cousin betty-第54部分

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pleasantries　in　good　part；　they　were　the　small　coin　of　conversation
between　him　and　Crevel。

〃The　daughters　of　Eve　cost　me　dear；　no　doubt；　but；　by　the　powers！
'Short　and　sweet'　is　my　motto。〃

〃　'Long　and　happy'　is　more　to　my　mind；〃　returned　Crevel。

Madame　Marneffe　now　came　in；　she　saw　that　her　husband　was　at　cards
with　Crevel；　and　only　the　Baron　in　the　room　besides；　a　mere　glance　at
the　municipal　dignitary　showed　her　the　frame　of　mind　he　was　in；　and
her　line　of　conduct　was　at　once　decided　on。

〃Marneffe；　my　dear　boy；〃　said　she；　leaning　on　her　husband's　shoulder；
and　passing　her　pretty　fingers　through　his　dingy　gray　hair；　but
without　succeeding　in　covering　his　bald　head　with　it；　〃it　is　very　late
for　you；　you　ought　to　be　in　bed。　To…morrow；　you　know；　you　must　dose
yourself　by　the　doctor's　orders。　Reine　will　give　you　your　herb　tea　at
seven。　If　you　wish　to　live；　give　up　your　game。〃

〃We　will　pay　it　out　up　to　five　points；〃　said　Marneffe　to　Crevel。

〃Very　goodI　have　scored　two；〃　replied　the　Mayor。

〃How　long　will　it　take　you？〃

〃Ten　minutes；〃　said　Marneffe。

〃It　is　eleven　o'clock；〃　replied　Valerie。　〃Really；　Monsieur　Crevel；　one
might　fancy　you　meant　to　kill　my　husband。　Make　haste；　at　any　rate。〃

This　double…barreled　speech　made　Crevel　and　Hulot　smile；　and　even
Marneffe　himself。　Valerie　sat　down　to　talk　to　Hector。

〃You　must　leave；　my　dearest；〃　said　she　in　Hulot's　ear。　〃Walk　up　and
down　the　Rue　Vanneau；　and　come　in　again　when　you　see　Crevel　go　out。〃

〃I　would　rather　leave　this　room　and　go　into　your　room　through　the
dressing…room　door。　You　could　tell　Reine　to　let　me　in。〃

〃Reine　is　upstairs　attending　to　Lisbeth。〃

〃Well；　suppose　then　I　go　up　to　Lisbeth's　rooms？〃

Danger　hemmed　in　Valerie　on　every　side；　she　foresaw　a　discussion　with
Crevel；　and　could　not　allow　Hulot　to　be　in　her　room；　where　he　could
hear　all　that　went　on。And　the　Brazilian　was　upstairs　with　Lisbeth。

〃Really；　you　men；　when　you　have　a　notion　in　your　head；　you　would　burn
a　house　down　to　get　into　it！〃　exclaimed　she。　〃Lisbeth　is　not　in　a　fit
state　to　admit　you。Are　you　afraid　of　catching　cold　in　the　street？　Be
off　thereor　good…night。〃

〃Good　evening；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　Baron　to　the　other　two。

Hulot；　when　piqued　in　his　old　man's　vanity；　was　bent　on　proving　that
he　could　play　the　young　man　by　waiting　for　the　happy　hour　in　the　open
air；　and　he　went　away。

Marneffe　bid　his　wife　good…night；　taking　her　hands　with　a　semblance　of
devotion。　Valerie　pressed　her　husband's　hand　with　a　significant
glance；　conveying：

〃Get　rid　of　Crevel。〃

〃Good…night；　Crevel；〃　said　Marneffe。　〃I　hope　you　will　not　stay　long
with　Valerie。　Yes！　I　am　jealousa　little　late　in　the　day；　but　it　has
me　hard　and　fast。　I　shall　come　back　to　see　if　you　are　gone。〃

〃We　have　a　little　business　to　discuss；　but　I　shall　not　stay　long；〃
said　Crevel。

〃Speak　low。What　is　it？〃　said　Valerie；　raising　her　voice；　and　looking
at　him　with　a　mingled　expression　of　haughtiness　and　scorn。

Crevel；　as　he　met　this　arrogant　stare；　though　he　was　doing　Valerie
important　services；　and　had　hoped　to　plume　himself　on　the　fact；　was　at
once　reduced　to　submission。

〃That　Brazilian〃　he　began；　but；　overpowered　by　Valerie's　fixed
look　of　contempt；　he　broke　off。

〃What　of　him？〃　said　she。

〃That　cousin〃

〃Is　no　cousin　of　mine；〃　said　she。　〃He　is　my　cousin　to　the　world　and　to
Monsieur　Marneffe。　And　if　he　were　my　lover；　it　would　be　no　concern　of
yours。　A　tradesman　who　pays　a　woman　to　be　revenged　on　another　man；　is；
in　my　opinion；　beneath　the　man　who　pays　her　for　love　of　her。　You　did
not　care　for　me；　all　you　saw　in　me　was　Monsieur　Hulot's　mistress。　You
bought　me　as　a　man　buys　a　pistol　to　kill　his　adversary。　I　wanted
breadI　accepted　the　bargain。〃

〃But　you　have　not　carried　it　out；〃　said　Crevel；　the　tradesman　once
more。

〃You　want　Baron　Hulot　to　be　told　that　you　have　robbed　him　of　his
mistress；　to　pay　him　out　for　having　robbed　you　of　Josepha？　Nothing　can
more　clearly　prove　your　baseness。　You　say　you　love　a　woman；　you　treat
her　like　a　duchess；　and　then　you　want　to　degrade　her？　Well；　my　good
fellow；　and　you　are　right。　This　woman　is　no　match　for　Josepha。　That
young　person　has　the　courage　of　her　disgrace；　while　II　am　a
hypocrite；　and　deserve　to　be　publicly　whipped。Alas！　Josepha　is
protected　by　her　cleverness　and　her　wealth。　I　have　nothing　to　shelter
me　but　my　reputation；　I　am　still　the　worthy　and　blameless　wife　of　a
plain　citizen；　if　you　create　a　scandal；　what　is　to　become　of　me？　If　I
were　rich；　then　indeed；　but　my　income　is　fifteen　thousand　francs　a
year　at　most；　I　suppose。〃

〃Much　more　than　that；〃　said　Crevel。　〃I　have　doubled　your　savings　in
these　last　two　months　by　investing　in　/Orleans/。〃

〃Well；　a　position　in　Paris　begins　with　fifty　thousand。　And　you
certainly　will　not　make　up　to　me　for　the　position　I　should　surrender。
What　was　my　aim？　I　want　to　see　Marneffe　a　first…class　clerk；　he　will
then　draw　a　salary　of　six　thousand　francs。　He　has　been　twenty…seven
years　in　his　office；　within　three　years　I　shall　have　a　right　to　a
pension　of　fifteen　hundred　francs　when　he　dies。　You；　to　whom　I　have
been　entirely　kind；　to　whom　I　have　given　your　fill　of　happinessyou
cannot　wait！And　that　is　what　men　call　love！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃Though　I　began　with　an　ulterior　purpose；〃　said　Crevel；　〃I　have　become
your　poodle。　You　trample　on　my　heart；　you　crush　me；　you　stultify　me；
and　I　love　you　as　I　have　never　loved　in　my　life。　Valerie；　I　love　you
as　much　as　I　love　my　Celestine。　I　am　capable　of　anything　for　your
sake。Listen；　instead　of　coming　twice　a　week　to　the　Rue　du　Dauphin；
come　three　times。〃

〃Is　that　all！　You　are　quite　young　again；　my　dear　boy！〃

〃Only　let　me　pack　off　Hulot；　humiliate　him；　rid　you　of　him；〃　said
Crevel；　not　heeding　her　impertinence！　〃Have　nothing　to　say　to　the
Brazilian；　be　mine　alone；　you　shall　not　repent　of　it。　To　begin　with；　I
will　give　you　eight　thousand　francs　a　year；　secured　by　bond；　but　only
as　an　annuity；　I　will　not　give　you　the　capital　till　the　end　of　five
years'　constancy〃

〃Always　a　bargain！　A　tradesman　can　never　learn　to　give。　You　want　to
stop　for　refreshments　on　the　road　of　lovein　the　form　of　Government
bonds！　Bah！　Shopman；　pomatum　seller！　you　put　a　price　on　everything！
Hector　told　me　that　the　Duc　d'Herouville　gave　Josepha　a　bond　for
thirty　thousand　francs　a　year　in　a　packet　of　sugar　almonds！　And　I　am
worth　six　of　Josepha。

〃Oh！　to　be　loved！〃　she　went　on；　twisting　her　ringlets　round　her
fingers；　and　looking　at　herself　in　the　glass。　〃Henri　loves　me。　He
would　smash　you　like　a　fly　if　I　winked　at　him！　Hulot　loves　me；　he
leaves　his　wife　in　beggary！　As　for　you；　go　my　good　man；　be　the　worthy
father　of　a　family。　You　have　three　hundred　thousand　francs　over　and
above　your　fortune；　only　to　amuse　yourself；　a　hoard；　in　fact；　and　you
think　of　nothing　but　increasing　it〃

〃For　you；　Valerie；　since　I　offer　you　half；〃　said　he；　falling　on　his
knees。

〃What；　still　here！〃　cried　Marneffe；　hideous　in　his　dressing…gown。
〃What　are　you　about？〃

〃He　is　begging　my　pardon；　my　dear；　for　an　insulting　proposal　he　has
dared　to　make　me。　Unable　to　obtain　my　consent；　my　gentleman　proposed
to　pay　me〃

Crevel　only　longed　to　vanish　into　t