cousin betty-第15节

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grasping　avarice；　his　reason　bid　him　prefer　her　iron　hand　to　the　life
of　idleness　and　peril　led　by　many　of　his　fellow…countrymen。



This　was　the　incident　that　had　given　rise　to　the　coalition　of　female
energy　and　masculine　feeblenessa　contrast　in　union　said　not　to　be
uncommon　in　Poland。

In　1833　Mademoiselle　Fischer；　who　sometimes　worked　into　the　night　when
business　was　good；　at　about　one　o'clock　one　morning　perceived　a　strong
smell　of　carbonic　acid　gas；　and　heard　the　groans　of　a　dying　man。　The
fumes　and　the　gasping　came　from　a　garret　over　the　two　rooms　forming
her　dwelling；　and　she　supposed　that　a　young　man　who　had　but　lately
come　to　lodge　in　this　atticwhich　had　been　vacant　for　three　years
was　committing　suicide。　She　ran　upstairs；　broke　in　the　door　by　a　push
with　her　peasant　strength；　and　found　the　lodger　writhing　on　a　camp…bed
in　the　convulsions　of　death。　She　extinguished　the　brazier；　the　door
was　open；　the　air　rushed　in；　and　the　exile　was　saved。　Then；　when
Lisbeth　had　put　him　to　bed　like　a　patient；　and　he　was　asleep；　she
could　detect　the　motives　of　his　suicide　in　the　destitution　of　the
rooms；　where　there　was　nothing　whatever　but　a　wretched　table；　the
camp…bed；　and　two　chairs。

On　the　table　lay　a　document；　which　she　read：

　　〃I　am　Count　Wenceslas　Steinbock；　born　at　Prelia；　in　Livonia。

　　〃No　one　is　to　be　accused　of　my　death；　my　reasons　for　killing
　　myself　are；　in　the　words　of　Kosciusko；　/Finis　Polonioe/！

　　〃The　grand…nephew　of　a　valiant　General　under　Charles　XII。　could
　　not　beg。　My　weakly　constitution　forbids　my　taking　military
　　service；　and　I　yesterday　saw　the　last　of　the　hundred　thalers　which
　　I　had　brought　with　me　from　Dresden　to　Paris。　I　have　left　twenty…
　　five　francs　in　the　drawer　of　this　table　to　pay　the　rent　I　owe　to
　　the　landlord。

　　〃My　parents　being　dead；　my　death　will　affect　nobody。　I　desire　that
　　my　countrymen　will　not　blame　the　French　Government。　I　have　never
　　registered　myself　as　a　refugee；　and　I　have　asked　for　nothing；　I
　　have　met　none　of　my　fellow…exiles；　no　one　in　Paris　knows　of　my
　　existence。

　　〃I　am　dying　in　Christian　beliefs。　May　God　forgive　the　last　of　the
　　Steinbocks！

〃WENCESLAS。〃


Mademoiselle　Fischer；　deeply　touched　by　the　dying　man's　honesty；
opened　the　drawer　and　found　the　five　five…franc　pieces　to　pay　his
rent。

〃Poor　young　man！〃　cried　she。　〃And　with　no　one　in　the　world　to　care
about　him！〃

She　went　downstairs　to　fetch　her　work；　and　sat　stitching　in　the
garret；　watching　over　the　Livonian　gentleman。

When　he　awoke　his　astonishment　may　be　imagined　on　finding　a　woman
sitting　by　his　bed；　it　was　like　the　prolongation　of　a　dream。　As　she
sat　there；　covering　aiguillettes　with　gold　thread；　the　old　maid　had
resolved　to　take　charge　of　the　poor　youth　whom　she　admired　as　he　lay
sleeping。

As　soon　as　the　young　Count　was　fully　awake；　Lisbeth　talked　to　give　him
courage；　and　questioned　him　to　find　out　how　he　might　make　a　living。
Wenceslas；　after　telling　his　story；　added　that　he　owed　his　position　to
his　acknowledged　talent　for　the　fine　arts。　He　had　always　had　a
preference　for　sculpture；　the　necessary　time　for　study　had；　however；
seemed　to　him　too　long　for　a　man　without　money；　and　at　this　moment　he
was　far　too　weak　to　do　any　hard　manual　labor　or　undertake　an　important
work　in　sculpture。　All　this　was　Greek　to　Lisbeth　Fischer。　She　replied
to　the　unhappy　man　that　Paris　offered　so　many　openings　that　any　man
with　will　and　courage　might　find　a　living　there。　A　man　of　spirit　need
never　perish　if　he　had　a　certain　stock　of　endurance。

〃I　am　but　a　poor　girl　myself；　a　peasant；　and　I　have　managed　to　make
myself　independent；〃　said　she　in　conclusion。　〃If　you　will　work　in
earnest；　I　have　saved　a　little　money；　and　I　will　lend　you；　month　by
month；　enough　to　live　upon；　but　to　live　frugally；　and　not　to　play
ducks　and　drakes　with　or　squander　in　the　streets。　You　can　dine　in
Paris　for　twenty…five　sous　a　day；　and　I　will　get　you　your　breakfast
with　mine　every　day。　I　will　furnish　your　rooms　and　pay　for　such
teaching　as　you　may　think　necessary。　You　shall　give　me　formal
acknowledgment　for　the　money　I　may　lay　out　for　you；　and　when　you　are
rich　you　shall　repay　me　all。　But　if　you　do　not　work；　I　shall　not
regard　myself　as　in　any　way　pledged　to　you；　and　I　shall　leave　you　to
your　fate。〃

〃Ah！〃　cried　the　poor　fellow；　still　smarting　from　the　bitterness　of　his
first　struggle　with　death；　〃exiles　from　every　land　may　well　stretch
out　their　hands　to　France；　as　the　souls　in　Purgatory　do　to　Paradise。
In　what　other　country　is　such　help　to　be　found；　and　generous　hearts
even　in　such　a　garret　as　this？　You　will　be　everything　to　me；　my
beloved　benefactress；　I　am　your　slave！　Be　my　sweetheart；〃　he　added；
with　one　of　the　caressing　gestures　familiar　to　the　Poles；　for　which
they　are　unjustly　accused　of　servility。

〃Oh；　no；　I　am　too　jealous；　I　should　make　you　unhappy；　but　I　will
gladly　be　a　sort　of　comrade；〃　replied　Lisbeth。

〃Ah；　if　only　you　knew　how　I　longed　for　some　fellow…creature；　even　a
tyrant；　who　would　have　something　to　say　to　me　when　I　was　struggling　in
the　vast　solitude　of　Paris！〃　exclaimed　Wenceslas。　〃I　regretted
Siberia；　whither　I　should　be　sent　by　the　Emperor　if　I　went　home。Be
my　Providence！I　will　work；　I　will　be　a　better　man　than　I　am；　though
I　am　not　such　a　bad　fellow！〃

〃Will　you　do　whatever　I　bid　you？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　will　adopt　you　as　my　child；〃　said　she　lightly。　〃Here　I
am　with　a　son　risen　from　the　grave。　Come！　we　will　begin　at　once。　I
will　go　out　and　get　what　I　want；　you　can　dress；　and　come　down　to
breakfast　with　me　when　I　knock　on　the　ceiling　with　the　broomstick。〃

That　day；　Mademoiselle　Fischer　made　some　inquiries；　at　the　houses　to
which　she　carried　her　work　home；　as　to　the　business　of　a　sculptor。　By
dint　of　many　questions　she　ended　by　hearing　of　the　studio　kept　by
Florent　and　Chanor；　a　house　that　made　a　special　business　of　casting
and　finishing　decorative　bronzes　and　handsome　silver　plate。　Thither
she　went　with　Steinbock；　recommending　him　as　an　apprentice　in
sculpture；　an　idea　that　was　regarded　as　too　eccentric。　Their　business
was　to　copy　the　works　of　the　greatest　artists；　but　they　did　not　teach
the　craft。　The　old　maid's　persistent　obstinacy　so　far　succeeded　that
Steinbock　was　taken　on　to　design　ornament。　He　very　soon　learned　to
model　ornament；　and　invented　novelties；　he　had　a　gift　for　it。

Five　months　after　he　was　out　of　his　apprenticeship　as　a　finisher；　he
made　acquaintance　with　Stidmann；　the　famous　head　of　Florent's　studios。
Within　twenty　months　Wenceslas　was　ahead　of　his　master；　but　in　thirty
months　the　old　maid's　savings　of　sixteen　years　had　melted　entirely。
Two　thousand　five　hundred　francs　in　gold！a　sum　with　which　she　had
intended　to　purchase　an　annuity；　and　what　was　there　to　show　for　it？　A
Pole's　receipt！　And　at　this　moment　Lisbeth　was　working　as　hard　as　in
her　young　days　to　supply　the　needs　of　her　Livonian。

When　she　found　herself　the　possessor　of　a　piece　of　paper　instead　of
her　gold　louis；　she　lost　her　head；　and　went　to　consult　Monsieur　Rivet；
who　for　fifteen　years　had　been　his　clever　head…worker's　friend　and
counselor。　On　hearing　her　story；　Monsieur　and　Madame　Rivet　scolded
Lisbeth；　told　her　she　was　crazy；　abused　all　refugees　whose　plots　for
reconstructing　their　nation　compromised　the　prosperity　of　the　country
and　the　maintenance　of　peace；　and　they　urged　Lisbeth　to　find　what　in
trade　is　called　security。

〃The　only　hold　you　have　over　this　fellow　is　on　his　liberty；〃　observed
Monsieur　Rivet。

Monsieur　Achille　Rivet　was　assessor　at　the　Tribunal　of　Commerce。

〃Imprisonment　is　no　joke　for　a　foreigner；〃　said　he。　〃A　Frenchman
remains　five　years　in　prison　and　comes　out；　free　of　his　debts　to　be
sure；　for　he　is　thenceforth　bound　only　by　his　conscience；　and　that
never　troubles　him；　but　a　foreigner　never　comes　out。Give　me　your
promissory　note；　my　bookkeeper　will　take　it　up；　he　will　get　it
protested；　you　will　both　be　prosecuted　and　both　be　condemned　to
imprisonment　in　default　of　payment；　then；　when　everything　is　in　due
form；　you　must　sign　a　declaration。　By　doing　this　your　interest　will　be
accumulating；　and　you　will　have　a　pistol　always　primed　to　fire　at　your
Pole！〃

The　old　maid　allowed　these　legal　steps　to　be　taken；　telling　her
protege　not　to　be　uneasy；　as　the　proceedings　were　merely　to　afford　a
guarantee　to　a　money…lender　who　agreed　to　advance　them　certain　sums。
This　subterfuge　was　due　to　the　inventive　genius　of　Monsieur　Rivet。　The
guileless　artist；　blindly　trusting　to　his　benefactress；　lighted　his
pipe　with　the　stamped　paper；　for　he　smoked　as　all　men　do　who　have
sorrows　or　energies　that　need　soothing。

One　fine　day　Monsieur　Rivet　showed　Mademoiselle　Fischer　a　schedule；
and　said　to　her：

〃Here　you　have　Wenceslas　Steinbock　bound　hand　and　foot；　and　so
effectually；　that　within　twenty…four　hours　you　can　have　him　snug　in
Clichy　for　the　rest　of　his　days。〃

This　worthy　and　honest　judge　at　the　Chamber　of　Commerce　experienced
that　day　the　satisfaction　that　must　come　of　having　done　a　malignant
good　action。　Beneficence　has　so　many　aspects　in　Paris　that　this
contradictory　expression　really　represents　one　of　them。　The　Livonian
being　fairly　entangled　in　the　toil