the marriage contract-第7章

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

shared　the　benefit　of　her　extravagance。　There　was　not　a　single　base　or

ignoble　motive　in　what　she　had　done。　She　was　no　accountant；　but　was

that　a　crime；　a　delinquency？　A　man　was　only　too　lucky　to　obtain　a　wife

like　Natalie　without　a　penny。　Such　a　treasure　bestowed　upon　him　might

surely　release　her　from　a　guardianship　account。　How　many　men　had

bought　the　women　they　loved　by　greater　sacrifices？　Why　should　a　man　do

less　for　a　wife　than　for　a　mistress？　Besides；　Paul　was　a　nullity；　a

man　of　no　force；　incapable；　she　would　spend　the　best　resources　of　her

mind　upon　him　and　open　to　him　a　fine　career；　he　should　owe　his　future

power　and　position　to　her　influence；　in　that　way　she　could　pay　her

debt。　He　would　indeed　be　a　fool　to　refuse　such　a　future；　and　for　what？

a　few　paltry　thousands；　more　or　less。　He　would　be　infamous　if　he

withdrew　for　such　a　reason。



〃But；〃　she　added；　to　herself；　〃if　the　negotiation　does　not　succeed　at

once；　I　shall　leave　Bordeaux。　I　can　still　find　a　good　marriage　for

Natalie　by　investing　the　proceeds　of　what　is　left；　house　and　diamonds

and　furniture；keeping　only　a　small　income　for　myself。〃



When　a　strong　soul　constructs　a　way　of　ultimate　escape；as　Richelieu

did　at　Brouage；and　holds　in　reserve　a　vigorous　end；　the　resolution

becomes　a　lever　which　strengthens　its　immediate　way。　The　thought　of

this　finale　in　case　of　failure　comforted　Madame　Evangelista；　who　fell

asleep　with　all　the　more　confidence　as　she　remembered　her　assistance

in　the　coming　duel。



This　was　a　young　man　named　Solonet；　considered　the　ablest　notary　in

Bordeaux；　now　twenty…seven　years　of　age　and　decorated　with　the　Legion

of　honor　for　having　actively　contributed　to　the　second　return　of　the

Bourbons。　Proud　and　happy　to　be　received　in　the　home　of　Madame

Evangelista；　less　as　a　notary　than　as　belonging　to　the　royalist

society　of　Bordeaux；　Solonet　had　conceived　for　that　fine　setting　sun

one　of　those　passions　which　women　like　Madame　Evangelista　repulse；

although　flattered　and　graciously　allowing　them　to　exist　upon　the

surface。　Solonet　remained　therefore　in　a　self…satisfied　condition　of

hope　and　becoming　respect。　Being　sent　for；　he　arrived　the　next　morning

with　the　promptitude　of　a　slave　and　was　received　by　the　coquettish

widow　in　her　bedroom；　where　she　allowed　him　to　find　her　in　a　very

becoming　dishabille。



〃Can　I；〃　she　said；　〃count　upon　your　discretion　and　your　entire

devotion　in　a　discussion　which　will　take　place　in　my　house　this

evening？　You　will　readily　understand　that　it　relates　to　the　marriage

of　my　daughter。〃



The　young　man　expended　himself　in　gallant　protestations。



〃Now　to　the　point；〃　she　said。



〃I　am　listening；〃　he　replied；　checking　his　ardor。



Madame　Evangelista　then　stated　her　position　baldly。



〃My　dear　lady；　that　is　nothing　to　be　troubled　about；〃　said　Maitre

Solonet；　assuming　a　confident　air　as　soon　as　his　client　had　given　him

the　exact　figures。　〃The　question　is　how　have　you　conducted　yourself

toward　Monsieur　de　Manerville？　In　this　matter　questions　of　manner　and

deportment　are　of　greater　importance　than　those　of　law　and　finance。〃



Madame　Evangelista　wrapped　herself　in　dignity。　The　notary　learned　to

his　satisfaction　that　until　the　present　moment　his　client's　relations

to　Paul　had　been　distant　and　reserved；　and　that　partly　from　native

pride　and　partly　from　involuntary　shrewdness　she　had　treated　the　Comte

de　Manerville　as　in　some　sense　her　inferior　and　as　though　it　were　an

honor　for　him　to　be　allowed　to　marry　Mademoiselle　Evangelista。　She

assured　Solonet　that　neither　she　nor　her　daughter　could　be　suspected

of　any　mercenary　interests　in　the　marriage；　that　they　had　the　right；

should　Paul　make　any　financial　difficulties；　to　retreat　from　the

affair　to　an　illimitable　distance；　and　finally；　that　she　had　already

acquired　over　her　future　son…in…law　a　very　remarkable　ascendancy。



〃If　that　is　so；〃　said　Solonet；　〃tell　me　what　are　the　utmost

concessions　you　are　willing　to　make。〃



〃I　wish　to　make　as　few　as　possible；〃　she　answered；　laughing。



〃A　woman's　answer；〃　cried　Solonet。　〃Madame；　are　you　anxious　to　marry

Mademoiselle　Natalie？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　you　want　a　receipt　for　the　eleven　hundred　and　fifty…six　thousand

francs；　for　which　you　are　responsible　on　the　guardianship　account

which　the　law　obliges　you　to　render　to　your　son…in…law？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃How　much　do　you　want　to　keep　back？〃



〃Thirty　thousand　a　year；　at　least。〃



〃It　is　a　question　of　conquer　or　die；　is　it？〃



〃It　is。〃



〃Well；　then；　I　must　reflect　on　the　necessary　means　to　that　end；　it

will　need　all　our　cleverness　to　manage　our　forces。　I　will　give　you

some　instructions　on　my　arrival　this　evening；　follow　them　carefully；

and　I　think　I　may　promise　you　a　successful　issue。　Is　the　Comte　de

Manerville　in　love　with　Mademoiselle　Natalie？〃　he　asked　as　he　rose　to

take　leave。



〃He　adores　her。〃



〃That　is　not　enough。　Does　he　desire　her　to　the　point　of　disregarding

all　pecuniary　difficulties？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃That's　what　I　call　having　a　lien　upon　a　daughter's　property；〃　cried

the　notary。　〃Make　her　look　her　best　to…night；〃　he　added　with　a　sly

glance。



〃She　has　a　most　charming　dress　for　the　occasion。〃



〃The　marriage…contract　dress　is；　in　my　opinion；　half　the　battle；〃　said

Solonet。



This　last　argument　seemed　so　cogent　to　Madame　Evangelista　that　she

superintended　Natalie's　toilet　herself；　as　much　perhaps　to　watch　her

daughter　as　to　make　her　the　innocent　accomplice　of　her　financial

conspiracy。



With　her　hair　dressed　a　la　Sevigne　and　wearing　a　gown　of　white　tulle

adorned　with　pink　ribbons；　Natalie　seemed　to　her　mother　so　beautiful

as　to　guarantee　victory。　When　the　lady's…maid　left　the　room　and　Madame

Evangelista　was　certain　that　no　one　could　overhear　her；　she　arranged　a

few　curls　on　her　daughter's　head　by　way　of　exordium。



〃Dear　child；〃　she　said；　in　a　voice　that　was　firm　apparently；　〃do　you

sincerely　love　the　Comte　de　Manerville？〃



Mother　and　daughter　cast　strange　looks　at　each　other。



〃Why　do　you　ask　that　question；　little　mother？　and　to…day　more　than

yesterday》　Why　have　you　thrown　me　with　him？〃



〃If　you　and　I　had　to　part　forever　would　you　still　persist　in　the

marriage？〃



〃I　should　give　it　upand　I　should　not　die　of　grief。〃



〃You　do　not　love　him；　my　dear；〃　said　the　mother；　kissing　her

daughter's　forehead。



〃But　why；　my　dear　mother；　are　you　playing　the　Grand　Inquisitor？〃



〃I　wished　to　know　if　you　desired　the　marriage　without　being　madly　in

love　with　the　husband。〃



〃I　love　him。〃



〃And　you　are　right。　He　is　a　count；　we　will　make　him　a　peer　of　France

between　us；　nevertheless；　there　are　certain　difficulties。〃



〃Difficulties　between　persons　who　love　each　other？　Oh；　no。　The　heart

of　the　Pink　of　Fashion　is　too　firmly　planted　here；〃　she　said；　with　a

pretty　gesture；　〃to　make　the　very　slightest　objection。　I　am　sure　of

that。〃



〃But　suppose　it　were　otherwise？〃　persisted　Madame　Evangelista。



〃He　would　be　profoundly　and　forever　forgotten；〃　replied　Natalie。



〃Good！　You　are　a　Casa…Reale。　But　suppose；　though　he　madly　loves　you；

suppose　certain　discussions　and　difficulties　should　arise；　not　of　his

own　making；　but　which　he　must　decide　in　your　interests　as　well　as　in

minehey；　Natalie；　what　then？　Without　lowering　your　dignity；　perhaps

a　little　softness　in　your　manner　might　decide　hima　word；　a　tone；　a

mere　nothing。　Men　are　so　made；　they　resist　a　serious　argument；　but

they　yield　to　a　tender　look。〃



〃I　understand！　a　little　touch　to　make　my　Favori　leap　the　barrier；〃

said　Natalie；　making　the　gesture　of　striking　a　horse　with　her　whip。



〃My　darling！　I　ask　nothing　that　resembles　seduction。　You　and　I　have

sentiments　of　the　old　Castilian　honor　which　will　never　permit　us　to

pass　certain　limits。　Count　Paul　shall　know　our　situation。〃



〃What　situation？〃



〃You　would　not　understand　it。　But　I　tell　you　now　that　if　after　seeing

you　in　all　your　glory　his　look　betrays　the　slightest　hesitation；and

I　shall　watch　him；on　that　instant　I　shall　break　off　the　marriage；　I

will　liquidate　my　property；　leave　Bordeaux；　and　go　to　Douai；　to　be

near　the　Claes。　Madame　Claes　is　our　relation　through　the　Temnincks。

Then　I'll　marry　you　to　a　peer　of　France；　and　take　refuge　in　a　convent

myself；　that　I　may　give　up　to　you　my　whole　fortune。〃



〃Mother；　what　am　I　to　do　to　prevent　such　misfortunes？〃　cried　Natalie。



〃I　have　never　seen　you　so　beautiful　as　you　are　now；〃　replied　her

mother。　〃Be　a　little　coquettish；　and　all　is　well。〃



Madame　Evangelista　left　Natalie　to　her　thoughts；　and　went　to　arrange

her　own　toilet　in　such　a　way　that　would　bear　comparison　with　that　of

her　daughter。　If　Natalie　ought　to　make　herself　attractive　to　Paul　she

ought；　none　the　less；　to　inflame　the　ardor　of　her　champion　Solonet。

The　mother　and　daughter　were　therefore　under　arms　when　Paul　arrived；

bearing　the　bouquet　which　for　the　last　few　months　he　had　daily　offered

to　his　love。　All　three　conversed　pleasantly　while　awaiting　the　arrival

of　the　notaries。



This　day　brought　to　Paul　the　first　skirmish　of　that　long　and　wearisome

warfare　called　marriage。　It　is　therefore　necessary　to　state　the　forces

on　both　sides；　the　position　of　the　belligerent　bodies；　and　the　ground

on　which　they　are　about　to　manoeuvre。



To　maintain　a　struggle；　the　importance　of　which　had　wholly　escaped

him；　Paul's　only　auxiliary　was　the　old　notary；　Mathias。　Both　were

about　to　be　confronted；　unaware　and　defenceless；　by　a　most　unexpected

circumstance；　to　be　pressed　by　an　enemy　whose　strategy　was　planned；

and　driven　to　decide　on　a　course　without　having　time　to　reflect　upon

it。　Where　is　the　man　who　would　not　have　succumbed；　even　though

assisted　by　Cujas　and　Barthole？　How　should　he　look　for　deceit　and

treachery　where　all　seemed　compliant　and　natural？　What　could　old

Mathias　do　alone　against　Madame　Evangelista；　against　Solonet；　against

Natalie；　especially　when　a　client　in　love　goes　over　to　the　enemy　as

soon　as　the　rising　conflict　threatens　his　happiness？　Already　Paul　was

damaging　his　cause　by　making　the　customary　lover's　speeches；　to　which

his　passion　gave　excessive　value　in　the　ears　of　Madame　Evangelista；

whose　object　it　was　to　drive　him　to　commit　himself。



The　matrimonial　condottieri　now　about　to　fight　for　their　clients；

whose　personal　powers　were　to　be　so　vitally　important　in　this　solemn

encounter；　the　two　notaries；　on　short；　represent　individually　the　old

and　the　new　systems；old　fashioned　notarial　usage；　and　the　new…

fangled　modern　procedure。



Maitre　Mathias　was　a　worthy　old　gentleman　sixty…nine　years　of　age；　who

took　great　pride　in　his　forty　years'　exercise　of　the　profession。　His

huge　gouty　feet　were　encased　in　shoes　with　silver　buckles；　making　a

ridiculous　termination　to　legs　so　spindling；　with　knees　so　bony；　that

when　he　crossed　them　they　made