the alkahest-第16章

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scheme　was　attempting　the　impossible；　too　much　of　a　Christian　to　take

God's　work　out　of　his　hands；　and；　like　every　other　Claes；　too　good　a

business　man　to　spend　your　money　for　such　befooling　quackeries。　Still；

I　admit　that　I　share　the　regret　people　feel　at　your　absence　from

society。　You　might　as　well　not　live　here　at　all。　Really；　madame；　you

would　have　been　delighted　had　you　heard　the　praises　showered　on

Monsieur　Claes　and　on　you。〃



〃You　acted　like　a　faithful　friend　in　repelling　imputations　whose　least

evil　is　to　make　me　ridiculous；〃　said　Balthazar。　〃Ha！　so　they　think　me

ruined？　Well；　my　dear　Pierquin；　two　months　hence　I　shall　give　a　fete

in　honor　of　my　wedding…day　whose　magnificence　will　get　me　back　the

respect　my　dear　townsmen　bestow　on　wealth。〃



Madame　Claes　colored　deeply。　For　two　years　the　anniversary　had　been

forgotten。　Like　madmen　whose　faculties　shine　at　times　with　unwonted

brilliancy；　Balthazar　was　never　more　gracious　and　delightful　in　his

tenderness　than　at　this　moment。　He　was　full　of　attention　to　his

children；　and　his　conversation　had　the　charms　of　grace；　and　wit；　and

pertinence。　This　return　of　fatherly　feeling；　so　long　absent；　was

certainly　the　truest　fete　he　could　give　his　wife；　for　whom　his　looks

and　words　expressed　once　more　that　unbroken　sympathy　of　heart　for

heart　which　reveals　to　each　a　delicious　oneness　of　sentiment。



Old　Lemulquinier　seemed　to　renew　his　youth；　he　came　and　went　about　the

table　with　unusual　liveliness；　caused　by　the　accomplishment　of　his

secret　hopes。　The　sudden　change　in　his　master's　ways　was　even　more

significant　to　him　than　to　Madame　Claes。　Where　the　family　saw

happiness　he　saw　fortune。　While　helping　Balthazar　in　his　experiments

he　had　come　to　share　his　beliefs。　Whether　he　really　understood　the

drift　of　his　master's　researches　from　certain　exclamations　which

escaped　the　chemist　when　expected　results　disappointed　him；　or　whether

the　innate　tendency　of　mankind　towards　imitation　made　him　adopt　the

ideas　of　the　man　in　whose　atmosphere　he　lived；　certain　it　is　that

Lemulquinier　had　conceived　for　his　master　a　superstitious　feeling　that

was　a　mixture　of　terror；　admiration；　and　selfishness。　The　laboratory

was　to　him　what　a　lottery…office　is　to　the　masses；organized　hope。

Every　night　he　went　to　bed　saying　to　himself；　〃To…morrow　we　may　float

in　gold〃；　and　every　morning　he　woke　with　a　faith　as　firm　as　that　of

the　night　before。



His　name　proved　that　his　origin　was　wholly　Flemish。　In　former　days　the

lower　classes　were　known　by　some　name　or　nickname　derived　from　their

trades；　their　surroundings；　their　physical　conformation；　or　their

moral　qualities。　This　name　became　the　patronymic　of　the　burgher　family

which　each　established　as　soon　as　he　obtained　his　freedom。　Sellers　of

linen　thread　were　called　in　Flanders；　〃mulquiniers〃；　and　that　no　doubt

was　the　trade　of　the　particular　ancestor　of　the　old　valet　who　passed

from　a　state　of　serfdom　to　one　of　burgher　dignity；　until　some　unknown

misfortune　had　again　reduced　his　present　descendant　to　the　condition

of　a　serf；　with　the　addition　of　wages。　The　whole　history　of　Flanders

and　its　linen…trade　was　epitomized　in　this　old　man；　often　called；　by

way　of　euphony；　Mulquinier。　He　was　not　without　originality；　either　of

character　or　appearance。　His　face　was　triangular　in　shape；　broad　and

long；　and　seamed　by　small…pox　which　had　left　innumerable　white　and

shining　patches　that　gave　him　a　fantastic　appearance。　He　was　tall　and

thin；　his　whole　demeanor　solemn　and　mysterious；　and　his　small　eyes；

yellow　as　the　wig　which　was　smoothly　plastered　on　his　head；　cast　none

but　oblique　glances。



The　old　valet's　outward　man　was　in　keeping　with　the　feeling　of

curiosity　which　he　everywhere　inspired。　His　position　as　assistant　to

his　master；　the　depositary　of　a　secret　jealously　guarded　and　about

which　he　maintained　a　rigid　silence；　invested　him　with　a　species　of

charm。　The　denizens　of　the　rue　de　Paris　watched　him　pass　with　an

interest　mingled　with　awe；　to　all　their　questions　he　returned

sibylline　answers　big　with　mysterious　treasures。　Proud　of　being

necessary　to　his　master；　he　assumed　an　annoying　authority　over　his

companions；　employing　it　to　further　his　own　interests　and　compel　a

submission　which　made　him　virtually　the　ruler　of　the　house。　Contrary

to　the　custom　of　Flemish　servants；　who　are　deeply　attached　to　the

families　whom　they　serve；　Mulquinier　cared　only　for　Balthazar。　If　any

trouble　befell　Madame　Claes；　or　any　joyful　event　happened　to　the

family；　he　ate　his　bread　and　butter　and　drank　his　beer　as

phlegmatically　as　ever。



Dinner　over；　Madame　Claes　proposed　that　coffee　should　be　served　in　the

garden；　by　the　bed　of　tulips　which　adorned　the　centre　of　it。　The

earthenware　pots　in　which　the　bulbs　were　grown　（the　name　of　each

flower　being　engraved　on　slate　labels）　were　sunk　in　the　ground　and　so

arranged　as　to　form　a　pyramid；　at　the　summit　of　which　rose　a　certain

dragon's…head　tulip　which　Balthazar　alone　possessed。　This　flower；

named　〃tulipa　Claesiana；〃　combined　the　seven　colors；　and　the　curved

edges　of　each　petal　looked　as　though　they　were　gilt。　Balthazar's

father；　who　had　frequently　refused　ten　thousand　florins　for　this

treasure；　took　such　precautions　against　the　theft　of　a　single　seed

that　he　kept　the　plant　always　in　the　parlor　and　often　spent　whole　days

in　contemplating　it。　The　stem　was　enormous；　erect；　firm；　and　admirably

green；　the　proportions　of　the　plant　were　in　harmony　with　the

proportions　of　the　flower；　whose　seven　colors　were　distinguishable

from　each　other　with　the　clearly　defined　brilliancy　which　formerly

gave　such　fabulous　value　to　these　dazzling　plants。



〃Here　you　have　at　least　thirty　or　forty　thousand　francs'　worth　of

tulips；〃　said　the　notary；　looking　alternately　at　Madame　Claes　and　at

the　many…colored　pyramid。　The　former　was　too　enthusiastic　over　the

beauty　of　the　flowers；　which　the　setting　sun　was　just　then

transforming　into　jewels；　to　observe　the　meaning　of　the　notary's

words。



〃What　good　do　they　do　you？〃　continued　Pierquin；　addressing　Balthazar；

〃you　ought　to　sell　them。〃



〃Bah！　am　I　in　want　of　money？〃　replied　Claes；　in　the　tone　of　a　man　to

whom　forty　thousand　francs　was　a　matter　of　no　consequence。



There　was　a　moment's　silence；　during　which　the　children　made　many

exclamations。



〃See　this　one；　mamma！〃



〃Oh！　here's　a　beauty！〃



〃Tell　me　the　name　of　that　one！〃



〃What　a　gulf　for　human　reason　to　sound！〃　cried　Balthazar；　raising　his

hands　and　clasping　them　with　a　gesture　of　despair。　〃A　compound　of

hydrogen　and　oxygen　gives　off；　according　to　their　relative

proportions；　under　the　same　conditions　and　by　the　same　principle；

these　manifold　colors；　each　of　which　constitutes　a　distinct　result。〃



His　wife　heard　the　words　of　his　proposition；　but　it　was　uttered　so

rapidly　that　she　did　not　seize　its　exact　meaning；　and　Balthazar；　as　if

remembering　that　she　had　studied　his　favorite　science；　made　her　a

mysterious　sign；　saying；



〃You　do　not　yet　understand　me；　but　you　will。〃



Then　he　apparently　fell　back　into　the　absorbed　meditation　now　habitual

to　him。



〃No；　I　am　sure　you　do　not　understand　him；〃　said　Pierquin；　taking　his

coffee　from　Marguerite's　hand。　〃The　Ethiopian　can't　change　his　skin；

nor　the　leopard　his　spots；〃　he　whispered　to　Madame　Claes。　〃Have　the

goodness　to　remonstrate　with　him　later；　the　devil　himself　couldn't

draw　him　out　of　his　cogitation　now；　he　is　in　it　for　to…day；　at　any

rate。〃



So　saying；　he　bade　good…bye　to　Claes；　who　pretended　not　to　hear　him；

kissed　little　Jean　in　his　mother's　arms；　and　retired　with　a　low　bow。



When　the　street…door　clanged　behind　him；　Balthazar　caught　his　wife

round　the　waist；　and　put　an　end　to　the　uneasiness　his　feigned　reverie

was　causing　her　by　whispering　in　her　ear；



〃I　knew　how　to　get　rid　of　him。〃



Madame　Claes　turned　her　face　to　her　husband；　not　ashamed　to　let　him

see　the　tears　of　happiness　that　filled　her　eyes：　then　she　rested　her