the alkahest-第3章

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native　town；　proposed；　it　is　said；　to　Van　Claes　to　let　him　escape　if

he　would　give　him　Van　Huysum's　great　work；　but　the　weaver　had　already

despatched　it　to　Douai。



The　parlor；　whose　walls　were　entirely　panelled　with　this　carving；

which　Van　Huysum；　out　of　regard　for　the　martyr's　memory；　came　to　Douai

to　frame　in　wood　painted　in　lapis…lazuli　with　threads　of　gold；　is

therefore　the　most　complete　work　of　this　master；　whose　least　carvings

now　sell　for　nearly　their　weight　in　gold。　Hanging　over　the　fire…place；

Van　Claes　the　martyr；　painted　by　Titian　in　his　robes　as　president　of

the　Court　of　Parchons；　still　seemed　the　head　of　the　family；　who

venerated　him　as　their　greatest　man。　The　chimney…piece；　originally　in

stone　with　a　very　high　mantle…shelf；　had　been　made　over　in　marble

during　the　last　century；　on　it　now　stood　an　old　clock　and　two

candlesticks　with　five　twisted　branches；　in　bad　taste；　but　of　solid

silver。　The　four　windows　were　draped　by　wide　curtains　of　red　damask

with　a　flowered　black　design；　lined　with　white　silk；　the　furniture；

covered　with　the　same　material；　had　been　renovated　in　the　time　of

Louis　XIV。　The　floor；　evidently　modern；　was　laid　in　large　squares　of

white　wood　bordered　with　strips　of　oak。　The　ceiling；　formed　of　many

oval　panels；　in　each　of　which　Van　Huysum　had　carved　a　grotesque　mask；

had　been　respected　and　allowed　to　keep　the　brown　tones　of　the　native

Dutch　oak。



In　the　four　corners　of　this　parlor　were　truncated　columns；　supporting

candelabra　exactly　like　those　on　the　mantle…shelf；　and　a　round　table

stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　Along　the　walls　card…tables　were

symmetrically　placed。　On　two　gilded　consoles　with　marble　slabs　there

stood；　at　the　period　when　this　history　begins；　two　glass　globes　filled

with　water；　in　which；　above　a　bed　of　sand　and　shells；　red　and　gold　and

silver　fish　were　swimming　about。　The　room　was　both　brilliant　and

sombre。　The　ceiling　necessarily　absorbed　the　light　and　reflected　none。

Although　on　the　garden　side　all　was　bright　and　glowing；　and　the

sunshine　danced　upon　the　ebony　carvings；　the　windows　on　the　court…yard

admitted　so　little　light　that　the　gold　threads　in　the　lapis…lazuli

scarcely　glittered　on　the　opposite　wall。　This　parlor；　which　could　be

gorgeous　on　a　fine　day；　was　usually；　under　the　Flemish　skies；　filled

with　soft　shadows　and　melancholy　russet　tones；　like　those　shed　by　the

sun　on　the　tree…tops　of　the　forests　in　autumn。



It　is　unnecessary　to　continue　this　description　of　the　House　of　Claes；

in　other　parts　of　which　many　scenes　of　this　history　will　occur：　at

present；　it　is　enough　to　make　known　its　general　arrangement。







CHAPTER　II



Towards　the　end　of　August；　1812；　on　a　Sunday　evening　after　vespers；　a

woman　was　sitting　in　a　deep　armchair　placed　before　one　of　the　windows

looking　out　upon　the　garden。　The　sun's　rays　fell　obliquely　upon　the

house　and　athwart　the　parlor；　breaking　into　fantastic　lights　on　the

carved　panellings　of　the　wall；　and　wrapping　the　woman　in　a　crimson

halo　projected　through　the　damask　curtains　which　draped　the　window。

Even　an　ordinary　painter；　had　he　sketched　this　woman　at　this

particular　moment；　would　assuredly　have　produced　a　striking　picture　of

a　head　that　was　full　of　pain　and　melancholy。　The　attitude　of　the　body；

and　that　of　the　feet　stretched　out　before　her；　showed　the　prostration

of　one　who　loses　consciousness　of　physical　being　in　the　concentration

of　powers　absorbed　in　a　fixed　idea：　she　was　following　its　gleams　in

the　far　future；　just　as　sometimes　on　the　shores　of　the　sea；　we　gaze　at

a　ray　of　sunlight　which　pierces　the　clouds　and　draws　a　luminous　line

to　the　horizon。



The　hands　of　this　woman　hung　nerveless　outside　the　arms　of　her　chair；

and　her　head；　as　if　too　heavy　to　hold　up；　lay　back　upon　its　cushions。

A　dress　of　white　cambric；　very　full　and　flowing；　hindered　any　judgment

as　to　the　proportions　of　her　figure；　and　the　bust　was　concealed　by　the

folds　of　a　scarf　crossed　on　the　bosom　and　negligently　knotted。　If　the

light　had　not　thrown　into　relief　her　face；　which　she　seemed　to　show　in

preference　to　the　rest　of　her　person；　it　would　still　have　been

impossible　to　escape　riveting　the　attention　exclusively　upon　it。　Its

expression　of　stupefaction；　which　was　cold　and　rigid　despite　hot　tears

that　were　rolling　from　her　eyes；　would　have　struck　the　most

thoughtless　mind。　Nothing　is　more　terrible　to　behold　than　excessive

grief　that　is　rarely　allowed　to　break　forth；　of　which　traces　were　left

on　this　woman's　face　like　lava　congealed　about　a　crater。　She　might

have　been　a　dying　mother　compelled　to　leave　her　children　in　abysmal

depths　of　wretchedness；　unable　to　bequeath　them　to　any　human

protector。



The　countenance　of　this　lady；　then　about　forty　years　of　age　and　not

nearly　so　far　from　handsome　as　she　had　been　in　her　youth；　bore　none　of

the　characteristics　of　a　Flemish　woman。　Her　thick　black　hair　fell　in

heavy　curls　upon　her　shoulders　and　about　her　cheeks。　The　forehead；

very　prominent；　and　narrow　at　the　temples；　was　yellow　in　tint；　but

beneath　it　sparkled　two　black　eyes　that　were　capable　of　emitting

flames。　Her　face；　altogether　Spanish；　dark　skinned；　with　little　color

and　pitted　by　the　small…pox；　attracted　the　eye　by　the　beauty　of　its

oval；　whose　outline；　though　slightly　impaired　by　time；　preserved　a

finished　elegance　and　dignity；　and　regained　at　times　its　full

perfection　when　some　effort　of　the　soul　restored　its　pristine　purity。

The　most　noticeable　feature　in　this　strong　face　was　the　nose；　aquiline

as　the　beak　of　an　eagle；　and　so　sharply　curved　at　the　middle　as　to

give　the　idea　of　an　interior　malformation；　yet　there　was　an　air　of

indescribable　delicacy　about　it；　and　the　partition　between　the

nostrils　was　so　thin　that　a　rosy　light　shone　through　it。　Though　the

lips；　which　were　large　and　curved；　betrayed　the　pride　of　noble　birth；

their　expression　was　one　of　kindliness　and　natural　courtesy。



The　beauty　of　this　vigorous　yet　feminine　face　might　indeed　be

questioned；　but　the　face　itself　commanded　attention。　Short；　deformed；

and　lame；　this　woman　remained　all　the　longer　unmarried　because　the

world　obstinately　refused　to　credit　her　with　gifts　of　mind。　Yet　there

were　men　who　were　deeply　stirred　by　the　passionate　ardor　of　that　face

and　its　tokens　of　ineffable　tenderness；　and　who　remained　under　a　charm

that　was　seemingly　irreconcilable　with　such　personal　defects。



She　was　very　like　her　grandfather；　the　Duke　of　Casa…Real；　a　grandee　of

Spain。　At　this　moment；　when　we　first　see　her；　the　charm　which　in

earlier　days　despotically　grasped　the　soul　of　poets　and　lovers　of

poesy　now　emanated　from　that　head　with　greater　vigor　than　at　any

former　period　of　her　life；　spending　itself；　as　it　were；　upon　the　void；

and　expressing　a　nature　of　all…powerful　fascination　over　men；　though

it　was　at　the　same　time　powerless　over　destiny。



When　her　eyes　turned　from　the　glass　globes；　where　they　were　gazing　at

the　fish　they　saw　not；　she　raised　them　with　a　despairing　action；　as　if

to　invoke　the　skies。　Her　sufferings　seemed　of　a　kind　that　are　told　to

God　alone。　The　silence　was　unbroken　save　for　the　chirp　of　crickets　and

the　shrill　whirr　of　a　few　locusts；　coming　from　the　little　garden　then

hotter　than　an　oven；　and　the　dull　sound　of　silver　and　plates；　and　the

moving　of　chairs　in　the　adjoining　room；　where　a　servant　was　preparing

to　serve　the　dinner。



At　this　moment；　the　distressed　woman　roused　herself　from　her

abstraction　and　listened　attentively；　she　took　her　handkerchief；　wiped

away　her　tears；　attempted　to　smile；　and　so　resolutely　effaced　the

expression　of　pain　that　was　stamped　on　every　feature　that　she

presently　seemed　in　the　state　of　happy　indifference　which　comes　with　a

life　exempt　from　care。　Whether　it　were　that　the　habit　of　living　in

this　house　to　which　infirmities　confined　her　enabled　her　to　perceive

certain　natural　effects　that　are　imperceptible　to　the　senses　of

others；　but　which　persons　under　the　influence　of　excessive　feeling　are

keen　to　discover；　or　whether　Nature；　in　compensation　for　her　physical

defects；　had　given　her　more　delicate　sensations　than　better　organized

beings；it　is　certain　that　this　woman　had　heard　the　steps　of　a　man　in

a　gallery　built　above　the　kitchens　and　the　servants'　hall；　by　which

the　front　house　communicated　with　the　〃back…quarter。〃　The　steps　grew

more　distinct。　Soon；　without　possessing　the　power　of　this　ardent

creature　to　abolish　space　and　meet　her　other　self；　even　a　stranger

would　have　heard　the　foot…fall　of　a　man　upon　the　staircase　which　led

down　from　the　gallery　to　the　parlor。



The　sound　of　that　step　would　have　startled　the　most　heedless　being

into　thought；　it　was　impossible　to　hear　it　coolly。　A　precipitate；

headlong　step　produces　fear。　When　a　man　springs　forward　and　cries；

〃Fire！〃　his　feet　speak　as　loudly　as　his　voice。　If　this　be　so；　then　a

contrary　gait　ought　not　to　cause　less　powerful　emotion。　The　slow

approach；　the　dragging　step　of　the　coming　man　might　have　irritated　an

unreflecting　spectator；　but　an　observer；　or　a　nervous　person；　would

undoubtedly　have　felt　something　akin　to　terror　at　the　measured　tread

of　feet　that　seemed　devoid　of　life；　and　under　which　the　stairs　creaked

loudly；　as　though　two　iron　weights　were　striking　them　alternately。　The

mind　recognized　at　once　either　the　heavy；　undecided　step　of　an　old　man

or　the　majestic　tread　of　a　great　thinker　bearing　the　worlds　with　him。



When　the　man　had　reached　the　lowest　stair；　and　had　planted　both　feet

upon　the　tiled　floor　with　a　hesitating；　uncertain　movement；　he　stood

still　for　a　moment　on　the　wide　landing　which　led　on　one　side　to　the

servants'　hall；　and　on　the　other　to　the　parlor　through　a　door

concealed　in　the　panelling　of　that　room；as　was　another　door；　leading

from　the　parlor　to　the　dining…room。　At　this　moment　a　slight　shudder；

like　the　sensation　caused　by　an　electric　spark；　shook　the　woman　seated

in　the　armchair；　then　a　soft　smile　brightened　her　lips；　and　her　face；

moved　by　the　expectation　of　a　pleasure；　shone　like　that　of　an　Italian

Madonna。　She　suddenly　gained　strength　to　drive　her　terrors　back　into

the　depths　of　her　heart。　Then　she　turned　her　face　to　the　panel　of　the

wall　which　she　knew　was　about　to　open；　and　which　in　fact　was　now

pushed　in　with　such　brusque　violence　that　the　poor　woman　herself

seemed　jarred　by　the　shock。



Balthazar　Claes　suddenly　appeared；　made　a　few　steps　forward；　did　not

look　at　the　woman；　or　if　he　looked　at　her　did　not　see　her；　and　stood

erect　in　the　middle　of　the　parlor；　leaning　his　half…bowed　head　on　his

right　hand。　A　sharp　pang　to　which　the　woman　could　not　accustom

herself；　although　it　was　daily　renewed；　wrung　her　heart；　dispelled　her

smile；　contracted　the　sallow　forehead　between　the　eyebrows；　indenting

that　line　which　the　frequent　expression　of　excessive　feeling　scores　so

deeply；　her　eyes　filled　with　tears；　but　she　wiped　them　quickly　as　she

looked　at　Balthazar。



It　was　impossible　not　to　be