友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
恐怖书库 返回本书目录 加入书签 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 『收藏到我的浏览器』

cousin betty-第34部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!


Crevel flattered himself that he had overtopped his worthy friend
Birotteau by a hundred cubits。

〃And is it you?〃 cried Crevel; flying into a rage as he saw Lisbeth
enter the room; 〃who have plotted this marriage between Mademoiselle
Hulot and your young Count; whom you have been bringing up by hand for
her?〃

〃You don't seem best pleased at it?〃 said Lisbeth; fixing a piercing
eye on Crevel。 〃What interest can you have in hindering my cousin's
marriage? For it was you; I am told; who hindered her marrying
Monsieur Lebas' son。〃

〃You are a good soul and to be trusted;〃 said Crevel。 〃Well; then; do
you suppose that I will ever forgive Monsieur Hulot for the crime of
having robbed me of Josephaespecially when he turned a decent girl;
whom I should have married in my old age; into a good…for…nothing
slut; a mountebank; an opera singer!No; no。 Never!〃

〃He is a very good fellow; too; is Monsieur Hulot;〃 said Cousin Betty。

〃Amiable; very amiabletoo amiable;〃 replied Crevel。 〃I wish him no
harm; but I do wish to have my revenge; and I will have it。 It is my
one idea。〃

〃And is that desire the reason why you no longer visit Madame Hulot?〃

〃Possibly。〃

〃Ah; ha! then you were courting my fair cousin?〃 said Lisbeth; with a
smile。 〃I thought as much。〃

〃And she treated me like a dog!worse; like a footman; nay; I might
say like a political prisoner。But I will succeed yet;〃 said he;
striking his brow with his clenched fist。

〃Poor man! It would be dreadful to catch his wife deceiving him after
being packed off by his mistress。〃

〃Josepha?〃 cried Crevel。 〃Has Josepha thrown him over; packed him off;
turned him out neck and crop? Bravo; Josepha; you have avenged me! I
will send you a pair of pearls to hang in your ears; my ex…sweetheart!
I knew nothing of it; for after I had seen you; on the day after
that when the fair Adeline had shown me the door; I went back to visit
the Lebas; at Corbeil; and have but just come back。 Heloise played the
very devil to get me into the country; and I have found out the
purpose of her game; she wanted me out of the way while she gave a
house…warming in the Rue Chauchat; with some artists; and players; and
writers。She took me in! But I can forgive her; for Heloise amuses
me。 She is a Dejazet under a bushel。 What a character the hussy is!
There is the note I found last evening:

  〃 'DEAR OLD CHAP;I have pitched my tent in the Rue Chauchat。 I
  have taken the precaution of getting a few friends to clean up the
  paint。 All is well。 Come when you please; monsieur; Hagar awaits
  her Abraham。'

〃Heloise will have some news for me; for she has her bohemia at her
fingers' end。〃

〃But Monsieur Hulot took the disaster very calmly;〃 said Lisbeth。

〃Impossible!〃 cried Crevel; stopping in a parade as regular as the
swing of a pendulum。

〃Monsieur Hulot is not as young as he was;〃 Lisbeth remarked
significantly。

〃I know that;〃 said Crevel; 〃but in one point we are alike: Hulot
cannot do without an attachment。 He is capable of going back to his
wife。 It would be a novelty for him; but an end to my vengeance。 You
smile; Mademoiselle Fischerah! perhaps you know something?〃

〃I am smiling at your notions;〃 replied Lisbeth。 〃Yes; my cousin is
still handsome enough to inspire a passion。 I should certainly fall in
love with her if I were a man。〃

〃Cut and come again!〃 exclaimed Crevel。 〃You are laughing at me。The
Baron has already found consolation?〃

Lisbeth bowed affirmatively。

〃He is a lucky man if he can find a second Josepha within twenty…four
hours!〃 said Crevel。 〃But I am not altogether surprised; for he told
me one evening at supper that when he was a young man he always had
three mistresses on hand that he might not be left high and drythe
one he was giving over; the one in possession; and the one he was
courting for a future emergency。 He had some smart little work…woman
in reserve; no doubtin his fish…pondhis /Parc…aux…cerfs/! He is
very Louis XV。; is my gentleman。 He is in luck to be so handsome!
However; he is ageing; his face shows it。He has taken up with some
little milliner?〃

〃Dear me; no;〃 replied Lisbeth。

〃Oh!〃 cried Crevel; 〃what would I not do to hinder him from hanging up
his hat! I could not win back Josepha; women of that kind never come
back to their first love。Besides; it is truly said; such a return is
not love。But; Cousin Betty; I would pay down fifty thousand francs
that is to say; I would spend itto rob that great good…looking
fellow of his mistress; and to show him that a Major with a portly
stomach and a brain made to become Mayor of Paris; though he is a
grandfather; is not to have his mistress tickled away by a poacher
without turning the tables。〃

〃My position;〃 said Lisbeth; 〃compels me to hear everything and know
nothing。 You may talk to me without fear; I never repeat a word of
what any one may choose to tell me。 How can you suppose I should ever
break that rule of conduct? No one would ever trust me again。〃

〃I know;〃 said Crevel; 〃you are the very jewel of old maids。 Still;
come; there are exceptions。 Look here; the family have never settled
an allowance on you?〃

〃But I have my pride;〃 said Lisbeth。 〃I do not choose to be an expense
to anybody。〃

〃If you will but help me to my revenge;〃 the tradesman went on; 〃I
will sink ten thousand francs in an annuity for you。 Tell me; my fair
cousin; tell me who has stepped into Josepha's shoes; and you will
have money to pay your rent; your little breakfast in the morning; the
good coffee you love so wellyou might allow yourself pure Mocha;
heh! And a very good thing is pure Mocha!〃

〃I do not care so much for the ten thousand francs in an annuity;
which would bring me nearly five hundred francs a year; as for
absolute secrecy;〃 said Lisbeth。 〃For; you see; my dear Monsieur
Crevel; the Baron is very good to me; he is to pay my rent〃

〃Oh yes; long may that last! I advise you to trust him;〃 cried Crevel。
〃Where will he find the money?〃

〃Ah; that I don't know。 At the same time; he is spending more than
thirty thousand francs on the rooms he is furnishing for this little
lady。〃

〃A lady! What; a woman in society; the rascal; what luck he has! He is
the only favorite!〃

〃A married woman; and quite the lady;〃 Lisbeth affirmed。

〃Really and truly?〃 cried Crevel; opening wide eyes flashing with
envy; quite as much as at the magic words /quite the lady/。

〃Yes; really;〃 said Lisbeth。 〃Clever; a musician; three…and…twenty; a
pretty; innocent face; a dazzling white skin; teeth like a puppy's;
eyes like stars; a beautiful foreheadand tiny feet; I never saw the
like; they are not wider than her stay…busk。〃

〃And ears?〃 asked Crevel; keenly alive to this catalogue of charms。

〃Ears for a model;〃 she replied。

〃And small hands?〃

〃I tell you; in few words; a gem of a womanand high…minded; and
modest; and refined! A beautiful soul; an angeland with every
distinction; for her father was a Marshal of France〃

〃A Marshal of France!〃 shrieked Crevel; positively bounding with
excitement。 〃Good Heavens! by the Holy Piper! By all the joys in
Paradise!The rascal!I beg your pardon; Cousin; I am going crazy!
I
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 1
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!