the alkahest-第32章

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compared　his　metallic　voice；　his　manners；　flexible　as　a　steel　spring；

his　glance；　servile　rather　than　tender；　with　the　mute　melodious　poetry

in　which　Emmanuel's　sentiments　were　wrapped。　No　matter　what　may　be

said；　or　what　may　be　done；　there　exists　a　wonderful　magnetism　whose

effects　never　deceive。　The　tones　of　the　voice；　the　glance；　the

passionate　gestures　of　a　lover　may　be　imitated；　a　young　girl　can　be

deluded　by　a　clever　comedian；　but　to　succeed；　the　man　must　be　alone　in

the　field。　If　the　young　girl　has　another　soul　beside　her　whose　pulses

vibrate　in　unison　with　hers；　she　is　able　to　distinguish　the

expressions　of　a　true　love。　Emmanuel；　like　Marguerite；　felt　the

influence　of　the　chords　which；　from　the　time　of　their　first　meeting

had　gathered　ominously　about　their　heads；　hiding　from　their　eyes　the

blue　skies　of　love。　His　feeling　for　the　Elect　of　his　heart　was　an

idolatry　which　the　total　absence　of　hope　rendered　gentle　and

mysterious　in　its　manifestations。　Socially　too　far　removed　from

Mademoiselle　Claes　by　his　want　of　fortune；　with　nothing　but　a　noble

name　to　offer　her；　he　saw　no　chance　of　ever　being　her　husband。　Yet　he

had　always　hoped　for　certain　encouragements　which　Marguerite　refused

to　give　before　the　failing　eyes　of　her　dying　mother。　Both　equally

pure；　they　had　never　said　to　one　another　a　word　of　love。　Their　joys

were　solitary　joys　tasted　by　each　alone。　They　trembled　apart；　though

together　they　quivered　beneath　the　rays　of　the　same　hope。　They　seemed

to　fear　themselves；　conscious　that　each　only　too　surely　belonged　to

the　other。　Emmanuel　trembled　lest　he　should　touch　the　hand　of　the

sovereign　to　whom　he　had　made　a　shrine　of　his　heart；　a　chance　contact

would　have　roused　hopes　that　were　too　ardent；　he　could　not　then　have

mastered　the　force　of　his　passion。　And　yet；　while　neither　bestowed　the

vast；　though　trivial；　the　innocent　and　yet　all…meaning　signs　of　love

that　even　timid　lovers　allow　themselves；　they　were　so　firmly　fixed　in

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；