cousin betty-第43章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Hortense　heard；　and　the　hysterical　fit　came　on　again。

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

〃If　I　knew　where　to　find　Steinbock；　I　would　go　and　fetch　him！〃
exclaimed　Stidmann　in　despair。

〃He　is　with　that　woman！〃　cried　the　unhappy　wife。　〃He　was　not　dressed
to　go　to　his　work！〃

Stidmann　hurried　off　to　Madame　Marneffe's；　struck　by　the　truth　of　this
conclusion；　due　to　the　second…sight　of　passion。

At　that　moment　Valerie　was　posed　as　Delilah。　Stidmann；　too　sharp　to
ask　for　Madame　Marneffe；　walked　straight　in　past　the　lodge；　and　ran
quickly　up　to　the　second　floor；　arguing　thus：　〃If　I　ask　for　Madame
Marneffe；　she　will　be　out。　If　I　inquire　point…blank　for　Steinbock；　I
shall　be　laughed　at　to　my　face。Take　the　bull　by　the　horns！〃

Reine　appeared　in　answer　to　his　ring。

〃Tell　Monsieur　le　Comte　Steinbock　to　come　at　once；　his　wife　is
dying〃

Reine；　quite　a　match　for　Stidmann；　looked　at　him　with　blank　surprise。

〃But；　sirI　don't　knowdid　you　suppose〃

〃I　tell　you　that　my　friend　Monsieur　Steinbock　is　here；　his　wife　is
very　ill。　It　is　quite　serious　enough　for　you　to　disturb　your
mistress。〃　And　Stidmann　turned　on　his　heel。

〃He　is　there；　sure　enough！〃　said　he　to　himself。

And　in　point　of　fact；　after　waiting　a　few　minutes　in　the　Rue　Vanneau；
he　saw　Wenceslas　come　out；　and　beckoned　to　him　to　come　quickly。　After
telling　him　of　the　tragedy　enacted　in　the　Rue　Saint…Dominique；
Stidmann　scolded　Steinbock　for　not　having　warned　him　to　keep　the
secret　of　yesterday's　dinner。

〃I　am　done　for；〃　said　Wenceslas；　〃but　you　are　forgiven。　I　had　totally
forgotten　that　you　were　to　call　this　morning；　and　I　blundered　in　not
telling　you　that　we　were　to　have　dined　with　Florent。What　can　I　say？
That　Valerie　has　turned　my　head；　but；　my　dear　fellow；　for　her　glory　is
well　lost；　misfortune　well　won！　She　really　is！Good　Heavens！But　I
am　in　a　dreadful　fix。　Advise　me。　What　can　I　say？　How　can　I　excuse
myself？〃

〃I！　advise　you！　I　don't　know；〃　replied　Stidmann。　〃But　your　wife　loves
you；　I　imagine？　Well；　then；　she　will　believe　anything。　Tell　her　that
you　were　on　your　way　to　me　when　I　was　on　my　way　to　you；　that；　at　any
rate；　will　set　this　morning's　business　right。　Good…bye。〃

Lisbeth；　called　down　by　Reine；　ran　after　Wenceslas　and　caught　him　up
at　the　corner　of　the　Rue　Hillerin…Bertin；　she　was　afraid　of　his　Polish
artlessness。　Not　wishing　to　be　involved　in　the　matter；　she　said　a　few
words　to　Wenceslas；　who　in　his　joy　hugged　her　then　and　there。　She　had
no　doubt　pushed　out　a　plank　to　enable　the　artist　to　cross　this　awkward
place　in　his　conjugal　affairs。

At　the　sight　of　her　mother；　who　had　flown　to　her　aid；　Hortense　burst
into　floods　of　tears。　This　happily　changed　the　character　of　the
hysterical　attack。

〃Treachery；　dear　mamma！〃　cried　she。　〃Wenceslas；　after　giving　me　his
word　of　honor　that　he　would　not　go　near　Madame　Marneffe；　dined　with
her　last　night；　and　did　not　come　in　till　a　quarter…past　one　in　the
morning。If　you　only　knew！　The　day　before　we　had　had　a　discussion；
not　a　quarrel；　and　I　had　appealed　to　him　so　touchingly。　I　told　him　I
was　jealous；　that　I　should　die　if　he　were　unfaithful；　that　I　was
easily　suspicious；　but　that　he　ought　to　have　some　consideration　for　my
weaknesses；　as　they　came　of　my　love　for　him；　that　I　had　my　father's
blood　in　my　veins　as　well　as　yours；　that　at　the　first　moment　of　such
discovery　I　should　be　mad；　and　capable　of　mad　deedsof　avenging
myselfof　dishonoring　us　all；　him；　his　child；　and　myself；　that　I
might　even　kill　him　first　and　myself　afterand　so　on。

〃And　yet　he　went　there；　he　is　there！That　woman　is　bent　on　breaking
all　our　hearts！　Only　yesterday　my　brother　and　Celestine　pledged　their
all　to　pay　off　seventy　thousand　francs　on　notes　of　hand　signed　for
that　good…for…nothing　creature。Yes；　mamma；　my　father　would　have　been
arrested　and　put　into　prison。　Cannot　that　dreadful　woman　be　content
with　having　my　father；　and　with　all　your　tears？　Why　take　my　Wenceslas？
I　will　go　to　see　her　and　stab　her！〃

Madame　Hulot；　struck　to　the　heart　by　the　dreadful　secrets　Hortense　was
unwittingly　letting　out；　controlled　her　grief　by　one　of　the　heroic
efforts　which　a　magnanimous　mother　can　make；　and　drew　her　daughter's
head　on　to　her　bosom　to　cover　it　with　kisses。

〃Wait　for　Wenceslas；　my　child；　all　will　be　explained。　The　evil　cannot
be　so　great　as　you　picture　it！I；　too；　have　been　deceived；　my　dear
Hortense；　you　think　me　handsome；　I　have　lived　blameless；　and　yet　I
have　been　utterly　forsaken　for　three…and…twenty　yearsfor　a　Jenny
Cadine；　a　Josepha；　a　Madame　Marneffe！　Did　you　know　that？〃

〃You；　mamma；　you！　You　have　endured　this　for　twenty〃

She　broke　off；　staggered　by　her　own　thoughts。

〃Do　as　I　have　done；　my　child；〃　said　her　mother。　〃Be　gentle　and　kind；
and　your　conscience　will　be　at　peace。　On　his　death…bed　a　man　may　say；
'My　wife　has　never　cost　me　a　pang！'　And　God；　who　hears　that　dying
breath；　credits　it　to　us。　If　I　had　abandoned　myself　to　fury　like　you；
what　would　have　happened？　Your　father　would　have　been　embittered；
perhaps　he　would　have　left　me　altogether；　and　he　would　not　have　been
withheld　by　any　fear　of　paining　me。　Our　ruin；　utter　as　it　now　is；
would　have　been　complete　ten　years　sooner；　and　we　should　have　shown
the　world　the　spectacle　of　a　husband　and　wife　living　quite　aparta
scandal　of　the　most　horrible；　heart…breaking　kind；　for　it　is　the
destruction　of　the　family。　Neither　your　brother　nor　you　could　have
married。

〃I　sacrificed　myself；　and　that　so　bravely；　that；　till　this　last
connection　of　your　father's；　the　world　has　believed　me　happy。　My
serviceable　and　indeed　courageous　falsehood　has；　till　now；　screened
Hector；　he　is　still　respected；　but　this　old　man's　passion　is　taking
him　too　far；　that　I　see。　His　own　folly；　I　fear；　will　break　through　the
veil　I　have　kept　between　the　world　and　our　home。　However；　I　have　held
that　curtain　steady　for　twenty…three　years；　and　have　wept　behind　it
motherless；　I；　without　a　friend　to　trust；　with　no　help　but　in　religion
I　have　for　twenty…three　years　secured　the　family　honor〃

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　i