the alkahest-第12章

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tenderness　than　at　this　moment。　He　was　full　of　attention　to　his

children；　and　his　conversation　had　the　charms　of　grace；　and　wit；　and

pertinence。　This　return　of　fatherly　feeling；　so　long　absent；　was

certainly　the　truest　fete　he　could　give　his　wife；　for　whom　his　looks

and　words　expressed　once　more　that　unbroken　sympathy　of　heart　for

heart　which　reveals　to　each　a　delicious　oneness　of　sentiment。



Old　Lemulquinier　seemed　to　renew　his　youth；　he　came　and　went　about　the

table　with　unusual　liveliness；　caused　by　the　accomplishment　of　his

secret　hopes。　The　sudden　change　in　his　master's　ways　was　even　more

significant　to　him　than　to　Madame　Claes。　Where　the　family　saw

happiness　he　saw　fortune。　While　helping　Balthazar　in　his　experiments

he　had　come　to　share　his　beliefs。　Whether　he　really　understood　the

drift　of　his　master's　researches　from　certain　exclamations　which

escaped　the　chemist　when　expected　results　disappointed　him；　or　whether

the　innate　tendency　of　mankind　towards　imitation　made　him　adopt　the

ideas　of　the　man　in　whose　atmosphere　he　lived；　certain　it　is　that

Lemulquinier　had　conceived　for　his　master　a　superstitious　feeling　that

was　a　mixture　of　terror；　admiration；　and　selfishness。　The　laboratory

was　to　him　what　a　lottery…office　is　to　the　masses；organized　hope。

Every　night　he　went　to　bed　saying　to　himself；　〃To…morrow　we　may　float

in　gold〃；　and　every　morning　he　woke　with　a　faith　as　firm　as　that　of

the　night　before。



His　name　proved　that　his　origin　was　wholly　Flemish。　In　former　days　the

lower　classes　were　known　by　some　name　or　nickname　derived　from　their

trades；　their　surroundings；　their　physical　conformation；　or　their

moral　qualities。　This　name　became　the　patronymic　of　the　burgher　family

which　each　established　as　soon　as　he　obtained　his　freedom。　Sellers　of

linen　thread　were　called　in　Flanders；　〃mulquiniers〃；　and　that　no　doubt

was　the　trade　of　the　particular　ancestor　of　the　old　valet　who　passed

from　a　state　of　serfdom　to　one　of　burgher　dignity；　until　some　unknown

misfortune　had　again　reduced　his　present　descendant　to　the　condition

of　a　serf；　with　the　addition　of　wages。　The　whole　history　of　Flanders

and　its　linen…trade　was　epitomized　in　this　old　man；　often　called；　by

way　of　euphony；　Mulquinier。　He　was　not　without　originality；　either　of

character　or　appearance。　His　face　was　triangular　in　shape；　broad　and

long；　and　seamed　by　small…pox　which　had　left　innumerable　white　and

shining　patches　that　gave　him　a　fantastic　appearance。　He　was　tall　and

thin；　his　whole　demeanor　solemn　and　mysterious；　and　his　small　eyes；

yellow　as　the　wig　which　was　smoothly　plastered　on　his　head；　cast　none

but　oblique　glances。



The　old　valet's　outward　man　was　in　keeping　with　the　feeling　of

curiosity　which　he　everywhere　inspired。　His　position　as　assistant　to

his　master；　the　depositary　of　a　secret　jealously　guarded　and　about

which　he　maintained　a　rigid　silence；　invested　him　with　a　species　of

charm。　The　denizens　of　the　rue　de　Paris　watched　him　pass　with　an

interest　mingled　with　awe；　to　all　their　questions　he　returned

sibylline　answers　big　with　mysterious　treasures。　Proud　of　being

necessary　to　his　master；　he　assumed　an　annoying　authority　over　his

companions；　employing　it　to　further　his　own　interests　and　compel　a

submission　which　made　him　virtually　the　ruler　of　the　house。　Contrary

to　the　custom　of　Flemish　servants；　who　are　deeply　attached　to　the

families　whom　they　serve；　Mulquinier　cared　only　for　Balthazar。　If　any

trouble　befell　Madame　Claes；　or　any　joyful　event　happened　to　the

family；　he　ate　his　bread　and　butter　and　drank　his　beer　as

phlegmatically　as　ever。



Dinner　over；　Madame　Claes　proposed　that　coffee　should　be　served　in　the

garden；　by　the　bed　of　tulips　which　adorned　the　centre　of　it。　The

earthenware　pots　in　which　the　bulbs　were　grown　（the　name　of　each

flower　being　engraved　on　slate　labels）　were　sunk　in　the　ground　and　so

arranged　as　to　form　a　pyramid；　at　the　summit　of　which　rose　a　certain

dragon's…head　tulip　which　Balthazar　alone　possessed。　This　flower；

named　〃tulipa　Claesiana；〃　combined　the　seven　colors；　and　the　curved

edges　of　each　petal　looked　as　though　they　were　gilt。　Balthazar's

father；　who　had　frequently　refused　ten　thousand　florins　for　this

treasure；　took　such　precautions　against　the　theft　of　a　single　seed

that　he　kept　the　plant　always　in　the　parlor　and　often　spent　whole　days

in　contemplating　it。　The　stem　was　enormous；　erect；　firm；　and　admirably

green；　the　proportions　of　the　plant　were　in　harmony　with　the

proportions　of　the　flower；　whose　seven　colors　were　distinguishable

from　each　other　with　the　clearly　defined　brilliancy　which　formerly

gave　such　fabulous　value　to　these　dazzling　plants。



〃Here　you　have　at　least　thirty　or　forty　thousand　francs'　worth　of

tulips；〃　said　the　notary；　looking　alternately　at　Madame　Claes　and　at

the　many…colored　pyramid。　The　former　was　too　enthusiastic　over　the

beauty　of　the　flowers；　which　the　setting　sun　was　just　then

transforming　into　jewels；　to　observe　the　meaning　of　the　notary's

words。



〃What　good　do　they　do　you？〃　continued　Pierquin；　addressing　Balthazar；

〃you　ought　to　sell　them。〃



〃Bah！　am　I　in　want　of　money？〃　replied　Claes；　in　the　tone　of　a　man　to

whom　forty　thousand　francs　was　a　matter　of　no　consequence。



There　was　a　moment's　silence；　during　which　the　children　made　many

exclamations。



〃See　this　one；　mamma！〃



〃Oh！　here's　a　beauty！〃



〃Tell　me　the　name　of　that　one！〃



〃What　a　gulf　for　human　reason　to　sound！〃　cried　Balthazar；　raising　his

hands　and　clasping　them　with　a　gesture　of　despair。　〃A　compound　of

hydrogen　and　oxygen　gives　off；　according　to　their　relative

proportions；　under　the　same　conditions　and　by　the　same　principle；

these　manifold　colors；　each　of　which　constitutes　a　distinct　result。〃



His　wife　heard　the　words　of　his　proposition；　but　it　was　uttered　so

rapidly　that　she　did　not　seize　its　exact　meaning；　and　Balthazar；　as　if

remembering　that　she　had　studied　his　favorite　science；　made　her　a

mysterious　sign；　saying；



〃You　do　not　yet　understand　me；　but　you　will。〃



Then　he　apparently　fell　back　into　the　absorbed　meditation　now　habitual

to　him。



〃No；　I　am　sure　you　do　not　understand　him；〃　said　Pierquin；　taking　his

coffee　from　Marguerite's　hand。　〃The　Ethiopian　can't　change　his　skin；

nor　the　leopard　his　spots；〃　he　whispered　to　Madame　Claes。　〃Have　the

goodness　to　remonstrate　with　him　later；　the　devil　himself　couldn't

draw　him　out　of　his　cogitation　now；　he　is　in　it　for　to…day；　at　any

rate。〃



So　saying；　he　bade　good…bye　to　Claes；　who　pretended　not　to　hear　him；

kissed　little　Jean　in　his　mother's　arms；　and　retired　with　a　low　bow。



When　the　street…door　clanged　behind　him；　Balthazar　caught　his　wife

round　the　waist；　and　put　an　end　to　the　uneasiness　his　feigned　reverie

was　causing　her　by　whispering　in　her　ear；



〃I　knew　how　to　get　rid　of　him。〃



Madame　Claes　turned　her　face　to　her　husband；　not　ashamed　to　let　him

see　the　tears　of　happiness　that　filled　her　eyes：　then　she　rested　her

forehead　against　his　shoulder　and　let　little　Jean　slide　to　the　floor。



〃Let　us　go　back　into　the　parlor；〃　she　said；　after　a　pause。



Balthazar　was　exuberantly　gay　throughout　the　evening。　He　invented

games　for　the　children；　and　played　with　such　zest　himself　that　he　did

not　notice　two　or　three　short　absences　made　by　his　wife。　About　half…

past　nine；　when　Jean　had　gone　to　bed；　Marguerite　returned　to　the

parlor　after　helping　her　sister　Felicie　to　undress；　and　found　her

mother　seated　in　the　deep　armchair；　and　her　father　holding　his　wife's

hand　as　he　talked　to　her。　The　young　girl　feared　to　disturb　them；　and

was　about　to　retire　without　speaking；　when　Madame　Claes　caught　sight

of　her；　and　said：



〃Come　in；　Marguerite；　come　here；　dear　child。〃　She　drew　her　down；

kissed　her　tenderly　on　the　forehead；　and　said；　〃Carry　your　book　into

your　own　room；　but　do　not　sit　up　too　late。〃



〃Good…night；　my　darling　daughter；〃　said　Balthazar。



Marguerite　kissed　her　father　and　mother　and　went　away。　Husband　and

wife　remained　alone　for　some　minutes　without　speaking；　watching　the

last　glimmer　of　the　twilight　as　it　faded　from　the　trees　in　the　garden；

whose　outlines　were　scarcely　discernible　through　the　gathering

darkness。　When　night　had　almost　fallen；　Balthazar　said　to　his　wife　in

a　voice　of　emotion；



〃Let　us　go　upstairs。〃



Long　before　English　manners　and　customs　had　consecrated　the　wife's

chamber　as　a　sacred　spot；　that　of　a　Flemish　woman　was　impenetrable。

The　good　housewives　of　the　Low　Countries　did　not　make　it　a　symbol　of

virtue。　It　was　to　them　a　habit　contracted　from　childhood；　a　domestic

superstition；　rendering　the　bedroom　a　delightful　sanctuary　of　tender

feelings；　where　simplicity　blended　with　all　that　was　most　sweet　and

sacred　in　social　life。　Any　woman　in　Madame　Claes's　position　would　have

wished　to　gather　about　her　the　elegances　of　life；　but　Josephine　had

done　so　with　exquisite　taste；　knowing　well　how　great　an　influence　the

aspect　of　our　surroundings　exerts　upon　the　feelings　of　others。　To　a

pretty　creature　it　would　have　been　mere　luxury；　to　her　it　was　a

necessity。　No　one　better　understood　the　meaning　of　the　saying；　〃A

pretty　woman　is　self…created；〃a　maxim　which　guided　every　action　of

Napoleon's　first　wife；　and　often　made　her　false；　whereas　Madame　Claes

was　ever　natural　and　true。



Though　Balthazar　knew　his　wife's　chamber　well；　his　forgetfulness　of

material　things　had　lately　been　so　complete　that　he　felt　a　thrill　of

soft　emotion　when　he　entered　it；　as　though　he　saw　it　for　the　first

time。　The　proud　gaiety　of　a　triumphant　woman　glowed　in　the　splendid

colors　of　the　tulips　which　rose　from　the　long　throats　of　Chinese　vases

judiciously　placed　about　the　room；　and　sparkled　in　the　profusion　of

lights　whose　effect　can　only　be　compared　to　a　joyous　burst　of　martial

music。　The　gleam　of　the　wax　candles　cast　a　mellow　sheen　on　the

coverings　of　pearl…gray　silk；　whose　monotony　was　relieved　by　touches

of　gold；　soberly　distributed　here　and　there　on　a　few　ornaments；　and　by

the　varied　colors　of　the　tulips；　which　were　like　sheaves　of　precious

stones。　The　secret　of　this　choice　arrangementit　was　he；　ever　he！

Josephine　could　not　tell　him　in　words　more　eloquent　that　he　was　now

and　ever　the　mainspring　of　her　joys　and　woes。



The　aspect　of　that　chamber　put　the　soul　deliciously　at　ease；　cast　out

sad　thoughts；　and　left　a　sense　of　pure　and　equable　happiness。　The

silken　coverings；　brought　from　China；　gave　forth　a　soothing　perfume

that　penetrated　the　system　without　fatiguing　it。　The　curtains；

carefully　drawn；　betrayed　a　desire　for　solitude；　a　jealous　intention

of　guarding　the　sound　of　every　word；　of　hiding　every　look　of　the

reconquered　husband。　Madame　Claes；　wearing　a　dressing…robe　of　muslin；

which　was　trimmed　by　a　long　pelerine　with　falls　of　lace　that　came

about　her　throat；　and　adorned　with　her　beautiful　black　hair；　which　was

exquisitely　glossy　and　fell　on　either　side　o