cousin betty- 第37部分

The　Baroness；　who　had　to　furnish　her　drawing…room；　bed…room；　and
dining…room　with　the　relics　of　her　splendor；　had　brought　away　the　best
of　the　remains　from　the　house　in　the　Rue　de　l'Universite。　Indeed；　the
poor　woman　was　attached　to　these　mute　witnesses　of　her　happier　life；
to　her　they　had　an　almost　consoling　eloquence。　In　memory　she　saw　her
flowers；　as　in　the　carpets　she　could　trace　patterns　hardly　visible　now
to　other　eyes。

On　going　into　the　spacious　anteroom；　where　twelve　chairs；　a　barometer；
a　large　stove；　and　long；　white　cotton　curtains；　bordered　with　red；
suggested　the　dreadful　waiting…room　of　a　Government　office；　the
visitor　felt　oppressed；　conscious　at　once　of　the　isolation　in　which
the　mistress　lived。　Grief；　like　pleasure；　infects　the　atmosphere。　A
first　glance　into　any　home　is　enough　to　tell　you　whether　love　or
despair　reigns　there。

Adeline　would　be　found　sitting　in　an　immense　bedroom　with　beautiful
furniture　by　Jacob　Desmalters；　of　mahogany　finished　in　the　Empire
style　with　ormolu；　which　looks　even　less　inviting　than　the　brass…work
of　Louis　XVI。！　It　gave　one　a　shiver　to　see　this　lonely　woman　sitting
on　a　Roman　chair；　a　work…table　with　sphinxes　before　her；　colorless；
affecting　false　cheerfulness；　but　preserving　her　imperial　air；　as　she
had　preserved　the　blue　velvet　gown　she　always　wore　in　the　house。　Her
proud　spirit　sustained　her　strength　and　preserved　her　beauty。

The　Baroness；　by　the　end　of　her　first　year　of　banishment　to　this
apartment；　had　gauged　every　depth　of　misfortune。

〃Still；　even　here　my　Hector　has　made　my　life　much　handsomer　than　it
should　be　for　a　mere　peasant；〃　said　she　to　herself。　〃He　chooses　that
it　should　be　so；　his　will　be　done！　I　am　Baroness　Hulot；　the　sister…in…
law　of　a　Marshal　of　France。　I　have　done　nothing　wrong；　my　two　children
are　settled　in　life；　I　can　wait　for　death；　wrapped　in　the　spotless
veil　of　an　immaculate　wife　and　the　crape　of　departed　happiness。〃

A　portrait　of　Hulot；　in　the　uniform　of　a　Commissary　General　of　the
Imperial　Guard；　painted　in　1810　by　Robert　Lefebvre；　hung　above　the
work…table；　and　when　visitors　were　announced；　Adeline　threw　into　a
drawer　an　/Imitation　of　Jesus　Christ/；　her　habitual　study。　This
blameless　Magdalen　thus　heard　the　Voice　of　the　Spirit　in　her　desert。

〃Mariette；　my　child；〃　said　Lisbeth　to　the　woman　who　opened　the　door；
〃how　is　my　dear　Adeline　to…day？〃

〃Oh；　she　looks　pretty　well；　mademoiselle；　but　between　you　and　me；　if
she　goes　on　in　this　way；　she　will　kill　herself；〃　said　Mariette　in　a
whisper。　〃You　really　ought　to　persuade　her　to　live　better。　Now；
yesterday　madame　told　me　to　give　her　two　sous'　worth　of　milk　and　a
roll　for　one　sou；　to　get　her　a　herring　for　dinner　and　a　bit　of　cold
veal；　she　had　a　pound　cooked　to　last　her　the　weekof　course；　for　the
days　when　she　dines　at　home　and　alone。　She　will　not　spend　more　than
ten　sous　a　day　for　her　food。　It　is　unreasonable。　If　I　were　to　say
anything　about　it　to　Monsieur　le　Marechal；　he　might　quarrel　with
Monsieur　le　Baron　and　leave　him　nothing；　whereas　you；　who　are　so　kind
and　clever；　can　manage　things〃

〃But　why　do　you　not　apply　to　my　cousin　the　Baron？〃　said　Lisbeth。

〃Oh；　dear　mademoiselle；　he　has　not　been　here　for　three　weeks　or　more；
in　fact；　not　since　we　last　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you！　Besides；
madame　has　forbidden　me；　under　threat　of　dismissal；　ever　to　ask　the
master　for　money。　But　as　for　grief！oh；　poor　lady；　she　has　been　very
unhappy。　It　is　the　first　time　that　monsieur　has　neglected　her　for　so
long。　Every　time　the　bell　rang　she　rushed　to　the　windowbut　for　the
last　five　days　she　has　sat　still　in　her　chair。　She　reads。　Whenever　she
goes　out　to　see　Madame　la　Comtesse；　she　says；　'Mariette；　if　monsieur
comes　in；'　says　she；　'tell　him　I　am　at　home；　and　send　the　porter　to
fetch　me；　he　shall　be　well　paid　for　his　trouble。'　〃

〃Poor　soul！〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃it　goes　to　my　heart。　I　speak　of　her　to　the
Baron　every　day。　What　can　I　do？　'Yes；'　says　he；　'Betty；　you　are　right；
I　am　a　wretch。　My　wife　is　an　angel；　and　I　am　a　monster！　I　will　go
to…morrow'　And　he　stays　with　Madame　Marneffe。　That　woman　is
ruining　him；　and　he　worships　her；　he　lives　only　in　her　sight。I　do
what　I　can；　if　I　were　not　there；　and　if　I　had　not　Mathurine　to　depend
upon；　he　would　spend　twice　as　much　as　he　does；　and　as　he　has　hardly
any　money　in　the　world；　he　would　have　blown　his　brains　out　by　this
time。　And；　I　tell　you；　Mariette；　Adeline　would　die　of　her　husband's
death；　I　am　perfectly　certain。　At　any　rate；　I　pull　to　make　both　ends
meet；　and　prevent　my　cousin　from　throwing　too　much　money　into　the
fire。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　what　madame　says；　poor　soul！　She　knows　how　much　she　owes
you；〃　replied　Mariette。　〃She　said　she　had　judged　you　unjustly　for　many
years〃

〃Indeed！〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃And　did　she　say　anything　else？〃

〃No；　mademoiselle。　If　you　wish　to　please　her；　talk　to　her　about
Monsieur　le　Baron；　she　envies　you　your　happiness　in　seeing　him　every
day。〃

〃Is　she　alone？〃

〃I　beg　pardon；　no；　the　Marshal　is　with　her。　He　comes　every　day；　and
she　always　tells　him　she　saw　monsieur　in　the　morning；　but　that　he
comes　in　very　late　at　night。〃

〃And　is　there　a　good　dinner　to…day？〃

Mariette　hesitated；　she　could　not　meet　Lisbeth's　eye。　The　drawing…room
door　opened；　and　Marshal　Hulot　rushed　out　in　such　haste　that　he　bowed
to　Lisbeth　without　looking　at　her；　and　dropped　a　paper。　Lisbeth　picked
it　up　and　ran　after　him　downstairs；　for　it　was　vain　to　hail　a　deaf
man；　but　she　managed　not　to　overtake　the　Marshal；　and　as　she　came　up
again　she　furtively　read　the　following　lines　written　in　pencil：

　　〃MY　DEAR　BROTHER；My　husband　has　given　me　the　money　for　my
　　quarter's　expenses；　but　my　daughter　Hortense　was　in　such　need　of
　　it；　that　I　lent　her　the　whole　sum；　which　was　scarcely　enough　to
　　set　her　straight。　Could　you　lend　me　a　few　hundred　francs？　For　I
　　cannot　ask　Hector　for　more；　if　he　were　to　blame　me；　I　could　not
　　bear　it。〃

〃My　word！〃　thought　Lisbeth；　〃she　must　be　in　extremities　to　bend　her
pride　to　such　a　degree！〃

Lisbeth　went　in。　She　saw　tears　in　Adeline's　eyes；　and　threw　her　arms
round　her　neck。

〃Adeline；　my　dearest；　I　know　all；〃　cried　Cousin　Betty。　〃Here；　the
Marshal　dropped　this　paperhe　was　in　such　a　state　of　mind；　and
running　like　a　greyhound。Has　that　dreadful　Hector　given　you　no　money
since？〃

〃He　gives　it　me　quite　regularly；〃　replied　the　Baroness；　〃but　Hortense
needed　it；　and〃

〃And　you　had　not　enough　to　pay　for　dinner　to…night；〃　said　Lisbeth；
interrupting　her。　〃Now　I　understand　why　Mariette　looked　so　confused
when　I　said　something　about　the　soup。　You　really　are　childish；
Adeline；　come；　take　my　savings。〃

〃Thank　you；　my　kind　cousin；〃　said　Adeline；　wiping　away　a　tear。　〃This
little　difficulty　is　only　temporary；　and　I　have　provided　for　the
future。　My　expenses　henceforth　will　be　no　more　than　two　thousand　four
hundred　francs　a　year；　rent　inclusive；　and　I　shall　have　the　money。
Above　all；　Betty；　not　a　word　to　Hector。　Is　he　well？〃

〃As　strong　as　the　Pont　Neuf；　and　as　gay　as　a　lark；　he　thinks　of
nothing　but　his　charmer　Valerie。〃

Madame　Hulot　looked　out　at　a　tall　silver…fir　in　front　of　the　window；
and　Lisbeth　could　not　see　her　cousin's　eyes　to　read　their　expression。

〃Did　you　mention　that　it　was　the　day　when　we　all　dine　together　here？〃

〃Yes。　But；　dear　me！　Madame　Marneffe　is　giving　a　grand　dinner；　she
hopes　to　get　Monsieur　Coquet　to　resign；　and　that　is　of　the　first
importance。Now；　Adeline；　listen　to　me。　You　know　that　I　am　fiercely
proud　as　to　my　independence。　Your　husband；　my　dear；　will　certainly
bring　you　to　ruin。　I　fancied　I　could　be　of　use　to　you　all　by　living
near　this　woman；　but　she　is　a　creature　of　unfathomable　depravity；　and
she　will　make　your　husband　promise　things　which　will　bring　you　all　to
disgrace。〃　Adeline　writhed　like　a　person　stabbed　to　the　heart。　〃My
dear　Adeline；　I　am　sure　of　what　I　say。　I　feel　it　is　my　duty　to
enlighten　you。Well；　let　us　think　of　the　future。　The　Marshal　is　an
old　man；　but　he　will　last　a　long　time　yethe　draws　good　pay；　when　he
dies　his　widow　would　have　a　pension　of　six　thousand　francs。　On　such　an
income　I　would　undertake　to　maintain　you　all。　Use　your　influence　over
the　good　man　to　get　him　to　marry　me。　It　is　not　for　the　sake　of　being
Madame　la　Marechale；　I　value　such　nonsense　at　no　more　than　I　value
Madame　Marneffe's　conscience；　but　you　will　all　have　bread。　I　see　that
Hortense　must　be　wanting　it；　since　you　give　her　yours。〃

The　Marshal　now　came　in；　he　had　made　such　haste；　that　he　was　mopping
his　forehead　with　his　bandana。

〃I　have　given　Mariette　two　thousand　francs；〃　he　whispered　to　his
sister…in…law。

Adeline　colored　to　the　roots　of　her　hair。　Two　tears　hung　on　the
fringes　of　the　still　long　lashes；　and　she　silently　pressed　the　old
man's　hand；　his　beaming　face　expressed　the　glee　of　a　favored　lover。

〃I　intended　to　spend　the　money　in　a　present　for　you；　Adeline；〃　said
he。　〃Instead　of　repaying　me；　you　must　choose　for　yourself　the　thing
you　would　like　best。〃

He　took　Lisbeth's　hand；　which　she　held　out　to　him；　and　so　bewildered
was　he　by　his　satisfaction；　that　he　kissed　it。

〃That　looks　promising；〃　said　Adeline　to　Lisbeth；　smiling　so　far　as　she
was　able　to　smile。

The　younger　Hulot　and　h