the alkahest-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



eventually　equal　to　his　own。　The　house　of　Claes　still　maintained　its

moderate　scale　of　living；　and　bought　woodlands　somewhat　the　worse　for

wars　that　had　laid　waste　the　country；　but　which　in　ten　years'　time；　if

well…preserved；　would　return　an　enormous　value。



The　upper　ranks　of　society　in　Douai；　which　Monsieur　Claes　frequented；

appreciated　so　justly　the　noble　character　and　qualities　of　his　wife

that；　by　tacit　consent　she　was　released　from　those　social　duties　to

which　the　provinces　cling　so　tenaciously。　During　the　winter　season；

when　she　lived　in　town；　she　seldom　went　into　society；　society　came　to

her。　She　received　every　Wednesday；　and　gave　three　grand　dinners　every

month。　Her　friends　felt　that　she　was　more　at　ease　in　her　own　house；

where；　indeed；　her　passion　for　her　husband　and　the　care　she　bestowed

on　the　education　of　her　children　tended　to　keep　her。



Such　had　been；　up　to　the　year　1809；　the　general　course　of　this

household；　which　had　nothing　in　common　with　the　ordinary　run　of

conventional　ideas；　though　the　outward　life　of　these　two　persons；

secretly　full　of　love　and　joy；　was　like　that　of　other　people。

Balthazar　Claes's　passion　for　his　wife；　which　she　had　known　how　to

perpetuate；　seemed；　to　use　his　own　expression；　to　spend　its　inborn

vigor　and　fidelity　on　the　cultivation　of　happiness；　which　was　far

better　than　the　cultivation　of　tulips　（though　to　that　he　had　always

had　a　leaning）；　and　dispensed　him　from　the　duty　of　following　a　mania

like　his　ancestors。



At　the　close　of　this　year；　the　mind　and　the　manners　of　Balthazar　Claes

underwent　a　fatal　change；a　change　which　began　so　gradually　that　at

first　Madame　Claes　did　not　think　it　necessary　to　inquire　the　cause。

One　night　her　husband　went　to　bed　with　a　mind　so　preoccupied　that　she

felt　it　incumbent　on　her　to　respect　his　mood。　Her　womanly　delicacy　and

her　submissive　habits　always　led　her　to　wait　for　Balthazar's

confidence；　which；　indeed；　was　assured　to　her　by　so　constant　an

affection　that　she　had　never　had　the　slightest　opening　for　jealousy。

Though　certain　of　obtaining　an　answer　whenever　she　should　make　the

inquiry；　she　still　retained　enough　of　the　earlier　impressions　of　her

life　to　dread　a　refusal。　Besides；　the　moral　malady　of　her　husband　had

its　phases；　and　only　came　by　slow　degrees　to　the　intolerable　point　at

which　it　destroyed　the　happiness　of　the　family。



However　occupied　Balthazar　Claes　might　be；　he　continued　for　several

months　cheerful；　affectionate；　and　ready　to　talk；　the　change　in　his

character　showed　itself　only　by　frequent　periods　of　absent…mindedness。

Madame　Claes　long　hoped　to　hear　from　her　husband　himself　the　nature　of

the　secret　employment　in　which　he　was　engaged；　perhaps；　she　thought；

he　would　reveal　it　when　it　developed　some　useful　result；　many　men　are

led　by　pride　to　conceal　the　nature　of　their　efforts；　and　only　make

them　known　at　the　moment　of　success。　When　the　day　of　triumph　came；

surely　domestic　happiness　would　return；　more　vivid　than　ever　when

Balthazar　became　aware　of　this　chasm　in　the　life　of　love；　which　his

heart　would　surely　disavow。　Josephine　knew　her　husband　well　enough　to

be　certain　that　he　would　never　forgive　himself　for　having　made　his

Pepita　less　than　happy　during　several　months。



She　kept　silence　therefore；　and　felt　a　sort　of　joy　in　thus　suffering

by　him　for　him：　her　passion　had　a　tinge　of　that　Spanish　piety　which

allows　no　separation　between　religion　and　love；　and　believes　in　no

sentiment　without　suffering。　She　waited　for　the　return　of　her

husband's　affection；　saying　daily　to　herself；　〃To…morrow　it　may　come；〃

treating　her　happiness　as　though　it　were　an　absent　friend。



During　this　stage　of　her　secret　distress；　she　conceived　her　last

child。　Horrible　crisis；　which　revealed　a　future　of　anguish！　In　the

midst　of　her　husband's　abstractions　love　showed　itself　on　this

occasion　an　abstraction　even　greater　than　the　rest。　Her　woman's　pride；

hurt　for　the　first　time；　made　her　sound　the　depths　of　the　unknown

abyss　which　separated　her　from　the　Claes　of　earlier　days。　From　that

time　Balthazar's　condition　grew　rapidly　worse。　The　man　formerly　so

wrapped　up　in　his　domestic　happiness；　who　played　for　hours　with　his

children　on　the　parlor　carpet　or　round　the　garden　paths；　who　seemed

able　to　exist　only　in　the　light　of　his　Pepita's　dark　eyes；　did　not

even　perceive　her　pregnancy；　seldom　shared　the　family　life；　and　even

forgot　his　own。



The　longer　Madame　Claes　postponed　inquiring　into　the　cause　of　his

preoccupation　the　less　she　dared　to　do　so。　At　the　very　idea；　her　blood

ran　cold　and　her　voice　grew　faint。　At　last　the　thought　occurred　to　her

that　she　had　ceased　to　please　her　husband；　and　then　indeed　she　was

seriously　alarmed。　That　fear　now　filled　her　mind；　drove　her　to

despair；　then　to　feverish　excitement；　and　became　the　text　of　many　an

hour　of　melancholy　reverie。　She　defended　Balthazar　at　her　own　expense；

calling　herself　old　and　ugly；　then　she　imagined　a　generous　though

humiliating　consideration　for　her　in　this　secret　occupation　by　which

he　secured　to　her　a　negative　fidelity；　and　she　resolved　to　give　him

back　his　independence　by　allowing　one　of　those　unspoken　divorces　which

make　the　happiness　of　many　a　marriage。



Before　bidding　farewell　to　conjugal　life；　Madame　Claes　made　some

attempt　to　read　her　husband's　heart；　and　found　it　closed。　Little　by

little；　she　saw　him　become　indifferent　to　all　that　he　had　formerly

loved；　he　neglected　his　tulips；　he　cared　no　longer　for　his　children。

There　could　be　no　doubt　that　he　was　given　over　to　some　passion　that

was　not　of　the　heart；　but　which；　to　a　woman's　mind；　is　not　less

withering。　His　love　was　dormant；　not　lost：　this　might　be　a

consolation；　but　the　misfortune　remained　the　same。



The　continuance　of　such　a　state　of　things　is　explained　by　one　word；

hope；　the　secret　of　all　conjugal　situations。　It　so　happened　that

whenever　the　poor　woman　reached　a　depth　of　despair　which　gave　her

courage　to　question　her　husband；　she　met　with　a　few　brief　moments　of

happiness　when　she　was　able　to　feel　that　if　Balthazar　was　indeed　in

the　clutch　of　some　devilish　power；　he　was　permitted；　sometimes　at

least；　to　return　to　himself。　At　such　moments；　when　her　heaven

brightened；　she　was　too　eager　to　enjoy　its　happiness　to　trouble　him

with　importunate　questions：　later；　when　she　endeavored　to　speak　to

him；　he　would　suddenly　escape；　leave　her　abruptly；　or　drop　into　the

gulf　of　meditation　from　which　no　word　of　hers　could　drag　him。



Before　long　the　reaction　of　the　moral　upon　the　physical　condition

began　its　ravages；at　first　imperceptibly；　except　to　the　eyes　of　a

loving　woman　following　the　secret　thought　of　a　husband　through　all　its

manifestations。　Often　she　could　scarcely　restrain　her　tears　when　she

saw　him；　after　dinner；　sink　into　an　armchair　by　the　corner　of　the

fireplace；　and　remain　there；　gloomy　and　abstracted。　She　noted　with

terror　the　slow　changes　which　deteriorated　that　face；　once；　to　her

eyes；　sublime　through　love：　the　life　of　the　soul　was　retreating　from

it；　the　structure　remained；　but　the　spirit　was　gone。　Sometimes　the

eyes　were　glassy；　and　seemed　as　if　they　had　turned　their　gaze　and　were

looking　inward。　When　the　children　had　gone　to　bed；　and　the　silence　and

solitude　oppressed　her；　Pepita　would　say；　〃My　friend；　are　you　ill？〃

and　Balthazar　would　make　no　answer；　or　if　he　answered；　he　would　come

to　himself　with　a　quiver；　like　a　man　snatched　suddenly　from　sleep；　and

utter　a　〃No〃　so　harsh　and　grating　that　it　fell　like　a　stone　on　the

palpitating　heart　of　his　wife。



Though　she　tried　to　hide　this　strange　state　of　things　from　her

friends；　Madame　Claes　was　obliged　sometimes　to　allude　to　it。　The

social　world　of　Douai；　in　accordance　with　the　custom　of　provincial

towns；　had　made　Balthazar's　aberrations　a　topic　of　conversation；　and

many　persons　were　aware　of　certain　details　that　were　still　unknown　to

Madame　Claes。　Disregarding　the　reticence　which　politeness　demanded；　a

few　friends　expressed　to　her　so　much　anxiety　on　the　subject　that　she

found　herself　compelled　to　defend　her　husband's　peculiarities。



〃Monsieur　Claes；〃　she　said；　〃has　undertaken　a　work　which　wholly

absorbs　him；　its　success　will　eventually　redound　not　only　to　the　honor

of　the　family　but　to　that　of　his　country。〃



This　mysterious　explanation　was　too　flattering　to　the　ambition　of　a

town　whose　local　patriotism　and　desire　for　glory　exceed　those　of　other

places；　not　to　be　readily　accepted；　and　it　produced　on　all　minds　a

reaction　in　favor　of　Balthazar。



The　supposition　of　his　wife　was；　to　a　certain　extent；　well…founded。

Several　artificers　of　various　trades　had　long　been　at　work　in　the

garret　of　the　front　house；　where　Balthazar　went　early　every　morning。

After　remaining；　at　first；　for　several　hours；　an　absence　to　which　his

wife　and　household　grew　gradually　accustomed；　he　ended　by　being　there

all　day。　Butunexpected　shock！Madame　Claes　learned　through　the

humiliating　medium　of　some　women　friends；　who　showed　surprise　at　her

ignorance；　that　her　husband　constantly　imported　instruments　of

physical　science；　valuable　materials；　books；　machinery；　etc。；　from

Paris；　and　was　on　the　highroad　to　ruin　in　search　of　the　Philosopher's

Stone。　She　ought；　so　her　kind　friends　added；　to　think　of　her　children；

and　her　own　future；　it　was　criminal　not　to　use　her　influence　to　draw

Monsieur　Claes　from　the　fatal　path　on　which　he　had　entered。



Though　Madame　Claes；　with　the　tone　and　manner　of　a　great　lady；

silenced　these　absurd　speeches；　she　was　inwardly　terrified　in　spite　of

her　apparent　confidence；　and　she　resolved　to　break　through　her　present

system　of　silence　and　resignation。　She　brought　about　one　of　those

little　scenes　in　which　husband　and　wife　are　on　an　equal　footing；　less

timid　at　such　a　moment；　she　dared　to　ask　Balthazar　the　reason　for　his

change；　the　motive　of　his　constant　seclusion。　The　Flemish　husband

frowned；　and　replied：



〃My　dear；　you　could　not　understand　it。〃



Soon　after；　however；　Josephine　insisted　on　being　told　the　secret；

gently　complaining　that　she　was　not　allowed　to　share　all　the　thoughts

of　one　whose　life　she　shared。



〃Very　well；　since　it　interests　you　so　much；〃　said　Balthazar；　taking

his　wife　upon　his　knee　and　caressing　her　black　hair；　〃I　will　tell　you

that　I　have　returned　to　the　study　of　chemistry；　and　I　am　the　happiest

man　on　earth。〃







CHAPTER　IV



Two　years　after　the　winter　when　Monsieur　Claes　returned　to　chemistry；

the　aspect　of　his　house　was　changed。　Whether　it　were　that　society　was

affronted　by　his　perpetual　absent…mindedness　and　chose　to　think　itself

in　the　way；　or　that　Madame　Claes's　secret　anxieties　made　her　less

agreeable　than　before；　certain　it　is　that　she　no　longer　saw　any　but

her　intimate　friends。　Balthazar　went　nowhere；　shut　himself　up　in　his

laboratory　all　day；　sometimes　stayed　there　all　night；　and　only

appeared　in　the　bosom　of　his　family　at　dinner…time。



After　the　second　year　he　no　lo