cousin betty- 第38部分

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

The　younger　Hulot　and　his　wife　now　came　in。

〃Is　my　brother　coming　to　dinner？〃　asked　the　Marshal　sharply。

Adeline　took　up　a　pencil　and　wrote　these　words　on　a　scrap　of　paper：

〃I　expect　him；　he　promised　this　morning　that　he　would　be　here；　but　if
he　should　not　come；　it　would　be　because　the　Marshal　kept　him。　He　is
overwhelmed　with　business。〃

And　she　handed　him　the　paper。　She　had　invented　this　way　of　conversing
with　Marshal　Hulot；　and　kept　a　little　collection　of　paper　scraps　and　a
pencil　at　hand　on　the　work…table。

〃I　know；〃　said　the　Marshal；　〃he　is　worked　very　hard　over　the　business
in　Algiers。〃

At　this　moment；　Hortense　and　Wenceslas　arrived；　and　the　Baroness；　as
she　saw　all　her　family　about　her；　gave　the　Marshal　a　significant
glance　understood　by　none　but　Lisbeth。

Happiness　had　greatly　improved　the　artist；　who　was　adored　by　his　wife
and　flattered　by　the　world。　His　face　had　become　almost　round；　and　his
graceful　figure　did　justice　to　the　advantages　which　blood　gives　to　men
of　birth。　His　early　fame；　his　important　position；　the　delusive
eulogies　that　the　world　sheds　on　artists　as　lightly　as　we　say；　〃How
d'ye　do？〃　or　discuss　the　weather；　gave　him　that　high　sense　of　merit
which　degenerates　into　sheer　fatuity　when　talent　wanes。　The　Cross　of
the　Legion　of　Honor　was　the　crowning　stamp　of　the　great　man　he
believed　himself　to　be。

After　three　years　of　married　life；　Hortense　was　to　her　husband　what　a
dog　is　to　its　master；　she　watched　his　every　movement　with　a　look　that
seemed　a　constant　inquiry；　her　eyes　were　always　on　him；　like　those　of
a　miser　on　his　treasure；　her　admiring　abnegation　was　quite　pathetic。
In　her　might　be　seen　her　mother's　spirit　and　teaching。　Her　beauty；　as
great　as　ever；　was　poetically　touched　by　the　gentle　shadow　of
concealed　melancholy。

On　seeing　Hortense　come　in；　it　struck　Lisbeth　that　some　long…
suppressed　complaint　was　about　to　break　through　the　thin　veil　of
reticence。　Lisbeth；　from　the　first　days　of　the　honeymoon；　had　been
sure　that　this　couple　had　too　small　an　income　for　so　great　a　passion。

Hortense；　as　she　embraced　her　mother；　exchanged　with　her　a　few
whispered　phrases；　heart　to　heart；　of　which　the　mystery　was　betrayed
to　Lisbeth　by　certain　shakes　of　the　head。

〃Adeline；　like　me；　must　work　for　her　living；〃　thought　Cousin　Betty。
〃She　shall　be　made　to　tell　me　what　she　will　do！　Those　pretty　fingers
will　know　at　last；　like　mine；　what　it　is　to　work　because　they　must。〃

At　six　o'clock　the　family　party　went　in　to　dinner。　A　place　was　laid
for　Hector。

〃Leave　it　so；〃　said　the　Baroness　to　Mariette；　〃monsieur　sometimes
comes　in　late。〃

〃Oh；　my　father　will　certainly　come；〃　said　Victorin　to　his　mother。　〃He
promised　me　he　would　when　we　parted　at　the　Chamber。〃

Lisbeth；　like　a　spider　in　the　middle　of　its　net；　gloated　over　all
these　countenances。　Having　known　Victorin　and　Hortense　from　their
birth；　their　faces　were　to　her　like　panes　of　glass；　through　which　she
could　read　their　young　souls。　Now；　from　certain　stolen　looks　directed
by　Victorin　on　his　mother；　she　saw　that　some　disaster　was　hanging　over
Adeline　which　Victorin　hesitated　to　reveal。　The　famous　young　lawyer
had　some　covert　anxiety。　His　deep　reverence　for　his　mother　was　evident
in　the　regret　with　which　he　gazed　at　her。

Hortense　was　evidently　absorbed　in　her　own　woes；　for　a　fortnight　past；
as　Lisbeth　knew；　she　had　been　suffering　the　first　uneasiness　which
want　of　money　brings　to　honest　souls；　and　to　young　wives　on　whom　life
has　hitherto　smiled；　and　who　conceal　their　alarms。　Also　Lisbeth　had
immediately　guessed　that　her　mother　had　given　her　no　money。　Adeline's
delicacy　had　brought　her　so　low　as　to　use　the　fallacious　excuses　that
necessity　suggests　to　borrowers。

Hortense's　absence　of　mind；　with　her　brother's　and　the　Baroness'　deep
dejection；　made　the　dinner　a　melancholy　meal；　especially　with　the
added　chill　of　the　Marshal's　utter　deafness。　Three　persons　gave　a
little　life　to　the　scene：　Lisbeth；　Celestine；　and　Wenceslas。
Hortense's　affection　had　developed　the　artist's　natural　liveliness　as
a　Pole；　the　somewhat　swaggering　vivacity　and　noisy　high　spirits　that
characterize　these　Frenchmen　of　the　North。　His　frame　of　mind　and　the
expression　of　his　face　showed　plainly　that　he　believed　in　himself；　and
that　poor　Hortense；　faithful　to　her　mother's　training；　kept　all
domestic　difficulties　to　herself。

〃You　must　be　content；　at　any　rate；〃　said　Lisbeth　to　her　young　cousin；
as　they　rose　from　table；　〃since　your　mother　has　helped　you　with　her
money。〃

〃Mamma！〃　replied　Hortense　in　astonishment。　〃Oh；　poor　mamma！　It　is　for
me　that　she　would　like　to　make　money。　You　do　not　know；　Lisbeth；　but　I
have　a　horrible　suspicion　that　she　works　for　it　in　secret。〃

They　were　crossing　the　large；　dark　drawing…room　where　there　were　no
candles；　all　following　Mariette；　who　was　carrying　the　lamp　into
Adeline's　bedroom。　At　this　instant　Victorin　just　touched　Lisbeth　and
Hortense　on　the　arm。　The　two　women；　understanding　the　hint；　left
Wenceslas；　Celestine；　the　Marshal；　and　the　Baroness　to　go　on　together；
and　remained　standing　in　a　window…bay。

〃What　is　it；　Victorin？〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃Some　disaster　caused　by　your
father；　I　dare　wager。〃

〃Yes；　alas！〃　replied　Victorin。　〃A　money…lender　named　Vauvinet　has
bills　of　my　father's　to　the　amount　of　sixty　thousand　francs；　and　wants
to　prosecute。　I　tried　to　speak　of　the　matter　to　my　father　at　the
Chamber；　but　he　would　not　understand　me；　he　almost　avoided　me。　Had　we
better　tell　my　mother？〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃she　has　too　many　troubles；　it　would　be　a
death…blow；　you　must　spare　her。　You　have　no　idea　how　low　she　has
fallen。　But　for　your　uncle；　you　would　have　found　no　dinner　here　this
evening。〃

〃Dear　Heaven！　Victorin；　what　wretches　we　are！〃　said　Hortense　to　her
brother。　〃We　ought　to　have　guessed　what　Lisbeth　has　told　us。　My　dinner
is　choking　me！〃

Hortense　could　say　no　more；　she　covered　her　mouth　with　her
handkerchief　to　smother　a　sob；　and　melted　into　tears。

〃I　told　the　fellow　Vauvinet　to　call　on　me　to…morrow；〃　replied
Victorin；　〃but　will　he　be　satisfied　by　my　guarantee　on　a　mortgage？　I
doubt　it。　Those　men　insist　on　ready　money　to　sweat　others　on　usurious
terms。〃

〃Let　us　sell　out　of　the　funds！〃　said　Lisbeth　to　Hortense。

〃What　good　would　that　do？〃　replied　Victorin。　〃It　would　bring　fifteen
or　sixteen　thousand　francs；　and　we　want　sixty　thousand。〃

〃Dear　cousin！〃　cried　Hortense；　embracing　Lisbeth　with　the　enthusiasm
of　guilelessness。

〃No；　Lisbeth；　keep　your　little　fortune；〃　said　Victorin；　pressing　the
old　maid's　hand。　〃I　shall　see　to…morrow　what　this　man　would　be　up　to。
With　my　wife's　consent；　I　can　at　least　hinder　or　postpone　the
prosecutionfor　it　would　really　be　frightful　to　see　my　father's　honor
impugned。　What　would　the　War　Minister　say？　My　father's　salary；　which
he　pledged　for　three　years；　will　not　be　released　before　the　month　of
December；　so　we　cannot　offer　that　as　a　guarantee。　This　Vauvinet　has
renewed　the　bills　eleven　times；　so　you　may　imagine　what　my　father　must
pay　in　interest。　We　must　close　this　pit。〃

〃If　only　Madame　Marneffe　would　throw　him　over！〃　said　Hortense
bitterly。

〃Heaven　forbid！〃　exclaimed　Victorin。　〃He　would　take　up　some　one　else；
and　with　her；　at　any　rate；　the　worst　outlay　is　over。〃

What　a　change　in　children　formerly　so　respectful；　and　kept　so　long　by
their　mother　in　blind　worship　of　their　father！　They　knew　him　now　for
what　he　was。

〃But　for　me；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃your　father's　ruin　would　be　more　complete
than　it　is。〃

〃Come　in　to　mamma；〃　said　Hortense；　〃she　is　very　sharp；　and　will
suspect　something；　as　our　kind　Lisbeth　says；　let　us　keep　everything
from　herlet　us　be　cheerful。〃

〃Victorin；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃you　have　no　notion　of　what　your　father　will
be　brought　to　by　his　passion　for　women。　Try　to　secure　some　future
resource　by　getting　the　Marshal　to　marry　me。　Say　something　about　it
this　evening；　I　will　leave　early　on　purpose。〃

Victorin　went　into　the　bedroom。

〃And　you；　poor　little　thing！〃　said　Lisbeth　in　an　undertone　to
Hortense；　〃what　can　you　do？〃

〃Come　to　dinner　with　us　to…morrow；　and　we　will　talk　it　over；〃　answered
Hortense。　〃I　do　not　know　which　way　to　turn；　you　know　how　hard　life　is；
and　you　will　advise　me。〃



While　the　whole　family　with　one　consent　tried　to　persuade　the　Marshal
to　marry；　and　while　Lisbeth　was　making　her　way　home　to　the　Rue
Vanneau；　one　of　those　incidents　occurred　which；　in　such　women　as
Madame　Marneffe；　are　a　stimulus　to　vice　by　compelling　them　to　exert
their　energy　and　every　resource　of　depravity。　One　fact；　at　any　rate；
must　however　be　acknowledged：　life　in　Paris　is　too　full　for　vicious
persons　to　do　wrong　instinctively　and　unprovoked；　vice　is　only　a
weapon　of　defence　against　aggressorsthat　is　all。

Madame　Marneffe's　drawing…room　was　full　of　her　faithful　admirers；　and
she　had　just　started　the　whist…tables；　when　the　footman；　a　pensioned
soldier　recruited　by　the　Baron；　announced：

〃Monsieur　le　Baron　Montes　de　Montejanos。〃

Valerie's　heart　jumped；　but　she　hurried　to　the　door；　exclaiming：

〃My　cousin！〃　and　as　she　met　the　Brazilian；　she　whispered：

〃You　are