the marriage contract-第15部分

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me。　Paul　is　a　most　easy…going　man。　Dear　fellow！　yes；　certainly；　we

must　make　his　life　prosperous。　You　will　make　him　happy；　and　I　will　be

responsible　for　his　political　success。　The　Spanish　ambassador　used　to

be　a　friend　of　mine；　and　I'll　renew　the　relationas　I　will　with　the

rest　of　my　old　acquaintance。　Oh！　you'll　see！　we　shall　soon　be　in　the

very　heart　of　Parisian　life；　all　will　be　enjoyment　for　us。　You　shall

have　the　pleasures；　my　dearest；　and　I　the　last　occupation　of

existence；the　game　of　ambition！　Don't　be　alarmed　when　you　see　me

selling　this　house。　Do　you　suppose　we　shall　ever　come　back　to　live　in

Bordeaux？　no。　Lanstrac？　yes。　But　we　shall　spend　all　our　winters　in

Paris；　where　our　real　interests　lie。　Well；　Natalie；　tell　me；　was　it

very　difficult　to　do　what　I　asked　of　you？〃



〃My　little　mamma！　every　now　and　then　I　felt　ashamed。〃



〃Solonet　advises　me　to　put　the　proceeds　of　this　house　into　an

annuity；〃　said　Madame　Evangelista；　〃but　I　shall　do　otherwise；　I　won't

take　a　penny　of　my　fortune　from　you。〃



〃I　saw　you　were　all　very　angry；〃　said　Natalie。　〃How　did　the　tempest

calm　down？〃



〃By　an　offer　of　my　diamonds；〃　replied　Madame　Evangelista。　〃Solonet　was

right。　How　ably　he　conducted　the　whole　affair。　Get　out　my　jewel…case；

Natalie。　I　have　never　seriously　considered　what　my　diamonds　are　worth。

When　I　said　a　hundred　thousand　francs　I　talked　nonsense。　Madame　de

Gyas　always　declared　that　the　necklace　and　ear…rings　your　father　gave

me　on　our　marriage　day　were　worth　at　least　that　sum。　My　poor　husband

was　so　lavish！　Then　my　family　diamond；　the　one　Philip　the　Second　gave

to　the　Duke　of　Alba；　and　which　my　aunt　bequeathed　to　me；　the

'Discreto；'　was；　I　think；　appraised　in　former　times　at　four　thousand

quadruples；one　of　our　Spanish　gold　coins。〃



Natalie　laid　out　upon　her　mother's　toilet…table　the　pearl　necklace；

the　sets　of　jewels；　the　gold　bracelets　and　precious　stones　of　all

description；　with　that　inexpressible　sensation　enjoyed　by　certain

women　at　the　sight　of　such　treasures；　by　whichso　commentators　on　the

Talmud　saythe　fallen　angels　seduce　the　daughters　of　men；　having

sought　these　flowers　of　celestial　fire　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth。



〃Certainly；〃　said　Madame　Evangelista；　〃though　I　know　nothing　about

jewels　except　how　to　accept　and　wear　them；　I　think　there　must　be　a

great　deal　of　money　in　these。　Then；　if　we　make　but　one　household；　I

can　sell　my　plate；　the　weight　of　which；　as　mere　silver；　would　bring

thirty　thousand　francs。　I　remember　when　we　brought　it　from　Lima；　the

custom…house　officers　weighed　and　appraised　it。　Solonet　is　right；　I'll

send　to…morrow　to　Elie　Magus。　The　Jew　shall　estimate　the　value　of

these　things。　Perhaps　I　can　avoid　sinking　any　of　my　fortune　in　an

annuity。〃



〃What　a　beautiful　pearl　necklace！〃　said　Natalie。



〃He　ought　to　give　it　to　you；　if　he　loves　you；〃　replied　her　mother；

〃and　I　think　he　might　have　all　my　other　jewels　reset　and　let　you　keep

them。　The　diamonds　are　a　part　of　your　property　in　the　contract。　And

now；　good…night；　my　darling。　After　the　fatigues　of　this　day　we　both

need　rest。〃



The　woman　of　luxury；　the　Creole；　the　great　lady；　incapable　of

analyzing　the　results　of　a　contract　which　was　not　yet　in　force；　went

to　sleep　in　the　joy　of　seeing　her　daughter　married　to　a　man　who　was

easy　to　manage；　who　would　let　them　both　be　mistresses　of　his　home；　and

whose　fortune；　united　to　theirs；　would　require　no　change　in　their　way

of　living。　Thus　having　settled　her　account　with　her　daughter；　whose

patrimony　was　acknowledged　in　the　contract；　Madame　Evangelista　could

feel　at　her　ease。



〃How　foolish　of　me　to　worry　as　I　did；〃　she　thought。　〃But　I　wish　the

marriage　were　well　over。〃



So　Madame　Evangelista；　Paul；　Natalie；　and　the　two　notaries　were

equally　satisfied　with　the　first　day's　result。　The　Te　Deum　was　sung　in

both　camps；a　dangerous　situation；　for　there　comes　a　moment　when　the

vanquished　side　is　aware　of　its　mistake。　To　Madame　Evangelista's　mind；

her　son…in…law　was　the　vanquished　side。







CHAPTER　IV



THE　MARRIAGE　CONTRACTSECOND　DAY



The　next　day　Elie　Magus　（who　happened　at　that　time　to　be　in　Bordeaux）

obeyed　Madame　Evangelista's　summons；　believing；　from　general　rumor　as

to　the　marriage　of　Comte　Paul　with　Mademoiselle　Natalie；　that　it

concerned　a　purchase　of　jewels　for　the　bride。　The　Jew　was；　therefore；

astonished　when　he　learned　that；　on　the　contrary；　he　was　sent　for　to

estimate　the　value　of　the　mother…in…law's　property。　The　instinct　of

his　race；　as　well　as　certain　insidious　questions；　made　him　aware　that

the　value　of　the　diamonds　was　included　in　the　marriage…contract。　The

stones　were　not　to　be　sold；　and　yet　he　was　to　estimate　them　as　if　some

private　person　were　buying　them　from　a　dealer。　Jewellers　alone　know

how　to　distinguish　between　the　diamonds　of　Asia　and　those　of　Brazil。

The　stones　of　Golconda　and　Visapur　are　known　by　a　whiteness　and

glittering　brilliancy　which　others　have　not；the　water　of　the

Brazilian　diamonds　having　a　yellow　tinge　which　reduces　their　selling

value。　Madame　Evangelista's　necklace　and　ear…rings；　being　composed

entirely　of　Asiatic　diamonds；　were　valued　by　Elie　Magus　at　two　hundred

and　fifty　thousand　francs。　As　for　the　〃Discreto；〃　he　pronounced　it　one

of　the　finest　diamonds　in　the　possession　of　private　persons；　it　was

known　to　the　trade　and　valued　at　one　hundred　thousand　francs。　On

hearing　this　estimate；　which　proved　to　her　the　lavishness　of　her

husband；　Madame　Evangelista　asked　the　old　Jew　whether　she　should　be

able　to　obtain　that　money　immediately。



〃Madame；〃　replied　the　Jew；　〃if　you　wish　to　sell　I　can　give　you　only

seventy…five　thousand　for　the　brilliant；　and　one　hundred　and　sixty

thousand　for　the　necklace　and　earrings。〃



〃Why　such　reduction？〃



〃Madame；〃　replied　Magus；　〃the　finer　the　diamond；　the　longer　we　keep　it

unsold。　The　rarity　of　such　investments　is　one　reason　for　the　high

value　set　upon　precious　stones。　As　the　merchant　cannot　lose　the

interest　of　his　money；　this　additional　sum；　joined　to　the　rise　and

fall　to　which　such　merchandise　is　subject；　explains　the　difference

between　the　price　of　purchase　and　the　price　of　sale。　By　owning　these

diamonds　you　have　lost　the　interest　on　three　hundred　thousand　francs

for　twenty　years。　If　you　wear　your　jewels　ten　times　a　year；　it　costs

you　three　thousand　francs　each　evening　to　put　them　on。　How　many

beautiful　gowns　you　could　buy　with　that　sum。　Those　who　own　diamonds

are；　therefore；　very　foolish；　but；　luckily　for　us；　women　are　never

willing　to　understand　the　calculation。〃



〃I　thank　you　for　explaining　it　to　me；　and　I　shall　profit　by　it。〃



〃Do　you　wish　to　sell？〃　asked　Magus；　eagerly。



〃What　are　the　other　jewels　worth？〃



The　Jew　examined　the　gold　of　the　settings；　held　the　pearls　to　the

light；　scrutinized　the　rubies；　the　diadems；　clasps；　bracelets；　and

chains；　and　said；　in　a　mumbling　tone：



〃A　good　many　Portuguese　diamonds　from　Brazil　are　among　them。　They　are

not　worth　more　than　a　hundred　thousand　to　me。　But；〃　he　added；　〃a

dealer　would　sell　them　to　a　customer　for　one　hundred　and　fifty

thousand；　at　least。〃



〃I　shall　keep　them；〃　said　Madame　Evangelista。



〃You　are　wrong；〃　replied　Elie　Magus。　〃With　the　income　from　the　sum

they　represent　you　could　buy　just　as　fine　diamonds　in　five　years；　and

have　the　capital　to　boot。〃



This　singular　conference　became　known；　and　corroborated　certain　rumors

excited　by　the　discussion　of　the　contract。　The　servants　of　the　house；

overhearing　high　voices；　supposed　the　difficulties　greater　than　they

really　were。　Their　gossip　with　other　valets　spread　the　information；

which　from　the　lower　regions　rose　to　the　ears　of　the　masters。　The

attention　of　society；　and　of　the　town　in　general；　became　so　fixed　on

the　marriage　of　two　persons　equally　rich　and　well…born；　that　every

one；　great　and　small；　busied　themselves　about　the　matter；　and　in　less

than　a　week　the　strangest　rumors　were　bruited　about。



〃Madame　Evangelista　sells　her　house；　she　must　be　ruined。　She　offered

her　diamonds　to　Elie　Magus。　Nothing　is　really　settled　between　herself

and　the　Comte　de　Manerville。　Is　it　probable　that　the　marriage　will

ever　take　place？〃



To　this　question　some　answered　yes；　and　others　said　no。　The　two

notaries；　when　questioned；　denied　these　calumnies；　and　declared　that

the　difficulties　arose　only　from　the　official　delay　in　constituting

the　entail。　But　when　public　opinion　has　taken　a　trend　in　one　direction

it　is　very　difficult　to　turn　it　back。　Though　Paul　went　every　day　to

Madame　Evangelista's　house；　and　though　the　notaries　denied　these

assertions　continually；　the　whispered　calumny　went　on。　Young　girls；

and　their　mothers　and　aunts；　vexed　at　a　marriage　they　had　dreamed　of

for　themselves　or　for　their　families；　could　not　forgive　the　Spanish

ladies　for　their　happiness；　as　authors　cannot　forgive　each　other　for

their　success。　A　few　persons　revenged　themselves　for　the　twenty…years

luxury　and　grandeur　of　the　family　of　Evangelista；　which　had　lain

heavily　on　their　self…love。　A　leading　personage　at　the　prefecture

declared　that　the　notaries　could　have　chosen　no　other　language　and

followed　no　other　conduct　in　the　case　of　a　rupture。　The　time　actually

required　for　the　establishment　of　the　entail　confirmed　the　suspicions

of　the　Bordeaux　provincials。



〃They　will　keep　the　ball　going　through　the　winter；　then；　in　the

spring；　they　will　go　to　some　watering…place；　and　we　shall　learn　before

the　year　is　out　that　the　marriage　is　off。〃



〃And；　of　course；　we　shall　be　given　to　understand；〃　said　others；　〃for

the　sake　of　the　honor　of　the　two　families；　that　the　difficulties　did

not　come　from　either　side；　but　the　chancellor　refused　to　consent；　you

may　be　sure　it　will　be　some　quibble　about　that　entail　which　will　cause

the　rupture。〃



〃Madame　Evangelista；〃　some　said；　〃lived　in　a　style　that　the　mines　of

Valencia　couldn't　meet。　When　the　time　came　to　melt　the　bell；　and　pay

the　daught