the alkahest- 第26部分

each　other's　hearts　that　both　were　ready　to　make　the　greatest

sacrifices；　which　were；　indeed；　the　only　pleasures　their　love　could

expect　to　taste。



Since　Madame　Claes's　death　this　hidden　love　was　shrouded　in　mourning。

The　tints　of　the　sphere　in　which　it　lived；　dark　and　dim　from　the

first；　were　now　black；　the　few　lights　were　veiled　by　tears。

Marguerite's　reserve　changed　to　coldness；　she　remembered　the　promise

exacted　by　her　mother。　With　more　freedom　of　action；　she　nevertheless

became　more　distant。　Emmanuel　shared　his　beloved's　grief；

comprehending　that　the　slightest　word　or　wish　of　love　at　such　a　time

transgressed　the　laws　of　the　heart。　Their　love　was　therefore　more

concealed　than　it　had　ever　been。　These　tender　souls　sounded　the　same

note：　held　apart　by　grief；　as　formerly　by　the　timidities　of　youth　and

by　respect　for　the　sufferings　of　the　mother；　they　clung　to　the

magnificent　language　of　the　eyes；　the　mute　eloquence　of　devoted

actions；　the　constant　unison　of　thoughts；divine　harmonies　of　youth；

the　first　steps　of　a　love　still　in　its　infancy。　Emmanuel　came　every

morning　to　inquire　for　Claes　and　Marguerite；　but　he　never　entered　the

dining…room；　where　the　family　now　sat；　unless　to　bring　a　letter　from

Gabriel　or　when　Balthazar　invited　him　to　come　in。　His　first　glance　at

the　young　girl　contained　a　thousand　sympathetic　thoughts；　it　told　her

that　he　suffered　under　these　conventional　restraints；　that　he　never

left　her；　he　was　always　with　her；　he　shared　her　grief。　He　shed　the

tears　of　his　own　pain　into　the　soul　of　his　dear　one　by　a　look　that　was

marred　by　no　selfish　reservation。　His　good　heart　lived　so　completely

in　the　present；　he　clung　so　firmly　to　a　happiness　which　he　believed　to

be　fugitive；　that　Marguerite　sometimes　reproached　herself　for　not

generously　holding　out　her　hand　and　saying；　〃Let　us　at　least　be

friends。〃



Pierquin　continued　his　suit　with　an　obstinacy　which　is　the

unreflecting　patience　of　fools。　He　judged　Marguerite　by　the　ordinary

rules　of　the　multitude　when　judging　of　women。　He　believed　that　the

words　marriage；　freedom；　fortune；　which　he　had　put　into　her　mind；

would　geminate　and　flower　into　wishes　by　which　he　could　profit；　he

imagined　that　her　coldness　was　mere　dissimulation。　But　surround　her　as

he　would　with　gallant　attentions；　he　could　not　hide　the　despotic　ways

of　a　man　accustomed　to　manage　the　private　affairs　of　many　families

with　a　high　hand。　He　discoursed　to　her　in　those　platitudes　of

consolation　common　to　his　profession；　which　crawl　like　snails　over　the

suffering　mind；　leaving　behind　them　a　trail　of　barren　words　which

profane　its　sanctity。　His　tenderness　was　mere　wheedling。　He　dropped

his　feigned　melancholy　at　the　door　when　he　put　on　his　overshoes；　or

took　his　umbrella。　He　used　the　tone　his　long　intimacy　authorized　as　an

instrument　to　work　himself　still　further　into　the　bosom　of　the　family；

and　bring　Marguerite　to　a　marriage　which　the　whole　town　was　beginning

to　foresee。　The　true；　devoted；　respectful　love　formed　a　striking

contrast　to　its　selfish；　calculating　semblance。　Each　man's　conduct　was

homogenous：　one　feigned　a　passion　and　seized　every　advantage　to　gain

the　prize；　the　other　hid　his　love　and　trembled　lest　he　should　betray

his　devotion。



Some　time　after　the　death　of　her　mother；　and；　as　it　happened；　on　the

same　day；　Marguerite　was　enabled　to　compare　the　only　two　men　of　whom

she　had　any　opportunity　of　judging；　for　the　social　solitude　to　which

she　was　condemned　kept　her　from　seeing　life　and　gave　no　access　to

those　who　might　think　of　her　in　marriage。　One　day　after　breakfast；　a

fine　morning　in　April；　Emmanuel　called　at　the　house　just　as　Monsieur

Claes　was　going　out。　The　aspect　of　his　own　house　was　so　unendurable　to

Balthazar　that　he　spent　part　of　every　day　in　walking　about　the

ramparts。　Emmanuel　made　a　motion　as　if　to　follow　him；　then　he

hesitated；　seemed　to　gather　up　his　courage；　looked　at　Marguerite　and

remained。　The　young　girl　felt　sure　that　he　wished　to　speak　with　her；

and　asked　him　to　go　into　the　garden；　then　she　sent　Felicie　to　Martha；

who　was　sewing　in　the　antechamber　on　the　upper　floor；　and　seated

herself　on　a　garden…seat　in　full　view　of　her　sister　and　the　old

duenna。



〃Monsieur　Claes　is　as　much　absorbed　by　grief　as　he　once　was　by

science；〃　began　the　young　man；　watching　Balthazar　as　he　slowly　crossed

the　court…yard。　〃Every　one　in　Douai　pities　him；　he　moves　like　a　man

who　has　lost　all　consciousness　of　life；　he　stops　without　a　purpose；　he

gazes　without　seeing　anything。〃



〃Every　sorrow　has　its　own　expression；〃　said　Marguerite；　checking　her

tears。　〃What　is　it　you　wish　to　say　to　me？〃　she　added　after　a　pause；

coldly　and　with　dignity。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　answered　Emmanuel　in　a　voice　of　feeling；　〃I　scarcely

know　if　I　have　the　right　to　speak　to　you　as　I　am　about　to　do。　Think

only　of　my　desire　to　be　of　service　to　you；　and　give　me　the　right　of　a

teacher　to　be　interested　in　the　future　of　a　pupil。　Your　brother

Gabriel　is　over　fifteen；　he　is　in　the　second　class；　it　is　now

necessary　to　direct　his　studies　in　the　line　of　whatever　future　career

he　may　take　up。　It　is　for　your　father　to　decide　what　that　career　shall

be：　if　he　gives　the　matter　no　thought；　the　injury　to　Gabriel　would　be

serious。　But　then；　again；　would　it　not　mortify　your　father　if　you

showed　him　that　he　is　neglecting　his　son's　interests？　Under　these

circumstances；　could　you　not　yourself　consult　Gabriel　as　to　his

tastes；　and　help　him　to　choose　a　career；　so　that　later；　if　his　father

should　think　of　making　him　a　public　officer；　an　administrator；　a

soldier；　he　might　be　prepared　with　some　special　training？　I　do　not

suppose　that　either　you　or　Monsieur　Claes　would　wish　to　bring　Gabriel

up　in　idleness。〃



〃Oh；　no！〃　said　Marguerite；　〃when　my　mother　taught　us　to　make　lace；　and

took　such　pains　with　our　drawing　and　music　and　embroidery；　she　often

said　we　must　be　prepared　for　whatever　might　happen　to　us。　Gabriel

ought　to　have　a　thorough　education　and　a　personal　value。　But　tell　me；

what　career　is　best　for　a　man　to　choose？〃



〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Emmanuel；　trembling　with　pleasure；　〃Gabriel　is　at

the　head　of　his　class　in　mathematics；　if　he　would　like　to　enter　the

Ecole　Polytechnique；　he　could　there　acquire　the　practical　knowledge

which　will　fit　him　for　any　career。　When　he　leaves　the　Ecole　he　can

choose　the　path　in　life　for　which　he　feels　the　strongest　bias。　Thus；

without　compromising　his　future；　you　will　have　saved　a　great　deal　of

time。　Men　who　leave　the　Ecole　with　honors　are　sought　after　on　all

sides；　the　school　turns　out　statesmen；　diplomats；　men　of　science；

engineers；　generals；　sailors；　magistrates；　manufacturers；　and　bankers。

There　is　nothing　extraordinary　in　the　son　of　a　rich　or　noble　family

preparing　himself　to　enter　it。　If　Gabriel　decides　on　this　course　I

shall　ask　you　towill　you　grant　my　request？　Say　yes！〃



〃What　is　it？〃



〃Let　me　be　his　tutor；〃　he　answered；　trembling。



Marguerite　looked　at　Monsieur　de　Solis；　then　she　took　his　hand；　and

said；　〃Yes〃and　paused；　adding　presently　in　a　broken　voice：



〃How　much　I　value　the　delicacy　which　makes　you　offer　me　a　thing　I　can

accept　from　you。　In　all　that　you　have　said　I　see　how　much　you　have

thought　for　us。　I　thank　you。〃



Though　the　words　were　simply　said；　Emmanuel　turned　away　his　head　not

to　show　the　tears　that　the　delight　of　being　useful　to　her　brought　to

his　eyes。



〃I　will　bring　both　boys　to　see　you；〃　he　said；　when　he　was　a　little

calmer；　〃to…morrow　is　a　holiday。〃



He　rose　and　bowed　to　Marguerite；　who　followed　him　into　the　house；　when

he　had　crossed　the　court…yard　he　turned　and　saw　her　still　at　the　door

of　the　dining…room；　from　which　she　made　him　a　friendly　sign。



After　dinner　Pierquin　came　to　see　Monsieur　Claes；　and　sat　down　between

father　and　daughter　on　the　very　bench　in　the　garden　where　Emmanuel　had

sat　that　morning。



〃My　dear　cousin；〃　he　said　to　Balthazar；　〃I　have　come　to…night　to　talk

to　you　on　business。　It　is　now　forty…two　days　since　the　decease　of　your

wife。〃



〃I　keep　no　account　of　time；〃　said　Balthazar；　wiping　away　the　tears

that　came　at　the　word　〃decease。〃



〃Oh；　monsieur！〃　cried　Marguerite；　looking　at　the　lawyer；　〃how　can

you？〃



〃But；　my　dear　Marguerite；　we　notaries　are　obliged　to　consider　the

limits　of　time　appointed　by　law。　This　is　a　matter　which　concerns　you

and　your　co…heirs。　Monsieur　Claes　has　none　but　minor　children；　and　he

must　make　an　inventory　of　his　property　within　forty…five　days　of　his

wife's　decease；　so　as　to　render　in　his　accounts　at　the　end　of　that

time。　It　is　necessary　to　know　the　value　of　his　property　before

deciding　whether　to　accept　it　as　sufficient　security；　or　whether　we

must　fall　back　on　the　legal　rights　of　minors。〃



Marguerite　rose。



〃Do　not　go　away；　my　dear　cousin；〃　continued　Pierquin；　〃my　words

concern　youyou　and　your　father　both。　You　know　how　truly　I　share　your

grief；　but　to…day　you　must　give　your　attention　to　legal　details。　If

you　do　not；　every　one　of　you　will　get　into　serious　difficulties。　I　am

only　doing　my　duty　as　the　family　lawyer。〃



〃He　is　right；〃　said　Claes。



〃The　time　expires　in　two　days；〃　resumed　Pierquin；　〃and　I　must　begin

the　inventory　to…morrow；　if　only　to　postpone　the　payment　of　the

legacy…tax　which　the　public　treasurer　will　come　here　and　demand。

Treasurers　have　no　hearts；　they　don't　trouble　themselves　about

feelings；　they　fasten　their　claws　upon　us　at　all　seasons。　Therefore

for　the　next　two　days　my　clerk　and　I　will　be　here　from　ten　till　four

with　Monsieur　Raparlier；　the　public　appraiser。　After　we　get　through

the　town　property　we　shall　go　into　the　country。　As　for　the　forest　of

Waignies；　we　shall　be　obliged　to　hold　a　consultation　about　that。　Now

let　us　turn　to　another　matter。　We　must　call　a　family　council　and

appoint　a　guardian　to　protect　the　interests　of　the　minor　children。

Monsieur　Conyncks　of　Bruges　is　your　nearest　relative；　but　he　has　now

become　a　Belgian。　You