the alkahest-第31章

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gentleness　and　patience　of　her　manner。　From　the　first　she　gave　proofs

of　feminine　courage；　of　inalterable　serenity；　like　that　of　angels

appointed　to　shed　peace　on　suffering　hearts　by　a　touch　of　their　waving

palms。　But　although　she　trained　herself；　through　a　premature

perception　of　duty；　to　hide　her　personal　grief；　it　was　none　the　less

bitter；　her　calm　exterior　was　not　in　keeping　with　the　deep　trouble　of

her　thoughts；　and　she　was　destined　to　undergo；　too　early　in　life；

those　terrible　outbursts　of　feeling　which　no　heart　is　wholly　able　to

subdue：　her　father　was　to　hold　her　incessantly　under　the　pressure　of

natural　youthful　generosity　on　the　one　hand；　and　the　dictates　of

imperious　duty　on　the　other。　The　cares　which　came　upon　her　the　very

day　of　her　mother's　death　threw　her　into　a　struggle　with　the　interests

of　life　at　an　age　when　young　girls　are　thinking　only　of　its　pleasures。

Dreadful　discipline　of　suffering；　which　is　never　lacking　to　angelic

natures！



The　love　which　rests　on　money　or　on　vanity　is　the　most　persevering　of

passions。　Pierquin　resolved　to　win　the　heiress　without　delay。　A　few

days　after　Madame　Claes's　death　he　took　occasion　to　speak　to

Marguerite；　and　began　operations　with　a　cleverness　which　might　have

succeeded　if　love　had　not　given　her　the　power　of　clear　insight　and

saved　her　from　mistaking　appearances　that　were　all　the　more　specious

because　Pierquin　displayed　his　natural　kindheartedness；the

kindliness　of　a　notary　who　thinks　himself　loving　while　he　protects　a

client's　money。　Relying　on　his　rather　distant　relationship　and　his

constant　habit　of　managing　the　business　and　sharing　the　secrets　of　the

Claes　family；　sure　of　the　esteem　and　friendship　of　the　father；　greatly

assisted　by　the　careless　inattention　of　that　servant　of　science　who

took　no　thought　for　the　marriage　of　his　daughter；　and　not　suspecting

that　Marguerite　could　prefer　another；Pierquin　unguardedly　enabled

her　to　form　a　judgment　on　a　suit　in　which　there　was　no　passion　except

that　of　self…interest；　always　odious　to　a　young　soul；　and　which　he　was

not　clever　enough　to　conceal。　It　was　he　who　on　this　occasion　was

naively　above…board；　it　was　she　who　dissimulated；simply　because　he

thought　he　was　dealing　with　a　defenceless　girl；　and　wholly

misconceived　the　privileges　of　weakness。



〃My　dear　cousin；〃　he　said　to　Marguerite；　with　whom　he　was　walking

about　the　paths　of　the　little　garden；　〃you　know　my　heart；　you

understand　how　truly　I　desire　to　respect　the　painful　feelings　which

absorb　you　at　this　moment。　I　have　too　sensitive　a　nature　for　a　lawyer；

I　live　by　my　heart　only；　I　am　forced　to　spend　my　time　on　the　interests

of　others　when　I　would　fain　let　myself　enjoy　the　sweet　emotions　which

make　life　happy。　I　suffer　deeply　in　being　obliged　to　talk　to　you　of

subjects　so　discordant　with　your　state　of　mind；　but　it　is　necessary。　I

have　thought　much　about　you　during　the　last　few　days。　It　is　evident

that　through　a　fatal　delusion　the　fortune　of　your　brothers　and　sister

and　your　own　are　in　jeopardy。　Do　you　wish　to　save　your　family　from

complete　ruin？〃



〃What　must　I　do？〃　she　asked；　half…frightened　by　his　words。



〃Marry；〃　answered　Pierquin。



〃I　shall　not　marry；〃　she　said。



〃Yes；　you　will　marry；〃　replied　the　notary；　〃when　you　have　soberly

thought　over　the　critical　position　in　which　you　are　placed。〃



〃How　can　my　marriage　save〃



〃Ah！　I　knew　you　would　consider　it；　my　dear　cousin；〃　he　exclaimed；

interrupting　her。　〃Marriage　will　emancipate　you。〃



〃Why　should　I　be　emancipated？〃　asked　Marguerite。



〃Because　marriage　will　put　you　at　once　into　possession　of　your

property；　my　dear　little　cousin；〃　said　the　lawyer　in　a　tone　of

triumph。　〃If　you　marry　you　take　your　share　of　your　mother's　property。

To　give　it　to　you；　the　whole　property　must　be　liquidated；　to　do　that；

it　becomes　necessary　to　sell　the　forest　of　Waignies。　That　done；　the

proceeds　will　be　capitalized；　and　your　father；　as　guardian；　will　be

compelled　to　invest　the　fortune　of　his　children　in　such　a　way　that

Chemistry　can't　get　hold　of　it。〃



〃And　if　I　do　not　marry；　what　will　happen？〃　she　asked。



〃Well；〃　said　the　notary；　〃your　father　will　manage　your　estate　as　he

pleases。　If　he　returns　to　making　gold；　he　will　probably　sell　the

timber　of　the　forest　of　Waignies　and　leave　his　children　as　naked　as

the　little　Saint　Johns。　The　forest　is　now　worth　about　fourteen　hundred

thousand　francs；　but　from　one　day　to　another　you　are　not　sure　your

father　won't　cut　it　down；　and　then　your　thirteen　hundred　acres　are　not

worth　three　hundred　thousand　francs。　Isn't　it　better　to　avoid　this

almost　certain　danger　by　at　once　compelling　the　division　of　property

on　your　marriage？　If　the　forest　is　sold　now；　while　Chemistry　has　gone

to　sleep；　your　father　will　put　the　proceeds　into　the　Grand…Livre。　The

Funds　are　at　59；　those　dear　children　will　get　nearly　five　thousand

francs　a　year　for　every　fifty　thousand　francs：　and；　inasmuch　as　the

property　of　minors　cannot　be　sold　out；　your　brothers　and　sister　will

find　their　fortunes　doubled　in　value　by　the　time　they　come　of　age。

Whereas；　in　the　other　case；faith；　no　one　knows　what　may　happen：　your

father　has　already　impaired　your　mother's　property；　we　shall　find　out

the　deficit　when　we　come　to　make　the　inventory。　If　he　is　in　debt　to

her　estate；　you　will　take　a　mortgage　on　his；　and　in　that　way　something

may　be　recovered〃



〃For　shame！〃　said　Marguerite。　〃It　would　be　an　outrage　on　my　father。　It

is　not　so　long　since　my　mother　uttered　her　last　words　that　I　have

forgotten　them。　My　father　is　incapable　of　robbing　his　children；〃　she

continued；　giving　way　to　tears　of　distress。　〃You　misunderstand　him；

Monsieur　Pierquin。〃



〃But；　my　dear　cousin；　if　your　father　gets　back　to　chemistry〃



〃We　are　ruined；　is　that　what　you　mean？〃



〃Yes；　utterly　ruined。　Believe　me；　Marguerite；〃　he　said；　taking　her

hand　which　he　placed　upon　his　heart；　〃I　should　fail　of　my　duty　if　I

did　not　persist　in　this　matter。　Your　interests　alone〃



〃Monsieur；〃　said　Marguerite；　coldly　withdrawing　her　hand；　〃the　true

interests　of　my　family　require　me　not　to　marry。　My　mother　thought　so。〃



〃Cousin；〃　he　cried；　with　the　earnestness　of　a　man　who　sees　a　fortune

escaping　him；　〃you　commit　suicide；　you　fling　your　mother's　property

into　a　gulf。　Well；　I　will　prove　the　devotion　I　feel　for　you：　you　know

not　how　I　love　you。　I　have　admired　you　from　the　day　of　that　last　ball；

three　years　ago；　you　were　enchanting。　Trust　the　voice　of　love　when　it

speaks　to　you　of　your　own　interests；　Marguerite。〃　He　paused。　〃Yes；　we

must　call　a　family　council　and　emancipate　youwithout　consulting

you；〃　he　added。



〃But　what　is　it　to　be　emancipated？〃



〃It　is　to　enjoy　your　own　rights。〃



〃If　I　can　be　emancipated　without　being　married；　why　do　you　want　me　to

marry？　and　whom　should　I　marry？〃



Pierquin　tried　to　look　tenderly　at　his　cousin；　but　the　expression

contrasted　so　strongly　with　his　hard　eyes；　usually　fixed　on　money；

that　Marguerite　discovered　the　self…interest　in　his　improvised

tenderness。



〃You　would　marry　the　person　whopleases　youthe　most；〃　he　said。　〃A

husband　is　indispensable；　were　it　only　as　a　matter　of　business。　You

are　now　entering　upon　a　struggle　with　your　father；　can　you　resist　him

all　alone？〃



〃Yes；　monsieur；　I　shall　know　how　to　protect　my　brothers　and　sister

when　the　time　comes。〃



〃Pshaw！　the　obstinate　creature；〃　thought　Pierquin。　〃No；　you　will　not

resist　him；〃　he　said　aloud。



〃Let　us　end　the　subject；〃　she　said。



〃Adieu；　cousin；　I　shall　endeavor　to　serve　you　in　spite　of　yourself；　I

will　prove　my　love　by　protecting　you　against　your　will　from　a　disaster

which　all　the　town　foresees。〃



〃I　thank　you　for　the　interest　you　take　in　me；〃　she　answered；　〃but　I

entreat　you　to　propose　nothing　and　to　undertake　nothing　which　may　give

pain　to　my　father。〃



Marguerite　stood　thoughtfully　watching　Pierquin　as　he　departed；　she

compared　his　metallic　voice；　his　manners；　flexible　as　a　stee