cousin betty-第94部分

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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　Victorin　paused。

〃To　your　mother；〃　the　Baron　repeated。　〃You　are　right；　my　son。〃

〃The　rooms　over　ours　in　our　wing；〃　said　Celestine；　finishing　her
husband's　sentence。

〃I　am　in　your　way；　my　dears？〃　said　the　Baron；　with　the　mildness　of　a
man　who　has　judged　himself。　〃But　do　not　be　uneasy　as　to　the　future；
you　will　have　no　further　cause　for　complaint　of　your　father；　you　will
not　see　him　till　the　time　when　you　need　no　longer　blush　for　him。〃

He　went　up　to　Hortense　and　kissed　her　brow。　He　opened　his　arms　to　his
son；　who　rushed　into　his　embrace；　guessing　his　father's　purpose。　The
Baron　signed　to　Lisbeth；　who　came　to　him；　and　he　kissed　her　forehead。
Then　he　went　to　his　room；　whither　Adeline　followed　him　in　an　agony　of
dread。

〃My　brother　was　quite　right；　Adeline；〃　he　said；　holding　her　hand。　〃I
am　unworthy　of　my　home　life。　I　dared　not　bless　my　children；　who　have
behaved　so　nobly；　but　in　my　heart；　tell　them　that　I　could　only　venture
to　kiss　them；　for　the　blessing　of　a　bad　man；　a　father　who　has　been　an
assassin　and　the　scourge　of　his　family　instead　of　its　protector　and
its　glory；　might　bring　evil　on　them；　but　assure　them　that　I　shall
bless　them　every　day。As　to　you；　God　alone；　for　He　is　Almighty；　can
ever　reward　you　according　to　your　merits！I　can　only　ask　your
forgiveness！〃　and　he　knelt　at　her　feet；　taking　her　hands　and　wetting
them　with　his　tears。

〃Hector；　Hector！　Your　sins　have　been　great；　but　Divine　Mercy　is
infinite；　and　you　may　repair　all　by　staying　with　me。Rise　up　in
Christian　charity；　my　dearI　am　your　wife；　and　not　your　judge。　I　am
your　possession；　do　what　you　will　with　me；　take　me　wherever　you　go；　I
feel　strong　enough　comfort　you；　to　make　life　endurable　to　you；　by　the
strength　of　my　love；　my　care；　and　respect。Our　children　are　settled
in　life；　they　need　me　no　more。　Let　me　try　to　be　an　amusement　to　you；
an　occupation。　Let　me　share　the　pain　of　your　banishment　and　of　your
poverty；　and　help　to　mitigate　it。　I　could　always　be　of　some　use；　if　it
were　only　to　save　the　expense　of　a　servant。〃

〃Can　you　forgive；　my　dearly…beloved　Adeline？〃

〃Yes；　only　get　up；　my　dear！〃

〃Well；　with　that　forgiveness　I　can　live；〃　said　he；　rising　to　his　feet。
〃I　came　back　into　this　room　that　my　children　should　not　see　their
father's　humiliation。　Oh！　the　sight　constantly　before　their　eyes　of　a
father　so　guilty　as　I　am　is　a　terrible　thing；　it　must　undermine
parental　influence　and　break　every　family　tie。　So　I　cannot　remain
among　you；　and　I　must　go　to　spare　you　the　odious　spectacle　of　a　father
bereft　of　dignity。　Do　not　oppose　my　departure　Adeline。　It　would　only
be　to　load　with　your　own　hand　the　pistol　to　blow　my　brains　out。　Above
all；　do　not　seek　me　in　my　hiding…place；　you　would　deprive　me　of　the
only　strong　motive　remaining　in　me；　that　of　remorse。〃

Hector's　decisiveness　silenced　his　dejected　wife。　Adeline；　lofty　in
the　midst　of　all　this　ruin；　had　derived　her　courage　from　her　perfect
union　with　her　husband；　for　she　had　dreamed　of　having　him　for　her　own；
of　the　beautiful　task　of　comforting　him；　of　leading　him　back　to　family
life；　and　reconciling　him　to　himself。

〃But；　Hector；　would　you　leave　me　to　die　of　despair；　anxiety；　and
alarms！〃　said　she；　seeing　herself　bereft　of　the　mainspring　of　her
strength。

〃I　will　come　back　to　you；　dear　angelsent　from　Heaven　expressly　for
me；　I　believe。　I　will　come　back；　if　not　rich；　at　least　with　enough　to
live　in　ease。Listen；　my　sweet　Adeline；　I　cannot　stay　here　for　many
reasons。　In　the　first　place；　my　pension　of　six　thousand　francs　is
pledged　for　four　years；　so　I　have　nothing。　That　is　not　all。　I　shall　be
committed　to　prison　within　a　few　days　in　consequence　of　the　bills　held
by　Vauvinet。　So　I　must　keep　out　of　the　way　until　my　son；　to　whom　I
will　give　full　instructions；　shall　have　bought　in　the　bills。　My
disappearance　will　facilitate　that。　As　soon　as　my　pension　is　my　own；
and　Vauvinet　is　paid　off；　I　will　return　to　you。You　would　be　sure　to
let　out　the　secret　of　my　hiding…place。　Be　calm；　do　not　cry；　Adeline
it　is　only　for　a　month〃

〃Where　will　you　go？　What　will　you　do？　What　will　become　of　you？　Who
will　take　care　of　you　now　that　you　are　no　longer　young？　Let　me　go　with
youwe　will　go　abroad〃　said　she。

〃Well；　well；　we　will　see；〃　he　replied。

The　Baron　rang　and　ordered　Mariette　to　collect　all　his　things　and　pack
them　quickly　and　secretly。　Then；　after　embracing　his　wife　with　a
warmth　of　affection　to　which　she　was　unaccustomed；　he　begged　her　to
leave　him　alone　for　a　few　minutes　while　he　wrote　his　instructions　for
Victorin；　promising　that　he　would　not　leave　the　house　till　dark；　or
without　her。

As　soon　as　the　Baroness　was　in　the　drawing…room；　the　cunning　old　man
stole　out　through　the　dressing…closet　to　the　anteroom；　and　went　away；
giving　Mariette　a　slip　of　paper；　on　which　was　written；　〃Address　my
trunks　to　go　by　railway　to　Corbeilto　Monsieur　Hector；　cloak…room；
Corbeil。〃

The　Baron　jumped　into　a　hackney　coach；　and　was　rushing　across　Paris　by
the　time　Mariette　came　to　give　the　Baroness　this　note；　and　say　that
her　master　had　gone　out。　Adeline　flew　back　into　her　room；　trembling
more　violently　than　ever；　her　children　followed　on　hearing　her　give　a
piercing　cry。　They　found　her　in　a　dead　faint；　and　they　put　her　to　bed；
for　she　was　seized　by　a　nervous　fever　which　held　her　for　a　month
between　life　and　death。

〃Where　is　he？〃　was　the　only　thing　she　would　say。

Victorin　sought　for　him　in　vain。

And　this　is　why。　The　Baron　had　driven　to　the　Place　du　Palais　Royal。
There　this　man；　who　had　recovered　all　his　wits　to　work　out　a　scheme
which　he　had　premeditated　during　the　days　he　had　spent　crushed　with
pain　and　grief；　crossed　the　Palais　Royal　on　foot；　and　took　a　handsome
carriage　from　a　livery…stable　in　the　Rue　Joquelet。　In　obedience　to　his
orders；　the　coachman　went　to　the　Rue　de　la　Ville　l'Eveque；　and　into
the　courtyard　of　Josepha's　mansion；　the　gates　opening　at　once　at　the
call　of　the　driver　of　such　a　splendid　vehicle。　Josepha　came　out；
prompted　by　curiosity；　for　her　man…servant　had　told　her　that　a
helpless　old　gentleman；　unable　to　get　out　of　his　carriage；　begged　her
to　come　to　him　for　a　moment。

〃Josepha！it　is　I〃

The　singer　recognized　her　Hulot　only　by　his　voice。

〃What？　you；　poor　old　man？On　my　honor；　you　look　like　a　twenty…franc
piece　that　the　Jews　have　sweated　and　the　money…changers　refuse。〃

〃Alas；　yes；〃　replied　Hulot；　〃I　am　snatched　from　the　jaws　of　death！　But
you　are　as　lovely　as　ever。　Will　you　be　kind？〃

〃That　depends；〃　said　she；　〃everything　is　relative。〃

〃Listen；〃　said　Hulot；　〃can　you　put　me　up　for　a　few　days　in　a　servant's
room　under　the　roof？　I　have　nothingnot　a　farthing；　not　a　hope；　no
food；　no　pension；　no　wife；　no　children；　no　roof　over　my　head；　without
honor；　without　courage；　without　a　friend；　and　worse　than　all　that；
liable　to　imprisonment　for　not　meeting　a　bill。〃

〃Poor　old　fellow！　you　are　without　most　things。Are　you　also　/sans
culotte/？〃

〃You　laugh　at　me！　I　am　done　for；〃　cried　the　Baron。　〃And　I　counted　on
you　as　Gourville　did　on　Ninon。〃

〃And　it　was　a　'real　lady；'　I　am