cousin betty-第78部分

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catastrophe；　went　out　to　speak　with　Reine；　who　would　not　come　into　the
anteroom。　The　faithful　waiting…maid　gave　him　the　following　note：

　　〃DEAR　OLD　MAN；Do　not　go　to　the　Rue　du　Dauphin。　Our　incubus　is
　　ill；　and　I　must　nurse　him；　but　be　there　this　evening　at　nine。
　　Crevel　is　at　Corbeil　with　Monsieur　Lebas；　so　I　am　sure　he　will
　　bring　no　princess　to　his　little　palace。　I　have　made　arrangements
　　here　to　be　free　for　the　night　and　get　back　before　Marneffe　is
　　awake。　Answer　me　as　to　all　this；　for　perhaps　your　long　elegy　of　a
　　wife　no　longer　allows　you　your　liberty　as　she　did。　I　am　told　she
　　is　still　so　handsome　that　you　might　play　me　false；　you　are　such　a
　　gay　dog！　Burn　this　note；　I　am　suspicious　of　every　one。〃

Hulot　wrote　this　scrap　in　reply：

　　〃MY　LOVE；As　I　have　told　you；　my　wife　has　not　for　five…and…twenty
　　years　interfered　with　my　pleasures。　For　you　I　would　give　up　a
　　hundred　Adelines。I　will　be　in　the　Crevel　sanctum　at　nine　this
　　evening　awaiting　my　divinity。　Oh　that　your　clerk　might　soon　die！
　　We　should　part　no　more。　And　this　is　the　dearest　wish　of

〃YOUR　HECTOR。〃


That　evening　the　Baron　told　his　wife　that　he　had　business　with　the
Minister　at　Saint…Cloud；　that　he　would　come　home　at　about　four　or　five
in　the　morning；　and　he　went　to　the　Rue　du　Dauphin。　It　was　towards　the
end　of　the　month　of　June。

Few　men　have　in　the　course　of　their　life　known　really　the　dreadful
sensation　of　going　to　their　death；　those　who　have　returned　from　the
foot　of　the　scaffold　may　be　easily　counted。　But　some　have　had　a　vivid
experience　of　it　in　dreams；　they　have　gone　through　it　all；　to　the
sensation　of　the　knife　at　their　throat；　at　the　moment　when　waking　and
daylight　come　to　release　them。Well；　the　sensation　to　which　the
Councillor　of　State　was　a　victim　at　five　in　the　morning　in　Crevel's
handsome　and　elegant　bed；　was　immeasurably　worse　than　that　of　feeling
himself　bound　to　the　fatal　block　in　the　presence　of　ten　thousand
spectators　looking　at　you　with　twenty　thousand　sparks　of　fire。

Valerie　was　asleep　in　a　graceful　attitude。　She　was　lovely；　as　a　woman
is　who　is　lovely　enough　to　look　so　even　in　sleep。　It　is　art　invading
nature；　in　short；　a　living　picture。

In　his　horizontal　position　the　Baron's　eyes　were　but　three　feet　above
the　floor。　His　gaze；　wandering　idly；　as　that　of　a　man　who　is　just
awake　and　collecting　his　ideas；　fell　on　a　door　painted　with　flowers　by
Jan；　an　artist　disdainful　of　fame。　The　Baron　did　not　indeed　see　twenty
thousand　flaming　eyes；　like　the　man　condemned　to　death；　he　saw　but
one；　of　which　the　shaft　was　really　more　piercing　than　the　thousands　on
the　Public　Square。

Now　this　sensation；　far　rarer　in　the　midst　of　enjoyment　even　than　that
of　a　man　condemned　to　death；　was　one　for　which　many　a　splenetic
Englishman　would　certainly　pay　a　high　price。　The　Baron　lay　there；
horizontal　still；　and　literally　bathed　in　cold　sweat。　He　tried　to
doubt　the　fact；　but　this　murderous　eye　had　a　voice。　A　sound　of
whispering　was　heard　through　the　door。

〃So　long　as　it　is　nobody　but　Crevel　playing　a　trick　on　me！〃　said　the
Baron　to　himself；　only　too　certain　of　an　intruder　in　the　temple。

The　door　was　opened。　The　Majesty　of　the　French　Law；　which　in　all
documents　follows　next　to　the　King；　became　visible　in　the　person　of　a
worthy　little　police…officer　supported　by　a　tall　Justice　of　the　Peace；
both　shown　in　by　Monsieur　Marneffe。　The　police　functionary；　rooted　in
shoes　of　which　the　straps　were　tied　together　with　flapping　bows；　ended
at　top　in　a　yellow　skull　almost　bare　of　hair；　and　a　face　betraying　him
as　a　wide…awake；　cheerful；　and　cunning　dog；　from　whom　Paris　life　had
no　secrets。　His　eyes；　though　garnished　with　spectacles；　pierced　the
glasses　with　a　keen　mocking　glance。　The　Justice　of　the　Peace；　a
retired　attorney；　and　an　old　admirer　of　the　fair　sex；　envied　the
delinquent。

〃Pray　excuse　the　strong　measures　required　by　our　office；　Monsieur　le
Baron！〃　said　the　constable；　〃we　are　acting　for　the　plaintiff。　The
Justice　of　the　Peace　is　here　to　authorize　the　visitation　of　the
premises。I　know　who　you　are；　and　who　the　lady　is　who　is　accused。〃

Valerie　opened　her　astonished　eyes；　gave　such　a　shriek　as　actresses
use　to　depict　madness　on　the　stage；　writhed　in　convulsions　on　the　bed；
like　a　witch　of　the　Middle　Ages　in　her　sulphur…colored　frock　on　a　bed
of　faggots。

〃Death；　and　I　am　ready！　my　dear　Hectorbut　a　police　court？Oh！
never。〃

With　one　bound　she　passed　the　three　spectators　and　crouched　under　the
little　writing…table；　hiding　her　face　in　her　hands。

〃Ruin！　Death！〃　she　cried。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Marneffe　to　Hulot；　〃if　Madame　Marneffe　goes　mad；　you
are　worse　than　a　profligate；　you　will　be　a　murderer。〃

What　can　a　man　do；　what　can　he　say；　when　he　is　discovered　in　a　bed
which　is　not　his；　even　on　the　score　of　hiring；　with　a　woman　who　is　no
more　his　than　the　bed　is？Well；　this：

〃Monsieur　the　Justice　of　the　Peace；　Monsieur　the　Police　Officer；〃　said
the　Baron　with　some　dignity；　〃be　good　enough　to　take　proper　care　of
that　unhappy　woman；　whose　reason　seems　to　me　to　be　in　danger。You　can
harangue　me　afterwards。　The　doors　are　locked；　no　doubt；　you　need　not
fear　that　she　will　get　away；　or　I　either；　seeing　the　costume　we　wear。〃

The　two　functionaries　bowed　to　the　magnate's　injunctions。

〃You；　come　here；　miserable　cur！〃　said　Hulot　in　a　low　voice　to
Marneffe；　taking　him　by　the　arm　and　drawing　him　closer。　〃It　is　not　I；
but　you；　who　will　be　the　murderer！　You　want　to　be　head…clerk　of　your
room　and　officer　of　the　Legion　of　Honor？〃

〃That　in　the　first　place；　Chief！〃　replied　Marneffe；　with　a　bow。

〃You　shall　be　all　that；　only　soothe　your　wife　and　dismiss　these
fellows。〃

〃Nay；　nay！〃　said　Marneffe　knowingly。　〃These　gentlemen　must　draw　up
their　report　as　eyewitnesses　to　the　fact；　without　that；　the　chief
evidence　in　my　case；　where　should　I　be？　The　higher　official　ranks　are
chokeful　of　rascalities。　You　have　done　me　out　of　my　wife；　and　you　have
not　promoted　me；　Monsieur　le　Baron；　I　give　you　only　two　days　to　get
out　of　the　scrape。　Here　are　some　letters〃

〃Some　letters！〃　interrupted　Hulot。

〃Yes；　letters　which　prove　that　you　are　the　father　of　the　child　my　wife
expects　to　give　birth　to。You　understand？　And　you　ought　to　settle　on
my　son　a　sum　equal　to　what　he　will　lose　through　this　bastard。　But　I
will　be　reasonable；　this　does　not　distress　me；　I　have　no　mania　for
paternity　myself。　A　hundred　louis　a　year　will　satisfy　me。　By　to…morrow
I　must　be　Monsieur　Coquet's　successor　and　see　my　name　on　the　list　for
promotion　in　the　Legion　of　Honor　at　the　July　fetes；　or　elsethe
documentary　evidence　and　my　charge　against　you　will　be　laid　before　the
Bench。　I　am　not　so　hard　to　deal　with　after　all；　you　see。〃

〃Bless　me；　and　such　a　pretty　woman！〃　said　the　Justice　of　the　Peace　to
the　police　constable。　〃What　a　loss　to　the　world　if　she　should　go　mad！〃

〃She　is　not　mad；〃　said　the　constable　sententiously。　The　police　is
always　the　incarnation　of　scepticism。〃Monsieur　le　Baron　Hulot　has
been　caught　by　a　trick；〃　he　added；　loud　enough　for　Valerie　to　hear
him。

Valerie　shot　a　flash　from　her　eye　which　would　have　killed　him　on　the
spot　if　looks　could　effect　the　vengeance　they　express。　The　poli