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