cousin betty-第58部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


fingers　were　not　made　for　thatask　Lisbeth。〃

The　Brazilian　went　away　the　happiest　man　in　Paris。

At　noon　Valerie　and　Lisbeth　were　chatting　in　the　splendid　bedroom
where　this　dangerous　woman　was　giving　to　her　dress　those　finishing
touches　which　a　lady　alone　can　give。　The　doors　were　bolted；　the
curtains　drawn　over　them；　and　Valerie　related　in　every　detail　all　the
events　of　the　evening；　the　night；　the　morning。

〃What　do　you　think　of　it　all；　my　darling？〃　she　said　to　Lisbeth　in
conclusion。　〃Which　shall　I　be　when　the　time　comesMadame　Crevel；　or
Madame　Montes？〃

〃Crevel　will　not　last　more　than　ten　years；　such　a　profligate　as　he
is；〃　replied　Lisbeth。　〃Montes　is　young。　Crevel　will　leave　you　about
thirty　thousand　francs　a　year。　Let　Montes　wait；　he　will　be　happy
enough　as　Benjamin。　And　so；　by　the　time　you　are　three…and…thirty；　if
you　take　care　of　your　looks；　you　may　marry　your　Brazilian　and　make　a
fine　show　with　sixty　thousand　francs　a　year　of　your　ownespecially
under　the　wing　of　a　Marechale。〃

〃Yes；　but　Montes　is　a　Brazilian；　he　will　never　make　his　mark；〃
observed　Valerie。

〃We　live　in　the　day　of　railways；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃when　foreigners　rise
to　high　positions　in　France。〃

〃We　shall　see；〃　replied　Valerie；　〃when　Marneffe　is　dead。　He　has　not
much　longer　to　suffer。〃

〃These　attacks　that　return　so　often　are　a　sort　of　physical　remorse；〃
said　Lisbeth。　〃Well；　I　am　off　to　see　Hortense。〃

〃Yesgo；　my　angel！〃　replied　Valerie。　〃And　bring　me　my　artist。Three
years；　and　I　have　not　gained　an　inch　of　ground！　It　is　a　disgrace　to
both　of　us！Wenceslas　and　Henrithese　are　my　two　passionsone　for
love；　the　other　for　fancy。〃

〃You　are　lovely　this　morning；〃　said　Lisbeth；　putting　her　arm　round
Valerie's　waist　and　kissing　her　forehead。　〃I　enjoy　all　your　pleasures；
your　good　fortune；　your　dressesI　never　really　lived　till　the　day
when　we　became　sisters。〃

〃Wait　a　moment；　my　tiger…cat！〃　cried　Valerie；　laughing；　〃your　shawl　is
crooked。　You　cannot　put　a　shawl　on　yet　in　spite　of　my　lessons　for
three　yearsand　you　want　to　be　Madame　la　Marechale　Hulot！〃

Shod　in　prunella　boots；　over　gray　silk　stockings；　in　a　gown　of
handsome　corded　silk；　her　hair　in　smooth　bands　under　a　very　pretty
black　velvet　bonnet；　lined　with　yellow　satin；　Lisbeth　made　her　way　to
the　Rue　Saint…Dominique　by　the　Boulevard　des　Invalides；　wondering
whether　sheer　dejection　would　at　last　break　down　Hortense's　brave
spirit；　and　whether　Sarmatian　instability；　taken　at　a　moment　when；
with　such　a　character；　everything　is　possible；　would　be　too　much　for
Steinbock's　constancy。



Hortense　and　Wenceslas　had　the　ground　floor　of　a　house　situated　at　the
corner　of　the　Rue　Saint…Dominique　and　the　Esplanade　des　Invalides。
These　rooms；　once　in　harmony　with　the　honeymoon；　now　had　that　half…
new；　half…faded　look　that　may　be　called　the　autumnal　aspect　of
furniture。　Newly　married　folks　are　as　lavish　and　wasteful；　without
knowing　it　or　intending　it；　of　everything　about　them　as　they　are　of
their　affection。　Thinking　only　of　themselves；　they　reck　little　of　the
future；　which；　at　a　later　time；　weighs　on　the　mother　of　a　family。

Lisbeth　found　Hortense　just　as　she　had　finished　dressing　a　baby
Wenceslas；　who　had　been　carried　into　the　garden。

〃Good…morning；　Betty；〃　said　Hortense；　opening　the　door　herself　to　her
cousin。　The　cook　was　gone　out；　and　the　house…servant；　who　was　also　the
nurse；　was　doing　some　washing。

〃Good…morning；　dear　child；〃　replied　Lisbeth；　kissing　her。　〃Is
Wenceslas　in　the　studio？〃　she　added　in　a　whisper。

〃No；　he　is　in　the　drawing…room　talking　to　Stidmann　and　Chanor。〃

〃Can　we　be　alone？〃　asked　Lisbeth。

〃Come　into　my　room。〃

In　this　room；　the　hangings　of　pink…flowered　chintz　with　green　leaves
on　a　white　ground；　constantly　exposed　to　the　sun；　were　much　faded；　as
was　the　carpet。　The　muslin　curtains　had　not　been　washed　for　many　a
day。　The　smell　of　tobacco　hung　about　the　room；　for　Wenceslas；　now　an
artist　of　repute；　and　born　a　fine　gentleman；　left　his　cigar…ash　on　the
arms　of　the　chairs　and　the　prettiest　pieces　of　furniture；　as　a　man
does　to　whom　love　allows　everythinga　man　rich　enough　to　scorn　vulgar
carefulness。

〃Now；　then；　let　us　talk　over　your　affairs；〃　said　Lisbeth；　seeing　her
pretty　cousin　silent　in　the　armchair　into　which　she　had　dropped。　〃But
what　ails　you？　You　look　rather　pale；　my　dear。〃

〃Two　articles　have　just　come　out　in　which　my　poor　Wenceslas　is　pulled
to　pieces；　I　have　read　them；　but　I　have　hidden　them　from　him；　for　they
would　completely　depress　him。　The　marble　statue　of　Marshal　Montcornet
is　pronounced　utterly　bad。　The　bas…reliefs　are　allowed　to　pass　muster；
simply　to　allow　of　the　most　perfidious　praise　of　his　talent　as　a
decorative　artist；　and　to　give　the　greater　emphasis　to　the　statement
that　serious　art　is　quite　out　of　his　reach！　Stidmann；　whom　I　besought
to　tell　me　the　truth；　broke　my　heart　by　confessing　that　his　own
opinion　agreed　with　that　of　every　other　artist；　of　the　critics；　and
the　public。　He　said　to　me　in　the　garden　before　breakfast；　'If
Wenceslas　cannot　exhibit　a　masterpiece　next　season；　he　must　give　up
heroic　sculpture　and　be　content　to　execute　idyllic　subjects；　small
figures；　pieces　of　jewelry；　and　high…class　goldsmiths'　work！'　This
verdict　is　dreadful　to　me；　for　Wenceslas；　I　know；　will　never　accept
it；　he　feels　he　has　so　many　fine　ideas。〃

〃Ideas　will　not　pay　the　tradesman's　bills；〃　remarked　Lisbeth。　〃I　was
always　telling　him　sonothing　but　money。　Money　is　only　to　be　had　for
work　donethings　that　ordinary　folks　like　well　enough　to　buy　them。
When　an　artist　has　to　live　and　keep　a　family；　he　had　far　better　have　a
design　for　a　candlestick　on　his　counter；　or　for　a　fender　or　a　table；
than　for　groups　or　statues。　Everybody　must　have　such　things；　while　he
may　wait　months　for　the　admirer　of　the　groupand　for　his　money…〃

〃You　are　right；　my　good　Lisbeth。　Tell　him　all　that；　I　have　not　the
courage。Besides；　as　he　was　saying　to　Stidmann；　if　he　goes　back　to
ornamental　work　and　small　sculpture；　he　must　give　up　all　hope　of　the
Institute　and　grand　works　of　art；　and　we　should　not　get　the　three
hundred　thousand　francs'　worth　of　work　promised　at　Versailles　and　by
the　City　of　Paris　and　the　Ministers。　That　is　what　we　are　robbed　of　by
those　dreadful　articles；　written　by　rivals　who　want　to　step　into　our
shoes。〃

〃And　that　is　not　what　you　dreamed　of；　poor　little　puss！〃　said　Lisbeth；
kissing　Hortense　on　the　brow。　〃You　expected　to　find　a　gentleman；　a
leader　of　Art；　the　chief　of　all　living　sculptors。But　that　is　poetry；
you　see；　a　dream　requiring　fifty　thousand　francs　a　year；　and　you　have
only　two　thousand　four　hundredso　long　as　I　live。　After　my　death
three　thousand。〃

A　few　tears　rose　to　Hortense's　eyes；　and　Lisbeth　drank　them　with　her
eyes　as　a　cat　laps　milk。

This　is　the　story　of　their　honeymoonthe　tale　will　perhaps　not　be
lost　on　some　artists。

Intellectual　work；　labor　in　the　upper　regions　of　mental　effort；　is　one
of　the　grandest　achievements　of　man。　That　which　deserves　real　glory　in
Artfor　by　Art　we　must　understand　every　creation　of　the　mindis
courage　above　all　thingsa　sort　of　courage　of　which　the　vulgar　have
no　conception；　and　which　has　never　perhaps　been　described　till　now。