cousin betty-第64节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


he　alone　could〃

〃Listen；　Hector　it　will　be　better　for　your　wife　to　perish　than　to
leave　our　uncle　to　perishand　your　brotherthe　honor　of　the　family！〃
cried　the　Baroness；　struck　by　a　flash　of　light。　〃Yes；　I　can　save　you
all。Good　God！　what　a　degrading　thought！　How　could　it　have　occurred
to　me？〃

She　clasped　her　hands；　dropped　on　her　knees；　and　put　up　a　prayer。　On
rising；　she　saw　such　a　crazy　expression　of　joy　on　her　husband's　face；
that　the　diabolical　suggestion　returned；　and　then　Adeline　sank　into　a
sort　of　idiotic　melancholy。

〃Go；　my　dear；　at　once　to　the　War　Office；〃　said　she；　rousing　herself
from　this　torpor；　〃try　to　send　out　a　commission；　it　must　be　done。　Get
round　the　Marshal。　And　on　your　return；　at　five　o'clock；　you　will　find
perhapsyes！　you　shall　find　two　hundred　thousand　francs。　Your
family；　your　honor　as　a　man；　as　a　State　official；　a　Councillor　of
State；　your　honestyyour　sonall　shall　be　saved；but　your　Adeline
will　be　lost；　and　you　will　see　her　no　more。　Hector；　my　dear；〃　said
she；　kneeling　before　him；　clasping　and　kissing　his　hand；　〃give　me　your
blessing！　Say　farewell。〃

It　was　so　heart…rending　that　Hulot　put　his　arms　round　his　wife；　raised
her　and　kissed　her；　saying：

〃I　do　not　understand。〃

〃If　you　did；〃　said　she；　〃I　should　die　of　shame；　or　I　should　not　have
the　strength　to　carry　out　this　last　sacrifice。〃

〃Breakfast　is　served；〃　said　Mariette。

Hortense　came　in　to　wish　her　parents　good…morning。　They　had　to　go　to
breakfast　and　assume　a　false　face。

〃Begin　without　me；　I　will　join　you；〃　said　the　Baroness。

She　sat　down　to　her　desk　and　wrote　as　follows：

　　〃MY　DEAR　MONSIEUR　CREVEL；I　have　to　ask　a　service　of　you；　I　shall
　　expect　you　this　morning；　and　I　count　on　your　gallantry；　which　is　
　　well　known　to　me；　to　save　me　from　having　too　long　to　wait　for　you。
　　Your　faithful　servant；

〃ADELINE　HULOT。〃


〃Louise；〃　said　she　to　her　daughter's　maid；　who　waited　on　her；　〃take
this　note　down　to　the　porter　and　desire　him　to　carry　it　at　once　to
this　address　and　wait　for　an　answer。〃

The　Baron；　who　was　reading　the　news；　held　out　a　Republican　paper　to
his　wife；　pointing　to　an　article；　and　saying：

〃Is　there　time？〃

This　was　the　paragraph；　one　of　the　terrible　〃notes〃　with　which　the
papers　spice　their　political　bread　and　butter：

　　〃A　correspondent　in　Algiers　writes　that　such　abuses　have　been
　　discovered　in　the　commissariate　transactions　of　the　province　of
　　Oran；　that　the　Law　is　making　inquiries。　The　peculation　is　self…
　　evident；　and　the　guilty　persons　are　known。　If　severe　measures　are
　　not　taken；　we　shall　continue　to　lose　more　men　through　the
　　extortion　that　limits　their　rations　than　by　Arab　steel　or　the
　　fierce　heat　of　the　climate。　We　await　further　information　before
　　enlarging　on　this　deplorable　business。　We　need　no　longer　wonder　at
　　the　terror　caused　by　the　establishment　of　the　Press　in　Africa；　as
　　was　contemplated　by　the　Charter　of　1830。〃

〃I　will　dress　and　go　to　the　Minister；〃　said　the　Baron；　as　they　rose
from　table。　〃Time　is　precious；　a　man's　life　hangs　on　every　minute。〃

〃Oh；　mamma；　there　is　no　hope　for　me！〃　cried　Hortense。　And　unable　to
check　her　tears；　she　handed　to　her　mother　a　number　of　the　/Revue　des
Beaux　Arts/。

Madame　Hulot's　eye　fell　on　a　print　of　the　group　of　〃Delilah〃　by　Count
Steinbock；　under　which　were　the　words；　〃The　property　of　Madame
Marneffe。〃

The　very　first　lines　of　the　article；　signed　V。；　showed　the　talent　and
friendliness　of　Claude　Vignon。

〃Poor　child！〃　said　the　Baroness。

Alarmed　by　her　mother's　tone　of　indifference；　Hortense　looked　up；　saw
the　expression　of　a　sorrow　before　which　her　own　paled；　and　rose　to
kiss　her　mother；　saying：

〃What　is　the　matter；　mamma？　What　is　happening？　Can　we　be　more　wretched
than　we　are　already？〃

〃My　child；　it　seems　to　me　that　in　what　I　am　going　through　to…day　my
past　dreadful　sorrows　are　as　nothing。　When　shall　I　have　ceased　to
suffer？〃

〃In　heaven；　mother；〃　said　Hortense　solemnly。

〃Come；　my　angel；　help　me　to　dress。No；　no；　I　will　not　have　you　help
me　in　this！　Send　me　Louise。〃

Adeline；　in　her　room；　went　to　study　herself　in　the　glass。　She　looked
at　herself　closely　and　sadly；　wondering　to　herself：

〃Am　I　still　handsome？　Can　I　still　be　desirable？　Am　I　not　wrinkled？〃

She　lifted　up　her　fine　golden　hair；　uncovering　her　temples；　they　were
as　fresh　as　a　girl's。　She　went　further；　she　uncovered　her　shoulders；
and　was　satisfied；　nay；　she　had　a　little　feeling　of　pride。　The　beauty
of　really　handsome　shoulders　is　one　of　the　last　charms　a　woman　loses；
especially　if　she　has　lived　chastely。

Adeline　chose　her　dress　carefully；　but　the　pious　and　blameless　woman
is　decent　to　the　end；　in　spite　of　her　little　coquettish　graces。　Of
what　use　were　brand…new　gray　silk　stockings　and　high　heeled　satin
shoes　when　she　was　absolutely　ignorant　of　the　art　of　displaying　a
pretty　foot　at　a　critical　moment；　by　obtruding　it　an　inch　or　two
beyond　a　half…lifted　skirt；　opening　horizons　to　desire？　She　put　on；
indeed；　her　prettiest　flowered　muslin　dress；　with　a　low　body　and　short
sleeves；　but　horrified　at　so　much　bareness；　she　covered　her　fine　arms
with　clear　gauze　sleeves　and　hid　her　shoulders　under　an　embroidered
cape。　Her　curls；　/a　l'Anglaise/；　struck　her　as　too　fly…away；　she
subdued　their　airy　lightness　by　putting　on　a　very　pretty　cap；　but；
with　or　without　the　cap；　would　she　have　known　how　to　twist　the　golden
ringlets　so　as　to　show　off　her　taper　fingers　to　admiration？

As　to　rougethe　consciousness　of　guilt；　the　preparations　for　a
deliberate　fall；　threw　this　saintly　woman　into　a　state　of　high　fever；
which；　for　the　time；　revived　the　brilliant　coloring　of　youth。　Her　eyes
were　bright；　her　cheeks　glowed。　Instead　of　assuming　a　seductive　air；
she　saw　in　herself　a　look　of　barefaced　audacity　which　shocked　her。

Lisbeth；　at　Adeline's　request；　had　told　her　all　the　circumstances　of
Wenceslas'　infidelity；　and　the　Baroness　had　learned　to　her　utter
amazement；　that　in　one　evening　in　one　moment；　Madame　Marneffe　had　made
herself　the　mistress　of　the　bewitched　artist。

〃How　do　these　women　do　it？〃　the　Baroness　had　asked　Lisbeth。

There　is　no　curiosity　so　great　as　that　of　virtuous　women　on　such
subjects；　they　would　like　to　know　the　arts　of　vice　and　remain
immaculate。

〃Why；　they　are　seductive；　it　is　their　business；〃　said　Cousin　Betty。
〃Valerie　that　evening；　my　dear；　was；　I　declare；　enough　to　bring　an
angel　to　perdition。〃

〃But　tell　me　how　she　set　to　work。〃

〃There　is　no　principle；　only　practice　in　that　walk　of　life；〃　said
Lisbeth　ironically。

The　Baroness；　recalling　this　conversation；　would　have　liked　to　consult
Cousin　Betty；　but　there　was　no　time　for　that。　Poor　Adeline；　incapable
of　imagining　a　patch；　of　pinning　a　rosebud　in　the　very　middle　of　her
bosom；　of　devising　the　tricks　of　the　toilet　intended　to　resuscitate
the　ardors　of　exhausted　nature；　was　merely　well　dressed。　A　woman　is
not　a　courtesan　for　the　wishing！

〃Woman　is　soup　for　man；〃　as　Moliere　says　by　the　mouth　of　the　judicious
Gros…Rene。　This　comparison　suggests　a　sort　of　culinary　art　in　love。
Then　the　virtuous　wife　would　be　a　Homeric　meal；　flesh　laid　on　hot
cinders。　The　courtesan；　on　the　contrary；　is　a　dish　by　Careme；　with　its
condiments；　spices；　and　elegant　arrangement。　The　Baroness　could　not
did　not　know　how　to　serve　up　her　fair　bosom　in　a　lordly　dish　of　lace；
after　the　manner　of　Madame　Marneffe。　She　knew　nothing　of　the　secrets
of　certain　attitudes。　This　high…souled　woman　might　have　turned　round
and　round　a　hundred　times；　and　she　would　have　betrayed　nothing　to　the
keen　glance　of　a　profligate。

To　be　a　good　woman　and　a　prude　to　all　the　world；　and　a　courtesan　to
her　husband；　is　the　gift　of　a　woman　of　genius；　and　they　are　few。　This
is　the　secret　of　long　fidelity；　inexplicable　to　the　women　who　are　not
blessed　with　the　double　and　splendid　faculty。　Imagine　Madame　Marneffe
virtuous；　and　you　have　the　Marchesa　di　Pescara。　But　such　lofty　and
illustrious　women；　beautiful　as　Diane　de　Poitiers；　but　virtuous；　may
be　easily　counted。

So　the　scene　with　which　this　serious　and　terrible　drama　of　Paris
manners　opened　was　about　to　be　repeated；　with　this　singular　difference
that　the　calamities　prophesied　then　by　the　captain　of　the　municipal
Militia　had　reversed　the　parts。　Madame　Hulot　was　awaiting　Crevel　with
the　same　intentions　as　had　brought　him　to　her；　smiling　down　at　the
Paris　crowd　from　his　/milord/；　three　years　ago。　And；　strangest　thing
of　all；　the　Baroness　was　true　to　herself　and　to　her　love；　while
preparing　to　yield　to　the　grossest　infidelity；　such　as　the　storm　of
passion　even　does　not　justify　in　the　eyes　of　some　judges。

〃What　can　I　do　to　become　a　Madame　Marneffe？〃　she　asked　herself　as　she
heard　the　door…bell。

She　restrained　her　tears；　fever　gave　brilliancy　to　her　face；　and　she
meant　to　be　quite　the　courtesan；　poor；　noble　soul。



〃What　the　devil　can　that　worthy　Baronne　Hulot　want　of　me？〃　Crevel
wondered　as　he　mounted　the　stairs。　〃She　is　going　to　discuss　my　quarrel
with　Celestine　and　Victorin；　no　doubt；　but　I　will　not　give　way！〃

As　he　went　into　the　drawing…room；　shown　in　by　Louise；　he　said　to
himself　as　he　noted　the　bareness　of　the　place　（Crevel's　word）：

〃Poor　woman！　She　lives　here　like　som