cousin betty-第82节

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Lupin　undertook　investigations　for　the　benefit　of　private　persons。
This　might　have　led　to　great　social　dangers。　With　the　means　at　his
command；　the　man　would　have　been　formidable；　an　underlying　fate〃

〃But　in　my　place？〃　said　Hulot。

〃Why；　you　ask　my　advice？　You　who　sell　it！〃　replied　Monsieur　Chapuzot。
〃Come；　come；　my　dear　sir；　you　are　making　fun　of　me。〃

Hulot　bowed　to　the　functionary；　and　went　away　without　seeing　that
gentleman's　almost　imperceptible　shrug　as　he　rose　to　open　the　door。

〃And　he　wants　to　be　a　statesman！〃　said　Chapuzot　to　himself　as　he
returned　to　his　reports。

Victorin　went　home；　still　full　of　perplexities　which　he　could　confide
to　no　one。

At　dinner　the　Baroness　joyfully　announced　to　her　children　that　within
a　month　their　father　might　be　sharing　their　comforts；　and　end　his　days
in　peace　among　his　family。

〃Oh；　I　would　gladly　give　my　three　thousand　six　hundred　francs　a　year
to　see　the　Baron　here！〃　cried　Lisbeth。　〃But；　my　dear　Adeline；　do　not
dream　beforehand　of　such　happiness；　I　entreat　you！〃

〃Lisbeth　is　right；〃　said　Celestine。　〃My　dear　mother；　wait　till　the
end。〃

The　Baroness；　all　feeling　and　all　hope；　related　her　visit　to　Josepha；
expressed　her　sense　of　the　misery　of　such　women　in　the　midst　of　good
fortune；　and　mentioned　Chardin　the　mattress…picker；　the　father　of　the
Oran　storekeeper；　thus　showing　that　her　hopes　were　not　groundless。



By　seven　next　morning　Lisbeth　had　driven　in　a　hackney　coach　to　the
Quai　de　la　Tournelle；　and　stopped　the　vehicle　at　the　corner　of　the　Rue
de　Poissy。

〃Go　to　the　Rue　des　Bernardins；〃　said　she　to　the　driver；　〃No。　7；　a
house　with　an　entry　and　no　porter。　Go　up　to　the　fourth　floor；　ring　at
the　door　to　the　left；　on　which　you　will　see　'Mademoiselle　Chardin
Lace　and　shawls　mended。'　She　will　answer　the　door。　Ask　for　the
Chevalier。　She　will　say　he　is　out。　Say　in　reply；　'Yes；　I　know；　but
find　him；　for　his　/bonne/　is　out　on　the　quay　in　a　coach；　and　wants　to
see　him。'　〃

Twenty　minutes　later；　an　old　man；　who　looked　about　eighty；　with
perfectly　white　hair；　and　a　nose　reddened　by　the　cold；　and　a　pale；
wrinkled　face　like　an　old　woman's；　came　shuffling　slowly　along　in　list
slippers；　a　shiny　alpaca　overcoat　hanging　on　his　stooping　shoulders；
no　ribbon　at　his　buttonhole；　the　sleeves　of　an　under…vest　showing
below　his　coat…cuffs；　and　his　shirt…front　unpleasantly　dingy。　He
approached　timidly；　looked　at　the　coach；　recognized　Lisbeth；　and　came
to　the　window。

〃Why；　my　dear　cousin；　what　a　state　you　are　in！〃

〃Elodie　keeps　everything　for　herself；〃　said　Baron　Hulot。　〃Those
Chardins　are　a　blackguard　crew。〃

〃Will　you　come　home　to　us？〃

〃Oh；　no；　no！〃　cried　the　old　man。　〃I　would　rather　go　to　America。〃

〃Adeline　is　on　the　scent。〃

〃Oh；　if　only　some　one　would　pay　my　debts！〃　said　the　Baron；　with　a
suspicious　look；　〃for　Samanon　is　after　me。〃

〃We　have　not　paid　up　the　arrears　yet；　your　son　still　owes　a　hundred
thousand　francs。〃

〃Poor　boy！〃

〃And　your　pension　will　not　be　free　before　seven　or　eight　months。If
you　will　wait　a　minute；　I　have　two　thousand　francs　here。〃

The　Baron　held　out　his　hand　with　fearful　avidity。

〃Give　it　me；　Lisbeth；　and　may　God　reward　you！　Give　it　me；　I　know　where
to　go。〃

〃But　you　will　tell　me；　old　wretch？〃

〃Yes；　yes。　Then　I　can　wait　eight　months；　for　I　have　discovered　a
little　angel；　a　good　child；　an　innocent　thing　not　old　enough　to　be
depraved。〃

〃Do　not　forget　the　police…court；〃　said　Lisbeth；　who　flattered　herself
that　she　would　some　day　see　Hulot　there。

〃No。It　is　in　the　Rue　de　Charonne；〃　said　the　Baron；　〃a　part　of　the
town　where　no　fuss　is　made　about　anything。　No　one　will　ever　find　me
there。　I　am　called　Pere　Thorec；　Lisbeth；　and　I　shall　be　taken　for　a
retired　cabinet…maker；　the　girl　is　fond　of　me；　and　I　will　not　allow　my
back　to　be　shorn　any　more。〃

〃No；　that　has　been　done；〃　said　Lisbeth；　looking　at　his　coat。
〃Supposing　I　take　you　there。〃

Baron　Hulot　got　into　the　coach；　deserting　Mademoiselle　Elodie　without
taking　leave　of　her；　as　he　might　have　tossed　aside　a　novel　he　had
finished。

In　half　an　hour；　during　which　Baron　Hulot　talked　to　Lisbeth　of　nothing
but　little　Atala　Judicifor　he　had　fallen　by　degrees　to　those　base
passions　that　ruin　old　menshe　set　him　down　with　two　thousand　francs
in　his　pocket；　in　the　Rue　de　Charonne；　Faubourg　Saint…Antoine；　at　the
door　of　a　doubtful　and　sinister…looking　house。

〃Good…day；　cousin；　so　now　you　are　to　be　called　Thorec；　I　suppose？　Send
none　but　commissionaires　if　you　need　me；　and　always　take　them　from
different　parts。〃

〃Trust　me！　Oh；　I　am　really　very　lucky！〃　said　the　Baron；　his　face
beaming　with　the　prospect　of　new　and　future　happiness。

〃No　one　can　find　him　there；〃　said　Lisbeth；　and　she　paid　the　coach　at
the　Boulevard　Beaumarchais；　and　returned　to　the　Rue　Louis…le…Grand　in
the　omnibus。

On　the　following　day　Crevel　was　announced　at　the　hour　when　all　the
family　were　together　in　the　drawing…room；　just　after　breakfast。
Celestine　flew　to　throw　her　arms　round　her　father's　neck；　and　behaved
as　if　she　had　seen　him　only　the　day　before；　though　in　fact　he　had　not
called　there　for　more　than　two　years。

〃Good…morning；　father；〃　said　Victorin；　offering　his　hand。

〃Good…morning；　children；〃　said　the　pompous　Crevel。　〃Madame　la　Baronne；
I　throw　myself　at　your　feet！　Good　Heavens；　how　the　children　grow！　they
are　pushing　us　off　the　perch'Grand…pa；'　they　say；　'we　want　our　turn
in　the　sunshine。'Madame　la　Comtesse；　you　are　as　lovely　as　ever；〃　he
went　on；　addressing　Hortense。〃Ah；　ha！　and　here　is　the　best　of　good
money：　Cousin　Betty；　the　Wise　Virgin。〃

〃Why；　you　are　really　very　comfortable　here；〃　said　he；　after　scattering
these　greetings　with　a　cackle　of　loud　laughter　that　hardly　moved　the
rubicund　muscles　of　his　broad　face。

He　looked　at　his　daughter　with　some　contempt。

〃My　dear　Celestine；　I　will　make　you　a　present　of　all　my　furniture　out
of　the　Rue　des　Saussayes；　it　will　just　do　here。　Your　drawing…room
wants　furnishing　up。Ha！　there　is　that　little　rogue　Wenceslas。　Well；
and　are　we　very　good　children；　I　wonder？　You　must　have　pretty　manners；
you　know。〃

〃To　make　up　for　those　who　have　none；〃　said　Lisbeth。

〃That　sarcasm；　my　dear　Lisbeth；　has　lost　its　sting。　I　am　going；　my
dear　children；　to　put　an　end　to　the　false　position　in　which　I　have　so
long　been　placed；　I　have　come；　like　a　good　father；　to　announce　my
approaching　marriage　without　any　circumlocution。〃

〃You　have　a　perfect　right　to　marry；〃　said　Victorin。　〃And　for　my　part；
I　give　you　back　the　promise　you　made　me　when　you　gave　me　the　hand　of
my　dear　Celestine〃

〃What　promise？〃　said　Crevel。

〃Not　to　marry；〃　replied　the　lawyer。　〃You　will　do　me　the　justice　to
allow　that　I　did　not　ask　you　to　pledge　yourself；　that　you　gave　your
word　quite　voluntarily　and　in　spite　of　my　desire；　for　I　pointed　out　to
you　at　the　time　that　you　were　unwise　to　bind　yourself。〃

〃Yes；　I　do　remember；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　Crevel；　ashamed　of　himself。
〃But；　on　my　honor；　if　you　will　but　live　with　Madame　Crevel；　my
children；　you　will　find　no　reason　to　repent。Your　good　feeling
touches　me；　Victorin；　and　you　will　find　that　generosity　to　me　is　not
unrewarded。Come；　by　the　Poker！　welcome　your　stepmother　and　come　to
the　wedding。〃

〃But　you　have　not　told　us　the　lady's　name；　papa；〃　said　Celestine。

〃Why；　it　is　an　open　secret；〃　replied　Crevel。　〃Do　not　let　us　play　at
guess　who　can！　Lisbeth　must　have　told　you。〃

〃My　dear　Monsieur　Crevel；〃　replied　Lisbeth；　〃there　are　certain　names
we　never　utter　here〃

〃Well；　then；　it　is　Madame　Marneffe。〃

〃Monsieur　Crevel；〃　said　the　lawyer　very　sternly；　〃neither　my　wife　nor
I　can　be　present　at　that　marriage；　not　out　of　interest；　for　I　spoke　in
all　sincerity　just　now。　Yes；　I　am　most　happy　to　think　that　you　may
find　happiness　in　this　union；　but　I　act　on　considerations　of　honor　and
good　feeling　which　you　must　understand；　and　which　I　cannot　speak　of
here；　as　they　reopen　wounds　still　ready　to　bleed〃

The　Baroness　telegraphed　a　signal　to　Hortense；　who　tucked　her　little
one　under　her　arm；　saying；　〃Come　Wenceslas；　and　have　your　bath！Good…
bye；　Monsieur　Crevel。〃

The　Baroness　also　bowed　to　Crevel　without　a　word；　and　Crevel　could　not
help　smiling　at　the　child's　astonishment　when　threatened　with　this
impromptu　tubbing。

〃You；　monsieur；〃　said　Victorin；　when　he　found　himself　alone　with
Lisbeth；　his　wife；　and　his　father…in…law；　〃are　about　to　marry　a　woman
loaded　with　the　spoils　of　my　father；　it　was　she　who；　in　cold　blood；
brought　him　down　to　such　depths；　a　woman　who　is　the　son…in…law's
mistress　after　ruining　the　father…in…law；　who　is　the　cause　of　constant
grief　to　my　sister！And　you　fancy　that　I　shall　seem　to　sanction　your
madness　by　my　presence？　I　deeply　pity　you；　dear　Monsieur　Crevel；　you
have　no　family　feeling；　you　do　not　understand　the　unity　of　the　honor
which　binds　the　members　of　it　together。　There　is　no　arguing　with
passionas　I　have　too　much　reason　to　know。　The　slaves　of　their
passions　are　as　deaf　as　they　are　blind。　Your　daughter　Celestine　has
too　strong　a　sense　of　her　duty　to　proffer　a　word　of　reproach。〃

〃That　would；　indeed；　be　a　pretty　thing！〃　cried　Crevel；　trying　to　cut
short　this　harangue。

〃Celestine　would　not　be　my　wife　if　she　made　the　sli