cousin betty-第16节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


contradictory　expression　really　represents　one　of　them。　The　Livonian
being　fairly　entangled　in　the　toils　of　commercial　procedure；　the　point
was　to　obtain　payment；　for　the　illustrious　tradesman　looked　on
Wenceslas　as　a　swindler。　Feeling；　sincerity；　poetry；　were　in　his　eyes
mere　folly　in　business　matters。

So　Rivet　went　off　to　see；　in　behalf　of　that　poor　Mademoiselle　Fischer；
who；　as　he　said；　had　been　〃done〃　by　the　Pole；　the　rich　manufacturers
for　whom　Steinbock　had　worked。　It　happened　that　Stidmannwho；　with
the　help　of　these　distinguished　masters　of　the　goldsmiths'　art；　was
raising　French　work　to　the　perfection　it　has　now　reached；　allowing　it
to　hold　its　own　against　Florence　and　the　RenaissanceStidmann　was　in
Chanor's　private　room　when　the　army　lace　manufacturer　called　to　make
inquiries　as　to　〃One　Steinbock；　a　Polish　refugee。〃

〃Whom　do　you　call　'One　Steinbock'？　Do　you　mean　a　young　Livonian　who
was　a　pupil　of　mine？〃　cried　Stidmann　ironically。　〃I　may　tell　you；
monsieur；　that　he　is　a　very　great　artist。　It　is　said　of　me　that　I
believe　myself　to　be　the　Devil。　Well；　that　poor　fellow　does　not　know
that　he　is　capable　of　becoming　a　god。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Rivet；　well　pleased。　And　then　he　added；　〃Though　you
take　a　rather　cavalier　tone　with　a　man　who　has　the　honor　to　be　an
Assessor　on　the　Tribunal　of　Commerce　of　the　Department　of　the　Seine。〃

〃Your　pardon；　Consul！〃　said　Stidmann；　with　a　military　salute。

〃I　am　delighted；〃　the　Assessor　went　on；　〃to　hear　what　you　say。　The　man
may　make　money　then？〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Chanor；　〃but　he　must　work。　He　would　have　a　tidy　sum
by　now　if　he　had　stayed　with　us。　What　is　to　be　done？　Artists　have　a
horror　of　not　being　free。〃

〃They　have　a　proper　sense　of　their　value　and　dignity；〃　replied
Stidmann。　〃I　do　not　blame　Wenceslas　for　walking　alone；　trying　to　make
a　name；　and　to　become　a　great　man；　he　had　a　right　to　do　so！　But　he　was
a　great　loss　to　me　when　he　left。〃

〃That；　you　see；〃　exclaimed　Rivet；　〃is　what　all　young　students　aim　at
as　soon　as　they　are　hatched　out　of　the　school…egg。　Begin　by　saving
money；　I　say；　and　seek　glory　afterwards。〃

〃It　spoils　your　touch　to　be　picking　up　coin；〃　said　Stidmann。　〃It　is
Glory's　business　to　bring　us　wealth。〃

〃And；　after　all；〃　said　Chanor　to　Rivet；　〃you　cannot　tether　them。〃

〃They　would　eat　the　halter；〃　replied　Stidmann。

〃All　these　gentlemen　have　as　much　caprice　as　talent；〃　said　Chanor；
looking　at　Stidmann。　〃They　spend　no　end　of　money；　they　keep　their
girls；　they　throw　coin　out　of　window；　and　then　they　have　no　time　to
work。　They　neglect　their　orders；　we　have　to　employ　workmen　who　are
very　inferior；　but　who　grow　rich；　and　then　they　complain　of　the　hard
times；　while；　if　they　were　but　steady；　they　might　have　piles　of　gold。〃

〃You　old　Lumignon；〃　said　Stidmann；　〃you　remind　me　of　the　publisher
before　the　Revolution　who　said'If　only　I　could　keep　Montesquieu；
Voltaire；　and　Rousseau　very　poor　in　my　backshed；　and　lock　up　their
breeches　in　a　cupboard；　what　a　lot　of　nice　little　books　they　would
write　to　make　my　fortune。'If　works　of　art　could　be　hammered　out　like
nails；　workmen　would　make　them。Give　me　a　thousand　francs；　and　don't
talk　nonsense。〃

Worthy　Monsieur　Rivet　went　home；　delighted　for　poor　Mademoiselle
Fischer；　who　dined　with　him　every　Monday；　and　whom　he　found　waiting
for　him。

〃If　you　can　only　make　him　work；〃　said　he；　〃you　will　have　more　luck
than　wisdom；　you　will　be　repaid；　interest；　capital；　and　costs。　This
Pole　has　talent；　he　can　make　a　living；　but　lock　up　his　trousers　and
his　shoes；　do　not　let　him　go　to　the　/Chaumiere/　or　the　parish　of
Notre…Dame　de　Lorette；　keep　him　in　leading…strings。　If　you　do　not　take
such　precautions；　your　artist　will　take　to　loafing；　and　if　you　only
knew　what　these　artists　mean　by　loafing！　Shocking！　Why；　I　have　just
heard　that　they　will　spend　a　thousand…franc　note　in　a　day！〃

This　episode　had　a　fatal　influence　on　the　home…life　of　Wenceslas　and
Lisbeth。　The　benefactress　flavored　the　exile's　bread　with　the　wormwood
of　reproof；　now　that　she　saw　her　money　in　danger；　and　often　believed
it　to　be　lost。　From　a　kind　mother　she　became　a　stepmother；　she　took
the　poor　boy　to　task；　she　nagged　him；　scolded　him　for　working　too
slowly；　and　blamed　him　for　having　chosen　so　difficult　a　profession。
She　could　not　believe　that　those　models　in　red　waxlittle　figures　and
sketches　for　ornamental　workcould　be　of　any　value。　Before　long；
vexed　with　herself　for　her　severity；　she　would　try　to　efface　the　tears
by　her　care　and　attention。

Then　the　poor　young　man；　after　groaning　to　think　that　he　was　dependent
on　this　shrew　and　under　the　thumb　of　a　peasant　of　the　Vosges；　was
bewitched　by　her　coaxing　ways　and　by　a　maternal　affection　that
attached　itself　solely　to　the　physical　and　material　side　of　life。　He
was　like　a　woman　who　forgives　a　week　of　ill…usage　for　the　sake　of　a
kiss　and　a　brief　reconciliation。

Thus　Mademoiselle　Fischer　obtained　complete　power　over　his　mind。　The
love　of　dominion　that　lay　as　a　germ　in　the　old　maid's　heart　developed
rapidly。　She　could　now　satisfy　her　pride　and　her　craving　for　action；
had　she　not　a　creature　belonging　to　her；　to　be　schooled；　scolded；
flattered；　and　made　happy；　without　any　fear　of　a　rival？　Thus　the　good
and　bad　sides　of　her　nature　alike　found　play。　If　she　sometimes
victimized　the　poor　artist；　she　had；　on　the　other　hand；　delicate
impulses　like　the　grace　of　wild　flowers；　it　was　a　joy　to　her　to
provide　for　all　his　wants；　she　would　have　given　her　life　for　him；　and
Wenceslas　knew　it。　Like　every　noble　soul；　the　poor　fellow　forgot　the
bad　points；　the　defects　of　the　woman　who　had　told　him　the　story　of　her
life　as　an　excuse　for　her　rough　ways；　and　he　remembered　only　the
benefits　she　had　done　him。

One　day；　exasperated　with　Wenceslas　for　having　gone　out　walking
instead　of　sitting　at　work；　she　made　a　great　scene。

〃You　belong　to　me；〃　said　she。　〃If　you　were　an　honest　man；　you　would
try　to　repay　me　the　money　you　owe　as　soon　as　possible。〃

The　gentleman；　in　whose　veins　the　blood　of　the　Steinbocks　was　fired；
turned　pale。

〃Bless　me；〃　she　went　on；　〃we　soon　shall　have　nothing　to　live　on　but
the　thirty　sous　I　earna　poor　work…woman！〃

The　two　penniless　creatures；　worked　up　by　their　own　war　of　words；　grew
vehement；　and　for　the　first　time　the　unhappy　artist　reproached　his
benefactress　for　having　rescued　him　from　death　only　to　make　him　lead
the　life　of　a　galley　slave；　worse　than　the　bottomless　void；　where　at
least；　said　he；　he　would　have　found　rest。　And　he　talked　of　flight。

〃Flight！〃　cried　Lisbeth。　〃Ah；　Monsieur　Rivet　was　right。〃

And　she　clearly　explained　to　the　Pole　that　within　twenty…four　hours　he
might　be　clapped　into　prison　for　the　rest　of　his　days。　It　was　a
crushing　blow。　Steinbock　sank　into　deep　melancholy　and　total　silence。

In　the　course　of　the　following　night；　Lisbeth　hearing　overhead　some
preparations　for　suicide；　went　up　to　her　pensioner's　room；　and　gave
him　the　schedule　and　a　formal　release。

〃Here；　dear　child；　forgive　me；〃　she　said　with　tears　in　her　eyes。　〃Be
happy；　leave　me！　I　am　too　cruel　to　you；　only　tell　me　that　you　will
sometimes　remember　the　poor　girl　who　has　enabled　you　to　make　a　living。
What　can　I　say？　You　are　the　cause　of　my　ill…humor。　I　might　die；
where　would　you　be　without　me？　That　is　the　reason　of　my　being
impatient　to　see　you　do　some　salable　work。　I　do　not　want　my　money　back
for　myself；　I　assure　you！　I　am　only　frightened　at　your　idleness；　which
you　call　meditation；　at　your　ideas；　which　take　up　so　many　hours　when
you　sit　gazing　at　the　sky；　I　want　you　to　get　into　habits　of　industry。〃

All　this　was　said　with　an　emphasis；　a　look；　and　tears　that　moved　the
high…minded　artist；　he　clasped　his　benefactress　to　his　heart　and
kissed　her　forehead。

〃Keep　these　pieces；〃　said　he　with　a　sort　of　cheerfulness。　〃Why　should
you　send　me　to　Clichy？　Am　I　not　a　prisoner　here　out　of　gratitude？〃

This　episode　of　their　secret　domestic　life　had　occurred　six　months
previously；　and　had　led　to　Steinbock's　producing　three　finished　works：
the　seal　in　Hortense's　possession；　the　group　he　had　placed　with　the
curiosity　dealer；　and　a　beautiful　clock　to　which　he　was　putting　the
last　touches；　screwing　in　the　last　rivets。

This　clock　represented　the　twelve　Hours；　charmingly　personified　by
twelve　female　figures　whirling　round　in　so　mad　and　swift　a　dance　that
three　little　Loves　perched　on　a　pile　of　fruit　and　flowers　could　not
stop　one　of　them；　only　the　torn　skirts　of　Midnight　remained　in　the
hand　of　the　most　daring　cherub。　The　group　stood　on　an　admirably
treated　base；　ornamented　with　grotesque　beasts。　The　hours　were　told　by
a　monstrous　mouth　that　opened　to　yawn；　and　each　Hour　bore　some
ingeniously　appropriate　symbol　characteristic　of　the　various
occupations　of　the　day。

It　is　now　easy　to　understand　the　extraordinary　attachment　of
Mademoiselle　Fischer　for　her　Livonian；　she　wanted　him　to　be　happy；　and
she　saw　him　pining；　fading　away　in　his　attic。　The　causes　of　this
wretched　state　of　affairs　may　be　easily　imagined。　The　peasant　woman
watched　this　son　of　the　North　with　the　affection　of　a　mother；　with　the
jealousy　of　a　wife；　and　the　spirit　of　a　dragon；　hence　she　managed　to
put　every　kind　of　folly　or　dissipation　out　of　his　powe