cousin betty-第42章

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intoxicating　promises；　a　physiologist　could　deduce　the　whole　scale　of
feminine　emotion；　from　aversion　or　indifference　to　Phaedra's
declaration　to　Hippolytus。　Women　can　make　it；　at　will；　contemptuous　to
the　verge　of　insult；　or　humble　to　the　expression　of　Oriental
servility。

And　Valerie　was　more　than　woman；　she　was　the　serpent　made　woman；　she
crowned　her　diabolical　work　by　going　up　to　Steinbock；　a　cup　of　tea　in
her　hand。

〃I　will　drink　as　many　cups　of　tea　as　you　will　give　me；〃　said　the
artist；　murmuring　in　her　ear　as　he　rose；　and　touching　her　fingers　with
his；　〃to　have　them　given　to　me　thus！〃

〃What　were　you　saying　about　sitting？〃　said　she；　without　betraying　that
this　declaration；　so　frantically　desired；　had　gone　straight　to　her
heart。

〃Old　Crevel　promises　me　a　thousand　crowns　for　a　copy　of　your　group。〃

〃He！　a　thousand　crowns　for　a　bronze　group？〃

〃Yesif　you　will　sit　for　Delilah；〃　said　Steinbock。

〃He　will　not　be　there　to　see；　I　hope！〃　replied　she。　〃The　group　would
be　worth　more　than　all　his　fortune；　for　Delilah's　costume　is　rather
un…dressy。〃

Just　as　Crevel　loved　to　strike　an　attitude；　every　woman　has　a
victorious　gesture；　a　studied　movement；　which　she　knows　must　win
admiration。　You　may　see　in　a　drawing…room　how　one　spends　all　her　time
looking　down　at　her　tucker　or　pulling　up　the　shoulder…piece　of　her
gown；　how　another　makes　play　with　the　brightness　of　her　eyes　by
glancing　up　at　the　cornice。　Madame　Marneffe's　triumph；　however；　was
not　face　to　face　like　that　of　other　women。　She　turned　sharply　round　to
return　to　Lisbeth　at　the　tea…table。　This　ballet…dancer's　pirouette；
whisking　her　skirts；　by　which　she　had　overthrown　Hulot；　now　fascinated
Steinbock。

〃Your　vengeance　is　secure；〃　said　Valerie　to　Lisbeth　in　a　whisper。
〃Hortense　will　cry　out　all　her　tears；　and　curse　the　day　when　she
robbed　you　of　Wenceslas。〃

〃Till　I　am　Madame　la　Marechale　I　shall　not　think　myself　successful；〃
replied　the　cousin；　〃but　they　are　all　beginning　to　wish　for　it。This
morning　I　went　to　Victorin'sI　forgot　to　tell　you。The　young　Hulots
have　bought　up　their　father's　notes　of　hand　given　to　Vauvinet；　and
to…morrow　they　will　endorse　a　bill　for　seventy…two　thousand　francs　at
five　per　cent；　payable　in　three　years；　and　secured　by　a　mortgage　on
their　house。　So　the　young　people　are　in　straits　for　three　years；　they
can　raise　no　more　money　on　that　property。　Victorin　is　dreadfully
distressed；　he　understands　his　father。　And　Crevel　is　capable　of
refusing　to　see　them；　he　will　be　so　angry　at　this　piece　of　self…
sacrifice。〃

〃The　Baron　cannot　have　a　sou　now；〃　said　Valerie；　and　she　smiled　at
Hulot。

〃I　don't　see　where　he　can　get　it。　But　he　will　draw　his　salary　again　in
September。〃

〃And　he　has　his　policy　of　insurance；　he　has　renewed　it。　Come；　it　is
high　time　he　should　get　Marneffe　promoted。　I　will　drive　it　home　this
evening。〃

〃My　dear　cousin；〃　said　Lisbeth　to　Wenceslas；　〃go　home；　I　beg。　You　are
quite　ridiculous。　Your　eyes　are　fixed　on　Valerie　in　a　way　that　is
enough　to　compromise　her；　and　her　husband　is　insanely　jealous。　Do　not
tread　in　your　father…in…law's　footsteps。　Go　home；　I　am　sure　Hortense
is　sitting　up　for　you。〃

〃Madame　Marneffe　told　me　to　stay　till　the　last　to　settle　my　little
business　with　you　and　her；〃　replied　Wenceslas。

〃No；　no；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃I　will　bring　you　the　ten　thousand　francs；　for
her　husband　has　his　eye　on　you。　It　would　be　rash　to　remain。　To…morrow
at　eleven　o'clock　bring　your　note　of　hand；　at　that　hour　that　mandarin
Marneffe　is　at　his　office；　Valerie　is　free。Have　you　really　asked　her
to　sit　for　your　group？Come　up　to　my　rooms　first。Ah！　I　was　sure　of
it；〃　she　added；　as　she　caught　the　look　which　Steinbock　flashed　at
Valerie；　〃I　knew　you　were　a　profligate　in　the　bud！　Well；　Valerie　is
lovelybut　try　not　to　bring　trouble　on　Hortense。〃



Nothing　annoys　a　married　man　so　much　as　finding　his　wife　perpetually
interposing　between　himself　and　his　wishes；　however　transient。

Wenceslas　got　home　at　about　one　in　the　morning；　Hortense　had　expected
him　ever　since　half…past　nine。　From　half…past　nine　till　ten　she　had
listened　to　the　passing　carriages；　telling　herself　that　never　before
had　her　husband　come　in　so　late　from　dining　with　Florent　and　Chanor。
She　sat　sewing　by　the　child's　cot；　for　she　had　begun　to　save　a
needlewoman's　pay　for　the　day　by　doing　the　mending　herself。From　ten
till　half…past；　a　suspicion　crossed　her　mind；　she　sat　wondering：

〃Is　he　really　gone　to　dinner；　as　he　told　me；　with　Chanor　and　Florent？
He　put　on　his　best　cravat　and　his　handsomest　pin　when　he　dressed。　He
took　as　long　over　his　toilet　as　a　woman　when　she　wants　to　make　the
best　of　herself。I　am　crazy！　He　loves　me！And　here　he　is！〃

But　instead　of　stopping；　the　cab　she　heard　went　past。

From　eleven　till　midnight　Hortense　was　a　victim　to　terrible　alarms；
the　quarter　where　they　lived　was　now　deserted。

〃If　he　has　set　out　on　foot；　some　accident　may　have　happened；〃　thought
she。　〃A　man　may　be　killed　by　tumbling　over　a　curbstone　or　failing　to
see　a　gap。　Artists　are　so　heedless！　Or　if　he　should　have　been　stopped
by　robbers！It　is　the　first　time　he　has　ever　left　me　alone　here　for
six　hours　and　a　half！But　why　should　I　worry　myself？　He　cares　for　no
one　but　me。〃

Men　ought　to　be　faithful　to　the　wives　who　love　them；　were　it　only　on
account　of　the　perpetual　miracles　wrought　by　true　love　in　the　sublime
regions　of　the　spiritual　world。　The　woman　who　loves　is；　in　relation　to
the　man　she　loves；　in　the　position　of　a　somnambulist　to　whom　the
magnetizer　should　give　the　painful　power；　when　she　ceases　to　be　the
mirror　of　the　world；　of　being　conscious　as　a　woman　of　what　she　has
seen　as　a　somnambulist。　Passion　raises　the　nervous　tension　of　a　woman
to　the　ecstatic　pitch　at　which　presentiment　is　as　acute　as　the　insight
of　a　clairvoyant。　A　wife　knows　she　is　betrayed；　she　will　not　let
herself　say　so；　she　doubts　stillshe　loves　so　much！　She　gives　the　lie
to　the　outcry　of　her　own　Pythian　power。　This　paroxysm　of　love　deserves
a　special　form　of　worship。

In　noble　souls；　admiration　of　this　divine　phenomenon　will　always　be　a
safeguard　to　protect　them　from　infidelity。　How　should　a　man　not
worship　a　beautiful　and　intellectual　creature　whose　soul　can　soar　to
such　manifestations？

By　one　in　the　morning　Hortense　was　in　a　state　of　such　intense　anguish；
that　she　flew　to　the　door　as　she　recognized　her　husband's　ring　at　the
bell；　and　clasped　him　in　her　arms　like　a　mother。

〃At　lasthere　you　are！〃　cried　she；　finding　her　voice　again。　〃My
dearest；　henceforth　where　you　go　I　go；　for　I　cannot　again　endure　the
torture　of　such　waiting。I　pictured　you　stumbling　over　a　curbstone；
with　a　fractured　skull！　Killed　by　thieves！No；　a　second　time　I　know　I
should　go　mad。Have　you　enjoyed　yourself　so　much？And　without　me！
Bad　boy！〃

〃What　can　I　say；　my　darling？　There　was　Bixiou；　who　drew　fresh
caricatures　for　us；　Leon　de　Lora；　as　witty　as　ever；　Claude　Vignon；　to
whom　I　owe　the　only　consolatory　article　that　has　come　out　about　the
Montcornet　statue。　There　were〃

〃Were　there　no　ladies？〃　Hortense　eagerly　inquired。

〃Worthy　Madame　Florent〃

〃You　said　the　Rocher　de　Cancale。Were　you　at　the　Florents'？〃

〃Yes；　at　their　house；　I　made　a　mistake。〃

〃You　did　not　take　a　coach　to　come　home？〃

〃No。〃

〃And　you　have　walked　from　the　Rue　des　Tournelles？〃

〃Stidmann　and　Bixiou　came　back　with　me　along　the　boulevards　as　far　as
the　Madeleine；　talking　all　the　way。〃

〃It　is　dry　then　on　the　boulevards　and　the　Place　de　la　Concorde　and　the
Rue　de　Bourgogne？　You　are　not　muddy　at　all！〃　said　Hortense；　looking　at
her　husband's　patent　leather　boots。

It　had　been　raining；　but　between　the　Rue　Vanneau　and　the　Rue　Saint…
Dominique　Wenceslas　had　not　got　his　boots　soiled。

〃Herehere　are　five　thousand　francs　Chanor　has　been　so　generous　as　to
lend　me；〃　said　Wenceslas；　to　cut　short　this　lawyer…like　examination。

He　had　made　a　division　of　the　ten　thousand…franc　notes；　half　for
Hortense　and　half　for　himself；　for　he　had　five　thousand　francs'　worth
of　debts　of　which　Hortense　knew　nothing。　He　owed　money　to　his　foreman
and　his　workmen。

〃Now　your　anxieties　are　relieved；〃　said　he；　kissing　his　wife。　〃I　am
going　to　work　to…morrow　morning。　So　I　am　going　to　bed　this　minute　to
get　up　early；　by　your　leave；　my　pet。〃

The　suspicion　that　had　dawned　in　Hortense's　mind　vanished；　she　was
miles　away　from　the　truth。　Madame　Marneffe！　She　had　never　thought　of
her。　Her　fear　for　her　Wenceslas　was　that　he　should　fall　in　with　street
prostitutes。　The　names　of　Bixiou　and　Leon　de　Lora；　two　artists　noted
for　their　wild　dissipations；　had　alarmed　her。

Next　morning　she　saw　Wenceslas　go　out　at　nine　o'clock；　and　was　quite
reassured。

〃Now　he　is　at　work　again；〃　said　she　to　herself；　as　she　proceeded　to
dress　her　boy。　〃I　see　he　is　quite　in　the　vein！　Well；　well；　if　we
cannot　have　the　glory　of　Michael　Angelo；　we　may　have　that　of　Benvenuto
Cellini！〃

Lulled　by　her　own　hopes；　Hortense　believed　in　a　happy　future；　and　she
was　chattering　to　her　son　of　twenty　months　in　the　language　of
onomatopoeia　that　amuses　babes　when；　at　about　eleven　o'clock；　the
cook；　who　had　not　seen　Wenceslas　go　out；　showed　in　Stidmann。

〃I　beg　pardon；　madame；〃　said　he。　〃Is　Wenceslas　gone　out　already？〃

〃He　is　at　the　studio。〃

〃I　came　to　talk　over　the　work　with　him。〃

〃I　will　send　for　him；〃　said　Hortense；　offering　Stidmann　a　chair。

Thanking　Heaven　for　this　piece　of　luck；　Hortense　was　glad　to　detain
Stidmann　to　ask　some　questions　about　the　evening　before。　Stidmann
bowed　in　acknowledgment　of　her　kindness。　The　Countess　Steinbock　rang；
the　cook　appeared；　and　was　desired　to　go　at　once　and　fetch　her　master
from　the　studio。

〃You　had　an　amusing　dinner　last　night？〃　said　Hortense。　〃Wenceslas　did
not　come　in　till　past　one　in　the　morning。〃

〃Amusing？　not　exactly；〃　replied　the　artist；　who　had　intended　to
fascinate　Madame　Marneffe。　〃Society　is　not　very　amusing　unless　one　is
interested　in　it。　That　little　Madame　Marneffe　is　clever；　but　a　great
flirt。〃

〃And　what　did　Wenceslas　think　of　her？〃　asked　poor　Hortense；　trying　to
keep　calm。　〃He　said　nothing　about　her　to　me。〃

〃I　will　only　say　one　thing；〃　said　Stidmann；　〃and　that　is；　that　I　think
her　a　very　dangerous　woman。〃

Hortense　turned　as　pale　as　a　woman　after　childbirth。

〃Soit　was　atat　Madame　Marneffe's　that　you　dinedand　notnot　with
Chanor？〃　said　she；　〃yesterdayand　Wenceslasand　he〃

Stidmann；　without　knowing　what　mischief　he　had　done；　saw　that　he　had
blundered。

The　Countess　did　not　finish　her　sentence；　she　simply　fainted　away。　The
artist　rang；　and　the　maid　came　in。　When　Louise　tried　to　get　her
mistress　into　her　bedroom；　a　serious　nervous　attack　came　on；　with
violent　hysterics。　Stidmann；　like　any　man　who　by　an　involuntary
indiscretion　has　overthrown　the　structure　built　on　a　husband's　lie　to
his　wife；　could　not　conceive　that　his　words　should　produce　such　an
effect；　he　supposed　that　the　Countess　was　in　such　delicate　health　that
the　slightest　contradiction　was　mischievous。

The　cook　presently　returned　to　say；　unfortunately　in　loud　tones；　that
her　master　was　not　in　the　studio。　In　the　midst　of　her　anguish；
Hortense　heard；　and　the　hysterical　fit　came　on　again。

〃Go　and　fetch　madame's　mother；〃　said　Louise　to　the　cook。　〃Quickrun！