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cousin betty-第50部分

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a matador swagger that provokes a smile。 Very well set up; in a
closely fitting blue coat with solid gold buttons; in black trousers;
spotless patent evening boots; and gloves of a fashionable hue; the
only Brazilian touch in the Baron's costume was a large diamond; worth
about a hundred thousand francs; which blazed like a star on a
handsome blue silk cravat; tucked into a white waistcoat in such a way
as to show corners of a fabulously fine shirt front。

His brow; bossy like that of a satyr; a sign of tenacity in his
passions; was crowned by thick jet…black hair like a virgin forest;
and under it flashed a pair of hazel eyes; so wild looking as to
suggest that before his birth his mother must have been scared by a
jaguar。

This fine specimen of the Portuguese race in Brazil took his stand
with his back to the fire; in an attitude that showed familiarity with
Paris manners; holding his hat in one hand; his elbow resting on the
velvet…covered shelf; he bent over Madame Marneffe; talking to her in
an undertone; and troubling himself very little about the dreadful
people who; in his opinion; were so very much in the way。

This fashion of taking the stage; with the Brazilian's attitude and
expression; gave; alike to Crevel and to the baron; an identical shock
of curiosity and anxiety。 Both were struck by the same impression and
the same surmise。 And the manoeuvre suggested in each by their very
genuine passion was so comical in its simultaneous results; that it
made everybody smile who was sharp enough to read its meaning。 Crevel;
a tradesman and shopkeeper to the backbone; though a mayor of Paris;
unluckily; was a little slower to move than his rival partner; and
this enabled the Baron to read at a glance Crevel's involuntary self…
betrayal。 This was a fresh arrow to rankle in the very amorous old
man's heart; and he resolved to have an explanation from Valerie。

〃This evening;〃 said Crevel to himself too; as he sorted his hand; 〃I
must know where I stand。〃

〃You have a heart!〃 cried Marneffe。 〃You have just revoked。〃

〃I beg your pardon;〃 said Crevel; trying to withdraw his card。〃This
Baron seems to me very much in the way;〃 he went on; thinking to
himself。 〃If Valerie carries on with my Baron; well and goodit is a
means to my revenge; and I can get rid of him if I choose; but as for
this cousin!He is one Baron too many; I do not mean to be made a
fool of。 I will know how they are related。〃

That evening; by one of those strokes of luck which come to pretty
women; Valerie was charmingly dressed。 Her white bosom gleamed under a
lace tucker of rusty white; which showed off the satin texture of her
beautiful shouldersfor Parisian women; Heaven knows how; have some
way of preserving their fine flesh and remaining slender。 She wore a
black velvet gown that looked as if it might at any moment slip off
her shoulders; and her hair was dressed with lace and drooping
flowers。 Her arms; not fat but dimpled; were graced by deep ruffles to
her sleeves。 She was like a luscious fruit coquettishly served in a
handsome dish; and making the knife…blade long to be cutting it。

〃Valerie;〃 the Brazilian was saying in her ear; 〃I have come back
faithful to you。 My uncle is dead; I am twice as rich as I was when I
went away。 I mean to live and die in Paris; for you and with you。〃

〃Lower; Henri; I implore you〃

〃Pooh! I mean to speak to you this evening; even if I should have to
pitch all these creatures out of window; especially as I have lost two
days in looking for you。 I shall stay till the last。I can; I
suppose?〃

Valerie smiled at her adopted cousin; and said:

〃Remember that you are the son of my mother's sister; who married your
father during Junot's campaign in Portugal。〃

〃What; I; Montes de Montejanos; great grandson of a conquerer of
Brazil! Tell a lie?〃

〃Hush; lower; or we shall never meet again。〃

〃Pray; why?〃

〃Marneffe; like all dying wretches; who always take up some last whim;
has a revived passion for me〃

〃That cur?〃 said the Brazilian; who knew his Marneffe; 〃I will settle
him!〃

〃What violence!〃

〃And where did you get all this splendor?〃 the Brazilian went on; just
struck by the magnificence of the apartment。

She began to laugh。

〃Henri! what bad taste!〃 said she。

She had felt two burning flashes of jealousy which had moved her so
far as to make her look at the two souls in purgatory。 Crevel; playing
against Baron Hulot and Monsieur Coquet; had Marneffe for his partner。
The game was even; because Crevel and the Baron were equally absent…
minded; and made blunder after blunder。 Thus; in one instant; the old
men both confessed the passion which Valerie had persuaded them to
keep secret for the past three years; but she too had failed to hide
the joy in her eyes at seeing the man who had first taught her heart
to beat; the object of her first love。 The rights of such happy
mortals survive as long as the woman lives over whom they have
acquired them。

With these three passions at her sideone supported by the insolence
of wealth; the second by the claims of possession; and the third by
youth; strength; fortune; and priorityMadame Marneffe preserved her
coolness and presence of mind; like General Bonaparte when; at the
siege of Mantua; he had to fight two armies; and at the same time
maintain the blockade。

Jealousy; distorting Hulot's face; made him look as terrible as the
late Marshal Montcornet leading a cavalry charge against a Russian
square。 Being such a handsome man; he had never known any ground for
jealousy; any more than Murat knew what it was to be afraid。 He had
always felt sure that he should triumph。 His rebuff by Josepha; the
first he had ever met; he ascribed to her love of money; 〃he was
conquered by millions; and not by a changeling;〃 he would say when
speaking of the Duc d'Herouville。 And now; in one instant; the poison
and delirium that the mad passion sheds in a flood had rushed to his
heart。 He kept turning from the whist…table towards the fireplace with
an action /a la/ Mirabeau; and as he laid down his cards to cast a
challenging glance at the Brazilian and Valerie; the rest of the
company felt the sort of alarm mingled with curiosity that is caused
by evident violence ready to break out at any moment。 The sham cousin
stared at Hulot as he might have looked at some big China mandarin。

This state of things could not last; it was bound to end in some
tremendous outbreak。 Marneffe was as much afraid of Hulot as Crevel
was of Marneffe; for he was anxious not to die a mere clerk。 Men
marked for death believe in life as galley…slaves believe in liberty;
this man was bent on being a first…class clerk at any cost。 Thoroughly
frightened by the pantomime of the Baron and Crevel; he rose; said a
few words in his wife's ear; and then; to the surprise of all; Valerie
went into the adjoining bedroom with the Brazilian and her husband。

〃Did Madame Marneffe ever speak to you of this cousin of hers?〃 said
Crevel to Hulot。

〃Never!〃 replied the Baron; getting up。 〃That is enough for this
evening;〃 said he。 〃I have lost two louisthere they are。〃

He threw the two gold pieces on the tabl
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