the marriage contract-第26章

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of　Paul's　advancement；　and　saying　that　you　alone　could　promote　it；

why；　then；　do　you　suddenly　turn　round　and　abandon　us　to　ourselves？〃



〃I　did　not　then　know　the　extent　of　my　obligations　nor　the　amount　of　my

debts；〃　replied　the　mother；　who　would　not　suffer　her　real　motive　to　be

seen。　〃Besides；　a　year　or　two　hence　I　can　take　up　that　matter　again。

Come；　let　us　dress；　Paul　will　be　here　soon。　Be　as　sweet　and　caressing

as　you　were；you　know？that　night　when　we　first　discussed　this　fatal

contract；　for　to…day　we　must　save　the　last　fragments　of　our　fortune；

and　I　must　win　for　you　a　thing　to　which　I　am　superstitiously　attached。〃



〃What　is　it？〃



〃The　'Discreto。'〃



Paul　arrived　about　four　o'clock。　Though　he　endeavored　to　meet　his

mother…in…law　with　a　gracious　look　upon　his　face；　Madame　Evangelista

saw　traces　of　the　clouds　which　the　counsels　of　the　night　and　the

reflections　of　the　morning　had　brought　there。



〃Mathias　has　told　him！〃　she　thought；　resolving　to　defeat　the　old

notary's　action。　〃My　dear　son；〃　she　said；　〃you　left　your　diamonds　in

the　drawer　of　the　console；　and　I　frankly　confess　that　I　would　rather

not　see　again　the　things　that　threatened　to　bring　a　cloud　between　us。

Besides；　as　Monsieur　Mathias　said；　they　ought　to　be　sold　at　once　to

meet　the　first　payment　on　the　estates　you　have　purchased。〃



〃They　are　not　mine；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　given　them　to　Natalie；　and　when

you　see　them　upon　her　you　will　forget　the　pain　they　caused　you。〃



Madame　Evangelista　took　his　hand　and　pressed　it　cordially；　with　a　tear

of　emotion。



〃Listen　to　me；　my　dear　children；〃　she　said；　looking　from　Paul　to

Natalie；　〃since　you　really　feel　thus；　I　have　a　proposition　to　make　to

both　of　you。　I　find　myself　obliged　to　sell　my　pearl　necklace　and　my

earrings。　Yes；　Paul；　it　is　necessary；　I　do　not　choose　to　put　a　penny

of　my　fortune　into　an　annuity；　I　know　what　I　owe　to　you。　Well；　I　admit

a　weakness；　to　sell　the　'Discreto'　seems　to　me　a　disaster。　To　sell　a

diamond　which　bears　the　name　of　Philip　the　Second　and　once　adorned　his

royal　hand；　an　historic　stone　which　the　Duke　of　Alba　touched　for　ten

years　in　the　hilt　of　his　swordno；　no；　I　cannot！　Elie　Magus　estimates

my　necklace　and　ear…rings　at　a　hundred　and　some　odd　thousand　francs

without　the　clasps。　Will　you　exchange　the　other　jewels　I　made　over　to

you　for　these？　you　will　gain　by　the　transaction；　but　what　of　that？　I

am　not　selfish。　Instead　of　those　mere　fancy　jewels；　Paul；　your　wife

will　have　fine　diamonds　which　she　can　really　enjoy。　Isn't　it　better

that　I　should　sell　those　ornaments　which　will　surely　go　out　of

fashion；　and　that　you　should　keep　in　the　family　these　priceless

stones？〃



〃But；　my　dear　mother；　consider　yourself；〃　said　Paul。



〃I；〃　replied　Madame　Evangelista；　〃I　want　such　things　no　longer。　Yes；

Paul；　I　am　going　to　be　your　bailiff　at　Lanstrac。　It　would　be　folly　in

me　to　go　to　Paris　at　the　moment　when　I　ought　to　be　here　to　liquidate

my　property　and　settle　my　affairs。　I　shall　grow　miserly　for　my

grandchildren。〃



〃Dear　mother；〃　said　Paul；　much　moved；　〃ought　I　to　accept　this　exchange

without　paying　you　the　difference？〃



〃Good　heavens！　are　you　not；　both　of　you；　my　dearest　interests？　Do　you

suppose　I　shall　not　find　happiness　in　thinking；　as　I　sit　in　my

chimney…corner；　'Natalie　is　dazzling　to…night　at　the　Duchesse　de

Berry's　ball'？　When　she　sees　my　diamond　at　her　throat　and　my　ear…rings

in　her　ears　she　will　have　one　of　those　little　enjoyments　of　vanity

which　contribute　so　much　to　a　woman's　happiness　and　make　her　so　gay

and　fascinating。　Nothing　saddens　a　woman　more　than　to　have　her　vanity

repressed；　I　have　never　seen　an　ill…dressed　woman　who　was　amiable　or

good…humored。〃



〃Heavens！　what　was　Mathias　thinking　about？〃　thought　Paul。　〃Well；　then；

mamma；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice；　〃I　accept。〃



〃But　I　am　confounded！〃　said　Natalie。



At　this　moment　Solonet　arrived　to　announce　the　good　news　that　he　had

found　among　the　speculators　of　Bordeaux　two　contractors　who　were　much

attracted　by　the　house；　the　gardens　of　which　could　be　covered　with

dwellings。



〃They　offer　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs；〃　he　said；　〃but　if

you　consent　to　the　sale；　I　can　make　them　give　you　three　hundred

thousand。　There　are　three　acres　of　land　in　the　garden。〃



〃My　husband　paid　two　hundred　thousand　for　the　place；　therefore　I

consent；〃　she　replied。　〃But　you　must　reserve　the　furniture　and　the

mirrors。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　Solonet；　〃you　are　beginning　to　understand　business。〃



〃Alas！　I　must；〃　she　said；　sighing。



〃I　am　told　that　a　great　many　persons　are　coming　to　your　midnight

service；〃　said　Solonet；　perceiving　that　his　presence　was　inopportune；

and　preparing　to　go。



Madame　Evangelista　accompanied　him　to　the　door　of　the　last　salon；　and

there　she　said；　in　a　low　voice：



〃I　now　have　personal　property　to　the　amount　of　two　hundred　and　fifty

thousand　francs；　if　I　can　get　two　hundred　thousand　for　my　share　of　the

house　it　will　make　a　handsome　capital；　which　I　shall　want　to　invest　to

the　very　best　advantage。　I　count　on　you　for　that。　I　shall　probably

live　at　Lanstrac。〃



The　young　notary　kissed　his　client's　hand　with　a　gesture　of　gratitude；

for　the　widow's　tone　of　voice　made　Solonet　fancy　that　this　alliance；

really　made　from　self…interest　only；　might　extend　a　little　farther。



〃You　can　count　on　me；〃　he　replied。　〃I　can　find　you　investments　in

merchandise　on　which　you　will　risk　nothing　and　make　very　considerable

profits。〃



〃Adieu　until　to…morrow；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　to　be　our　witness；　you

know；　with　Monsieur　le　Marquis　de　Gyas。〃



〃My　dear　mother；〃　said　Paul；　when　she　returned　to　them；　〃why　do　you

refuse　to　come　to　Paris？　Natalie　is　provoked　with　me；　as　if　I　were　the

cause　of　your　decision。〃



〃I　have　thought　it　all　over；　my　children；　and　I　am　sure　that　I　should

hamper　you。　You　would　feel　obliged　to　make　me　a　third　in　all　you　did；

and　young　people　have　ideas　of　their　own　which　I　might；

unintentionally；　thwart。　Go　to　Paris。　I　do　not　wish　to　exercise　over

the　Comtesse　de　Manerville　the　gentle　authority　I　have　held　over

Natalie。　I　desire　to　leave　her　wholly　to　you。　Don't　you　see；　Paul；

that　there　are　habits　and　ways　between　us　which　must　be　broken　up？　My

influence　ought　to　yield　to　yours。　I　want　you　to　love　me；　and　to

believe　that　I　have　your　interests　more　at　heart　than　you　think　for。

Young　husbands　are；　sooner　or　later；　jealous　for　the　love　of　a　wife

for　her　mother。　Perhaps　they　are　right。　When　you　are　thoroughly

united；　when　love　has　blended　your　two　souls　into　one；　then；　my　dear

son；　you　will　not　fear　an　opposing　influence　if　I　live　in　your　house。

I　know　the　world；　and　men；　and　things；　I　have　seen　the　peace　of　many　a

home　destroyed　by　the　blind　love　of　mothers　who　made　themselves　in　the

end　as　intolerable　to　their　daughters　as　to　their　sons…in…law。　The

affection　of　old　people　is　often　exacting　and　querulous。　Perhaps　I

could　not　efface　myself　as　I　should。　I　have　the　weakness　to　think

myself　still　handsome；　I　have　flatterers　who　declare　that　I　am　still

agreeable；　I　should　have；　I　fear；　certain　pretensions　which　might

interfere　with　your　lives。　Let　me；　therefore；　make　one　more　sacrifice

for　your　happiness。　I　have　given　you　my　fortune；　and　now　I　desire　to

resign　to　you　my　last　vanities　as　a　woman。　Your　notary　Mathias　is

getting　old。　He　cannot　look　after　your　estates　as　I　will。　I　will　be

your　bailiff；　I　will　create　for　myself　those　natural　occupations　which

are　the　pleasures　of　old　age。　Later；　if　necessary；　I　will　come　to　you

in　Paris；　and　second　you　in　your　projects　of　ambition。　Come；　Paul；　be

frank；　my　proposal　suits　you；　does　it　not？〃



Paul　would　not　admit　it；　but　he　was　at　heart　delighted　to　get　his

liberty。　The　suspicions　which　Mathias　had　put　into　his　mind　respecting

his　mother…in…law　were；　however；　dissipated　by　this　conversation；

which　Madame　Evangelista　carried　on　still　longer　in　the　same　tone。



〃My　mother　was　right；〃　thought　Natalie；