the marriage contract-第9章

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knew　herself　unable　to　pay　it；　even　by　taking　the　whole　of　her

property　to　do　so。　She　would　therefore　be　placed　at　the　mercy　of　a

son…in…law。　Though　she　might　be　able　to　control　Paul　if　left　to

himself；　would　he；　when　enlightened　by　his　notary；　agree　to　release

her　from　rendering　her　account　as　guardian　of　her　daughter's

patrimony？　If　Paul　withdrew　his　proposals　all　Bordeaux　would　know　the

reason　and　Natalie's　future　marriage　would　be　made　impossible。　This

mother；　who　desired　the　happiness　of　her　daughter；　this　woman；　who

from　infancy　had　lived　honorably；　was　aware　that　on　the　morrow　she

must　become　dishonest。　Like　those　great　warriors　who　fain　would　blot

from　their　lives　the　moment　when　they　had　felt　a　secret　cowardice；　she

ardently　desired　to　cut　this　inevitable　day　from　the　record　of　hers。

Most　assuredly　some　hairs　on　her　head　must　have　whitened　during　the

night；　when；　face　to　face　with　facts；　she　bitterly　regretted　her

extravagance　as　she　felt　the　hard　necessities　of　the　situation。



Among　these　necessities　was　that　of　confiding　the　truth　to　her　notary；

for　whom　she　sent　in　the　morning　as　soon　as　she　rose。　She　was　forced

to　reveal　to　him　a　secret　defaulting　she　had　never　been　willing　to

admit　to　herself；　for　she　had　steadily　advanced　to　the　abyss；　relying

on　some　chance　accident；　which　never　happened；　to　relieve　her。　There

rose　in　her　soul　a　feeling　against　Paul；　that　was　neither　dislike；　nor

aversion；　nor　anything；　as　yet；　unkind；　but　HE　was　the　cause　of　this

crisis；　the　opposing　party　in　this　secret　suit；　he　became；　without

knowing　it；　an　innocent　enemy　she　was　forced　to　conquer。　What　human

being　did　ever　yet　love　his　or　her　dupe？　Compelled　to　deceive　and

trick　him　if　she　could；　the　Spanish　woman　resolved；　like　other　women；

to　put　her　whole　force　of　character　into　the　struggle；　the　dishonor　of

which　could　be　absolved　by　victory　only。



In　the　stillness　of　the　night　she　excused　her　conduct　to　her　own　mind

by　a　tissue　of　arguments　in　which　her　pride　predominated。　Natalie　had

shared　the　benefit　of　her　extravagance。　There　was　not　a　single　base　or

ignoble　motive　in　what　she　had　done。　She　was　no　accountant；　but　was

that　a　crime；　a　delinquency？　A　man　was　only　too　lucky　to　obtain　a　wife

like　Natalie　without　a　penny。　Such　a　treasure　bestowed　upon　him　might

surely　release　her　from　a　guardianship　account。　How　many　men　had

bought　the　women　they　loved　by　greater　sacrifices？　Why　should　a　man　do

less　for　a　wife　than　for　a　mistress？　Besides；　Paul　was　a　nullity；　a

man　of　no　force；　incapable；　she　would　spend　the　best　resources　of　her

mind　upon　him　and　open　to　him　a　fine　career；　he　should　owe　his　future

power　and　position　to　her　influence；　in　that　way　she　could　pay　her

debt。　He　would　indeed　be　a　fool　to　refuse　such　a　future；　and　for　what？

a　few　paltry　thousands；　more　or　less。　He　would　be　infamous　if　he

withdrew　for　such　a　reason。



〃But；〃　she　added；　to　herself；　〃if　the　negotiation　does　not　succeed　at

once；　I　shall　leave　Bordeaux。　I　can　still　find　a　good　marriage　for

Natalie　by　investing　the　proceeds　of　what　is　left；　house　and　diamonds

and　furniture；keeping　only　a　small　income　for　myself。〃



When　a　strong　soul　constructs　a　way　of　ultimate　escape；as　Richelieu

did　at　Brouage；and　holds　in　reserve　a　vigorous　end；　the　resolution

becomes　a　lever　which　strengthens　its　immediate　way。　The　thought　of

this　finale　in　case　of　failure　comforted　Madame　Evangelista；　who　fell

asleep　with　all　the　more　confidence　as　she　remembered　her　assistance

in　the　coming　duel。



This　was　a　young　man　named　Solonet；　considered　the　ablest　notary　in

Bordeaux；　now　twenty…seven　years　of　age　and　decorated　with　the　Legion

of　honor　for　having　actively　contributed　to　the　second　return　of　the

Bourbons。　Proud　and　happy　to　be　received　in　the　home　of　Madame

Evangelista；　less　as　a　notary　than　as　belonging　to　the　royalist

society　of　Bordeaux；　Solonet　had　conceived　for　that　fine　setting　sun

one　of　those　passions　which　women　like　Madame　Evangelista　repulse；

although　flattered　and　graciously　allowing　them　to　exist　upon　the

surface。　Solonet　remained　therefore　in　a　self…satisfied　condition　of

hope　and　becoming　respect。　Being　sent　for；　he　arrived　the　next　morning

with　the　promptitude　of　a　slave　and　was　received　by　the　coquettish

widow　in　her　bedroom；　where　she　allowed　him　to　find　her　in　a　very

becoming　dishabille。



〃Can　I；〃　she　said；　〃count　upon　your　discretion　and　your　entire

devotion　in　a　discussion　which　will　take　place　in　my　house　this

evening？　You　will　readily　understand　that　it　relates　to　the　marriage

of　my　daughter。〃



The　young　man　expended　himself　in　gallant　protestations。



〃Now　to　the　point；〃　she　said。



〃I　am　listening；〃　he　replied；　checking　his　ardor。



Madame　Evangelista　then　stated　her　position　baldly。



〃My　dear　lady；　that　is　nothing　to　be　troubled　about；〃　said　Maitre

Solonet；　assuming　a　confident　air　as　soon　as　his　client　had　given　him

the　exact　figures。　〃The　question　is　how　have　you　conducted　yourself

toward　Monsieur　de　Manerville？　In　this　matter　questions　of　manner　and

deportment　are　of　greater　importance　than　those　of　law　and　finance。〃



Madame　Evangelista　wrapped　herself　in　dignity。　The　notary　learned　to

his　satisfaction　that　until　the　present　moment　his　client's　relations

to　Paul　had　been　distant　and　reserved；　and　that　partly　from　native

pride　and　partly　from　involuntary　shrewdness　she　had　treated　the　Comte

de　Manerville　as　in　some　sense　her　inferior　and　as　though　it　were　an

honor　for　him　to　be　allowed　to　marry　Mademoiselle　Evangelista。　She

assured　Solonet　that　neither　she　nor　her　daughter　could　be　suspected

of　any　mercenary　interests　in　the　marriage；　that　they　had　the　right；

should　Paul　make　any　financial　difficulties；　to　retreat　from　the

affair　to　an　illimitable　distance；　and　finally；　that　she　had　already

acquired　over　her　future　son…in…law　a　very　remarkable　ascendancy。



〃If　that　is　so；〃　said　Solonet；　〃tell　me　what　are　the　utmost

concessions　you　are　willing　to　make。〃



〃I　wish　to　make　as　few　as　possible；〃　she　answered；　laughing。



〃A　woman's　answer；〃　cried　Solonet。　〃Madame；　are　you　anxious　to　marry

Mademoiselle　Natalie？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　you　want　a　receipt　for　the　eleven　hundred　and　fifty…six　thousand

francs；　for　which　you　are　responsible　on　the　guardianship　account

which　the　law　obliges　you　to　render　to　your　son…in…law？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃How　much　do　you　want　to　keep　back？〃



〃Thirty　thousand　a　year；　at　least。〃



〃It　is　a　question　of　conquer　or　die；　is　it？〃



〃It　is。〃



〃Well；　then；　I　must　reflect　on　the　necessary　means　to　that　end；　it

will　need　all　our　cleverness　to　manage　our　forces。　I　will　give　you

some　instructions　on　my　arrival　this　evening；　follow　them　carefully；

and　I　think　I　may　promise　you　a　successful　issue。　Is　the　Comte　de

Manerville　in　love　with　Mademoiselle　Natalie？〃　he　asked　as　he　rose　to

take　leave。



〃He　adores　her。〃



〃That　is　not　enough。　Does　he　desire　her　to　the　point　of　disregarding

all　pecuniary　difficulties？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃That's　what　I　call　having　a　lien　upon　a　daughter's　property；〃　cried

the　notary。　〃Make　her　look　her　best　to…night；〃　he　added　with　a　sly

glance。



〃She　has　a　most　charming　dress　for　the　occasion。〃



〃The　marriage…contract　dress　is；　in　my　opinion；　half　the　battle；〃　said

Solonet。



This　last　argument　seemed　so　cogent　to　Madame　Evangelista　that　she

superintended　Natalie's　toilet　herself；　as　much　perhaps　to　watch　her

daughter　as　to　make　her　the　innocent　accomplice　of　her　financial

conspiracy。



With　her　hair　dressed　a　la　Sevigne　and　wearing　a　gown　of　white　tulle

adorned　with　pink　ribbons；　Natalie　seemed　to　her　mother　so　beautiful

as　to　guarantee　victory。　When　the　lady's…maid　left　the　room　and　Madame

Evangelista　was　certain　that　no　one　could　overhear　her；　she　arranged　a

few　curls　on　her　daughter's　head　by　way　of　exordium。



〃Dear　child；〃　she　said；　in　a　voice　that　was　firm　apparently；　〃do　you

sincerely