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cousin betty-第65部分

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madame asks a favor of you!〃

〃What is it?〃 asked Claude Vignon。

〃A small bronze group;〃 replied Steinbock; 〃Delilah cutting off
Samson's hair。〃

〃It is difficult;〃 remarked Vignon。 〃A bed〃

〃On the contrary; it is exceedingly easy;〃 replied Valerie; smiling。

〃Ah ha! teach us sculpture!〃 said Stidmann。

〃You should take madame for your subject;〃 replied Vignon; with a keen
glance at Valerie。

〃Well;〃 she went on; 〃this is my notion of the composition。 Samson on
waking finds he has no hair; like many a dandy with a false top…knot。
The hero is sitting on the bed; so you need only show the foot of it;
covered with hangings and drapery。 There he is; like Marius among the
ruins of Carthage; his arms folded; his head shavenNapoleon at
Saint…Helenawhat you will! Delilah is on her knees; a good deal like
Canova's Magdalen。 When a hussy has ruined her man; she adores him。 As
I see it; the Jewess was afraid of Samson in his strength and terrors;
but she must have loved him when she saw him a child again。 So Delilah
is bewailing her sin; she would like to give her lover his hair again。
She hardly dares to look at him; but she does look; with a smile; for
she reads forgiveness in Samson's weakness。 Such a group as this; and
one of the ferocious Judith; would epitomize woman。 Virtue cuts off
your head; vice only cuts off your hair。 Take care of your wigs;
gentlemen!〃

And she left the artists quite overpowered; to sing her praises in
concert with the critic。

〃It is impossible to be more bewitching!〃 cried Stidmann。

〃Oh! she is the most intelligent and desirable woman I have ever met;〃
said Claude Vignon。 〃Such a combination of beauty and cleverness is so
rare。〃

〃And if you who had the honor of being intimate with Camille Maupin
can pronounce such a verdict;〃 replied Stidmann; 〃what are we to
think?〃

〃If you will make your Delilah a portrait of Valerie; my dear Count;〃
said Crevel; who had risen for a moment from the card…table; and who
had heard what had been said; 〃I will give you a thousand crowns for
an exampleyes; by the Powers! I will shell out to the tune of a
thousand crowns!〃

〃Shell out! What does that mean?〃 asked Beauvisage of Claude Vignon。

〃Madame must do me the honor to sit for it then;〃 said Steinbock to
Crevel。 〃Ask her〃

At this moment Valerie herself brought Steinbock a cup of tea。 This
was more than a compliment; it was a favor。 There is a complete
language in the manner in which a woman does this little civility; but
women are fully aware of the fact; and it is a curious thing to study
their movements; their manner; their look; tone; and accent when they
perform this apparently simple act of politeness。From the question;
〃Do you take tea?〃〃Will you have some tea?〃〃A cup of tea?〃 coldly
asked; and followed by instructions to the nymph of the urn to bring
it; to the eloquent poem of the odalisque coming from the tea…table;
cup in hand; towards the pasha of her heart; presenting it
submissively; offering it in an insinuating voice; with a look full of
intoxicating promises; a physiologist could deduce the whole scale of
feminine emotion; from aversion or indifference to Phaedra's
declaration to Hippolytus。 Women can make it; at will; contemptuous to
the verge of insult; or humble to the expression of Oriental
servility。

And Valerie was more than woman; she was the serpent made woman; she
crowned her diabolical work by going up to Steinbock; a cup of tea in
her hand。

〃I will drink as many cups of tea as you will give me;〃 said the
artist; murmuring in her ear as he rose; and touching her fingers with
his; 〃to have them given to me thus!〃

〃What were you saying about sitting?〃 said she; without betraying that
this declaration; so frantically desired; had gone straight to her
heart。

〃Old Crevel promises me a thousand crowns for a copy of your group。〃

〃He! a thousand crowns for a bronze group?〃

〃Yesif you will sit for Delilah;〃 said Steinbock。

〃He will not be there to see; I hope!〃 replied she。 〃The group would
be worth more than all his fortune; for Delilah's costume is rather
un…dressy。〃

Just as Crevel loved to strike an attitude; every woman has a
victorious gesture; a studied movement; which she knows must win
admiration。 You may see in a drawing…room how one spends all her time
looking down at her tucker or pulling up the shoulder…piece of her
gown; how another makes play with the brightness of her eyes by
glancing up at the cornice。 Madame Marneffe's triumph; however; was
not face to face like that of other women。 She turned sharply round to
return to Lisbeth at the tea…table。 This ballet…dancer's pirouette;
whisking her skirts; by which she had overthrown Hulot; now fascinated
Steinbock。

〃Your vengeance is secure;〃 said Valerie to Lisbeth in a whisper。
〃Hortense will cry out all her tears; and curse the day when she
robbed you of Wenceslas。〃

〃Till I am Madame la Marechale I shall not think myself successful;〃
replied the cousin; 〃but they are all beginning to wish for it。This
morning I went to Victorin'sI forgot to tell you。The young Hulots
have bought up their father's notes of hand given to Vauvinet; and
to…morrow they will endorse a bill for seventy…two thousand francs at
five per cent; payable in three years; and secured by a mortgage on
their house。 So the young people are in straits for three years; they
can raise no more money on that property。 Victorin is dreadfully
distressed; he understands his father。 And Crevel is capable of
refusing to see them; he will be so angry at this piece of self…
sacrifice。〃

〃The Baron cannot have a sou now;〃 said Valerie; and she smiled at
Hulot。

〃I don't see where he can get it。 But he will draw his salary again in
September。〃

〃And he has his policy of insurance; he has renewed it。 Come; it is
high time he should get Marneffe promoted。 I will drive it home this
evening。〃

〃My dear cousin;〃 said Lisbeth to Wenceslas; 〃go home; I beg。 You are
quite ridiculous。 Your eyes are fixed on Valerie in a way that is
enough to compromise her; and her husband is insanely jealous。 Do not
tread in your father…in…law's footsteps。 Go home; I am sure Hortense
is sitting up for you。〃

〃Madame Marneffe told me to stay till the last to settle my little
business with you and her;〃 replied Wenceslas。

〃No; no;〃 said Lisbeth; 〃I will bring you the ten thousand francs; for
her husband has his eye on you。 It would be rash to remain。 To…morrow
at eleven o'clock bring your note of hand; at that hour that mandarin
Marneffe is at his office; Valerie is free。Have you really asked her
to sit for your group?Come up to my rooms first。Ah! I was sure of
it;〃 she added; as she caught the look which Steinbock flashed at
Valerie; 〃I knew you were a profligate in the bud! Well; Valerie is
lovelybut try not to bring trouble on Hortense。〃



Nothing annoys a married man so much as finding his wife perpetually
interposing between himself and his wishes; however transient。

Wenceslas got home at about one in the morning; Hortense had expected
him ever since half…past nine。 From half…past nine till ten she had
listened to the passing carriages; telling her
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