the marriage contract-第16章

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Solonet　and　Madame　Evangelista　gazed　at　each　other；　the　one

endeavoring　to　conceal　his　indifference；　the　other　repressing　the　rush

of　a　crowd　of　bitter　feelings。



After　suffering　in　her　own　mind　the　struggles　of　remorse；　after

blaming　Paul　as　the　cause　of　her　dishonesty；　Madame　Evangelista　had

decided　to　employ　those　shameful　manoeuvres　to　cast　on　him　the　burden

of　her　own　unfaithful　guardianship；　considering　him　her　victim。　But

now；　in　a　moment；　she　perceived　that　where　she　thought　she　triumphed

she　was　about　to　perish；　and　her　victim　was　her　own　daughter。　Guilty

without　profit；　she　saw　herself　the　dupe　of　an　honorable　old　man；

whose　respect　she　had　doubtless　lost。　Her　secret　conduct　must　have

inspired　the　stipulation　of　old　Mathias；　and　Mathias　must　have

enlightened　Paul。　Horrible　reflection！　Even　if　he　had　not　yet　done　so；

as　soon　as　that　contract　was　signed　the　old　wolf　would　surely　warn　his

client　of　the　dangers　he　had　run　and　had　now　escaped；　were　it　only　to

receive　the　praise　of　his　sagacity。　He　would　put　him　on　his　guard

against　the　wily　woman　who　had　lowered　herself　to　this　conspiracy；　he

would　destroy　the　empire　she　had　conquered　over　her　son…in…law！　Feeble

natures；　once　warned；　turn　obstinate；　and　are　never　won　again。　At　the

first　discussion　of　the　contract　she　had　reckoned　on　Paul's　weakness；

and　on　the　impossibility　he　would　feel　of　breaking　off　a　marriage　so

far　advanced。　But　now；　she　herself　was　far　more　tightly　bound。　Three

months　earlier　Paul　had　no　real　obstacles　to　prevent　the　rupture；　now；

all　Bordeaux　knew　that　the　notaries　had　smoothed　the　difficulties；　the

banns　were　published；　the　wedding　was　to　take　place　immediately；　the

friends　of　both　families　were　at　that　moment　arriving　for　the　fete；

and　to　witness　the　contract。　How　could　she　postpone　the　marriage　at

this　late　hour？　The　cause　of　the　rupture　would　surely　be　made　known；

Maitre　Mathias's　stern　honor　was　too　well　known　in　Bordeaux；　his　word

would　be　believed　in　preference　to　hers。　The　scoffers　would　turn

against　her　and　against　her　daughter。　No；　she　could　not　break　it　off；

she　must　yield！



These　reflections；　so　cruelly　sound；　fell　upon　Madame　Evangelista's

brain　like　a　water…spout　and　split　it。　Though　she　still　maintained　the

dignity　and　reserve　of　a　diplomatist；　her　chin　was　shaken　by　that

apoplectic　movement　which　showed　the　anger　of　Catherine　the　Second　on

the　famous　day　when；　seated　on　her　throne　and　in　presence　of　her　court

（very　much　in　the　present　circumstances　of　Madame　Evangelista）；　she

was　braved　by　the　King　of　Sweden。　Solonet　observed　that　play　of　the

muscles；　which　revealed　the　birth　of　a　mortal　hatred；　a　lurid　storm　to

which　there　was　no　lightning。　At　this　moment　Madame　Evangelista　vowed

to　her　son…in…law　one　of　those　unquenchable　hatreds　the　seeds　of　which

were　left　by　the　Moors　in　the　atmosphere　of　Spain。



〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　bending　to　the　ear　of　her　notary；　〃you　called

that　stipulation　balderdash；　it　seems　to　me　that　nothing　could　have

been　more　clear。〃



〃Madame；　allow　me〃



〃Monsieur；〃　she　continued；　paying　no　heed　to　his　interruption；　〃if　you

did　not　perceive　the　effect　of　that　entail　at　the　time　of　our　first

conference；　it　is　very　extraordinary　that　it　did　not　occur　to　you　in

the　silence　of　your　study。　This　can　hardly　be　incapacity。〃



The　young　notary　drew　his　client　into　the　next　room；　saying　to

himself；　as　he　did　so：



〃I　get　a　three…thousand　franc　fee　for　the　guardianship　account；　three

thousand　for　the　contract；　six　thousand　on　the　sale　of　the　house；

fifteen　thousand　in　allbetter　not　be　angry。〃



He　closed　the　door；　cast　on　Madame　Evangelista　the　cool　look　of　a

business　man；　and　said：



〃Madame；　having；　for　your　sake；　passedas　I　didthe　proper　limits　of

legal　craft；　do　you　seriously　intend　to　reward　my　devotion　by　such

language？〃



〃But；　monsieur〃



〃Madame；　I　did　not；　it　is　true；　calculate　the　effect　of　the　deeds　of

gift。　But　if　you　do　not　wish　Comte　Paul　for　your　son…in…law　you　are

not　obliged　to　accept　him。　The　contract　is　not　signed。　Give　your　fete；

and　postpone　the　signing。　It　is　far　better　to　brave　Bordeaux　than

sacrifice　yourself。〃



〃How　can　I　justify　such　a　course　to　society；　which　is　already

prejudiced　against　us　by　the　slow　conclusion　of　the　marriage？〃



〃By　some　error　committed　in　Paris；　some　missing　document　not　sent　with

the　rest；〃　replied　Solonet。



〃But　those　purchases　of　land　near　Lanstrac？〃



〃Monsieur　de　Manerville　will　be　at　no　loss　to　find　another　bride　and

another　dowry。〃



〃Yes；　he'll　lose　nothing；　but　we　lose　all；　all！〃



〃You？〃　replied　Solonet；　〃why；　you　can　easily　find　another　count　who

will　cost　you　less　money；　if　a　title　is　the　chief　object　of　this

marriage。〃



〃No；　no！　we　can't　stake　our　honor　in　that　way。　I　am　caught　in　a　trap；

monsieur。　All　Bordeaux　will　ring　with　this　to…morrow。　Our　solemn　words

are　pledged〃



〃You　wish　the　happiness　of　Mademoiselle　Natalie。〃



〃Above　all　things。〃



〃To　be　happy　in　France；〃　said　the　notary；　〃means　being　mistress　of　the

home。　She　can　lead　that　fool　of　a　Manerville　by　the　nose　if　she

chooses；　he　is　so　dull　he　has　actually　seen　nothing　of　all　this。　Even

if　he　now　distrusts　you；　he　will　always　trust　his　wife；　and　his　wife

is　YOU；　is　she　not？　The　count's　fate　is　still　within　your　power　if　you

choose　to　play　the　cards　in　your　hand。〃



〃If　that　were　true；　monsieur；　I　know　not　what　I　would　not　do　to　show

my　gratitude；〃　she　said；　in　a　transport　of　feeling　that　colored　her

cheeks。



〃Let　us　now　return　to　the　others；　madame；〃　said　Solonet。　〃Listen

carefully　to　what　I　shall　say；　and　thenyou　shall　think　me　incapable

if　you　choose。〃



〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　the　young　notary　to　Maitre　Mathias；　〃in　spite

of　your　great　ability；　you　have　not　foreseen　either　the　case　of

Monsieur　de　Manerville　dying　without　children；　nor　that　in　which　he

leaves　only　female　issue。　In　either　of　those　cases　the　entail　would

pass　to　the　Manervilles；　or；　at　any　rate；　give　rise　to　suits　on　their

part。　I　think；　therefore；　it　is　necessary　to　stipulate　that　in　the

first　case　the　entailed　property　shall　pass　under　the　general　deed　of

gift　between　husband　and　wife；　and　in　the　second　case　that　the　entail

shall　be　declared　void。　This　agreement　concerns　the　wife's　interest。〃



〃Both　clauses　seem　to　me　perfectly　just；〃　said　Maitre　Mathias。　〃As　to

their　ratification；　Monsieur　le　comte　can；　doubtless；　come　to　an

understanding　with　the　chancellor；　if　necessary。〃



Solonet　took　a　pen　and　added　this　momentous　clause　on　the　margin　of

the　contract。　Paul　and　Natalie　paid　no　attention　to　the　matter；　but

Madame　Evangelista　dropped　her　eyes　while　Maitre　Mathias　read　the

added　sentence　aloud。



〃We　will　now　sign；〃　said　the　mother。



The　volume　of　voice　which　Madame　Evangelista　repressed　as　she　uttered

those　words　betrayed　her　violent　emotion。　She　was　thinking　to　herself：

〃No；　my　daughter　shall　not　be　ruinedbut　he！　My　daughter　shall　have

the　name；　the　title；　and　the　fortune。　If　she　should　some　day　discover

that　she　does　not　love　him；　that　she　loves　another；　irresistibly；　Paul

shall　be　driven　out　of　France！　My　daughter　shall　be　free；　and　happy；

and　rich。〃



If　Maitre　Mathias　understood　how　to　analyze　business　interests；　he

knew　little　of　the　analysis　of　human　passions。　He　accepted　Madame

Evangelista's　words　as　an　honorable　〃amende；〃　instead　of　judging　them

for　what　they　were；　a　declaration　of　war。　While　Solonet　and　his　clerk

superintended　Natalie　as　she　signed　the　documents；an　operation　which

took　time；Mathias　took　Paul　aside　and　told　him　the　meaning　of　the

stipulation　by　which　he　had　saved　him　from　ultimate　pain。



〃The　whole　affair　is　now　'en　regle。'　I　hold　the　documents。　But　the

contract　contains　a　rescript　for　the　diamonds；　you　must　ask　for　them。

Business　is　business。　Diamonds　are　going　up　just　now；　but　may　go　down。

The　purchase　of　those　new　domains　justifies　you　in　turning　everything

into　money　that　you　can。　Therefore；　Monsieur　le　comte；　have　no　false

modesty　in　this　matter。　The　first　payment　is　due　after　the　formalities

are　over。　The　sum　is　two　hundred　thousand　francs；　put　the　diamonds

into　that。　You　have　the　lien　on　this　house；　which　will　be　sold　at

once；　and　will　pay　the　rest。　If　you　have　the　courage　to　spend　only

fifty　thousand　francs　for　the　next　three　years；　you　can　save　the　two

hundred　thousand　francs　you　are　now　obliged　to　pay。　If　you　plant

vineyards　on　your　new　estates；　you　can　get　an　income　of　over　twenty…

five　thousand　francs　upon　them。　You　may　be　said；　in　short；　to　have

made　a　good　marriage。〃



Paul　pressed　the　hand　of　his　old　friend　very　affectionately；　a　gesture

which　did　not　escape　Madame　Evangelista；　who　now　came　forward　to　offer

him　the　pen。　Suspicion　became　certainty　to　her　mind。　She　was　confident

that　Paul　and　Mathias　had　come　to　an　understanding　about　her。　Rage　and

hatred　sent　the　blood　surging　through　her　veins　to　her　heart。　The

worst　had　come。



After　verifying　that　all　the　documents　were　duly　signed　and　the

initials　of　the　parties　affixed　to　the　bottom　of　the　leaves；　Maitre

Mathias　looked　from　Paul　to　his　mother…in…law；　and　seeing　that　his

client　did　not　intend　to　speak　of　the　diamonds；　he　said：



〃I　do　not　suppose　there　can　be　any　doubt　about　the　transfer　of　the

diamonds；　as　you　are　now　one　family。〃



〃It　would　be　more　regular　if　Madame　Evangelista　made　them　over　now；　as

Monsieur　de　Manerville　has　become　responsible　for　the　guardianship

funds；　and　we　never　know　who　may　live　or　die；〃　said　Solonet；　who

thought　he　saw　in　this　circumstance　fresh　cause　of　anger　in　the

mother…in…law　against　the　son…in…law。



〃Ah！　mother；〃　cried　Paul；　〃it　would　be　insulting　to　us　all　to　do　that；

'Summum　jus；　summum　injuria；'　monsieur；〃　he　said　to　Solonet。



〃And　I；〃　said　Madame　Evangelista；　led　by　the　hatred　now　surging　in　her

heart　to　see　a　direct　insult　to　her　in　the　indirect　appeal　of　Maitre

Mathias；　〃I　will　tear　that　contract　up　if　you　do　not　take　them。〃



She　left　the　room　in　one　of　those　furious　passions　which　long　for　the

power　to　destroy　everything；　and　which　the　sense　of　impotence　drives

almost　to　madness。



〃For　Heaven's　sake；　take　them；　Paul；〃　whispered　Natalie　in　his　ear。

〃My　mother　is　angry；　I　shall　know　why　to…night；　and　I　will　tell　you。

We　must　pacify　her。〃



Calmed　by　this　first　outburst；　madame　kept　the　necklace　and　ear…rings；

which　she　was　wearing；　and　brought　the　other　jewels；　valued　at　one

hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs　by　Elie　Magus。　Accustomed　to　the

sight　of　family　diamonds　in　all　valuations　of　inheritance；　Maitre

Mathias　and　Solonet　examined　these　jewels　in　their　cases　and　exclaimed

upon　their　duty。



〃You　will　lose　nothing；　after　all；　upon　the　'dot；'　Monsieur　le　comte；〃

said　Solonet；　bringing　the　color　to　Paul's　face。



〃Yes；〃　said　Mathias；　〃these　jewels　will　meet　the　first　payment　on　the

purchase　of　the　n