cousin betty-第6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！


unspotted〃

〃Amen！〃　exclaimed　Crevel；　with　the　diabolical　rage　that　embitters　the
face　of　these　pretenders　when　they　fail　for　the　second　time　in　such　an
attempt。　〃You　do　not　yet　know　the　latter　end　of　povertyshame；
disgrace。I　have　tried　to　warn　you；　I　would　have　saved　you；　you　and
your　daughter。　Well；　you　must　study　the　modern　parable　of　the
/Prodigal　Father/　from　A　to　Z。　Your　tears　and　your　pride　move　me
deeply；〃　said　Crevel；　seating　himself；　〃for　it　is　frightful　to　see　the
woman　one　loves　weeping。　All　I　can　promise　you；　dear　Adeline；　is　to　do
nothing　against　your　interests　or　your　husband's。　Only　never　send　to
me　for　information。　That　is　all。〃

〃What　is　to　be　done？〃　cried　Madame　Hulot。

Up　to　now　the　Baroness　had　bravely　faced　the　threefold　torment　which
this　explanation　inflicted　on　her；　for　she　was　wounded　as　a　woman；　as
a　mother；　and　as　a　wife。　In　fact；　so　long　as　her　son's　father…in…law
was　insolent　and　offensive；　she　had　found　the　strength　in　her
resistance　to　the　aggressive　tradesman；　but　the　sort　of　good…nature　he
showed；　in　spite　of　his　exasperation　as　a　mortified　adorer　and　as　a
humiliated　National　Guardsman；　broke　down　her　nerve；　strung　to　the
point　of　snapping。　She　wrung　her　hands；　melted　into　tears；　and　was　in
a　state　of　such　helpless　dejection；　that　she　allowed　Crevel　to　kneel
at　her　feet；　kissing　her　hands。

〃Good　God！　what　will　become　of　us！〃　she　went　on；　wiping　away　her
tears。　〃Can　a　mother　sit　still　and　see　her　child　pine　away　before　her
eyes？　What　is　to　be　the　fate　of　that　splendid　creature；　as　strong　in
her　pure　life　under　her　mother's　care　as　she　is　by　every　gift　of
nature？　There　are　days　when　she　wanders　round　the　garden；　out　of
spirits　without　knowing　why；　I　find　her　with　tears　in　her　eyes〃

〃She　is　one…and…twenty；〃　said　Crevel。

〃Must　I　place　her　in　a　convent？〃　asked　the　Baroness。　〃But　in　such
cases　religion　is　impotent　to　subdue　nature；　and　the　most　piously
trained　girls　lose　their　head！Get　up；　pray；　monsieur；　do　you　not
understand　that　everything　is　final　between　us？　that　I　look　upon　you
with　horror？　that　you　have　crushed　a　mother's　last　hopes〃

〃But　if　I　were　to　restore　them；〃　asked　he。

Madame　Hulot　looked　at　Crevel　with　a　frenzied　expression　that　really
touched　him。　But　he　drove　pity　back　to　the　depths　of　his　heart；　she
had　said；　〃I　look　upon　you　with　horror。〃

Virtue　is　always　a　little　too　rigid；　it　overlooks　the　shades　and
instincts　by　help　of　which　we　are　able　to　tack　when　in　a　false
position。

〃So　handsome　a　girl　as　Mademoiselle　Hortense　does　not　find　a　husband
nowadays　if　she　is　penniless；〃　Crevel　remarked；　resuming　his
starchiest　manner。　〃Your　daughter　is　one　of　those　beauties　who　rather
alarm　intending　husbands；　like　a　thoroughbred　horse；　which　is　too
expensive　to　keep　up　to　find　a　ready　purchaser。　If　you　go　out　walking
with　such　a　woman　on　your　arm；　every　one　will　turn　to　look　at　you；　and
follow　and　covet　his　neighbor's　wife。　Such　success　is　a　source　of　much
uneasiness　to　men　who　do　not　want　to　be　killing　lovers；　for；　after
all；　no　man　kills　more　than　one。　In　the　position　in　which　you　find
yourself　there　are　just　three　ways　of　getting　your　daughter　married：
Either　by　my　helpand　you　will　have　none　of　it！　That　is　one。Or　by
finding　some　old　man　of　sixty；　very　rich；　childless；　and　anxious　to
have　children；　that　is　difficult；　still　such　men　are　to　be　met　with。
Many　old　men　take　up　with　a　Josepha；　a　Jenny　Cadine；　why　should　not
one　be　found　who　is　ready　to　make　a　fool　of　himself　under　legal
formalities？　If　it　were　not　for　Celestine　and　our　two　grandchildren；　I
would　marry　Hortense　myself。　That　is　two。The　last　way　is　the
easiest〃

Madame　Hulot　raised　her　head；　and　looked　uneasily　at　the　ex…perfumer。

〃Paris　is　a　town　whither　every　man　of　energyand　they　sprout　like
saplings　on　French　soilcomes　to　meet　his　kind；　talent　swarms　here
without　hearth　or　home；　and　energy　equal　to　anything；　even　to　making　a
fortune。　Well；　these　youngstersyour　humble　servant　was　such　a　one　in
his　time；　and　how　many　he　has　known！　What　had　du　Tillet　or　Popinot
twenty　years　since？　They　were　both　pottering　round　in　Daddy
Birotteau's　shop；　with　not　a　penny　of　capital　but　their　determination
to　get　on；　which；　in　my　opinion；　is　the　best　capital　a　man　can　have。
Money　may　be　eaten　through；　but　you　don't　eat　through　your
determination。　Why；　what　had　I？　The　will　to　get　on；　and　plenty　of
pluck。　At　this　day　du　Tillet　is　a　match　for　the　greatest　folks；　little
Popinot；　the　richest　druggist　of　the　Rue　des　Lombards；　became　a
deputy；　now　he　is　in　office。Well；　one　of　these　free　lances；　as　we
say　on　the　stock　market；　of　the　pen；　or　of　the　brush；　is　the　only　man
in　Paris　who　would　marry　a　penniless　beauty；　for　they　have　courage
enough　for　anything。　Monsieur　Popinot　married　Mademoiselle　Birotteau
without　asking　for　a　farthing。　Those　men　are　madmen；　to　be　sure！　They
trust　in　love　as　they　trust　in　good　luck　and　brains！Find　a　man　of
energy　who　will　fall　in　love　with　your　daughter；　and　he　will　marry
without　a　thought　of　money。　You　must　confess　that　by　way　of　an　enemy　I
am　not　ungenerous；　for　this　advice　is　against　my　own　interests。〃

〃Oh；　Monsieur　Crevel；　if　you　would　indeed　be　my　friend　and　give　up
your　ridiculous　notions〃

〃Ridiculous？　Madame；　do　not　run　yourself　down。　Look　at　yourselfI
love　you；　and　you　will　come　to　be　mine。　The　day　will　come　when　I　shall
say　to　Hulot；　'You　took　Josepha；　I　have　taken　your　wife！'

〃It　is　the　old　law　of　tit…for…tat！　And　I　will　persevere　till　I　have
attained　my　end；　unless　you　should　become　extremely　ugly。I　shall
succeed；　and　I　will　tell　you　why；〃　he　went　on；　resuming　his　attitude；
and　looking　at　Madame　Hulot。　〃You　will　not　meet　with　such　an　old　man；
or　such　a　young　lover；〃　he　said　after　a　pause；　〃because　you　love　your
daughter　too　well　to　hand　her　over　to　the　manoeuvres　of　an　old
libertine；　and　because　youthe　Baronne　Hulot；　sister　of　the　old
Lieutenant…General　who　commanded　the　veteran　Grenadiers　of　the　Old
Guardwill　not　condescend　to　take　a　man　of　spirit　wherever　you　may
find　him；　for　he　might　be　a　mere　craftsman；　as　many　a　millionaire　of
to…day　was　ten　years　ago；　a　working　artisan；　or　the　foreman　of　a
factory。

〃And　then；　when　you　see　the　girl；　urged　by　her　twenty　years；　capable
of　dishonoring　you　all；　you　will　say　to　yourself；　'It　will　be　better
that　I　should　fall！　If　Monsieur　Crevel　will　but　keep　my　secret；　I　will
earn　my　daughter's　portiontwo　hundred　thousand　francs　for　ten　years'
attachment　to　that　old　glovesellerold　Crevel！'I　disgust　you　no
doubt；　and　what　I　am　saying　is　horribly　immoral；　you　think？　But　if　you
happened　to　have　been　bitten　by　an　overwhelming　passion；　you　would
find　a　thousand　arguments　in　favor　of　yieldingas　women　do　when　they
are　in　love。Yes；　and　Hortense's　interests　will　suggest　to　your
feelings　such　terms　of　surrendering　your　conscience〃

〃Hortense　has　still　an　uncle。〃

〃What！　Old　Fischer？　He　is　winding　up　his　concerns；　and　that　again　is
the　Baron's　fault；　his　rake　is　dragged　over　every　till　within　his
reach。〃

〃Comte　Hulot〃

〃Oh；　madame；　your　husband　has　already　made　thin　air　of　the　old
General's　savings。　He　spent　them　in　furnishing　his　singer's　rooms。
Now；　c