cousin betty-第91节

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to　me　quite　inexplicable。　The　disease　is　peculiar　to　negroes　and　the
American　tribes；　whose　skin　is　differently　constituted　to　that　of　the
white　races。　Now　I　can　trace　no　connection　with　the　copper…colored
tribes；　with　negroes　or　half…castes；　in　Monsieur　or　Madame　Crevel。

〃And　though　it　is　a　very　interesting　disease　to　us；　it　is　a　terrible
thing　for　the　sufferers。　The　poor　woman；　who　is　said　to　have　been　very
pretty；　is　punished　for　her　sins；　for　she　is　now　squalidly　hideous　if
she　is　still　anything　at　all。　She　is　losing　her　hair　and　teeth；　her
skin　is　like　a　leper's；　she　is　a　horror　to　herself；　her　hands　are
horrible；　covered　with　greenish　pustules；　her　nails　are　loose；　and　the
flesh　is　eaten　away　by　the　poisoned　humors。〃

〃And　the　cause　of　such　a　disease？〃　asked　the　lawyer。

〃Oh！〃　said　the　doctor；　〃the　cause　lies　in　a　form　of　rapid　blood…
poisoning；　it　degenerates　with　terrific　rapidity。　I　hope　to　act　on　the
blood；　I　am　having　it　analyzed；　and　I　am　now　going　home　to　ascertain
the　result　of　the　labors　of　my　friend　Professor　Duval；　the　famous
chemist；　with　a　view　to　trying　one　of　those　desperate　measures　by
which　we　sometimes　attempt　to　defeat　death。〃

〃The　hand　of　God　is　there！〃　said　Adeline；　in　a　voice　husky　with
emotion。　〃Though　that　woman　has　brought　sorrows　on　me　which　have　led
me　in　moments　of　madness　to　invoke　the　vengeance　of　Heaven；　I　hope
God　knows　I　hopeyou　may　succeed；　doctor。〃

Victorin　felt　dizzy。　He　looked　at　his　mother；　his　sister；　and　the
physician　by　turns；　quaking　lest　they　should　read　his　thoughts。　He
felt　himself　a　murderer。

Hortense；　for　her　part；　thought　God　was　just。

Celestine　came　back　to　beg　her　husband　to　accompany　her。

〃If　you　insist　on　going；　madame；　and　you　too；　monsieur；　keep　at　least
a　foot　between　you　and　the　bed　of　the　sufferer；　that　is　the　chief
precaution。　Neither　you　nor　your　wife　must　dream　of　kissing　the　dying
man。　And；　indeed；　you　ought　to　go　with　your　wife；　Monsieur　Hulot；　to
hinder　her　from　disobeying　my　injunctions。〃

Adeline　and　Hortense；　when　they　were　left　alone；　went　to　sit　with
Lisbeth。　Hortense　had　such　a　virulent　hatred　of　Valerie　that　she　could
not　contain　the　expression　of　it。

〃Cousin　Lisbeth；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃my　mother　and　I　are　avenged！　that
venomous　snake　is　herself　bittenshe　is　rotting　in　her　bed！〃

〃Hortense；　at　this　moment　you　are　not　a　Christian。　You　ought　to　pray
to　God　to　vouchsafe　repentance　to　this　wretched　woman。〃

〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　said　Betty；　rising　from　her　couch。　〃Are
you　speaking　of　Valerie？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Adeline；　〃she　is　past　hopedying　of　some　horrible
disease　of　which　the　mere　description　makes　one　shudder〃

Lisbeth's　teeth　chattered；　a　cold　sweat　broke　out　all　over　her；　the
violence　of　the　shock　showed　how　passionate　her　attachment　to　Valerie
had　been。

〃I　must　go　there；〃　said　she。

〃But　the　doctor　forbids　your　going　out。〃

〃I　do　not　careI　must　go！Poor　Crevel！　what　a　state　he　must　be　in；
for　he　loves　that　woman。〃

〃He　is　dying　too；〃　replied　Countess　Steinbock。　〃Ah！　all　our　enemies
are　in　the　devil's　clutches〃

〃In　God's　hands；　my　child〃

Lisbeth　dressed　in　the　famous　yellow　Indian　shawl　and　her　black　velvet
bonnet；　and　put　on　her　boots；　in　spite　of　her　relations'
remonstrances；　she　set　out　as　if　driven　by　some　irresistible　power。

She　arrived　in　the　Rue　Barbet　a　few　minutes　after　Monsieur　and　Madame
Hulot；　and　found　seven　physicians　there；　brought　by　Bianchon　to　study
this　unique　case；　he　had　just　joined　them。　The　physicians；　assembled
in　the　drawing…room；　were　discussing　the　disease；　now　one　and　now
another　went　into　Valerie's　room　or　Crevel's　to　take　a　note；　and
returned　with　an　opinion　based　on　this　rapid　study。

These　princes　of　science　were　divided　in　their　opinions。　One；　who
stood　alone　in　his　views；　considered　it　a　case　of　poisoning；　of
private　revenge；　and　denied　its　identity　with　the　disease　known　in　the
Middle　Ages。　Three　others　regarded　it　as　a　specific　deterioration　of
the　blood　and　the　humors。　The　rest；　agreeing　with　Bianchon；　maintained
that　the　blood　was　poisoned　by　some　hitherto　unknown　morbid　infection。
Bianchon　produced　Professor　Duval's　analysis　of　the　blood。　The
remedies　to　be　applied；　though　absolutely　empirical　and　without　hope；
depended　on　the　verdict　in　this　medical　dilemma。

Lisbeth　stood　as　if　petrified　three　yards　away　from　the　bed　where
Valerie　lay　dying；　as　she　saw　a　priest　from　Saint…Thomas　d'Aquin
standing　by　her　friend's　pillow；　and　a　sister　of　charity　in
attendance。　Religion　could　find　a　soul　to　save　in　a　mass　of　rottenness
which；　of　the　five　senses　of　man；　had　now　only　that　of　sight。　The
sister　of　charity　who　alone　had　been　found　to　nurse　Valerie　stood
apart。　Thus　the　Catholic　religion；　that　divine　institution；　always
actuated　by　the　spirit　of　self…sacrifice；　under　its　twofold　aspect　of
the　Spirit　and　the　Flesh；　was　tending　this　horrible　and　atrocious
creature；　soothing　her　death…bed　by　its　infinite　benevolence　and
inexhaustible　stores　of　mercy。

The　servants；　in　horror；　refused　to　go　into　the　room　of　either　their
master　or　mistress；　they　thought　only　of　themselves；　and　judged　their
betters　as　righteously　stricken。　The　smell　was　so　foul　that　in　spite
of　open　windows　and　strong　perfumes；　no　one　could　remain　long　in
Valerie's　room。　Religion　alone　kept　guard　there。

How　could　a　woman　so　clever　as　Valerie　fail　to　ask　herself　to　what　end
these　two　representatives　of　the　Church　remained　with　her？　The　dying
woman　had　listened　to　the　words　of　the　priest。　Repentance　had　risen　on
her　darkened　soul　as　the　devouring　malady　had　consumed　her　beauty。　The
fragile　Valerie　had　been　less　able　to　resist　the　inroads　of　the
disease　than　Crevel；　she　would　be　the　first　to　succumb；　and；　indeed；
had　been　the　first　attacked。

〃If　I　had　not　been　ill　myself；　I　would　have　come　to　nurse　you；〃　said
Lisbeth　at　last；　after　a　glance　at　her　friend's　sunken　eyes。　〃I　have
kept　my　room　this　fortnight　or　three　weeks；　but　when　I　heard　of　your
state　from　the　doctor；　I　came　at　once。〃

〃Poor　Lisbeth；　you　at　least　love　me　still；　I　see！〃　said　Valerie。
〃Listen。　I　have　only　a　day　or　two　left　to　think；　for　I　cannot　say　to
live。　You　see；　there　is　nothing　left　of　meI　am　a　heap　of　mud！　They
will　not　let　me　see　myself　in　a　glass。Well；　it　is　no　more　than　I
deserve。　Oh；　if　I　might　only　win　mercy；　I　would　gladly　undo　all　the
mischief　I　have　done。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃if　you　can　talk　like　that；　you　are　indeed　a　dead
woman。〃

〃Do　not　hinder　this　woman's　repentance；　leave　her　in　her　Christian
mind；〃　said　the　priest。

〃There　is　nothing　left！〃　said　Lisbeth　in　consternation。　〃I　cannot
recognize　her　eyes　or　her　mouth！　Not　a　feature　of　her　is　there！　And
her　wit　has　deserted　her！　Oh；　it　is　awful！〃

〃You　don't　know；〃　said　Valerie；　〃what　death　is；　what　it　is　to　be
obliged　to　think　of　the　morrow　of　your　last　day　on　earth；　and　of　what
is　to　be　found　in　the　grave。Worms　for　the　bodyand　for　the　soul；
what？Lisbeth；　I　know　there　is　another　life！　And　I　am　given　over　to
terrors　which　prevent　my　feeling　the　pangs　of　my　decomposing　body。I；
who　could　laugh　at　a　saint；　and　say　to　Crevel　that　the　vengeance　of
God　took　every　form　of　disaster。　Well；　I　was　a　true　prophet。Do　not
trifle　with　sacred　things；　Lisbeth；　if　you　love　me；　repent　as　I　do。〃

〃I！〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃I　see　vengeance　wherever　I　turn　in　nature；　insects
even　die　to　satisfy　the　craving　for　revenge　when　they　are　attacked。
And　do　not　these　gentlemen　tell　us〃and　she　looked　at　the　priest
〃that　God　is　revenged；　and　that　His　vengeance　lasts　through　all
eternity？〃

The　priest　looked　mildly　at　Lisbeth　and　said：

〃You；　madame；　are　an　atheist！〃

〃But　look　what　I　have　come　to；〃　said　Valerie。

〃And　where　did　you　get　this　gangrene？〃　asked　the　old　maid；　unmoved
from　her　peasant　incredulity。

〃I　had　a　letter　from　Henri　which　leaves　me　in　no　doubt　as　to　my　fate。
He　has　murdered　me。　Andjust　when　I　meant　to　live　honestlyto　die　an
object　of　disgust！

〃Lisbeth；　give　up　all　notions　of　revenge。　Be　kind　to　that　family　to
whom　I　have　left　by　my　will　everything　I　can　dispose　of。　Go；　child；
though　you　are　the　only　creature　who；　at　this　hour；　does　not　avoid　me
with　horrorgo；　I　beseech　you；　and　leave　me。I　have　only　time　to
make　my　peace　with　God！〃

〃She　is　wandering　in　her　wits；〃　said　Lisbeth　to　herself；　as　she　left
the　room。

The　strongest　affection　known；　that　of　a　woman　for　a　woman；　had　not
such　heroic　constancy　as　the　Church。　Lisbeth；　stifled　by　the　miasma；
went　away。　She　found　the　physicians　still　in　consultation。　But
Bianchon's　opinion　carried　the　day；　and　the　only　question　now　was　how
to　try　the　remedies。

〃At　any　rate；　we　shall　have　a　splendid　/post…mortem/；〃　said　one　of　his
opponents；　〃and　there　will　be　two　cases　to　enable　us　to　make
comparisons。〃

Lisbeth　went　in　again　with　Bianchon；　who　went　up　to　the　sick　woman
without　seeming　aware　of　the　malodorous　atmosphere。

〃Madame；〃　said　he；　〃we　intend　to　try　a　powerful　remedy　which　may　save
you〃

〃And　if　you　save　my　life；〃　said　she；　〃shall　I　be　as　good…looking　as
ever？〃

〃Possibly；〃　said　the　judicious　physician。

〃I　know　your　/possibly/；〃　said　Valerie。　〃I　shall　look　like　a　woman　who
has　fallen　into　the　fire！　No