the alkahest-第26章

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the　professor　from　head　to　foot；　〃for　he　will　have　to　make　his　own

way。　But；　my　dear　cousin；　the　question　now　is　how　to　save　the　honor　of

the　family：　will　you　listen　to　what　I　say　this　time？〃



〃No；〃　she　said；　〃not　if　it　relates　to　marriage。〃



〃Then　what　will　you　do？〃



〃I？nothing。〃



〃But　you　are　of　age。〃



〃I　shall　be　in　a　few　days。　Have　you　any　course　to　suggest　to　me；〃　she

added；　〃which　will　reconcile　our　interests　with　the　duty　we　owe　to　our

father　and　to　the　honor　of　the　family？〃



〃My　dear　cousin；　nothing　can　be　done　till　your　uncle　arrives。　When　he

does；　I　will　call　again。〃



〃Adieu；　monsieur；〃　said　Marguerite。



〃The　poorer　she　is　the　more　airs　she　gives　herself；〃　thought　the

notary。　〃Adieu；　mademoiselle；〃　he　said　aloud。　〃Monsieur；　my　respects

to　you〃；　and　he　went　away；　paying　no　attention　to　Felicie　or　Martha。



〃I　have　been　studying　the　Code　for　the　last　two　days；　and　I　have

consulted　an　experienced　old　lawyer；　a　friend　of　my　uncle；〃　said

Emmanuel；　in　a　hesitating　voice。　〃If　you　will　allow　me；　I　will　go　to

Amsterdam　to…morrow　and　see　Monsieur　Conyncks。　Listen；　dear

Marguerite〃



He　uttered　her　name　for　the　first　time；　she　thanked　him　with　a　smile

and　a　tearful　glance；　and　made　a　gentle　inclination　of　her　head。　He

paused；　looking　at　Felicie　and　Martha。



〃Speak　before　my　sister；〃　said　Marguerite。　〃She　is　so　docile　and

courageous　that　she　does　not　need　this　discussion　to　make　her　resigned

to　our　life　of　toil　and　privation；　but　it　is　best　that　she　should　see

for　herself　how　necessary　courage　is　to　us。〃



The　two　sisters　clasped　hands　and　kissed　each　other；　as　if　to　renew

some　pledge　of　union　before　the　coming　disaster。



〃Leave　us；　Martha。〃



〃Dear　Marguerite；〃　said　Emmanuel；　letting　the　happiness　he　felt　in

conquering　the　lesser　rights　of　affection　sound　in　the　inflections　of

his　voice；　〃I　have　procured　the　names　and　addresses　of　the　purchasers

who　still　owe　the　remaining　two　hundred　thousand　francs　on　the　felled

timber。　To…morrow；　if　you　give　consent；　a　lawyer　acting　in　the　name　of

Monsieur　Conyncks；　who　will　not　disavow　the　act；　will　serve　an

injunction　upon　them。　Six　days　hence；　by　which　time　your　uncle　will

have　returned；　the　family　council　can　be　called　together；　and　Gabriel

put　in　possession　of　his　legal　rights；　for　he　is　now　eighteen。　You　and

your　brother　being　thus　authorized　to　use　those　rights；　you　will

demand　your　share　in　the　proceeds　of　the　timber。　Monsieur　Claes　cannot

refuse　you　the　two　hundred　thousand　francs　on　which　the　injunction

will　have　been　put；　as　to　the　remaining　hundred　thousand　which　is　due

to　you；　you　must　obtain　a　mortgage　on　this　house。　Monsieur　Conyncks

will　demand　securities　for　the　three　hundred　thousand　belonging　to

Felicie　and　Jean。　Under　these　circumstances　your　father　will　be

obliged　to　mortgage　his　property　on　the　plain　of　Orchies；　which　he　has

already　encumbered　to　the　amount　of　three　hundred　thousand　francs。　The

law　gives　a　retrospective　priority　to　the　claims　of　minors；　and　that

will　save　you。　Monsieur　Claes's　hands　will　be　tied　for　the　future；

your　property　becomes　inalienable；　and　he　can　no　longer　borrow　on　his

own　estates　because　they　will　be　held　as　security　for　other　sums。

Moreover；　the　whole　can　be　done　quietly；　without　scandal　or　legal

proceedings。　Your　father　will　be　forced　to　greater　prudence　in　making

his　researches；　even　if　he　cannot　be　persuaded　to　relinquish　them

altogether。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Marguerite；　〃but　where；　meantime；　can　we　find　the　means　of

living？　The　hundred　thousand　francs　for　which；　you　say；　I　must　obtain

a　mortgage　on　this　house；　would　bring　in　nothing　while　we　still　live

here。　The　proceeds　of　my　father's　property　in　the　country　will　pay　the

interest　on　the　three　hundred　thousand　francs　he　owes　to　others；　but

how　are　we　to　live？〃



〃In　the　first　place；〃　said　Emmanuel；　〃by　investing　the　fifty　thousand

francs　which　belong　to　Gabriel　in　the　public　Funds　you　will　get；

according　to　present　rates；　more　than　four　thousand　francs'　income；

which　will　suffice　to　pay　your　brother's　board　and　lodging　and　all　his

other　expenses　in　Paris。　Gabriel　cannot　touch　the　capital　until　he　is

of　age；　therefore　you　need　not　fear　that　he　will　waste　a　penny　of　it；

and　you　will　have　one　expense　the　less。　Besides；　you　will　have　your

own　fifty　thousand。〃



〃My　father　will　ask　me　for　them；〃　she　said　in　a　frightened　tone；　〃and

I　shall　not　be　able　to　refuse　him。〃



〃Well；　dear　Marguerite；　even　so；　you　can　evade　that　by　robbing

yourself。　Place　your　money　in　the　Grand…Livre　in　Gabriel's　name：　it

will　bring　you　twelve　or　thirteen　thousand　francs　a　year。　Minors　who

are　emancipated　cannot　sell　property　without　permission　of　the　family

council；　you　will　thus　gain　three　years'　peace　of　mind。　By　that　time

your　father　will　either　have　solved　his　problem　or　renounced　it；　and

Gabriel；　then　of　age；　will　reinvest　the　money　in　your　own　name。〃



Marguerite　made　him　explain　to　her　once　more　the　legal　points　which

she　did　not　at　first　understand。　It　was　certainly　a　novel　sight　to　see

this　pair　of　lovers　poring　over　the　Code；　which　Emmanuel　had　brought

with　him　to　show　his　mistress　the　laws　which　protected　the　property　of

minors；　she　quickly　caught　the　meaning　of　them；　thanks　to　the　natural

penetration　of　women；　which　in　this　case　love　still　further　sharpened。



Gabriel　came　home　to　his　father's　house　on　the　following　day。　When

Monsieur　de　Solis　brought　him　up　to　Balthazar　and　told　of　his

admission　to　the　Ecole　Polytechnique；　the　father　thanked　the　professor

with　a　wave　of　his　hand；　and　said：



〃I　am　very　glad；　Gabriel　may　become　a　man　of　science。〃



〃Oh；　my　brother；〃　cried　Marguerite；　as　Balthazar　went　back　to　his

laboratory；　〃work　hard；　waste　no　money；　spend　what　is　necessary；　but

practise　economy。　On　the　days　when　you　are　allowed　to　go　out；　pass

your　time　with　our　friends　and　relations；　contract　none　of　the　habits

which　ruin　young　men　in　Paris。　Your　expenses　will　amount　to　nearly

three　thousand　francs；　and　that　will　leave　you　a　thousand　francs　for

your　pocket…money；　that　is　surely　enough。〃



〃I　will　answer　for　him；〃　said　Emmanuel　de　Solis；　laying　his　hand　on

his　pupil's　shoulder。



A　month　later；　Monsieur　Conyncks；　in　conjunction　with　Marguerite；　had

obtained　all　necessary　securities　from　Claes。　The　plan　so　wisely

proposed　by　Emmanuel　de　Solis　was　fully　approved　and　executed。　Face　to

face　with　the　law；　and　in　presence　of　his　cousin；　whose　stern　sense　of

honor　allowed　no　compromise；　Balthazar；　ashamed　of　the　sale　of　the

timber　to　which　he　had　consented　at　a　moment　when　he　was　harassed　by

creditors；　submitted　to　all　that　was　demanded　of　him。　Glad　to　repair

the　almost　involuntary　wrong　that　he　had　done　to　his　children；　he

signed　the　deeds　in　a　preoccupied　way。　He　was　now　as　careless　and

improvident　as　a　Negro　who　sells　his　wife　in　the　morning　for　a　drop　of

brandy；　and　cries　for　her　at　night。　He　gave　no　thought　to　even　the

immediate　future；　and　never　asked　himself　what　resources　he　would　have

when　his　last　ducat　was　melted　up。　He　pursued　his　work　and　continued

his　purchases；　apparently　unaware　that　he　was　now　no　more　than　the

titular　owner　of　his　house　and　lands；　and　that　he　could　not；　thanks　to

the　severity　of　the　laws；　raise　another　penny　upon　a　property　of　which

he　was　now；　as　it　were；　the　legal　guardian。



The　year　1818　ended　without　bringing　any　new　misfortune。　The　sisters

paid　the　costs　of　Jean's　education　and　met　all　the　expenses　of　the

household　out　of　the　thirteen　thousand　francs　a　year　from　the　sum

placed　in　the　Grand…Livre　in　Gabriel's　name；　which　he　punctually

remitted　to　them。　Monsieur　de　Solis　lost　his　uncle；　the　abbe；　in

December　of　that　year。



Early　in　January　Marguerite　learned　through　Martha　that　her　father　had

sold　his　collection　of　tulips；　also　the　furniture　of　the　front　house；

and　all　the　family　silver。　She　was　obliged　to　buy　back　the　spoons　and

forks　that　were　necessary　for　the　daily　service　of　the　table；　and

these　she　now　ordered　to　be　stamped　with　her　initials。　Until　that　day

Marguerite　had　kept　silence　towards　her　father　on　the　subject　of　his

depredations；　but　that　evening　after　dinner　she　requested　Felicie　to

leave　her　alone　with　him；　and　when　he　seated　himself　as　usual　by　the

corner　of　the　parlor　fireplace；　she　said：



〃My　dear　father；　you　are　the　master　here；　and　can　sell　everything；

even　your　children。　We　are　ready　to　obey　you　without　a　murmur；　but　I

am　forced　to　tell　you　that　we　are　without　money；　that　we　have　barely

enough　to　live　on；　and　that　Felicie　and　I　are　obliged　to　work　night

and　day　to　pay　for　the　schooling　of　little　Jean　with　the　price　of　the

lace　dress　we　are　now　making。　My　dear　father；　I　implore　you　to　give　up

your　researches。〃



〃You　are　right；　my　dear　child；　in　six　weeks　they　will　be　finished；　I

shall　have　found　the　Absolute；　or　the　Absolute　will　be　proved

undiscoverable。　You　will　have　millions〃



〃Give　us　meanwhile　the　bread　to　eat；〃　replied　Marguerite。



〃Bread？　is　there　no　bread　here？〃　said　Claes；　with　a　frightened　air。

〃No　bread　in　the　house　of　a　Claes！　What　has　become　of　our　property？〃



〃You　have　cut　down　the　forest　of　Waignies。　The　ground　has　not　been

cleared　and　is　therefore　unproductive。　As　for　your　farms　at　Orchies；

the　rents　scarcely　suffice　to　pay　the　interest　of　the　sums　you　have

borrowed〃



〃Then　what　are　we　living　on？〃　he　demanded。



Marguerite　held　up　her　needle　and　continued：



〃Gabriel's　income　helps　us；　but　it　is　insufficient；　I　can　make　both

ends　meet　at　the　close　of　the　year　if　you　do　not　overwhelm　me　with

bills　that　I　do　not　expect；　for　purchases　you　tell　me　nothing　about。

When　I　think　I　have　enough　to　meet　my　quarterly　expenses　some

unexpected　bill　for　potash；　or　zinc；　or　sulphur；　is　brought　to　me。〃



〃My　dear　child；　have　patience　for　six　weeks；　after　that；　I　will　be

judicious。　My　little　Marguerite；　you　shall　see　wonders。〃



〃It　is　time　you　should　think　of　your　affairs。　You　have　sold

everything；pictures；　tulips；　plate；　nothing　is　left。　At　least；

refrain　from　making　debts。〃



〃I　don't　wish　to　make　any　more！〃　he　said。



〃Any　more？〃　she　cried；　〃then　you　have　some？〃



〃Mere　trifles；〃　he　said；　but　he　dropped　his　eyes　and　colored。



For　the　first　time　in　her　life　Marguerite　felt　humiliated　by　the

lowering　of　her　father's　character；　and　suffered　from　it　so　much　that

she　dared　not　question　him。



A　month　after　this　scene　one　of　the　Douai　bankers　brought　a　bill　of

exchange　for　ten　thousand　francs　signed　by　Claes。　Marguerite　asked　the

banker　to　wait　a　day；　and　expressed　her　regret　that　she　had　not　been

notified　to　prepare　for　this　payment；　whereupon　he　informed　her　that

the　house　of　Protez　and　Chiffreville　held　nine　other　bills　to　the　same

amount；　falling　due　in　consecutive　months。



〃All　is　over！〃　cried　Marguerite；　〃the　time　has　come。〃



She　sent　for　her　father；　and