the alkahest-第16章

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the　coming　doom。



From　that　day　forth；　Balthazar　made　no　attempt　to　disguise　the

weariness　and　the　depression　that　assailed　him。　In　the　mornings；　after

the　family　breakfast；　he　played　for　awhile　in　the　parlor　with　little

Jean；　and　talked　to　his　daughters；　who　were　busy　with　their　sewing；　or

embroidery　or　lace…work；　but　he　soon　wearied　of　the　play　and　of　the

talk；　and　seemed　at　last　to　get　through　with　them　as　a　duty。　When　his

wife　came　down　again　after　dressing；　she　always　found　him　sitting　in

an　easy…chair　looking　blankly　at　Marguerite　and　Felicie；　quite

undisturbed　by　the　rattle　of　their　bobbins。　When　the　newspaper　was

brought　in；　he　read　it　slowly　like　a　retired　merchant　at　a　loss　how　to

kill　the　time。　Then　he　would　get　up；　look　at　the　sky　through　the

window　panes；　go　back　to　his　chair　and　mend　the　fire　drearily；　as

though　he　were　deprived　of　all　consciousness　of　his　own　movements　by

the　tyranny　of　ideas。



Madame　Claes　keenly　regretted　her　defects　of　education　and　memory。　It

was　difficult　for　her　to　sustain　an　interesting　conversation　for　any

length　of　time；　perhaps　this　is　always　difficult　between　two　persons

who　have　said　everything　to　each　other；　and　are　forced　to　seek　for

subjects　of　interest　outside　the　life　of　the　heart；　or　the　life　of

material　existence。　The　life　of　the　heart　has　its　own　moments　of

expansion　which　need　some　stimulus　to　bring　them　forth；　discussions　of

material　life　cannot　long　occupy　superior　minds　accustomed　to　decide

promptly；　and　the　mere　gossip　of　society　is　intolerable　to　loving

natures。　Consequently；　two　isolated　beings　who　know　each　other

thoroughly　ought　to　seek　their　enjoyments　in　the　higher　regions　of

thought；　for　it　is　impossible　to　satisfy　with　paltry　things　the

immensity　of　the　relation　between　them。　Moreover；　when　a　man　has

accustomed　himself　to　deal　with　great　subjects；　he　becomes　unamusable；

unless　he　preserves　in　the　depths　of　his　heart　a　certain　guileless

simplicity　and　unconstraint　which　often　make　great　geniuses　such

charming　children；　but　the　childhood　of　the　heart　is　a　rare　human

phenomenon　among　those　whose　mission　it　is　to　see　all；　know　all；　and

comprehend　all。



During　these　first　months；　Madame　Claes　worked　her　way　through　this

critical　situation；　by　unwearying　efforts；　which　love　or　necessity

suggested　to　her。　She　tried　to　learn　backgammon；　which　she　had　never

been　able　to　play；　but　now；　from　an　impetus　easy　to　understand；　she

ended　by　mastering　it。　Then　she　interested　Balthazar　in　the　education

of　his　daughters；　and　asked　him　to　direct　their　studies。　All　such

resources　were；　however；　soon　exhausted。　There　came　a　time　when

Josephine's　relation　to　Balthazar　was　like　that　of　Madame　de　Maintenon

to　Louis　XIV。；　she　had　to　amuse　the　unamusable；　but　without　the　pomps

of　power　or　the　wiles　of　a　court　which　could　play　comedies　like　the

sham　embassies　from　the　King　of　Siam　and　the　Shah　of　Persia。　After

wasting　the　revenues　of　France；　Louis　XIV。；　no　longer　young　or

successful；　was　reduced　to　the　expedients　of　a　family　heir　to　raise

the　money　he　needed；　in　the　midst　of　his　grandeur　he　felt　his

impotence；　and　the　royal　nurse　who　had　rocked　the　cradles　of　his

children　was　often　at　her　wit's　end　to　rock　his；　or　soothe　the　monarch

now　suffering　from　his　misuse　of　men　and　things；　of　life　and　God。

Claes；　on　the　contrary；　suffered　from　too　much　power。　Stifling　in　the

clutch　of　a　single　thought；　he　dreamed　of　the　pomps　of　Science；　of

treasures　for　the　human　race；　of　glory　for　himself。　He　suffered　as

artists　suffer　in　the　grip　of　poverty；　as　Samson　suffered　beneath　the

pillars　of　the　temple。　The　result　was　the　same　for　the　two　sovereigns；

though　the　intellectual　monarch　was　crushed　by　his　inward　force；　the

other　by　his　weakness。



What　could　Pepita　do；　singly；　against　this　species　of　scientific

nostalgia？　After　employing　every　means　that　family　life　afforded　her；

she　called　society　to　the　rescue；　and　gave　two　〃cafes〃　every　week。

Cafes　at　Douai　took　the　place　of　teas。　A　cafe　was　an　assemblage　which；

during　a　whole　evening；　the　guests　sipped　the　delicious　wines　and

liqueurs　which　overflow　the　cellars　of　that　ever…blessed　land；　ate　the

Flemish　dainties　and　took　their　〃cafe　noir〃　or　their　〃cafe　au　lait

frappe；〃　while　the　women　sang　ballads；　discussed　each　other's

toilettes；　and　related　the　gossip　of　the　day。　It　was　a　living　picture

by　Mieris　or　Terburg；　without　the　pointed　gray　hats；　the　scarlet

plumes；　or　the　beautiful　costumes　of　the　sixteenth　century。　And　yet；

Balthazar's　efforts　to　play　the　part　of　host；　his　constrained

courtesy；　his　forced　animation；　left　him　the　next　day　in　a　state　of

languor　which　showed　but　too　plainly　the　depths　of　the　inward　ill。



These　continual　fetes；　weak　remedies　for　the　real　evil；　only　increased

it。　Like　branches　which　caught　him　as　he　rolled　down　the　precipice；

they　retarded　Claes's　fall；　but　in　the　end　he　fell　the　heavier。　Though

he　never　spoke　of　his　former　occupations；　never　showed　the　least

regret　for　the　promise　he　had　given　not　to　renew　his　researches；　he

grew　to　have　the　melancholy　motions；　the　feeble　voice；　the　depression

of　a　sick　person。　The　ennui　that　possessed　him　showed　at　times　in　the

very　manner　with　which　he　picked　up　the　tongs　and　built　fantastic

pyramids　in　the　fire　with　bits　of　coal；　utterly　unconscious　of　what　he

was　doing。　When　night　came　he　was　evidently　relieved；　sleep　no　doubt

released　him　from　the　importunities　of　thought：　the　next　day　he　rose

wearily　to　encounter　another　day；seeming　to　measure　time　as　the

tired　traveller　measures　the　desert　he　is　forced　to　cross。



If　Madame　Claes　knew　the　cause　of　this　languor　she　endeavored　not　to

see　the　extent　of　its　ravages。　Full　of　courage　against　the　sufferings

of　the　mind；　she　was　helpless　against　the　generous　impulses　of　the

heart。　She　dared　not　question　Balthazar　when　she　saw　him　listening　to

the　laughter　of　little　Jean　or　the　chatter　of　his　girls；　with　the　air

of　a　man　absorbed　in　secret　thoughts；　but　she　shuddered　when　she　saw

him　shake　off　his　melancholy　and　try；　with　generous　intent；　to　seem

cheerful；　that　he　might　not　distress　others。　The　little　coquetries　of

the　father　with　his　daughters；　or　his　games　with　little　Jean；

moistened　the　eyes　of　the　poor　wife；　who　often　left　the　room　to　hide

the　feelings　that　heroic　effort　caused　her；a　heroism　the　cost　of

which　is　well　understood　by　women；　a　generosity　that　well…nigh　breaks

their　heart。　At　such　times　Madame　Claes　longed　to　say；　〃Kill　me；　and

do　what　you　will！〃



Little　by　little　Balthazar's　eyes　lost　their　fire　and　took　the

glaucous　opaque　tint　which　overspreads　the　eyes　of　old　men。　His

attentions　to　his　wife；　his　manner　of　speaking；　his　whole　bearing；

grew　heavy　and　inert。　These　symptoms　became　more　marked　towards　the

end　of　April；　terrifying　Madame　Claes；　to　whom　the　sight　was　now

intolerable；　and　who　had　all　along　reproached　herself　a　thousand　times

while　she　admired　the　Flemish　loyalty　which　kept　her　husband　faithful

to　his　promise。



At　last；　one　day　when　Balthazar　seemed　more　depressed　than　ever；　she

hesitated　no　longer；　she　resolved　to　sacrifice　everything　and　bring

him　back　to　life。



〃Dear　friend；〃　she　said；　〃I　release　you　from　your　promise。〃



Balthazar　looked　at　her　in　amazement。



〃You　are　thinking　of　your　researches；　are　you　not？〃　she　continued。



He　answered　by　a　gesture　of　startling　eagerness。　Far　from

remonstrating；　Madame　Claes；　who　had　had　leisure　to　sound　the　abyss

into　which　they　were　about　to　fall　together；　took　his　hand　and　pressed

it；　smiling。



〃Thank　you；〃　she　said；　〃now　I　am　sure　of　my　power。　You　sacrificed　more

than　your　life　to　me。　In　future；　be　the　sacrifices　mine。　Though　I　have

sold　some　of　my　diamonds；　enough　are　left；　with　those　my　brother　gave

me；　to　get　the　necessary　money　for　your　experiments。　I　intended　those

jewels　for　my　daughters；　but　your　glory　shall　sparkle　in　their　stead；

and；　besides；　you　will　some　day　replace　them　with　other　and　finer

diamonds。〃



The　joy　that　suddenly　lighted　her　husband's　face　was　like　a　death…

knell　to　the　wife：　she　saw；　with　anguish；　that　the　man's　passion　was

stronger　than　himself。　Claes　had　faith　in　his　work　which　enabled　him

to　walk　without　faltering　on　a　path　which；　to　his　wife；　was　the　edge

of　a　precipice。　For　him　faith；　for　her　doubt；for　her　the　heavier

burden：　does　not　the　woman　ever　suffer　for　the　two？　At　this　moment　she

chose　to　believe　in　his　success；　that　she　might　justify　to　herself　her

connivance　in　the　probable　wreck　of　their　fortunes。



〃The　love　of　all　my　life　can　be　no　recompense　for　your　devotion；

Pepita；〃　said　Claes；　deeply　moved。



He　had　scarcely　uttered　the　words　when　Marguerite　and　Felicie　entered

the　room　and　wished　him　good…morning。　Madame　Claes　lowered　her　eyes

and　remained　for　a　moment　speechless　in　presence　of　her　children；

whose　future　she　had　just　sacrificed　to　a　delusion；　her　husband；　on

the　contrary；　took　them　on　his　knees；　and　talked　to　them　gaily；

delighted　to　give　vent　to　the　joy　that　choked　him。



From　this　day　Madame　Claes　shared　the　impassioned　life　of　her　husband。

The　future　of　her　children；　their　father's　credit；　were　two　motives　as

powerful　to　her　as　glory　and　science　were　to　Claes。　After　the　diamonds

were　sold　in　Paris；　and　the　purchase　of　chemicals　was　again　begun；　the

unhappy　woman　never　knew　another　hour's　peace　of　mind。　The　demon　of

Science　and　the　frenzy　of　research　which　consumed　her　husband　now

agitated　her　own　mind；　she　lived　in　a　state　of　continual　expectation；

and　sat　half…lifeless　for　days　together　in　the　deep　armchair；

paralyzed　by　the　very　violence　of　her　wishes；　which；　finding　no　food；

like　those　of　Balthazar；　in　the　daily　hopes　of　the　laboratory；

tormented　her　spirit　and　aggravated　her　doubts　and　fears。　Sometimes；

blaming　herself　for　compliance　with　a　passion　whose　object　was　futile

and　condemned　by　the　Church；　she　would　rise；　go　to　the　window　on　the

courtyard　and　gaze　with　terror　at　the　chimney　of　the　laboratory。　If

the　smoke　were　rising；　an　expression　of　despair　came　into　her　face；　a

conflict　of　thoughts　and　feelings　raged　in　her　heart　and　mind。　She

beheld　her　children's　future　fleeing　in　that　smoke；　butwas　she　not

saving　their　father's　life？　was　it　not　her　first　duty　to　make　him

happy？　This　last　thought　calmed　her　for　a　moment。



She　obtained　the　right　to　enter　the　laboratory　and　remain　there；　but

even　this　melancholy　satisfaction　was　soon　renounced。　Her　sufferings

were　too　keen　when　she　saw　that　Balthazar　took　no　notice　of　her；　or

seemed　at　times　annoyed　by　her　presence；　in　that　fatal　place　she　went

through　paroxysms　of　jealous　impatience；　angry　desires　to　destroy　the

building；a　living　death　of　untold　miseries。　Lemulquinier　became　to

her　a　species　of　barometer：　if　she　heard　him　whistle　as　he　laid　the

breakfast…table　or　the　dinner…table；　she　guessed　that　Balthazar's

experiments　were　satisfactory；　and　there　were