cousin betty-第59节

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told　him　that　the　man　was　dying。　So　this　clerk　was　scheming　for
Marneffe's　advancement。

When　Hulot　went　through　his　anteroom；　full　of　visitors；　he　saw
Marneffe's　colorless　face　in　a　corner；　and　sent　for　him　before　any　one
else。

〃What　do　you　want　of　me；　my　dear　fellow？〃　said　the　Baron；　disguising
his　anxiety。

〃Monsieur　le　Directeur；　I　am　the　laughing…stock　of　the　office；　for　it
has　become　known　that　the　chief　of　the　clerks　has　left　this　morning
for　a　holiday；　on　the　ground　of　his　health。　He　is　to　be　away　a　month。
Now；　we　all　know　what　waiting　for　a　month　means。　You　deliver　me　over
to　the　mockery　of　my　enemies；　and　it　is　bad　enough　to　be　drummed　upon
one　side；　drumming　on　both　at　once；　monsieur；　is　apt　to　burst　the
drum。〃

〃My　dear　Marneffe；　it　takes　long　patience　to　gain　an　end。　You　cannot
be　made　head…clerk　in　less　than　two　months；　if　ever。　Just　when　I　must；
as　far　as　possible；　secure　my　own　position；　is　not　the　time　to　be
applying　for　your　promotion；　which　would　raise　a　scandal。〃

〃If　you　are　broke；　I　shall　never　get　it；〃　said　Marneffe　coolly。　〃And
if　you　get　me　the　place；　it　will　make　no　difference　in　the　end。〃

〃Then　I　am　to　sacrifice　myself　for　you？〃　said　the　Baron。

〃If　you　do　not；　I　shall　be　much　mistaken　in　you。〃

〃You　are　too　exclusively　Marneffe；　Monsieur　Marneffe；〃　said　Hulot；
rising　and　showing　the　clerk　the　door。

〃I　have　the　honor　to　wish　you　good…morning；　Monsieur　le　Baron；〃　said
Marneffe　humbly。

〃What　an　infamous　rascal！〃　thought　the　Baron。　〃This　is　uncommonly　like
a　summons　to　pay　within　twenty…four　hours　on　pain　of　distraint。〃

Two　hours　later；　just　when　the　Baron　had　been　instructing　Claude
Vignon；　whom　he　was　sending　to　the　Ministry　of　Justice　to　obtain
information　as　to　the　judicial　authorities　under　whose　jurisdiction
Johann　Fischer　might　fall；　Reine　opened　the　door　of　his　private　room
and　gave　him　a　note；　saying　she　would　wait　for　the　answer。

〃Valerie　is　mad！〃　said　the　Baron　to　himself。　〃To　send　Reine！　It　is
enough　to　compromise　us　all；　and　it　certainly　compromises　that
dreadful　Marneffe's　chances　of　promotion！〃

But　he　dismissed　the　minister's　private　secretary；　and　read　as
follows：

　　〃Oh；　my　dear　friend；　what　a　scene　I　have　had　to　endure！　Though　you
　　have　made　me　happy　for　three　years；　I　have　paid　dearly　for　it！　He
　　came　in　from　the　office　in　a　rage　that　made　me　quake。　I　knew　he
　　was　ugly；　I　have　seen　him　a　monster！　His　four　real　teeth
　　chattered；　and　he　threatened　me　with　his　odious　presence　without
　　respite　if　I　should　continue　to　receive　you。　My　poor；　dear　old
　　boy；　our　door　is　closed　against　you　henceforth。　You　see　my　tears；
　　they　are　dropping　on　the　paper　and　soaking　it；　can　you　read　what　I
　　write；　dear　Hector？　Oh；　to　think　of　never　seeing　you；　of　giving
　　you　up　when　I　bear　in　me　some　of　your　life；　as　I　flatter　myself　I
　　have　your　heartit　is　enough　to　kill　me。　Think　of　our　little
　　Hector！

　　〃Do　not　forsake　me；　but　do　not　disgrace　yourself　for　Marneffe's
　　sake；　do　not　yield　to　his　threats。

　　〃I　love　you　as　I　have　never　loved！　I　remember　all　the　sacrifices
　　you　have　made　for　your　Valerie；　she　is　not；　and　never　will　be；
　　ungrateful；　you　are；　and　will　ever　be；　my　only　husband。　Think　no
　　more　of　the　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year　I　asked　you　to　settle　on
　　the　dear　little　Hector　who　is　to　come　some　months　hence；　I　will
　　not　cost　you　anything　more。　And　besides；　my　money　will　always　be
　　yours。

　　〃Oh；　if　you　only　loved　me　as　I　love　you；　my　Hector；　you　would
　　retire　on　your　pension；　we　should　both　take　leave　of　our　family；
　　our　worries；　our　surroundings；　so　full　of　hatred；　and　we　should　go
　　to　live　with　Lisbeth　in　some　pretty　country　placein　Brittany；　or
　　wherever　you　like。　There　we　should　see　nobody；　and　we　should　be
　　happy　away　from　the　world。　Your　pension　and　the　little　property　I
　　can　call　my　own　would　be　enough　for　us。　You　say　you　are　jealous；
　　well；　you　would　then　have　your　Valerie　entirely　devoted　to　her
　　Hector；　and　you　would　never　have　to　talk　in　a　loud　voice；　as　you
　　did　the　other　day。　I　shall　have　but　one　childoursyou　may　be
　　sure；　my　dearly　loved　old　veteran。

　　〃You　cannot　conceive　of　my　fury；　for　you　cannot　know　how　he
　　treated　me；　and　the　foul　words　he　vomited　on　your　Valerie。　Such
　　words　would　disgrace　my　paper；　a　woman　such　as　I　amMontcornet's
　　daughterought　never　to　have　heard　one　of　them　in　her　life。　I
　　only　wish　you　had　been　there；　that　I　might　have　punished　him　with
　　the　sight　of　the　mad　passion　I　felt　for　you。　My　father　would　have
　　killed　the　wretch；　I　can　only　do　as　women　dolove　you　devotedly！
　　Indeed；　my　love；　in　the　state　of　exasperation　in　which　I　am；　I
　　cannot　possibly　give　up　seeing　you。　I　must　positively　see　you；　in
　　secret；　every　day！　That　is　what　we　are；　we　women。　Your　resentment
　　is　mine。　If　you　love　me；　I　implore　you；　do　not　let　him　be
　　promoted；　leave　him　to　die　a　second…class　clerk。

　　〃At　this　moment　I　have　lost　my　head；　I　still　seem　to　hear　him
　　abusing　me。　Betty；　who　had　meant　to　leave　me；　has　pity　on　me；　and
　　will　stay　for　a　few　days。

　　〃My　dear　kind　love；　I　do　not　know　yet　what　is　to　be　done。　I　see
　　nothing　for　it　but　flight。　I　always　delight　in　the　country
　　Brittany；　Languedoc；　what　you　will；　so　long　as　I　am　free　to　love
　　you。　Poor　dear；　how　I　pity　you！　Forced　now　to　go　back　to　your　old
　　Adeline；　to　that　lachrymal　urnfor；　as　he　no　doubt　told　you；　the
　　monster　means　to　watch　me　night　and　day；　he　spoke　of　a　detective！
　　Do　not　come　here；　he　is　capable　of　anything　I　know；　since　he　could
　　make　use　of　me　for　the　basest　purposes　of　speculation。　I　only　wish
　　I　could　return　you　all　the　things　I　have　received　from　your
　　generosity。

　　〃Ah！　my　kind　Hector；　I　may　have　flirted；　and　have　seemed　to　you　to
　　be　fickle；　but　you　did　not　know　your　Valerie；　she　liked　to　tease
　　you；　but　she　loves　you　better　than　any　one　in　the　world。

　　〃He　cannot　prevent　your　coming　to　see　your　cousin；　I　will　arrange
　　with　her　that　we　have　speech　with　each　other。　My　dear　old　boy；
　　write　me　just　a　line；　pray；　to　comfort　me　in　the　absence　of　your
　　dear　self。　（Oh；　I　would　give　one　of　my　hands　to　have　you　by　me　on
　　our　sofa！）　A　letter　will　work　like　a　charm；　write　me　something
　　full　of　your　noble　soul；　I　will　return　your　note　to　you；　for　I
　　must　be　cautious；　I　should　not　know　where　to　hide　it；　he　pokes　his
　　nose　in　everywhere。　In　short；　comfort　your　Valerie；　your　little
　　wife；　the　mother　of　your　child。To　think　of　my　having　to　write　to
　　you；　when　I　used　to　see　you　every　day。　As　I　say　to　Lisbeth；　'I　did
　　not　know　how　happy　I　was。'　A　thousand　kisses；　dear　boy。　Be　true　to
　　your

〃VALERIE。〃


〃And　tears！〃　said　Hulot　to　himself　as　he　finished　this　letter；　〃tears
which　have　blotted　out　her　name。How　is　she？〃　said　he　to　Reine。

〃Madame　is　in　bed；　she　has　dreadful　spasms；〃　replied　Reine。　〃She　had　a
fit　of　hysterics　that　twisted　her　like　a　withy　round　a　faggot。　It　came
on　after　writing。　It　comes　of　crying　so　much。　She　heard　monsieur's
voice　on　the　stairs。〃

The　Baron　in　his　distress　wrote　the　following　note　on　office　paper
with　a　printed　heading：

　　〃Be　quite　easy；　my　angel；　he　will　die　a　second…class　clerk！Your
　　idea　is　admirable；　we　will　go　and　live　far　from　Paris；　where　we
　　shall　be　happy　with　our　little　Hector；　I　will　retire　on　my
　　pension；　and　I　shall　be　sure　to　find　some　good　appointment　on　a
　　railway。

　　〃Ah；　my　sweet　friend；　I　feel　so　much　the　younger　for　your　letter！
　　I　shall　begin　life　again　and　make　a　fortune；　you　will　see；　for　our
　　dear　little　one。　As　I　read　your　letter；　a　thousand　times　more
　　ardent　than　those　of　the　/Nouvelle　Heloise/；　it　worked　a　miracle！
　　I　had　not　believed　it　possible　that　I　could　love　you　more。　This
　　evening；　at　Lisbeth's　you　will　see

〃YOUR　HECTOR；　FOR　LIFE。〃


Reine　carried　off　this　reply；　the　first　letter　the　Baron　had　written
to　his　〃sweet　friend。〃　Such　emotions　to　some　extent　counterbalanced
the　disasters　growling　in　the　distance；　but　the　Baron；　at　this　moment
believing　he　could　certainly　avert　the　blows　aimed　at　his　uncle；
Johann　Fischer；　thought　only　of　the　deficit。

One　of　the　characteristics　of　the　Bonapartist　temperament　is　a　firm
belief　in　the　power　of　the　sword；　and　confidence　in　the　superiority　of
the　military　over　civilians。　Hulot　laughed　to　scorn　the　Public
Prosecutor　in　Algiers；　where　the　War　Office　is　supreme。　Man　is　always
what　he　has　once　been。　How　can　the　officers　of　the　Imperial　Guard
forget　that　time　was　when　the　mayors　of　the　largest　towns　in　the
Empire　and　the　Emperor's　prefects；　Emperors　themselves　on　a　minute
scale；　would　come　out　to　meet　the　Imperial　Guard；　to　pay　their
respects　on　the　borders　of　the　Departments　through　which　it　passed；
and　to　do　it；　in　short；　the　homage　due　to　sovereigns？

At　half…past　four　the　baron　went　straight　to　Madame　Marneffe's；　his
heart　beat　as　high　as　a　young　man's　as　he　went　upstairs；　for　he　was
asking　himself　this　question；　〃Shall　I　see　her？　or　shall　I　not？〃

How　was　he　now　to　remember　the　scene　of　the　morning　when　his　weeping
children　had　knelt　at　his　feet？　Valerie's　note；　enshrined　for　ever　in
a　thin　pocket…book　over　his　heart；　proved　to　him　that　she　loved　him
more　than　the　mos