the alkahest-第23章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



that　of　self…interest；　always　odious　to　a　young　soul；　and　which　he　was

not　clever　enough　to　conceal。　It　was　he　who　on　this　occasion　was

naively　above…board；　it　was　she　who　dissimulated；simply　because　he

thought　he　was　dealing　with　a　defenceless　girl；　and　wholly

misconceived　the　privileges　of　weakness。



〃My　dear　cousin；〃　he　said　to　Marguerite；　with　whom　he　was　walking

about　the　paths　of　the　little　garden；　〃you　know　my　heart；　you

understand　how　truly　I　desire　to　respect　the　painful　feelings　which

absorb　you　at　this　moment。　I　have　too　sensitive　a　nature　for　a　lawyer；

I　live　by　my　heart　only；　I　am　forced　to　spend　my　time　on　the　interests

of　others　when　I　would　fain　let　myself　enjoy　the　sweet　emotions　which

make　life　happy。　I　suffer　deeply　in　being　obliged　to　talk　to　you　of

subjects　so　discordant　with　your　state　of　mind；　but　it　is　necessary。　I

have　thought　much　about　you　during　the　last　few　days。　It　is　evident

that　through　a　fatal　delusion　the　fortune　of　your　brothers　and　sister

and　your　own　are　in　jeopardy。　Do　you　wish　to　save　your　family　from

complete　ruin？〃



〃What　must　I　do？〃　she　asked；　half…frightened　by　his　words。



〃Marry；〃　answered　Pierquin。



〃I　shall　not　marry；〃　she　said。



〃Yes；　you　will　marry；〃　replied　the　notary；　〃when　you　have　soberly

thought　over　the　critical　position　in　which　you　are　placed。〃



〃How　can　my　marriage　save〃



〃Ah！　I　knew　you　would　consider　it；　my　dear　cousin；〃　he　exclaimed；

interrupting　her。　〃Marriage　will　emancipate　you。〃



〃Why　should　I　be　emancipated？〃　asked　Marguerite。



〃Because　marriage　will　put　you　at　once　into　possession　of　your

property；　my　dear　little　cousin；〃　said　the　lawyer　in　a　tone　of

triumph。　〃If　you　marry　you　take　your　share　of　your　mother's　property。

To　give　it　to　you；　the　whole　property　must　be　liquidated；　to　do　that；

it　becomes　necessary　to　sell　the　forest　of　Waignies。　That　done；　the

proceeds　will　be　capitalized；　and　your　father；　as　guardian；　will　be

compelled　to　invest　the　fortune　of　his　children　in　such　a　way　that

Chemistry　can't　get　hold　of　it。〃



〃And　if　I　do　not　marry；　what　will　happen？〃　she　asked。



〃Well；〃　said　the　notary；　〃your　father　will　manage　your　estate　as　he

pleases。　If　he　returns　to　making　gold；　he　will　probably　sell　the

timber　of　the　forest　of　Waignies　and　leave　his　children　as　naked　as

the　little　Saint　Johns。　The　forest　is　now　worth　about　fourteen　hundred

thousand　francs；　but　from　one　day　to　another　you　are　not　sure　your

father　won't　cut　it　down；　and　then　your　thirteen　hundred　acres　are　not

worth　three　hundred　thousand　francs。　Isn't　it　better　to　avoid　this

almost　certain　danger　by　at　once　compelling　the　division　of　property

on　your　marriage？　If　the　forest　is　sold　now；　while　Chemistry　has　gone

to　sleep；　your　father　will　put　the　proceeds　into　the　Grand…Livre。　The

Funds　are　at　59；　those　dear　children　will　get　nearly　five　thousand

francs　a　year　for　every　fifty　thousand　francs：　and；　inasmuch　as　the

property　of　minors　cannot　be　sold　out；　your　brothers　and　sister　will

find　their　fortunes　doubled　in　value　by　the　time　they　come　of　age。

Whereas；　in　the　other　case；faith；　no　one　knows　what　may　happen：　your

father　has　already　impaired　your　mother's　property；　we　shall　find　out

the　deficit　when　we　come　to　make　the　inventory。　If　he　is　in　debt　to

her　estate；　you　will　take　a　mortgage　on　his；　and　in　that　way　something

may　be　recovered〃



〃For　shame！〃　said　Marguerite。　〃It　would　be　an　outrage　on　my　father。　It

is　not　so　long　since　my　mother　uttered　her　last　words　that　I　have

forgotten　them。　My　father　is　incapable　of　robbing　his　children；〃　she

continued；　giving　way　to　tears　of　distress。　〃You　misunderstand　him；

Monsieur　Pierquin。〃



〃But；　my　dear　cousin；　if　your　father　gets　back　to　chemistry〃



〃We　are　ruined；　is　that　what　you　mean？〃



〃Yes；　utterly　ruined。　Believe　me；　Marguerite；〃　he　said；　taking　her

hand　which　he　placed　upon　his　heart；　〃I　should　fail　of　my　duty　if　I

did　not　persist　in　this　matter。　Your　interests　alone〃



〃Monsieur；〃　said　Marguerite；　coldly　withdrawing　her　hand；　〃the　true

interests　of　my　family　require　me　not　to　marry。　My　mother　thought　so。〃



〃Cousin；〃　he　cried；　with　the　earnestness　of　a　man　who　sees　a　fortune

escaping　him；　〃you　commit　suicide；　you　fling　your　mother's　property

into　a　gulf。　Well；　I　will　prove　the　devotion　I　feel　for　you：　you　know

not　how　I　love　you。　I　have　admired　you　from　the　day　of　that　last　ball；

three　years　ago；　you　were　enchanting。　Trust　the　voice　of　love　when　it

speaks　to　you　of　your　own　interests；　Marguerite。〃　He　paused。　〃Yes；　we

must　call　a　family　council　and　emancipate　youwithout　consulting

you；〃　he　added。



〃But　what　is　it　to　be　emancipated？〃



〃It　is　to　enjoy　your　own　rights。〃



〃If　I　can　be　emancipated　without　being　married；　why　do　you　want　me　to

marry？　and　whom　should　I　marry？〃



Pierquin　tried　to　look　tenderly　at　his　cousin；　but　the　expression

contrasted　so　strongly　with　his　hard　eyes；　usually　fixed　on　money；

that　Marguerite　discovered　the　self…interest　in　his　improvised

tenderness。



〃You　would　marry　the　person　whopleases　youthe　most；〃　he　said。　〃A

husband　is　indispensable；　were　it　only　as　a　matter　of　business。　You

are　now　entering　upon　a　struggle　with　your　father；　can　you　resist　him

all　alone？〃



〃Yes；　monsieur；　I　shall　know　how　to　protect　my　brothers　and　sister

when　the　time　comes。〃



〃Pshaw！　the　obstinate　creature；〃　thought　Pierquin。　〃No；　you　will　not

resist　him；〃　he　said　aloud。



〃Let　us　end　the　subject；〃　she　said。



〃Adieu；　cousin；　I　shall　endeavor　to　serve　you　in　spite　of　yourself；　I

will　prove　my　love　by　protecting　you　against　your　will　from　a　disaster

which　all　the　town　foresees。〃



〃I　thank　you　for　the　interest　you　take　in　me；〃　she　answered；　〃but　I

entreat　you　to　propose　nothing　and　to　undertake　nothing　which　may　give

pain　to　my　father。〃



Marguerite　stood　thoughtfully　watching　Pierquin　as　he　departed；　she

compared　his　metallic　voice；　his　manners；　flexible　as　a　steel　spring；

his　glance；　servile　rather　than　tender；　with　the　mute　melodious　poetry

in　which　Emmanuel's　sentiments　were　wrapped。　No　matter　what　may　be

said；　or　what　may　be　done；　there　exists　a　wonderful　magnetism　whose

effects　never　deceive。　The　tones　of　the　voice；　the　glance；　the

passionate　gestures　of　a　lover　may　be　imitated；　a　young　girl　can　be

deluded　by　a　clever　comedian；　but　to　succeed；　the　man　must　be　alone　in

the　field。　If　the　young　girl　has　another　soul　beside　her　whose　pulses

vibrate　in　unison　with　hers；　she　is　able　to　distinguish　the

expressions　of　a　true　love。　Emmanuel；　like　Marguerite；　felt　the

influence　of　the　chords　which；　from　the　time　of　their　first　meeting

had　gathered　ominously　about　their　heads；　hiding　from　their　eyes　the

blue　skies　of　love。　His　feeling　for　the　Elect　of　his　heart　was　an

idolatry　which　the　total　absence　of　hope　rendered　gentle　and

mysterious　in　its　manifestations。　Socially　too　far　removed　from

Mademoiselle　Claes　by　his　want　of　fortune；　with　nothing　but　a　noble

name　to　offer　her；　he　saw　no　chance　of　ever　being　her　husband。　Yet　he

had　always　hoped　for　certain　encouragements　which　Marguerite　refused

to　give　before　the　failing　eyes　of　her　dying　mother。　Both　equally

pure；　they　had　never　said　to　one　another　a　word　of　love。　Their　joys

were　solitary　joys　tasted　by　each　alone。　They　trembled　apart；　though

together　they　quivered　beneath　the　rays　of　the　same　hope。　They　seemed

to　fear　themselves；　conscious　that　each　only　too　surely　belonged　to

the　other。　Emmanuel　trembled　lest　he　should　touch　the　hand　of　the

sovereign　to　whom　he　had　made　a　shrine　of　his　heart；　a　chance　contact

would　have　roused　hopes　that　were　too　ardent；　he　could　not　then　have

mastered　the　force　of　his　passion。　And　yet；　while　neither　bestowed　the

vast；　though　trivial；　the　innocent　and　yet　all…meaning　signs　of　love

that　even　timid　lovers　allow　themselves；　they　were　so　firmly　fixed　in

each　other's　hearts　that　both　were　ready　to　make　the　greatest

sacrifices；　which　were；　indeed；　the　only　pleasures　their　love　could

expect　to　taste。



Since　Madame　Claes's　death　this　hidden　love　was　shrouded　in　mourning。

The　tints　of　the　sphere　in　which　it　lived；　dark　and　dim　from　the

first；　were　now　black；　the　few　lights　were　veiled　by　tears。

Marguerite's　reserve　changed　to　coldness；　she　remembered　the　promise

exacted　by　her　mother。　With　more　freedom　of　action；　she　nevertheless

became　more　distant。　Emmanuel　shared　his　beloved's　grief；

comprehending　that　the　slightest　word　or　wish　of　love　at　such　a　time

transgressed　the　laws　of　the　heart。　Their　love　was　therefore　more

concealed　than　it　had　ever　been。　These　tender　souls　sounded　the　same

note：　held　apart　by　grief；　as　formerly　by　the　timidities　of　youth　and

by　respect　for　the　sufferings　of　the　mother；　they　clung　to　the

magnificent　language　of　the　eyes；　the　mute　eloquence　of　devoted

actions；　the　constant　unison　of　thoughts；divine　harmonies　of　youth；

the　first　steps　of　a　love　still　in　its　infancy。　Emmanuel　came　every

morning　to　inquire　for　Claes　and　Marguerite；　but　he　never　entered　the

dining…room；　where　the　family　now　sat；　unless　to　bring　a　letter　from

Gabriel　or　when　Balthazar　invited　him　to　come　in。　His　first　glance　at

the　young　girl　contained　a　thousand　sympathetic　thoughts；　it　told　her

that　he　suffered　under　these　conventional　restraints；　that　he　never

left　her；　he　was　always　with　her；　he　shared　her　grief。　He　shed　the

tears　of　his　own　pain　into　the　soul　of　his　dear　one　by　a　look　that　was

marred　by　no　selfish　reservation。　His　good　heart　lived　so　completely

in　the　present；　he　clung　so　firmly　to　a　happiness　which　he　believed　to

be　fugitive；　that　Marguerite　sometimes　reproached　herself　for　not

generously　holding　out　her　hand　and　saying；　〃Let　us　at　least　be

friends。〃



Pierquin　continued　his　suit　with　an　obstinacy　which　is　the

unreflecting　patience　of　fools。　He　judged　Marguerite　by　the　ordinary

rules　of　the　multitude　when　judging　of　women。　He　believed　that　the

words　marriage；　freedom；　fortune；　which　he　had　put　into　her　mind；

would　geminate　and　flower　into　wishes　by　which　he　could　profit；　he

imagined　that　her　coldness　was　mere　dissimulation。　But　surround　her　as

he　would　with　gallant　attentions；　he　could　not　hide　the　despotic　ways

of　a　man　accustomed　to　manage　the　private　affairs　of　many　families

with　a　high　hand。　He　discoursed　to　her　in　those　platitudes　of

consolation　common　to　his　profession；　which　crawl　like　snails　over　the

suffering　mind；　leaving　behind　them　a　trail　of　barren　words　which

profane　its　sanctity。　His　tenderness　was　mere　wheedling。　He　dropped

his　feigned　melancholy　at　the　door　when　he　put　on　his　overshoes；　or

took　his　umbrella。　He　used　the　tone　his　long　intimacy　authorized　as　an

instrument　to　work　himself　still　further　into　the　bosom　of　the　family；

and　bring　Marguerite　to　a　marriage　which　the　whole　town　was　beginning

to　foresee。　The　true；　devoted；　respectful　love　formed　a　striking

contrast　to　its　se