cousin betty-第86部分

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are　always　repellent；　like　a　badly　treated　disease。　And　your　virtue
has　grown　very　mouldy；　my　dear　child。　But　you　shall　see　how　much　I
love　you。　I　will　manage　to　get　you　your　two　hundred　thousand　francs。〃

Adeline；　incapable　of　uttering　a　word；　seized　his　hand　and　laid　it　on
her　heart；　a　tear　of　joy　trembled　in　her　eyes。

〃Oh！　don't　be　in　a　hurry；　there　will　be　some　hard　pulling。　I　am　a
jolly　good　fellow；　a　good　soul　with　no　prejudices；　and　I　will　put
things　plainly　to　you。　You　want　to　do　as　Valerie　doesvery　good。　But
that　is　not　all；　you　must　have　a　gull；　a　stockholder；　a　Hulot。Well；
I　know　a　retired　tradesmanin　fact；　a　hosier。　He　is　heavy；　dull；　has
not　an　idea；　I　am　licking　him　into　shape；　but　I　don't　know　when　he
will　do　me　credit。　My　man　is　a　deputy；　stupid　and　conceited；　the
tyranny　of　a　turbaned　wife；　in　the　depths　of　the　country；　has
preserved　him　in　a　state　of　utter　virginity　as　to　the　luxury　and
pleasures　of　Paris　life。　But　Beauvisagehis　name　is　Beauvisageis　a
millionaire；　and；　like　me；　my　dear；　three　years　ago；　he　will　give　a
hundred　thousand　crowns　to　be　the　lover　of　a　real　lady。Yes；　you
see；〃　he　went　on；　misunderstanding　a　gesture　on　Adeline's　part；　〃he　is
jealous　of　me；　you　understand；　jealous　of　my　happiness　with　Madame
Marneffe；　and　he　is　a　fellow　quite　capable　of　selling　an　estate　to
purchase　a〃

〃Enough；　Monsieur　Crevel！〃　said　Madame　Hulot；　no　longer　controlling
her　disgust；　and　showing　all　her　shame　in　her　face。　〃I　am　punished
beyond　my　deserts。　My　conscience；　so　sternly　repressed　by　the　iron
hand　of　necessity；　tells　me；　at　this　final　insult；　that　such
sacrifices　are　impossible。My　pride　is　gone；　I　do　not　say　now；　as　I
did　the　first　time；　'Go！'　after　receiving　this　mortal　thrust。　I　have
lost　the　right　to　do　so。　I　have　flung　myself　before　you　like　a
prostitute。

〃Yes；〃　she　went　on；　in　reply　to　a　negative　on　Crevel's　part；　〃I　have
fouled　my　life；　till　now　so　pure；　by　a　degrading　thought；　and　I　am
inexcusable！I　know　it！I　deserve　every　insult　you　can　offer　me！
God's　will　be　done！　If；　indeed；　He　desires　the　death　of　two　creatures
worthy　to　appear　before　Him；　they　must　die！　I　shall　mourn　them；　and
pray　for　them！　If　it　is　His　will　that　my　family　should　be　humbled　to
the　dust；　we　must　bow　to　His　avenging　sword；　nay；　and　kiss　it；　since
we　are　Christians。I　know　how　to　expiate　this　disgrace；　which　will　be
the　torment　of　all　my　remaining　days。

〃I　who　speak　to　you；　monsieur；　am　not　Madame　Hulot；　but　a　wretched；
humble　sinner；　a　Christian　whose　heart　henceforth　will　know　but　one
feeling；　and　that　is　repentance；　all　my　time　given　up　to　prayer　and
charity。　With　such　a　sin　on　my　soul；　I　am　the　last　of　women；　the　first
only　of　penitents。You　have　been　the　means　of　bringing　me　to　a　right
mind；　I　can　hear　the　Voice　of　God　speaking　within　me；　and　I　can　thank
you！〃

She　was　shaking　with　the　nervous　trembling　which　from　that　hour　never
left　her。　Her　low；　sweet　tones　were　quite　unlike　the　fevered　accents
of　the　woman　who　was　ready　for　dishonor　to　save　her　family。　The　blood
faded　from　her　cheeks；　her　face　was　colorless；　and　her　eyes　were　dry。

〃And　I　played　my　part　very　badly；　did　I　not？〃　she　went　on；　looking　at
Crevel　with　the　sweetness　that　martyrs　must　have　shown　in　their　eyes
as　they　looked　up　at　the　Proconsul。　〃True　love；　the　sacred　love　of　a
devoted　woman；　gives　other　pleasures；　no　doubt；　than　those　that　are
bought　in　the　open　market！But　why　so　many　words？〃　said　she；　suddenly
bethinking　herself；　and　advancing　a　step　further　in　the　way　to
perfection。　〃They　sound　like　irony；　but　I　am　not　ironical！　Forgive　me。
Besides；　monsieur；　I　did　not　want　to　hurt　any　one　but　myself〃

The　dignity　of　virtue　and　its　holy　flame　had　expelled　the　transient
impurity　of　the　woman　who；　splendid　in　her　own　peculiar　beauty；　looked
taller　in　Crevel's　eyes。　Adeline　had；　at　this　moment；　the　majesty　of
the　figures　of　Religion　clinging　to　the　Cross；　as　painted　by　the　old
Venetians；　but　she　expressed；　too；　the　immensity　of　her　love　and　the
grandeur　of　the　Catholic　Church；　to　which　she　flew　like　a　wounded
dove。

Crevel　was　dazzled；　astounded。

〃Madame；　I　am　your　slave；　without　conditions；〃　said　he；　in　an
inspiration　of　generosity。　〃We　will　look　into　this　matterand
whatever　you　wantthe　impossible　evenI　will　do。　I　will　pledge　my
securities　at　the　Bank；　and　in　two　hours　you　shall　have　the　money。〃

〃Good　God！　a　miracle！〃　said　poor　Adeline；　falling　on　her　knees。

She　prayed　to　Heaven　with　such　fervor　as　touched　Crevel　deeply；　Madame
Hulot　saw　that　he　had　tears　in　his　eyes　when；　having　ended　her　prayer；
she　rose　to　her　feet。

〃Be　a　friend　to　me；　monsieur；〃　said　she。　〃Your　heart　is　better　than
your　words　and　conduct。　God　gave　you　your　soul；　your　passions　and　the
world　have　given　you　your　ideas。　Oh；　I　will　love　you　truly；〃　she
exclaimed；　with　an　angelic　tenderness　in　strange　contrast　with　her
attempts　at　coquettish　trickery。

〃But　cease　to　tremble　so；〃　said　Crevel。

〃Am　I　trembling？〃　said　the　Baroness；　unconscious　of　the　infirmity　that
had　so　suddenly　come　upon　her。

〃Yes；　why；　look；〃　said　Crevel；　taking　Adeline　by　the　arm　and　showing
her　that　she　was　shaking　with　nervousness。　〃Come；　madame；〃　he　added
respectfully；　〃compose　yourself；　I　am　going　to　the　Bank　at　once。〃

〃And　come　back　quickly！　Remember；〃　she　added；　betraying　all　her
secrets；　〃that　the　first　point　is　to　prevent　the　suicide　of　our　poor
Uncle　Fischer　involved　by　my　husbandfor　I　trust　you　now；　and　I　am
telling　you　everything。　Oh；　if　we　should　not　be　on　time；　I　know　my
brother…in…law；　the　Marshal；　and　he　has　such　a　delicate　soul；　that　he
would　die　of　it　in　a　few　days。〃

〃I　am　off；　then；〃　said　Crevel；　kissing　the　Baroness'　hand。　〃But　what
has　that　unhappy　Hulot　done？〃

〃He　has　swindled　the　Government。〃

〃Good　Heavens！　I　fly；　madame；　I　understand；　I　admire　you！〃

Crevel　bent　one　knee；　kissed　Madame　Hulot's　skirt；　and　vanished；
saying；　〃You　will　see　me　soon。〃

Unluckily；　on　his　way　from　the　Rue　Plumet　to　his　own　house；　to　fetch
the　securities；　Crevel　went　along　the　Rue　Vanneau；　and　he　could　not
resist　going　in　to　see　his　little　Duchess。　His　face　still　bore　an
agitated　expression。

He　went　straight　into　Valerie's　room；　who　was　having　her　hair　dressed。
She　looked　at　Crevel　in　her　glass；　and；　like　every　woman　of　that　sort；
was　annoyed；　before　she　knew　anything　about　it；　to　see　that　he　was
moved　by　some　strong　feeling　of　which　she　was　not　the　cause。

〃What　is　the　matter；　my　dear？〃　said　she。　〃Is　that　a　face　to　bring　in
to　your　little　Duchess？　I　will　not　be　your　Duchess　any　more；　monsieur；
no　more　than　I　will　be　your　'little　duck；'　you　old　monster。〃

Crevel　replied　by　a　melancholy　smile　and　a　glance　at　the　maid。

〃Reine；　child；　that　will　do　for　to…day；　I　can　finish　my　hair　myself。
Give　me　my　Chinese　wrapper；　my　gentleman　seems　to　me　out　of　sorts。〃

Reine；　whose　face　was　pitted　like　a　colander；　and　who　seemed　to　have
been　made　on　purpose　to　wait　on　Valerie；　smiled　meaningly　in　reply；
and　brought　the　dressing…gown。　Valerie　took　off　her　combing…wrapper；
she　was　in　her　shift；　and　she　wriggled　into　the　dressing…gown　like　a
snake　into　a　clump　of　grass。

〃Madame　is　not　at　home？〃

〃What