the marriage contract-第5章

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her　head　and　smiled　in　response　to　themand　by　the　mother；　whose

flattery　always　seemed　involuntary。　The　two　women　were　so　kind　and

friendly　to　him；　he　was　so　sure　of　pleasing　them；　they　ruled　him　so

delightfully　by　holding　the　thread　of　his　self…love；　that　he　soon

passed　all　his　time　at　the　hotel　Evangelista。



A　year　after　his　return　to　Bordeaux；　Comte　Paul；　without　having

declared　himself；　was　so　attentive　to　Natalie　that　the　world

considered　him　as　courting　her。　Neither　mother　nor　daughter　appeared

to　be　thinking　of　marriage。　Mademoiselle　Evangelista　preserved　towards

Paul　the　reserve　of　a　great　lady　who　can　make　herself　charming　and

converse　agreeably　without　permitting　a　single　step　into　intimacy。

This　reserve；　so　little　customary　among　provincials；　pleased　Paul

immensely。　Timid　men　are　shy；　sudden　proposals　alarm　them。　They

retreat　from　happiness　when　it　comes　with　a　rush；　and　accept

misfortune　if　it　presents　itself　mildly　with　gentle　shadows。　Paul

therefore　committed　himself　in　his　own　mind　all　the　more　because　he

saw　no　effort　on　Madame　Evangelista's　part　to　bind　him。　She　fairly

seduced　him　one　evening　by　remarking　that　to　superior　women　as　well　as

men　there　came　a　period　of　life　when　ambition　superseded　all　the

earlier　emotions　of　life。



〃That　woman　is　fitted；〃　thought　Paul；　as　he　left　her；　〃to　advance　me

in　diplomacy　before　I　am　even　made　a　deputy。〃



If；　in　all　the　circumstances　of　life　a　man　does　not　turn　over　and　over

both　things　and　ideas　in　order　to　examine　them　thoroughly　under　their

different　aspects　before　taking　action；　that　man　is　weak　and

incomplete　and　in　danger　of　fatal　failure。　At　this　moment　Paul　was　an

optimist；　he　saw　everything　to　advantage；　and　did　not　tell　himself

than　an　ambitious　mother…in…law　might　prove　a　tyrant。　So；　every

evening　as　he　left　the　house；　he　fancied　himself　a　married　man；

allured　his　mind　with　its　own　thought；　and　slipped　on　the　slippers　of

wedlock　cheerfully。　In　the　first　place；　he　had　enjoyed　his　freedom　too

long　to　regret　the　loss　of　it；　he　was　tired　of　a　bachelor's　life；

which　offered　him　nothing　new；　he　now　saw　only　its　annoyances；　whereas

if　he　thought　at　times　of　the　difficulties　of　marriage；　its　pleasures；

in　which　lay　novelty；　came　far　more　prominently　before　his　mind。



〃Marriage；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃is　disagreeable　for　people　without

means；　but　half　its　troubles　disappear　before　wealth。〃



Every　day　some　favorable　consideration　swelled　the　advantages　which　he

now　saw　in　this　particular　alliance。



〃No　matter　to　what　position　I　attain；　Natalie　will　always　be　on　the

level　of　her　part；〃　thought　he；　〃and　that　is　no　small　merit　in　a

woman。　How　many　of　the　Empire　men　I've　seen　who　suffered　horribly

through　their　wives！　It　is　a　great　condition　of　happiness　not　to　feel

one's　pride　or　one's　vanity　wounded　by　the　companion　we　have　chosen。　A

man　can　never　be　really　unhappy　with　a　well…bred　wife；　she　will　never

make　him　ridiculous；　such　a　woman　is　certain　to　be　useful　to　him。

Natalie　will　receive　in　her　own　house　admirably。〃



So　thinking；　he　taxed　his　memory　as　to　the　most　distinguished　women　of

the　faubourg　Saint…Germain；　in　order　to　convince　himself　that　Natalie

could；　if　not　eclipse　them；　at　any　rate　stand　among　them　on　a　footing

of　perfect　equality。　All　comparisons　were　to　her　advantage；　for　they

rested　on　his　own　imagination；　which　followed　his　desires。　Paris　would

have　shown　him　daily　other　natures；　young　girls　of　other　styles　of

beauty　and　charm；　and　the　multiplicity　of　impressions　would　have

balanced　his　mind；　whereas　in　Bordeaux　Natalie　had　no　rivals；　she　was

the　solitary　flower；　moreover；　she　appeared　to　him　at　a　moment　when

Paul　was　under　the　tyranny　of　an　idea　to　which　most　men　succumb　at　his

age。



Thus　these　reasons　of　propinquity；　joined　to　reasons　of　self…love　and

a　real　passion　which　had　no　means　of　satisfaction　except　by　marriage；

led　Paul　on　to　an　irrational　love；　which　he　had；　however；　the　good

sense　to　keep　to　himself。　He　even　endeavored　to　study　Mademoiselle

Evangelista　as　a　man　should　who　desires　not　to　compromise　his　future

life；　for　the　words　of　his　friend　de　Marsay　did　sometimes　rumble　in

his　ears　like　a　warning。　But；　in　the　first　place；　persons　accustomed

to　luxury　have　a　certain　indifference　to　it　which　misleads　them。　They

despise　it；　they　use　it；　it　is　an　instrument；　and　not　the　object　of

their　existence。　Paul　never　imagined；　as　he　observed　the　habits　of

life　of　the　two　ladies；　that　they　covered　a　gulf　of　ruin。　Then；　though

there　may　exist　some　general　rules　to　soften　the　asperities　of

marriage；　there　are　none　by　which　they　can　be　accurately　foreseen　and

evaded。　When　trouble　arises　between　two　persons　who　have　undertaken　to

render　life　agreeable　and　easy　to　each　other；　it　comes　from　the

contact　of　continual　intimacy；　which；　of　course；　does　not　exist

between　young　people　before　they　marry；　and　will　never　exist　so　long

as　our　present　social　laws　and　customs　prevail　in　France。　All　is　more

or　less　deception　between　the　two　young　persons　about　to　take　each

other　for　life；an　innocent　and　involuntary　deception；　it　is　true。

Each　endeavors　to　appear　in　a　favorable　light；　both　take　a　tone　and

attitude　conveying　a　more　favorable　idea　of　their　nature　than　they　are

able　to　maintain　in　after　years。　Real　life；　like　the　weather；　is　made

up　of　gray　and　cloudy　days　alternating　with　those　when　the　sun　shines

and　the　fields　are　gay。　Young　people；　however；　exhibit　fine　weather

and　no　clouds。　Later　they　attribute　to　marriage　the　evils　inherent　in

life　itself；　for　there　is　in　man　a　disposition　to　lay　the　blame　of　his

own　misery　on　the　persons　and　things　that　surround　him。



To　discover　in　the　demeanor；　or　the　countenance；　or　the　words；　or　the

gestures　of　Mademoiselle　Evangelista　any　indication　that　revealed　the

imperfections　of　her　character；　Paul　must　have　possessed　not　only　the

knowledge　of　Lavater　and　Gall；　but　also　a　science　in　which　there

exists　no　formula　of　doctrine；the　individual　and　personal　science　of

an　observer；　which；　for　its　perfection；　requires　an　almost　universal

knowledge。　Natalie's　face；　like　that　of　most　young　girls；　was

impenetrable。　The　deep；　serene　peace　given　by　sculptors　to　the　virgin

faces　of　Justice　and　Innocence；　divinities　aloof　from　all　earthly

agitations；　is　the　greatest　charm　of　a　young　girl；　the　sign　of　her

purity。　Nothing；　as　yet；　has　stirred　her；　no　shattered　passion；　no

hope　betrayed　has　clouded　the　placid　expression　of　that　pure　face。　Is

that　expression　assumed？　If　so；　there　is　no　young　girl　behind　it。



Natalie；　closely　held　to　the　heart　of　her　mother；　had　received；　like

other　Spanish　women；　an　education　that　was　solely　religious；　together

with　a　few　instructions　from　her　mother　as　to　the　part　in　life　she　was

called　upon　to　play。　Consequently；　the　calm；　untroubled　expression　of

her　face　was　natural。　And　yet　it　formed　a　casing　in　which　the　woman

was　wrapped　as　the　moth　in　its　cocoon。　Nevertheless；　any　man　clever　at

handling　the　scalpel　of　analysis　might　have　detected　in　Natalie

certain　indications　of　the　difficulties　her　character　would　present

when　brought　into　contact　with　conjugal　or　social　life。　Her　beauty；

which　was　really　marvellous；　came　from　extreme　regularity　of　feature

harmonizing　with　the　proportions　of　the　head　and　the　body。　This

species　of　perfection　augurs　ill　for　the　mind；　and　there　are　few

exceptions　to　the　rule。　All　superior　nature　is　found　to　have　certain

slight　imperfections　of　form　which　become　irresistible　attractions；

luminous　points　from　which　shine　vivid　sentiments；　and　on　which　the

eye　rests　gladly。　Perfect　harmony　expresses　usually　the　coldness　of　a

mixed　organization。



Natalie's　waist　was　round；a　sign　of　strength；　but　also　the

infallible　indication　of　a　will　which　becomes　obstinacy　in　persons

whose　mind　is　neither　keen　nor　broad。　Her　hands；　like　those　of　a　Greek

statue；　confirmed　the　predictions　of　face　and　figure　by　revealing　an

inclination　for　illogical　domination；　of　willing　for　will's　sake　only。

Her　eyebrows　met；a　sign；　according　to　some　observers；　which

indicates　jealousy。　The　jealousy　of　superior　minds　becomes　emulation

and　leads　to　great　things；　that　of　small　minds　turns　to　hatred。　The

〃hate　and　wait〃　of　her　mother　was　in　her　nature；　without　disguise。　Her

eyes　were　black　apparently；　though　really　brown　with　orange　streaks；

contrasting　with　her　hair；　of　the　ruddy　tint　so　prized　by　the　Romans；

called　auburn　in　England；　a　color　which　often　appears　in　the　offspring

of　persons　of　jet　black　hair；　like　that　of　Monsieur　and　Madame

Evangelista。　The　whiteness　and　delicacy　of　Natalie's　complexion　gave

to　the　contrast　of　color　in　her　eyes　and　hair　an　inexpressible　charm；

and　yet　it　was　a　charm　that　was　purely　external；　for　whenever　the

lines　of　a　face　are　lacking　in　a　certain　soft　roundness；　whatever　may

be　the　finish　and　grace　of　the　details；　the　beauty　therein　expressed

is　not　of　the　soul。　These　roses　of　deceptive　youth　will　drop　their

leaves；　and　you　will　be　surprised　in　a　few　years　to　see　hardness　and

dryness　where　you　once　admired　what　seemed　to　be　the　beauty　of　noble

qualities。



Though　the　outlines　of　Natalie's　face　had　something　august　about　them；

her　chin　was　slightly　〃empate；〃a　painter's　expression　which　will

serve　to　show　the　existence　of　sentiments　the　violence　of　which　would　

only　become　manifest　in　after　life。　Her　mouth；　a　trifle　drawn　in；

expressed　a　haughty　pride　in　keeping　with　her　hand；　her　chin；　her

brows；　and　her　beautiful　figure。　Andas　a　last　diagnostic　to　guide

the　judgment　of　a　connoisseurNatalie's　pure　voice；　a　most　seductive

voice；　had　certain　metallic　tones。　Softly　as　that　brassy　ring　was

managed；　and　in　spite　of　the　grace　with　which　its　sounds　ran　through

the　compass　of　the　voice；　that　organ　revealed　the　character　of　the

Duke　of　Alba；　from　whom　the　Casa…Reales　were　collaterally　descended。

These　indications　were　those　of　violent　passions　without　tenderness；

sudden　devotions；　irreconcilable　dislikes；　a　mind　without

intelligence；　and　the　desire　to　rule　natural　to　persons　who　feel

themselves　inferior　to　their　pretensions。



These　defects；　born　of　temperament　and　constitution；　were　buried　in

Natalie　like　ore　in　a　mine；　and　would　only　appear　under　the　shocks　and

harsh　treatment　to　which　all　characters　are　subjected　in　this　world。

Meantime　the　grace　and　freshness　of　her　youth；　the　distinction　of　her

manners；　her　sacred　ignorance；　and　the　sweetness　of　a　young　girl；　gave

a　delicate　glamour　to　her　features　which　could　not　fail　to　mislead　an

unthinking　or　superficial　mind。　Her　mother　had　early　taught　her　the

trick　of　agreeable　talk　which　appears　to　imply　superiority；　replying

to　arguments　by　clever　jests；　and　attracting　by　the　graceful

volubility　beneath　which　a　woman　hides　the　subsoil　of　her　mind；　as

Nature　disguises　her　barren　strata　beneath　a　wealth　of　ephemeral

vegetation。　Natalie　had　the　charm　of　child