the alkahest- 第18部分

he　never　spoke　of　his　former　occupations；　never　showed　the　least

regret　for　the　promise　he　had　given　not　to　renew　his　researches；　he

grew　to　have　the　melancholy　motions；　the　feeble　voice；　the　depression

of　a　sick　person。　The　ennui　that　possessed　him　showed　at　times　in　the

very　manner　with　which　he　picked　up　the　tongs　and　built　fantastic

pyramids　in　the　fire　with　bits　of　coal；　utterly　unconscious　of　what　he

was　doing。　When　night　came　he　was　evidently　relieved；　sleep　no　doubt

released　him　from　the　importunities　of　thought：　the　next　day　he　rose

wearily　to　encounter　another　day；seeming　to　measure　time　as　the

tired　traveller　measures　the　desert　he　is　forced　to　cross。



If　Madame　Claes　knew　the　cause　of　this　languor　she　endeavored　not　to

see　the　extent　of　its　ravages。　Full　of　courage　against　the　sufferings

of　the　mind；　she　was　helpless　against　the　generous　impulses　of　the

heart。　She　dared　not　question　Balthazar　when　she　saw　him　listening　to

the　laughter　of　little　Jean　or　the　chatter　of　his　girls；　with　the　air

of　a　man　absorbed　in　secret　thoughts；　but　she　shuddered　when　she　saw

him　shake　off　his　melancholy　and　try；　with　generous　intent；　to　seem

cheerful；　that　he　might　not　distress　others。　The　little　coquetries　of

the　father　with　his　daughters；　or　his　games　with　little　Jean；

moistened　the　eyes　of　the　poor　wife；　who　often　left　the　room　to　hide

the　feelings　that　heroic　effort　caused　her；a　heroism　the　cost　of

which　is　well　understood　by　women；　a　generosity　that　well…nigh　breaks

their　heart。　At　such　times　Madame　Claes　longed　to　say；　〃Kill　me；　and

do　what　you　will！〃



Little　by　little　Balthazar's　eyes　lost　their　fire　and　took　the

glaucous　opaque　tint　which　overspreads　the　eyes　of　old　men。　His

attentions　to　his　wife；　his　manner　of　speaking；　his　whole　bearing；

grew　heavy　and　inert。　These　symptoms　became　more　marked　towards　the

end　of　April；　terrifying　Madame　Claes；　to　whom　the　sight　was　now

intolerable；　and　who　had　all　along　reproached　herself　a　thousand　times

while　she　admired　the　Flemish　loyalty　which　kept　her　husband　faithful

to　his　promise。



At　last；　one　day　when　Balthazar　seemed　more　depressed　than　ever；　she

hesitated　no　longer；　she　resolved　to　sacrifice　everything　and　bring

him　back　to　life。



〃Dear　friend；〃　she　said；　〃I　release　you　from　your　promise。〃



Balthazar　looked　at　her　in　amazement。



〃You　are　thinking　of　your　researches；　are　you　not？〃　she　continued。



He　answered　by　a　gesture　of　startling　eagerness。　Far　from

remonstrating；　Madame　Claes；　who　had　had　leisure　to　sound　the　abyss

into　which　they　were　about　to　fall　together；　took　his　hand　and　pressed

it；　smiling。



〃Thank　you；〃　she　said；　〃now　I　am　sure　of　my　power。　You　sacrificed　more

than　your　life　to　me。　In　future；　be　the　sacrifices　mine。　Though　I　have

sold　some　of　my　diamonds；　enough　are　left；　with　those　my　brother　gave

me；　to　get　the　necessary　money　for　your　experiments。　I　intended　those

jewels　for　my　daughters；　but　your　glory　shall　sparkle　in　their　stead；

and；　besides；　you　will　some　day　replace　them　with　other　and　finer

diamonds。〃



The　joy　that　suddenly　lighted　her　husband's　face　was　like　a　death…

knell　to　the　wife：　she　saw；　with　anguish；　that　the　man's　passion　was

stronger　than　himself。　Claes　had　faith　in　his　work　which　enabled　him

to　walk　without　faltering　on　a　path　which；　to　his　wife；　was　the　edge

of　a　precipice。　For　him　faith；　for　her　doubt；for　her　the　heavier

burden：　does　not　the　woman　ever　suffer　for　the　two？　At　this　moment　she

chose　to　believe　in　his　success；　that　she　might　justify　to　herself　her

connivance　in　the　probable　wreck　of　their　fortunes。



〃The　love　of　all　my　life　can　be　no　recompense　for　your　devotion；

Pepita；〃　said　Claes；　deeply　moved。



He　had　scarcely　uttered　the　words　when　Marguerite　and　Felicie　entered

the　room　and　wished　him　good…morning。　Madame　Claes　lowered　her　eyes

and　remained　for　a　moment　speechless　in　presence　of　her　children；

whose　future　she　had　just　sacrificed　to　a　delusion；　her　husband；　on

the　contrary；　took　them　on　his　knees；　and　talked　to　them　gaily；

delighted　to　give　vent　to　the　joy　that　choked　him。



From　this　day　Madame　Claes　shared　the　impassioned　life　of　her　husband。

The　future　of　her　children；　their　father's　credit；　were　two　motives　as

powerful　to　her　as　glory　and　science　were　to　Claes。　After　the　diamonds

were　sold　in　Paris；　and　the　purchase　of　chemicals　was　again　begun；　the

unhappy　woman　never　knew　another　hour's　peace　of　mind。　The　demon　of

Science　and　the　frenzy　of　research　which　consumed　her　husband　now

agitated　her　own　mind；　she　lived　in　a　state　of　continual　expectation；

and　sat　half…lifeless　for　days　together　in　the　deep　armchair；

paralyzed　by　the　very　violence　of　her　wishes；　which；　finding　no　food；

like　those　of　Balthazar；　in　the　daily　hopes　of　the　laboratory；

tormented　her　spirit　and　aggravated　her　doubts　and　fears。　Sometimes；

blaming　herself　for　compliance　with　a　passion　whose　object　was　futile

and　condemned　by　the　Church；　she　would　rise；　go　to　the　window　on　the

courtyard　and　gaze　with　terror　at　the　chimney　of　the　laboratory。　If

the　smoke　were　rising；　an　expression　of　despair　came　into　her　face；　a

conflict　of　thoughts　and　feelings　raged　in　her　heart　and　mind。　She

beheld　her　children's　future　fleeing　in　that　smoke；　butwas　she　not

saving　their　father's　life？　was　it　not　her　first　duty　to　make　him

happy？　This　last　thought　calmed　her　for　a　moment。



She　obtained　the　right　to　enter　the　laboratory　and　remain　there；　but

even　this　melancholy　satisfaction　was　soon　renounced。　Her　sufferings

were　too　keen　when　she　saw　that　Balthazar　took　no　notice　of　her；　or

seemed　at　times　annoyed　by　her　presence；　in　that　fatal　place　she　went

through　paroxysms　of　jealous　impatience；　angry　desires　to　destroy　the

building；a　living　death　of　untold　miseries。　Lemulquinier　became　to

her　a　species　of　barometer：　if　she　heard　him　whistle　as　he　laid　the

breakfast…table　or　the　dinner…table；　she　guessed　that　Balthazar's

experiments　were　satisfactory；　and　there　were　prospects　of　a　coming

success；　if；　on　the　other　hand；　the　man　were　morose　and　gloomy；　she

looked　at　him　and　trembled；Balthazar　must　surely　be　dissatisfied。

Mistress　and　valet　ended　by　understanding　each　other；　notwithstanding

the　proud　reserve　of　the　one　and　the　reluctant　submission　of　the

other。



Feeble　and　defenceless　against　the　terrible　prostrations　of　thought；

the　poor　woman　at　last　gave　way　under　the　alternations　of　hope　and

despair　which　increased　the　distress　of　the　loving　wife；　and　the

anxieties　of　the　mother　trembling　for　her　children。　She　now　practised

the　doleful　silence　which　formerly　chilled　her　heart；　not　observing

the　gloom　that　pervaded　the　house；　where　whole　days　went　by　in　that

melancholy　parlor　without　a　smile；　often　without　a　word。　Led　by　sad

maternal　foresight；　she　trained　her　daughters　to　household　work；　and

tried　to　make　them　skilful　in　womanly　employments；　that　they　might

have　the　means　of　living　if　destitution　came。　The　outward　calm　of　this

quiet　home　covered　terrible　agitations。　Towards　the　end　of　the　summer

Balthazar　had　used　the　money　derived　from　the　diamonds；　and　was　twenty

thousand　francs　in　debt　to　Messieurs　Protez　and　Chiffreville。



In　August；　1813；　about　a　year　after　the　scene　with　which　this　history

begins；　although　Claes　had　made　a　few　valuable　experiments；　for　which；

unfortunately；　he　cared　but　little；　his　efforts　had　been　without

result　as　to　the　real　object　of　his　researches。　There　came　a　day　when

he　ended　the　whole　series　of　experiments；　and　the　sense　of　his

impotence　crushed　him；　the　certainty　of　having　fruitlessly　wasted

enormous　sums　of　money　drove　him　to　despair。　It　was　a　frightful

catastrophe。　He　left　the　garret；　descended　slowly　to　the　parlor；　and

threw　himself　into　a　chair　in　the　midst　of　his　children；　remaining

motionless　for　some　minutes　as　though　dead；　making　no　answer　to　the

questions　his　wife　pressed　upon　him。　Tears　came　at　last　to　his　relief；

and　he　rushed　to　his　own　chamber　that　no　one　might　witness　his

despair。



Josephine　followed　him　and　drew　him　into　her　own　room；　where；　alone

with　her；　Balthazar　gave　vent　to　his　anguish。　These　tears　of　a　man；

these　broken　words　of　the　hopeless　toiler；　these　bitter　regrets　of　the

husband　and　father；　did　Madame　Claes　more　harm　than　all　her　past

sufferings。　The　victim　consoled　the　executioner。　When　Balthazar　said

to　her　in　a　tone　of　dreadful　conviction：　〃I　am　a　wretch；　I　have

gambled　away　the　lives　of　my　children；　and　your　life；　you　can　have　no

happiness　unless　I　kill　myself；〃the　words　struck　home　to　her　heart；

she　knew　her　husband's　nature　enough　to　fear　he　might　at　once　act　out

the　despairing　wish：　an　inward　convulsion；　disturbing　the　very　sources

of　life　itself；　seized　her；　and　was　all　the　more　dangerous　because　she

controlled　its　violent　effects　beneath　a　deceptive　calm　of　manner。



〃My　friend；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　consulted；　not　Pierquin；　whose

friendship　does　not　hinder　him　from　feeling　some　secret　satisfaction

at　our　ruin；　but　an　old　man　who　has　been　as　good　to　me　as　a　father。

The　Abbe　de　Solis；　my　confessor；　has　shown　me　how　we　can　still　save

ourselves　from　ruin。　He　came　to　see　the　pictures。　The　value　of　those

in　the　gallery　is　enough　to　pay　the　sums　you　have　borrowed　on　your

property；　and　also　all　that　you　owe　to　Messieurs　Protez　and

Chiffreville；　who　have　no　doubt　an　account　against　you。〃



Claes　made　an　affirmative　sign　and　bowed　his　head；　the　hair　of　which

was　now　white。



〃Monsieur　de　Solis　knows　the　Happe　and　Duncker　families　of　Amsterdam；

they　have　a　mania　for　pictures；　and　are　anxious；　like　all　parvenus；　to

display　a　luxury　which　ought　to　belong　only　to　the　old　families：　he

thinks　they　will　pay　the　full　value　of　ours。　By　this　means　we　can

recover　our　independence；　and　out　of　the　purchase　money；　which　will

amount　to　over　one　hundred　thousand　ducats；　you　will　have　enough　to

continue　the　experiments。　Your　daughters　and　I　will　be　co