cousin betty-第75部分

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The　Baron　started；　he　believed　that　the　funds　had　been　sent　at　last
which　he　had　been　asking　for　these　two　months；　to　pay　up　his　bills；　he
left　the　family…party；　and　hurried　out　to　the　anteroom。

〃You　are　Monsieur　de　Paron　Hulot？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Your　own　self？〃

〃My　own　self。〃

The　man；　who　had　been　fumbling　meanwhile　in　the　lining　of　his　cap；
drew　out　a　letter；　of　which　the　Baron　hastily　broke　the　seal；　and　read
as　follows：

　　〃DEAR　NEPHEW；Far　from　being　able　to　send　you　the　hundred
　　thousand　francs　you　ask　of　me；　my　present　position　is　not　tenable
　　unless　you　can　take　some　decisive　steps　to　save　me。　We　are　saddled
　　with　a　public　prosecutor　who　talks　goody；　and　rhodomontades
　　nonsense　about　the　management。　It　is　impossible　to　get　the　black…
　　chokered　pump　to　hold　his　tongue。　If　the　War　Minister　allows
　　civilians　to　feed　out　of　his　hand；　I　am　done　for。　I　can　trust　the
　　bearer；　try　to　get　him　promoted；　he　has　done　us　good　service。　Do
　　not　abandon　me　to　the　crows！〃

This　letter　was　a　thunderbolt；　the　Baron　could　read　in　it　the
intestine　warfare　between　civil　and　military　authorities；　which　to
this　day　hampers　the　Government；　and　he　was　required　to　invent　on　the
spot　some　palliative　for　the　difficulty　that　stared　him　in　the　face。
He　desired　the　soldier　to　come　back　next　day；　dismissing　him　with
splendid　promises　of　promotion；　and　he　returned　to　the　drawing…room。
〃Good…day　and　good…bye；　brother；〃　said　he　to　the　Marshal。〃Good…bye；
children。Good…bye；　my　dear　Adeline。And　what　are　you　going　to　do；
Lisbeth？〃　he　asked。

〃I？I　am　going　to　keep　house　for　the　Marshal；　for　I　must　end　my　days
doing　what　I　can　for　one　or　another　of　you。〃

〃Do　not　leave　Valerie　till　I　have　seen　you　again；〃　said　Hulot　in　his
cousin's　ear。〃Good…bye；　Hortense；　refractory　little　puss；　try　to　be
reasonable。　I　have　important　business　to　be　attended　to　at　once；　we
will　discuss　your　reconciliation　another　time。　Now；　think　it　over；　my
child；〃　said　he　as　he　kissed　her。

And　he　went　away；　so　evidently　uneasy；　that　his　wife　and　children　felt
the　gravest　apprehensions。

〃Lisbeth；〃　said　the　Baroness；　〃I　must　find　out　what　is　wrong　with
Hector；　I　never　saw　him　in　such　a　state。　Stay　a　day　or　two　longer　with
that　woman；　he　tells　her　everything；　and　we　can　then　learn　what　has　so
suddenly　upset　him。　Be　quite　easy；　we　will　arrange　your　marriage　to
the　Marshal；　for　it　is　really　necessary。〃

〃I　shall　never　forget　the　courage　you　have　shown　this　morning；〃　said
Hortense；　embracing　Lisbeth。

〃You　have　avenged　our　poor　mother；〃　said　Victorin。

The　Marshal　looked　on　with　curiosity　at　all　the　display　of　affection
lavished　on　Lisbeth；　who　went　off　to　report　the　scene　to　Valerie。

This　sketch　will　enable　guileless　souls　to　understand　what　various
mischief　Madame　Marneffes　may　do　in　a　family；　and　the　means　by　which
they　reach　poor　virtuous　wives　apparently　so　far　out　of　their　ken。　And
then；　if　we　only　transfer；　in　fancy；　such　doings　to　the　upper　class　of
society　about　a　throne；　and　if　we　consider　what　kings'　mistresses　must
have　cost　them；　we　may　estimate　the　debt　owed　by　a　nation　to　a
sovereign　who　sets　the　example　of　a　decent　and　domestic　life。



In　Paris　each　ministry　is　a　little　town　by　itself；　whence　women　are
banished；　but　there　is　just　as　much　detraction　and　scandal　as　though
the　feminine　population　were　admitted　there。　At　the　end　of　three
years；　Monsieur　Marneffe's　position　was　perfectly　clear　and　open　to
the　day；　and　in　every　room　one　and　another　asked；　〃Is　Marneffe　to　be；
or　not　to　be；　Coquet's　successor？〃　Exactly　as　the　question　might　have
been　put　to　the　Chamber；　〃Will　the　estimates　pass　or　not　pass？〃　The
smallest　initiative　on　the　part　of　the　board　of　Management　was
commented　on；　everything　in　Baron　Hulot's　department　was　carefully
noted。　The　astute　State　Councillor　had　enlisted　on　his　side　the　victim
of　Marneffe's　promotion；　a　hard…working　clerk；　telling　him　that　if　he
could　fill　Marneffe's　place；　he　would　certainly　succeed　to　it；　he　had
told　him　that　the　man　was　dying。　So　this　clerk　was　scheming　for
Marneffe's　advancement。

When　Hulot　went　through　his　anteroom；　full　of　visitors；　he　saw
Marneffe's　colorless　face　in　a　corner；　and　sent　for　him　before　any　one
else。

〃What　do　you　want　of　me；　my　dear　fellow？〃　said　the　Baron；　disguising
his　anxiety。

〃Monsieur　le　Directeur；　I　am　the　laughing…stock　of　the　office；　for　it
has　become　known　that　the　chief　of　the　clerks　has　left　this　morning
for　a　holiday；　on　the　ground　of　his　health。　He　is　to　be　away　a　month。
Now；　we　all　know　what　waiting　for　a　month　means。　You　deliver　me　over
to　the　mockery　of　my　enemies；　and　it　is　bad　enough　to　be　drummed　upon
one　side；　drumming　on　both　at　once；　monsieur；　is　apt　to　burst　the
drum。〃

〃My　dear　Marneffe；　it　takes　long　patience　to　gain　an　end。　You　cannot
be　made　head…clerk　in　less　than　two　months；　if　ever。　Just　when　I　must；
as　far　as　possible；　secure　my　own　position；　is　not　the　time　to　be
applying　for　your　promotion；　which　would　raise　a　scandal。〃

〃If　you　are　broke；　I　shall　never　get　it；〃　said　Marneffe　coolly。　〃And
if　you　get　me　the　place；　it　will　make　no　difference　in　the　end。〃

〃Then　I　am　to　sacrifice　myself　for　you？〃　said　the　Baron。

〃If　you　do　not；　I　shall　be　much　mistaken　in　you。〃

〃You　are　too　exclusively　Marneffe；　Monsieur　Marneffe；〃　said　Hulot；
rising　and　showing　the　clerk　the　door。

〃I　have　the　honor　to　wish　you　good…morning；　Monsieur　le　Baron；〃　said
Marneffe　humbly。

〃What　an　infamous　rascal！〃　thought　the　Baron。　〃This　is　uncommonly　like
a　summons　to　pay　within　twenty…four　hours　on　pain　of　distraint。〃

Two　hours　later；　just　when　the　Baron　had　been　instructing　Claude
Vignon；　whom　he　was　sending　to　the　Ministry　of　Justice　to　obtain
information　as　to　the　judicial　authorities　under　whose　jurisdiction
Johann　Fischer　might　fall；　Reine　opened　the　door　of　his　private　room
and　gave　him　a　note；　saying　she　would　wait　for　the　answer。

〃Valerie　is　mad！〃　said　the　Baron　to　himself。　〃To　send　Reine！　It　is
enough　to　compromise　us　all；　and　it　certainly　compromises　that
dreadful　Marneffe's　chances　of　promotion！〃

But　he　dismissed　the　minister's　private　secretary；　and　read　as
follows：

　　〃Oh；　my　dear　friend；　what　a　scene　I　have　had　to　endure！　Though　you
　　have　made　me　happy　for　three　years；　I　have　paid　dearly　for　it！　He
　　came　in　from　the　office　in　a　rage　that　made　me　quake。　I　knew　he
　　was　ugly；　I　have　seen　him　a　monster！　His　four　real　teeth
　　chattered；　and　he　threatened　me　with　his　odious　presence　without
　　respite　if　I　should　continue　to　receive　you。　My　poor；　dear　old
　　boy；　our　door　is　closed　against　you　henceforth。　You　see　my　tears；
　　they　are　dropping　on　the　paper　and　soaking　it；　can　you　read　what　I
　　write；　dear　Hector？　Oh；　to　think　of　never　seeing　you；　of　giving
　　you　up　when　I　bear　in　me　some　of　your　life；　as　I　flatter　myself　I
　　have　your　heartit　is　enough　to　kill　me。　Think　of　our　little
　　Hector！

　　〃Do　not　forsake　me；　but　do　not　disgrace　yourself　for　Marneffe's
　　sake；　do　not　yield　to　his　threats。

　　〃I　love　you　as　I　have　never　loved！　I　remember　all　the　sacrifices
　　you　have　made　for　your　Valerie；　she　is　not；　and　never　will　be；
　　ungrateful；　you　are；　an