cousin betty-第55节

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　　as　to　disgrace　youdisgrace　myself　and　our　child。

　　〃I　refuse　to　be　a　Madame　Marneffe；　once　launched　on　such　a　course；
　　a　woman　of　my　temper　might　not；　perhaps；　be　able　to　stop。　I　am；
　　unfortunately　for　myself；　a　Hulot；　not　a　Fischer。

　　〃Alone；　and　absent　from　the　scene　of　your　dissipations；　I　am　sure
　　of　myself；　especially　with　my　child　to　occupy　me；　and　by　the　side
　　of　a　strong　and　noble　mother；　whose　life　cannot　fail　to　influence
　　the　vehement　impetuousness　of　my　feelings。　There；　I　can　be　a　good
　　mother；　bring　our　boy　up　well；　and　live。　Under　your　roof　the　wife
　　would　oust　the　mother；　and　constant　contention　would　sour　my
　　temper。

　　〃I　can　accept　a　death…blow；　but　I　will　not　endure　for　twenty…five
　　years；　like　my　mother。　If；　at　the　end　of　three　years　of　perfect；
　　unwavering　love；　you　can　be　unfaithful　to　me　with　your　father…in…
　　law's　mistress；　what　rivals　may　I　expect　to　have　in　later　years？
　　Indeed；　monsieur；　you　have　begun　your　career　of　profligacy　much
　　earlier　than　my　father　did；　the　life　of　dissipation；　which　is　a
　　disgrace　to　the　father　of　a　family；　which　undermines　the　respect
　　of　his　children；　and　which　ends　in　shame　and　despair。

　　〃I　am　not　unforgiving。　Unrelenting　feelings　do　not　beseem　erring
　　creatures　living　under　the　eye　of　God。　If　you　win　fame　and　fortune
　　by　sustained　work；　if　you　have　nothing　to　do　with　courtesans　and
　　ignoble；　defiling　ways；　you　will　find　me　still　a　wife　worthy　of
　　you。

　　〃I　believe　you　to　be　too　much　a　gentleman；　Monsieur　le　Comte；　to
　　have　recourse　to　the　law。　You　will　respect　my　wishes；　and　leave　me
　　under　my　mother's　roof。　Above　all；　never　let　me　see　you　there。　I
　　have　left　all　the　money　lent　to　you　by　that　odious　woman。
　　Farewell。

〃HORTENSE　HULOT。〃


This　letter　was　written　in　anguish。　Hortense　abandoned　herself　to　the
tears；　the　outcries　of　murdered　love。　She　laid　down　her　pen　and　took
it　up　again；　to　express　as　simply　as　possible　all　that　passion
commonly　proclaims　in　this　sort　of　testamentary　letter。　Her　heart　went
forth　in　exclamations；　wailing　and　weeping；　but　reason　dictated　the
words。

Informed　by　Louise　that　all　was　ready；　the　young　wife　slowly　went
round　the　little　garden；　through　the　bedroom　and　drawing…room；　looking
at　everything　for　the　last　time。　Then　she　earnestly　enjoined　the　cook
to　take　the　greatest　care　for　her　master's　comfort；　promising　to
reward　her　handsomely　if　she　would　be　honest。　At　last　she　got　into　the
hackney　coach　to　drive　to　her　mother's　house；　her　heart　quite　broken；
crying　so　much　as　to　distress　the　maid；　and　covering　little　Wenceslas
with　kisses；　which　betrayed　her　still　unfailing　love　for　his　father。

The　Baroness　knew　already　from　Lisbeth　that　the　father…in…law　was
largely　to　blame　for　the　son…in…law's　fault；　nor　was　she　surprised　to
see　her　daughter；　whose　conduct　she　approved；　and　she　consented　to
give　her　shelter。　Adeline；　perceiving　that　her　own　gentleness　and
patience　had　never　checked　Hector；　for　whom　her　respect　was　indeed
fast　diminishing；　thought　her　daughter　very　right　to　adopt　another
course。

In　three　weeks　the　poor　mother　had　suffered　two　wounds　of　which　the
pain　was　greater　than　any　ill…fortune　she　had　hitherto　endured。　The
Baron　had　placed　Victorin　and　his　wife　in　great　difficulties；　and
then；　by　Lisbeth's　account；　he　was　the　cause　of　his　son…in…law's
misconduct；　and　had　corrupted　Wenceslas。　The　dignity　of　the　father　of
the　family；　so　long　upheld　by　her　really　foolish　self…sacrifice；　was
now　overthrown。　Though　they　did　not　regret　the　money　the　young　Hulots
were　full　alike　of　doubts　and　uneasiness　as　regarded　the　Baron。　This
sentiment；　which　was　evidence　enough；　distressed　the　Baroness；　she
foresaw　a　break…up　of　the　family　tie。

Hortense　was　accommodated　in　the　dining…room；　arranged　as　a　bedroom
with　the　help　of　the　Marshal's　money；　and　the　anteroom　became　the
dining…room；　as　it　is　in　many　apartments。



When　Wenceslas　returned　home　and　had　read　the　two　letters；　he　felt　a
kind　of　gladness　mingled　with　regret。　Kept　so　constantly　under　his
wife's　eye；　so　to　speak；　he　had　inwardly　rebelled　against　this　fresh
thraldom；　/a　la/　Lisbeth。　Full　fed　with　love　for　three　years　past；　he
too　had　been　reflecting　during　the　last　fortnight；　and　he　found　a
family　heavy　on　his　hands。　He　had　just　been　congratulated　by　Stidmann
on　the　passion　he　had　inspired　in　Valerie；　for　Stidmann；　with　an
under…thought　that　was　not　unnatural；　saw　that　he　might　flatter　the
husband's　vanity　in　the　hope　of　consoling　the　victim。　And　Wenceslas
was　glad　to　be　able　to　return　to　Madame　Marneffe。

Still；　he　remembered　the　pure　and　unsullied　happiness　he　had　known；
the　perfections　of　his　wife；　her　judgment；　her　innocent　and　guileless
affection；and　he　regretted　her　acutely。　He　thought　of　going　at　once
to　his　mother…in…law's　to　crave　forgiveness；　but；　in　fact；　like　Hulot
and　Crevel；　he　went　to　Madame　Marneffe；　to　whom　he　carried　his　wife's
letter　to　show　her　what　a　disaster　she　had　caused；　and　to　discount　his
misfortune；　so　to　speak；　by　claiming　in　return　the　pleasures　his
mistress　could　give　him。

He　found　Crevel　with　Valerie。　The　mayor；　puffed　up　with　pride；　marched
up　and　down　the　room；　agitated　by　a　storm　of　feelings。　He　put　himself
into　position　as　if　he　were　about　to　speak；　but　he　dared　not。　His
countenance　was　beaming；　and　he　went　now　and　again　to　the　window；
where　he　drummed　on　the　pane　with　his　fingers。　He　kept　looking　at
Valerie　with　a　glance　of　tender　pathos。　Happily　for　him；　Lisbeth
presently　came　in。

〃Cousin　Betty；〃　he　said　in　her　ear；　〃have　you　heard　the　news？　I　am　a
father！　It　seems　to　me　I　love　my　poor　Celestine　the　less。Oh！　what　a
thing　it　is　to　have　a　child　by　the　woman　one　idolizes！　It　is　the
fatherhood　of　the　heart　added　to　that　of　the　flesh！　I　saytell
Valerie　that　I　will　work　for　that　childit　shall　be　rich。　She　tells
me　she　has　some　reason　for　believing　that　it　will　be　a　boy！　If　it　is　a
boy；　I　shall　insist　on　his　being　called　Crevel。　I　will　consult　my
notary　about　it。〃

〃I　know　how　much　she　loves　you；〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃But　for　her　sake　in
the　future；　and　for　your　own；　control　yourself。　Do　not　rub　your　hands
every　five　minutes。〃

While　Lisbeth　was　speaking　aside　on　this　wise　to　Crevel；　Valerie　had
asked　Wenceslas　to　give　her　back　her　letter；　and　she　was　saying　things
that　dispelled　all　his　griefs。

〃So　now　you　are　free；　my　dear；〃　said　she。　〃Ought　any　great　artist　to
marry？　You　live　only　by　fancy　and　freedom！　There；　I　shall　love　you　so
much；　beloved　poet；　that　you　shall　never　regret　your　wife。　At　the　same
time；　if；　like　so　many　people；　you　want　to　keep　up　appearances；　I
undertake　to　bring　Hortense　back　to　you　in　a　very　short　time。〃

〃Oh；　if　only　that　were　possible！〃

〃I　am　certain　of　it；〃　said　Valerie；　nettled。　〃Your　poor　father…in…law
is　a　man　who　is　in　every　way　utterly　done　for；　who　wants　to　appear　as
though　he　could　be　loved；　out　of　conceit；　and　to　make　the　world
believe　that　he　has　a　mistress；　and　he　is　so　excessively　vain　on　this
point；　that　I　can　do　what　I　please　with　him。　The　Baroness　is　still　so
devoted　to　her　old　HectorI　always　feel　as　if　I　were　talking　of　the
/Iliad/that　these　two　old　folks　will　contrive　to　patch　up　matters
between　you　and　Hortense。　Only；　if　you　want　to　avoid　storms　at　home
for　the　future；　do　not　leave　me　for　three　weeks　without　coming　to　see
your　mistressI　was　dying　of　it。　My　dear　boy；　some　consideration　is
due　from　a　gentleman　to　a　woman　he　has　so　deeply　compromised；
especially　when；　as　in　my　case；　she　has　to　be　very　careful　of　her
reputation。

〃Stay　to　dinner；　my　darlingand　remember　that　I　must　treat　you　with
all　the　more　apparent　coldness　because　you　are　guilty　of　this　too
obvious　mishap。〃

Baron　Montes　was　presently　announced；　Valerie　rose　and　hurried　forward
to　meet　him；　she　spoke　a　few　sentences　in　his　ear；　enjoining　on　him
the　same　reserve　as　she　had　impressed　on　Wenceslas；　the　Brazilian
assumed　a　diplomatic　reticence　suitable　to　the　great　news　which　filled
him　with　delight；　for　he；　at　any　rate　was　sure　of　his　paternity。

Thanks　to　these　tactics；　based　on　the　vanity　of　the　man　in　the　lover
stage　of　his　existence；　Valerie　sat　down　to　table　with　four　men；　all
pleased　and　eager　to　please；　all　charmed；　and　each　believing　himself
adored；　called　by　Marneffe；　who　included　himself；　in　speaking　to
Lisbeth；　the　five　Fathers　of　the　Church。

Baron　Hulot　alone　at　first　showed　an　anxious　countenance；　and　this　was
why。　Just　as　he　was　leaving　the　office；　the　head　of　the　staff　of
clerks　had　come　to　his　private　rooma　General　with　whom　he　had　served
for　thirty　yearsand　Hulot　had　spoken　to　him　as　to　appointing
Marneffe　to　Coquet's　place；　Coquet　having　consented　to　retire。

〃My　dear　fellow；〃　said　he；　〃I　would　not　ask　this　favor　of　the　Prince
without　our　having　agreed　on　the　matter；　and　knowing　that　you
approved。〃

〃My　good　friend；〃　replied　the　other；　〃you　must　allow　me　to　observe
that；　for　your　own　sake；　you　should　not　insist　on　this　nomination。　I
have　already　told　you　my　opinion。　There　would　be　a　scandal　in　the
office；　where　there　is　a　great　deal　too　much　talk　already　about　you
and　Madame　Marneffe。　This；　of　course；　is　between　ourselves。　I　have　no
wish　to　to