cousin betty-第53部分

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On　leaving　Valerie；　Hulot　had　gone　down　to　the　porter's　lodge　and　made
a　sudden　invasion　there。

〃Madame　Olivier？〃

On　hearing　the　imperious　tone　of　this　address；　and　seeing　the　action
by　which　the　Baron　emphasized　it；　Madame　Olivier　came　out　into　the
courtyard　as　far　as　the　Baron　led　her。

〃You　know　that　if　any　one　can　help　your　son　to　a　connection　by　and　by；
it　is　I；　it　is　owing　to　me　that　he　is　already　third　clerk　in　a
notary's　office；　and　is　finishing　his　studies。〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur　le　Baron；　and　indeed；　sir；　you　may　depend　on　our
gratitude。　Not　a　day　passes　that　I　do　not　pray　to　God　for　Monsieur　le
Baron's　happiness。〃

〃Not　so　many　words；　my　good　woman；〃　said　Hulot；　〃but　deeds〃

〃What　can　I　do；　sir？〃　asked　Madame　Olivier。

〃A　man　came　here　to…night　in　a　carriage。　Do　you　know　him？〃

Madame　Olivier　had　recognized　Montes　well　enough。　How　could　she　have
forgotten　him？　In　the　Rue　du　Doyenne　the　Brazilian　had　always　slipped
a　five…franc　piece　into　her　hand　as　he　went　out　in　the　morning；　rather
too　early。　If　the　Baron　had　applied　to　Monsieur　Olivier；　he　would
perhaps　have　learned　all　he　wanted　to　know。　But　Olivier　was　in　bed。　In
the　lower　orders　the　woman　is　not　merely　the　superior　of　the　manshe
almost　always　has　the　upper　hand。　Madame　Olivier　had　long　since　made
up　her　mind　as　to　which　side　to　take　in　case　of　a　collision　between
her　two　benefactors；　she　regarded　Madame　Marneffe　as　the　stronger
power。

〃Do　I　know　him？〃　she　repeated。　〃No；　indeed；　no。　I　never　saw　him
before！〃

〃What！　Did　Madame　Marneffe's　cousin　never　go　to　see　her　when　she　was
living　in　the　Rue　du　Doyenne？〃

〃Oh！　Was　it　her　cousin？〃　cried　Madame　Olivier。　〃I　dare　say　he　did
come；　but　I　did　not　know　him　again。　Next　time；　sir；　I　will　look　at
him〃

〃He　will　be　coming　out；〃　said　Hulot；　hastily　interrupting　Madame
Olivier。

〃He　has　left；〃　said　Madame　Olivier；　understanding　the　situation。　〃The
carriage　is　gone。〃

〃Did　you　see　him　go？〃

〃As　plainly　as　I　see　you。　He　told　his　servant　to　drive　to　the
Embassy。〃

This　audacious　statement　wrung　a　sigh　of　relief　from　the　Baron；　he
took　Madame　Olivier's　hand　and　squeezed　it。

〃Thank　you；　my　good　Madame　Olivier。　But　that　is　not　all。Monsieur
Crevel？〃

〃Monsieur　Crevel？　What　can　you　mean；　sir？　I　do　not　understand；〃　said
Madame　Olivier。

〃Listen　to　me。　He　is　Madame　Marneffe's　lover〃

〃Impossible；　Monsieur　le　Baron；　impossible；〃　said　she；　clasping　her
hands。

〃He　is　Madame　Marneffe's　lover；〃　the　Baron　repeated　very　positively。
〃How　do　they　manage　it？　I　don't　know；　but　I　mean　to　know；　and　you　are
to　find　out。　If　you　can　put　me　on　the　tracks　of　this　intrigue；　your
son　is　a　notary。〃

〃Don't　you　fret　yourself　so；　Monsieur　le　Baron；〃　said　Madame　Olivier。
〃Madame　cares　for　you；　and　for　no　one　but　you；　her　maid　knows　that　for
true；　and　we　say；　between　her　and　me；　that　you　are　the　luckiest　man　in
this　worldfor　you　know　what　madame　is。Just　perfection！

〃She　gets　up　at　ten　every　morning；　then　she　breakfasts。　Well　and　good。
After　that　she　takes　an　hour　or　so　to　dress；　that　carries　her　on　till
two；　then　she　goes　for　a　walk　in　the　Tuileries　in　the　sight　of　all
men；　and　she　is　always　in　by　four　to　be　ready　for　you。　She　lives　like
clockwork。　She　keeps　no　secrets　from　her　maid；　and　Reine　keeps　nothing
from　me；　you　may　be　sure。　Reine　can't　if　she　wouldalong　of　my　son；
for　she　is　very　sweet　upon　him。　So；　you　see；　if　madame　had　any
intimacy　with　Monsieur　Crevel；　we　should　be　bound　to　know　it。〃

The　Baron　went　upstairs　again　with　a　beaming　countenance；　convinced
that　he　was　the　only　man　in　the　world　to　that　shameless　slut；　as
treacherous；　but　as　lovely　and　as　engaging　as　a　siren。

Crevel　and　Marneffe　had　begun　a　second　rubber　at　piquet。　Crevel　was
losing；　as　a　man　must　who　is　not　giving　his　thoughts　to　his　game。
Marneffe；　who　knew　the　cause　of　the　Mayor's　absence　of　mind；　took
unscrupulous　advantage　of　it；　he　looked　at　the　cards　in　reverse；　and
discarded　accordingly；　thus；　knowing　his　adversary's　hand；　he　played
to　beat　him。　The　stake　being　a　franc　a　point；　he　had　already　robbed
the　Mayor　of　thirty　francs　when　Hulot　came　in。

〃Hey　day！〃　said　he；　amazed　to　find　no　company。　〃Are　you　alone？　Where
is　everybody　gone？〃

〃Your　pleasant　temper　put　them　all　to　flight；〃　said　Crevel。

〃No；　it　was　my　wife's　cousin；〃　replied　Marneffe。　〃The　ladies　and
gentlemen　supposed　that　Valerie　and　Henri　might　have　something　to　say
to　each　other　after　three　years'　separation；　and　they　very　discreetly
retired。If　I　had　been　in　the　room；　I　would　have　kept　them；　but　then；
as　it　happens；　it　would　have　been　a　mistake；　for　Lisbeth；　who　always
comes　down　to　make　tea　at　half…past　ten；　was　taken　ill；　and　that　upset
everything〃

〃Then　is　Lisbeth　really　unwell？〃　asked　Crevel　in　a　fury。

〃So　I　was　told；〃　replied　Marneffe；　with　the　heartless　indifference　of
a　man　to　whom　women　have　ceased　to　exist。

The　Mayor　looked　at　the　clock；　and；　calculating　the　time；　the　Baron
seemed　to　have　spent　forty　minutes　in　Lisbeth's　rooms。　Hector's
jubilant　expression　seriously　incriminated　Valerie；　Lisbeth；　and
himself。

〃I　have　just　seen　her；　she　is　in　great　pain；　poor　soul！〃　said　the
Baron。

〃Then　the　sufferings　of　others　must　afford　you　much　joy；　my　friend；〃
retorted　Crevel　with　acrimony；　〃for　you　have　come　down　with　a　face
that　is　positively　beaming。　Is　Lisbeth　likely　to　die？　For　your
daughter；　they　say；　is　her　heiress。　You　are　not　like　the　same　man。　You
left　this　room　looking　like　the　Moor　of　Venice；　and　you　come　back　with
the　air　of　Saint…Preux！I　wish　I　could　see　Madame　Marneffe's　face　at
this　minute〃

〃And　pray；　what　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　said　Marneffe　to　Crevel；　packing
his　cards　and　laying　them　down　in　front　of　him。

A　light　kindled　in　the　eyes　of　this　man；　decrepit　at　the　age　of　forty…
seven；　a　faint　color　flushed　his　flaccid　cold　cheeks；　his　ill…
furnished　mouth　was　half　open；　and　on　his　blackened　lips　a　sort　of
foam　gathered；　thick；　and　as　white　as　chalk。　This　fury　in　such　a
helpless　wretch；　whose　life　hung　on　a　thread；　and　who　in　a　duel　would
risk　nothing　while　Crevel　had　everything　to　lose；　frightened　the
Mayor。

〃I　said；〃　repeated　Crevel；　〃that　I　should　like　to　see　Madame
Marneffe's　face。　And　with　all　the　more　reason　since　yours；　at　this
moment；　is　most　unpleasant。　On　my　honor；　you　are　horribly　ugly；　my
dear　Marneffe〃

〃Do　you　know　that　you　are　very　uncivil？〃

〃A　man　who　has　won　thirty　francs　of　me　in　forty…five　minutes　cannot
look　handsome　in　my　eyes。〃

〃Ah；　if　you　had　but　seen　me　seventeen　years　ago！〃　replied　the　clerk。

〃You　were　so　good…looking？〃　asked　Crevel。

〃That　was　my　ruin；　now；　if　I　had　been　like　youI　might　be　a　mayor　and
a　peer。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Crevel；　with　a　smile；　〃you　have　been　too　much　in　the　wars；
and　of　the　two　forms　of　metal　that　may　be　earned　by　worshiping　the　god
of　trade；　you　have　taken　the　worsethe　dross！〃　＇This　dialogue　is
garnished　with　puns　for　which　it　is　difficult　to　find　any　English
equivalent。＇　And　Crevel　roared　with　laughter。　Though　Marneffe　could
take　offence　if　his　honor　were　in　peril；　he　always　took　these　rough
pleasantries　in　good　part；　they　were　the　small　coin　of　conversation
between　him　and　Crevel。