the marriage contract-第24章

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occupied　since　then　with　the　trivialities　of　social　life；　this　nature

to　which　a　first　hatred　had　revealed　its　strength；　awoke　now　like　a

conflagration；　at　the　moment　of　the　woman's　life　when　she　was　losing

the　dearest　object　of　her　affections　and　needed　another　element　for

the　energy　that　possessed　her；　this　flame　burst　forth。　Natalie　could

be　but　three　days　more　beneath　her　influence！　Madame　Evangelista；

vanquished　at　other　points；　had　one　clear　day　before　her；　the　last　of

those　that　a　daughter　spends　beside　her　mother。　A　few　words；　and　the

Creole　nature　could　influence　the　lives　of　the　two　beings　about　to

walk　together　through　the　brambled　paths　and　the　dusty　high…roads　of

Parisian　society；　for　Natalie　believed　in　her　mother　blindly。　What

far…reaching　power　would　the　counsel　of　that　Creole　nature　have　on　a

mind　so　subservient！　The　whole　future　of　these　lives　might　be

determined　by　one　single　speech。　No　code；　no　human　institution　can

prevent　the　crime　that　kills　by　words。　There　lies　the　weakness　of

social　law；　in　that　is　the　difference　between　the　morals　of　the　great

world　and　the　morals　of　the　people：　one　is　frank；　the　other

hypocritical；　one　employs　the　knife；　the　other　the　venom　of　ideas　and

language；　to　one　death；　to　the　other　impunity。



The　next　morning；　about　mid…day；　Madame　Evangelista　was　half　seated；

half　lying　on　the　edge　of　her　daughter's　bed。　During　that　waking　hour

they　caressed　and　played　together　in　happy　memory　of　their　loving

life；　a　life　in　which　no　discord　had　ever　troubled　either　the　harmony

of　their　feelings；　the　agreement　of　their　ideas；　or　the　mutual　choice

and　enjoyment　of　their　pleasures。



〃Poor　little　darling！〃　said　the　mother；　shedding　true　tears；　〃how　can

I　help　being　sorrowful　when　I　think　that　after　I　have　fulfilled　your

every　wish　during　your　whole　life　you　will　belong；　to…morrow　night；　to

a　man　you　must　obey？〃



〃Oh；　my　dear　mother；　as　for　obeying！〃　and　Natalie　made　a　little

motion　of　her　head　which　expressed　a　graceful　rebellion。　〃You　are

joking；〃　she　continued。　〃My　father　always　gratified　your　caprices；　and

why　not？　he　loved　you。　And　I　am　loved；　too。〃



〃Yes；　Paul　has　a　certain　love　for　you。　But　if　a　married　woman　is　not

careful　nothing　more　rapidly　evaporates　than　conjugal　love。　The

influence　a　wife　ought　to　have　over　her　husband　depends　entirely　on

how　she　begins　with　him。　You　need　the　best　advice。〃



〃But　you　will　be　with　us。〃



〃Possibly；　my　child。　Last　night；　while　the　ball　was　going　on；　I

reflected　on　the　dangers　of　our　being　together。　If　my　presence　were　to

do　you　harm；　if　the　little　acts　by　which　you　ought　slowly；　but　surely；

to　establish　your　authority　as　a　wife　should　be　attributed　to　my

influence；　your　home　would　become　a　hell。　At　the　first　frown　I　saw

upon　your　husband's　brow　I；　proud　as　I　am；　should　instantly　leave　his

house。　If　I　were　driven　to　leave　it；　better；　I　think；　not　to　enter　it。

I　should　never　forgive　your　husband　if　he　caused　trouble　between　us。

Whereas；　when　you　have　once　become　the　mistress；　when　your　husband　is

to　you　what　your　father　was　to　me；　that　danger　is　no　longer　to　be

feared。　Though　this　wise　policy　will　cost　your　young　and　tender　heart

a　pang；　your　happiness　demands　that　you　become　the　absolute　sovereign

of　your　home。〃



〃Then　why；　mamma；　did　you　say　just　now　I　must　obey　him？〃



〃My　dear　little　daughter；　in　order　that　a　wife　may　rule；　she　must

always　seem　to　do　what　her　husband　wishes。　If　you　were　not　told　this

you　might　by　some　impulsive　opposition　destroy　your　future。　Paul　is　a

weak　young　man；　he　might　allow　a　friend　to　rule　him；　he　might　even

fall　under　the　dominion　of　some　woman　who　would　make　you　feel　her

influence。　Prevent　such　disasters　by　making　yourself　from　the　very

start　his　ruler。　Is　it　not　better　that　he　be　governed　by　you　than　by

others？〃





〃Yes；　certainly；〃　said　Natalie。　〃I　should　think　only　of　his

happiness。〃



〃And　it　is　my　privilege；　darling；　to　think　only　of　yours；　and　to　wish

not　to　leave　you　at　so　crucial　a　moment　without　a　compass　in　the　midst

of　the　reefs　through　which　you　must　steer。〃



〃But；　dearest　mother；　are　we　not　strong　enough；　you　and　I；　to　stay

together　beside　him；　without　having　to　fear　those　frowns　you　seem　to

dread。　Paul　loves　you；　mamma。〃



〃Oh！　oh！　He　fears　me　more　than　he　loves　me。　Observe　him　carefully

to…day　when　I　tell　him　that　I　shall　let　you　go　to　Paris　without　me；

and　you　will　see　on　his　face；　no　matter　what　pains　he　takes　to　conceal

it；　his　inward　joy。〃



〃Why　should　he　feel　so？〃



〃Why？　Dear　child！　I　am　like　Saint…Jean　Bouche…d'Or。　I　will　tell　that

to　himself；　and　before　you。〃



〃But　suppose　I　marry　on　condition　that　you　do　not　leave　me？〃　urged

Natalie。



〃Our　separation　is　necessary；〃　replied　her　mother。　〃Several

considerations　have　greatly　changed　my　future。　I　am　now　poor。　You　will

lead　a　brilliant　life　in　Paris；　and　I　could　not　live　with　you　suitably

without　spending　the　little　that　remains　to　me。　Whereas；　if　I　go　to

Lanstrac；　I　can　take　care　of　your　property　there　and　restore　my

fortune　by　economy。〃



〃You；　mamma！　YOU　practise　economy！〃　cried　Natalie；　laughing。　〃Don't

begin　to　be　a　grandmother　yet。　What！　do　you　mean　to　leave　me　for　such

reasons　as　those？　Dear　mother；　Paul　may　seem　to　you　a　trifle　stupid；

but　he　is　not　one　atom　selfish　or　grasping。〃



〃Ah！〃　replied　Madame　Evangelista；　in　a　tone　of　voice　big　with

suggestions　which　made　the　girl's　heart　throb；　〃those　discussions

about　the　contract　have　made　me　distrustful。　I　have　my　doubts　about

himBut　don't　be　troubled；　dear　child；〃　she　added；　taking　her

daughter　by　the　neck　and　kissing　her。　〃I　will　not　leave　you　long

alone。　Whenever　my　return　can　take　place　without　making　difficulty

between　you；　whenever　Paul　can　rightly　judge　me；　we　will　begin　once

more　our　happy　little　life；　our　evening　confidences〃



〃Oh！　mother；　how　can　you　think　of　living　without　your　Natalie？〃



〃Because；　dear　angel；　I　shall　live　for　her。　My　mother's　heart　will　be

satisfied　in　the　thought　that　I　contribute；　as　I　ought；　to　your　future

happiness。〃



〃But；　my　dear；　adorable　mother；　must　I　be　alone　with　Paul；　here；　now；

all　at　once？　What　will　become　of　me？　what　will　happen？　what　must　I　do？

what　must　I　not　do？〃



〃Poor　child！　do　you　think　that　I　would　utterly　abandon　you　to　your

first　battle？　We　will　write　to　each　other　three　times　a　week　like

lovers。　We　shall　thus　be　close　to　each　other's　hearts　incessantly。

Nothing　can　happen　to　you　that　I　shall　not　know；　and　I　can　save　you

from　all　misfortune。　Besides；　it　would　be　too　ridiculous　if　I　never

went　to　see　you；　it　would　seem　to　show　dislike　or　disrespect　to　your

husband；　I　will　always　spend　a　month　or　two　every　year　with　you　in

Paris。〃



〃Alone；　already　alone；　and　with　him！〃　cried　Natalie　in　terror；

interrupting　her　mother。



〃But　you　wish　to　be　his　wife？〃



〃Yes；　I　wish　it。　But　tell　me　how　I　should　behave；you；　who　did　what

you　pleased　with　my　father。　You　know　the　way；　I'll　obey　you　blindly。〃



Madame　Evangelista　kissed　her　daughter's　forehead。　She　had　willed　and

awaited　this　request。



〃Child；　my　counsels　must　adept　themselves　to　circumstances。　All　men

are　not　alike。　The　lion　and　the　frog　are　not　more　unlike　than　one　man

compared　with　another；morally；　I　mean。　Do　I　know　to…day　what　will

happen　to　you　to…morrow？　No；　therefore　I　can　only　give　you　general

advice　upon　the　whole　tenor　of　your　conduct。〃



〃Dear　mother；　tell　me；　quick；　all　that　you　know　yourself。〃



〃In　the　first　place；　my　dear　child；　the　cause　of　the　failure　of

married　women　who　desire　to　keep　their　husbands'　heartsand；〃　she

said；　making　a　parenthesis；　〃to　keep　their　hearts　and　rule　them　is　one

and　the　same　thingWell；　the　principle　cause　of　conjugal　disunion　is

to　be　found　in　perpetual　intercourse；　which　never　existed　in　the　olden

time；　but　which　has　been　introduced　into　this　country　of　late　years

with　the　mania　for　family。　Since　the　Revolution