cousin betty-第35部分

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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　think　I　would　give　a　hundred　thousand　francs〃

〃I　dare　say　you　would；　and；　I　tell　you；　she　is　a　respectable　womana
woman　of　virtue。　The　Baron　has　forked　out　handsomely。〃

〃He　has　not　a　sou；　I　tell　you。〃

〃There　is　a　husband　he　has　pushed〃

〃Where　did　he　push　him？〃　asked　Crevel；　with　a　bitter　laugh。

〃He　is　promoted　to　be　second　in　his　officethis　husband　who　will
oblige；　no　doubt；and　his　name　is　down　for　the　Cross　of　the　Legion　of
Honor。〃

〃The　Government　ought　to　be　judicious　and　respect　those　who　have　the
Cross　by　not　flinging　it　broadcast；〃　said　Crevel；　with　the　look　of　an
aggrieved　politician。　〃But　what　is　there　about　the　manthat　old
bulldog　of　a　Baron？〃　he　went　on。　〃It　seems　to　me　that　I　am　quite　a
match　for　him；〃　and　he　struck　an　attitude　as　he　looked　at　himself　in
the　glass。　〃Heloise　has　told　me　many　a　time；　at　moments　when　a　woman
speaks　the　truth；　that　I　was　wonderful。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃women　like　big　men；　they　are　almost　always　good…
natured；　and　if　I　had　to　decide　between　you　and　the　Baron；　I　should
choose　you。　Monsieur　Hulot　is　amusing；　handsome；　and　has　a　figure；　but
you；　you　are　substantial；　and　thenyou　seeyou　look　an　even　greater
scamp　than　he　does。〃

〃It　is　incredible　how　all　women；　even　pious　women；　take　to　men　who
have　that　about　them！〃　exclaimed　Crevel；　putting　his　arm　round
Lisbeth's　waist；　he　was　so　jubilant。

〃The　difficulty　does　not　lie　there；〃　said　Betty。　〃You　must　see　that　a
woman　who　is　getting　so　many　advantages　will　not　be　unfaithful　to　her
patron　for　nothing；　and　it　would　cost　you　more　than　a　hundred　odd
thousand　francs；　for　our　little　friend　can　look　forward　to　seeing　her
husband　at　the　head　of　his　office　within　two　years'　time。It　is
poverty　that　is　dragging　the　poor　little　angel　into　that　pit。〃

Crevel　was　striding　up　and　down　the　drawing…room　in　a　state　of　frenzy。

〃He　must　be　uncommonly　fond　of　the　woman？〃　he　inquired　after　a　pause；
while　his　desires；　thus　goaded　by　Lisbeth；　rose　to　a　sort　of　madness。

〃You　may　judge　for　yourself；〃　replied　Lisbeth。　I　don't　believe　he　has
had　/that/　of　her；〃　said　she；　snapping　her　thumbnail　against　one　of
her　enormous　white　teeth；　〃and　he　has　given　her　ten　thousand　francs'
worth　of　presents　already。〃

〃What　a　good　joke　it　would　be！〃　cried　Crevel；　〃if　I　got　to　the　winning
post　first！〃

〃Good　heavens！　It　is　too　bad　of　me　to　be　telling　you　all　this　tittle…
tattle；〃　said　Lisbeth；　with　an　air　of　compunction。

〃No。I　mean　to　put　your　relations　to　the　blush。　To…morrow　I　shall
invest　in　your　name　such　a　sum　in　five…per…cents　as　will　give　you　six
hundred　francs　a　year；　but　then　you　must　tell　me　everythinghis
Dulcinea's　name　and　residence。　To　you　I　will　make　a　clean　breast　of
it。I　never　have　had　a　real　lady　for　a　mistress；　and　it　is　the　height
of　my　ambition。　Mahomet's　houris　are　nothing　in　comparison　with　what　I
fancy　a　woman　of　fashion　must　be。　In　short；　it　is　my　dream；　my　mania；
and　to　such　a　point；　that　I　declare　to　you　the　Baroness　Hulot　to　me
will　never　be　fifty；〃　said　he；　unconsciously　plagiarizing　one　of　the
greatest　wits　of　the　last　century。　〃I　assure　you；　my　good　Lisbeth；　I
am　prepared　to　sacrifice　a　hundred；　two　hundredHush！　Here　are　the
young　people；　I　see　them　crossing　the　courtyard。　I　shall　never　have
learned　anything　through　you；　I　give　you　my　word　of　honor；　for　I　do
not　want　you　to　lose　the　Baron's　confidence；　quite　the　contrary。　He
must　be　amazingly　fond　of　this　womanthat　old　boy。〃

〃He　is　crazy　about　her；〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃He　could　not　find　forty
thousand　francs　to　marry　his　daughter　off；　but　he　has　got　them　somehow
for　his　new　passion。〃

〃And　do　you　think　that　she　loves　him？〃

〃At　his　age！〃　said　the　old　maid。

〃Oh；　what　an　owl　I　am！〃　cried　Crevel；　〃when　I　myself　allowed　Heloise
to　keep　her　artist　exactly　as　Henri　IX。　allowed　Gabrielle　her
Bellegrade。　Alas！　old　age；　old　age！Good…morning；　Celestine。　How　do；
my　jewel！And　the　brat？　Ah！　here　he　comes；　on　my　honor；　he　is
beginning　to　be　like　me！Good…day；　Hulotquite　well？　We　shall　soon
be　having　another　wedding　in　the　family。〃

Celestine　and　her　husband；　as　a　hint　to　their　father；　glanced　at　the
old　maid；　who　audaciously　asked；　in　reply　to　Crevel：

〃Indeedwhose？〃

Crevel　put　on　an　air　of　reserve　which　was　meant　to　convey　that　he
would　make　up　for　her　indiscretions。

〃That　of　Hortense；〃　he　replied；　〃but　it　is　not　yet　quite　settled。　I
have　just　come　from　the　Lebas'；　and　they　were　talking　of　Mademoiselle
Popinot　as　a　suitable　match　for　their　son；　the　young　councillor；　for
he　would　like　to　get　the　presidency　of　a　provincial　court。Now；　come
to　dinner。〃



By　seven　o'clock　Lisbeth　had　returned　home　in　an　omnibus；　for　she　was
eager　to　see　Wenceslas；　whose　dupe　she　had　been　for　three　weeks；　and
to　whom　she　was　carrying　a　basket　filled　with　fruit　by　the　hands　of
Crevel　himself；　whose　attentions　were　doubled　towards　/his/　Cousin
Betty。

She　flew　up　to　the　attic　at　a　pace　that　took　her　breath　away；　and
found　the　artist　finishing　the　ornamentation　of　a　box　to　be　presented
to　the　adored　Hortense。　The　framework　of　the　lid　represented
hydrangeasin　French　called　/Hortensias/among　which　little　Loves
were　playing。　The　poor　lover；　to　enable　him　to　pay　for　the　materials
of　the　box；　of　which　the　panels　were　of　malachite；　had　designed　two
candlesticks　for　Florent　and　Chanor；　and　sold　them　the　copyrighttwo
admirable　pieces　of　work。

〃You　have　been　working　too　hard　these　last　few　days；　my　dear　fellow；〃
said　Lisbeth；　wiping　the　perspiration　from　his　brow；　and　giving　him　a
kiss。　〃Such　laborious　diligence　is　really　dangerous　in　the　month　of
August。　Seriously；　you　may　injure　your　health。　Look；　here　are　some
peaches　and　plums　from　Monsieur　Crevel。Now；　do　not　worry　yourself　so
much；　I　have　borrowed　two　thousand　francs；　and；　short　of　some
disaster；　we　can　repay　them　when　you　sell　your　clock。　At　the　same
time；　the　lender　seems　to　me　suspicious；　for　he　has　just　sent　in　this
document。〃

She　laid　the　writ　under　the　model　sketch　of　the　statue　of　General
Montcornet。

〃For　whom　are　you　making　this　pretty　thing？〃　said　she；　taking　up　the
model　sprays　of　hydrangea　in　red　wax　which　Wenceslas　had　laid　down
while　eating　the　fruit。

〃For　a　jeweler。〃

〃For　what　jeweler？〃

〃I　do　not　know。　Stidmann　asked　me　to　make　something　out　of　them；　as　he
is　very　busy。〃

〃But　these；〃　she　said　in　a　deep　voice；　〃are　/Hortensias/。　How　is　it
that　you　have　never　made　anything　in　wax　for　me？　Is　it　so　difficult　to
design　a　pin；　a　little　boxwhat　not；　as　a　keepsake？〃　and　she　shot　a
fearful　glance　at　the　artist；　whose　eyes　were　happily　lowered。　〃And
yet　you　say　you　love　me？〃

〃Can　you　doubt　it；　mademoiselle？〃

〃That　is　indeed　an　ardent　/mademoiselle/！Why；　you　have　been　my　only
thought　since　I　found　you　dyingjust　there。　When　I　saved　you；　you
vowed　you　were　mine；　I　mean　to　hold　you　to　that　pledge；　but　I　made　a
vow　to　myself！　I　said　to　myself；　'Since　the　boy　says　he　is　mine；　I
mean　to　make　him　rich　and　happy！'　Well；　and　I　can　make　your　fortune。〃

〃How？〃　said　the　hapless　artist；　at　the　height　of　joy；