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cousin betty-第49部分

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could read their young souls。 Now; from certain stolen looks directed
by Victorin on his mother; she saw that some disaster was hanging over
Adeline which Victorin hesitated to reveal。 The famous young lawyer
had some covert anxiety。 His deep reverence for his mother was evident
in the regret with which he gazed at her。

Hortense was evidently absorbed in her own woes; for a fortnight past;
as Lisbeth knew; she had been suffering the first uneasiness which
want of money brings to honest souls; and to young wives on whom life
has hitherto smiled; and who conceal their alarms。 Also Lisbeth had
immediately guessed that her mother had given her no money。 Adeline's
delicacy had brought her so low as to use the fallacious excuses that
necessity suggests to borrowers。

Hortense's absence of mind; with her brother's and the Baroness' deep
dejection; made the dinner a melancholy meal; especially with the
added chill of the Marshal's utter deafness。 Three persons gave a
little life to the scene: Lisbeth; Celestine; and Wenceslas。
Hortense's affection had developed the artist's natural liveliness as
a Pole; the somewhat swaggering vivacity and noisy high spirits that
characterize these Frenchmen of the North。 His frame of mind and the
expression of his face showed plainly that he believed in himself; and
that poor Hortense; faithful to her mother's training; kept all
domestic difficulties to herself。

〃You must be content; at any rate;〃 said Lisbeth to her young cousin;
as they rose from table; 〃since your mother has helped you with her
money。〃

〃Mamma!〃 replied Hortense in astonishment。 〃Oh; poor mamma! It is for
me that she would like to make money。 You do not know; Lisbeth; but I
have a horrible suspicion that she works for it in secret。〃

They were crossing the large; dark drawing…room where there were no
candles; all following Mariette; who was carrying the lamp into
Adeline's bedroom。 At this instant Victorin just touched Lisbeth and
Hortense on the arm。 The two women; understanding the hint; left
Wenceslas; Celestine; the Marshal; and the Baroness to go on together;
and remained standing in a window…bay。

〃What is it; Victorin?〃 said Lisbeth。 〃Some disaster caused by your
father; I dare wager。〃

〃Yes; alas!〃 replied Victorin。 〃A money…lender named Vauvinet has
bills of my father's to the amount of sixty thousand francs; and wants
to prosecute。 I tried to speak of the matter to my father at the
Chamber; but he would not understand me; he almost avoided me。 Had we
better tell my mother?〃

〃No; no;〃 said Lisbeth; 〃she has too many troubles; it would be a
death…blow; you must spare her。 You have no idea how low she has
fallen。 But for your uncle; you would have found no dinner here this
evening。〃

〃Dear Heaven! Victorin; what wretches we are!〃 said Hortense to her
brother。 〃We ought to have guessed what Lisbeth has told us。 My dinner
is choking me!〃

Hortense could say no more; she covered her mouth with her
handkerchief to smother a sob; and melted into tears。

〃I told the fellow Vauvinet to call on me to…morrow;〃 replied
Victorin; 〃but will he be satisfied by my guarantee on a mortgage? I
doubt it。 Those men insist on ready money to sweat others on usurious
terms。〃

〃Let us sell out of the funds!〃 said Lisbeth to Hortense。

〃What good would that do?〃 replied Victorin。 〃It would bring fifteen
or sixteen thousand francs; and we want sixty thousand。〃

〃Dear cousin!〃 cried Hortense; embracing Lisbeth with the enthusiasm
of guilelessness。

〃No; Lisbeth; keep your little fortune;〃 said Victorin; pressing the
old maid's hand。 〃I shall see to…morrow what this man would be up to。
With my wife's consent; I can at least hinder or postpone the
prosecutionfor it would really be frightful to see my father's honor
impugned。 What would the War Minister say? My father's salary; which
he pledged for three years; will not be released before the month of
December; so we cannot offer that as a guarantee。 This Vauvinet has
renewed the bills eleven times; so you may imagine what my father must
pay in interest。 We must close this pit。〃

〃If only Madame Marneffe would throw him over!〃 said Hortense
bitterly。

〃Heaven forbid!〃 exclaimed Victorin。 〃He would take up some one else;
and with her; at any rate; the worst outlay is over。〃

What a change in children formerly so respectful; and kept so long by
their mother in blind worship of their father! They knew him now for
what he was。

〃But for me;〃 said Lisbeth; 〃your father's ruin would be more complete
than it is。〃

〃Come in to mamma;〃 said Hortense; 〃she is very sharp; and will
suspect something; as our kind Lisbeth says; let us keep everything
from herlet us be cheerful。〃

〃Victorin;〃 said Lisbeth; 〃you have no notion of what your father will
be brought to by his passion for women。 Try to secure some future
resource by getting the Marshal to marry me。 Say something about it
this evening; I will leave early on purpose。〃

Victorin went into the bedroom。

〃And you; poor little thing!〃 said Lisbeth in an undertone to
Hortense; 〃what can you do?〃

〃Come to dinner with us to…morrow; and we will talk it over;〃 answered
Hortense。 〃I do not know which way to turn; you know how hard life is;
and you will advise me。〃



While the whole family with one consent tried to persuade the Marshal
to marry; and while Lisbeth was making her way home to the Rue
Vanneau; one of those incidents occurred which; in such women as
Madame Marneffe; are a stimulus to vice by compelling them to exert
their energy and every resource of depravity。 One fact; at any rate;
must however be acknowledged: life in Paris is too full for vicious
persons to do wrong instinctively and unprovoked; vice is only a
weapon of defence against aggressorsthat is all。

Madame Marneffe's drawing…room was full of her faithful admirers; and
she had just started the whist…tables; when the footman; a pensioned
soldier recruited by the Baron; announced:

〃Monsieur le Baron Montes de Montejanos。〃

Valerie's heart jumped; but she hurried to the door; exclaiming:

〃My cousin!〃 and as she met the Brazilian; she whispered:

〃You are my relationor all is at an end between us!And so you were
not wrecked; Henri?〃 she went on audibly; as she led him to the fire。
〃I heard you were lost; and have mourned for you these three years。〃

〃How are you; my good fellow?〃 said Marneffe; offering his hand to the
stranger; whose get…up was indeed that of a Brazilian and a
millionaire。

Monsieur le Baron Henri Montes de Montejanos; to whom the climate of
the equator had given the color and stature we expect to see in
Othello on the stage; had an alarming look of gloom; but it was a
merely pictorial illusion; for; sweet and affectionate by nature; he
was predestined to be the victim that a strong man often is to a weak
woman。 The scorn expressed in his countenance; the muscular strength
of his stalwart frame; all his physical powers were shown only to his
fellow…men; a form of flattery which women appreciate; nay; which so
intoxicates them; that every man with his mistress on his arm assumes
a matador swagger that provokes a smile。 Very well
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