the alkahest-第49章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



all　present　stood　before　them　at　a　little　distance。　To　the　left　of　the

parlor　on　the　garden　side　were　Gabriel　and　Mademoiselle　Conyncks；　next

to　them　stood　Monsieur　de　Solis　and　Marguerite；　and　farther　on；

Felicie　and　Pierquin。　Balthazar　and　Monsieur　Conyncks；　the　only

persons　who　were　seated；　occupied　two　armchairs　beside　the　notary　who；

for　this　occasion；　had　taken　Pierquin's　duty。　Jean　stood　behind　his

father。　A　score　of　ladies　elegantly　dressed；　and　a　few　men　chosen　from

among　the　nearest　relatives　of　the　Pierquins；　the　Conyncks；　and　the

Claes；　the　mayor　of　Douai；　who　was　to　marry　the　couples；　the　twelve

witnesses　chosen　from　among　the　nearest　friends　of　the　three　families；

all；　even　the　curate　of　Saint…Pierre；　remained　standing　and　formed　an

imposing　circle　at　the　end　of　the　parlor　next　the　court…yard。　This

homage　paid　by　the　whole　assembly　to　Paternity；　which　at　such　a　moment

shines　with　almost　regal　majesty；　gave　to　the　scene　a　certain　antique

character。　It　was　the　only　moment　for　sixteen　long　years　when

Balthazar　forgot　the　Alkahest。



Monsieur　Raparlier　went　up　to　Marguerite　and　her　sister　and　asked　if

all　the　persons　invited　to　the　ceremony　and　to　the　dinner　had　arrived；

on　receiving　an　affirmative　reply；　he　returned　to　his　station　and　took

up　the　marriage　contract　between　Marguerite　and　Monsieur　de　Solis；

which　was　the　first　to　be　read；　when　suddenly　the　door　of　the　parlor

opened　and　Lemulquinier　entered；　his　face　flaming。



〃Monsieur！　monsieur！〃　he　cried。



Balthazar　flung　a　look　of　despair　at　Marguerite；　then；　making　her　a

sign；　he　drew　her　into　the　garden。　The　whole　assembly　were　conscious

of　a　shock。



〃I　dared　not　tell　you；　my　child；〃　said　the　father；　〃but　since　you　have

done　so　much；　you　will　save　me；　I　know；　from　this　last　trouble。

Lemulquinier　lent　me　all　his　savingsthe　fruit　of　twenty　years'

economyfor　my　last　experiment；　which　failed。　He　has　come　no　doubt；

finding　that　I　am　once　more　rich；　to　insist　on　having　them　back。　Ah！

my　angel；　give　them　to　him；　you　owe　him　your　father；　he　alone　consoled

me　in　my　troubles；　he　alone　has　had　faith　in　me；without　him　I　should

have　died。〃



〃Monsieur！　monsieur！〃　cried　Lemulquinier。



〃What　is　it？〃　said　Balthazar；　turning　round。



〃A　diamond！〃



Claes　sprang　into　the　parlor　and　saw　the　stone　in　the　hands　of　the　old

valet；　who　whispered　in　his　ear；



〃I　have　been　to　the　laboratory。〃



The　chemist；　forgetting　everything　about　him；　cast　a　terrible　look　on

the　old　Fleming　which　meant；　〃You　went　before　me　to　the　laboratory！〃



〃Yes；〃　continued　Lemulquinier；　〃I　found　the　diamond　in　the　china

capsule　which　communicated　with　the　battery　which　we　left　to　work；

monsieurand　see！〃　he　added；　showing　a　white　diamond　of　octahedral

form；　whose　brilliancy　drew　the　astonished　gaze　of　all　present。



〃My　children；　my　friends；〃　said　Balthazar；　〃forgive　my　old　servant；

forgive　me！　This　event　will　drive　me　mad。　The　chance　work　of　seven

years　has　producedwithout　mea　discovery　I　have　sought　for　sixteen

years。　How？　My　God；　I　know　notyes；　I　left　sulphide　of　carbon　under

the　influence　of　a　Voltaic　pile；　whose　action　ought　to　have　been

watched　from　day　to　day。　During　my　absence　the　power　of　God　has　worked

in　my　laboratory；　but　I　was　not　there　to　note　its　progressive　effects！

Is　it　not　awful？　Oh；　cursed　exile！　cursed　chance！　Alas！　had　I　watched

that　slow；　that　suddenwhat　can　I　call　it？crystallization；

transformation；　in　short　that　miracle；　then；　then　my　children　would

have　been　richer　still。　Though　this　result　is　not　the　solution　of　the

Problem　which　I　seek；　the　first　rays　of　my　glory　would　have　shone　from

that　diamond　upon　my　native　country；　and　this　hour；　which　our

satisfied　affections　have　made　so　happy；　would　have　glowed　with　the

sunlight　of　Science。〃



Every　one　kept　silence　in　the　presence　of　such　a　man。　The　disconnected

words　wrung　from　him　by　his　anguish　were　too　sincere　not　to　be

sublime。



Suddenly；　Balthazar　drove　back　his　despair　into　the　depths　of　his　own

being；　and　cast　upon　the　assembly　a　majestic　look　which　affected　the

souls　of　all；　he　took　the　diamond　and　offered　it　to　Marguerite；

saying；



〃It　is　thine；　my　angel。〃



Then　he　dismissed　Lemulquinier　with　a　gesture；　and　motioned　to　the

notary；　saying；　〃Go　on。〃



The　two　words　sent　a　shudder　of　emotion　through　the　company　such　as

Talma　in　certain　roles　produced　among　his　auditors。　Balthazar；　as　he

reseated　himself；　said　in　a　low　voice；



〃To…day　I　must　be　a　father　only。〃



Marguerite　hearing　the　words　went　up　to　him　and　caught　his　hand　and

kissed　it　respectfully。



〃No　man　was　ever　greater；〃　said　Emmanuel；　when　his　bride　returned　to

him；　〃no　man　was　ever　so　mighty；　another　would　have　gone　mad。〃



After　the　three　contracts　were　read　and　signed；　the　company　hastened

to　question　Balthazar　as　to　the　manner　in　which　the　diamond　had　been

formed；　but　he　could　tell　them　nothing　about　so　strange　an　accident。

He　looked　through　the　window　at　his　garret　and　pointed　to　it　with　an

angry　gesture。



〃Yes；　the　awful　power　resulting　from　a　movement　of　fiery　matter　which

no　doubt　produces　metals；　diamonds；〃　he　said；　〃was　manifested　there

for　one　moment；　by　one　chance。〃



〃That　chance　was　of　course　some　natural　effect；〃　whispered　a　guest

belonging　to　the　class　of　people　who　are　ready　with　an　explanation　of

everything。　〃At　any　rate；　it　is　something　saved　out　of　all　he　has

wasted。〃



〃Let　us　forget　it；〃　said　Balthazar；　addressing　his　friends；　〃I　beg　you

to　say　no　more　about　it　to…day。〃



Marguerite　took　her　father's　arm　to　lead　the　way　to　the　reception…

rooms　of　the　front　house；　where　a　sumptuous　fete　had　been　prepared。　As

he　entered　the　gallery；　followed　by　his　guests；　he　beheld　it　filled

with　pictures　and　garnished　with　choice　flowers。



〃Pictures！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃pictures！and　some　of　the　old　ones！〃



He　stopped　short；　his　brow　clouded；　for　a　moment　grief　overcame　him；

he　felt　the　weight　of　his　wrong…doing　as　the　vista　of　his　humiliation

came　before　his　eyes。



〃It　is　all　your　own；　father；〃　said　Marguerite；　guessing　the　feelings

that　oppressed　his　soul。



〃Angel；　whom　the　spirits　in　heaven　watch　and　praise；〃　he　cried；　〃how

many　times　have　you　given　life　to　your　father？〃



〃Then　keep　no　cloud　upon　your　brow；　nor　the　least　sad　thought　in　your

heart；〃　she　said；　〃and　you　will　reward　me　beyond　my　hopes。　I　have　been

thinking　of　Lemulquinier；　my　darling　father；　the　few　words　you　said　a

little　while　ago　have　made　me　value　him；　perhaps　I　have　been　unjust　to

him；　he　ought　to　remain　your　humble　friend。　Emmanuel　has　laid　by

nearly　sixty　thousand　francs　which　he　has　economized；　and　we　will　give

them　to　Lemulquinier。　After　serving　you　so　well　the　man　ought　to　be

made　comfortable　for　his　remaining　years。　Do　not　be　uneasy　about　us。

Monsieur　de　Solis　and　I　intend　to　lead　a　quiet；　peaceful　life；a　life

without　luxury；　we　can　well　afford　to　lend　you　that　money　until　you

are　able　to　return　it。〃



〃Ah；　my　daughter！　never　forsake　me；　continue　to　be　thy　father's

providence。〃



When　they　entered　the　reception…rooms　Balthazar　found　them　restored

and　furnished　as　elegantly　as　in　former　days。　The　guests　presently

descended　to　the　dining…room　on　the　ground…floor　by　the　grand

staircase；　on　every　step　of　which　were　rare　plants　and　flowering

shrubs。　A　silver　service　of　exquisite　workmanship；　the　gift　of　Gabriel

to　his　father；　attracted　all　eyes　to　a　luxury　which　was　surprising　to

the　inhabitants　of　a　town　where　such　luxury　is　traditional。　The

servants　of　Monsieur　Conyncks　and　of　Pierquin；　as　well　as　those　of　the

Claes　household；　were　assembled　to　serve　the　repast。　Seeing　himself

once　more　at　the　head　of　that　table；　surrounded　by　friends　and

relatives　and　happy　faces　beaming　with　heartfelt　joy；　Balthazar；

behind　whose　chair　stood　Lemulquinier；　was　overcome　by　emotions　so

deep　and　so　imposing　that　all　present　kept　silence；　as　men　are　silent

before　g