cousin betty-第30部分

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〃Ah；　you　don't　know；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃you　have　no　idea　of　all　their
tricks。　It　is　the　last　blow　that　kills。　And　how　many　such　blows　have　I
had　to　bruise　my　soul！　You　don't　know　that　from　the　time　when　I　could
first　feel；　I　have　been　victimized　for　Adeline。　I　was　beaten；　and　she
was　petted；　I　was　dressed　like　a　scullion；　and　she　had　clothes　like　a
lady's；　I　dug　in　the　garden　and　cleaned　the　vegetables；　and　sheshe
never　lifted　a　finger　for　anything　but　to　make　up　some　finery！She
married　the　Baron；　she　came　to　shine　at　the　Emperor's　Court；　while　I
stayed　in　our　village　till　1809；　waiting　for　four　years　for　a　suitable
match；　they　brought　me　away；　to　be　sure；　but　only　to　make　me　a　work…
woman；　and　to　offer　me　clerks　or　captains　like　coalheavers　for　a
husband！　I　have　had　their　leavings　for　twenty…six　years！And　now　like
the　story　in　the　Old　Testament；　the　poor　relation　has　one　ewe…lamb
which　is　all　her　joy；　and　the　rich　man　who　has　flocks　covets　the　ewe…
lamb　and　steals　itwithout　warning；　without　asking。　Adeline　has
meanly　robbed　me　of　my　happiness！Adeline！　Adeline！　I　will　see　you　in
the　mire；　and　sunk　lower　than　myself！And　HortenseI　loved　her；　and
she　has　cheated　me。　The　Baron。No；　it　is　impossible。　Tell　me　again
what　is　really　true　of　all　this。〃

〃Be　calm；　my　dear　child。〃

〃Valerie；　my　darling；　I　will　be　calm；〃　said　the　strange　creature；
sitting　down　again。　〃One　thing　only　can　restore　me　to　reason；　give　me
proofs。〃

〃Your　Cousin　Hortense　has　the　/Samson/　grouphere　is　a　lithograph
from　it　published　in　a　review。　She　paid　for　it　out　of　her　pocket…
money；　and　it　is　the　Baron　who；　to　benefit　his　future　son…in…law；　is
pushing　him；　getting　everything　for　him。〃

〃Water！water！〃　said　Lisbeth；　after　glancing　at　the　print；　below
which　she　read；　〃A　group　belonging　to　Mademoiselle　Hulot　d'Ervy。〃
〃Water！　my　head　is　burning；　I　am　going　mad！〃

Madame　Marneffe　fetched　some　water。　Lisbeth　took　off　her　cap；
unfastened　her　black　hair；　and　plunged　her　head　into　the　basin　her　new
friend　held　for　her。　She　dipped　her　forehead　into　it　several　times；
and　checked　the　incipient　inflammation。　After　this　douche　she
completely　recovered　her　self…command。

〃Not　a　word；〃　said　she　to　Madame　Marneffe　as　she　wiped　her　face〃not
a　word　of　all　this。You　see；　I　am　quite　calm；　everything　is
forgotten。　I　am　thinking　of　something　very　different。〃

〃She　will　be　in　Charenton　to…morrow；　that　is　very　certain；〃　thought
Madame　Marneffe；　looking　at　the　old　maid。

〃What　is　to　be　done？〃　Lisbeth　went　on。　〃You　see；　my　angel；　there　is
nothing　for　it　but　to　hold　my　tongue；　bow　my　head；　and　drift　to　the
grave；　as　all　water　runs　to　the　river。　What　could　I　try　to　do？　I
should　like　to　grind　them　allAdeline；　her　daughter；　and　the　Baron
all　to　dust！　But　what　can　a　poor　relation　do　against　a　rich　family？　It
would　be　the　story　of　the　earthen　pot　and　the　iron　pot。〃

〃Yes；　you　are　right；〃　said　Valerie。　〃You　can　only　pull　as　much　hay　as
you　can　to　your　side　of　the　manger。　That　is　all　the　upshot　of　life　in
Paris。〃

〃Besides；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃I　shall　soon　die；　I　can　tell　you；　if　I　lose
that　boy　to　whom　I　fancied　I　could　always　be　a　mother；　and　with　whom　I
counted　on　living　all　my　days〃

There　were　tears　in　her　eyes；　and　she　paused。　Such　emotion　in　this
woman　made　of　sulphur　and　flame；　made　Valerie　shudder。

〃Well；　at　any　rate；　I　have　found　you；〃　said　Lisbeth；　taking　Valerie's
hand；　〃that　is　some　consolation　in　this　dreadful　trouble。We　shall　be
true　friends；　and　why　should　we　ever　part？　I　shall　never　cross　your
track。　No　one　will　ever　be　in　love　with　me！Those　who　would　have
married　me；　would　only　have　done　it　to　secure　my　Cousin　Hulot's
interest。　With　energy　enough　to　scale　Paradise；　to　have　to　devote　it
to　procuring　bread　and　water；　a　few　rags；　and　a　garret！That　is
martyrdom；　my　dear；　and　I　have　withered　under　it。〃

She　broke　off　suddenly；　and　shot　a　black　flash　into　Madame　Marneffe's
blue　eyes；　a　glance　that　pierced　the　pretty　woman's　soul；　as　the　point
of　a　dagger　might　have　pierced　her　heart。

〃And　what　is　the　use　of　talking？〃　she　exclaimed　in　reproof　to　herself。
〃I　never　said　so　much　before；　believe　me！　The　tables　will　be　turned
yet！〃　she　added　after　a　pause。　〃As　you　so　wisely　say；　let　us　sharpen
our　teeth；　and　pull　down　all　the　hay　we　can　get。〃

〃You　are　very　wise；〃　said　Madame　Marneffe；　who　had　been　frightened　by
this　scene；　and　had　no　remembrance　of　having　uttered　this　maxim。　〃I　am
sure　you　are　right；　my　dear　child。　Life　is　not　so　long　after　all；　and
we　must　make　the　best　of　it；　and　make　use　of　others　to　contribute　to
our　enjoyment。　Even　I　have　learned　that；　young　as　I　am。　I　was　brought
up　a　spoilt　child；　my　father　married　ambitiously；　and　almost　forgot
me；　after　making　me　his　idol　and　bringing　me　up　like　a　queen's
daughter！　My　poor　mother；　who　filled　my　head　with　splendid　visions；
died　of　grief　at　seeing　me　married　to　an　office　clerk　with　twelve
hundred　francs　a　year；　at　nine…and…thirty　an　aged　and　hardened
libertine；　as　corrupt　as　the　hulks；　looking　on　me；　as　others　looked　on
you；　as　a　means　of　fortune！Well；　in　that　wretched　man；　I　have　found
the　best　of　husbands。　He　prefers　the　squalid　sluts　he　picks　up　at　the
street　corners；　and　leaves　me　free。　Though　he　keeps　all　his　salary　to
himself；　he　never　asks　me　where　I　get　money　to　live　on〃

And　she　in　her　turn　stopped　short；　as　a　woman　does　who　feels　herself
carried　away　by　the　torrent　of　her　confessions；　struck；　too；　by
Lisbeth's　eager　attention；　she　thought　well　to　make　sure　of　Lisbeth
before　revealing　her　last　secrets。

〃You　see；　dear　child；　how　entire　is　my　confidence　in　you！〃　she
presently　added；　to　which　Lisbeth　replied　by　a　most　comforting　nod。

An　oath　may　be　taken　by　a　look　and　a　nod　more　solemnly　than　in　a　court
of　justice。

〃I　keep　up　every　appearance　of　respectability；〃　Valerie　went　on；
laying　her　hand　on　Lisbeth's　as　if　to　accept　her　pledge。　〃I　am　a
married　woman；　and　my　own　mistress；　to　such　a　degree；　that　in　the
morning；　when　Marneffe　sets　out　for　the　office；　if　he　takes　it　into
his　head　to　say　good…bye　and　finds　my　door　locked；　he　goes　off　without
a　word。　He　cares　less　for　his　boy　than　I　care　for　one　of　the　marble
children　that　play　at　the　feet　of　one　of　the　river…gods　in　the
Tuileries。　If　I　do　not　come　home　to　dinner；　he　dines　quite　contentedly
with　the　maid；　for　the　maid　is　devoted　to　monsieur；　and　he　goes　out
every　evening　after　dinner；　and　does　not　come　in　till　twelve　or　one
o'clock。　Unfortunately；　for　a　year　past；　I　have　had　no　ladies'　maid；
which　is　as　much　as　to　say　that　I　am　a　widow！

〃I　have　had　one　passion；　once　have　been　happya　rich　Brazilianwho
went　away　a　year　agomy　only　lapse！He　went　away　to　sell　his
estates；　to　realize　his　land；　and　come　back　to　live　in　France。　What
will　he　find　left　of　his　Valerie？　A　dunghill。　Well！　it　is　his　fault
and　not　mine；　why　does　he　delay　coming　so　long？　Perhaps　he　has　been
wreckedlike　my　virtue。〃

〃Good…bye；　my　dear；〃　said　Lisbeth　abruptly；　〃we　are　friends　for　ever。
I　love　you；　I　esteem　you；　I　am　wholly　yours！　My　cousin　is　tormenting
me　to　go　and　live　in　the　house　you　are　moving　to；　in　the　Rue　Vanneau；
but　I　would　not　go；　for　I　saw　at　once　the　reasons　for　this　fre