the alkahest-第25章

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eyes。　He　walked　with　difficulty；　for　one　of　his　shrunken　legs　ended　in

a　painfully　deformed　foot；　which　was　cased　in　a　species　of　velvet　bag；

and　obliged　him　to　use　a　crutch　when　the　arm　of　his　nephew　was　not　at

hand。　His　bent　figure　and　decrepit　body　conveyed　the　impression　of　a

delicate；　suffering　nature；　governed　by　a　will　of　iron　and　the　spirit

of　religious　purity。　This　Spanish　priest；　who　was　remarkable　for　his

vast　learning；　his　sincere　piety；　and　a　wide　knowledge　of　men　and

things；　had　been　successively　a　Dominican　friar；　the　〃grand

penitencier〃　of　Toledo；　and　the　vicar…general　of　the　archbishopric　of

Malines。　If　the　French　Revolution　had　not　intervened；　the　influence　of

the　Casa…Real　family　would　have　made　him　one　of　the　highest

dignitaries　of　the　Church；　but　the　grief　he　felt　for　the　death　of　the

young　duke；　Madame　Claes's　brother；　who　had　been　his　pupil；　turned　him

from　active　life；　and　he　now　devoted　himself　to　the　education　of　his

nephew；　who　was　made　an　orphan　at　an　early　age。



After　the　conquest　of　Belgium；　the　Abbe　de　Solis　settled　at　Douai　to

be　near　Madame　Claes。　From　his　youth　up　he　had　professed　an　enthusiasm

for　Saint　Theresa　which；　together　with　the　natural　bent　of　his　mind；

led　him　to　the　mystical　time　of　Christianity。　Finding　in　Flanders；

where　Mademoiselle　Bourignon　and　the　writings　of　the　Quietists　and

Illuminati　made　the　greatest　number　of　proselytes；　a　flock　of

Catholics　devoted　to　those　ideas；　he　remained　there；all　the　more

willingly　because　he　was　looked　up　to　as　a　patriarch　by　this

particular　communion；　which　continued　to　follow　the　doctrines　of　the

Mystics　notwithstanding　the　censures　of　the　Church　upon　Fenelon　and

Madame　Guyon。　His　morals　were　rigid；　his　life　exemplary；　and　he　was

believed　to　have　visions。　In　spite　of　his　own　detachment　from　the

things　of　life；　his　affection　for　his　nephew　made　him　careful　of　the

young　man's　interests。　When　a　work　of　charity　was　to　be　done；　the　old

abbe　put　the　faithful　of　his　flock　under　contribution　before　having

recourse　to　his　own　means；　and　his　patriarchal　authority　was　so　well

established；　his　motives　so　pure；　his　discernment　so　rarely　at　fault；

that　every　one　was　ready　to　answer　his　appeal。　To　give　an　idea　of　the

contrast　between　the　uncle　and　the　nephew；　we　may　compare　the　old　man

to　a　willow　on　the　borders　of　a　stream；　hollowed　to　a　skeleton　and

barely　alive；　and　the　young　man　to　a　sweet…brier　clustering　with

roses；　whose　erect　and　graceful　stems　spring　up　about　the　hoary　trunk

of　the　old　tree　as　if　they　would　support　it。



Emmanuel　de　Solis；　rigidly　brought　up　by　his　uncle；　who　kept　him　at

his　side　as　a　mother　keeps　her　daughter；　was　full　of　delicate

sensibility；　of　half…dreamy　innocence；those　fleeting　flowers　of

youth　which　bloom　perennially　in　souls　that　are　nourished　on　religious

principles。　The　old　priest　had　checked　all　sensuous　emotions　in　his

pupil；　preparing　him　for　the　trials　of　life　by　constant　study　and　a

discipline　that　was　almost　cloisteral。　Such　an　education；　which　would

launch　the　youth　unstained　upon　the　world　and　render　him　happy；

provided　he　were　fortunate　in　his　earliest　affections；　had　endowed　him

with　a　purity　of　spirit　which　gave　to　his　person　something　of　the

charm　that　surrounds　a　maiden。　His　modest　eyes；　veiling　a　strong　and

courageous　soul；　sent　forth　a　light　that　vibrated　in　the　soul　as　the

tones　of　a　crystal　bell　sound　their　undulations　on　the　ear。　His　face；

though　regular；　was　expressive；　and　charmed　the　eye　with　its　clear…cut

outline；　the　harmony　of　its　lines；　and　the　perfect　repose　which　came

of　a　heart　at　peace。　All　was　harmonious。　His　black　hair；　his　brown

eyes　and　eyebrows；　heightened　the　effect　of　a　white　skin　and　a

brilliant　color。　His　voice　was　such　as　might　have　been　expected　from

his　beautiful　face；　and　something　feminine　in　his　movements　accorded

well　with　the　melody　of　its　tones　and　with　the　tender　brightness　of


his　eyes。　He　seemed　unaware　of　the　charm　he　exercised　by　his　modest

silence；　the　half…melancholy　reserve　of　his　manner；　and　the　respectful

attentions　he　paid　to　his　uncle。



Those　who　saw　the　young　man　as　he　watched　the　uncertain　steps　of　the

old　abbe；　and　altered　his　own　to　suit　their　devious　course；　looking

for　obstructions　that　might　trip　his　uncle's　feet　and　guiding　him　to　a

smoother　way；　could　not　fail　to　recognize　in　Emmanuel　de　Solis　the

generous　nature　which　makes　the　human　being　a　divine　creation。　There

was　something　noble　in　the　love　that　never　criticised　his　uncle；　in

the　obedience　that　never　cavilled　at　the　old　man's　orders；　it　seemed

as　though　there　were　prophecy　in　the　gracious　name　his　godmother　had

given　him。　When　the　abbe　gave　proof　of　his　Dominican　despotism；　in

their　own　home　or　in　the　presence　of　others；　Emmanuel　would　sometimes

lift　his　head　with　so　much　dignity；　as　if　to　assert　his　metal　should

any　other　man　assail　him；　that　men　of　honor　were　moved　at　the　sight

like　artists　before　a　glorious　picture；　for　noble　sentiments　ring　as

loudly　in　the　soul　from　living　incarnations　as　from　the　imagery　of

art。



Emmanuel　had　accompanied　his　uncle　when　the　latter　came　to　examine　the

pictures　of　the　House　of　Claes。　Hearing　from　Martha　that　the　Abbe　de

Solis　was　in　the　gallery；　Marguerite；　anxious　to　see　so　celebrated　a

man；　invented　an　excuse　to　join　her　mother　and　gratify　her　curiosity。

Entering　hastily；　with　the　heedless　gaiety　young　girls　assume　at　times

to　hide　their　wishes；　she　encountered　near　the　old　abbe；　clothed　in

black　and　looking　decrepit　and　cadaverous；　the　fresh；　delightful　face

of　a　young　man。　The　naive　glances　of　the　youthful　pair　expressed　their

mutual　astonishment。　Marguerite　and　Emmanuel　had　no　doubt　seen　each

other　in　their　dreams。　Both　lowered　their　eyes　and　raised　them　again

with　one　impulse；　each；　by　the　action；　made　the　same　avowal。

Marguerite　took　her　mother's　arm；　and　spoke　to　her　to　cover　her

confusion　and　find　shelter　under　the　maternal　wing；　turning　her　neck

with　a　swan…like　motion　to　keep　sight　of　Emmanuel；　who　still　supported

his　uncle　on　his　arm。　The　light　was　cleverly　arranged　to　give　due

value　to　the　pictures；　and　the　half…obscurity　of　the　gallery

encouraged　those　furtive　glances　which　are　the　joy　of　timid　natures。

Neither　went　so　far；　even　in　thought；　as　the　first　note　of　love；　yet

both　felt　the　mysterious　trouble　which　stirs　the　heart；　and　is

jealously　kept　secret　in　our　youth　from　fastidiousness　or　modesty。



The　first　impression　which　forces　a　sensibility　hitherto　suppressed　to

overflow　its　borders；　is　followed　in　all　young　people　by　the　same

half…stupefied　amazement　which　the　first　sounds　of　music　produce　upon

a　child。　Some　children　laugh　and　think；　others　do　not　laugh　till　they

have　thought；　but　those　whose　hearts　are　called　to　live　by　poetry　or

love；　listen　stilly　and　hear　the　melody　with　a　look　where　pleasure

flames　already；　and　the　search　for　the　infinite　begins。　If；　from　an

irresistible　feeling；　we　love　the　places　where　our　childhood　first

perceived　the　beauties　of　harmony；　if　we　remember　with　delight　the

musician；　and　even　the　instrument；　that　taught　them　to　us；　how　much

more　shall　we　love　the　being　who　reveals　to　us　the　music　of　life？　The

first　heart　in　which　we　draw　the　breath　of　love；is　it　not　our　home；

our　native　land？　Marguerite　and　Emmanuel　were；　each　to　each；　that

Voice　of　music　which　wakes　a　sense；　that　hand　which　lifts　the　misty

veil；　and　reveals　the　distant　shores　bathed　in　the　fires　of　noonday。



When　Madame　Claes　paused　before　a　picture　by　Guido　representing　an

angel；　Marguerite　bent　forward　to　see　the　impression　it　made　upon

Emmanuel；　and　Emmanuel　looked　at　Marguerite　to　compare　the　mute

thought　on　the　canvas　with　the　living　thought　beside　him。　This

involuntary　and　delightful　homage　was　understood　and　treasured。　The

old　abbe　gravely　praised　the　picture；　and　Madame　Claes　answered　him；

but　the　youth　and　the　maiden　were　silent。



Such　was　their　first　meeting：　the　mysterious　light　of