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cousin betty-第93部分

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wife; to sell a bond for certain funds of which she at present holds
only the reversion。You; Mademoiselle Fischer; will agree to this
sale; thus losing your life interest in the securities。〃

〃Yes; dear Count;〃 said Lisbeth without hesitation。

〃Good; my dear;〃 said the old soldier。 〃I hope I may live to reward
you。 But I did not doubt you; you are a true Republican; a daughter of
the people。〃 He took the old maid's hand and kissed it。

〃Monsieur Hannequin;〃 he went on; speaking to the notary; 〃draw up the
necessary document in the form of a power of attorney; and let me have
it within two hours; so that I may sell the stock on the Bourse
to…day。 My niece; the Countess; holds the security; she will be here
to sign the power of attorney when you bring it; and so will
mademoiselle。 Monsieur le Comte will be good enough to go with you and
sign it at your office。〃

The artist; at a nod from Lisbeth; bowed respectfully to the Marshal
and went away。

Next morning; at ten o'clock; the Comte de Forzheim sent in to
announce himself to the Prince; and was at once admitted。

〃Well; my dear Hulot;〃 said the Prince; holding out the newspapers to
his old friend; 〃we have saved appearances; you see。Read。〃

Marshal Hulot laid the papers on his comrade's table; and held out to
him the two hundred thousand francs。

〃Here is the money of which my brother robbed the State;〃 said he。

〃What madness!〃 cried the Minister。 〃It is impossible;〃 he said into
the speaking…trumpet handed to him by the Marshal; 〃to manage this
restitution。 We should be obliged to declare your brother's dishonest
dealings; and we have done everything to hide them。〃

〃Do what you like with the money; but the family shall not owe one sou
of its fortune to a robbery on the funds of the State;〃 said the
Count。

〃I will take the King's commands in the matter。 We will discuss it no
further;〃 replied the Prince; perceiving that it would be impossible
to conquer the old man's sublime obstinacy on the point。

〃Good…bye; Cottin;〃 said the old soldier; taking the Prince's hand。 〃I
feel as if my soul were frozen〃

Then; after going a step towards the door; he turned round; looked at
the Prince; and seeing that he was deeply moved; he opened his arms to
clasp him in them; the two old soldiers embraced each other。

〃I feel as if I were taking leave of the whole of the old army in
you;〃 said the Count。

〃Good…bye; my good old comrade!〃 said the Minister。

〃Yes; it is good…bye; for I am going where all our brave men are for
whom we have mourned〃

Just then Claude Vignon was shown in。 The two relics of the Napoleonic
phalanx bowed gravely to each other; effacing every trace of emotion。

〃You have; I hope; been satisfied by the papers;〃 said the Master of
Appeals…elect。 〃I contrived to let the Opposition papers believe that
they were letting out our secrets。〃

〃Unfortunately; it is all in vain;〃 replied the Minister; watching
Hulot as he left the room。 〃I have just gone through a leave…taking
that has been a great grief to me。 For; indeed; Marshal Hulot has not
three days to live; I saw that plainly enough yesterday。 That man; one
of those honest souls that are above proof; a soldier respected by the
bullets in spite of his valor; received his death…blowthere; in that
armchairand dealt by my hand; in a letter!Ring and order my
carriage。 I must go to Neuilly;〃 said he; putting the two hundred
thousand francs into his official portfolio。



Notwithstanding Lisbeth's nursing; Marshal Hulot three days later was
a dead man。 Such men are the glory of the party they support。 To
Republicans; the Marshal was the ideal of patriotism; and they all
attended his funeral; which was followed by an immense crowd。 The
army; the State officials; the Court; and the populace all came to do
homage to this lofty virtue; this spotless honesty; this immaculate
glory。 Such a last tribute of the people is not a thing to be had for
the asking。

This funeral was distinguished by one of those tributes of delicate
feeling; of good taste; and sincere respect which from time to time
remind us of the virtues and dignity of the old French nobility。
Following the Marshal's bier came the old Marquis de Montauran; the
brother of him who; in the great rising of the Chouans in 1799; had
been the foe; the luckless foe; of Hulot。 That Marquis; killed by the
balls of the 〃Blues;〃 had confided the interests of his young brother
to the Republican soldier。 (See /Les Chouans/。) Hulot had so
faithfully acted on the noble Royalist's verbal will; that he
succeeded in saving the young man's estates; though he himself was at
the time an emigre。 And so the homage of the old French nobility was
not wanting to the leader who; nine years since; had conquered MADAME。

This death; happening just four days before the banns were cried for
the last time; came upon Lisbeth like the thunderbolt that burns the
garnered harvest with the barn。 The peasant of Lorraine; as often
happens; had succeeded too well。 The Marshal had died of the blows
dealt to the family by herself and Madame Marneffe。

The old maid's vindictiveness; which success seemed to have somewhat
mollified; was aggravated by this disappointment of her hopes。 Lisbeth
went; crying with rage; to Madame Marneffe; for she was homeless; the
Marshal having agreed that his lease was at any time to terminate with
his life。 Crevel; to console Valerie's friend; took charge of her
savings; added to them considerably; and invested the capital in five
per cents; giving her the life interest; and putting the securities
into Celestine's name。 Thanks to this stroke of business; Lisbeth had
an income of about two thousand francs。

When the Marshal's property was examined and valued; a note was found;
addressed to his sister…in…law; to his niece Hortense; and to his
nephew Victorin; desiring that they would pay among them an annuity of
twelve hundred francs to Mademoiselle Lisbeth Fischer; who was to have
been his wife。

Adeline; seeing her husband between life and death; succeeded for some
days in hiding from him the fact of his brother's death; but Lisbeth
came; in mourning; and the terrible truth was told him eleven days
after the funeral。

The crushing blow revived the sick man's energies。 He got up; found
his family collected in the drawing…room; all in black; and suddenly
silent as he came in。 In a fortnight; Hulot; as lean as a spectre;
looked to his family the mere shadow of himself。

〃I must decide on something;〃 said he in a husky voice; as he seated
himself in an easy…chair; and looked round at the party; of whom
Crevel and Steinbock were absent。

〃We cannot stay here; the rent is too high;〃 Hortense was saying just
as her father came in。

〃As to a home;〃 said Victorin; breaking the painful silence; 〃I can
offer my mother〃

As he heard these words; which excluded him; the Baron raised his
head; which was sunk on his breast as though he were studying the
pattern of the carpet; though he did not even see it; and he gave the
young lawyer an appealing look。 The rights of a father are so
indefeasibly sacred; even when he is a villain and devoid of honor;
that V
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