cousin betty-第71部分

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wife's　eye；　so　to　speak；　he　had　inwardly　rebelled　against　this　fresh
thraldom；　/a　la/　Lisbeth。　Full　fed　with　love　for　three　years　past；　he
too　had　been　reflecting　during　the　last　fortnight；　and　he　found　a
family　heavy　on　his　hands。　He　had　just　been　congratulated　by　Stidmann
on　the　passion　he　had　inspired　in　Valerie；　for　Stidmann；　with　an
under…thought　that　was　not　unnatural；　saw　that　he　might　flatter　the
husband's　vanity　in　the　hope　of　consoling　the　victim。　And　Wenceslas
was　glad　to　be　able　to　return　to　Madame　Marneffe。

Still；　he　remembered　the　pure　and　unsullied　happiness　he　had　known；
the　perfections　of　his　wife；　her　judgment；　her　innocent　and　guileless
affection；and　he　regretted　her　acutely。　He　thought　of　going　at　once
to　his　mother…in…law's　to　crave　forgiveness；　but；　in　fact；　like　Hulot
and　Crevel；　he　went　to　Madame　Marneffe；　to　whom　he　carried　his　wife's
letter　to　show　her　what　a　disaster　she　had　caused；　and　to　discount　his
misfortune；　so　to　speak；　by　claiming　in　return　the　pleasures　his
mistress　could　give　him。

He　found　Crevel　with　Valerie。　The　mayor；　puffed　up　with　pride；　marched
up　and　down　the　room；　agitated　by　a　storm　of　feelings。　He　put　himself
into　position　as　if　he　were　about　to　speak；　but　he　dared　not。　His
countenance　was　beaming；　and　he　went　now　and　again　to　the　window；
where　he　drummed　on　the　pane　with　his　fingers。　He　kept　looking　at
Valerie　with　a　glance　of　tender　pathos。　Happily　for　him；　Lisbeth
presently　came　in。

〃Cousin　Betty；〃　he　said　in　her　ear；　〃have　you　heard　the　news？　I　am　a
father！　It　seems　to　me　I　love　my　poor　Celestine　the　less。Oh！　what　a
thing　it　is　to　have　a　child　by　the　woman　one　idolizes！　It　is　the
fatherhood　of　the　heart　added　to　that　of　the　flesh！　I　saytell
Valerie　that　I　will　work　for　that　childit　shall　be　rich。　She　tells
me　she　has　some　reason　for　believing　that　it　will　be　a　boy！　If　it　is　a
boy；　I　shall　insist　on　his　being　called　Crevel。　I　will　consult　my
notary　about　it。〃

〃I　know　how　much　she　loves　you；〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃But　for　her　sake　in
the　future；　and　for　your　own；　control　yourself。　Do　not　rub　your　hands
every　five　minutes。〃

While　Lisbeth　was　speaking　aside　on　this　wise　to　Crevel；　Valerie　had
asked　Wenceslas　to　give　her　back　her　letter；　and　she　was　saying　things
that　dispelled　all　his　griefs。

〃So　now　you　are　free；　my　dear；〃　said　she。　〃Ought　any　great　artist　to
marry？　You　live　only　by　fancy　and　freedom！　There；　I　shall　love　you　so
much；　beloved　poet；　that　you　shall　never　regret　your　wife。　At　the　same
time；　if；　like　so　many　people；　you　want　to　keep　up　appearances；　I
undertake　to　bring　Hortense　back　to　you　in　a　very　short　time。〃

〃Oh；　if　only　that　were　possible！〃

〃I　am　certain　of　it；〃　said　Valerie；　nettled。　〃Your　poor　father…in…law
is　a　man　who　is　in　every　way　utterly　done　for；　who　wants　to　appear　as
though　he　could　be　loved；　out　of　conceit；　and　to　make　the　world
believe　that　he　has　a　mistress；　and　he　is　so　excessively　vain　on　this
point；　that　I　can　do　what　I　please　with　him。　The　Baroness　is　still　so
devoted　to　her　old　HectorI　always　feel　as　if　I　were　talking　of　the
/Iliad/that　these　two　old　folks　will　contrive　to　patch　up　matters
between　you　and　Hortense。　Only；　if　you　want　to　avoid　storms　at　home
for　the　future；　do　not　leave　me　for　three　weeks　without　coming　to　see
your　mistressI　was　dying　of　it。　My　dear　boy；　some　consideration　is
due　from　a　gentleman　to　a　woman　he　has　so　deeply　compromised；
especially　when；　as　in　my　case；　she　has　to　be　very　careful　of　her
reputation。

〃Stay　to　dinner；　my　darlingand　remember　that　I　must　treat　you　with
all　the　more　apparent　coldness　because　you　are　guilty　of　this　too
obvious　mishap。〃

Baron　Montes　was　presently　announced；　Valerie　rose　and　hurried　forward
to　meet　him；　she　spoke　a　few　sentences　in　his　ear；　enjoining　on　him
the　same　reserve　as　she　had　impressed　on　Wenceslas；　the　Brazilian
assumed　a　diplomatic　reticence　suitable　to　the　great　news　which　filled
him　with　delight；　for　he；　at　any　rate　was　sure　of　his　paternity。

Thanks　to　these　tactics；　based　on　the　vanity　of　the　man　in　the　lover
stage　of　his　existence；　Valerie　sat　down　to　table　with　four　men；　all
pleased　and　eager　to　please；　all　charmed；　and　each　believing　himself
adored；　called　by　Marneffe；　who　included　himself；　in　speaking　to
Lisbeth；　the　five　Fathers　of　the　Church。

Baron　Hulot　alone　at　first　showed　an　anxious　countenance；　and　this　was
why。　Just　as　he　was　leaving　the　office；　the　head　of　the　staff　of
clerks　had　come　to　his　private　rooma　General　with　whom　he　had　served
for　thirty　yearsand　Hulot　had　spoken　to　him　as　to　appointing
Marneffe　to　Coquet's　place；　Coquet　having　consented　to　retire。

〃My　dear　fellow；〃　said　he；　〃I　would　not　ask　this　favor　of　the　Prince
without　our　having　agreed　on　the　matter；　and　knowing　that　you
approved。〃

〃My　good　friend；〃　replied　the　other；　〃you　must　allow　me　to　observe
that；　for　your　own　sake；　you　should　not　insist　on　this　nomination。　I
have　already　told　you　my　opinion。　There　would　be　a　scandal　in　the
office；　where　there　is　a　great　deal　too　much　talk　already　about　you
and　Madame　Marneffe。　This；　of　course；　is　between　ourselves。　I　have　no
wish　to　touch　you　on　a　sensitive　spot；　or　disoblige　you　in　any　way；
and　I　will　prove　it。　If　you　are　determined　to　get　Monsieur　Coquet's
place；　and　he　will　really　be　a　loss　in　the　War　Office；　for　he　has　been
here　since　1809；　I　will　go　into　the　country　for　a　fortnight；　so　as　to
leave　the　field　open　between　you　and　the　Marshal；　who　loves　you　as　a
son。　Then　I　shall　take　neither　part；　and　shall　have　nothing　on　my
conscience　as　an　administrator。〃

〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　said　Hulot。　〃I　will　reflect　on　what　you　have
said。〃

〃In　allowing　myself　to　say　so　much；　my　dear　friend；　it　is　because　your
personal　interest　is　far　more　deeply　implicated　than　any　concern　or
vanity　of　mine。　In　the　first　place；　the　matter　lies　entirely　with　the
Marshal。　And　then；　my　good　fellow；　we　are　blamed　for　so　many　things；
that　one　more　or　less！　We　are　not　at　the　maiden　stage　in　our
experience　of　fault…finding。　Under　the　Restoration；　men　were　put　in
simply　to　give　them　places；　without　any　regard　for　the　office。We　are
old　friends〃

〃Yes；〃　the　Baron　put　in；　〃and　it　is　in　order　not　to　impair　our　old　and
valued　friendship　that　I〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　the　departmental　manager；　seeing　Hulot's　face
clouded　with　embarrassment；　〃I　will　take　myself　off；　old　fellow。But
I　warn　you！　you　have　enemiesthat　is　to　say；　men　who　covet　your
splendid　appointment；　and　you　have　but　one　anchor　out。　Now　if；　like
me；　you　were　a　Deputy；　you　would　have　nothing　to　fear；　so　mind　what
you　are　about。〃

This　speech；　in　the　most　friendly　spirit；　made　a　deep　impression　on
the　Councillor　of　State。

〃But；　after　all；　Roger；　what　is　it　that　is　wrong？　Do　not　make　any
mysteries　with　me。〃

The　individual　addressed　as　Roger　looked　at　Hulot；　took　his　hand；　and
pressed　it。

〃We　are　such　old　friends；　that　I　am　bound　to　give　you　warning。　If　you
want　to　keep　your　place；　you　must　make　a　bed　for　yourself；　and　instead
of　asking　the　Marshal　to　give　Coquet's　place　to　Marneffe；　in　your
place　I　would　beg　him　to　use　his　influence　to　reserve　a　seat　for　me　on
the　General　Council　of　State；　th