the marriage contract-第8章

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

when　he　crossed　them　they　made　you　think　of　the　emblems　on　a

tombstone。　His　puny　little　thighs；　lost　in　a　pair　of　wide　black

breeches　fastened　with　buckles；　seemed　to　bend　beneath　the　weight　of　a

round　stomach　and　a　torso　developed；　like　that　of　most　sedentary

persons；　into　a　stout　barrel；　always　buttoned　into　a　green　coat　with

square　tails；　which　no　man　could　remember　to　have　ever　seen　new。　His

hair；　well　brushed　and　powdered；　was　tied　in　a　rat's　tail　that　lay

between　the　collar　of　his　coat　and　that　of　his　waistcoat；　which　was

white；　with　a　pattern　of　flowers。　With　his　round　head；　his　face　the

color　of　a　vine…leaf；　his　blue　eyes；　a　trumpet　nose；　a　thick…lipped

mouth；　and　a　double…chin；　the　dear　old　fellow　excited；　whenever　he

appeared　among　strangers　who　did　not　know　him；　that　satirical　laugh

which　Frenchmen　so　generously　bestow　on　the　ludicrous　creations　Dame

Nature　occasionally　allows　herself；　which　Art　delights　in　exaggerating

under　the　name　of　caricatures。



But　in　Maitre　Mathias；　mind　had　triumphed　over　form；　the　qualities　of

his　soul　had　vanquished　the　oddities　of　his　body。　The　inhabitants　of

Bordeaux；　as　a　rule；　testified　a　friendly　respect　and　a　deference　that

was　full　of　esteem　for　him。　The　old　man's　voice　went　to　their　hearts

and　sounded　there　with　the　eloquence　of　uprightness。　His　craft

consisted　in　going　straight　to　the　fact；　overturning　all　subterfuge

and　evil　devices　by　plain　questionings。　His　quick　perception；　his　long

training　in　his　profession　gave　him　that　divining　sense　which　goes　to

the　depths　of　conscience　and　reads　its　secret　thoughts。　Though　grave

and　deliberate　in　business；　the　patriarch　could　be　gay　with　the　gaiety

of　our　ancestors。　He　could　risk　a　song　after　dinner；　enjoy　all　family

festivities；　celebrate　the　birthdays　of　grandmothers　and　children；　and

bury　with　due　solemnity　the　Christmas　log。　He　loved　to　send　presents

at　New　Year；　and　eggs　at　Easter；　he　believed　in　the　duties　of　a

godfather；　and　never　deserted　the　customs　which　colored　the　life　of

the　olden　time。　Maitre　Mathias　was　a　noble　and　venerable　relic　of　the

notaries；　obscure　great　men；　who　gave　no　receipt　for　the　millions

entrusted　to　them；　but　returned　those　millions　in　the　sacks　they　were

delivered　in；　tied　with　the　same　twine；　men　who　fulfilled　their　trusts

to　the　letter；　drew　honest　inventories；　took　fatherly　interest　in

their　clients；　often　barring　the　way　to　extravagance　and　dissipation；

men　to　whom　families　confided　their　secrets；　and　who　felt　so

responsible　for　any　error　in　their　deeds　that　they　meditated　long　and

carefully　over　them。　Never　during　his　whole　notarial　life；　had　any

client　found　reason　to　complain　of　a　bad　investment　or　an　ill…placed

mortgage。　His　own　fortune；　slowly　but　honorably　acquired；　had　come　to

him　as　the　result　of　a　thirty　years'　practice　and　careful　economy。　He

had　established　in　life　fourteen　of　his　clerks。　Religious；　and

generous　in　secret；　Mathias　was　found　whenever　good　was　to　be　done

without　remuneration。　An　active　member　on　hospital　and　other

benevolent　committees；　he　subscribed　the　largest　sums　to　relieve　all

sudden　misfortunes　and　emergencies；　as　well　as　to　create　certain

useful　permanent　institutions；　consequently；　neither　he　nor　his　wife

kept　a　carriage。　Also　his　word　was　felt　to　be　sacred；　and　his　coffers

held　as　much　of　the　money　of　others　as　a　bank；　and　also；　we　may　add；

he　went　by　the　name　of　〃Our　good　Monsieur　Mathias；〃　and　when　he　died；

three　thousand　persons　followed　him　to　his　grave。



Solonet　was　the　style　of　young　notary　who　comes　in　humming　a　tune；

affects　light…heartedness；　declares　that　business　is　better　done　with

a　laugh　than　seriously。　He　is　the　notary　captain　of　the　national

guard；　who　dislikes　to　be　taken　for　a　notary；　solicits　the　cross　of

the　Legion　of　honor；　keeps　his　cabriolet；　and　leaves　the　verification

of　his　deeds　to　his　clerks；　he　is　the　notary　who　goes　to　balls　and

theatres；　buys　pictures　and　plays　at　ecarte；　he　has　coffers　in　which

gold　is　received　on　deposit　and　is　later　returned　in　bank…bills；a

notary　who　follows　his　epoch；　risks　capital　in　doubtful　investments；

speculates　with　all　he　can　lay　his　hands　on；　and　expects　to　retire

with　an　income　of　thirty　thousand　francs　after　ten　years'　practice；　in

short；　the　notary　whose　cleverness　comes　of　his　duplicity；　whom　many

men　fear　as　an　accomplice　possessing　their　secrets；　and　who　sees　in

his　practice　a　means　of　ultimately　marrying　some　blue…stockinged

heiress。



When　the　slender；　fair…haired　Solonet；　curled；　perfumed；　and　booted

like　the　leading　gentleman　at　the　Vaudeville；　and　dressed　like　a　dandy

whose　most　important　business　is　a　duel；　entered　Madame　Evangelista's

salon；　preceding　his　brother　notary；　whose　advance　was　delayed　by　a

twinge　of　the　gout；　the　two　men　presented　to　the　life　one　of　those

famous　caricatures　entitled　〃Former　Times　and　the　Present　Day；〃　which

had　such　eminent　success　under　the　Empire。　If　Madame　and　Mademoiselle

Evangelista　to　whom　the　〃good　Monsieur　Mathias；〃　was　personally

unknown；　felt；　on　first　seeing　him；　a　slight　inclination　to　laugh；

they　were　soon　touched　by　the　old…fashioned　grace　with　which　he

greeted　them。　The　words　he　used　were　full　of　that　amenity　which

amiable　old　men　convey　as　much　by　the　ideas　they　suggest　as　by　the

manner　in　which　they　express　them。　The　younger　notary；　with　his

flippant　tone；　seemed　on　a　lower　plane。　Mathias　showed　his　superior

knowledge　of　life　by　the　reserved　manner　with　which　he　accosted　Paul。

Without　compromising　his　white　hairs；　he　showed　that　he　respected　the

young　man's　nobility；　while　at　the　same　time　he　claimed　the　honor　due

to　old　age；　and　made　it　felt　that　social　rights　are　natural。　Solonet's

bow　and　greeting；　on　the　contrary；　expressed　a　sense　of　perfect

equality；　which　would　naturally　affront　the　pretensions　of　a　man　of

society　and　make　the　notary　ridiculous　in　the　eyes　of　a　real　noble。

Solonet　made　a　motion；　somewhat　too　familiar；　to　Madame　Evangelista；

inviting　her　to　a　private　conference　in　the　recess　of　a　window。　For

some　minutes　they　talked　to　each　other　in　a　low　voice；　giving　way　now

and　then　to　laughter；no　doubt　to　lessen　in　the　minds　of　others　the

importance　of　the　conversation；　in　which　Solonet　was　really

communicating　to　his　sovereign　lady　the　plan　of　battle。



〃But；〃　he　said；　as　he　ended；　〃will　you　have　the　courage　to　sell　your

house？〃



〃Undoubtedly；〃　she　replied。



Madame　Evangelista　did　not　choose　to　tell　her　notary　the　motive　of

this　heroism；　which　struck　him　greatly。　Solonet's　zeal　might　have

cooled　had　he　known　that　his　client　was　really　intending　to　leave

Bordeaux。　She　had　not　as　yet　said　anything　about　that　intention　to

Paul；　in　order　not　to　alarm　him　with　the　preliminary　steps　and

circumlocutions　which　must　be　taken　before　he　entered　on　the　political

life　she　planned　for　him。



After　dinner　the　two　plenipotentiaries　left　the　loving　pair　with　the

mother；　and　betook　themselves　to　an　adjoining　salon　where　their

conference　was　arranged　to　take　place。　A　dual　scene　then　followed　on

this　domestic　stage：　in　the　chimney…corner　of　the　great　salon　a　scene

of　love；　in　which　to　all　appearances　life　was　smiles　and　joy；　in　the

other　room；　a　scene　of　gravity　and　gloom；　where　selfish　interests；

baldly　proclaimed；　openly　took　the　part　they　play　in　life　under

flowery　disguises。



〃My　dear　master；〃　said　Solonet；　〃the　document　can　remain　under　your

lock　and　key；　I　know　very　well　what　I　owe　to　my　old　preceptor。〃

Mathias　bowed　gravely。　〃But；〃　continued　Solonet；　unfolding　the　rough

copy　of　a　deed　he　had　made　his　clerk　draw　up；　〃as　we　are　the　oppressed

party；　I　mean　the　daughter；　I　have　written　the　contractwhich　will

save　you　trouble。　We　marry　with　our　rights　under　the　rule　of　community

of　interests；　with　general　donation　of　our　property　to　each　other　in

case　of　death　without　heirs；　if　not；　donation　of　one…fourth　as　life

interest；　and　one…fourth　in　fee；　the　sum　placed　in　community　of

interests　to　be　one…fourth　of　the　respective　property　of　each　party；

the　survivor　to　possess　the　furniture　without　appraisal。　It's　all　as

simple　as　how　d'ye　do。〃



〃Ta；　ta；　ta；　ta；〃　said　Mathias；　〃I　don't　do　business　as　one　sings　a

tune。　What　are　your　claims？〃



〃What　are　yours？〃　said　Solonet。



〃Our　property；〃　replied　Mathias；　〃is：　the　estate　of　Lanstrac；　which

brings　in　a　rental　of　twenty…three　thousand　francs　a　year；　not

counting　the　natural　products。　Item：　the　farms　of　Grassol　and　Guadet；

each　worth　three　thousand　six　hundred　francs　a　year。　Item：　the

vineyard　of　Belle…Rose；　yielding　in　ordinary　years　sixteen　thousand

francs；　total；　forty…six　thousand　two　hundred　francs　a　year。　Item：　the

patrimonial　mansion　at　Bordeaux　taxed　for　nine　hundred　francs。　Item：　a

handsome　house；　between　court　and　garden　in　Paris；　rue　de　la

Pepiniere；　taxed　for　fifteen　hundred　francs。　These　pieces　of　property；

the　title…deeds　of　which　I　hold；　are　derived　from　our　father　and

mother；　except　the　house　in　Paris；　which　we　bought　ourselves。　We　must

also　reckon　in　the　furniture　of　the　two　houses；　and　that　of　the

chateau　of　Lanstrac；　estimated　at　four　hundred　and　fifty　thousand

francs。　There's　the　table；　the　cloth；　and　the　first　course。　What　do

you　bring　for　the　second　course　and　the　dessert？〃



〃Our　rights；〃　replied　Solonet。



〃Specify　them；　my　friend；〃　said　Mathias。　〃What　do　you　bring　us？　Where

is　the　inventory　of　the　property　left　by　Monsieur　Evangelista？　Show　me

the　liquidation；　the　investment　of　the　amount。　Where　is　your　capital？

if　there　is　any　capital。　Where　is　your　landed　property？if　you　have

any。　In　short；　let　us　see　your　guardianship　account；　and　tell　us　what

you　bring　and　what　your　mother　will　secure　to　us。〃



〃Does　Monsieur　le　Comte　de　Manerville　love　Mademoiselle　Evangelista？〃



〃He　wishes　to　make　her　his　wife　if　the　marriage　can　be　suitably

arranged；〃　said　the　old　notary。　〃I　am　not　a　child；　this　matter

concerns　our　business；　and　not　our　feelings。〃



〃The　marriage　will　be　off　unless　you　show　generous　feeling；　and　for

this　reason；〃　continued　Solonet。　〃No　inventory　was　made　at　the　death

of　our　husband；　we　are　Spaniards；　Creoles；　and　know　nothing　of　French

laws。　Besides；　we　were　too　deeply　grieved　at　our　loss　to　think　at　such

a　time　of　the　miserable　formalities　which　occupy　cold　hearts。　It　is

publicly　well　known　that　our　late　husband　adored　us；　and　that　we

mourned　for　him　sincerely。　If　we　did　have　a　settlement　of　accounts

with　a　short　inventory　attached；　made；　as　one　may　say；　by　common

report；　you　can　thank　our　surrogate　guardian；　who　obliged　us　to

establish　a　status　and　assign　to　our　daughter　a　fortune；　such　as　it

is；　at　a　time　when　we　were　forced　to　withdraw　from　London　our　English

securities；　the　capital　of　which　was　immense；　and　re…invest　the

proceeds　in　Paris；　where　interests　were　doubled。〃



〃Don't　talk　nonsense　to