the alkahest-第33章

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without　counting　what　I　am　to　inherit　from　my　uncle　des　Racquets；

which　is　likely　to　double　my　fortune　（not　that　I　wish　him　dead；　he　is

so　economical）；　and　I've　had　the　madness　to　ask　interest　from

Mademoiselle　Claes！　I　know　those　two　are　jeering　at　me　now！　I　mustn't

think　of　Marguerite　any　more。　No。　After　all；　Felicie　is　a　sweet；

gentle　little　creature；　who　will　suit　me　much　better。　Marguerite's

character　is　iron；　she　would　want　to　rule　meandshe　would　rule　me。

Come；　come；　let's　be　generous；　I　wish　I　was　not　so　much　of　a　lawyer：

am　I　never　to　get　that　harness　off　my　back？　Bless　my　soul！　I'll　begin

to　fall　in　love　with　Felicie；　and　I　won't　budge　from　that　sentiment。

She　will　have　a　farm　of　four　hundred　and　thirty　acres；　which；　sooner

or　later；　will　be　worth　twelve　or　fifteen　thousand　francs　a　year；　for

the　soil　about　Waignies　is　excellent。　Just　let　my　old　uncle　des

Racquets　die；　poor　dear　man；　and　I'll　sell　my　practice　and　be　a　man　of

leisure；　with　fiftythousandfrancsayear。　My　wife　is　a　Claes；

I'm　allied　to　the　great　families。　The　deuce！　we'll　see　if　those

Courtevilles　and　Magalhens　and　Savaron　de　Savarus　will　refuse　to　come

and　dine　with　a　Pierquin…Claes…Molina…Nourho。　I　shall　be　mayor　of

Douai；　I'll　obtain　the　cross；　and　get　to　be　deputyin　short；

everything。　Ha；　ha！　Pierquin；　my　boy；　now　keep　yourself　in　hand；　no

more　nonsense；　becauseyes；　on　my　word　of　honorFelicie

Mademoiselle　Felicie　Van　Claesloves　you！〃



When　the　lovers　were　left　alone　Emmanuel　held　out　his　hand　to

Marguerite；　who　did　not　refuse　to　put　her　right　hand　into　it。　They

rose　with　one　impulse　and　moved　towards　their　bench　in　the　garden；　but

as　they　reached　the　middle　of　the　parlor；　the　lover　could　not　resist

his　joy；　and；　in　a　voice　that　trembled　with　emotion；　he　said；



〃I　have　three　hundred　thousand　francs　of　yours。〃



〃What！〃　she　cried；　〃did　my　poor　mother　entrust　them　to　you？　No？　then

where　did　you　get　them？〃



〃Oh；　my　Marguerite！　all　that　is　mine　is　yours。　Was　it　not　you　who

first　said　the　word　'ourselves'？〃



〃Dear　Emmanuel！〃　she　exclaimed；　pressing　the　hand　which　still　held

hers；　and　then；　instead　of　going　into　the　garden；　she　threw　herself

into　a　low　chair。



〃It　is　for　me　to　thank　you；〃　he　said；　with　the　voice　of　love；　〃since

you　accept　all。〃



〃Oh；　my　dear　beloved　one；〃　she　cried；　〃this　moment　effaces　many　a

grief　and　brings　the　happy　future　nearer。　Yes；　I　accept　your　fortune；〃

she　continued；　with　the　smile　of　an　angel　upon　her　lips；　〃I　know　the

way　to　make　it　mine。〃



She　looked　up　at　the　picture　of　Van　Claes　as　if　calling　him　to

witness。　The　young　man's　eyes　followed　those　of　Marguerite；　and　he　did

not　notice　that　she　took　a　ring　from　her　finger　until　he　heard　the

words：



〃From　the　depths　of　our　greatest　misery　one　comfort　rises。　My　father's

indifference　leaves　me　the　free　disposal　of　myself；〃　she　said；　holding

out　the　ring。　〃Take　it；　Emmanuel。　My　mother　valued　youshe　would　have

chosen　you。〃



The　young　man　turned　pale　with　emotion　and　fell　on　his　knees　beside

her；　offering　in　return　a　ring　which　he　always　wore。



〃This　is　my　mother's　wedding…ring；〃　he　said；　kissing　it。　〃My

Marguerite；　am　I　to　have　no　other　pledge　than　this？〃



She　stooped　a　little　till　her　forehead　met　his　lips。



〃Alas；　dear　love；〃　she　said；　greatly　agitated；　〃are　we　not　doing

wrong？　We　have　so　long　to　wait！〃



〃My　uncle　used　to　say　that　adoration　was　the　daily　bread　of　patience；

he　spoke　of　Christians　who　love　God。　That　is　how　I　love　you；　I　have

long　mingled　my　love　for　you　with　my　love　for　Him。　I　am　yours　as　I　am

His。〃



They　remained　for　a　few　moments　in　the　power　of　this　sweet　enthusiasm。

It　was　the　calm；　sincere　effusion　of　a　feeling　which；　like　an

overflowing　spring；　poured　forth　its　superabundance　in　little

wavelets。　The　events　which　separated　these　lovers　produced　a

melancholy　which　only　made　their　happiness　the　keener；　giving　it　a

sense　of　something　sharp；　like　pain。



Felicie　came　back　too　soon。　Emmanuel；　inspired　by　that　delightful　tact

of　love　which　discerns　all　feelings；　left　the　sisters　alone；

exchanging　a　look　with　Marguerite　to　let　her　know　how　much　this

discretion　cost　him；　how　hungry　his　soul　was　for　that　happiness　so

long　desired；　which　had　just　been　consecrated　by　the　betrothal　of

their　hearts。



〃Come　here；　little　sister；〃　said　Marguerite；　taking　Felicie　round　the

neck。　Then；　passing　into　the　garden　they　sat　down　on　the　bench　where

generation　after　generation　had　confided　to　listening　hearts　their

words　of　love；　their　sighs　of　grief；　their　meditations　and　their

projects。　In　spite　of　her　sister's　joyous　tone　and　lively　manner；

Felicie　experienced　a　sensation　that　was　very　like　fear。　Marguerite

took　her　hand　and　felt　it　tremble。



〃Mademoiselle　Felicie；〃　said　the　elder；　with　her　lips　at　her　sister's

ear。　〃I　read　your　soul。　Pierquin　has　been　here　often　in　my　absence；

and　he　has　said　sweet　words　to　you；　and　you　have　listened　to　them。〃

Felicie　blushed。　〃Don't　defend　yourself；　my　angel；〃　continued

Marguerite；　〃it　is　so　natural　to　love！　Perhaps　your　dear　nature　will

improve　his；　he　is　egotistical　and　self…interested；　but　for　all　that

he　is　a　good　man；　and　his　defects　may　even　add　to　your　happiness。　He

will　love　you　as　the　best　of　his　possessions；　you　will　be　a　part　of

his　business　affairs。　Forgive　me　this　one　word；　dear　love；　you　will

soon　correct　the　bad　habit　he　has　acquired　of　seeing　money　in

everything；　by　teaching　him　the　business　of　the　heart。〃



Felicie　could　only　kiss　her　sister。



〃Besides；〃　added　Marguerite；　〃he　has　property；　and　his　family　belongs

to　the　highest　and　the　oldest　bourgeoisie。　But　you　don't　think　I　would

oppose　your　happiness　even　if　the　conditions　were　less　prosperous；　do

you？〃



Felicie　let　fall　the　words；　〃Dear　sister。〃



〃Yes；　you　may　confide　in　me；〃　cried　Marguerite；　〃sisters　can　surely

tell　each　other　their　secrets。〃



These　words；　so　full　of　heartiness；　opened　the　way　to　one　of　those

delightful　conversations　in　which　young　girls　tell　all。　When

Marguerite；　expert　in　love；　reached　an　understanding　of　the　real　state

of　Felicie's　heart；　she　wound　up　their　talk　by　saying：



〃Well；　dear　child；　let　us　make　sure　he　truly　loves　you；　andthen〃



〃Ah！〃　cried　Felicie；　laughing；　〃leave　me　to　my　own　devices；　I　have　a

model　before　my　eyes。〃



〃Saucy　child！〃　exclaimed　Marguerite；　kissing　her。



Though　Pierquin　belonged　to　the　class　of　men　who　regard　marriage　as

the　accomplishment　of　a　social　duty　and　the　means　of　transmitting

property；　and　though　he　was　indifferent　to　which　sister　he　should

marry　so　long　as　both　had　the　same　name　and　the　same　dower；　he　did

perceive　that　the　two　were；　to　use　his　own　expression；　〃romantic　and

sentimental　girls；〃　adjectives　employed　by　commonplace　people　to

ridicule　the　gifts　which　Nature　sows　with　grudging　hand　along　the

furrows　of　humanity。　The　lawyer　no　doubt　said　to　himself　that　he　had

better　swim　with　the　stream；　and　accordingly　the　next　day　he　came　to

see　Marguerite；　and　took　her　mysteriously　into　the　little　garden；

where　he　began　to　talk　sentiment；that　being　one　of　the　clauses　of

the　primal　contract　which；　according　to　social　usage；　must　precede　the

notarial　contract。



〃Dear　cousin；〃　he　said；　〃you　and　I　have　not　always　been　of　one　mind　as

to　the　best　means　of　bringing　your　affairs　to　a　happy　conclusion；　but

you　do　now；　I　am　sure；　admit　that　I　have　always　been　guided　by　a　great

desire　to　be　useful　to　you。　Well；　yesterday　I　spoiled　my　offer　by　a

fatal　habit　which　the　legal　profession　forces　upon　usyou　understand

me？　My　heart　did　not　share　in　the　folly。　I　have　loved　you　well；　but　I

have　a　certain　perspicacity；　legal　perhaps；　which　obliges　me　to　see

that　I　do　not　please　you。　It　is　my　own　fault；　another　has　been　more

successful　than　I。　Well；　I　come　now　to　tell　you；　like　an　honest　man；

that　I　sincerely　love　your　sister　Felicie。　Treat　me　therefore　as　a

brother；　accept　my　purse；　take　what　you　will　from　it；the　more　you

take　the　better　you　prove　your　regard　for　me。　I　am　wholly　at　your

serviceWITHOUT　INTEREST；　you　understand；　neither　at　twelve　nor　at

one　quarter　per　cent。　Let　me　be　thought　worthy　of　Felicie；　that　is　all

I　ask。　Forgive　my　defects；　they　come　from　business　habits；　my　heart　is

good；　and　I　would　fling　myself　into　the　Scarpe　sooner　than　not　make　my

wife　happy。〃



〃This　is　all　satisfactory；　cousin；〃　answered　Marguerite；　〃but　my

sister's　choice　depends　upon　herself　and　also　on　my　father's　will。〃



〃I　know　that；　my　dear　cousin；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃but　you　are　the

mother　of　the　whole　family；　and　I　have　nothing　more　at　heart　than　that

you　should　judge　me　rightly。〃



This　conversation　paints　the　mind　of　the　honest　notary。　Later　in　life；

Pierquin　became　celebrated　by　his　reply　to　the　commanding　officer　at

Saint…Omer；　who　had　invited　him　to　be　present　at　a　military　fete；　the

note　ran　as　follows：　〃Monsieur　Pierquin…Claes　de　Molina…Nourho；　mayor

of　the　city　of　Douai；　chevalier　of　the　Legion　of　honor；　will　have　THAT

of　being　present；　etc。〃



Marguerite　accepted　the　lawyer's　offer　only　so　far　as　it　related　to

his　professional　services；　so　that　she　might　not　in　any　degree

compromise　either　her　own　dignity　as　a　woman；　or　her　sister's　future；

or　her　father's　authority。



The　next　day　she　confided　Felicie　to　the　care　of　Martha　and　Josette

（who　vowed　themselves　body　and　soul　to　their　young　mistress；　and

seconded　all　her　economies）；　and　started　herself　for　Waignies；　where

she　began　operations；　which　were　judiciously　overlooked　and　directed

by　Pierquin。　Devotion　was　now　set　down　as　a　good　speculation　in　the

mind　of　that　worthy　man；　his　care　and　trouble　were　in　fact　an

investment；　and　he　had　no　wish　to　be　niggardly　in　making　it。　First　he

contrived　to　save　Marguerite　the　trouble　of　clearing　the　land　and

working　the　ground　intended　for　the　farms。　He　found　three　young　men；

sons　of　rich　farmers；　who　were　anxious　to　settle　themselves　in　life；

and　he　succeeded；　through　the　prospect　he　held　out　to　them　of　the

fertility　of　the　land；　in　making　them　take　leases　of　the　three　farms

on　which　the　buildings　were　to　be　constructed。　To　gain　possession　of

the　farms　rent…free　for　three　years　the　tenants　bound　themselves　to

pay　ten　thousand　francs　a　year　the　fourth　year；　twelve　thousand　the

sixth　year；　and　fifteen　thousand　for　the　remainder　of　the　term；　to

drain　the　land；　make　the　plantations；　and　purchase　the　cattle。　While

the　buildings　were　being　put　up　the　farmers　were　to　clear　the　land。



Four　years　after　Balthazar　Claes's　departure　from　his　home　Marguerite

had　almost　recovered　the　property　of　her　brothers　and　sister。　Two

hundred　thousand　francs；　lent　to　her　by　Emmanuel；　had　sufficed　to　put

up　the　farm　buildings。　Neither　help　nor　counsel　was　withheld　from　the

brave　girl；　whose　conduct　excited　the　admiration　of　the　whole　town。

Marguerite　superintended　the　buildings；　and　looked　after　her　con