cousin betty- 第53部分

Hortense　listened　with　a　fixed　gaze。　The　calm　tone　of　resignation　and
of　such　crowning　sorrow　soothed　the　smart　of　her　first　wound；　the
tears　rose　again　and　flowed　in　torrents。　In　a　frenzy　of　filial
affection；　overcome　by　her　mother's　noble　heroism；　she　fell　on　her
knees　before　Adeline；　took　up　the　hem　of　her　dress　and　kissed　it；　as
pious　Catholics　kiss　the　holy　relics　of　a　martyr。

〃Nay；　get　up；　Hortense；〃　said　the　Baroness。　〃Such　homage　from　my
daughter　wipes　out　many　sad　memories。　Come　to　my　heart；　and　weep　for
no　sorrows　but　your　own。　It　is　the　despair　of　my　dear　little　girl；
whose　joy　was　my　only　joy；　that　broke　the　solemn　seal　which　nothing
ought　to　have　removed　from　my　lips。　Indeed；　I　meant　to　have　taken　my
woes　to　the　tomb；　as　a　shroud　the　more。　It　was　to　soothe　your　anguish
that　I　spoke。God　will　forgive　me！

〃Oh！　if　my　life　were　to　be　your　life；　what　would　I　not　do？　Men；　the
world；　Fate；　Nature；　God　Himself；　I　believe；　make　us　pay　for　love　with
the　most　cruel　grief。　I　must　pay　for　ten　years　of　happiness　and
twenty…four　years　of　despair；　of　ceaseless　sorrow；　of　bitterness〃

〃But　you　had　ten　years；　dear　mamma；　and　I　have　had　but　three！〃　said
the　self…absorbed　girl。

〃Nothing　is　lost　yet；〃　said　Adeline。　〃Only　wait　till　Wenceslas　comes。〃

〃Mother；〃　said　she；　〃he　lied；　he　deceived　me。　He　said；　'I　will　not
go；'　and　he　went。　And　that　over　his　child's　cradle。〃

〃For　pleasure；　my　child；　men　will　commit　the　most　cowardly；　the　most
infamous　actionseven　crimes；　it　lies　in　their　nature；　it　would　seem。
We　wives　are　set　apart　for　sacrifice。　I　believed　my　troubles　were
ended；　and　they　are　beginning　again；　for　I　never　thought　to　suffer
doubly　by　suffering　with　my　child。　Courageand　silence！My　Hortense；
swear　that　you　will　never　discuss　your　griefs　with　anybody　but　me；
never　let　them　be　suspected　by　any　third　person。　Oh！　be　as　proud　as
your　mother　has　been。〃

Hortense　started；　she　had　heard　her　husband's　step。

〃So　it　would　seem；〃　said　Wenceslas；　as　he　came　in；　〃that　Stidmann　has
been　here　while　I　went　to　see　him。〃

〃Indeed！〃　said　Hortense；　with　the　angry　irony　of　an　offended　woman　who
uses　words　to　stab。

〃Certainly；〃　said　Wenceslas；　affecting　surprise。　〃We　have　just　met。〃

〃And　yesterday？〃

〃Well；　yesterday　I　deceived　you；　my　darling　love；　and　your　mother
shall　judge　between　us。〃

This　candor　unlocked　his　wife's　heart。　All　really　lofty　women　like　the
truth　better　than　lies。　They　cannot　bear　to　see　their　idol　smirched；
they　want　to　be　proud　of　the　despotism　they　bow　to。

There　is　a　strain　of　this　feeling　in　the　devotion　of　the　Russians　to
their　Czar。

〃Now；　listen；　dear　mother；〃　Wenceslas　went　on。　〃I　so　truly　love　my
sweet　and　kind　Hortense；　that　I　concealed　from　her　the　extent　of　our
poverty。　What　could　I　do？　She　was　still　nursing　the　boy；　and　such
troubles　would　have　done　her　harm；　you　know　what　the　risk　is　for　a
woman。　Her　beauty；　youth；　and　health　are　imperiled。　Did　I　do　wrong？
She　believes　that　we　owe　five　thousand　francs；　but　I　owe　five　thousand
more。　The　day　before　yesterday　we　were　in　the　depths！　No　one　on　earth
will　lend　to　us　artists。　Our　talents　are　not　less　untrustworthy　than
our　whims。　I　knocked　in　vain　at　every　door。　Lisbeth；　indeed；　offered
us　her　savings。〃

〃Poor　soul！〃　said　Hortense。

〃Poor　soul！〃　said　the　Baroness。

〃But　what　are　Lisbeth's　two　thousand　francs？　Everything　to　her；
nothing　to　us。Then；　as　you　know；　Hortense；　she　spoke　to　us　of　Madame
Marneffe；　who；　as　she　owes　so　much　to　the　Baron；　out　of　a　sense　of
honor；　will　take　no　interest。　Hortense　wanted　to　send　her　diamonds　to
the　Mont…de…Piete；　they　would　have　brought　in　a　few　thousand　francs；
but　we　needed　ten　thousand。　Those　ten　thousand　francs　were　to　be　had
free　of　interest　for　a　year！I　said　to　myself；　'Hortense　will　be　none
the　wiser；　I　will　go　and　get　them。'

〃Then　the　woman　asked　me　to　dinner　through　my　father…in…law；　giving　me
to　understand　that　Lisbeth　had　spoken　of　the　matter；　and　I　should　have
the　money。　Between　Hortense's　despair　on　one　hand；　and　the　dinner　on
the　other；　I　could　not　hesitate。That　is　all。

〃What！　could　Hortense；　at　four…and…twenty；　lovely；　pure；　and　virtuous；
and　all　my　pride　and　glory；　imagine　that；　when　I　have　never　left　her
since　we　married；　I　could　now　preferwhat？a　tawny；　painted；　ruddled
creature？〃　said　he；　using　the　vulgar　exaggeration　of　the　studio　to
convince　his　wife　by　the　vehemence　that　women　like。

〃Oh！　if　only　your　father　had　ever　spoken　so！〃　cried　the　Baroness。

Hortense　threw　her　arms　round　her　husband's　neck。

〃Yes；　that　is　what　I　should　have　done；〃　said　her　mother。　〃Wenceslas；
my　dear　fellow；　your　wife　was　near　dying　of　it；〃　she　went　on　very
seriously。　〃You　see　how　well　she　loves　you。　And；　alasshe　is　yours！〃

She　sighed　deeply。

〃He　may　make　a　martyr　of　her；　or　a　happy　woman；〃　thought　she　to
herself；　as　every　mother　thinks　when　she　sees　her　daughter　married。
〃It　seems　to　me；〃　she　said　aloud；　〃that　I　am　miserable　enough　to　hope
to　see　my　children　happy。〃

〃Be　quite　easy；　dear　mamma；〃　said　Wenceslas；　only　too　glad　to　see　this
critical　moment　end　happily。　〃In　two　months　I　shall　have　repaid　that
dreadful　woman。　How　could　I　help　it；〃　he　went　on；　repeating　this
essentially　Polish　excuse　with　a　Pole's　grace；　〃there　are　times　when　a
man　would　borrow　of　the　Devil。And；　after　all；　the　money　belongs　to
the　family。　When　once　she　had　invited　me；　should　I　have　got　the　money
at　all　if　I　had　responded　to　her　civility　with　a　rude　refusal？〃

〃Oh；　mamma；　what　mischief　papa　is　bringing　on　us！〃　cried　Hortense。

The　Baroness　laid　her　finger　on　her　daughter's　lips；　aggrieved　by　this
complaint；　the　first　blame　she　had　ever　uttered　of　a　father　so
heroically　screened　by　her　mother's　magnanimous　silence。

〃Now；　good…bye；　my　children；〃　said　Madame　Hulot。　〃The　storm　is　over。
But　do　not　quarrel　any　more。〃

When　Wenceslas　and　his　wife　returned　to　their　room　after　letting　out
the　Baroness；　Hortense　said　to　her　husband：

〃Tell　me　all　about　last　evening。〃

And　she　watched　his　face　all　through　the　narrative；　interrupting　him
by　the　questions　that　crowd　on　a　wife's　mind　in　such　circumstances。
The　story　made　Hortense　reflect；　she　had　a　glimpse　of　the　infernal
dissipation　which　an　artist　must　find　in　such　vicious　company。

〃Be　honest；　my　Wenceslas；　Stidmann　was　there；　Claude　Vignon；
Vernisset。Who　else？　In　short；　it　was　good　fun？〃

〃I；　I　was　thinking　of　nothing　but　our　ten　thousand　francs；　and　I　was
saying　to　myself；　'My　Hortense　will　be　freed　from　anxiety。'　〃

This　catechism　bored　the　Livonian　excessively；　he　seized　a　gayer
moment　to　say：

〃And　you；　my　dearest；　what　would　you　have　done　if　your　artist　had
proved　guilty？〃

〃I；〃　said　she；　with　an　air　of　prompt　decision；　〃I　should　have　taken　up
Stidmannnot　that　I　love　him；　of　course！〃

〃Hortense！〃　cried　Steinbock；　starting　to　his　feet　with　a　sudden　and
theatrical　emphasis。　〃You　would　not　have　had　the　chanceI　would　have
killed　you！〃

Hortense　threw　herself　into　his　arms；　clasping　him　closely　enough　to
stifle　him；　and　covered　him　with　kisses；　saying：

〃Ah；　you　do　love　me！　I　fear　nothing！But　no　more　Marneffe。　Never　go
plunging　into　such　horrible　bogs。〃

〃I　swear　to　you；　my　dear　Hortense；　that　I　will　go　there　no　more；
excepting　to　redeem　my　note　of　hand。〃

She　pouted　at　this；　but　only　as　a　loving　woman　sulks　to　get　something
for　it。　Wenceslas；　tired　out　with　such　a　morning's　work；　went　off　to
his　studio　to　make　a　clay　sketch　of　the　/Samson　and　Delilah/；　for
which　he　had　the　drawings　in　his　pocket。

Hortense；　penitent　for　her　little　temper；　and　fancying　that　her
husband　was　annoyed　with　her；　went　to　the　studio　just　as　the　sculptor
had　finished　handling　the　clay　with　the　impetuosity　that　spurs　an
artist　when　the　mood　is　on　him。　On　seeing　his　wife；　Wenceslas　hastily
threw　the　wet　wrapper　over　the　group；　and　putting　both　arms　round　her；
he　said：

〃We　were　not　really　angry；　were　we；　my　pretty　puss？〃

Hortense　had　caught　sight　of　the　group；　had　seen　the　linen　thrown　over
it；　and　had　said　nothing；　but　as　she　was　leaving；　she　took　off　the
rag；　looked　at　the　model；　and　asked：

〃What　is　that？〃

〃A　group　for　which　I　had　just　had　an　idea。〃

〃And　why　did　you　hide　it？〃

〃I　did　not　mean　you　to　see　it　till　it　was　finished。〃

〃The　woman　is　very　pretty；〃　said　Hortense。

And　a　thousand　suspicions　cropped　up　in　her　mind；　as；　in　India；　tall；
rank　plants　spring　up　in　a　night…time。



By　the　end　of　three　weeks；　Madame　Marneffe　was　intensely　irritated　by
Hortense。　Women　of　that　stamp　have　a　pride　of　their　own；　they　insist
that　men　shall　kiss　the　devil's　hoof；　they　have　no　forgiveness　for　the
virtue　that　does　not　quail　before　their　dominion；　or　that　even　holds
its　own　against　them。　Now；　in　all　that　time　Wenceslas　had　not　paid　one
visit　in　the　Rue　Vanneau；　not　even　that　which　politeness　required　to　a
woman　who　had　sat　for　Delilah。

Whenever　Lisbeth　called　on　the　Steinbocks；　there　had　been　nobody　at
home。　Monsieur　and　madame　lived　in　the　studio。　Lisbeth；　following　the
turtle　doves　to　their　nest　at　le　Gros…Caillou；　found　Wenceslas　hard　at
work；　and　was　informed　by　the　cook　that　madame　never　left　monsieur's
side。　Wenceslas　was　a　slave　to　the　autocr