cousin betty-第37部分

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〃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　in　great　glee；　she　hoped；　by　keeping　her　artist　under
lock　and　key；　to　put　a　stop　to　his　marriage　by　announcing　that　he　was
a　married　man；　pardoned　by　the　efforts　of　his　wife；　and　gone　off　to
Russia。

To　carry　out　this　plan；　at　about　three　o'clock　she　went　to　the
Baroness；　though　it　was　not　the　day　when　she　was　due　to　dine　with　her；
but　she　wished　to　enjoy　the　anguish　which　Hortense　must　endure　at　the
hour　when　Wenceslas　was　in　the　habit　of　making　his　appearance。

〃Have　you　come　to　dinner？〃　asked　the　Baroness；　concealing　her
disappointment。

〃Well；　yes。〃

〃That's　well；〃　replied　Hortense。　〃I　will　go　and　tell　them　to　be
punctual；　for　you　do　not　like　to　be　kept　waiting。〃

Hortense　nodded　reassuringly　to　her　mother；　for　she　intended　to　tell
the　man…servant　to　send　away　Monsieur　Steinbock　if　he　should　call；　the
man；　however；　happened　to　be　out；　so　Hortense　was　obliged　to　give　her
orders　to　the　maid；　and　the　girl　went　upstairs　to　fetch　her　needlework
and　sit　in　the　ante…room。

〃And　about　my　lover？〃　said　Cousin　Betty　to　Hortense；　when　the　girl
came　back。　〃You　never　ask　about　him　now？〃

〃To　be　sure；　what　is　he　doing？〃　said　Hortense。　〃He　has　become　famous。
You　ought　to　be　very　happy；〃　she　added　in　an　undertone　to　Lisbeth。
〃Everybody　is　talking　of　Monsieur　Wenceslas　Steinbock。〃

〃A　great　deal　too　much；〃　replied　she　in　her　clear　tones。　〃Monsieur　is
departing。If　it　were　only　a　matter　of　charming　him　so　far　as　to　defy
the　attractions　of　Paris；　I　know　my　power；　but　they　say　that　in　order
to　secure　the　services　of　such　an　artist；　the　Emperor　Nichols　has
pardoned　him〃

〃Nonsense！〃　said　the　Baroness。

〃When　did　you　hear　that？〃　asked　Hortense；　who　felt　as　if　her　heart　had
the　cramp。

〃Well；〃　said　the　villainous　Lisbeth；　〃a　person　to　whom　he　is　bound　by
the　most　sacred　tieshis　wifewrote　yesterday　to　tell　him　so。　He
wants　to　be　off。　Oh；　he　will　be　a　great　fool　to　give　up　France　to　go
to　Russia！〃

Hortense　looked　at　her　mother；　but　her　head　sank　on　one　side；　the
Baroness　was　only　just　in　time　to　support　her　daughter；　who　dropped
fainting；　and　as　white　as　her　lace　kerchief。

〃Lisbeth！　you　have　killed　my　child！〃　cried　the　Baroness。　〃You　were
born　to　be　our　curse！〃

〃Bless　me！　what　fault　of　mine　is　this；　Adeline？〃　replied　Lisbeth；　as
she　rose　with　a　menacing　aspect；　of　which　the　Baroness；　in　her　alarm；
took　no　notice。

〃I　was　wrong；〃　said　Adeline；　supporting　the　girl。　〃Ring。〃

At　this　instant　the　door　opened；　the　women　both　looked　round；　and　saw
Wenceslas　Steinbock；　who　had　been　admitted　by　the　cook　in　the　maid's
absence。

〃Hortense！〃　cried　the　artist；　with　one　spring　to　the　group　of　women。
And　he　kissed　his　betrothed　before　her　mother's　eyes；　on　the　forehead；
and　so　reverently；　that　the　Baroness　could　not　be　angry。　It　was　a
better　restorative　than　any　smelling　salts。　Hortense　opened　her　eyes；
saw　Wenceslas；　and　her　color　came　back。　In　a　few　minutes　she　had　quite
recovered。

〃So　this　was　your　secret？〃　said　Lisbeth；　smiling　at　Wenceslas；　and
affecting　to　guess　the　facts　from　her　two　cousins'　confusion。

〃But　how　did　you　steal　away　my　lover？〃　said　she；　leading　Hortense　into
the　garden。

Hortense　artlessly　told　the　romance　of　her　love。　Her　father　and
mother；　she　said；　being　convinced　that　Lisbeth　would　never　marry；　had
authorized　the　Count's　visits。　Only　Hortense；　like　a　full…blown　Agnes；
attributed　to　chance　her　purchase　of　the　group　and　the　introduction　of
the　artist；　who；　by　her　account；　had　insisted　on　knowing　the　name　of
his　first　purchaser。

Presently　Steinbock　came　out　to　join　the　cousins；　and　thanked　the　old
maid　effusively　for　his　prompt　release。　Lisbeth　replied　Jesuitically
that　the　creditor　having　given　very　vague　promises；　she　had　not　hoped
to　be　able　to　get　him　out　before　the　morrow；　and　that　the　person　who
had　lent　her　the　money；　ashamed；　perhaps；　of　such　mean　conduct；　had
been　beforehand　with　her。　The　old　maid　appeared　to　be　perfectly
content；　and　congratulated　Wenceslas　on　his　happiness。

〃You　bad　boy！〃　said　she；　before　Hortense　and　her　mother；　〃if　you　had
only　told　me　the　evening　before　last　that　you　loved　my　cousin
Hortense；　and　that　she　loved　you；　you　would　have　spared　me　many　tears。
I　thought　that　you　were　deserting　your　old　friend；　your　governess；
while；　on　the　contrary；　you　are　to　become　my　cousin；　henceforth；　you
will　be　connected　with　me；　remotely；　it　is　true；　but　by　ties　that
amply　justify　the　feelings　I　have　for　you。〃　And　she　kissed　Wenceslas
on　the　forehead。

Hortense　threw　herself　into　Lisbeth's　arms　and　melted　into　tears。

〃I　owe　my　happiness　to　you；〃　said　she；　〃and　I　will　never　forget　it。〃

〃Cousin　Betty；〃　said　the　Baroness；　embracing　Lisbeth　in　her　excitement
at　seeing　matters　so　happily　settled；　〃the　Baron　and　I　owe　you　a　debt
of　gratitude；　and　we　will　pay　it。　Come　and　talk　things　over　with　me；〃
she　added；　leading　her　away。

So　Lisbeth；　to　all　appearances；　was　playing　the　part　of　a　good　angel
to　the　whole　family；　she　was　adored　by　Crevel　and　Hulot；　by　Adeline
and　Hortense。

〃We　wish　you　to　give　up　working；〃　said　the　Baroness。　〃If　you　earn
forty　sous　a　day；　Sundays　excepted；　that　makes　six　hundred　francs　a
year。　Well；　then；　how　much　have　you　saved？〃

〃Four　thousand　five　hundred　francs。〃

〃Poor　Betty！〃　said　her　cousin。

She　raised　her　eyes　to　heaven；　so　deeply　was　she　moved　at　the　thought
of　all　the　labor　and　privation　such　a　sum　must　represent　accumulated
during　thirty　years。

Lisbeth；　misunderstanding　the　meaning　of　the　exclamation；　took　it　as
the　ironical　pity　of　the　successful　woman；　and　her　hatred　was
strengthened　by　a　large　infusion　of　venom　at　the　very　moment　when　her
cousin　had　cast　off　her　last　shred　of　distrust　of　the　tyrant　of　her
childhood。

〃We　will　add　ten　thousand　five　hundred　francs　to　that　sum；〃　said
Adeline；　〃and　put　it　in　trust　so　that　you　shall　draw　the　interest　for
life　with　reversion　to　Hortense。　Thus；　you　will　have　six　hundred
francs　a　year。〃

Lisbeth　feigned　the　utmost　satisfaction。　When　she　went　in；　her
handkerchief　to　her　eyes；　wiping　away　tears　of　joy；　Hortense　told　her
of　all　the　favors　being　showered　on　Wenceslas；　beloved　of　the　family。

So　when　the　Baron　came　home；　he　found　his　family　all　present；　for　the
Baroness　had　formally　accepted　Wenceslas　by　the　title　of　Son；　and　the
wedding　was　fixed；　if　her　husband　should　approve；　for　a　day　a
fortnight　hence。　The　moment　he　came　into　the　drawing…room；　Hulot　was
rushed　at　by　his　wife　and　daughter；　who　ran　to　meet　him；　Adeline　to
speak　to　him　privately；　and　Hortense　to　kiss　him。

〃You　have　gone　too　far　in　pledging　me　to　this；　madame；〃　said　the　Baron
sternly。　〃You　are　not　married　yet；〃　he　added　with　a　look　at　Steinbock；
who　turned　pale。

〃He　has　heard　of　my　imprisonment；〃　said　the　luckless　artist　to
himself。

〃Come；　children；〃　said　he；　leading　his　daughter　and　the　young　man　into
the　garden；　they　all　sat　down　on　the　moss…eaten　seat　in　the　summer…
house。

〃Monsieur　le　Comte；　do　you　love　my　daughter　as　well　as　I　loved　her
mother？〃　he　asked。

〃More；　monsieur；〃