the alkahest-第51章

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to　notify　Monsieur　and　Madame　Pierquin。



When　the　door　was　opened；　Marguerite　went　directly　to　the　parlor。

Horror　overcame　her　and　she　trembled　when　she　saw　the　walls　as　bare　as

if　a　fire　had　swept　over　them。　The　glorious　carved　panellings　of　Van

Huysum　and　the　portrait　of　the　great　Claes　had　been　sold。　The　dining…

room　was　empty：　there　was　nothing　in　it　but　two　straw　chairs　and　a

common　deal　table；　on　which　Marguerite；　terrified；　saw　two　plates；　two

bowls；　two　forks　and　spoons；　and　the　remains　of　a　salt　herring　which

Claes　and　his　servant　had　evidently　just　eaten。　In　a　moment　she　had

flown　through　her　father's　portion　of　the　house；　every　room　of　which

exhibited　the　same　desolation　as　the　parlor　and　dining…room。　The　idea

of　the　Alkahest　had　swept　like　a　conflagration　through　the　building。

Her　father's　bedroom　had　a　bed；　one　chair；　and　one　table；　on　which

stood　a　miserable　pewter　candlestick　with　a　tallow　candle　burned

almost　to　the　socket。　The　house　was　so　completely　stripped　that　not　so

much　as　a　curtain　remained　at　the　windows。　Every　object　of　the

smallest　value；everything；　even　the　kitchen　utensils；　had　been　sold。



Moved　by　that　feeling　of　curiosity　which　never　entirely　leaves　us　even

in　moments　of　misfortune；　Marguerite　entered　Lemulquinier's　chamber

and　found　it　as　bare　as　that　of　his　master。　In　a　half…opened　table…

drawer　she　found　a　pawnbroker's　ticket　for　the　old　servant's　watch

which　he　had　pledged　some　days　before。　She　ran　to　the　laboratory　and

found　it　filled　with　scientific　instruments；　the　same　as　ever。　Then

she　returned　to　her　own　appartement　and　ordered　the　door　to　be　broken

openher　father　had　respected　it！



Marguerite　burst　into　tears　and　forgave　her　father　all。　In　the　midst

of　his　devastating　fury　he　had　stopped　short；　restrained　by　paternal

feeling　and　the　gratitude　he　owed　to　his　daughter！　This　proof　of

tenderness；　coming　to　her　at　a　moment　when　despair　had　reached　its

climax；　brought　about　in　Marguerite's　soul　one　of　those　moral

reactions　against　which　the　coldest　hearts　are　powerless。　She　returned

to　the　parlor　to　wait　her　father's　arrival；　in　a　state　of　anxiety　that

was　cruelly　aggravated　by　doubt　and　uncertainty。　In　what　condition　was

she　about　to　see　him？　Ruined；　decrepit；　suffering；　enfeebled　by　the

fasts　his　pride　compelled　him　to　undergo？　Would　he　have　his　reason？

Tears　flowed　unconsciously　from　her　eyes　as　she　looked　about　the

desecrated　sanctuary。　The　images　of　her　whole　life；　her　past　efforts；

her　useless　precautions；　her　childhood；　her　mother　happy　and　unhappy；

all；　even　her　little　Joseph　smiling　on　that　scene　of　desolation；　all

were　parts　of　a　poem　of　unutterable　melancholy。



Marguerite　foresaw　an　approaching　misfortune；　yet　she　little　expected

the　catastrophe　that　was　to　close　her　father's　life；that　life　at

once　so　grand　and　yet　so　miserable。



The　condition　of　Monsieur　Claes　was　no　secret　in　the　community。　To　the

lasting　shame　of　men；　there　were　not　in　all　Douai　two　hearts　generous

enough　to　do　honor　to　the　perseverance　of　this　man　of　genius。　In　the

eyes　of　the　world　Balthazar　was　a　man　to　be　condemned；　a　bad　father

who　had　squandered　six　fortunes；　millions；　who　was　actually　seeking

the　philosopher's　stone　in　the　nineteenth　century；　this　enlightened

century；　this　sceptical　century；　this　century！etc。　They　calumniated

his　purposes　and　branded　him　with　the　name　of　〃alchemist；〃　casting　up

to　him　in　mockery　that　he　was　trying　to　make　gold。　Ah！　what　eulogies

are　uttered　on　this　great　century　of　ours；　in　which；　as　in　all　others；

genius　is　smothered　under　an　indifference　as　brutal　a　that　of　the　gate

in　which　Dante　died；　and　Tasso　and　Cervantes　and　〃tutti　quanti。〃　The

people　are　as　backward　as　kings　in　understanding　the　creations　of

genius。



These　opinions　on　the　subject　of　Balthazar　Claes　filtered；　little　by

little；　from　the　upper　society　of　Douai　to　the　bourgeoisie；　and　from

the　bourgeoisie　to　the　lower　classes。　The　old　chemist　excited　pity

among　persons　of　his　own　rank；　satirical　curiosity　among　the　others；

two　sentiments　big　with　contempt　and　with　the　〃vae　victis〃　with　which

the　masses　assail　a　man　of　genius　when　they　see　him　in　misfortune。

Persons　often　stopped　before　the　House　of　Claes　to　show　each　other　the

rose　window　of　the　garret　where　so　much　gold　and　so　much　coal　had　been

consumed　in　smoke。　When　Balthazar　passed　along　the　streets　they

pointed　to　him　with　their　fingers；　often；　on　catching　sight　of　him；　a

mocking　jest　or　a　word　of　pity　would　escape　the　lips　of　a　working…man

or　some　mere　child。　But　Lemulquinier　was　careful　to　tell　his　master　it

was　homage；　he　could　deceive　him　with　impunity；　for　though　the　old

man's　eyes　retained　the　sublime　clearness　which　results　from　the　habit

of　living　among　great　thoughts；　his　sense　of　hearing　was　enfeebled。



To　most　of　the　peasantry；　and　to　all　vulgar　and　superstitious　minds；

Balthazar　Claes　was　a　sorcerer。　The　noble　old　mansion；　once　named　by

common　consent　〃the　House　of　Claes；〃　was　now　called　in　the　suburbs　and

the　country　districts　〃the　Devil's　House。〃　Every　outward　sign；　even

the　face　of　Lemulquinier；　confirmed　the　ridiculous　beliefs　that　were

current　about　Balthazar。　When　the　old　servant　went　to　market　to

purchase　the　few　provisions　necessary　for　their　subsistence；　picking

out　the　cheapest　he　could　find；　insults　were　flung　in　as　make…weights；

just　as　butchers　slip　bones　into　their　customers'　meat；and　he　was

fortunate；　poor　creature；　if　some　superstitious　market…woman　did　not

refuse　to　sell　him　his　meagre　pittance　lest　she　be　damned　by　contact

with　an　imp　of　hell。



Thus　the　feelings　of　the　whole　town　of　Douai　were　hostile　to　the　grand

old　man　and　to　his　attendant。　The　neglected　state　of　their　clothes

added　to　this　repulsion；　they　went　about　clothed　like　paupers　who　have

seen　better　days；　and　who　strive　to　keep　a　decent　appearance　and　are

ashamed　to　beg。　It　was　probable　that　sooner　or　later　Balthazar　would

be　insulted　in　the　streets。　Pierquin；　feeling　how　degrading　to　the

family　any　public　insult　would　be；　had　for　some　time　past　sent　two　or

three　of　his　own　servants　to　follow　the　old　man　whenever　he　went　out；

and　keep　him　in　sight　at　a　little　distance；　for　the　purpose　of

protecting　him　if　necessary；the　revolution　of　July　not　having

contributed　to　make　the　citizens　respectful。



By　one　of　those　fatalities　which　can　never　be　explained；　Claes　and

Lemulquinier　had　gone　out　early　in　the　morning；　thus　evading　the

secret　guardianship　of　Monsieur　and　Madame　Pierquin。　On　their　way　back

from　the　ramparts　they　sat　down　to　sun　themselves　on　a　bench　in　the

place　Saint…Jacques；　an　open　space　crossed　by　children　on　their　way　to

school。　Catching　sight　from　a　distance　of　the　defenceless　old　men；

whose　faces　brightened　as　they　sat　basking　in　the　sun；　a　crowd　of　boys

began　to　talk　of　them。　Generally；　children's　chatter　ends　in　laughter；

on　this　occasion　the　laughter　led　to　jokes　of　which　they　did　not　know

the　cruelty。　Seven　or　eight　of　the　first…comers　stood　at　a　little

distance；　and　examined　the　strange　old　faces　with　smothered　laughter

and　remarks　which　attracted　Lemulquinier's　attention。



〃Hi！　do　you　see　that　one　with　a　head　as　smooth　as　my　knee？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Well；　he　was　born　a　Wise　Man。〃



〃My　papa　says　he　makes　gold；〃　said　another。



The　youngest　of　the　troop；　who　had　his　basket　full　of　provisions　and

was　devouring　a　slice　of　bread　and　butter；　advanced　to　the　bench　and

said　boldly　to　Lemulquinier；



〃Monsieur；　is　it　true　you　make　pearls　and　diamonds？〃



〃Yes；　my　little　man；〃　replied　the　valet；　smiling　and　tapping　him　on

the　cheek；　〃we　will　give　you　some　of　you　study　well。〃



〃Ah！　monsieur；　give　me　some；　too；〃　was　the　general　exclamation。



The　boys　all　rushed　together　like　a　flock　of　birds；　and　surrounded　the

old　men。　Balthazar；　absorbed　in　meditation　from　which　he　was　drawn　by

these　sudden　cries；　made　a　gesture　of　amazement　which　caused　a　general

shout　of　laughter。