cousin betty-第94节

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had　the　heart　to　betray　such　perfect；　such　holy　innocence？　To　restore
this　child　to　the　ways　of　virtue　would　surely　atone　for　many　sins。I
knew　what　I　was　doing。〃　thought　she；　remembering　the　scene　with
Crevel。　〃But　sheshe　knows　nothing。〃

〃Do　you　know　Monsieur　Samanon？〃　asked　Atala；　with　an　insinuating　look。

〃No；　my　child；　but　why　do　you　ask？〃

〃Really　and　truly？〃　said　the　artless　girl。

〃You　have　nothing　to　fear　from　this　lady；〃　said　the　Italian　woman。
〃She　is　an　angel。〃

〃It　is　because　my　good　old　boy　is　afraid　of　being　caught　by　Samanon。
He　is　hiding；　and　I　wish　he　could　be　free〃

〃Why？〃

〃On！　then　he　would　take　me　to　Bobino；　perhaps　to　the　Ambigu。〃

〃What　a　delightful　creature！〃　said　the　Baroness；　kissing　the　girl。

〃Are　you　rich？〃　asked　Atala；　who　was　fingering　the　Baroness'　lace
ruffles。

〃Yes；　and　No；〃　replied　Madame　Hulot。　〃I　am　rich　for　dear　little　girls
like　you　when　they　are　willing　to　be　taught　their　duties　as　Christians
by　a　priest；　and　to　walk　in　the　right　way。〃

〃What　way　is　that？〃　said　Atala；　〃I　walk　on　my　two　feet。〃

〃The　way　of　virtue。〃

Atala　looked　at　the　Baroness　with　a　crafty　smile。

〃Look　at　madame；〃　said　the　Baroness；　pointing　to　the　stove…fitter's
wife；　〃she　has　been　quite　happy　because　she　was　received　into　the
bosom　of　the　Church。　You　married　like　the　beasts　that　perish。〃

〃I？〃　said　Atala。　〃Why；　if　you　will　give　me　as　much　as　Daddy　Vyder
gives　me；　I　shall　be　quite　happy　unmarried　again。　It　is　a　grind。Do
you　know　what　it　is　to？〃

〃But　when　once　you　are　united　to　a　man　as　you　are；〃　the　Baroness　put
in；　〃virtue　requires　you　to　remain　faithful　to　him。〃

〃Till　he　dies；〃　said　Atala；　with　a　knowing　flash。　〃I　shall　not　have　to
wait　long。　If　you　only　knew　how　Daddy　Vyder　coughs　and　blows。Poof；
poof；〃　and　she　imitated　the　old　man。

〃Virtue　and　morality　require　that　the　Church；　representing　God；　and
the　Mayor；　representing　the　law；　should　consecrate　your　marriage；〃
Madame　Hulot　went　on。　〃Look　at　madame；　she　is　legally　married〃

〃Will　it　make　it　more　amusing？〃　asked　the　girl。

〃You　will　be　happier；〃　said　the　Baroness；　〃for　no　one　could　then　blame
you。　You　would　satisfy　God！　Ask　her　if　she　was　married　without　the
sacrament　of　marriage！〃

Atala　looked　at　the　Italian。

〃How　is　she　any　better　than　I　am？〃　she　asked。　〃I　am　prettier　than　she
is。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　am　an　honest　woman；〃　said　the　wife；　〃and　you　may　be　called
by　a　bad　name。〃

〃How　can　you　expect　God　to　protect　you　if　you　trample　every　law；　human
and　divine；　under　foot？〃　said　the　Baroness。　〃Don't　you　know　that　God
has　Paradise　in　store　for　those　who　obey　the　injunctions　of　His
Church？〃

〃What　is　there　in　Paradise？　Are　there　playhouses？〃

〃Paradise！〃　said　Adeline；　〃is　every　joy　you　can　conceive　of。　It　is
full　of　angels　with　white　wings。　You　see　God　in　all　His　glory；　you
share　His　power；　you　are　happy　for　every　minute　of　eternity！〃

Atala　listened　to　the　lady　as　she　might　have　listened　to　music；　but
Adeline；　seeing　that　she　was　incapable　of　understanding　her；　thought
she　had　better　take　another　line　of　action　and　speak　to　the　old　man。

〃Go　home；　then；　my　child；　and　I　will　go　to　see　Monsieur　Vyder。　Is　he　a
Frenchman？〃

〃He　is　an　Alsatian；　madame。　But　he　will　be　quite　rich　soon。　If　you
would　pay　what　he　owes　to　that　vile　Samanon；　he　would　give　you　back
your　money；　for　in　a　few　months　he　will　be　getting　six　thousand　francs
a　year；　he　says；　and　we　are　to　go　to　live　in　the　country　a　long　way
off；　in　the　Vosges。〃

At　the　word　/Vosges/　the　Baroness　sat　lost　in　reverie。　It　called　up
the　vision　of　her　native　village。　She　was　roused　from　her　melancholy
meditation　by　the　entrance　of　the　stove…fitter；　who　came　to　assure　her
of　his　prosperity。

〃In　a　year's　time；　madame；　I　can　repay　the　money　you　lent　us；　for　it
is　God's　money；　the　money　of　the　poor　and　wretched。　If　ever　I　make　a
fortune；　come　to　me　for　what　you　want；　and　I　will　render　through　you
the　help　to　others　which　you　first　brought　us。〃

〃Just　now；〃　said　Madame　Hulot；　〃I　do　not　need　your　money；　but　I　ask
your　assistance　in　a　good　work。　I　have　just　seen　that　little　Judici；
who　is　living　with　an　old　man；　and　I　mean　to　see　them　regularly　and
legally　married。〃

〃Ah！　old　Vyder；　he　is　a　very　worthy　old　fellow；　with　plenty　of　good
sense。　The　poor　old　man　has　already　made　friends　in　the　neighborhood；
though　he　has　been　here　but　two　months。　He　keeps　my　accounts　for　me。
He　is；　I　believe；　a　brave　Colonel　who　served　the　Emperor　well。　And　how
he　adores　Napoleon！He　has　some　orders；　but　he　never　wears　them。　He
is　waiting　till　he　is　straight　again；　for　he　is　in　debt；　poor　old　boy！
In　fact；　I　believe　he　is　hiding；　threatened　by　the　law〃

〃Tell　him　that　I　will　pay　his　debts　if　he　will　marry　the　child。〃

〃Oh；　that　will　soon　be　settled。Suppose　you　were　to　see　him；　madame；
it　is　not　two　steps　away；　in　the　Passage　du　Soleil。〃

So　the　lady　and　the　stove…fitter　went　out。

〃This　way；　madame；〃　said　the　man；　turning　down　the　Rue　de　la
Pepiniere。

The　alley　runs；　in　fact；　from　the　bottom　of　this　street　through　to　the
Rue　du　Rocher。　Halfway　down　this　passage；　recently　opened　through；
where　the　shops　let　at　a　very　low　rent；　the　Baroness　saw　on　a　window；
screened　up　to　a　height　with　a　green；　gauze　curtain；　which　excluded
the　prying　eyes　of　the　passer…by；　the　words：


〃ECRIVAIN　PUBLIC〃；

and　on　the　door　the　announcement：

BUSINESS　TRANSACTED。

/Petitions　Drawn　Up；　Accounts　Audited；　Etc。/

/With　Secrecy　and　Dispatch。/


The　shop　was　like　one　of　those　little　offices　where　travelers　by
omnibus　wait　the　vehicles　to　take　them　on　to　their　destination。　A
private　staircase　led　up；　no　doubt；　to　the　living…rooms　on　the
entresol　which　were　let　with　the　shop。　Madame　Hulot　saw　a　dirty
writing…table　of　some　light　wood；　some　letter…boxes；　and　a　wretched
second…hand　chair。　A　cap　with　a　peak　and　a　greasy　green　shade　for　the
eyes　suggested　either　precautions　for　disguise；　or　weak　eyes；　which
was　not　unlikely　in　an　old　man。

〃He　is　upstairs；〃　said　the　stove…fitter。　〃I　will　go　up　and　tell　him　to
come　down。〃

Adeline　lowered　her　veil　and　took　a　seat。　A　heavy　step　made　the　narrow
stairs　creak；　and　Adeline　could　not　restrain　a　piercing　cry　when　she
saw　her　husband；　Baron　Hulot；　in　a　gray　knitted　jersey；　old　gray
flannel　trousers；　and　slippers。

〃What　is　your　business；　madame？〃　said　Hulot；　with　a　flourish。

She　rose；　seized　Hulot　by　the　arm；　and　said　in　a　voice　hoarse　with
emotion：

〃At　lastI　have　found　you！〃

〃Adeline！〃　exclaimed　the　Baron　in　bewilderment；　and　he　locked　the　shop
door。　〃Joseph；　go　out　the　back　way；〃　he　added　to　the　stove…fitter。

〃My　dear！〃　she　said；　forgetting　everything　in　her　excessive　joy；　〃you
can　come　home　to　us　all；　we　are　rich。　Your　son　draws　a　hundred　and
sixty　thousand　francs　a　year！　Your　pension　is　released；　there　are
fifteen　thousand　francs　of　arrears　you　can　get　on　showing　that　you　are
alive。　Valerie　is　dead；　and　left　you　three　hundred　thousand　francs。

〃Your　name　is　quite　forgotten　by　this　time；　you　may　reappear　in　the
world；　and　you　will　find　a　fortune　awaiting　you　at　your　son's　house。
Come；　our　happiness　will　be　complete。　For　nearly　three　years　I　have
been　seeking　you；　and　I　felt　so　sure　of　finding　you　that　a　room　is
ready　waiting　for　you。　Oh！　come　away　from　this；　come　away　from　the
dreadful　state　I　see　you　in！〃

〃I　am　very　willing；〃　said　the　bewildered　Baron；　〃but　can　I　take　the
girl？〃

〃Hector；　give　her　up！　Do　that　much　for　your　Adeline；　who　has　never
before　asked　you　to　make　the　smallest　sacrifice。　I　promise　you　I　will
give　the　child　a　marriage　portion；　I　will　see　that　she　marries　well；
and　has　some　education。　Let　it　be　said　of　one　of　the　women　who　have
given　you　happiness　that　she　too　is　happy；　and　do　not　relapse　into
vice；　into　the　mire。〃

〃So　it　was　you；〃　said　the　Baron；　with　a　smile；　〃who　wanted　to　see　me
married？Wait　a　few　minutes；〃　he　added；　〃I　will　go　upstairs　and
dress；　I　have　some　decent　clothes　in　a　trunk。〃

Adeline；　left　alone；　and　looking　round　the　squalid　shop；　melted　into
tears。

〃He　has　been　living　here；　and　we　rolling　in　wealth！〃　said　she　to
herself。　〃Poor　man；　he　has　indeed　been　punishedhe　who　was　elegance
itself。〃

The　stove…fitter　returned　to　make　his　bow　to　his　benefactress；　and　she
desired　him　to　fetch　a　coach。　When　he　came　back；　she　begged　him　to
give　little　Atala　Judici　a　home；　and　to　take　her　away　at　once。

〃And　tell　her　that　if　she　will　place　herself　under　the　guidance　of
Monsieur　the　Cure　of　the　Madeleine；　on　the　day　when　she　attends　her
first　Communion　I　will　give　her　thirty　thousand　francs　and　find　her　a
good　husband；　some　worthy　young　man。〃

〃My　eldest　son；　then　madame！　He　is　two…and…twenty；　and　he　worships　the
child。〃

The　Baron　now　came　down；　there　were　tears　in　his　eyes。

〃You　are　forcing　me　to　desert　the　only　creature　who　had　ever　begun　to
love　me　at　all　as　you　do！〃　said　he　in　a　whisper　to　his　wife。　〃She　is
crying　bitterly；　and　I　cannot　abandon　her　so〃

〃Be　quite　easy；　Hector。　She　will　find　a　home　with　honest　people；　and　I
will　answer　for　her　conduct。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　can　go　with　you；〃　said　the　Baron；　escorting　his　wife　to
the　cab。

Hector；　the　Baron　d'Ervy　once　more；　had　put　on　a　blue　coat　a