the marriage contract-第5章

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bird　which　flies；　as　the　flower　that　blooms；　finding　every　one　about

her　eager　to　do　her　will。　She　was　ignorant　of　the　price　of　things；　she

knew　neither　the　value　of　money；　nor　whence　it　came；　how　it　should　be

managed；　and　how　spent。　Possibly　she　thought　that　every　household　had

cooks　and　coachmen；　lady's…maids　and　footmen；　as　the　fields　have　hay

and　the　trees　their　fruits。　To　her；　beggars　and　paupers；　fallen　trees

and　waste　lands　seemed　in　the　same　category。　Pampered　and　petted　as

her　mother's　hope；　no　fatigue　was　allowed　to　spoil　her　pleasure。　Thus

she　bounded　through　life　as　a　courser　on　his　steppe；　unbridled　and

unshod。



Six　month's　after　Paul's　arrival　the　Pink　of　Fashion　and　the　Queen　of

Balls　met　in　presence　of　the　highest　society　of　the　town　of　Bordeaux。

The　two　flowers　looked　at　each　other　with　apparent　coldness；　and

mutually　thought　each　other　charming。　Interested　in　watching　the

effects　of　the　meeting；　Madame　Evangelista　divined　in　the　expression

of　Paul's　eyes　the　feelings　within　him；　and　she　muttered　to　herself；

〃He　will　be　my　son…in…law。〃　Paul；　on　the　other　hand；　said　to　himself；

as　he　looked　at　Natalie；　〃She　will　be　my　wife。〃



The　wealth　of　the　Evangelistas；　proverbial　in　Bordeaux；　had　remained

in　Paul's　mind　as　a　memory　of　his　childhood。　Thus　the　pecuniary

conditions　were　known　to　him　from　the　start；　without　necessitating

those　discussions　and　inquiries　which　are　as　repugnant　to　a　timid　mind

as　to　a　proud　one。　When　some　persons　attempting　to　say　to　Paul　a　few

flattering　phrases　as　to　Natalie's　manner；　language；　and　beauty；

ending　by　remarks；　cruelly　calculated　to　deter　him；　on　the　lavish

extravagance　of　the　Evangelistas；　the　Pink　of　Fashion　replied　with　a

disdain　that　was　well…deserved　by　such　provincial　pettiness。　This

method　of　receiving　such　speeches　soon　silenced　them；　for　he　now　set

the　tone　to　the　ideas　and　language　as　well　as　to　the　manners　of　those

about　him。　He　had　imported　from　his　travels　a　certain　development　of

the　Britannic　personality　with　its　icy　barriers；　also　a　tone　of

Byronic　pessimism　as　to　life；　together　with　English　plate；　boot…

polish；　ponies；　yellow　gloves；　cigars；　and　the　habit　of　galloping。



It　thus　happened　that　Paul　escaped　the　discouragements　hitherto

presented　to　marriageable　men　by　dowagers　and　young　girls。　Madame

Evangelista　began　by　asking　him　to　formal　dinners　on　various

occasions。　The　Pink　of　Fashion　would　not；　of　course；　miss　festivities

to　which　none　but　the　most　distinguished　young　men　of　the　town　were

bidden。　In　spite　of　the　coldness　that　Paul　assumed；　which　deceived

neither　mother　nor　daughter；　he　was　drawn；　step　by　step；　into　the　path

of　marriage。　Sometimes　as　he　passed　in　his　tilbury；　or　rode　by　on　his

fine　English　horse；　he　heard　the　young　men　of　his　acquaintance　say　to

one　another：



〃There's　a　lucky　man。　He　is　rich　and　handsome；　and　is　to　marry；　so

they　say；　Mademoiselle　Evangelista。　There　are　some　men　for　whom　the

world　seems　made。〃



When　he　met　the　Evangelistas　he　felt　proud　of　the　particular

distinction　which　mother　and　daughter　imparted　to　their　bows。　If　Paul

had　not　secretly；　within　his　heart；　fallen　in　love　with　Mademoiselle

Natalie；　society　would　certainly　have　married　him　to　her　in　spite　of

himself。　Society；　which　never　causes　good；　is　the　accomplice　of　much

evil；　then　when　it　beholds　the　evil　it　has　hatched　maternally；　it

rejects　and　revenges　it。　Society　in　Bordeaux；　attributing　a　〃dot〃　of　a

million　to　Mademoiselle　Evangelista；　bestowed　it　upon　Paul　without

awaiting　the　consent　of　either　party。　Their　fortunes；　so　it　was　said；

agreed　as　well　as　their　persons。　Paul　had　the　same　habits　of　luxury

and　elegance　in　the　midst　of　which　Natalie　had　been　brought　up。　He　had

just　arranged　for　himself　a　house　such　as　no　other　man　in　Bordeaux

could　have　offered　her。　Accustomed　to　Parisian　expenses　and　the

caprices　of　Parisian　women；　he　alone　was　fitted　to　meet　the　pecuniary

difficulties　which　were　likely　to　follow　this　marriage　with　a　girl　who

was　as　much　of　a　Creole　and　a　great　lady　as　her　mother。　Where　they

themselves；　remarked　the　marriageable　men；　would　have　been　ruined；　the

Comte　de　Manerville；　rich　as　he　was；　could　evade　disaster。　In　short；

the　marriage　was　made。　Persons　in　the　highest　royalist　circles　said　a

few　engaging　words　to　Paul　which　flattered　his　vanity：



〃Every　one　gives　you　Mademoiselle　Evangelista。　If　you　marry　her　you

will　do　well。　You　could　not　find；　even　in　Paris；　a　more　delightful

girl。　She　is　beautiful；　graceful；　elegant；　and　takes　after　the　Casa…

Reales　through　her　mother。　You　will　make　a　charming　couple；　you　have

the　same　tastes；　the　same　desires　in　life；　and　you　will　certainly　have

the　most　agreeable　house　in　Bordeaux。　Your　wife　need　only　bring　her

night…cap；　all　is　ready　for　her。　You　are　fortunate　indeed　in　such　a

mother…in…law。　A　woman　of　intelligence；　and　very　adroit；　she　will　be　a

great　help　to　you　in　public　life；　to　which　you　ought　to　aspire。

Besides；　she　has　sacrificed　everything　to　her　daughter；　whom　she

adores；　and　Natalie　will；　no　doubt；　prove　a　good　wife；　for　she　loves

her　mother。　You　must　soon　bring　the　matter　to　a　conclusion。〃



〃That　is　all　very　well；〃　replied　Paul；　who；　in　spite　of　his　love；　was

desirous　of　keeping　his　freedom　of　action；　〃but　I　must　be　sure　that

the　conclusion　shall　be　a　happy　one。〃



He　now　went　frequently　to　Madame　Evangelista's；　partly　to　occupy　his

vacant　hours；　which　were　harder　for　him　to　employ　than　for　most　men。

There　alone　he　breathed　the　atmosphere　of　grandeur　and　luxury　to　which

he　was　accustomed。



At　forty　years　of　age；　Madame　Evangelista　was　beautiful；　with　the

beauty　of　those　glorious　summer　sunsets　which　crown　a　cloudless　day。

Her　spotless　reputation　had　given　an　endless　topic　of　conversation　to

the　Bordeaux　cliques；　the　curiosity　of　the　women　was　all　the　more

lively　because　the　widow　gave　signs　of　the　temperament　which　makes　a

Spanish　woman　and　a　Creole　particularly　noted。　She　had　black　eyes　and

hair；　the　feet　and　form　of　a　Spanish　woman；that　swaying　form　the

movements　of　which　have　a　name　in　Spain。　Her　face；　still　beautiful；

was　particularly　seductive　for　its　Creole　complexion；　the　vividness　of

which　can　be　described　only　by　comparing　it　to　muslin　overlying

crimson；　so　equally　is　the　whiteness　suffused　with　color。　Her　figure；

which　was　full　and　rounded；　attracted　the　eye　by　a　grace　which　united

nonchalance　with　vivacity；　strength　with　ease。　She　attracted　and　she

imposed；　she　seduced；　but　promised　nothing。　She　was　tall；　which　gave

her　at　times　the　air　and　carriage　of　a　queen。　Men　were　taken　by　her

conversation　like　birds　in　a　snare；　for　she　had　by　nature　that　genius

which　necessity　bestows　on　schemes；　she　advanced　from　concession　to

concession；　strengthening　herself　with　what　she　gained　to　ask　for

more；　knowing　well　how　to　retreat　with　rapid　steps　when　concessions

were　demanded　in　return。　Though　ignorant　of　facts；　she　had　known　the

courts　of　Spain　and　Naples；　the　celebrated　men　of　the　two　Americas；

many　illustrious　families　of　England　and　the　continent；　all　of　which

gave　her　so　extensive　an　education　superficially　that　it　seemed

immense。　She　received　her　society　with　the　grace　and　dignity　which　are

never　learned；　but　which　come　to　certain　naturally　fine　spirits　like　a

second　nature；　assimilating　choice　things　wherever　they　are　met。　If

her　reputation　for　virtue　was　unexplained；　it　gave　at　any　rate　much

authority　to　her　actions；　her　conversation；　and　her　character。



Mother　and　daughter　had　a　true　friendship　for　each　other；　beyond　the

filial　and　maternal　sentiment。　They　suited　one　another；　and　their

perpetual　contact　had　never　produced　the　slightest　jar。　Consequently

many　persons　explained　Madame　Evangelista's　actions　by　maternal　love。

But　although　Natalie　consoled　her　mother's　persistent　widowhood；　she

may　not　have　been　the　only　motive　for　it。　Madame　Evangelista　had　been；

it　was　said；　in　love　with　a　man　who　recovered　his　titles　and　pr