cousin betty-第26章

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apartment；　Hector　allayed　his　wife's　astonishment　by　this　ministerial
communication：

〃Now；　Adeline；　our　girl　is　married；　all　our　anxieties　on　the　subject
are　at　an　end。　The　time　is　come　for　us　to　retire　from　the　world：　I
shall　not　remain　in　office　more　than　three　years　longeronly　the　time
necessary　to　secure　my　pension。　Why；　henceforth；　should　we　be　at　any
unnecessary　expense？　Our　apartment　costs　us　six　thousand　francs　a　year
in　rent；　we　have　four　servants；　we　eat　thirty　thousand　francs'　worth
of　food　in　a　year。　If　you　want　me　to　pay　off　my　billsfor　I　have
pledged　my　salary　for　the　sums　I　needed　to　give　Hortense　her　little
money；　and　pay　off　your　uncle〃

〃You　did　very　right！〃　said　she；　interrupting　her　husband；　and　kissing
his　hands。

This　explanation　relieved　Adeline　of　all　her　fears。

〃I　shall　have　to　ask　some　little　sacrifices　of　you；〃　he　went　on；
disengaging　his　hands　and　kissing　his　wife's　brow。　〃I　have　found　in
the　Rue　Plumet　a　very　good　flat　on　the　first　floor；　handsome；
splendidly　paneled；　at　only　fifteen　hundred　francs　a　year；　where　you
would　only　need　one　woman　to　wait　on　you；　and　I　could　be　quite　content
with　a　boy。〃

〃Yes；　my　dear。〃

〃If　we　keep　house　in　a　quiet　way；　keeping　up　a　proper　appearance　of
course；　we　should　not　spend　more　than　six　thousand　francs　a　year；
excepting　my　private　account；　which　I　will　provide　for。〃

The　generous…hearted　woman　threw　her　arms　round　her　husband's　neck　in
her　joy。

〃How　happy　I　shall　be；　beginning　again　to　show　you　how　truly　I　love
you！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃And　what　a　capital　manager　you　are！〃

〃We　will　have　the　children　to　dine　with　us　once　a　week。　I；　as　you
know；　rarely　dine　at　home。　You　can　very　well　dine　twice　a　week　with
Victorin　and　twice　a　week　with　Hortense。　And；　as　I　believe；　I　may
succeed　in　making　matters　up　completely　between　Crevel　and　us；　we　can
dine　once　a　week　with　him。　These　five　dinners　and　our　own　at　home　will
fill　up　the　week　all　but　one　day；　supposing　that　we　may　occasionally
be　invited　to　dine　elsewhere。〃

〃I　shall　save　a　great　deal　for　you；〃　said　Adeline。

〃Oh！〃　he　cried；　〃you　are　the　pearl　of　women！〃

〃My　kind；　divine　Hector；　I　shall　bless　you　with　my　latest　breath；〃
said　she；　〃for　you　have　done　well　for　my　dear　Hortense。〃

This　was　the　beginning　of　the　end　of　the　beautiful　Madame　Hulot's
home；　and；　it　may　be　added；　of　her　being　totally　neglected；　as　Hulot
had　solemnly　promised　Madame　Marneffe。

Crevel；　the　important　and　burly；　being　invited　as　a　matter　of　course
to　the　party　given　for　the　signing　of　the　marriage…contract；　behaved
as　though　the　scene　with　which　this　drama　opened　had　never　taken
place；　as　though　he　had　no　grievance　against　the　Baron。　Celestin
Crevel　was　quite　amiable；　he　was　perhaps　rather　too　much　the
ex…perfumer；　but　as　a　Major　he　was　beginning　to　acquire　majestic
dignity。　He　talked　of　dancing　at　the　wedding。

〃Fair　lady；〃　said　he　politely　to　the　Baroness；　〃people　like　us　know
how　to　forget。　Do　not　banish　me　from　your　home；　honor　me；　pray；　by
gracing　my　house　with　your　presence　now　and　then　to　meet　your
children。　Be　quite　easy；　I　will　never　say　anything　of　what　lies　buried
at　the　bottom　of　my　heart。　I　behaved；　indeed；　like　an　idiot；　for　I
should　lose　too　much　by　cutting　myself　off　from　seeing　you。〃

〃Monsieur；　an　honest　woman　has　no　ears　for　such　speeches　as　those　you
refer　to。　If　you　keep　your　word；　you　need　not　doubt　that　it　will　give
me　pleasure　to　see　the　end　of　a　coolness　which　must　always　be　painful
in　a　family。〃

〃Well；　you　sulky　old　fellow；〃　said　Hulot；　dragging　Crevel　out　into　the
garden；　〃you　avoid　me　everywhere；　even　in　my　own　house。　Are　two
admirers　of　the　fair　sex　to　quarrel　for　ever　over　a　petticoat？　Come；
this　is　really　too　plebeian！〃

〃I；　monsieur；　am　not　such　a　fine　man　as　you　are；　and　my　small
attractions　hinder　me　from　repairing　my　losses　so　easily　as　you
can〃

〃Sarcastic！〃　said　the　Baron。

〃Irony　is　allowable　from　the　vanquished　to　the　conquerer。〃

The　conversation；　begun　in　this　strain；　ended　in　a　complete
reconciliation；　still　Crevel　maintained　his　right　to　take　his　revenge。



Madame　Marneffe　particularly　wished　to　be　invited　to　Mademoiselle
Hulot's　wedding。　To　enable　him　to　receive　his　future　mistress　in　his
drawing…room；　the　great　official　was　obliged　to　invite　all　the　clerks
of　his　division　down　to　the　deputy　head…clerks　inclusive。　Thus　a　grand
ball　was　a　necessity。　The　Baroness；　as　a　prudent　housewife；　calculated
that　an　evening　party　would　cost　less　than　a　dinner；　and　allow　of　a
larger　number　of　invitations；　so　Hortense's　wedding　was　much　talked
about。

Marshal　Prince　Wissembourg　and　the　Baron　de　Nucingen　signed　in　behalf
of　the　bride；　the　Comtes　de　Rastignac　and　Popinot　in　behalf　of
Steinbock。　Then；　as　the　highest　nobility　among　the　Polish　emigrants
had　been　civil　to　Count　Steinbock　since　he　had　become　famous；　the
artist　thought　himself　bound　to　invite　them。　The　State　Council；　and
the　War　Office　to　which　the　Baron　belonged；　and　the　army；　anxious　to
do　honor　to　the　Comte　de　Forzheim；　were　all　represented　by　their
magnates。　There　were　nearly　two　hundred　indispensable　invitations。　How
natural；　then；　that　little　Madame　Marneffe　was　bent　on　figuring　in　all
her　glory　amid　such　an　assembly。　The　Baroness　had；　a　month　since；　sold
her　diamonds　to　set　up　her　daughter's　house；　while　keeping　the　finest
for　the　trousseau。　The　sale　realized　fifteen　thousand　francs；　of　which
five　thousand　were　sunk　in　Hortense's　clothes。　And　what　was　ten
thousand　francs　for　the　furniture　of　the　young　folks'　apartment；
considering　the　demands　of　modern　luxury？　However；　young　Monsieur　and
Madame　Hulot；　old　Crevel；　and　the　Comte　de　Forzheim　made　very　handsome
presents；　for　the　old　soldier　had　set　aside　a　sum　for　the　purchase　of
plate。　Thanks　to　these　contributions；　even　an　exacting　Parisian　would
have　been　pleased　with　the　rooms　the　young　couple　had　taken　in　the　Rue
Saint…Dominique；　near　the　Invalides。　Everything　seemed　in　harmony　with
their　love；　pure；　honest；　and　sincere。

At　last　the　great　day　dawnedfor　it　was　to　be　a　great　day　not　only
for　Wenceslas　and　Hortense；　but　for　old　Hulot　too。　Madame　Marneffe　was
to　give　a　house…warming　in　her　new　apartment　the　day　after　becoming
Hulot's　mistress　/en　titre/；　and　after　the　marriage　of　the　lovers。

Who　but　has　once　in　his　life　been　a　guest　at　a　wedding…ball？　Every
reader　can　refer　to　his　reminiscences；　and　will　probably　smile　as　he
calls　up　the　images　of　all　that　company　in　their　Sunday…best　faces　as
well　as　their　finest　frippery。

If　any　social　event　can　prove　the　influence　of　environment；　is　it　not
this？　In　fact；　the　Sunday…best　mood　of　some　reacts　so　effectually　on
the　rest　that　the　men　who　are　most　accustomed　to　wearing　full　dress
look　just　like　those　to　whom　the　party　is　a　high　festival；　unique　in
their　life。　And　think　too　of　the　serious　old　men　to　whom　such　things
are　so　completely　a　matter　of　indifference；　that　they　are　wearing
their　everyday　black　coats；　the　long…married　men；　whose　faces　betray
their　sad　experience　of　the　life　the　young　pair　are　but　just　entering
on；　and　the　lighter　elements；　present　as　carbonic…acid　gas　is　in
champagne；　and　the　envious　girls；　the　women　absorbed　in　wondering　if
their　dress　is　a　success；　the　poor　relations　whose　parsimonious　〃get…
up〃　contrasts　with　that　of　the　officials　in　uniform；　and　the　greedy
ones；　thinking　only　of　the　supper；　and　the　gamblers；　thinking　only　of
cards。

There　are　some　of　every　sort；　rich　and　poor；　envious　and　envied；
philosophers　and　dreamers；　all　grouped　like　the　plants　in　a　flower…bed
round　the　rare；　choice　blossom；　the　bride。　A　wedding…ball　is　an
epitome　of　the　world。

At　the　liveliest　moment　of　the　evening　Crevel　led　the　Baron　aside；　and
said　in　a　whisper；　with　the　most　natural　manner　possible：

〃By　Jove！　that's　a　pretty　womanthe　little　lady　in　pink　who　has
opened　a　racking　fire　on　you　from　her　eyes。〃

〃Which？〃

〃The　wife　of　that　clerk　you　are　promoting；　heaven　knows　how！Madame
Marneffe。〃

〃What　do　you　know　about　it？〃

〃Listen；　Hulot；　I　will　try　to　forgive　you　the　ill　you　have　done　me　if
only　you　will　introduce　me　to　herI　will　take　you　to　Heloise。
Everybody　is　asking　who　is　that　charming　creature。　Are　you　sure　that
it　will　strike　no　one　how　and　why　her　husband's　appointment　got　itself
signed？You　happy　rascal；　she　is　worth　a　whole　office。I　would　serve
in　her　office　only　too　gladly。Come；　cinna；　let　us　be　friends。〃

〃Better　friends　than　ever；〃　said　the　Baron　to　the　perfumer；　〃and　I
promise　you　I　will　be　a　good　fellow。　Within　a　month　you　shall　dine
with　that　little　angel。For　it　is　an　angel　this　time；　old　boy。　And　I
advise　you；　like　me；　to　have　done　with　the　devils。〃

Cousin　Betty；　who　had　moved　to　the　Rue　Vanneau；　into　a　nice　little
apartment　on　the　third　floor；　left　the　ball　at　ten　o'clock；　but　came
back　to　see　with　her　own　eyes　the　two　bonds　bearing　twelve　hundred
francs　interest；　one　of　them　was　the　property　of　the　Countess
Steinbock；　the　other　was　in　the　name　of　Madame　Hulot。

It　is　thus　intelligible　that　Monsieur　Crevel　should　have　spoken　to
Hulot　about　Madame　Marneffe；　as　knowing　what　was　a　secret　to　the　rest
of　the　world；　for；　as　Monsieur　Marneffe　was　away；　no　one　but　Lisbeth
Fischer；　besides　the　Baron　and　Valerie；　was　initiated　into　the
mystery。

The　Baron　had　made　a　blunder　in　giving　Madame　Marneffe　a　dress　far　too
magnificent　for　the　wife　of　a　subordinate　official；　other　women　were
jealous　alike　of　her　beauty　and　of　her　gown。　There　was　much　whispering
behind　fans；　for　the　poverty　of　the　Marneffes　was　known　to　every　one
in　the　office；　the　husband　had　been　petitioning　for　help　at　the　very
moment　when　the　Baron　had　been　so　smitten　with　madame。　Also；　Hector
could　not　conceal　his　exultation　at　seeing　Valerie's　success；　and　she；
severely　proper；　very　lady…like；　and　greatly　envied；　was　the　object　of
that　strict　examination　which　women　so　greatly　fear　when　they　appear
for　the　first　time　in　a　new　circle　of　society。

After　seeing　his　wife　into　a　carriage　with　his　daughter　and　his　son…
in…law；　Hulot　managed　to　escape　unperceived；　leaving　his　son　and
Celestine　to　do　the　honors　of　the　house。　He　got　into　Madame　Marneffe's
carriage　to　see　her　home；　but　he　found　her　silent　and　pensive；　almost
melancholy。

〃My　happiness　makes　you　very　sad；　Valerie；〃　said　he；　putting　his　arm
round　her　and　drawing　her　to　him。

〃Can　you　wonder；　my　dear；〃　said　she；　〃that　a　hapless　woman　should　be　a
little　depressed　at　the　thought　of　her　first　fall　from　virtue；　even
when　her　husband's　atrocities　have　set　her　free？　Do　you　suppose　that　I
have　no　soul；　no　beliefs；　no　religion？　Your　glee　this　evening　has　been
really　too　barefaced；　you　have　paraded　me　odiously。　Really；　a
schoolboy　would　have　been　less　of　a　coxcomb。　And　the　ladies　have
dissected　me　with　their　side…glances　and　their　satirical　remarks。
Every　woman　has　some　care　for　her　reputation；　and　you　have　wrecked
mine。

〃Oh；　I　am　yours　and　no　mistake！　And　I　have　not　an　excuse　left　but　that
of　being　faithful　to　you。Monster　that　you　are！〃　she　added；　laughing；
and　allowing　him　to　kiss　her；　〃you　knew　very　well　what　you　were　doing！
Madame　Coquet；　our　chief　clerk's　wife；　came　to　sit　down　by　me；　and
admired　my　lace。　'English　poin