the alkahest-第24章

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

contrast　to　its　selfish；　calculating　semblance。　Each　man's　conduct　was

homogenous：　one　feigned　a　passion　and　seized　every　advantage　to　gain

the　prize；　the　other　hid　his　love　and　trembled　lest　he　should　betray

his　devotion。



Some　time　after　the　death　of　her　mother；　and；　as　it　happened；　on　the

same　day；　Marguerite　was　enabled　to　compare　the　only　two　men　of　whom

she　had　any　opportunity　of　judging；　for　the　social　solitude　to　which

she　was　condemned　kept　her　from　seeing　life　and　gave　no　access　to

those　who　might　think　of　her　in　marriage。　One　day　after　breakfast；　a

fine　morning　in　April；　Emmanuel　called　at　the　house　just　as　Monsieur

Claes　was　going　out。　The　aspect　of　his　own　house　was　so　unendurable　to

Balthazar　that　he　spent　part　of　every　day　in　walking　about　the

ramparts。　Emmanuel　made　a　motion　as　if　to　follow　him；　then　he

hesitated；　seemed　to　gather　up　his　courage；　looked　at　Marguerite　and

remained。　The　young　girl　felt　sure　that　he　wished　to　speak　with　her；

and　asked　him　to　go　into　the　garden；　then　she　sent　Felicie　to　Martha；

who　was　sewing　in　the　antechamber　on　the　upper　floor；　and　seated

herself　on　a　garden…seat　in　full　view　of　her　sister　and　the　old

duenna。



〃Monsieur　Claes　is　as　much　absorbed　by　grief　as　he　once　was　by

science；〃　began　the　young　man；　watching　Balthazar　as　he　slowly　crossed

the　court…yard。　〃Every　one　in　Douai　pities　him；　he　moves　like　a　man

who　has　lost　all　consciousness　of　life；　he　stops　without　a　purpose；　he

gazes　without　seeing　anything。〃



〃Every　sorrow　has　its　own　expression；〃　said　Marguerite；　checking　her

tears。　〃What　is　it　you　wish　to　say　to　me？〃　she　added　after　a　pause；

coldly　and　with　dignity。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　answered　Emmanuel　in　a　voice　of　feeling；　〃I　scarcely

know　if　I　have　the　right　to　speak　to　you　as　I　am　about　to　do。　Think

only　of　my　desire　to　be　of　service　to　you；　and　give　me　the　right　of　a

teacher　to　be　interested　in　the　future　of　a　pupil。　Your　brother

Gabriel　is　over　fifteen；　he　is　in　the　second　class；　it　is　now

necessary　to　direct　his　studies　in　the　line　of　whatever　future　career

he　may　take　up。　It　is　for　your　father　to　decide　what　that　career　shall

be：　if　he　gives　the　matter　no　thought；　the　injury　to　Gabriel　would　be

serious。　But　then；　again；　would　it　not　mortify　your　father　if　you

showed　him　that　he　is　neglecting　his　son's　interests？　Under　these

circumstances；　could　you　not　yourself　consult　Gabriel　as　to　his

tastes；　and　help　him　to　choose　a　career；　so　that　later；　if　his　father

should　think　of　making　him　a　public　officer；　an　administrator；　a

soldier；　he　might　be　prepared　with　some　special　training？　I　do　not

suppose　that　either　you　or　Monsieur　Claes　would　wish　to　bring　Gabriel

up　in　idleness。〃



〃Oh；　no！〃　said　Marguerite；　〃when　my　mother　taught　us　to　make　lace；　and

took　such　pains　with　our　drawing　and　music　and　embroidery；　she　often

said　we　must　be　prepared　for　whatever　might　happen　to　us。　Gabriel

ought　to　have　a　thorough　education　and　a　personal　value。　But　tell　me；

what　career　is　best　for　a　man　to　choose？〃



〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Emmanuel；　trembling　with　pleasure；　〃Gabriel　is　at

the　head　of　his　class　in　mathematics；　if　he　would　like　to　enter　the

Ecole　Polytechnique；　he　could　there　acquire　the　practical　knowledge

which　will　fit　him　for　any　career。　When　he　leaves　the　Ecole　he　can

choose　the　path　in　life　for　which　he　feels　the　strongest　bias。　Thus；

without　compromising　his　future；　you　will　have　saved　a　great　deal　of

time。　Men　who　leave　the　Ecole　with　honors　are　sought　after　on　all

sides；　the　school　turns　out　statesmen；　diplomats；　men　of　science；

engineers；　generals；　sailors；　magistrates；　manufacturers；　and　bankers。

There　is　nothing　extraordinary　in　the　son　of　a　rich　or　noble　family

preparing　himself　to　enter　it。　If　Gabriel　decides　on　this　course　I

shall　ask　you　towill　you　grant　my　request？　Say　yes！〃



〃What　is　it？〃



〃Let　me　be　his　tutor；〃　he　answered；　trembling。



Marguerite　looked　at　Monsieur　de　Solis；　then　she　took　his　hand；　and

said；　〃Yes〃and　paused；　adding　presently　in　a　broken　voice：



〃How　much　I　value　the　delicacy　which　makes　you　offer　me　a　thing　I　can

accept　from　you。　In　all　that　you　have　said　I　see　how　much　you　have

thought　for　us。　I　thank　you。〃



Though　the　words　were　simply　said；　Emmanuel　turned　away　his　head　not

to　show　the　tears　that　the　delight　of　being　useful　to　her　brought　to

his　eyes。



〃I　will　bring　both　boys　to　see　you；〃　he　said；　when　he　was　a　little

calmer；　〃to…morrow　is　a　holiday。〃



He　rose　and　bowed　to　Marguerite；　who　followed　him　into　the　house；　when

he　had　crossed　the　court…yard　he　turned　and　saw　her　still　at　the　door

of　the　dining…room；　from　which　she　made　him　a　friendly　sign。



After　dinner　Pierquin　came　to　see　Monsieur　Claes；　and　sat　down　between

father　and　daughter　on　the　very　bench　in　the　garden　where　Emmanuel　had

sat　that　morning。



〃My　dear　cousin；〃　he　said　to　Balthazar；　〃I　have　come　to…night　to　talk

to　you　on　business。　It　is　now　forty…two　days　since　the　decease　of　your

wife。〃



〃I　keep　no　account　of　time；〃　said　Balthazar；　wiping　away　the　tears

that　came　at　the　word　〃decease。〃



〃Oh；　monsieur！〃　cried　Marguerite；　looking　at　the　lawyer；　〃how　can

you？〃



〃But；　my　dear　Marguerite；　we　notaries　are　obliged　to　consider　the

limits　of　time　appointed　by　law。　This　is　a　matter　which　concerns　you

and　your　co…heirs。　Monsieur　Claes　has　none　but　minor　children；　and　he

must　make　an　inventory　of　his　property　within　forty…five　days　of　his

wife's　decease；　so　as　to　render　in　his　accounts　at　the　end　of　that

time。　It　is　necessary　to　know　the　value　of　his　property　before

deciding　whether　to　accept　it　as　sufficient　security；　or　whether　we

must　fall　back　on　the　legal　rights　of　minors。〃



Marguerite　rose。



〃Do　not　go　away；　my　dear　cousin；〃　continued　Pierquin；　〃my　words

concern　youyou　and　your　father　both。　You　know　how　truly　I　share　your

grief；　but　to…day　you　must　give　your　attention　to　legal　details。　If

you　do　not；　every　one　of　you　will　get　into　serious　difficulties。　I　am

only　doing　my　duty　as　the　family　lawyer。〃



〃He　is　right；〃　said　Claes。



〃The　time　expires　in　two　days；〃　resumed　Pierquin；　〃and　I　must　begin

the　inventory　to…morrow；　if　only　to　postpone　the　payment　of　the

legacy…tax　which　the　public　treasurer　will　come　here　and　demand。

Treasurers　have　no　hearts；　they　don't　trouble　themselves　about

feelings；　they　fasten　their　claws　upon　us　at　all　seasons。　Therefore

for　the　next　two　days　my　clerk　and　I　will　be　here　from　ten　till　four

with　Monsieur　Raparlier；　the　public　appraiser。　After　we　get　through

the　town　property　we　shall　go　into　the　country。　As　for　the　forest　of

Waignies；　we　shall　be　obliged　to　hold　a　consultation　about　that。　Now

let　us　turn　to　another　matter。　We　must　call　a　family　council　and

appoint　a　guardian　to　protect　the　interests　of　the　minor　children。

Monsieur　Conyncks　of　Bruges　is　your　nearest　relative；　but　he　has　now

become　a　Belgian。　You　ought；〃　continued　Pierquin；　addressing

Balthazar；　〃to　write　to　him　on　this　matter；　you　can　then　find　out　if

he　has　any　intention　of　settling　in　France；　where　he　has　a　fine

property。　Perhaps　you　could　persuade　him　and　his　daughter　to　move　into

French　Flanders。　If　he　refuses；　then　I　must　see　about　making　up　the

council　with　the　other　near　relatives。〃



〃What　is　the　use　of　an　inventory？〃　asked　Marguerite。



〃To　put　on　record　the　value　and　the　claims　of　the　property；　its　debts

and　its　assets。　When　that　is　all　clearly　scheduled；　the　family

council；　acting　on　behalf　of　the　minors；　makes　such　dispositions　as　it

sees　fit。〃



〃Pierquin；〃　said　Claes；　rising　from　the　bench；　〃do　all　that　is

necessary　to　protect　the　rights　of　my　children；　but　spare　us　the

distress　of　selling　the　things　that　belonged　to　my　dear〃　he　was

unable　to　continue；　but　he　spoke　with　so　noble　an　air　and　in　a　tone　of

such　deep　feeling　that　Marguerite　took　her　father's　hand　and　kissed

it。



〃To…morrow；　then；〃　said　Pierquin。



〃Come　to　breakfast；〃　said　Claes；　then　he　seemed　to　gather　his

scattered　senses　together　and　exclaimed：　〃But　in　my　marriage　contract；

which　was　drawn　under　the　laws　of　Hainault；　I　released　my　wife　from

the　obligation　of　making　an　inventory；　in　order　that　she　might　not　be

annoyed　by　it：　it　is　very　probable　that　I　was　equally　released〃



〃Oh；　what　happiness！〃　cried　Marguerite。　〃It　would　have　been　so

distressing　to　us。〃



〃Well；　I　will　look　into　your　marriage　contract　to…morrow；〃　said　the

notary；　rather　confused。



〃Then　you　did　not　know　of　this？〃　said　Marguerite。



This　remark　closed　the　interview；　the　lawyer　was　far　too　much　confused

to　continue　it　after　the　young　girl's　comment。



〃The　devil　is　in　it！〃　he　said　to　himself　as　he　crossed　the　court…yard。

〃That　man's　wandering　memory　comes　back　to　him　in　the　nick　of　time；

just　when　he　needed　it　to　hinder　us　from　taking　precautions　against

him！　I　have　cracked　my　brains　to　save　the　property　of　those　children。

I　meant　to　proceed　regularly　and　come　to　an　understanding　with　old

Conyncks；　and　here's　the　end　of　it！　I　shall　lose　ground　with

Marguerite；　for　she　will　certainly　ask　her　father　why　I　wanted　an

inventory　of　the　property；　which　she　now　sees　was　not　necessary；　and

Claes　will　tell　her　that　notaries　have　a　passion　for　writing

documents；　that　we　are　lawyers　above　all；　above　cousins　or　friends　or

relatives；　and　all　such　stuff　as　that。〃



He　slammed　the　street　door　violently；　railing　at　clients　who　ruin

themselves　by　sensitiveness。



Balthazar　was　right。　No　inventory　could　be　made。　Nothing；　therefore；

was　done　to　settle　the　relation　of　the　father　to　the　children　in　the

matter　of　property。







CHAPTER　XI



Several　months　went　by　and　brought　no　change　to　the　House　of　Claes。

Gabriel；　under　the　wise　management　of　his　tutor；　Monsieur　de　Solis；

worked　studiously；　acquired　foreign　languages；　and　prepared　to　pass

the　necessary　examinations　to　enter　the　Ecole　Polytechnique。

Marguerite　and　Felicie　lived　in　absolute　retirement；　going　in　summer

to　their　father's　country　place　as　a　measure　of　economy。　Monsieur

Claes　attended　to　his　business　affairs；　paid　his　debts　by　borrowing　a

considerable　sum　of　money　on　his　property；　and　went　to　see　the　forest

at　Waignies。



About　the　middle　of　the　year　1817；　his　grief；　slowly　abating；　left　him

a　prey　to　solitude　and　defenceless　under　the　monotony　of　the　life　he

was　leading；　which　heavily　oppressed　him。　At　first　he　struggled

bravely　against　the　allurements　of　Science　as　they　gradually　beset

him；　he　forbade　himself　even　to　think　of　Chemistry。　Then　he　did　think

of　it。　Still；　he　would　not　actively　take　it　up；　and　only　gave　his　mind

to　his　researches　theoretically。　Such　constant　study；　however；　swelled

his　passion　which　soon　became　exacting。　He　asked　himself　whether　he

was　really　bound　not　to　continue　his　researches；　and　remembered　that

his　wife　had