the alkahest-第42章

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mind。　Envious　perhaps；　though　quite　unconsciously；　of　the　loving

attentions　with　which　Emmanuel　surrounded　her　sister；　she　doubtless

wished　to　be；　like　Marguerite；　the　object　of　the　thoughts　and　cares　of

a　man。



Pierquin　readily　perceived　the　preference　which　Felicie　accorded　him

over　Emmanuel；　and　to　him　it　was　a　reason　why　he　should　persist　in　his

attentions；　so　that　in　the　end　he　went　further　than　he　at　first

intended。　Emmanuel　watched　the　beginning　of　this　passion；　false

perhaps　in　the　lawyer；　artless　in　Felicie；　whose　future　was　at　stake。

Soon；　little　colloquies　followed；　a　few　words　said　in　a　low　voice

behind　Emmanuel's　back；　trifling　deceptions　which　give　to　a　look　or　a

word　a　meaning　whose　insidious　sweetness　may　be　the　cause　of　innocent

mistakes。　Relying　on　his　intimacy　with　Felicie；　Pierquin　tried　to

discover　the　secret　of　Marguerite's　journey；　and　to　know　if　it　were

really　a　question　of　her　marriage；　and　whether　he　must　renounce　all

hope；　but；　notwithstanding　his　clumsy　cleverness　in　questioning　them；

neither　Balthazar　nor　Felicie　could　give　him　any　light；　for　the　good

reason　that　they　were　in　the　dark　themselves：　Marguerite　in　taking　the

reins　of　power　seemed　to　have　followed　its　maxims　and　kept　silence　as

to　her　projects。



The　gloomy　sadness　of　Balthazar　and　his　great　depression　made　it

difficult　to　get　through　the　evenings。　Though　Emmanuel　succeeded　in

making　him　play　backgammon；　the　chemist's　mind　was　never　present；

during　most　of　the　time　this　man；　so　great　in　intellect；　seemed　simply

stupid。　Shorn　of　his　expectations；　ashamed　of　having　squandered　three

fortunes；　a　gambler　without　money；　he　bent　beneath　the　weight　of　ruin；

beneath　the　burden　of　hopes　that　were　betrayed　rather　than

annihilated。　This　man　of　genius；　gagged　by　dire　necessity　and

upbraiding　himself；　was　a　tragic　spectacle；　fit　to　touch　the　hearts　of

the　most　unfeeling　of　men。　Even　Pierquin　could　not　enter　without

respect　the　presence　of　that　caged　lion；　whose　eyes；　full　of　baffled

power；　now　calmed　by　sadness　and　faded　from　excess　of　light；　seemed　to

proffer　a　prayer　for　charity　which　the　mouth　dared　not　utter。

Sometimes　a　lightning　flash　crossed　that　withered　face；　whose　fires

revived　at　the　conception　of　a　new　experiment；　then；　as　he　looked

about　the　parlor；　Balthazar's　eyes　would　fasten　on　the　spot　where　his

wife　had　died；　a　film　of　tears　rolled　like　hot　grains　of　sand　across

the　arid　pupils　of　his　eyes；　which　thought　had　made　immense；　and　his

head　fell　forward　on　his　breast。　Like　a　Titan　he　had　lifted　the　world；

and　the　world　fell　on　his　breast　and　crushed　him。



This　gigantic　grief；　so　manfully　controlled；　affected　Pierquin　and

Emmanuel　powerfully；　and　each　felt　moved　at　times　to　offer　this　man

the　necessary　money　to　renew　his　search；so　contagious　are　the

convictions　of　genius！　Both　understood　how　it　was　that　Madame　Claes

and　Marguerite　had　flung　their　all　into　this　gulf；　but　reason　promptly

checked　the　impulse　of　their　hearts；　and　their　emotion　was　spent　in

efforts　at　consolation　which　still　further　embittered　the　anguish　of

the　doomed　Titan。



Claes　never　spoke　of　his　eldest　daughter；　and　showed　no　interest　in

her　departure　nor　any　anxiety　as　to　her　silence　in　not　writing　either

to　him　or　to　Felicie。　When　de　Solis　or　Pierquin　asked　for　news　of　her

he　seemed　annoyed。　Did　he　suspect　that　Marguerite　was　working　against

him？　Was　he　humiliated　at　having　resigned　the　majestic　rights　of

paternity　to　his　own　child？　Had　he　come　to　love　her　less　because　she

was　now　the　father；　he　the　child？　Perhaps　there　were　many　of　these

reasons；　many　of　these　inexpressible　feelings　which　float　like　vapors

through　the　soul；　in　the　mute　disgrace　which　he　laid　upon　Marguerite。

However　great　may　be　the　great　men　of　earth；　be　they　known　or　unknown；

fortunate　or　unfortunate　in　their　endeavors；　all　have　likenesses　which

belong　to　human　nature。　By　a　double　misfortune　they　suffer　through

their　greatness　not　less　than　through　their　defects；　and　perhaps

Balthazar　needed　to　grow　accustomed　to　the　pangs　of　wounded　vanity。

The　life　he　was　leading；　the　evenings　when　these　four　persons　met

together　in　Marguerite's　absence；　were　full　of　sadness　and　vague；

uneasy　apprehensions。　The　days　were　barren　like　a　parched…up　soil；

where；　nevertheless；　a　few　flowers　grew；　a　few　rare　consolations；

though　without　Marguerite；　the　soul；　the　hope；　the　strength　of　the

family；　the　atmosphere　seemed　misty。



Two　months　went　by　in　this　way；　during　which　Balthazar　awaited　the

return　of　his　daughter。　Marguerite　was　brought　back　to　Douai　by　her

uncle　who　remained　at　the　house　instead　of　returning　to　Cambrai；　no

doubt　to　lend　the　weight　of　his　authority　to　some　coup　d'etat　planned

by　his　niece。　Marguerite's　return　was　made　a　family　fete。　Pierquin　and

Monsieur　de　Solis　were　invited　to　dinner　by　Felicie　and　Balthazar。

When　the　travelling…carriage　stopped　before　the　house；　the　four　went

to　meet　it　with　demonstrations　of　joy。　Marguerite　seemed　happy　to　see

her　home　once　more；　and　her　eyes　filled　with　tears　as　she　crossed　the

court…yard　to　reach　the　parlor。　When　embracing　her　father　she　colored

like　a　guilty　wife　who　is　unable　to　dissimulate；　but　her　face

recovered　its　serenity　as　she　looked　at　Emmanuel；　from　whom　she　seemed

to　gather　strength　to　complete　a　work　she　had　secretly　undertaken。



Notwithstanding　the　gaiety　which　animated　all　present　during　the

dinner；　father　and　daughter　watched　each　other　with　distrust　and

curiosity。　Balthazar　asked　his　daughter　no　questions　as　to　her　stay　in

Paris；　doubtless　to　preserve　his　parental　dignity。　Emmanuel　de　Solis

imitated　his　reserve；　but　Pierquin；　accustomed　to　be　told　all　family

secrets；　said　to　Marguerite；　concealing　his　curiosity　under　a　show　of

liveliness：



〃Well；　my　dear　cousin；　you　have　seen　Paris　and　the　theatres〃



〃I　have　seen　little　of　Paris；〃　she　said；　〃I　did　not　go　there　for

amusement。　The　days　went　by　sadly；　I　was　so　impatient　to　see　Douai

once　more。〃



〃Yes；　if　I　had　not　been　angry　about　it　she　would　not　have　gone　to　the

Opera；　and　even　there　she　was　uneasy；〃　said　Monsieur　Conyncks。



It　was　a　painful　evening；　every　one　was　embarrassed　and　smiled　vaguely

with　the　artificial　gaiety　which　hides　such　real　anxieties。　Marguerite

and　Balthazar　were　a　prey　to　cruel；　latent　fears　which　reacted　on　the

rest。　As　the　hours　passed；　the　bearing　of　the　father　and　daughter　grew

more　and　more　constrained。　Sometimes　Marguerite　tried　to　smile；　but

her　motions；　her　looks；　the　tones　of　her　voice　betrayed　a　keen

anxiety。　Messieurs　Conyncks　and　de　Solis　seemed　to　know　the　meaning　of

the　secret　feelings　which　agitated　the　noble　girl；　and　they　appeared

to　encourage　her　by　expressive　glances。　Balthazar；　hurt　at　being　kept

from　a　knowledge　of　the　steps　that　had　been　taken　on　his　behalf；

withdrew　little　by　little　from　his　children　and　friends；　and　pointedly

kept　silence。　Marguerite　would　no　doubt　soon　disclose　what　she　had

decided　upon　for　his　future。



To　a　great　man；　to　a　father；　the　situation　was　intolerable。　At　his　age

a　man　no　longer　dissimulates　in　his　own　family；　he　became　more　and

more　thoughtful；　serious；　and　grieved　as　the　hour　approached　when　he

would　be　forced　to　meet　his　civil　death。　This　evening　covered　one　of

those　crises　in　the　inner　life　of　man　which　can　only　be　expressed　by

imagery。　The　thunderclouds　were　gathering　in　the　sky；　people　were

laughing　in　the　fields；　all　felt　the　heat　and　knew　the　storm　was

coming；　but　they　held　up　their　heads　and　continued　on　their　way。

Monsieur　Conyncks　was　the　first　to　leave　the　room；　conducted　by

Balthazar　to　his　chamber。　During　the　latter's　absence　Pierquin　and

Monsieur　de　Solis　went　away。　Marguerite　bade　the　notary　good…night

with　much　affection；　she　said　nothing　to　Emmanuel；　but　she　pressed　his

hand　and　gave　him　a　tearful　glance。　She　sent　Felicie　away；　and　when

Claes　returned　to　the　parlor　he　found　his　daughter　alone。



〃My　kind　father；〃　she　said　in