur　Marneffe　seemed　at　a　thousand　leagues
from　suspecting　that　the　Jupiter　of　his　office　intended　to　descend　on
his　wife　in　a　shower　of　gold；　he　was　his　august　chief's　humblest
slave。

Madame　Marneffe；　twenty…three　years　of　age；　a　pure　and　bashful　middle…
class　wife；　a　blossom　hidden　in　the　Rue　du　Doyenne；　could　know　nothing
of　the　depravity　and　demoralizing　harlotry　which　the　Baron　could　no
longer　think　of　without　disgust；　for　he　had　never　known　the　charm　of
recalcitrant　virtue；　and　the　coy　Valerie　made　him　enjoy　it　to　the
utmostall　along　the　line；　as　the　saying　goes。

The　question　having　come　to　this　point　between　Hector　and　Valerie；　it
is　not　astonishing　that　Valerie　should　have　heard　from　Hector　the
secret　of　the　intended　marriage　between　the　great　sculptor　Steinbock
and　Hortense　Hulot。　Between　a　lover　on　his　promotion　and　a　lady　who
hesitates　long　before　becoming　his　mistress；　there　are　contests；
uttered　or　unexpressed；　in　which　a　word　often　betrays　a　thought；　as；
in　fencing；　the　foils　fly　as　briskly　as　the　swords　in　duel。　Then　a
prudent　man　follows　the　example　of　Monsieur　de　Turenne。　Thus　the　Baron
had　hinted　at　the　greater　freedom　his　daughter's　marriage　would　allow
him；　in　reply　to　the　tender　Valerie；　who　more　than　once　had　exclaimed：

〃I　cannot　imagine　how　a　woman　can　go　wrong　for　a　man　who　is　not　wholly
hers。〃

And　a　thousand　times　already　the　Baron　had　declared　that　for　five…and…
twenty　years　all　had　been　at　an　end　between　Madame　Hulot　and　himself。

〃And　they　say　she　is　so　handsome！〃　replied　Madame　Marneffe。　〃I　want
proof。〃

〃You　shall　have　it；〃　said　the　Baron；　made　happy　by　this　demand；　by
which　his　Valerie　committed　herself。

Hector　had　then　been　compelled　to　reveal　his　plans；　already　being
carried　into　effect　in　the　Rue　Vanneau；　to　prove　to　Valerie　that　he
intended　to　devote　to　her　that　half　of　his　life　which　belonged　to　his
lawful　wife；　supposing　that　day　and　night　equally　divide　the　existence
of　civilized　humanity。　He　spoke　of　decently　deserting　his　wife；
leaving　her　to　herself　as　soon　as　Hortense　should　be　married。　The
Baroness　would　then　spend　all　her　time　with　Hortense　or　the　young
Hulot　couple；　he　was　sure　of　her　submission。

〃And　then；　my　angel；　my　true　life；　my　real　home　will　be　in　the　Rue
Vanneau。〃

〃Bless　me；　how　you　dispose　of　me！〃　said　Madame　Marneffe。　〃And　my
husband〃

〃That　rag！〃

〃To　be　sure；　as　compared　with　you　so　he　is！〃　said　she　with　a　laugh。

Madame　Marneffe；　having　heard　Steinbock's　history；　was　frantically
eager　to　see　the　young　Count；　perhaps　she　wished　to　have　some　trifle
of　his　work　while　they　still　lived　under　the　same　roof。　This　curiosity
so　seriously　annoyed　the　Baron　that　Valerie　swore　to　him　that　she
would　never　even　look　at　Wenceslas。　But　though　she　obtained；　as　the
reward　of　her　surrender　of　this　wish；　a　little　tea…service　of　old
Sevres　/pate　tendre/；　she　kept　her　wish　at　the　bottom　of　her　heart；　as
if　written　on　tablets。

So　one　day　when　she　had　begged　〃/my/　Cousin　Betty〃　to　come　to　take
coffee　with　her　in　her　room；　she　opened　on　the　subject　of　her　lover；
to　know　how　she　might　see　him　without　risk。

〃My　dear　child；〃　said　she；　for　they　called　each　my　dear；　〃why　have　you
never　introduced　your　lover　to　me？　Do　you　know　that　within　a　short
time　he　has　become　famous？〃

〃He　famous？〃

〃He　is　the　one　subject　of　conversation。〃

〃Pooh！〃　cried　Lisbeth。

〃He　is　going　to　execute　the　statue　of　my　father；　and　I　could　be　of
great　use　to　him　and　help　him　to　succeed　in　the　work；　for　Madame
Montcornet　cannot　lend　him；　as　I　can；　a　miniature　by　Sain；　a　beautiful
thing　done　in　1809；　before　the　Wagram　Campaign；　and　given　to　my　poor
motherMontcornet　when　he　was　young　and　handsome。〃

Sain　and　Augustin　between　them　held　the　sceptre　of　miniature　painting
under　the　Empire。

〃He　is　going　to　make　a　statue；　my　dear；　did　you　say？〃

〃Nine　feet　highby　the　orders　of　the　Minister　of　War。　Why；　where　have
you　dropped　from　that　I　should　tell　you　the　news？　Why；　the　Government
is　going　to　give　Count　Steinbock　rooms　and　a　studio　at　Le　Gros…
Caillou；　the　depot　for　marble；　your　Pole　will　be　made　the　Director；　I
should　not　wonder；　with　two　thousand　francs　a　year　and　a　ring　on　his
finger。〃

〃How　do　you　know　all　this　when　I　have　heard　nothing　about　it？〃　said
Lisbeth　at　last；　shaking　off　her　amazement。

〃Now；　my　dear　little　Cousin　Betty；〃　said　Madame　Marneffe；　in　an
insinuating　voice；　〃are　you　capable　of　devoted　friendship；　put　to　any
test？　Shall　we　henceforth　be　sisters？　Will　you　swear　to　me　never　to
have　a　secret　from　me　any　more　than　I　from　youto　act　as　my　spy；　as　I
will　be　yours？Above　all；　will　you　pledge　yourself　never　to　betray　me
either　to　my　husband　or　to　Monsieur　Hulot；　and　never　reveal　that　it
was　I　who　told　you？〃

Madame　Marneffe　broke　off　in　this　spurring　harangue；　Lisbeth
frightened　her。　The　peasant…woman's　face　was　terrible；　her　piercing
black　eyes　had　the　glare　of　the　tiger's；　her　face　was　like　that　we
ascribe　to　a　pythoness；　she　set　her　teeth　to　keep　them　from
chattering；　and　her　whole　frame　quivered　convulsively。　She　had　pushed
her　clenched　fingers　under　her　cap　to　clutch　her　hair　and　support　her
head；　which　felt　too　heavy；　she　was　on　fire。　The　smoke　of　the　flame
that　scorched　her　seemed　to　emanate　from　her　wrinkles　as　from　the
crevasses　rent　by　a　volcanic　eruption。　It　was　a　startling　spectacle。

〃Well；　why　do　you　stop？〃　she　asked　in　a　hollow　voice。　〃I　will　be　all
to　you　that　I　have　been　to　him。Oh；　I　would　have　given　him　my　life…
blood！〃

〃You　loved　him　then？〃

〃Like　a　child　of　my　own！〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　Madame　Marneffe；　with　a　breath　of　relief；　〃if　you
only　love　him　in　that　way；　you　will　be　very　happyfor　you　wish　him　to
be　happy？〃

Lisbeth　replied　by　a　nod　as　hasty　as　a　madwoman's。

〃He　is　to　marry　your　Cousin　Hortense　in　a　month's　time。〃

〃Hortense！〃　shrieked　the　old　maid；　striking　her　forehead；　and　starting
to　her　feet。

〃Well；　but　then　you　were　really　in　love　with　this　young　man？〃　asked
Valerie。

〃My　dear；　we　are　bound　for　life　and　death；　you　and　I；〃　said
Mademoiselle　Fischer。　〃Yes；　if　you　have　any　love　affairs；　to　me　they
are　sacred。　Your　vices　will　be　virtues　in　my　eyes。For　I　shall　need
your　vices！〃

〃Then　did　you　live　with　him？〃　asked　Valerie。

〃No；　I　meant　to　be　a　mother　to　him。〃

〃I　give　it　up。　I　cannot　understand；〃　said　Valerie。　〃In　that　case　you
are　neither　betrayed　nor　cheated；　and　you　ought　to　be　very　happy　to
see　him　so　well　married；　he　is　now　fairly　afloat。　And；　at　any　rate；
your　day　is　over。　Our　artist　goes　to　Madame　Hulot's　every　evening　as
soon　as　you　go　out　to　dinner。〃

〃Adeline！〃　muttered　Lisbeth。　〃Oh；　Adeline；　you　shall　pay　for　this！　I
will　make　you　uglier　than　I　am。〃

〃You　are　as　pale　as　death！〃　exclaimed　Valerie。　〃There　is　something
wrong？Oh；　what　a　fool　I　am！　The　mother　and　daughter　must　have
suspected　that　you　would　raise　some　obstacles　in　the　way　of　this
affair　since　they　have　kept　it　from　you；〃　said　Madame　Marneffe。　〃But
if　you　did　not　live　with　the　young　man；　my　dear；　all　this　is　a　greater
puzzle　to　me　than　my　husband's　feelings〃

〃Ah；　you　don't　know；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃you　have　no　idea　of　all　their