the alkahest-第35章

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sisters　and　old　Martha　enabled　Marguerite　to　accept　the　life　of

anguish　and　renunciation　on　which　she　had　entered。　This　artless；

progressive　love　was　her　support。　In　all　his　testimonies　of　affection

Emmanuel　showed　the　natural　grace　that　is　so　winning；　the　sweet　yet

subtile　mind　which　breaks　the　uniformity　of　sentiment　as　the　facets　of

a　diamond　relieve；　by　their　many…sided　fires；　the　monotony　of　the

stone；adorable　wisdom；　the　secret　of　loving　hearts；　which　makes　a

woman　pliant　to　the　artistic　hand　that　gives　new　life　to　old；　old

forms；　and　refreshes　with　novel　modulations　the　phrases　of　love。　Love

is　not　only　a　sentiment；　it　is　an　art。　Some　simple　word；　a　trifling

vigilance；　a　nothing；　reveals　to　a　woman　the　great；　the　divine　artist

who　shall　touch　her　heart　and　yet　not　blight　it。　The　more　Emmanuel　was

free　to　utter　himself；　the　more　charming　were　the　expressions　of　his

love。



〃I　have　tried　to　get　here　before　Pierquin；〃　he　said　to　Marguerite　one

evening。　〃He　is　bringing　some　bad　news；　I　would　rather　you　heard　it

from　me。　Your　father　has　sold　all　the　timber　in　your　forest　at

Waignies　to　speculators；　who　have　resold　it　to　dealers。　The　trees　are

already　felled；　and　the　logs　are　carried　away。　Monsieur　Claes　received

three　hundred　thousand　francs　in　cash　as　a　first　instalment　of　the

price；　which　he　has　used　towards　paying　his　bills　in　Paris；　but　to

clear　off　his　debts　entirely　he　has　been　forced　to　assign　a　hundred

thousand　francs　of　the　three　hundred　thousand　still　due　to　him　on　the

purchase…money。〃



Pierquin　entered　at　this　moment。



〃Ah！　my　dear　cousin；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　ruined。　I　told　you　how　it

would　be；　but　you　would　not　listen　to　me。　Your　father　has　an

insatiable　appetite。　He　has　swallowed　your　woods　at　a　mouthful。　Your

family　guardian；　Monsieur　Conyncks；　is　just　now　absent　in　Amsterdam；

and　Claes　has　seized　the　opportunity　to　strike　the　blow。　It　is　all

wrong。　I　have　written　to　Monsieur　Conyncks；　but　he　will　get　here　too

late；　everything　will　be　squandered。　You　will　be　obliged　to　sue　your

father。　The　suit　can't　be　long；　but　it　will　be　dishonorable。　Monsieur

Conyncks　has　no　alternative　but　to　institute　proceedings；　the　law

requires　it。　This　is　the　result　of　your　obstinacy。　Do　you　now　see　my

prudence；　and　how　devoted　I　was　to　your　interests？〃



〃I　bring　you　some　good　news；　mademoiselle；〃　said　young　de　Solis　in　his

gentle　voice。　〃Gabriel　has　been　admitted　to　the　Ecole　Polytechnique。

The　difficulties　that　seemed　in　the　way　have　all　been　removed。〃



Marguerite　thanked　him　with　a　smile　as　she　said：



〃My　savings　will　now　come　in　play！　Martha；　we　must　begin　to…morrow　on

Gabriel's　outfit。　My　poor　Felicie；　we　shall　have　to　work　hard；〃　she

added；　kissing　her　sister's　forehead。



〃To…morrow　you　shall　have　him　at　home；　to　remain　ten　days；〃　said

Emmanuel；　〃he　must　be　in　Paris　by　the　fifteenth　of　November。〃



〃My　cousin　Gabriel　has　done　a　sensible　thing；〃　said　the　lawyer；　eyeing

the　professor　from　head　to　foot；　〃for　he　will　have　to　make　his　own

way。　But；　my　dear　cousin；　the　question　now　is　how　to　save　the　honor　of

the　family：　will　you　listen　to　what　I　say　this　time？〃



〃No；〃　she　said；　〃not　if　it　relates　to　marriage。〃



〃Then　what　will　you　do？〃



〃I？nothing。〃



〃But　you　are　of　age。〃



〃I　shall　be　in　a　few　days。　Have　you　any　course　to　suggest　to　me；〃　she

added；　〃which　will　reconcile　our　interests　with　the　duty　we　owe　to　our

father　and　to　the　honor　of　the　family？〃



〃My　dear　cousin；　nothing　can　be　done　till　your　uncle　arrives。　When　he

does；　I　will　call　again。〃



〃Adieu；　monsieur；〃　said　Marguerite。



〃The　poorer　she　is　the　more　airs　she　gives　herself；〃　thought　the

notary。　〃Adieu；　mademoiselle；〃　he　said　aloud。　〃Monsieur；　my　respects

to　you〃；　and　he　went　away；　paying　no　attention　to　Felicie　or　Martha。



〃I　have　been　studying　the　Code　for　the　last　two　days；　and　I　have

consulted　an　experienced　old　lawyer；　a　friend　of　my　uncle；〃　said

Emmanuel；　in　a　hesitating　voice。　〃If　you　will　allow　me；　I　will　go　to

Amsterdam　to…morrow　and　see　Monsieur　Conyncks。　Listen；　dear

Marguerite〃



He　uttered　her　name　for　the　first　time；　she　thanked　him　with　a　smile

and　a　tearful　glance；　and　made　a　gentle　inclination　of　her　head。　He

paused；　looking　at　Felicie　and　Martha。



〃Speak　before　my　sister；〃　said　Marguerite。　〃She　is　so　docile　and

courageous　that　she　does　not　need　this　discussion　to　make　her　resigned

to　our　life　of　toil　and　privation；　but　it　is　best　that　she　should　see

for　herself　how　necessary　courage　is　to　us。〃



The　two　sisters　clasped　hands　and　kissed　each　other；　as　if　to　renew

some　pledge　of　union　before　the　coming　disaster。



〃Leave　us；　Martha。〃



〃Dear　Marguerite；〃　said　Emmanuel；　letting　the　happiness　he　felt　in

conquering　the　lesser　rights　of　affection　sound　in　the　inflections　of

his　voice；　〃I　have　procured　the　names　and　addresses　of　the　purchasers

who　still　owe　the　remaining　two　hundred　thousand　francs　on　the　felled

timber。　To…morrow；　if　you　give　consent；　a　lawyer　acting　in　the　name　of

Monsieur　Conyncks；　who　will　not　disavow　the　act；　will　serve　an

injunction　upon　them。　Six　days　hence；　by　which　time　your　uncle　will

have　returned；　the　family　council　can　be　called　together；　and　Gabriel

put　in　possession　of　his　legal　rights；　for　he　is　now　eighteen。　You　and

your　brother　being　thus　authorized　to　use　those　rights；　you　will

demand　your　share　in　the　proceeds　of　the　timber。　Monsieur　Claes　cannot

refuse　you　the　two　hundred　thousand　francs　on　which　the　injunction

will　have　been　put；　as　to　the　remaining　hundred　thousand　which　is　due

to　you；　you　must　obtain　a　mortgage　on　this　house。　Monsieur　Conyncks

will　demand　securities　for　the　three　hundred　thousand　belonging　to

Felicie　and　Jean。　Under　these　circumstances　your　father　will　be

obliged　to　mortgage　his　property　on　the　plain　of　Orchies；　which　he　has

already　encumbered　to　the　amount　of　three　hundred　thousand　francs。　The

law　gives　a　retrospective　priority　to　the　claims　of　minors；　and　that

will　save　you。　Monsieur　Claes's　hands　will　be　tied　for　the　future；

your　property　becomes　inalienable；　and　he　can　no　longer　borrow　on　his

own　estates　because　they　will　be　held　as　security　for　other　sums。

Moreover；　the　whole　can　be　done　quietly；　without　scandal　or　legal

proceedings。　Your　father　will　be　forced　to　greater　prudence　in　making

his　researches；　even　if　he　cannot　be　persuaded　to　relinquish　them

altogether。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Marguerite；　〃but　where；　meantime；　can　we　find　the　means　of

living？　The　hundred　thousand　francs　for　which；　you　say；　I　must　obtain

a　mortgage　on　this　house；　would　bring　in　nothing　while　we　still　live

here。　The　proceeds　of　my　father's　property　in　the　country　will　pay　the

interest　on　the　three　hundred　thousand　francs　he　owes　to　others；　but

how　are　we　to　live？〃



〃In　the　first　place；〃　said　Emmanuel；　〃by　investing　the　fifty　thousand

francs　which　belong　to　Gabriel　in　the　public　Funds　you　will　get；

according　to　present　rates；　more　than　four　thousand　francs'　income；

which　will　suffice　to　pay　your　brother's　board　and　lodging　and　all　his

other　expenses　in　Paris。　Gabriel　cannot　touch　the　capital　until　he　is

of　age；　therefore　you　need　not　fear　that　he　will　waste　a　penny　of　it；

and　you　will　have　one　expense　the　less。　Besides；　you　will　have　your

own　fifty　thousand。〃



〃My　father　will　ask　me　for　them；〃　she　said　in　a　frightened　tone；　〃and

I　shall　not　be　able　to　refuse　him。〃



〃Well；　dear　Marguerite；　even　so；　you　can　evade　that　by　robbing

yourself。　Place　your　money　in　the　Grand…Livre　in　Gabriel's　name：　it

will　bring　you　twelve　or　thirteen　thousand　francs　a　year。　Minors　who

are　emancipated　cannot　sell　property　without　permission　of　the　family

council；　you　will　thus　gain　three　years'　peace　of　mind。　By　that　time

your　father　will　either　have　solved　his　problem　or　renounced　it；　and

Gabriel；　then　of　age；　will　reinvest　the　money　in　your　own　name。〃



Marguerite　made　him　explain　to　her　once　more　the　legal　points　which