cousin betty-第20节

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made　that　group　ought　to　make　a　fortune；　only　use　your　influence　to
get　him　an　order　for　a　statue；　and　rooms　at　the　Institut〃

〃How　you　run　on！〃　cried　her　father。　〃Why；　if　you　had　your　own　way；　you
would　be　man　and　wife　within　the　legal　periodin　eleven　days〃

〃Must　we　wait　so　long？〃　said　she；　laughing。　〃But　I　fell　in　love　with
him　in　five　minutes；　as　you　fell　in　love　with　mamma　at　first　sight。
And　he　loves　me　as　if　we　had　known　each　other　for　two　years。　Yes；〃　she
said　in　reply　to　her　father's　look；　〃I　read　ten　volumes　of　love　in　his
eyes。　And　will　not　you　and　mamma　accept　him　as　my　husband　when　you　see
that　he　is　a　man　of　genius？　Sculpture　is　the　greatest　of　the　Arts；〃
she　cried；　clapping　her　hands　and　jumping。　〃I　will　tell　you
everything〃

〃What；　is　there　more　to　come？〃　asked　her　father；　smiling。

The　child's　complete　and　effervescent　innocence　had　restored　her
father's　peace　of　mind。

〃A　confession　of　the　first　importance；〃　said　she。　〃I　loved　him　without
knowing　him；　and；　for　the　last　hour；　since　seeing　him；　I　am　crazy
about　him。〃

〃A　little　too　crazy！〃　said　the　Baron；　who　was　enjoying　the　sight　of
this　guileless　passion。

〃Do　not　punish　me　for　confiding　in　you；〃　replied　she。　〃It　is　so
delightful　to　say　to　my　father's　heart；　'I　love　him！　I　am　so　happy　in
loving　him！'You　will　see　my　Wenceslas！　His　brow　is　so　sad。　The　sun
of　genius　shines　in　his　gray　eyesand　what　an　air　he　has！　What　do　you
think　of　Livonia？　Is　it　a　fine　country？The　idea　of　Cousin　Betty's
marrying　that　young　fellow！　She　might　be　his　mother。　It　would　be
murder！　I　am　quite　jealous　of　all　she　has　ever　done　for　him。　But　I
don't　think　my　marriage　will　please　her。〃

〃See；　my　darling；　we　must　hide　nothing　from　your　mother。〃

〃I　should　have　to　show　her　the　seal；　and　I　promised　not　to　betray
Cousin　Lisbeth；　who　is　afraid；　she　says；　of　mamma's　laughing　at　her；〃
said　Hortense。

〃You　have　scruples　about　the　seal；　and　none　about　robbing　your　cousin
of　her　lover。〃

〃I　promised　about　the　sealI　made　no　promise　about　the　sculptor。〃

This　adventure；　patriarchal　in　its　simplicity；　came　admirably　/a
propos/　to　the　unconfessed　poverty　of　the　family；　the　Baron；　while
praising　his　daughter　for　her　candor；　explained　to　her　that　she　must
now　leave　matters　to　the　discretion　of　her　parents。

〃You　understand；　my　child；　that　it　is　not　your　part　to　ascertain
whether　your　cousin's　lover　is　a　Count；　if　he　has　all　his　papers
properly　certified；　and　if　his　conduct　is　a　guarantee　for　his
respectability。As　for　your　cousin；　she　refused　five　offers　when　she
was　twenty　years　younger；　that　will　prove　no　obstacle；　I　undertake　to
say。〃

〃Listen　to　me；　papa；　if　you　really　wish　to　see　me　married；　never　say　a
word　to　Lisbeth　about　it　till　just　before　the　contract　is　signed。　I
have　been　catechizing　her　about　this　business　for　the　last　six　months！
Well；　there　is　something　about　her　quite　inexplicable〃

〃What？〃　said　her　father；　puzzled。

〃Well；　she　looks　evil　when　I　say　too　much；　even　in　joke；　about　her
lover。　Make　inquiries；　but　leave　me　to　row　my　own　boat。　My　confidence
ought　to　reassure　you。〃

〃The　Lord　said；　'Suffer　little　children　to　come　unto　Me。'　You　are　one
of　those　who　have　come　back　again；〃　replied　the　Baron　with　a　touch　of
irony。

After　breakfast　the　dealer　was　announced；　and　the　artist　with　his
group。　The　sudden　flush　that　reddened　her　daughter's　face　at　once　made
the　Baroness　suspicious　and　then　watchful；　and　the　girl's　confusion
and　the　light　in　her　eyes　soon　betrayed　the　mystery　so　badly　guarded
in　her　simple　heart。

Count　Steinbock；　dressed　in　black；　struck　the　Baron　as　a　very
gentlemanly　young　man。

〃Would　you　undertake　a　bronze　statue？〃　he　asked；　as　he　held　up　the
group。

After　admiring　it　on　trust；　he　passed　it　on　to　his　wife；　who　knew
nothing　about　sculpture。

〃It　is　beautiful；　isn't　it；　mamma？〃　said　Hortense　in　her　mother'　ear。

〃A　statue！　Monsieur；　it　is　less　difficult　to　execute　a　statue　than　to
make　a　clock　like　this；　which　my　friend　here　has　been　kind　enough　to
bring；〃　said　the　artist　in　reply。

The　dealer　was　placing　on　the　dining…room　sideboard　the　wax　model　of
the　twelve　Hours　that　the　Loves　were　trying　to　delay。

〃Leave　the　clock　with　me；〃　said　the　Baron；　astounded　at　the　beauty　of
the　sketch。　〃I　should　like　to　show　it　to　the　Ministers　of　the　Interior
and　of　Commerce。〃

〃Who　is　the　young　man　in　whom　you　take　so　much　interest？〃　the　Baroness
asked　her　daughter。

〃An　artist　who　could　afford　to　execute　this　model　could　get　a　hundred
thousand　francs　for　it；〃　said　the　curiosity…dealer；　putting　on　a
knowing　and　mysterious　look　as　he　saw　that　the　artist　and　the　girl
were　interchanging　glances。　〃He　would　only　need　to　sell　twenty　copies
at　eight　thousand　francs　eachfor　the　materials　would　cost　about　a
thousand　crowns　for　each　example。　But　if　each　copy　were　numbered　and
the　mould　destroyed；　it　would　certainly　be　possible　to　meet　with
twenty　amateurs　only　too　glad　to　possess　a　replica　of　such　a　work。〃

〃A　hundred　thousand　francs！〃　cried　Steinbock；　looking　from　the　dealer
to　Hortense；　the　Baron；　and　the　Baroness。

〃Yes；　a　hundred　thousand　francs；〃　repeated　the　dealer。　〃If　I　were　rich
enough；　I　would　buy　it　of　you　myself　for　twenty　thousand　francs；　for
by　destroying　the　mould　it　would　become　a　valuable　property。　But　one
of　the　princes　ought　to　pay　thirty　or　forty　thousand　francs　for　such　a
work　to　ornament　his　drawing…room。　No　man　has　ever　succeeded　in　making
a　clock　satisfactory　alike　to　the　vulgar　and　to　the　connoisseur；　and
this　one；　sir；　solves　the　difficulty。〃

〃This　is　for　yourself；　monsieur；〃　said　Hortense；　giving　six　gold
pieces　to　the　dealer。

〃Never　breath　a　word　of　this　visit　to　any　one　living；〃　said　the　artist
to　his　friend；　at　the　door。　〃If　you　should　be　asked　where　we　sold　the
group；　mention　the　Duc　d'Herouville；　the　famous　collector　in　the　Rue
de　Varenne。〃

The　dealer　nodded　assent。

〃And　your　name？〃　said　Hulot　to　the　artist　when　he　came　back。

〃Count　Steinbock。〃

〃Have　you　the　papers　that　prove　your　identity？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur　le　Baron。　They　are　in　Russian　and　in　German；　but　not
legalized。〃

〃Do　you　feel　equal　to　undertaking　a　statue　nine　feet　high？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃Well；　then；　if　the　persons　whom　I　shall　consult　are　satisfied　with
your　work；　I　can　secure　you　the　commission　for　the　statue　of　Marshal
Montcornet；　which　is　to　be　erected　on　his　monument　at　Pere…Lachaise。
The　Minister　of　War　and　the　old　officers　of　the　Imperial　Guard　have
subscribed　a　sum　large　enough　to　enable　us　to　select　our　artist。〃

〃Oh；　monsieur；　it　will　make　my　fortune！〃　exclaimed　Steinbock；
overpowered　by　so　much　happiness　at　once。

〃Be　easy；〃　replied　the　Baron　graciously。　〃If　the　two　ministers　to　whom
I　propose　to　show　your　group　and　this　sketch　in　wax　are　delighted　with
these　two　pieces；　your　prospects　of　a　fortune　are　good。〃

Hortense　hugged　her　father's　arm　so　tightly　as　to　hurt　him。

〃Bring　me　your　papers；　and　say　nothing　of　your　hopes　to　anybody；　not
even　to　our　old　Cousin　Betty。〃

〃Lisbeth？〃　said　Madame　Hulot；　at　last　understanding　the　end　of　all
this；　though　unable　to　guess　the　means。

〃I　could　give　proof　of　my　skill　by　making　a　bust　of　the　Baroness；〃
added　Wenceslas。

The　artist；　struck　by　Madame　Hulot's　beauty；　was　comparing　the　mother
and　daughter。

〃Indeed；　monsieur；　life　may　smile　upon　you；〃　said　the　Baron；　quite
charmed　by　Count　Steinbock's　refined　and　elegant　manner。　〃You　will
find　out　that　in　Paris　no　man　is　clever　for　nothing；　and　that
persevering　toil　always　finds　its　reward　here。〃

Hortense；　with　a　blush；　held　out　to　the　young　man　a　pretty　Algerine
purse　containing　sixty　gold　pieces。　The　artist；　with　something　still
of　a　gentleman's　pride；　responded　with　a　mounting　color　easy　enough　to
interpret。

〃This；　perhaps；　is　the　first　money　your　works　have　brought　you？〃　said
Adeline。

〃Yes；　madamemy　works　of　art。　It　is　not　the　first…fruits　of　my　labor；
for　I　have　been　a　workman。〃

〃Well；　we　must　hope　my　daughter's　money　will　bring　you　good　luck；〃
said　she。

〃And　take　it　without　scruple；〃　added　the　Baron；　seeing　that　Wenceslas
held　the　purse　in　his　hand　instead　of　pocketing　it。　〃The　sum　will　be
repaid　by　some　rich　man；　a　prince　perhaps；　who　will　offer　it　with
interest　to　possess　so　fine　a　work。〃

〃Oh；　I　want　it　too　much　myself；　papa；　to　give　it　up　to　anybody　in　the
world；　even　a　royal　prince！〃

〃I　can　make　a　far　prettier　thing　than　that　for　you；　mademoiselle。〃

〃But　it　would　not　be　this　one；〃　replied　she；　and　then；　as　if　ashamed
of　having　said　too　much；　she　ran　out　into　the　garden。

〃Then　I　shall　break　the　mould　and　the　model　as　soon　as　I　go　home；〃
said　Steinbock。

〃Fetch　me　your　papers；　and　you　will　hear　of　me　before　long；　if　you　are
equal　to　what　I　expect　of　you；　monsieur。〃

The　artist　on　this　could　but　take　leave。　After　bowing　to　Madame　Hulot
and　Hortense；　who　came　in　from　the　garden　on　purpose；　he　went　off　to
walk　in　the　Tuileries；　not　bearingnot　daringto　return　to　his
attic；　where　his　tyrant　would　pelt　him　with　questions　and　wring　his
secret　from　him。

Hortense's　adorer　conceived　of　groups　and　statues　by　the　hundred；　he
felt　strong　enough　to　hew　the　marble　himself；　like　Canova；　who　was