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第40节

cousin betty-第40节

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〃Well;〃 said Marneffe; 〃Mademoiselle Lisbeth came back from dining
with the Baroness with an attack of indigestion and Mathurine asked
Valerie for some tea for her; so my wife went up to see what was the
matter。〃

〃And /her/ cousin?〃

〃He is gone。〃

〃Do you really believe that?〃 said the Baron。

〃I have seen him to his carriage;〃 replied Marneffe; with a hideous
smirk。

The wheels of a departing carriage were audible in the street。 The
Baron; counting Marneffe for nothing; went upstairs to Lisbeth。 An
idea flashed through him such as the heart sends to the brain when it
is on fire with jealousy。 Marneffe's baseness was so well known to
him; that he could imagine the most degrading connivance between
husband and wife。

〃What has become of all the ladies and gentlemen?〃 said Marneffe;
finding himself alone with Crevel。

〃When the sun goes to bed; the cocks and hens follow suit;〃 said
Crevel。 〃Madame Marneffe disappeared; and her adorers departed。 Will
you play a game of piquet?〃 added Crevel; who meant to remain。

He too believed that the Brazilian was in the house。

Monsieur Marneffe agreed。 The Mayor was a match for the Baron。 Simply
by playing cards with the husband he could stay on indefinitely; and
Marneffe; since the suppression of the public tables; was quite
satisfied with the more limited opportunities of private play。

Baron Hulot went quickly up to Lisbeth's apartment; but the door was
locked; and the usual inquiries through the door took up time enough
to enable the two light…handed and cunning women to arrange the scene
of an attack of indigestion with the accessories of tea。 Lisbeth was
in such pain that Valerie was very much alarmed; and consequently
hardly paid any heed to the Baron's furious entrance。 Indisposition is
one of the screens most often placed by women to ward off a quarrel。
Hulot peeped about; here and there; but could see no spot in Cousin
Betty's room where a Brazilian might lie hidden。

〃Your indigestion does honor to my wife's dinner; Lisbeth;〃 said he;
scrutinizing her; for Lisbeth was perfectly well; trying to imitate
the hiccough of spasmodic indigestion as she drank her tea。

〃How lucky it is that dear Betty should be living under my roof!〃 said
Madame Marneffe。 〃But for me; the poor thing would have died。〃

〃You look as if you only half believed it;〃 added Lisbeth; turning to
the Baron; 〃and that would be a shame〃

〃Why?〃 asked the Baron。 〃Do you know the purpose of my visit?〃

And he leered at the door of a dressing…closet from which the key had
been withdrawn。

〃Are you talking Greek?〃 said Madame Marneffe; with an appealing look
of misprized tenderness and devotedness。

〃But it is all through you; my dear cousin; yes; it is your doing that
I am in such a state;〃 said Lisbeth vehemently。

This speech diverted the Baron's attention; he looked at the old maid
with the greatest astonishment。

〃You know that I am devoted to you;〃 said Lisbeth。 〃I am here; that
says everything。 I am wearing out the last shreds of my strength in
watching over your interests; since they are one with our dear
Valerie's。 Her house costs one…tenth of what any other does that is
kept on the same scale。 But for me; Cousin; instead of two thousand
francs a month; you would be obliged to spend three or four thousand。〃

〃I know all that;〃 replied the Baron out of patience; 〃you are our
protectress in many ways;〃 he added; turning to Madame Marneffe and
putting his arm round her neck。〃Is not she; my pretty sweet?〃

〃On my honor;〃 exclaimed Valerie; 〃I believe you are gone mad!〃

〃Well; you cannot doubt my attachment;〃 said Lisbeth。 〃But I am also
very fond of my cousin Adeline; and I found her in tears。 She has not
seen you for a month。 Now that is really too bad; you leave my poor
Adeline without a sou。 Your daughter Hortense almost died of it when
she was told that it is thanks to your brother that we had any dinner
at all。 There was not even bread in your house this day。

〃Adeline is heroically resolved to keep her sufferings to herself。 She
said to me; 'I will do as you have done!' The speech went to my heart;
and after dinner; as I thought of what my cousin had been in 1811; and
of what she is in 1841thirty years afterI had a violent
indigestion。I fancied I should get over it; but when I got home; I
thought I was dying〃

〃You see; Valerie; to what my adoration of you has brought me! To
crimedomestic crime!〃

〃Oh! I was wise never to marry!〃 cried Lisbeth; with savage joy。 〃You
are a kind; good man; Adeline is a perfect angel;and this is the
reward of her blind devotion。〃

〃An elderly angel!〃 said Madame Marneffe softly; as she looked half
tenderly; half mockingly; at her Hector; who was gazing at her as an
examining judge gazes at the accused。

〃My poor wife!〃 said Hulot。 〃For more than nine months I have given
her no money; though I find it for you; Valerie; but at what a cost!
No one else will ever love you so; and what torments you inflict on me
in return!〃

〃Torments?〃 she echoed。 〃Then what do you call happiness?〃

〃I do not yet know on what terms you have been with this so…called
cousin whom you never mentioned to me;〃 said the Baron; paying no heed
to Valerie's interjection。 〃But when he came in I felt as if a
penknife had been stuck into my heart。 Blinded I may be; but I am not
blind。 I could read his eyes; and yours。 In short; from under that
ape's eyelids there flashed sparks that he flung at youand your
eyes!Oh! you have never looked at me so; never! As to this mystery;
Valerie; it shall all be cleared up。 You are the only woman who ever
made me know the meaning of jealousy; so you need not be surprised by
what I say。But another mystery which has rent its cloud; and it
seems to me infamous〃

〃Go on; go on;〃 said Valerie。

〃It is that Crevel; that square lump of flesh and stupidity; is in
love with you; and that you accept his attentions with so good a grace
that the idiot flaunts his passion before everybody。〃

〃Only three! Can you discover no more?〃 asked Madame Marneffe。

〃There may be more!〃 retorted the Baron。

〃If Monsieur Crevel is in love with me; he is in his rights as a man
after all; if I favored his passion; that would indeed be the act of a
coquette; or of a woman who would leave much to be desired on your
part。Well; love me as you find me; or let me alone。 If you restore
me to freedom; neither you nor Monsieur Crevel will ever enter my
doors again。 But I will take up with my cousin; just to keep my hand
in; in those charming habits you suppose me to indulge。Good…bye;
Monsieur le Baron Hulot。〃

She rose; but the Baron took her by the arm and made her sit down
again。 The old man could not do without Valerie。 She had become more
imperatively indispensable to him than the necessaries of life; he
preferred remaining in uncertainty to having any proof of Valerie's
infidelity。

〃My dearest Valerie;〃 said he; 〃do you not see how miserable I am? I
only ask you to justify yourself。 Give me sufficient reasons〃

〃Well; go downstairs and wait for me; for I suppose you do not wish to
look on at the various ceremonies required by your cousin's state。〃

Hulot slowly turned away

〃You old profligate;〃 cried Lisbeth; 〃you have not even asked me how
your children are? What are you going to do for Adeline? I; at any
rate; will take her my savings to…morrow。〃

〃You owe your wife white bread to eat at least;〃 said Madame Marneffe;
smiling。

The Baron; without taking offence at Lisbeth's tone; as despotic as
Josepha's; got out of the room; only too glad to escape so importunate
a question。



The door bolted once more; the Brazilian came out of the dressing…
closet; where he had been waiting; and he appeared with his eyes full
of tears; in a really pitiable condition。 Montes had heard everything。

〃Henri; you must have ceased to love me; I know it!〃 said Madame
Marneffe; hiding her face in her handkerchief and bursting into tears。

It was the outcry of real affection。 The cry of a woman's despair is
so convincing that it wins the forgiveness that lurks at the bottom of
every lover's heartwhen she is young and pretty; and wears a gown so
low that she could slip out at the top and stand in the garb of Eve。

〃But why; if you love me; do you not leave everything for my sake?〃
asked the Brazilian。

This South American born; being logical; as men are who have lived the
life of nature; at once resumed the conversation at the point where it
had been broken off; putting his arm round Valerie's waist。

〃Why?〃 she repeated; gazing up at Henri; whom she subjugated at once
by a look charged with passion; 〃why; my dear boy; I am married; we
are in Paris; not in the savannah; the pampas; the backwoods of
America。My dear Henri; my first and only love; listen to me。 That
husband of mine; a second clerk in the War Office; is bent on being a
head…clerk and officer of the Legion of Honor; can I help his being
ambitious? Now for the very reason that made him leave us our liberty
nearly four years ago; do you remember; you bad boy?he now
abandons me to Monsieur Hulot。 I cannot get rid of that dreadful
official; who snorts like a grampus; who has fins 

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