the alkahest-第31章

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respect　the　presence　of　that　caged　lion；　whose　eyes；　full　of　baffled

power；　now　calmed　by　sadness　and　faded　from　excess　of　light；　seemed　to

proffer　a　prayer　for　charity　which　the　mouth　dared　not　utter。

Sometimes　a　lightning　flash　crossed　that　withered　face；　whose　fires

revived　at　the　conception　of　a　new　experiment；　then；　as　he　looked

about　the　parlor；　Balthazar's　eyes　would　fasten　on　the　spot　where　his

wife　had　died；　a　film　of　tears　rolled　like　hot　grains　of　sand　across

the　arid　pupils　of　his　eyes；　which　thought　had　made　immense；　and　his

head　fell　forward　on　his　breast。　Like　a　Titan　he　had　lifted　the　world；

and　the　world　fell　on　his　breast　and　crushed　him。



This　gigantic　grief；　so　manfully　controlled；　affected　Pierquin　and

Emmanuel　powerfully；　and　each　felt　moved　at　times　to　offer　this　man

the　necessary　money　to　renew　his　search；so　contagious　are　the

convictions　of　genius！　Both　understood　how　it　was　that　Madame　Claes

and　Marguerite　had　flung　their　all　into　this　gulf；　but　reason　promptly

checked　the　impulse　of　their　hearts；　and　their　emotion　was　spent　in

efforts　at　consolation　which　still　further　embittered　the　anguish　of

the　doomed　Titan。



Claes　never　spoke　of　his　eldest　daughter；　and　showed　no　interest　in

her　departure　nor　any　anxiety　as　to　her　silence　in　not　writing　either

to　him　or　to　Felicie。　When　de　Solis　or　Pierquin　asked　for　news　of　her

he　seemed　annoyed。　Did　he　suspect　that　Marguerite　was　working　against

him？　Was　he　humiliated　at　having　resigned　the　majestic　rights　of

paternity　to　his　own　child？　Had　he　come　to　love　her　less　because　she

was　now　the　father；　he　the　child？　Perhaps　there　were　many　of　these

reasons；　many　of　these　inexpressible　feelings　which　float　like　vapors

through　the　soul；　in　the　mute　disgrace　which　he　laid　upon　Marguerite。

However　great　may　be　the　great　men　of　earth；　be　they　known　or　unknown；

fortunate　or　unfortunate　in　their　endeavors；　all　have　likenesses　which

belong　to　human　nature。　By　a　double　misfortune　they　suffer　through

their　greatness　not　less　than　through　their　defects；　and　perhaps

Balthazar　needed　to　grow　accustomed　to　the　pangs　of　wounded　vanity。

The　life　he　was　leading；　the　evenings　when　these　four　persons　met

together　in　Marguerite's　absence；　were　full　of　sadness　and　vague；

uneasy　apprehensions。　The　days　were　barren　like　a　parched…up　soil；

where；　nevertheless；　a　few　flowers　grew；　a　few　rare　consolations；

though　without　Marguerite；　the　soul；　the　hope；　the　strength　of　the

family；　the　atmosphere　seemed　misty。



Two　months　went　by　in　this　way；　during　which　Balthazar　awaited　the

return　of　his　daughter。　Marguerite　was　brought　back　to　Douai　by　her

uncle　who　remained　at　the　house　instead　of　returning　to　Cambrai；　no

doubt　to　lend　the　weight　of　his　authority　to　some　coup　d'etat　planned

by　his　niece。　Marguerite's　return　was　made　a　family　fete。　Pierquin　and

Monsieur　de　Solis　were　invited　to　dinner　by　Felicie　and　Balthazar。

When　the　travelling…carriage　stopped　before　the　house；　the　four　went

to　meet　it　with　demonstrations　of　joy。　Marguerite　seemed　happy　to　see

her　home　once　more；　and　her　eyes　filled　with　tears　as　she　crossed　the

court…yard　to　reach　the　parlor。　When　embracing　her　father　she　colored

like　a　guilty　wife　who　is　unable　to　dissimulate；　but　her　face

recovered　its　serenity　as　she　looked　at　Emmanuel；　from　whom　she　seemed

to　gather　strength　to　complete　a　work　she　had　secretly　undertaken。



Notwithstanding　the　gaiety　which　animated　all　present　during　the

dinner；　father　and　daughter　watched　each　other　with　distrust　and

curiosity。　Balthazar　asked　his　daughter　no　questions　as　to　her　stay　in

Paris；　doubtless　to　preserve　his　parental　dignity。　Emmanuel　de　Solis

imitated　his　reserve；　but　Pierquin；　accustomed　to　be　told　all　family

secrets；　said　to　Marguerite；　concealing　his　curiosity　under　a　show　of

liveliness：



〃Well；　my　dear　cousin；　you　have　seen　Paris　and　the　theatres〃



〃I　have　seen　little　of　Paris；〃　she　said；　〃I　did　not　go　there　for

amusement。　The　days　went　by　sadly；　I　was　so　impatient　to　see　Douai

once　more。〃



〃Yes；　if　I　had　not　been　angry　about　it　she　would　not　have　gone　to　the

Opera；　and　even　there　she　was　uneasy；〃　said　Monsieur　Conyncks。



It　was　a　painful　evening；　every　one　was　embarrassed　and　smiled　vaguely

with　the　artificial　gaiety　which　hides　such　real　anxieties。　Marguerite

and　Balthazar　were　a　prey　to　cruel；　latent　fears　which　reacted　on　the

rest。　As　the　hours　passed；　the　bearing　of　the　father　and　daughter　grew

more　and　more　constrained。　Sometimes　Marguerite　tried　to　smile；　but

her　motions；　her　looks；　the　tones　of　her　voice　betrayed　a　keen

anxiety。　Messieurs　Conyncks　and　de　Solis　seemed　to　know　the　meaning　of

the　secret　feelings　which　agitated　the　noble　girl；　and　they　appeared

to　encourage　her　by　expressive　glances。　Balthazar；　hurt　at　being　kept

from　a　knowledge　of　the　steps　that　had　been　taken　on　his　behalf；

withdrew　little　by　little　from　his　children　and　friends；　and　pointedly

kept　silence。　Marguerite　would　no　doubt　soon　disclose　what　she　had

decided　upon　for　his　future。



To　a　great　man；　to　a　father；　the　situation　was　intolerable。　At　his　age

a　man　no　longer　dissimulates　in　his　own　family；　he　became　more　and

more　thoughtful；　serious；　and　grieved　as　the　hour　approached　when　he

would　be　forced　to　meet　his　civil　death。　This　evening　covered　one　of

those　crises　in　the　inner　life　of　man　which　can　only　be　expressed　by

imagery。　The　thunderclouds　were　gathering　in　the　sky；　people　were

laughing　in　the　fields；　all　felt　the　heat　and　knew　the　storm　was

coming；　but　they　held　up　their　heads　and　continued　on　their　way。

Monsieur　Conyncks　was　the　first　to　leave　the　room；　conducted　by

Balthazar　to　his　chamber。　During　the　latter's　absence　Pierquin　and

Monsieur　de　Solis　went　away。　Marguerite　bade　the　notary　good…night

with　much　affection；　she　said　nothing　to　Emmanuel；　but　she　pressed　his

hand　and　gave　him　a　tearful　glance。　She　sent　Felicie　away；　and　when

Claes　returned　to　the　parlor　he　found　his　daughter　alone。



〃My　kind　father；〃　she　said　in　a　trembling　voice；　〃nothing　could　have

made　me　leave　home　but　the　serious　position　in　which　we　found

ourselves；　but　now；　after　much　anxiety；　after　surmounting　the　greatest

difficulties；　I　return　with　some　chances　of　deliverance　for　all　of　us。

Thanks　to　your　name；　and　to　my　uncle's　influence；　and　to　the　support

of　Monsieur　de　Solis；　we　have　obtained　for　you　an　appointment　under

government　as　receiver　of　customs　in　Bretagne；　the　place　is　worth；

they　say；　eighteen　to　twenty　thousand　francs　a　year。　Our　uncle　has

given　bonds　as　your　security。　Here　is　the　nomination；〃　she　added；

drawing　a　paper　from　her　bag。　〃Your　life　in　Douai；　in　this　house；

during　the　coming　years　of　privation　and　sacrifice　would　be

intolerable　to　you。　Our　father　must　be　placed　in　a　situation　at　least

equal　to　that　in　which　he　has　always　lived。　I　ask　nothing　from　the

salary　you　will　receive　from　this　appointment；　employ　it　as　you　see

fit。　I　will　only　beg　you　to　remember　that　we　have　not　a　penny　of

income；　and　that　we　must　live　on　what　Gabriel　can　give　us　out　of　his。

The　town　shall　know　nothing　of　our　inner　life。　If　you　were　still　to

live　in　this　house　you　would　be　an　obstacle　to　the　means　my　sister　and

I　are　about　to　employ　to　restore　comfort　and　ease　to　the　home。　Have　I

abused　the　authority　you　gave　me　by　putting　you　in　a　position　to

remake　your　own　fortune？　In　a　few　years；　if　you　so　will；　you　can

easily　become　the　receiver…general。〃



〃In　other　words；　Marguerite；〃　said　Balthazar；　gently；　〃you　turn　me　out

of　my　own　house。〃



〃I　do　not　deserve　that　bitter　reproach；〃　replied　the　daughter；

quelling　the　tumultuous　beatings　of　her　heart。　〃You　will　come　back　to

us　in　a　manner　becoming　to　your　dignity。　Besides；　father；　I　have　your

promise。　You　are　bound　to　obey　me。　My　uncle　has　stayed　here　that　he

might　himself　accompany　you　to　Bretagne；　and　not　leave　you　to　make　the

journey　alone。〃



〃I　shall　not　go；〃　said　Balthazar；　rising；　〃I　need　no　help　from　any　one

to　restore　my　property　and　pay　what　I　owe　to　my　children。〃



〃It　would　be　better；　certainly；〃　replied　Marguerite；　calmly。　〃But　now

I　ask　you　to　reflect　on　our　respective　situations；　which　I　will

explain　in　a　few　words。　If　you　stay　in　this　house　your　children　will

leave　it；　so　that　you　may　remain　its　master。〃



〃Marguerite！〃　cried　Balthazar。



〃In　that　case；〃　she　said；　continuing　her　words　without　taking　notice

of　her　father's　anger；　〃it　will　be　necessary　to　notify　the　minister　of

your　refusal；　if　you　decide　not　to　accept　this　honorable　and　lucrative

post；　which；　in　spite　of　our　many　efforts；　we　should　never　have

obtained　but　for　certain　thousand…franc　notes　my　uncle　slipped　into

the　glove　of　a　lady。〃



〃My　children　leave　me！〃　he　exclaimed。



〃You　must　leave　us　or　we　must　leave　you；〃　she　said。　〃If　I　were　your

only　child；　I　should　do　as　my　mother　did；　without　murmuring　against　my

fate；　but　my　brothers　and　sister　shall　not　perish　beside　you　with

hunger　and　despair。　I　promised　it　to　her　who　died　there；〃　she　said；

pointing　to　the　place　where　her　mother's　bed　had　stood。　〃We　have

hidden　our　troubles　from　you；　we　have　suffered　in　silence；　our

strength　is　gone。　My　father；　we　are　not　on　the　edge　of　an　abyss；　we

are　at　the　bottom　of　it。　Courage　is　not　sufficient　to　drag　us　out　of

it；　our　efforts　must　not　be　incessantly　brought　to　nought　by　the

caprices　of　a　passion。〃



〃My　dear　children；〃　cried　Balthazar；　seizing　Marguerite's　hand；　〃I

will　help　you；　I　will　work；　I〃



〃Here　is　the　means；〃　she　answered；　showing　him　the　official　letter。



〃But；　my　darling；　the　means　you　offer　me　are　too　slow；　you　make　me

lose　the　fruits　of　ten　years'　work；　and　the　enormous　sums　of　money

which　my　laboratory　represents。　There；〃　he　said；　pointing　towards　the

garret；　〃are　our　real　resources。〃



Marguerite　walked　towards　the　door；　saying：



〃Father；　you　must　choose。〃



〃Ah！　my　daughter；　you　are　very　hard；〃　he　replied；　sitting　down　in　an

armchair　and　allowing　her　to　leave　him。



The　next　morning；　on　coming　downstairs；　Marguerite　learned　from

Lemulquinier　that　Monsieur　Claes　had　gone　out。　This　simple

announcement　turned　her　pale；　her　face　was　so　painfully　significant

that　the　old　valet　remarked　hastily：



〃Don't　be　troubled；　mademoiselle；　monsieur　said　he　would　be　back　at

eleven　o'clock　to　breakfast。　He　didn't　go　to　bed　all　night。　At　two　in

the　morning　he　was　still　standing　in　the　parlor；　looking　through　the

window　at　the　laboratory。　I　was　waiting　up　in　the　kitchen；　I　saw　him；

he　wept；　he　is　in　trouble。　Here's　the　famous　month　of　July　when　the

sun　is　able　to　enrich　us　all；　and　if　you　only　would〃



〃Enough；〃　said　Marguerite；　divining　the　thoughts　that　must　have

assailed　her　father's　mind。



A　phenomenon　which　often　takes　possession　of　persons　leading　sedentary

lives　had　seized　upon　Balthazar；　his　life　depended；　so　to　speak；　on

the　places　with　which　it　was　iden