the alkahest-第18章

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old　enough　and　sensible　enough　to　weigh　their　conduct。



There　comes　a　moment　in　the　private　life　of　every　family　when　the

children；　voluntarily　or　involuntarily；　judge　their　parents。　Madame

Claes　foresaw　the　dangers　of　that　moment。　Her　love　for　Balthazar

impelled　her　to　justify　in　Marguerite's　eyes　conduct　that　might；　to

the　upright　mind　of　a　girl　of　sixteen；　seem　faulty　in　a　father。　The

very　respect　which　she　showed　at　this　moment　for　her　husband；　making

herself　and　her　condition　of　no　account　that　nothing　might　disturb　his

meditation；　impressed　her　children　with　a　sort　of　awe　of　the　paternal

majesty。　Such　self…devotion；　however　infectious　it　might　be；　only

increased　Marguerite's　admiration　for　her　mother；　to　whom　she　was　more

particularly　bound　by　the　close　intimacy　of　their　daily　lives。　This

feeling　was　based　on　the　intuitive　perception　of　sufferings　whose

causes　naturally　occupied　the　young　girl's　mind。　No　human　power　could

have　hindered　some　chance　word　dropped　by　Martha；　or　by　Josette；　from

enlightening　her　as　to　the　real　reasons　for　the　condition　of　her　home

during　the　last　four　years。　Notwithstanding　Madame　Claes's　reserve；

Marguerite　discovered　slowly；　thread　by　thread；　the　clue　to　the

domestic　drama。　She　was　soon　to　be　her　mother's　active　confidante；　and

later；　under　other　circumstances；　a　formidable　judge。



Madame　Claes's　watchful　care　now　centred　upon　her　eldest　daughter；　to

whom　she　endeavored　to　communicate　her　own　self…devotion　towards

Balthazar。　The　firmness　and　sound　judgment　which　she　recognized　in　the

young　girl　made　her　tremble　at　the　thought　of　a　possible　struggle

between　father　and　daughter　whenever　her　own　death　should　make　the

latter　mistress　of　the　household。　The　poor　woman　had　reached　a　point

where　she　dreaded　the　consequences　of　her　death　far　more　than　death

itself。　Her　tender　solicitude　for　Balthazar　showed　itself　in　the

resolution　she　had　this　day　taken。　By　freeing　his　property　from

encumbrance　she　secured　his　independence；　and　prevented　all　future

disputes　by　separating　his　interests　from　those　of　her　children。　She

hoped　to　see　him　happy　until　she　closed　her　eyes　on　earth；　and　she

studied　to　transmit　the　tenderness　of　her　own　heart　to　Marguerite；

trusting　that　his　daughter　might　continue　to　be　to　him　an　angel　of

love；　while　exercising　over　the　family　a　protecting　and　conservative

authority。　Might　she　not　thus　shed　the　light　of　her　love　upon　her　dear

ones　from　beyond　the　grave？　Nevertheless；　she　was　not　willing　to　lower

the　father　in　the　eyes　of　his　daughter　by　initiating　her　into　the

secret　dangers　of　his　scientific　passion　before　it　became　necessary　to

do　so。　She　studied　Marguerite's　soul　and　character；　seeking　to

discover　if　the　girl's　own　nature　would　lead　her　to　be　a　mother　to　her

brothers　and　her　sister；　and　a　tender；　gentle　helpmeet　to　her　father。



Madame　Claes's　last　days　were　thus　embittered　by　fears　and　mental

disquietudes　which　she　dared　not　confide　to　others。　Conscious　that　the

recent　scene　had　struck　her　death…blow；　she　turned　her　thoughts　wholly

to　the　future。　Balthazar；　meanwhile；　now　permanently　unfitted　for　the

care　of　property　or　the　interests　of　domestic　life；　thought　only　of

the　Absolute。



The　heavy　silence　that　reigned　in　the　parlor　was　broken　only　by　the

monotonous　beating　of　Balthazar's　foot；　which　he　continued　to　trot；

wholly　unaware　that　Jean　had　slid　from　his　knee。　Marguerite；　who　was

sitting　beside　her　mother　and　watching　the　changes　on　that　pallid；

convulsed　face；　turned　now　and　again　to　her　father；　wondering　at　his

indifference。　Presently　the　street…door　clanged；　and　the　family　saw

the　Abbe　de　Solis　leaning　on　the　arm　of　his　nephew　and　slowly　crossing

the　court…yard。



〃Ah！　there　is　Monsieur　Emmanuel；〃　said　Felicie。



〃That　good　young　man！〃　exclaimed　Madame　Claes；　〃I　am　glad　to　welcome

him。〃



Marguerite　blushed　at　the　praise　that　escaped　her　mother's　lips。　For

the　last　two　days　a　remembrance　of　the　young　man　had　stirred

mysterious　feelings　in　her　heart；　and　wakened　in　her　mind　thoughts

that　had　lain　dormant。　During　the　visit　made　by　the　Abbe　de　Solis　to

Madame　Claes　on　the　occasion　of　his　examining　the　pictures；　there

happened　certain　of　those　imperceptible　events　which　wield　so　great　an

influence　upon　life；　and　their　results　were　sufficiently　important　to

necessitate　a　brief　sketch　of　the　two　personages　now　first　introduced

into　the　history　of　this　family。



It　was　a　matter　of　principle　with　Madame　Claes　to　perform　the　duties

of　her　religion　privately。　Her　confessor；　who　was　almost　unknown　in

the　family；　now　entered　the　house　for　the　second　time　only；　but　there；

as　elsewhere；　every　one　was　impressed　with　a　sort　of　tender　admiration

at　the　aspect　of　the　uncle　and　his　nephew。



The　Abbe　de　Solis　was　an　octogenarian；　with　silvery　hair；　and　a

withered　face　from　which　the　vitality　seemed　to　have　retreated　to　the

eyes。　He　walked　with　difficulty；　for　one　of　his　shrunken　legs　ended　in

a　painfully　deformed　foot；　which　was　cased　in　a　species　of　velvet　bag；

and　obliged　him　to　use　a　crutch　when　the　arm　of　his　nephew　was　not　at

hand。　His　bent　figure　and　decrepit　body　conveyed　the　impression　of　a

delicate；　suffering　nature；　governed　by　a　will　of　iron　and　the　spirit

of　religious　purity。　This　Spanish　priest；　who　was　remarkable　for　his

vast　learning；　his　sincere　piety；　and　a　wide　knowledge　of　men　and

things；　had　been　successively　a　Dominican　friar；　the　〃grand

penitencier〃　of　Toledo；　and　the　vicar…general　of　the　archbishopric　of

Malines。　If　the　French　Revolution　had　not　intervened；　the　influence　of

the　Casa…Real　family　would　have　made　him　one　of　the　highest

dignitaries　of　the　Church；　but　the　grief　he　felt　for　the　death　of　the

young　duke；　Madame　Claes's　brother；　who　had　been　his　pupil；　turned　him

from　active　life；　and　he　now　devoted　himself　to　the　education　of　his

nephew；　who　was　made　an　orphan　at　an　early　age。



After　the　conquest　of　Belgium；　the　Abbe　de　Solis　settled　at　Douai　to

be　near　Madame　Claes。　From　his　youth　up　he　had　professed　an　enthusiasm

for　Saint　Theresa　which；　together　with　the　natural　bent　of　his　mind；

led　him　to　the　mystical　time　of　Christianity。　Finding　in　Flanders；

where　Mademoiselle　Bourignon　and　the　writings　of　the　Quietists　and

Illuminati　made　the　greatest　number　of　proselytes；　a　flock　of

Catholics　devoted　to　those　ideas；　he　remained　there；all　the　more

willingly　because　he　was　looked　up　to　as　a　patriarch　by　this

particular　communion；　which　continued　to　follow　the　doctrines　of　the

Mystics　notwithstanding　the　censures　of　the　Church　upon　Fenelon　and

Madame　Guyon。　His　morals　were　rigid；　his　life　exemplary；　and　he　was

believed　to　have　visions。　In　spite　of　his　own　detachment　from　the

things　of　life；　his　affection　for　his　nephew　made　him　careful　of　the

young　man's　interests。　When　a　work　of　charity　was　to　be　done；　the　old

abbe　put　the　faithful　of　his　flock　under　contribution　before　having

recourse　to　his　own　means；　and　his　patriarchal　authority　was　so　well

established；　his　motives　so　pure；　his　discernment　so　rarely　at　fault；

that　every　one　was　ready　to　answer　his　appeal。　To　give　an　idea　of　the

contrast　between　the　uncle　and　the　nephew；　we　may　compare　the　old　man

to　a　willow　on　the　borders　of　a　stream；　hollowed　to　a　skeleton　and

barely　alive；　and　the　young　man　to　a　sweet…brier　clustering　with

roses；　whose　erect　and　graceful　stems　spring　up　about　the　hoary　trunk

of　the　old　tree　as　if　they　would　support　it。



Emmanuel　de　Solis；　rigidly　brought　up　by　his　uncle；　who　kept　him　at

his　side　as　a　mother　keeps　her　daughter；　was　full　of　delicate

sensibility；　of　half…dreamy　innocence；those　fleeting　flowers　of

youth　which　bloom　perennially　in　souls　that　are　nourished　on　religious

principles。　The　old　priest　had　checked　all　sensuous　emotions　in　his

pupil；　preparing　him　for　the　trials　of　life　by　constant　study　and　a

discipline　that　was　almost　cloisteral。　Such　an　education；　which　would

launch　the　youth　unstained　upon　the　world　and　render　him　happy；

provided　he　were　fortunate　in　his　earliest　affections；　had　endowed　him

with　a　purity　of　spirit　which　gave　to　his　person　something　of　the

charm　that　surrounds　a　maiden。　His　modest　eyes；　veiling　a　strong　and

courageous　soul；　sent　forth　a　light　that　vibrated　in　the　soul　as　the

tones　of　a　crystal　bell　sound　their　undulations　on　the　ear。　His　face；

though　regular；　was　expressive；　and　charmed　the　eye　with　its　clear…cut

outline；　the　harmony　of　its　lines；　and　the　perfect　repose　which　came

of　a　heart　at　peace。　All　was　harmonious。　His　black　hair；　his　brown

eyes　and　eyebrows；　heightened　the　effect　of　a　white　skin　and　a

brilliant　color。　His　voice　was　such　as　might　have　been　expected　from

his　beautiful　face；　and　something　feminine　in　his　movements　accorded

well　with　the　melody　of　its　tones　and　with　the　tender　brightness　of


his　eyes。　He　seemed　unaware　of　the　charm　he　exercised　by　his　modest

silence；　the　half…melancholy　reserve　of　his　manner；　and　the　respectful

attentions　he　paid　to　his　uncle。



Those　who　saw　the　young　man　as　he　watched　the　uncertain　steps　of　the

old　abbe；　and　altered　his　own　to　suit　their　devious　course；　looking

for　obstructions　that　might　trip　his　uncle's　feet　and　guiding　him　to　a

smoother　way；　could　not　fail　to　recognize　in　Emmanuel　de　Solis　the

generous　nature　which　makes　the　human　being　a　divine　creation。　There

was　something　noble　in　the　love　that　never　criticised　his　uncle；　in

the　obedience　that　never　cavilled　at　the　old　man's　orders；　it　seemed

as　though　there　were　prophecy　in　the　gracious　name　his　godmother　had

given　him。　When　the　abbe　gave　proof　of　his　Dominican　despotism；　in

their　own　home　or　in　the　presence　of　others；　Emmanuel　would　sometimes

lift　his　head　with　so　much　dignity；　as　if　to　assert　his　metal　should

any　other　man　assail　him；　that　men　of　honor　were　moved　at　the　sight

like　artists　before　a　glorious　picture；　for　noble　sentiments　ring　as

loudly　in　the　soul　from　living　incarnations　as　from　the　imagery　of

art。



Emmanuel　had　accompanied　his　uncle　when　the　latter　came　to　examine　the

pictures　of　the　House　of　Claes。　Hearing　from　Martha　that　the　Abbe　de

Solis　was　in　the　gallery；　Marguerite；　anxious　to　see　so　celebrated　a

man；　invented　an　excuse　to　join　her　mother　and　gratify　her　curiosity。

Entering　hastily；　with　the　heedless　gaiety　young　girls　assume　at　times

to　hide　their　wishes；　she　encountered　near　the　old　abbe；　clothed　in

black　and　looking　decrepit　and　cadaverous；　the　fresh；　delightful　face

of　a　young　man。　The　naive　glances　of　the　youthful　pair　expressed　their

mutual　astonishment。　Marguerite　and　Emmanuel　had　no　doubt　seen　each

other　in　their　dreams。　Both　lowered　their　eyes　and　raised　them　again

with　one　impulse；　each；　by　the　action；　made　the　same　avowal。

Marguerite　took　her　mother's　arm；　and　spoke　to　her　to　cover　her

confusion　and　find　shelter　under　the　maternal　wing；　turning　her　neck

with　a　swan…like　motion　to　keep　sight　of　Emmanuel；