the alkahest-第34章

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Marguerite　superintended　the　buildings；　and　looked　after　her　contracts

and　leases　with　the　good　sense；　activity；　and　perseverance；　which

women　know　so　well　how　to　call　up　when　they　are　actuated　by　a　strong

sentiment。　By　the　fifth　year　she　was　able　to　apply　thirty　thousand

francs　from　the　rental　of　the　farms；　together　with　the　income　from　the

Funds　standing　in　her　brother's　name；　and　the　proceeds　of　her　father's

property；　towards　paying　off　the　mortgages　on　that　property；　and

repairing　the　devastation　which　her　father's　passion　had　wrought　in

the　old　mansion　of　the　Claes。　This　redemption　went　on　more　rapidly　as

the　interest　account　decreased。　Emmanuel　de　Solis　persuaded　Marguerite

to　take　the　remaining　one　hundred　thousand　francs　of　his　uncle's

bequest；　and　by　joining　to　it　twenty　thousand　francs　of　his　own

savings；　pay　off　in　the　third　year　of　her　management　a　large　slice　of

the　debts。　This　life　of　courage；　privation；　and　endurance　was　never

relaxed　for　five　years；　but　all　went　well；everything　prospered　under

the　administration　and　influence　of　Marguerite　Claes。



Gabriel；　now　holding　an　appointment　under　government　as　engineer　in

the　department　of　Roads　and　Bridges；　made　a　rapid　fortune；　aided　by

his　great…uncle；　in　a　canal　which　he　was　able　to　construct；　moreover；

he　succeeded　in　pleasing　his　cousin　Mademoiselle　Conyncks；　the　idol　of

her　father；　and　one　of　the　richest　heiresses　in　Flanders。　In　1824　the

whole　Claes　property　was　free；　and　the　house　in　the　rue　de　Paris　had

repaired　its　losses。　Pierquin　made　a　formal　application　to　Balthazar

for　the　hand　of　Felicie；　and　Monsieur　de　Solis　did　the　same　for　that

of　Marguerite。



At　the　beginning　of　January；　1825；　Marguerite　and　Monsieur　Conyncks

left　Douai　to　bring　home　the　exiled　father；　whose　return　was　eagerly

desired　by　all；　and　who　had　sent　in　his　resignation　that　he　might

return　to　his　family　and　crown　their　happiness　by　his　presence。

Marguerite　had　often　expressed　a　regret　at　not　being　able　to　replace

the　pictures　which　had　formerly　adorned　the　gallery　and　the　reception…

rooms；　before　the　day　when　her　father　would　return　as　master　of　his

house。　In　her　absence　Pierquin　and　Monsieur　de　Solis　plotted　with

Felicie　to　prepare　a　surprise　which　should　make　the　younger　sister　a

sharer　in　the　restoration　of　the　House　of　Claes。　The　two　bought　a

number　of　fine　pictures；　which　they　presented　to　Felicie　to　decorate

the　gallery。　Monsieur　Conyncks　had　thought　of　the　same　thing。　Wishing

to　testify　to　Marguerite　the　satisfaction　he　had　taken　in　her　noble

conduct　and　in　the　self…devotion　with　which　she　had　fulfilled　her

mother's　dying　mandate；　he　arranged　that　fifty　of　his　fine　pictures；

among　them　several　of　those　which　Balthazar　had　formerly　sold；　should

be　brought　to　Douai　in　Marguerite's　absence；　so　that　the　Claes　gallery

might　once　more　be　complete。



During　the　years　that　had　elapsed　since　Balthazar　Claes　left　his　home；

Marguerite　had　visited　her　father　several　times；　accompanied　by　her

sister　or　by　Jean。　Each　time　she　had　found　him　more　and　more　changed；

but　since　her　last　visit　old　age　had　come　upon　Balthazar　with　alarming

symptoms；　the　gravity　of　which　was　much　increased　by　the　parsimony

with　which　he　lived　that　he　might　spend　the　greater　part　of　his　salary

in　experiments　the　results　of　which　forever　disappointed　him。　Though

he　was　only　sixty…five　years　of　age；　he　appeared　to　be　eighty。　His

eyes　were　sunken　in　their　orbits；　his　eyebrows　had　whitened；　only　a

few　hairs　remained　as　a　fringe　around　his　skull；　he　allowed　his　beard

to　grow；　and　cut　it　off　with　scissors　when　its　length　annoyed　him；　he

was　bent　like　a　field…laborer；　and　the　condition　of　his　clothes　had

reached　a　degree　of　wretchedness　which　his　decrepitude　now　rendered

hideous。　Thought　still　animated　that　noble　face；　whose　features　were

scarcely　discernible　under　its　wrinkles；　but　the　fixity　of　the　eyes；　a

certain　desperation　of　manner；　a　restless　uneasiness；　were　all

diagnostics　of　insanity；　or　rather　of　many　forms　of　insanity。

Sometimes　a　flash　of　hope　gave　him　the　look　of　a　monomaniac；　at　other

times　impatient　anger　at　not　seizing　a　secret　which　flitted　before　his

eyes　like　a　will　o'　the　wisp　brought　symptoms　of　madness　into　his

face；　or　sudden　bursts　of　maniacal　laughter　betrayed　his

irrationality：　but　during　the　greater　part　of　the　time；　he　was　sunk　in

a　state　of　complete　depression　which　combined　all　the　phases　of

insanity　in　the　cold　melancholy　of　an　idiot。　However　fleeting　and

imperceptible　these　symptoms　may　have　been　to　the　eye　of　strangers；

they　were；　unfortunately；　only　too　plain　to　those　who　had　known

Balthazar　Claes　sublime　in　goodness；　noble　in　heart；　stately　in

person；a　Claes　of　whom；　alas；　scarcely　a　vestige　now　remained。



Lemulquinier；　grown　old　and　wasted　like　his　master　with　incessant

toil；　had　not；　like　him；　been　subjected　to　the　ravages　of　thought。　The

expression　of　the　old　valet's　face　showed　a　singular　mixture　of

anxiety　and　admiration　for　his　master　which　might　easily　have　misled

an　onlooker。　Though　he　listened　to　Balthazar's　words　with　respect；　and

followed　his　every　movement　with　tender　solicitude；　he　took　charge　of

the　servant　of　science　very　much　as　a　mother　takes　care　of　her　child；

and　even　seemed　to　protect　him；　because　in　the　vulgar　details　of　life；

to　which　Balthazar　gave　no　thought；　he　actually　did　protect　him。　These

old　men；　wrapped　in　one　idea；　confident　of　the　reality　of　their　hope；

stirred　by　the　same　breath；　the　one　representing　the　shell；　the　other

the　soul　of　their　mutual　existence；　formed　a　spectacle　at　once　tender

and　distressing。



When　Marguerite　and　Monsieur　Conyncks　arrived；　they　found　Claes　living

at　an　inn。　His　successor　had　not　been　kept　waiting；　and　was　already　in

possession　of　his　office。







CHAPTER　XV



Through　all　the　preoccupations　of　science；　the　desire　to　see　his

native　town；　his　house；　his　family；　agitated　Balthazar's　mind。　His

daughter's　letters　had　told　him　of　the　happy　family　events；　he　dreamed

of　crowning　his　career　by　a　series　of　experiments　that　must　lead　to

the　solution　of　the　great　Problem；　and　he　awaited　Marguerite's　arrival

with　extreme　impatience。



The　daughter　threw　herself　into　her　father's　arms　and　wept　for　joy。

This　time　she　came　to　seek　a　recompense　for　years　of　pain；　and　pardon

for　the　exercise　of　her　domestic　authority。　She　seemed　to　herself

criminal；　like　those　great　men　who　violate　the　liberties　of　the　people

for　the　safety　of　the　nation。　But　she　shuddered　as　she　now

contemplated　her　father　and　saw　the　change　which　had　taken　place　in

him　since　her　last　visit。　Monsieur　Conyncks　shared　the　secret　alarm　of

his　niece；　and　insisted　on　taking　Balthazar　as　soon　as　possible　to

Douai；　where　the　influence　of　his　native　place　might　restore　him　to

health　and　reason　amid　the　happiness　of　a　recovered　domestic　life。



After　the　first　transports　of　the　heart　were　over；which　were　far

warmer　on　Balthazar's　part　than　Marguerite　had　expected；he　showed　a

singular　state　of　feeling　towards　his　daughter。　He　expressed　regret　at

receiving　her　in　a　miserable　inn；　inquired　her　tastes　and　wishes；　and

asked　what　she　would　have　to　eat；　with　the　eagerness　of　a　lover；　his

manner　was　even　that　of　a　culprit　seeking　to　propitiate　a　judge。



Marguerite　knew　her　father　so　well　that　she　guessed　the　motive　of　this

solicitude；　she　felt　sure　he　had　contracted　debts　in　the　town　which　he

wished　to　pay　before　his　departure。　She　observed　him　carefully　for　a

time；　and　saw　the　human　heart　in　all　its　nakedness。　Balthazar　had

dwindled　from　his　true　self。　The　consciousness　of　his　abasement；　and

the　isolation　of　his　life　in　the　pursuit　of　science　made　him　timid　and

childish　in　all　matters　not　connected　with　his　favorite　occupations。

His　daughter　awed　him；　the　remembrance　of　her　past　devotion；　of　the

energy　she　had　displayed；　of　the　powers　he　had　allowed　her　to　take

away　from　him；　of　the　wealth　now　at　her　command；　and　the　indefinable

feelings　that　had　preyed　upon　him　ever　since　the　day　when　he　had

abdicated　a　paternity　he　had　long　neglected；all　these　things

affected　his　mind　towards　her；　and　increased　her　importance　in　his

eyes。　Conyncks　was　nothing　to　him　beside　Marguerite；　he　saw　only　his

daughter；　he　thought　only　of　her；　and　seemed　to　fear　her；　as　certain

weak　husbands　fear　a　superior　woman　who　rules　them。　When　he　raised　his

eyes　and　looked　at　her；　Marguerite　noticed　with　distress　an　expression

of　fear；　like　that　of　a　child　detected　in　a　fault。　The　noble　girl　was

unable　to　reconcile　the　majestic　and　terrible　expression　of　that　bald

head；　denuded　by　science　and　by　toil；　with　the　puerile　smile；　the

eager　servility　exhibited　on　the　lips　and　countenance　of　the　old　man。

She　suffered　from　the　contrast　of　that　greatness　to　that　littleness；

and　resolved　to　use　her　utmost　influence　to　restore　her　father's　sense

of　dignity　before　the　solemn　day　on　which　he　was　to　reappear　in　the

bosom　of　his　family。　Her　first　step　when　they　were　alone　was　to　ask

him；



〃Do　you　owe　anything　here？〃



Balthazar　colored；　and　replied　with　an　embarrassed　air：



〃I　don't　know；　but　Lemulquinier　can　tell　you。　That　worthy　fellow　knows

more　about　my　affairs　than　I　do　myself。〃



Marguerite　rang　for　the　valet：　when　he　came　she　studied；　almost

involuntarily；　the　faces　of　the　two　old　men。



〃What　does　monsieur　want？〃　asked　Lemulquinier。



Marguerite；　who　was　all　pride　and　dignity；　felt　an　oppression　at　her

heart　as　she　perceived　from　the　tone　and　manner　of　the　servant　that

some　mortifying　familiarity　had　grown　up　between　her　father　and　the

companion　of　his　labors。



〃My　father　cannot　make　out　the　account　of　what　he　owes　in　this　place

without　you；〃　she　said。



〃Monsieur；〃　began　Lemulquinier；　〃owes〃



At　these　words　Balthazar　made　a　sign　to　his　valet　which　Marguerite

intercepted；　it　humiliated　her。



〃Tell　me　all　that　my　father　owes；〃　she　said。



〃Monsieur　owes；　here；　about　three　thousand　francs　to　an　apothecary　who

is　a　wholesale　dealer　in　drugs；　he　has　supplied　us　with　pearl…ash　and

lead；　and　zinc　and　the　reagents〃



〃Is　that　all？〃　asked　Marguerite。



Again　Balthazar　made　a　sign　to　Lemulquinier；　who　replied；　as　if　under

a　spell；



〃Yes；　mademoiselle。〃



〃Very　good；〃　she　said；　〃I　will　give　them　to　you。〃



Balthazar　kissed　her　joyously　and　said；



〃You　are　an　angel；　my　child。〃



He　breathed　at　his　ease　and　glanced　at　her　with　eyes　that　were　less

sad；　and　yet；　in　spite　of　this　apparent　joy；　Marguerite　easily

detected　the　signs　of　deep　anxiety　upon　his　face；　and　felt　certain

that　the　three　thousand　francs　represented　only　the　pressing　debts　of

his　laboratory。



〃Be　frank　with　me；　father；〃　she　said；　letting　him　seat　her　on　his

knee；　〃you　owe　more　than　that。　Tell　me　all；　and　come　back　to　your　home

without　an　element　of　fear　in　the　midst　of　the　general　joy。〃



〃My　dear　Marguerite；〃　he　said；　t