the marriage contract-第6章

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Nature　disguises　her　barren　strata　beneath　a　wealth　of　ephemeral

vegetation。　Natalie　had　the　charm　of　children　who　have　never　known

what　it　is　to　suffer。　She　charmed　by　her　frankness；　and　had　none　of

that　solemn　air　which　mothers　impose　on　their　daughters　by　laying　down

a　programme　of　behavior　and　language　until　the　time　comes　when　they

marry　and　are　emancipated。　She　was　gay　and　natural；　like　any　young

girl　who　knows　nothing　of　marriage；　expects　only　pleasure　from　it；

replies　to　all　objections　with　a　jest；　foresees　no　troubles；　and

thinks　she　is　acquiring　the　right　to　have　her　own　way。



How　could　Paul；　who　loved　as　men　love　when　desire　increases　love；

perceive　in　a　girl　of　this　nature　whose　beauty　dazzled　him；　the　woman；

such　as　she　would　probably　be　at　thirty；　when　observers　themselves

have　been　misled　by　these　appearances？　Besides；　if　happiness　might

prove　difficult　to　find　in　a　marriage　with　such　a　girl；　it　was　not

impossible。　Through　these　embryo　defects　shone　several　fine　qualities。

There　is　no　good　quality　which；　if　properly　developed　by　the　hand　of

an　able　master；　will　not　stifle　defects；　especially　in　a　young　girl

who　loves　him。　But　to　render　ductile　so　intractable　a　woman；　the　iron

wrist；　about　which　de　Marsay　had　preached　to　Paul；　was　needful。　The

Parisian　dandy　was　right。　Fear；　inspired　by　love　is　an　infallible

instrument　by　which　to　manage　the　minds　of　women。　Whoso　loves；　fears；

whoso　fears　is　nearer　to　affection　than　to　hatred。



Had　Paul　the　coolness；　firmness；　and　judgment　required　for　this

struggle；　which　an　able　husband　ought　not　to　let　the　wife　suspect？　Did

Natalie　love　Paul？　Like　most　young　girls；　Natalie　mistook　for　love　the

first　emotions　of　instinct　and　the　pleasure　she　felt　in　Paul's

external　appearance；　but　she　knew　nothing　of　the　things　of　marriage

nor　the　demands　of　a　home。　To　her；　the　Comte　de　Manerville；　a　rising

diplomatist；　to　whom　the　courts　of　Europe　were　known；　and　one　of　the

most　elegant　young　men　in　Paris；　could　not　seem；　what　perhaps　he　was；

an　ordinary　man；　without　moral　force；　timid；　though　brave　in　some

ways；　energetic　perhaps　in　adversity；　but　helpless　against　the

vexations　and　annoyances　that　hinder　happiness。　Would　she；　in　after

years；　have　sufficient　tact　and　insight　to　distinguish　Paul's　noble

qualities　in　the　midst　of　his　minor　defects？　Would　she　not　magnify　the

latter　and　forget　the　former；　after　the　manner　of　young　wives　who　know

nothing　of　life？　There　comes　a　time　when　wives　will　pardon　defects　in

the　husband　who　spares　her　annoyances；　considering　annoyances　in　the

same　category　as　misfortunes。　What　conciliating　power；　what　wise

experience　would　uphold　and　enlighten　the　home　of　this　young　pair？

Paul　and　his　wife　would　doubtless　think　they　loved　when　they　had

really　not　advanced　beyond　the　endearments　and　compliments　of　the

honeymoon。　Would　Paul　in　that　early　period　yield　to　the　tyranny　of　his

wife；　instead　of　establishing　his　empire？　Could　Paul　say；　〃No？〃　All

was　peril　to　a　man　so　weak　where　even　a　strong　man　ran　some　risks。



The　subject　of　this　Study　is　not　the　transition　of　a　bachelor　into　a

married　man；a　picture　which；　if　broadly　composed；　would　not　lack　the

attraction　which　the　inner　struggles　of　our　nature　and　feelings　give

to　the　commonest　situations　in　life。　The　events　and　the　ideas　which

led　to　the　marriage　of　Paul　with　Natalie　Evangelista　are　an

introduction　to　our　real　subject；　which　is　to　sketch　the　great　comedy

that　precedes；　in　France；　all　conjugal　pairing。　This　Scene；　until　now

singularly　neglected　by　our　dramatic　authors；　although　it　offers　novel

resources　to　their　wit；　controlled　Paul's　future　life　and　was　now

awaited　by　Madame　Evangelista　with　feelings　of　terror。　We　mean　the

discussion　which　takes　place　on　the　subject　of　the　marriage　contract

in　all　families；　whether　noble　or　bourgeois；　for　human　passions　are　as

keenly　excited　by　small　interests　as　by　large　ones。　These　comedies；

played　before　a　notary；　all　resemble；　more　or　less；　the　one　we　shall

now　relate；　the　interest　of　which　will　be　far　less　in　the　pages　of

this　book　than　in　the　memories　of　married　persons。







CHAPTER　III



THE　MARRIAGE　CONTRACTFIRST　DAY



At　the　beginning　of　the　winter　of　1822；　Paul　de　Manerville　made　a

formal　request；　through　his　great…aunt；　the　Baronne　de　Maulincour；　for

the　hand　of　Mademoiselle　Natalie　Evangelista。　Though　the　baroness

never　stayed　more　than　two　months　in　Medoc；　she　remained　on　this

occasion　till　the　last　of　October；　in　order　to　assist　her　nephew

through　the　affair　and　play　the　part　of　a　mother　to　him。　After

conveying　the　first　suggestions　to　Madame　Evangelista　the　experienced

old　woman　returned　to　inform　Paul　of　the　results　of　the　overture。



〃My　child；〃　she　said；　〃the　affair　is　won。　In　talking　of　property；　I

found　that　Madame　Evangelista　gives　nothing　of　her　own　to　her

daughter。　Mademoiselle　Natalie's　dowry　is　her　patrimony。　Marry　her；　my

dear　boy。　Men　who　have　a　name　and　an　estate　to　transmit；　a　family　to

continue；　must；　sooner　or　later；　end　in　marriage。　I　wish　I　could　see

my　dear　Auguste　taking　that　course。　You　can　now　carry　on　the　marriage

without　me；　I　have　nothing　to　give　you　but　my　blessing；　and　women　as

old　as　I　are　out　of　place　at　a　wedding。　I　leave　for　Paris　to…morrow。

When　you　present　your　wife　in　society　I　shall　be　able　to　see　her　and

assist　her　far　more　to　the　purpose　than　now。　If　you　had　had　no　house

in　Paris　I　would　gladly　have　arranged　the　second　floor　of　mine　for

you。〃



〃Dear　aunt；〃　said　Paul；　〃I　thank　you　heartily。　But　what　do　you　mean

when　you　say　that　the　mother　gives　nothing　of　her　own；　and　that　the

daughter's　dowry　is　her　patrimony？〃



〃The　mother；　my　dear　boy；　is　a　sly　cat；　who　takes　advantage　of　her

daughter's　beauty　to　impose　conditions　and　allow　you　only　that　which

she　cannot　prevent　you　from　having；　namely；　the　daughter's　fortune

from　her　father。　We　old　people　know　the　importance　of　inquiring

closely；　What　has　he？　What　has　she？　I　advise　you　therefore　to　give

particular　instructions　to　your　notary。　The　marriage　contract；　my　dear

child；　is　the　most　sacred　of　all　duties。　If　your　father　and　your

mother　had　not　made　their　bed　properly　you　might　now　be　sleeping

without　sheets。　You　will　have　children；　they　are　the　commonest　result

of　marriage；　and　you　must　think　of　them。　Consult　Maitre　Mathias　our

old　notary。〃



Madame　de　Maulincour　departed；　having　plunged　Paul　into　a　state　of

extreme　perplexity。　His　mother…in…law　a　sly　cat！　Must　he　struggle　for

his　interests　in　the　marriage　contract？　Was　it　necessary　to　defend

them？　Who　was　likely　to　attack　them？



He　followed　the　advice　of　his　aunt　and　confided　the　drawing…up　of　the

marriage　contract　to　Maitre　Mathias。　But　these　threatened　discussions

oppressed　him；　and　he　went　to　see　Madame　Evangelista　and　announce　his

intentions　in　a　state　of　rather　lively　agitation。　Like　all　timid　men；

he　shrank　from　allowing　the　distrust　his　aunt　had　put　into　his　mind　to

be　seen；　in　fact；　he　considered　it　insulting。　To　avoid　even　a　slight

jar　with　a　person　so　imposing　to　his　mind　as　his　future　mother…in…law；

he　proceeded　to　state　his　intentions　with　the　circumlocution　natural

to　persons　who　dare　not　face　a　difficulty。



〃Madame；〃　he　said；　choosing　a　moment　when　Natalie　was　absent　from　the

room；　〃you　know；　of　course；　what　a　family　notary　is。　Mine　is　a　worthy

old　man；　to　whom　it　would　be　a　sincere　grief　if　he　were　not　entrusted

with　the　drawing　of　my　marriage　contract。〃



〃Why；　of　course！〃　said　Madame　Evangelista；　interrupting　him；　〃but　are

not　marriage　contracts　always　made　by　agreement　of　the　notaries　of

both　families？〃



The　time　that　Paul　took　to　reply　to　this　question　was　occupied　by

Madame　Evangelista　in　asking　herself；　〃What　is　he　thinking　of？〃　for

women　possess　in　an　eminent　degree　the　art　of　reading　thoughts　from

the　play　of　countenance。　She　divined　the　instigations　of　the　great…

aunt　in　the　embarrassed　glance　and　the　agitated　tone　of　voice　which

betrayed　an　inward　struggle　in　Paul's　mind。



〃At　last；〃　she　thought　to　herself；　〃the　fatal　day　has　come；　the　crisis

beginshow　will　it　end？　My　notary　is　Monsieur　Solonet；〃　she　said；

after　a　pause。　〃Yours；　I　think　you　said；　is　Monsieur　Mathias；　I　will

invite　them　to　dinner　to…morrow；　and　they　can　come　to　an　understanding

then。　It　is　their　business　to　conciliate　our　interests　without　our

interference；　just　as　good　cooks　are　expected　to　furnish　good　food

without　instructions。〃



〃Yes；　you　are　right；〃　said　Paul；　letting　a　faint　sigh　of　relief　escape

from　him。



By　a　singular　transposition　of　parts；　Paul；　innocent　of　all　wrong…

doing；　trembled；　while　Madame　Evangelista；　though　a　prey　to　the　utmost

anxiety；　was　outwardly　calm。



The　widow　owed　her　daughter　one…third　of　the　fortune　left　by　Monsieur

Evangelista；namely；　nearly　twelve　hundred　thousand　francs；and　she

knew　herself　unable　to　pay　it；　even　by　taking　the　whole　of　her

property　to　do　so。　She　would　therefore　be　placed　at　the　mercy　of　a

son…in…law。　Though　she　might　be　able　to　control　Paul　if　left　to

himself；　would　he；　when　enlightened　by　his　notary；　agree　to　release

her　from　rendering　her　account　as　guardian　of　her　daughter's

patrimony？　If　Paul　withdrew　his　proposals　all　Bordeaux　would　know　the

reason　and　Natalie's　future　marriage　would　be　made　impossible。　This

mother；　who　desired　the　happiness　of　her　daughter；　this　woman；　who

from　infancy　had　lived　honorably；　was　aware　that　on　the　morrow　she

must　become　dishonest。　Like　those　great　warriors　who　fain　would　blot

from　their　lives　the　moment　when　they　had　felt　a　secret　cowardice；　she

ardently　desired　to　cut　this　inevitable　day　from　the　record　of　hers。

Most　assuredly　some　hairs　on　her　head　must　have　whitened　during　the

night；　when；　face　to　face　with　facts；　she　bitterly　regretted　her

extravagance　as　she　felt　the　hard　necessities　of　the　situation。



Among　these　necessities　was　that　of　confiding　the　truth　to　her　notary；

for　whom　she　sent　in　the　morning　as　soon　as　she　rose。　She　was　forced

to　reveal　to　him　a　secret　defaulting　she　had　never　been　willing　to

admit　to　herself；　for　she　had　steadily　advanced　to　the　abyss；　relying

on　some　chance　accident；　which　never　happened；　to　relieve　her。　There

rose　in　her　soul　a　feeling　against　Paul；　that　was　neither　dislike；　nor

aversion；　nor　anything；　as　yet；　unkind；　but　HE　was　the　cause　of　this

crisis；　the　opposing　party　in　this　secret　suit；　he　became；　without

knowing　it；　an　innocent　enemy　she　was　forced　to　conquer。　What　human

being　did　ever　yet　love　his　or　her　dupe？　Compelled　to　deceive　and

trick　him　if　she　could；　the　Spanish　woman　resolved；　like　other　women；

to　put　her　whole　force　of　character　into　the　struggle；　the　dishonor　of

which　could　be　absolved　by　victory　only。



In　the　stillness　of　the　night　she　excused　her　conduct　to　her　own　mind

by　a　tissue　of　arguments　in　which　her　pride　predominated。　Natalie　had

shared　the　benefit　of　her