the marriage contract-第13章

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drawing　the　deeds　for　the　sale　of　those　lands。〃



〃Thanks；　my　dear　Mathias。　I'll　serve　you　in　return　on　the　very　first

occasion。〃



While　the　two　notaries　were　peacefully　returning　homeward；　with　no

other　sensations　than　a　little　throaty　warmth；　Paul　and　Madame

Evangelista　were　left　a　prey　to　the　nervous　trepidation；　the　quivering

of　the　flesh　and　brain　which　excitable　natures　pass　through　after　a

scene　in　which　their　interests　and　their　feelings　have　been　violently

shaken。　In　Madame　Evangelista　these　last　mutterings　of　the　storm　were

overshadowed　by　a　terrible　reflection；　a　lurid　gleam　which　she　wanted；

at　any　cost；　to　dispel。



〃Has　Maitre　Mathias　destroyed　in　a　few　minutes　the　work　I　have　been

doing　for　six　months？〃　she　asked　herself。　〃Was　he　withdrawing　Paul

from　my　influence　by　filling　his　mind　with　suspicion　during　their

secret　conference　in　the　next　room？〃



She　was　standing　absorbed　in　these　thoughts　before　the　fireplace；　her

elbow　resting　on　the　marble　mantel…shelf。　When　the　porte…cochere

closed　behind　the　carriage　of　the　two　notaries；　she　turned　to　her

future　son…in…law；　impatient　to　solve　her　doubts。



〃This　has　been　the　most　terrible　day　of　my　life；〃　cried　Paul；

overjoyed　to　see　all　difficulties　vanish。　〃I　know　no　one　so　downright

in　speech　as　that　old　Mathias。　May　God　hear　him；　and　make　me　peer　of

France！　Dear　Natalie；　I　desire　this　for　your　sake　more　than　for　my

own。　You　are　my　ambition；　I　live　only　in　you。〃



Hearing　this　speech　uttered　in　the　accents　of　the　heart；　and　noting；

more　especially；　the　limpid　azure　of　Paul's　eyes；　whose　glance

betrayed　no　thought　of　double　meaning；　Madame　Evangelista's

satisfaction　was　complete。　She　regretted　the　sharp　language　with　which

she　had　spurred　him；　and　in　the　joy　of　success　she　resolved　to

reassure　him　as　to　the　future。　Calming　her　countenance；　and　giving　to

her　eyes　that　expression　of　tender　friendship　which　made　her　so

attractive；　she　smiled　and　answered：



〃I　can　say　as　much　to　you。　Perhaps；　dear　Paul；　my　Spanish　nature　has

led　me　farther　than　my　heart　desired。　Be　what　you　are；kind　as　God

himself；and　do　not　be　angry　with　me　for　a　few　hasty　words。　Shake

hands。〃



Paul　was　abashed；　he　fancied　himself　to　blame；　and　he　kissed　Madame

Evangelista。



〃Dear　Paul；〃　she　said　with　much　emotion；　〃why　could　not　those　two

sharks　have　settled　this　matter　without　dragging　us　into　it；　since　it

was　so　easy　to　settle？〃



〃In　that　case　I　should　not　have　known　how　grand　and　generous　you　can

be；〃　replied　Paul。



〃Indeed　she　is；　Paul；〃　cried　Natalie；　pressing　his　hand。



〃We　have　still　a　few　little　matters　to　settle；　my　dear　son；〃　said

Madame　Evangelista。　〃My　daughter　and　I　are　above　the　foolish　vanities

to　which　so　many　persons　cling。　Natalie　does　not　need　my　diamonds；　but

I　am　glad　to　give　them　to　her。〃



〃Ah！　my　dear　mother；　do　you　suppose　that　I　will　accept　them？〃



〃Yes；　my　child；　they　are　one　of　the　conditions　of　the　contract。〃



〃I　will　not　allow　it；　I　will　not　marry　at　all；〃　cried　Natalie；

vehemently。　〃Keep　those　jewels　which　my　father　took　such　pride　in

collecting　for　you。　How　could　Monsieur　Paul　exact〃



〃Hush；　my　dear；〃　said　her　mother；　whose　eyes　now　filled　with　tears。

〃My　ignorance　of　business　compels　me　to　a　greater　sacrifice　than

that。〃



〃What　sacrifice？〃



〃I　must　sell　my　house　in　order　to　pay　the　money　that　I　owe　to　you。〃



〃What　money　can　you　possibly　owe　to　me？〃　she　said；　〃to　me；　who　owe　you

life！　If　my　marriage　costs　you　the　slightest　sacrifice；　I　will　not

marry。〃



〃Child！〃



〃Dear　Natalie；　try　to　understand　that　neither　I；　nor　your　mother；　nor

you　yourself；　require　these　sacrifices；　but　our　children。〃



〃Suppose　I　do　not　marry　at　all？〃



〃Do　you　not　love　me？〃　said　Paul；　tenderly。



〃Come；　come；　my　silly　child；　do　you　imagine　that　a　contract　is　like　a

house　of　cards　which　you　can　blow　down　at　will？　Dear　little　ignoramus；

you　don't　know　what　trouble　we　have　had　to　found　an　entail　for　the

benefit　of　your　eldest　son。　Don't　cast　us　back　into　the　discussions

from　which　we　have　just　escaped。〃



〃Why　do　you　wish　to　ruin　my　mother？〃　said　Natalie；　looking　at　Paul。



〃Why　are　you　so　rich？〃　he　replied；　smiling。



〃Don't　quarrel；　my　children；　you　are　not　yet　married；〃　said　Madame

Evangelista。　〃Paul；〃　she　continued；　〃you　are　not　to　give　either

corbeille；　or　jewels；　or　trousseau。　Natalie　has　everything　in

profusion。　Lay　by　the　money　you　would　otherwise　put　into　wedding

presents。　I　know　nothing　more　stupidly　bourgeois　and　commonplace　than

to　spend　a　hundred　thousand　francs　on　a　corbeille；　when　five　thousand

a　year　given　to　a　young　woman　saves　her　much　anxiety　and　lasts　her

lifetime。　Besides；　the　money　for　a　corbeille　is　needed　to　decorate

your　house　in　Paris。　We　will　return　to　Lanstrac　in　the　spring；　for

Solonet　is　to　settle　my　debts　during　the　winter。〃



〃All　is　for　the　best；〃　cried　Paul；　at　the　summit　of　happiness。



〃So　I　shall　see　Paris！〃　cried　Natalie；　in　a　tone　that　would　justly

have　alarmed　de　Marsay。



〃If　we　decide　upon　this　plan；〃　said　Paul；　〃I'll　write　to　de　Marsay　and

get　him　to　take　a　box　for　me　at　the　Bouffons　and　also　at　the　Italian

opera。〃



〃You　are　very　kind；　I　should　never　have　dared　to　ask　for　it；〃　said

Natalie。　〃Marriage　is　a　very　agreeable　institution　if　it　gives

husbands　a　talent　for　divining　the　wishes　of　their　wives。〃



〃It　is　nothing　else；〃　replied　Paul。　〃But　see　how　late　it　is；　I　ought

to　go。〃



〃Why　leave　so　soon　to…night？〃　said　Madame　Evangelista；　employing　those

coaxing　ways　to　which　men　are　so　sensitive。



Though　all　this　passed　on　the　best　of　terms；　and　according　to　the　laws

of　the　most　exquisite　politeness；　the　effect　of　the　discussion　of

these　contending　interests　had；　nevertheless；　cast　between　son　and

mother…in…law　a　seed　of　distrust　and　enmity　which　was　liable　to　sprout

under　the　first　heat　of　anger；　or　the　warmth　of　a　feeling　too　harshly

bruised。　In　most　families　the　settlement　of　〃dots〃　and　the　deeds　of

gift　required　by　a　marriage　contract　give　rise　to　primitive　emotions

of　hostility；　caused　by　self…love；　by　the　lesion　of　certain

sentiments；　by　regret　for　the　sacrifices　made；　and　by　the　desire　to

diminish　them。　When　difficulties　arise　there　is　always　a　victorious

side　and　a　vanquished　one。　The　parents　of　the　future　pair　try　to

conclude　the　matter；　which　is　purely　commercial　in　their　eyes；　to

their　own　advantage；　and　this　leads　to　the　trickery；　shrewdness；　and

deception　of　such　negotiations。　Generally　the　husband　alone　is

initiated　into　the　secret　of　these　discussions；　and　the　wife　is　kept；

like　Natalie；　in　ignorance　of　the　stipulations　which　make　her　rich　or

poor。



As　he　left　the　house；　Paul　reflected　that；　thanks　to　the　cleverness　of

his　notary；　his　fortune　was　almost　entirely　secured　from　injury。　If

Madame　Evangelista　did　not　live　apart　from　her　daughter　their　united

household　would　have　an　income　of　more　than　a　hundred　thousand　francs

to　spend。　All　his　expectations　of　a　happy　and　comfortable　life　would

be　realized。



〃My　mother…in…law　seems　to　me　an　excellent　woman；〃　he　thought；　still

under　the　influence　of　the　cajoling　manner　by　which　she　had　endeavored

to　disperse　the　clouds　raised　by　the　discussion。　〃Mathias　is　mistaken。

These　notaries　are　strange　fellows；　they　envenom　everything。　The　harm

started　from　that　little　cock…sparrow　Solonet；　who　wanted　to　play　a

clever　game。〃



While　Paul　went　to　bed　recapitulating　the　advantages　he　had　won　during

the　evening；　Madame　Evangelista　was　congratulating　herself　equally　on

her　victory。



〃Well；　darling　mother；　are　you　satisfied？〃　said　Natalie；　following

Madame　Evangelista　into　her　bedroom。



〃Yes；　love；〃　replied　the　mother；　〃everything　went　well；　according　to

my　wishes；　I　feel　a　weight　lifted　from　my　shoulders　which　was　crushing

me。　Paul　is　a　most　easy…going　man。　Dear　fellow！　yes；　certainly；　we

must　make　his　life　prosperous。　You　will　make　him　happy；　and　I　will　be

responsible　for　his　political　success。　The　Spanish　ambassador　used　to

be　a　friend　of　mine；　and　I'll　renew　the　relationas　I　will　with　the

rest　of　my　old　acquaintance。　Oh！　you'll　see！　we　shall　soon　be　in　the

very　heart　of　Parisian　life；　all　will　be　enjoyment　for　us。　You　shall

have　the　pleasures；　my　dearest；　and　I　the　last　occupation　of

existence；the　game　of　ambition！　Don't　be　alarmed　when　you　see　me

selling　this　house。　Do　you　suppose　we　shall　ever　come　back　to　live　in

Bordeaux？　no。　Lanstrac？　yes。　But　we　shall　spend　all　our　winters　in

Paris；　where　our　real　interests　lie。　Well；　Natalie；　tell　me；　was　it

very　difficult　to　do　what　I　asked　of　you？〃



〃My　little　mamma！　every　now　and　then　I　felt　ashamed。〃



〃Solonet　advises　me　to　put　the　proceeds　of　this　house　into　an

annuity；〃　said　Madame　Evangelista；　〃but　I　shall　do　otherwise；　I　won't

take　a　penny　of　my　fortune　from　you。〃



〃I　saw　you　were　all　very　angry；〃　said　Natalie。　〃How　did　the　tempest

calm　down？〃



〃By　an　offer　of　my　diamonds；〃　replied　Madame　Evangelista。　〃Solonet　was

right。　How　ably　he　conducted　the　whole　affair。　Get　out　my　jewel…case；

Natalie。　I　have　never　seriously　considered　what　my　diamonds　are　worth。

When　I　said　a　hundred　thousand　francs　I　talked　nonsense。　Madame　de

Gyas　always　declared　that　the　necklace　and　ear…rings　your　father　gave

me　on　our　marriage　day　were　worth　at　least　that　sum。　My　poor　husband

was　so　lavish！　Then　my　family　diamond；　the　one　Philip　the　Second　gave

to　the　Duke　of　Alba；　and　which　my　aunt　bequeathed　to　me；　the

'Discreto；'　was；　I　think；　appraised　in　former　times　at　four　thousand

quadruples；one　of　our　Spanish　gold　coins。〃



Natalie　laid　out　upon　her　mother's　toilet…table　the　pearl　necklace；

the　sets　of　jewels；　the　gold　bracelets　and　precious　stones　of　all

description；　with　that　inexpressible　sensation　enjoyed　by　certain

women　at　the　sight　of　such　treasures；　by　whichso　commentators　on　the

Talmud　saythe　fallen　angels　seduce　the　daughters　of　men；　having

sought　these　flowers　of　celestial　fire　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth。



〃Certainly；〃　said　Madame　Evangelista；　〃though　I　know　nothing　about

jewels　except　how　to　accept　and　wear　them；　I　think　there　must　be　a

great　deal　of　money　in　these。　Then；　if　we　make　but　one　household；　I

can　sell　my　plate；　the　weight　of　which；　as　mere　silver；　would　bring

thirty　thousand　francs。　I　remember　when　we　brought　it　from　Lima；　the

custom…house　officers　weighed　and　appraised　it。　Solonet　is　right；　I'll

send　to…morrow　to　Elie　Magus。　The　Jew　shall　estimate　the　value　of

these　things。　Perhaps　I　can　avoid　sinking　any　of　my　fortune　in　an

annuity。〃



〃What　a　beautiful　pearl　necklace！〃　said　Natalie。



〃He　ought　to　give　it　to　you；　if　he　loves　you；〃　replied　her　mother；

〃and　I　think　he　might　have　all　my　other　jewels　reset　and　let　you　keep

them。　The　diamonds　are　a　part　of　your　property　in　the　contract。　And

now；　good…night；　my　darling。　After　the　fatigues　of　this　day