cousin betty-第48节

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with　whom　he　will　not　allow　himself　to　flirt。

〃Very　good…lookingthat　young　man；〃　said　she　in　a　whisper　to
Hortense。

〃Oh；　do　you　think　so？〃　she　replied。　〃I　never　noticed　him。〃

〃Stidmann；　my　good　fellow；〃　said　Wenceslas；　in　an　undertone　to　his
friend；　〃we　are　on　no　ceremony；　you　and　Iwe　have　some　business　to
settle　with　this　old　girl。〃

Stidmann　bowed　to　the　ladies　and　went　away。

〃It　is　settled；〃　said　Wenceslas；　when　he　came　in　from　taking　leave　of
Stidmann。　〃But　there　are　six　months'　work　to　be　done；　and　we　must　live
meanwhile。〃

〃There　are　my　diamonds；〃　cried　the　young　Countess；　with　the　impetuous
heroism　of　a　loving　woman。

A　tear　rose　in　Wenceslas'　eye。

〃Oh；　I　am　going　to　work；〃　said　he；　sitting　down　by　his　wife　and
drawing　her　on　to　his　knee。　〃I　will　do　odd　jobsa　wedding　chest；
bronze　groups〃

〃But；　my　children；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃for；　as　you　know；　you　will　be　my
heirs；　and　I　shall　leave　you　a　very　comfortable　sum；　believe　me；
especially　if　you　help　me　to　marry　the　Marshal；　nay；　if　we　succeed　in
that　quickly；　I　will　take　you　all　to　board　with　meyou　and　Adeline。
We　should　live　very　happily　together。But　for　the　moment；　listen　to
the　voice　of　my　long　experience。　Do　not　fly　to　the　Mont…de…Piete；　it
is　the　ruin　of　the　borrower。　I　have　always　found　that　when　the
interest　was　due；　those　who　had　pledged　their　things　had　nothing
wherewith　to　pay　up；　and　then　all　is　lost。　I　can　get　you　a　loan　at
five　per　cent　on　your　note　of　hand。〃

〃Oh；　we　are　saved！〃　said　Hortense。

〃Well；　then；　child；　Wenceslas　had　better　come　with　me　to　see　the
lender；　who　will　oblige　him　at　my　request。　It　is　Madame　Marneffe。　If
you　flatter　her　a　littlefor　she　is　as　vain　as　a　/parvenue/she　will
get　you　out　of　the　scrape　in　the　most　obliging　way。　Come　yourself　and
see　her；　my　dear　Hortense。〃

Hortense　looked　at　her　husband　with　the　expression　a　man　condemned　to
death　must　wear　on　his　way　to　the　scaffold。

〃Claude　Vignon　took　Stidmann　there；〃　said　Wenceslas。　〃He　says　it　is　a
very　pleasant　house。〃

Hortense's　head　fell。　What　she　felt　can　only　be　expressed　in　one　word；
it　was　not　pain；　it　was　illness。

〃But；　my　dear　Hortense；　you　must　learn　something　of　life！〃　exclaimed
Lisbeth；　understanding　the　eloquence　of　her　cousin's　looks。
〃Otherwise；　like　your　mother；　you　will　find　yourself　abandoned　in　a
deserted　room；　where　you　will　weep　like　Calypso　on　the　departure　of
Ulysses；　and　at　an　age　when　there　is　no　hope　of　Telemachus〃　she
added；　repeating　a　jest　of　Madame　Marneffe's。　〃We　have　to　regard　the
people　in　the　world　as　tools　which　we　can　make　use　of　or　let　alone；
according　as　they　can　serve　our　turn。　Make　use　of　Madame　Marneffe　now；
my　dears；　and　let　her　alone　by　and　by。　Are　you　afraid　lest　Wenceslas；
who　worships　you；　should　fall　in　love　with　a　woman　four　or　five　years
older　than　himself；　as　yellow　as　a　bundle　of　field　peas；　and？〃

〃I　would　far　rather　pawn　my　diamonds；〃　said　Hortense。　〃Oh；　never　go
there；　Wenceslas！It　is　hell！〃

〃Hortense　is　right；〃　said　Steinbock；　kissing　his　wife。

〃Thank　you；　my　dearest；〃　said　Hortense；　delighted。　〃My　husband　is　an
angel；　you　see；　Lisbeth。　He　does　not　gamble；　he　goes　nowhere　without
me；　if　he　only　could　stick　to　workoh；　I　should　be　too　happy。　Why
take　us　on　show　to　my　father's　mistress；　a　woman　who　is　ruining　him
and　is　the　cause　of　troubles　that　are　killing　my　heroic　mother？〃

〃My　child；　that　is　not　where　the　cause　of　your　father's　ruin　lies。　It
was　his　singer　who　ruined　him；　and　then　your　marriage！〃　replied　her
cousin。　〃Bless　me！　why；　Madame　Marneffe　is　of　the　greatest　use　to　him。
However；　I　must　tell　no　tales。〃

〃You　have　a　good　word　for　everybody；　dear　Betty〃

Hortense　was　called　into　the　garden　by　hearing　the　child　cry；　Lisbeth
was　left　alone　with　Wenceslas。

〃You　have　an　angel　for　your　wife；　Wenceslas！〃　said　she。　〃Love　her　as
you　ought；　never　give　her　cause　for　grief。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　I　love　her　so　well　that　I　do　not　tell　her　all；〃　replied
Wenceslas；　〃but　to　you；　Lisbeth；　I　may　confess　the　truth。If　I　took
my　wife's　diamonds　to　the　Monte…de…Piete；　we　should　be　no　further
forward。〃

〃Then　borrow　of　Madame　Marneffe；〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃Persuade　Hortense；
Wenceslas；　to　let　you　go　there；　or　else；　bless　me！　go　there　without
telling　her。〃

〃That　is　what　I　was　thinking　of；〃　replied　Wenceslas；　〃when　I　refused
for　fear　of　grieving　Hortense。〃

〃Listen　to　me；　I　care　too　much　for　you　both　not　to　warn　you　of　your
danger。　If　you　go　there；　hold　your　heart　tight　in　both　hands；　for　the
woman　is　a　witch。　All　who　see　her　adore　her；　she　is　so　wicked；　so
inviting！　She　fascinates　men　like　a　masterpiece。　Borrow　her　money；　but
do　not　leave　your　soul　in　pledge。　I　should　never　be　happy　again　if　you
were　false　to　Hortensehere　she　is！　not　another　word！　I　will　settle
the　matter。〃

〃Kiss　Lisbeth；　my　darling；〃　said　Wenceslas　to　his　wife。　〃She　will　help
us　out　of　our　difficulties　by　lending　us　her　savings。〃

And　he　gave　Lisbeth　a　look　which　she　understood。

〃Then；　I　hope　you　mean　to　work；　my　dear　treasure；〃　said　Hortense。

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　said　the　artist。　〃I　will　begin　to…morrow。〃

〃To…morrow　is　our　ruin！〃　said　his　wife；　with　a　smile。

〃Now；　my　dear　child！　say　yourself　whether　some　hindrance　has　not　come
in　the　way　every　day；　some　obstacle　or　business？〃

〃Yes；　very　true；　my　love。〃

〃Here！〃　cried　Steinbock；　striking　his　brow；　〃here　I　have　swarms　of
ideas！　I　mean　to　astonish　all　my　enemies。　I　am　going　to　design　a
service　in　the　German　style　of　the　sixteenth　century；　the　romantic
style：　foliage　twined　with　insects；　sleeping　children；　newly　invented
monsters；　chimerasreal　chimeras；　such　as　we　dream　of！I　see　it　all！
It　will　be　undercut；　light；　and　yet　crowded。　Chanor　was　quite　amazed。
And　I　wanted　some　encouragement；　for　the　last　article　on
Montcornet's　monument　had　been　crushing。〃

At　a　moment　in　the　course　of　the　day　when　Lisbeth　and　Wenceslas　were
left　together；　the　artist　agreed　to　go　on　the　morrow　to　see　Madame
Marneffehe　either　would　win　his　wife's　consent；　or　he　would　go
without　telling　her。



Valerie；　informed　the　same　evening　of　this　success；　insisted　that
Hulot　should　go　to　invite　Stidmann；　Claude　Vignon；　and　Steinbock　to
dinner；　for　she　was　beginning　to　tyrannize　over　him　as　women　of　that
type　tyrannize　over　old　men；　who　trot　round　town；　and　go　to　make
interest　with　every　one　who　is　necessary　to　the　interests　or　the
vanity　of　their　task…mistress。

Next　evening　Valerie　armed　herself　for　conquest　by　making　such　a
toilet　as　a　Frenchwoman　can　devise　when　she　wishes　to　make　the　most　of
herself。　She　studied　her　appearance　in　this　great　work　as　a　man　going
out　to　fight　a　duel　practises　his　feints　and　lunges。　Not　a　speck；　not
a　wrinkle　was　to　be　seen。　Valerie　was　at　her　whitest；　her　softest；　her
sweetest。　And　certain　little　〃patches〃　attracted　the　eye。

It　is　commonly　supposed　that　the　patch　of　the　eighteenth　century　is
out　of　date　or　out　of　fashion；　that　is　a　mistake。　In　these　days　women；
more　ingenious　perhaps　than　of　yore；　invite　a　glance　through　the
opera…glass　by　other　audacious　devices。　One　is　the　first　to　hit　on　a
rosette　in　her　hair　with　a　diamond　in　the　centre；　and　she　attracts
every　eye　for　a　whole　evening；　another　revives　the　hair…net；　or　sticks
a　dagger　through　the　twist　to　suggest　a　garter；　this　one　wears　velvet
bands　round　her　wrists；　that　one　appears　in　lace　lippets。　These
valiant　efforts；　an　Austerlitz　of　vanity　or　of　love；　then　set　the
fashion　for　lower　spheres　by　the　time　the　inventive　creatress　has
originated　something　new。　This　evening；　which　Valerie　meant　to　be　a
success　for　her；　she　had　placed　three　patches。　She　had　washed　her　hair
with　some　lye；　which　changed　its　hue　for　a　few　days　from　a　gold　color
to　a　duller　shade。　Madame　Steinbock's　was　almost　red；　and　she　would　be
in　every　point　unlike　her。　This　new　effect　gave　her　a　piquant　and
strange　appearance；　which　puzzled　her　followers　so　much；　that　Montes
asked　her：

〃What　have　you　done　to　yourself　this　evening？〃Then　she　put　on　a
rather　wide　black　velvet　neck…ribbon；　which　showed　off　the　whiteness
of　her　skin。　One　patch　took　the　place　of　the　/assassine/　of　our
grandmothers。　And　Valerie　pinned　the　sweetest　rosebud　into　her　bodice；
just　in　the　middle　above　the　stay…busk；　and　in　the　daintiest　little
hollow！　It　was　enough　to　make　every　man　under　thirty　drop　his　eyelids。

〃I　am　as　sweet　as　a　sugar…plum；〃　said　she　to　herself；　going　through
her　attitudes　before　the　glass；　exactly　as　a　dancer　practises　her
curtesies。

Lisbeth　had　been　to　market；　and　the　dinner　was　to　be　one　of　those
superfine　meals　which　Mathurine　had　been　wont　to　cook　for　her　Bishop
when　he　entertained　the　prelate　of　the　adjoining　diocese。

Stidmann；　Claude　Vignon；　and　Count　Steinbock　arrived　almost　together；
just　at　six。　An　ordinary；　or；　if　you　will；　a　natural　woman　would　have
hastened　at　the　announcement　of　a　name　so　eagerly　longed　for；　but
Valerie；　though　ready　since　five　o'clock；　remained　in　her　room；
leaving　her　three　guests　together；　certain　that　she　was　the　subject　of
their　conversation　or　of　their　secret　thoughts。　She　herself　had
arranged　the　drawing…room；　laying　out　the　pretty　trifles　produced　in
Paris　and　nowhere　else；　which　reveal　the　woman　and