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cousin betty-第85部分

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first State ledger;〃 he went on。 〃You; my Adeline; have not gone
beyond the Rue Plumet。 The Egyptians had lent enormous sums to the
Hebrews; and what they ran after was not God's people; but their
capital。〃

He looked at the Baroness with an expression which said; 〃How clever I
am!〃

〃You know nothing of the devotion of every city man to his sacred
hoard!〃 he went on; after a pause。 〃Excuse me。 Listen to me。 Get this
well into your head。You want two hundred thousand francs? No one can
produce the sum without selling some security。 Now consider! To have
two hundred thousand francs in hard cash it would be needful to sell
about seven hundred thousand francs' worth of stock at three per cent。
Well; and then you would only get the money on the third day。 That is
the quickest way。 To persuade a man to part with a fortunefor two
hundred thousand francs is the whole fortune of many a manhe ought
at least to know where it is all going to; and for what purpose〃

〃It is going; my dear kind Crevel; to save the lives of two men; one
of whom will die of grief and the other will kill himself! And to save
me too from going mad! Am I not a little mad already?〃

〃Not so mad!〃 said he; taking Madame Hulot round the knees; 〃old
Crevel has his price; since you thought of applying to him; my angel。〃

〃They submit to have a man's arms round their knees; it would seem!〃
thought the saintly woman; covering her face with her hands。

〃Once you offered me a fortune!〃 said she; turning red。

〃Ay; mother! but that was three years ago!〃 replied Crevel。 〃Well; you
are handsomer now than ever I saw you!〃 he went on; taking the
Baroness' arm and pressing it to his heart。 〃You have a good memory;
my dear; by Jove!And now you see how wrong you were to be so
prudish; for those three hundred thousand francs that you refused so
magnanimously are in another woman's pocket。 I loved you then; I love
you still; but just look back these three years。

〃When I said to you; 'You shall be mine;' what object had I in view? I
meant to be revenged on that rascal Hulot。 But your husband; my
beauty; found himself a mistressa jewel of a woman; a pearl; a
cunning hussy then aged three…and…twenty; for she is six…and…twenty
now。 It struck me as more amusing; more complete; more Louis XV。; more
Marechal de Richelieu; more first…class altogether; to filch away that
charmer; who; in point of fact; never cared for Hulot; and who for
these three years has been madly in love with your humble servant。〃

As he spoke; Crevel; from whose hands the Baroness had released her
own; had resumed his favorite attitude; both thumbs were stuck into
his armholes; and he was patting his ribs with his fingers; like two
flapping wings; fancying that he was thus making himself very
attractive and charming。 It was as much as to say; 〃And this is the
man you would have nothing to say to!〃

〃There you are my dear; I had my revenge; and your husband knows it。 I
proved to him clearly that he was basketedjust where he was before;
as we say。 Madame Marneffe is my mistress; and when her precious
Marneffe kicks the bucket; she will be my wife。〃

Madame Hulot stared at Crevel with a fixed and almost dazed look。

〃Hector knew it?〃 she said。

〃And went back to her;〃 replied Crevel。 〃And I allowed it; because
Valerie wished to be the wife of a head…clerk; but she promised me
that she would manage things so that our Baron should be so
effectually bowled over that he can never interfere any more。 And my
little duchessfor that woman is a born duchess; on my soul!kept
her word。 She restores you your Hector; madame; virtuous in
perpetuity; as she saysshe is so witty! He has had a good lesson; I
can tell you! The Baron has had some hard knocks; he will help no more
actresses or fine ladies; he is radically cured; cleaned out like a
beer…glass。

〃If you had listened to Crevel in the first instance; instead of
scorning him and turning him out of the house; you might have had four
hundred thousand francs; for my revenge has cost me all of that。But
I shall get my change back; I hope; when Marneffe diesI have
invested in a wife; you see; that is the secret of my extravagance。 I
have solved the problem of playing the lord on easy terms。〃

〃Would you give your daughter such a mother…in…law? cried Madame
Hulot。

〃You do not know Valerie; madame;〃 replied Crevel gravely; striking
the attitude of his first manner。 〃She is a woman with good blood in
her veins; a lady; and a woman who enjoys the highest consideration。
Why; only yesterday the vicar of the parish was dining with her。 She
is pious; and we have presented a splendid monstrance to the church。

〃Oh! she is clever; she is witty; she is delightful; well informed
she has everything in her favor。 For my part; my dear Adeline; I owe
everything to that charming woman; she has opened my mind; polished my
speech; as you may have noticed; she corrects my impetuosity; and
gives me words and ideas。 I never say anything now that I ought not。 I
have greatly improved; you must have noticed it。 And then she has
encouraged my ambition。 I shall be a Deputy; and I shall make no
blunders; for I shall consult my Egeria。 Every great politician; from
Numa to our present Prime Minister; has had his Sibyl of the fountain。
A score of deputies visit Valerie; she is acquiring considerable
influence; and now that she is about to be established in a charming
house; with a carriage; she will be one of the occult rulers of Paris。

〃A fine locomotive! That is what such a woman is。 Oh; I have blessed
you many a time for your stern virtue。〃

〃It is enough to make one doubt the goodness of God!〃 cried Adeline;
whose indignation had dried her tears。 〃But; no! Divine justice must
be hanging over her head。〃

〃You know nothing of the world; my beauty;〃 said the great politician;
deeply offended。 〃The world; my Adeline; loves success! Say; now; has
it come to seek out your sublime virtue; priced at two hundred
thousand francs?〃

The words made Madame Hulot shudder; the nervous trembling attacked
her once more。 She saw that the ex…perfumer was taking a mean revenge
on her as he had on Hulot; she felt sick with disgust; and a spasm
rose to her throat; hindering speech。

〃Money!〃 she said at last。 〃Always money!〃

〃You touched me deeply;〃 said Crevel; reminded by these words of the
woman's humiliation; 〃when I beheld you there; weeping at my feet!
You perhaps will not believe me; but if I had my pocket…book about me;
it would have been yours。Come; do you really want such a sum?〃

As she heard this question; big with two hundred thousand francs;
Adeline forgot the odious insults heaped on her by this cheap…jack
fine gentleman; before the tempting picture of success described by
Machiavelli…Crevel; who only wanted to find out her secrets and laugh
over them with Valerie。

〃Oh! I will do anything; everything;〃 cried the unhappy woman。
〃Monsieur; I will sell myselfI will be a Valerie; if I must。〃

〃You will find that difficult;〃 replied Crevel。 〃Valerie is a
masterpiece in her way。 My good mother; twenty…five years of virtue
are always repellent; like a badly treated disease。 And your virt
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