beatrix-第62部分

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〃Well；　my　dear；〃　said　Maxime；　〃you　are　not　mistaken；　yes；　I　have　come
for　your　/beaux　yeux/　and　for　help　in　a　great　affair。　You　must　leave
Arthur；　but　I　pledge　myself　to　make　him　give　you　two　hundred　thousand
francs。〃

〃Why　should　I　leave　the　poor　fellow？〃

〃To　marry　that　idiot；　who　seems　to　have　been　sent　from　Alencon
expressly　for　the　purpose。　He　has　been　a　judge；　and　I'll　have　him　made
chief…justice　in　place　of　Emile　Blondet's　father；　who　is　getting　to　be
eighty　years　old。　Now；　if　you　know　how　to　sail　your　boat；　your　husband
can　be　elected　deputy。　You　will　both　be　personages；　and　you　can　then
look　down　on　Madame　la　Comtesse　du　Bruel。〃

〃Never！〃　said　Madame　Schontz；　〃she's　a　countess。〃

〃Hasn't　he　condition　enough　to　be　made　a　count？〃

〃By　the　bye；　he　bears　arms；〃　cried　Aurelie；　hunting　for　a　letter　in　an
elegant　bag　hanging　at　the　corner　of　the　fireplace；　and　giving　it　to
Maxime。　〃What　do　they　mean？　Here　are　combs。〃

〃He　bears：　per　fesse　argent　and　azure；　on　the　first；　three　combs
gules；　two　and　one；　crossed　by　three　bunches　grapes　purpure；　leaved
vert；　one　and　two；　on　the　second；　four　feathers　or；　placed　fretwise；
with　/Servir/　for　motto；　and　a　squire's　helmet。　It　is　not　much；　it
seems　they　were　ennobled　under　Louis　XIV。；　some　mercer　was　doubtless
their　grandfather；　and　the　maternal　line　must　have　made　its　money　in
wines；　the　du　Ronceret　whom　the　king　ennobled　was　probably　an　usher。
But　if　you　get　rid　of　Arthur　and　marry　du　Ronceret；　I　promise　you　he
shall　be　a　baron　at　the　very　least。　But　you　see；　my　dear；　you'll　have
to　soak　yourself　for　five　or　six　years　in　the　provinces　if　you　want　to
bury　La　Schontz　in　a　baroness。　That　queer　creature　has　been　casting
looks　at　you；　the　meaning　of　which　is　perfectly　clear。　You've　got
him。〃

〃No；〃　replied　Aurelie；　〃when　my　hand　was　offered　to　him　he　remained；
like　the　brandies　I　read　of　to…day　in　the　market　reports；　/dull/。〃

〃I　will　undertake　to　decide　himif　he　is　drunk。　Go　and　see　where　they
all　are。〃

〃It　is　not　worth　while　to　go；　I　hear　no　one　but　Bixiou；　who　is　making
jokes　to　which　nobody　listens。　But　I　know　my　Arthur；　he　feels　bound　to
be　polite；　and　he　is　probably　looking　at　Bixiou　with　his　eyes　shut。〃

〃Let　us　go　back；　then。〃

〃/Ah　ca！/〃　said　Madame　Schontz；　suddenly　stopping　short；　〃in　whose
interest　shall　I　be　working？〃

〃In　that　of　Madame　de　Rochefide；〃　replied　Maxime；　promptly。　〃It　is
impossible　to　reconcile　her　with　Rochefide　as　long　as　you　hold　him。
Her　object　is　to　recover　her　place　as　head　of　his　household　and　the
enjoyment　of　four　hundred　thousand　francs　a　year。〃

〃And　she　offers　me　only　two　hundred　thousand！　I　want　three　hundred
thousand；　since　the　affair　concerns　her。　What！　haven't　I　taken　care　of
her　brat　and　her　husband？　I　have　filled　her　place　in　every　wayand
does　she　think　to　bargain　with　me？　With　that；　my　dear　Maxime；　I　shall
have　a　million；　and　if　you'll　promise　me　the　chief…justiceship　at
Alencon；　I　can　hold　my　own　as　Madame　du　Ronceret。〃

〃That's　settled；〃　said　Maxime。

〃Oh！　won't　it　be　dull　to　live　in　that　little　town！〃　cried　Aurelie；
philosophically。　〃I　have　heard　so　much　of　that　province　from
d'Esgrignon　and　the　Val…Noble　that　I　seem　to　have　lived　there
already。〃

〃Suppose　I　promise　you　the　support　of　the　nobility？〃

〃Ah！　Maxime；　you　don't　mean　that？but　the　pigeon　won't　fly。〃

〃And　he　is　very　ugly　with　his　purple　skin　and　bristles　for　whiskers；
he　looks　like　a　wild　boar　with　the　eyes　of　a　bird　of　prey。　But　he'll
make　the　finest　chief…justice　of　a　provincial　court。　Now　don't　be
uneasy！　in　ten　minutes　he　shall　be　singing　to　you　Isabelle's　air　in
the　fourth　act　of　Robert　le　Diable：　'At　thy　feet　I　kneel'you
promise；　don't　you？　to　send　Arthur　back　to　Beatrix？〃

〃It　will　be　difficult；　but　perseverance　wins。〃

About　half…past　ten　o'clock　the　guests　returned　to　the　salon　for
coffee。　Under　the　circumstances　in　which　Madame　Schontz；　Couture；　and
du　Ronceret　were　placed；　it　is　easy　to　imagine　the　effect　produced
upon　the　Heir　by　the　following　conversation　which　Maxime　held　with
Couture　in　a　corner　and　in　a　low　voice；　but　so　placed　that　Fabien
could　listen　to　them。

〃My　dear　Couture；　if　you　want　to　lead　a　steady　life　you　had　better
accept　a　receiver…generalship　which　Madame　de　Rochefide　will　obtain
for　you。　Aurelie's　million　will　furnish　the　security；　and　you'll　share
the　property　in　marrying　her。　You　can　be　made　deputy；　if　you　know　how
to　trim　your　sails；　and　the　premium　I　want　for　thus　saving　you　is　your
vote　in　the　chamber。〃

〃I　shall　always　be　proud　to　be　a　follower　of　yours。〃

〃Ah！　my　dear　fellow；　you　have　had　quite　an　escape。　Just　imagine！
Aurelie　took　a　fancy　for　that　Norman　from　Alencon；　she　asked　to　have
him　made　a　baron；　and　chief…justice　in　his　native　town；　and　officer　of
the　Legion　of　honor！　The　fool　never　guessed　her　value；　and　you　will
owe　your　fortune　to　her　disappointment。　You　had　better　not　leave　that
clever　creature　time　for　reflection。　As　for　me；　I　am　already　putting
the　irons　in　the　fire。〃

And　Maxime　left　Couture　at　the　summit　of　happiness；　saying　to　La
Palferine；　〃Shall　I　drive　you　home；　my　boy？〃

By　eleven　o'clock　Aurelie　was　alone　with　Couture；　Fabien；　and
Rochefide。　Arthur　was　asleep　on　a　sofa。　Couture　and　Fabien　each　tried
to　outstay　the　other；　without　success；　and　Madame　Schontz　finally
terminated　the　struggle　by　saying　to　Couture；

〃Good…night；　I　shall　see　you　to…morrow。〃

A　dismissal　which　he　took　in　good　part。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Fabien；　in　a　low　voice；　〃because　you　saw　me
thoughtful　at　the　offer　which　you　indirectly　made　to　me；　do　not　think
there　was　the　slightest　hesitation　on　my　part。　But　you　do　not　know　my
mother；　she　would　never　consent　to　my　happiness。〃

〃You　have　reached　an　age　for　respectful　summons；〃　retorted　Aurelie；
insolently。　〃But　if　you　are　afraid　of　mamma　you　won't　do　for　me。〃

〃Josephine！〃　said　the　Heir；　tenderly；　passing　his　arm　audaciously
round　Madame　Schontz'　waist；　〃I　thought　you　loved　me！〃

〃Well？〃

〃Perhaps　I　could　appease　my　mother；　and　obtain　her　consent。〃

〃How？〃

〃If　you　would　employ　your　influence〃

〃To　have　you　made　baron；　officer　of　the　Legion　of　honor；　and　chief…
justice　at　Alencon；is　that　it；　my　friend？　Listen　to　me：　I　have　done
so　many　things　in　my　life　that　I　am　capable　of　virtue。　I　can　be　an
honest　woman　and　a　loyal　wife；　and　I　can　push　my　husband　very　high。
But　I　wish　to　be　loved　by　him　without　one　look　or　one　thought　being
turned　away　from　me。　Does　that　suit　you？　Don't　bind　yourself
imprudently；　it　concerns　your　whole　life；　my　little　man。〃

〃With　a　woman　like　you　I　can　do　it　blind；〃　cried　Fabien；　intoxicated
by　the　glance　she　gave　him　as　much　as　by　the　liqueurs　des　Iles。

〃You　shall　never　repent　that　word；　my　dear；　you　shall　be　peer　of
France。　As　for　that　poor　old　fellow；〃　she　continued；　looking　at
Rochefide；　who　was　sound　asleep；　〃after　to…day　I　have　d…o…n…e　with
him。〃

Fabien　caught　Madame　Schontz　around　the　waist　and　kissed　her　with　an
impulse　of　fury　and　joy；　in　which　the　double　intoxication　of　wine　and
love　was　secondary　to　ambition。

〃Remember；　my　dear　child；〃　she　said；　〃the　respect　you　ought　to　show　to
your　wife；　don't　play　the　lover；　leave　me　free　to　retire　from　my　mud…
hole　in　a　proper　manner。　Poor　Couture；　who　thought　himself　sure　of
wealth　and　a　receiver…generalship！〃

〃I　have　a　horror　of　that　man；〃　said　Fabien；　〃I　wish　I　might　never　see
him　again。〃

〃I　will　not　receive　him　any　more；〃　replied　Madame　Schontz；　with　a
prudish　little　air。　〃Now　that　we　have　come　to　an　understanding；　my
Fabien；　you　must　go；　it　is　one　o'clock。〃

This　little　scene　gave　birth　in　the　household　of　Arthur　and　Aurelie
（so　completely　happy　until　now）　to　a　phase　of　domestic　warfare
produced　in　the　bosom　of　all　homes　by　some　secret　and　alien　interest
in　one　of　the　partners。　The　next　day　when　Arthur　awoke　he　found　Madame
Schontz　as　frigid　as　that　class　of　woman　knows　how　to　make　herself。

〃What　happened　last　night？〃　he　said；　as　he　breakfasted；　looking　at
Aurelie。

〃What　often　happens　in　Paris；〃　she　replied；　〃one　goes　to　bed　in　damp
weather　and　the　next　morning　the　pavements　are　dry　and　frozen　so　hard
that　they　are　dusty。　Do　you　want　a　brush？〃

〃What's　the　matter　with　you；　dearest？〃

〃Go　and　find　your　great　scarecrow　of　a　wife！〃

〃My　wife！〃　exclaimed　the　poor　marquis。

〃Don't　I　know　why　you　brought　Maxime　here？　You　mean　to　make　up　with
Madame　de　Rochefide；　who　wants　you　perhaps　for　some　indiscreet　brat。
And　I；　whom　you　call　so　clever；　I　advised　you　to　give　back　her
fortune！　Oh！　I　see　your　scheme。　At　the　end　of　five　years　Monsieur　is
tired　of　me。　I'm　getting　fat；　Beatrix　is　all　bonesit　will　be　a
change　for　you！　You　are　not　the　first　I've　known　to　like　skeletons。
Your　Beatrix　knows　how　to　dress　herself；　that's　true；　and　you　are　man
who　likes　figure…heads。　Besides；　you　want　to　send　Monsieur　du　Guenic
to　the　right…about。　It　will　be　a　triumph！　You'll　cut　quite　an
appearance　in　the　world！　How　people　will　talk　of　it！　Why！　you'll　be　a
hero！〃

Madame　Schontz　did　not　make　an　end　of　her　sarcasms　for　two　hours　after
mid…day；　in　spite　of　Arthur's　protestations。　She　then　said　she　was
invited　out　to　dinner；　and　advised　her　〃faithless　one〃　to　go　without
her　to　the　Opera；　for　she　herself　was　going　to　the　Ambigu…Comique　to
meet　Madame　de　la　Baudraye；　a　charming　woman；　a　friend　of　Lousteau。
Arthur　proposed；　as　proof　of　his　eternal　attachment　to　his　little
Aurelie　and　his　detestation　of　his　wife；　to　start　the　next　day　for
Italy；　and　live　as　a　married　couple　in　Rome；　Naples；　Florence；in
short；　wherever　she　liked；　offering　her　a　gift　of　sixty　thousand
francs。

〃All　that　is　nonsense；〃　she　said。　〃It　won't　prevent　you　from　making　up
with　your　wife；　and　you'll　do　a　wise　thing。〃

Arthur　and　Aurelie　parted　on　this　formidable　dialogue；　he　to　play
cards　and　dine　at　the　club；　she　to　dress　and　spend　the　evening　/tete…
a…tete/　with　Fabien。

Monsieur　de　Rochefide　found　Maxime　at　the　club；　and　complained　to　him
like　a　man　who　feels　that　his　happiness　is　being　torn　from　his　heart
by　the　roots；　every　fibre　of　which　clung　to　it。　Maxime　listened　to　his
moans；　as　persons　of　social　politeness　are　accustomed　to　listen；　while
thinking　of　other　things。

〃I'm　a