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第24节

a daughter of eve-第24节

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what his mother orders without question; so sure is he that all is

right。 He was thinking much more of presenting the cat to the countess

than of the papers by which his liberty might be; according to the

laws relating to foreigners; forever sacrificed。



〃You assure me that these little papers with the stamps on them〃



〃Don't be in the least uneasy;〃 said the countess。



〃I am not uneasy;〃 he said; hastily。 〃I only meant to ask if these

little papers will give pleasure to Madame du Tillet。〃



〃Oh; yes;〃 she said; 〃you are doing her a service; as if you were her

father。〃



〃I am happy; indeed; to be of any good to her Come and listen to my

music!〃 and leaving the papers on the table; he jumped to his piano。



The hands of this angel ran along the yellowing keys; his glance was

rising to heaven; regardless of the roof; already the air of some

blessed climate permeated the room and the soul of the old musician;

but the countess did not allow the artless interpreter of things

celestial to make the strings and the worn wood speak; like

Raffaelle's Saint Cecilia; to the listening angels。 She quickly

slipped the notes into her muff and recalled her radiant master from

the ethereal spheres to which he soared; by laying her hand upon his

shoulder。



〃My good Schmucke〃 she said。



〃Going already?〃 he cried。 〃Ah! why did you come?〃



He did not murmur; but he sat up like a faithful dog who listens to

his mistress。



〃My good Schmucke;〃 she repeated; 〃this is a matter of life and death;

minutes can save tears; perhaps blood。〃



〃Always the same!〃 he said。 〃Go; angel! dry the tears of others。 Your

poor Schmucke thinks more of your visit than of your gifts。〃



〃But we must see each other often;〃 she said。 〃You must come and dine

and play to me every Sunday; or we shall quarrel。 Remember; I shall

expect you next Sunday。〃



〃Really and truly?〃



〃Yes; I entreat you; and my sister will want you; too; for another

day。〃



〃Then my happiness will be complete;〃 he said; 〃for I only see you now

in the Champs Elysees as you pass in your carriage; and that is very

seldom。〃



This thought dried the tears in his eyes as he gave his arm to his

beautiful pupil; who felt the old man's heart beat violently。



〃You think of us?〃 she said。



〃Always as I eat my food;〃 he answered;〃as my benefactresses; but

chiefly as the first young girls worthy of love whom I ever knew。〃



So respectful; faithful; and religious a solemnity was in this speech

that the countess dared say no more。 That smoky chamber; full of dirt

and rubbish; was the temple of the two divinities。



〃There we are lovedand truly loved;〃 she thought。



The emotion with which old Schmucke saw the countess get into her

carriage and leave him she fully shared; and she sent him from the

tips of her fingers one of those pretty kisses which women give each

other from afar。 Receiving it; the old man stood planted on his feet

for a long time after the carriage had disappeared。



A few moments later the countess entered the court…yard of the hotel

de Nucingen。 Madame de Nucingen was not yet up; but anxious not to

keep a woman of the countess's position waiting; she hastily threw on

a shawl and wrapper。



〃My visit concerns a charitable action; madame;〃 said the countess;

〃or I would not disturb you at so early an hour。〃



〃But I am only too happy to be disturbed;〃 said the banker's wife;

taking the notes and the countess's guarantee。 She rang for her maid。



〃Therese;〃 she said; 〃tell the cashier to bring me up himself;

immediately; forty thousand francs。〃



Then she locked into a table drawer the guarantee given by Madame de

Vandenesse; after sealing it up。



〃You have a delightful room;〃 said the countess。



〃Yes; but Monsieur de Nucingen is going to take it from me。 He is

building a new house。〃



〃You will doubtless give this one to your daughter; who; I am told; is

to marry Monsieur de Rastignac。〃



The cashier appeared at this moment with the money。 Madame de Nucingen

took the bank…bills and gave him the notes of hand。



〃That balances;〃 she said。



〃Except the discount;〃 replied the cashier。 〃Ha; Schmucke; that's the

musician of Anspach;〃 he added; examining the signatures in a

suspicious manner that made the countess tremble。



〃Who is doing this business?〃 said Madame de Nucingen; with a haughty

glance at the cashier。 〃This is my affair。〃



The cashier looked alternately at the two ladies; but he could

discover nothing on their impenetrable faces。



〃Go; leave us Have the kindness to wait a few moments that the

people in the bank may not connect you with this negotiation;〃 said

Madame de Nucingen to the countess。



〃I must ask you to add to all your other kindness that of keeping this

matter secret;〃 said Madame de Vandenesse。



〃Most assuredly; since it is for charity;〃 replied the baroness;

smiling。 〃I will send your carriage round to the garden gate; so that

no one will see you leave the house。〃



〃You have the thoughtful grace of a person who has suffered;〃 said the

countess。



〃I do not know if I have grace;〃 said the baroness; 〃but I have

suffered much。 I hope that your anxieties cost less than mine。〃



When a man has laid a plot like that du Tillet was scheming against

Nathan; he confides it to no man。 Nucingen knew something of it; but

his wife knew nothing。 The baroness; however; aware that Raoul was

embarrassed; was not the dupe of the two sisters; she guessed into

whose hands that money was to go; and she was delighted to oblige the

countess; moreover; she felt a deep compassion for all such

embarrassments。 Rastignac; so placed that he was able to fathom the

manoeuvres of the two bankers; came to breakfast that morning with

Madame de Nucingen。



Delphine and Rastignac had no secrets from each other; and the

baroness related to him her scene with the countess。 Eugene; who had

never supposed that Delphine could be mixed up in the affair; which

was only accessory to his eyes;one means among many others;opened

her eyes to the truth。 She had probably; he told her; destroyed du

Tillet's chances of selection; and rendered useless the intrigues and

deceptions of the past year。 In short; he put her in the secret of the

whole affair; advising her to keep absolute silence as to the mistake

she had just committed。



〃Provided the cashier does not tell Nucingen;〃 she said。



A few moments after mid…day; while du Tillet was breakfasting;

Monsieur Gigonnet was announced。



〃Let him come in;〃 said the banker; though his wife was at table。

〃Well; my old Shylock; is our man locked up?〃



〃No。〃



〃Why not? Didn't I give you the address; rue du Mail; hotel〃



〃He has paid up;〃 said Gigonnet; drawing from his wallet a pile of

bank…bills。 Du Tillet looked furious。 〃You should never frown at

money;〃 said his impassible associate; 〃it brings ill…luck。〃



〃Where did you get that money; madame?〃 said du Tillet; suddenly

turning upon his wife with a look which made her color to the roots of

her hair。



〃I don't know what your question means;〃 she said。



〃I will fathom this mystery;〃 he cried; springing furiously up。 〃You

have upset my most cherished plans。〃



〃You are upsetting your breakfast;〃 said Gigonnet; arresting the

table…clock; which was dragged by the skirt of du Tillet's dressing…

gown。



Madame du Tillet rose to leave the room; for her husband's words

alarmed her。 She rang the bell; and a footman entered。



〃The carriage;〃 she said。 〃And call Virginie; I wish to dress。〃



〃Where are you going?〃 exclaimed du Tillet。



〃Well…bred husbands do not question their wives;〃 she answered。 〃I

believe that you lay claim to be a gentleman。〃



〃I don't recognize you ever since you have seen more of your

impertinent sister。〃



〃You ordered me to be impertinent; and I am practising on you;〃 she

replied。



〃Your servant; madame;〃 said Gigonnet; taking leave; not anxious to

witness this family scene。



Du Tillet looked fixedly at his wife; who returned the look without

lowering her eyes。



〃What does all this mean?〃 he said。



〃It means that I am no longer a little girl whom you can frighten;〃

she replied。 〃I am; and shall be; all my life; a good and loyal wife

to you; you may be my master if you choose; my tyrant; never!〃



Du Tillet left the room。 After this effort Marie…Eugenie broke down。



〃If it were not for my sister's danger;〃 she said to herself; 〃I

should never have dared to brave him thus; but; as the proverb says;

'There's some good in every evil。'〃







CHAPTER IX



THE HUSBAND'S TRIUMPH



During the preceding night Madame du Tillet had gone over in her mind

her sister's revelations。 Sure; now; of Nathan's safety; she was no

longer influenced by the thought of an imminent danger in that

direction。 But she remembered the ve

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