cousin betty-第36部分

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〃How？〃　said　the　hapless　artist；　at　the　height　of　joy；　and　too　artless
to　dream　of　a　snare。

〃Why；　thus；〃　said　she。

Lisbeth　could　not　deprive　herself　of　the　savage　pleasure　of　gazing　at
Wenceslas；　who　looked　up　at　her　with　filial　affection；　the　expression
really　of　his　love　for　Hortense；　which　deluded　the　old　maid。　Seeing　in
a　man's　eyes；　for　the　first　time　in　her　life；　the　blazing　torch　of
passion；　she　fancied　it　was　for　her　that　it　was　lighted。

〃Monsieur　Crevel　will　back　us　to　the　extent　of　a　hundred　thousand
francs　to　start　in　business；　if；　as　he　says；　you　will　marry　me。　He　has
queer　ideas；　has　the　worthy　man。Well；　what　do　you　say　to　it？〃　she
added。

The　artist；　as　pale　as　the　dead；　looked　at　his　benefactress　with　a
lustreless　eye；　which　plainly　spoke　his　thoughts。　He　stood　stupefied
and　open…mouthed。

〃I　never　before　was　so　distinctly　told　that　I　am　hideous；〃　said　she；
with　a　bitter　laugh。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Steinbock；　〃my　benefactress　can　never　be　ugly　in
my　eyes；　I　have　the　greatest　affection　for　you。　But　I　am　not　yet
thirty；　and〃

〃I　am　forty…three；〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃My　cousin　Adeline　is　forty…eight；
and　men　are　still　madly　in　love　with　her；　but　then　she　is　handsome
she　is！〃

〃Fifteen　years　between　us；　mademoiselle！　How　could　we　get　on　together！
For　both　our　sakes　I　think　we　should　be　wise　to　think　it　over。　My
gratitude　shall　be　fully　equal　to　your　great　kindness。And　your　money
shall　be　repaid　in　a　few　days。〃

〃My　money！〃　cried　she。　〃You　treat　me　as　if　I　were　nothing　but　an
unfeeling　usurer。〃

〃Forgive　me；〃　said　Wenceslas；　〃but　you　remind　me　of　it　so　often。
Well；　it　is　you　who　have　made　me；　do　not　crush　me。〃

〃You　mean　to　be　rid　of　me；　I　can　see；〃　said　she；　shaking　her　head。
〃Who　has　endowed　you　with　this　strength　of　ingratitudeyou　who　are　a
man　of　papier…mache？　Have　you　ceased　to　trust　meyour　good　genius？
me；　when　I　have　spent　so　many　nights　working　for　youwhen　I　have
given　you　every　franc　I　have　saved　in　my　lifetimewhen　for　four　years
I　have　shared　my　bread　with　you；　the　bread　of　a　hard…worked　woman；　and
given　you　all　I　had；　to　my　very　courage。〃

〃Mademoiselleno　more；　no　more！〃　he　cried；　kneeling　before　her　with
uplifted　hands。　〃Say　not　another　word！　In　three　days　I　will　tell　you；
you　shall　know　all。Let　me；　let　me　be　happy；〃　and　he　kissed　her
hands。　〃I　loveand　I　am　loved。〃

〃Well；　well；　my　child；　be　happy；〃　she　said；　lifting　him　up。　And　she
kissed　his　forehead　and　hair　with　the　eagerness　that　a　man　condemned
to　death　must　feel　as　he　lives　through　the　last　morning。

〃Ah！　you　are　of　all　creatures　the　noblest　and　best！　You　are　a　match
for　the　woman　I　love；〃　said　the　poor　artist。

〃I　love　you　well　enough　to　tremble　for　your　future　fate；〃　said　she
gloomily。　〃Judas　hanged　himselfthe　ungrateful　always　come　to　a　bad
end！　You　are　deserting　me；　and　you　will　never　again　do　any　good　work。
Consider　whether；　without　being　marriedfor　I　know　I　am　an　old　maid；
and　I　do　not　want　to　smother　the　blossom　of　your　youth；　your　poetry；
as　you　call　it；　in　my　arms；　that　are　like　vine…stocksbut　whether；
without　being　married；　we　could　not　get　on　together？　Listen；　I　have
the　commercial　spirit；　I　could　save　you　a　fortune　in　the　course　of　ten
years'　work；　for　Economy　is　my　name！while；　with　a　young　wife；　who
would　be　sheer　Expenditure；　you　would　squander　everything；　you　would
work　only　to　indulge　her。　But　happiness　creates　nothing　but　memories。
Even　I；　when　I　am　thinking　of　you；　sit　for　hours　with　my　hands　in　my
lap

〃Come；　Wenceslas；　stay　with　me。Look　here；　I　understand　all　about　it；
you　shall　have　your　mistresses；　pretty　ones　too；　like　that　little
Marneffe　woman　who　wants　to　see　you；　and　who　will　give　you　happiness
you　could　never　find　with　me。　Then；　when　I　have　saved　you　thirty
thousand　francs　a　year　in　the　funds〃

〃Mademoiselle；　you　are　an　angel；　and　I　shall　never　forget　this　hour；〃
said　Wenceslas；　wiping　away　his　tears。

〃That　is　how　I　like　to　see　you；　my　child；〃　said　she；　gazing　at　him
with　rapture。

Vanity　is　so　strong　a　power　in　us　all　that　Lisbeth　believed　in　her
triumph。　She　had　conceded　so　much　when　offering　him　Madame　Marneffe。
It　was　the　crowning　emotion　of　her　life；　for　the　first　time　she　felt
the　full　tide　of　joy　rising　in　her　heart。　To　go　through　such　an
experience　again　she　would　have　sold　her　soul　to　the　Devil。

〃I　am　engaged　to　be　married；〃　Steinbock　replied；　〃and　I　love　a　woman
with　whom　no　other　can　compete　or　compare。But　you　are；　and　always
will　be；　to　me　the　mother　I　have　lost。〃

The　words　fell　like　an　avalanche　of　snow　on　a　burning　crater。　Lisbeth
sat　down。　She　gazed　with　despondent　eyes　on　the　youth　before　her；　on
his　aristocratic　beautythe　artist's　brow；　the　splendid　hair；
everything　that　appealed　to　her　suppressed　feminine　instincts；　and
tiny　tears　moistened　her　eyes　for　an　instant　and　immediately　dried　up。
She　looked　like　one　of　those　meagre　statues　which　the　sculptors　of　the
Middle　Ages　carved　on　monuments。

〃I　cannot　curse　you；〃　said　she；　suddenly　rising。　〃Youyou　are　but　a
boy。　God　preserve　you！〃

She　went　downstairs　and　shut　herself　into　her　own　room。

〃She　is　in　love　with　me；　poor　creature！〃　said　Wenceslas　to　himself。
〃And　how　fervently　eloquent！　She　is　crazy。〃

This　last　effort　on　the　part　of　an　arid　and　narrow　nature　to　keep　hold
on　an　embodiment　of　beauty　and　poetry　was；　in　truth；　so　violent　that
it　can　only　be　compared　to　the　frenzied　vehemence　of　a　shipwrecked
creature　making　the　last　struggle　to　reach　shore。

On　the　next　day　but　one；　at　half…past　four　in　the　morning；　when　Count
Steinbock　was　sunk　in　the　deepest　sleep；　he　heard　a　knock　at　the　door
of　his　attic；　he　rose　to　open　it；　and　saw　two　men　in　shabby　clothing；
and　a　third；　whose　dress　proclaimed　him　a　bailiff　down　on　his　luck。

〃You　are　Monsieur　Wenceslas；　Count　Steinbock？〃　said　this　man。

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃My　name　is　Grasset；　sir；　successor　to　Louchard；　sheriff's
officer〃

〃What　then？〃

〃You　are　under　arrest；　sir。　You　must　come　with　us　to　prisonto
Clichy。Please　to　get　dressed。We　have　done　the　civil；　as　you　see；　I
have　brought　no　police；　and　there　is　a　hackney　cab　below。〃

〃You　are　safely　nabbed；　you　see；〃　said　one　of　the　bailiffs；　〃and　we
look　to　you　to　be　liberal。〃

Steinbock　dressed　and　went　downstairs；　a　man　holding　each　arm；　when　he
was　in　the　cab；　the　driver　started　without　orders；　as　knowing　where　he
was　to　go；　and　within　half　an　hour　the　unhappy　foreigner　found　himself
safely　under　bolt　and　bar　without　even　a　remonstrance；　so　utterly
amazed　was　he。

At　ten　o'clock　he　was　sent　for　to　the　prison…office；　where　he　found
Lisbeth；　who；　in　tears；　gave　him　some　money　to　feed　himself　adequately
and　to　pay　for　a　room　large　enough　to　work　in。

〃My　dear　boy；〃　said　she；　〃never　say　a　word　of　your　arrest　to　anybody；
do　not　write　to　a　living　soul；　it　would　ruin　you　for　life；　we　must
hide　this　blot　on　your　character。　I　will　soon　have　you　out。　I　will
collect　the　moneybe　quite　easy。　Write　down　what　you　want　for　your
work。　You　shall　soon　be　free；　or　I　will　die　for　it。〃

〃Oh；　I　shall　owe　you　my　life　a　second　time！〃　cried　he；　〃for　I　should
lose　more　than　my　life　if　I　were　thought　a　bad　fellow。〃

Lisbeth　went　off　i