the alkahest-第40章
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technical term。 I have to…day lent Mademoiselle Claes one hundred
thousand francs to redeem your notes of hand which you had no means of
paying： you are therefore unable to give me any security。 These one
hundred and seventy thousand francs belong to Mademoiselle Claes； who
can dispose of them as she sees fit； but I have lent them on a pledge
that she will sign a deed securing them to me on her share of the now
denuded land of the forest of Waignies。〃
Marguerite turned away her head that her lover might not see the tears
that gathered in her eyes。 She knew Emmanuel's purity of soul。 Brought
up by his uncle to the practice of the sternest religious virtues； the
young man had an especial horror of falsehood： after giving his heart
and life to Marguerite Claes he now made her the sacrifice of his
conscience。
〃Adieu； monsieur；〃 said Balthazar； 〃I thought you had more confidence
in a man who looked upon you with the eyes of a father。〃
After exchanging a despairing look with Marguerite； Emmanuel was shown
out by Martha； who closed and fastened the street…door。
The moment the father and daughter were alone Claes said；
〃You love me； do you not？〃
〃Come to the point； father。 You want this money： you cannot have it。〃
She began to pick up the coins； her father silently helped her to
gather them together and count the sum she had dropped； Marguerite
allowed him to do so without manifesting the least distrust。 When two
thousand ducats were piled on the table； Balthazar said； with a
desperate air；
〃Marguerite； I must have that money。〃
〃If you take it； it will be robbery；〃 she replied coldly。 〃Hear me；
father： better kill us at one blow than make us suffer a hundred
deaths a day。 Let it now be seen which of us must yield。〃
〃Do you mean to kill your father？〃
〃We avenge our mother；〃 she said； pointing to the spot where Madame
Claes died。
〃My daughter； if you knew the truth of the matter； you would not use
those words to me。 Listen； and I will endeavor to exlain the great
problembut no； you cannot comprehend me；〃 he cried in accents of
despair。 〃Come； give me the money； believe for once in your father。
Yes； I know I caused your mother pain： I have dissipatedto use the
word of foolsmy own fortune and injured yours； I know my children
are sacrificed for a thing you call madness； but my angel； my darling；
my love； my Marguerite； hear me！ If I do not now succeed； I will give
myself up to you； I will obey you as you are bound to obey me； I will
do your will； you shall take charge of all my property； I will no
longer be the guardian of my children； I pledge myself to lay down my
authority。 I swear by your mother's memory！〃 he cried； shedding tears。
Marguerite turned away her head； unable to bear the sight。 Claes；
thinking she meant to yield； flung himself on his knees beside her。
〃Marguerite； Marguerite！ give it to megive it！〃 he cried。 〃What are
sixty thousand francs against eternal remorse？ See； I shall die； this
will kill me。 Listen； my word is sacred。 If I fail now I will abandon
my labors； I will leave Flanders；France even； if you demand it； I
will go away and toil like a day…laborer to recover； sou by sou； the
fortunes I have lost； and restore to my children all that Science has
taken from them。〃
Marguerite tried to raise her father； but he persisted in remaining on
his knees； and continued； still weeping：
〃Be tender and obedient for this last time！ If I do not succeed； I
will myself declare your hardness just。 You shall call me a fool； you
shall say I am a bad father； you may even tell me that I am ignorant
and incapable。 And when I hear you say those words I will kiss your
hands。 You may beat me； if you will； and when you strike I will bless
you as the best of daughters； remembering that you have given me your
blood。〃
〃If it were my blood； my life's blood； I would give it to you；〃 she
cried； 〃but can I let Science cut the throats of my brothers and
sister？ No。 Cease； cease！〃 she said； wiping her tears and pushing
aside her father's caressing hands。
〃Sixty thousand francs and two months；〃 he said； rising in anger；
〃that is all I want： but my daughter stands between me and fame and
wealth。 I curse you！〃 he went on； 〃you are no daughter of mine； you
are not a woman； you have no heart； you will never be a mother or a
wife！ Give it to me； let me take it； my little one； my precious
child； I will love you forever；〃and he stretched his hand with a
movement of hideous energy towards the gold。
〃I am helpless against physical force； but God and the great Claes see
us now；〃 she said； pointing to the picture。
〃Try to live； if you can； with your father's blood upon you；〃 cried
Balthazar； looking at her with abhorrence。 He rose； glanced round the
room； and slowly left it。 When he reached the door he turned as a
beggar might have done and implored his daughter with a gesture； to
which she replied by a negative motion of her head。
〃Farewell； my daughter；〃 he said； gently； 〃may you live happy！〃
When he had disappeared； Marguerite remained in a trance which
separated her from earth； she was no longer in the parlor； she lost
consciousness of physical existence； she had wings； and soared amid
the immensities of the moral world； where Thought contracts the limits
both of Time and Space； where a divine hand lifts the veil of the
Future。 It seemed to her that days elapsed between each footfall of
her father as he went up the stairs； then a shudder of dread went over
her as she heard him enter his chamber。 Guided by a presentiment which
flashed into her soul with the piercing keenness of lightning； she ran
up the stairway； without light； without noise； with the velocity of an
arrow； and saw her father with a pistol at his head。
〃Take all！〃 she cried； springing towards him。
She fell into a chair。 Balthazar； seeing her pallor； began to weep as
old men weep； he became like a child； he kissed her brow； he spoke in
disconnected words； he almost danced with joy； and tried to play with
her as a lover with a mistress who has made him happy。
〃Enough； father； enough；〃 she said； 〃remember your promise。 If you do
not succeed now； you pledge yourself to obey me？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Oh； mother！〃 she cried； turning towards Madame Claes's chamber； 〃YOU
would have given him allwould you not？〃
〃Sleep in peace；〃 said Balthazar； 〃you are a good daughter。〃
〃Sleep！〃 she said； 〃the nights of my youth are gone； you have made me
old； father； just as you slowly withered my mother's heart。〃
〃Poor child； would I could re…assure you by explaining the effects of
the glorious experiment I have now imagined！ you would then comprehend
the truth。〃
〃I comprehend our ruin；〃 she said； leaving him。
The next morning； being a holiday； Emmanuel de Solis brought Jean to
spend the day。
〃Well？〃 he said； approaching Marguerite anxiously。
〃I yielded；〃 she replied。
〃My dear life；〃 he said； with a gesture of melancholy joy； 〃if you had
withstood him I should greatly have admired you； but weak and feeble；
I adore you！〃
〃Poor； poor Emmanuel； what is left for us？〃
〃Leave the future to me；〃 cried the young man； with a radiant look；
〃we love each other； and all is well。〃
CHAPTER XIII
Several months went by in perfect tranquillity。 Monsieur de Solis made
Marguerite see that her petty economies would never produce a fortune；
and he advised her to live more at ease； by taking all that remained
of the sum which Madame Claes had entrusted to him for the comfort and
well…being of the household。
During these months Marguerite fell a prey to the anxieties which
beset her mother under like circumstances。 However incredulous she
might be； she had come to hope in her father's genius。 By an
inexplicable phenomenon； many people have hope when they have no
faith。 Hope is the flower of Desire； faith is the
