the marriage contract-第16部分

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

the　daughter's　patrimony；　nothing　would　be　found　to　pay　it　with。〃



The　occasion　was　excellent　to　add　up　the　spendings　of　the　handsome

widow　and　prove；　categorically；　her　ruin。　Rumors　were　so　rife　that

bets　were　made　for　and　against　the　marriage。　By　the　laws　of　worldly

jurisprudence　this　gossip　was　not　allowed　to　reach　the　ears　of　the

parties　concerned。　No　one　was　enemy　or　friend　enough　to　Paul　or　to

Madame　Evangelista　to　inform　either　of　what　was　being　said。　Paul　had

some　business　at　Lanstrac；　and　used　the　occasion　to　make　a　hunting…

party　for　several　of　the　young　men　of　Bordeaux；a　sort　of　farewell；

as　it　were；　to　his　bachelor　life。　This　hunting　party　was　accepted　by

society　as　a　signal　confirmation　of　public　suspicion。



When　this　event　occurred；　Madame　de　Gyas；　who　had　a　daughter　to　marry；

thought　it　high　time　to　sound　the　matter；　and　to　condole；　with　joyful

heart；　the　blow　received　by　the　Evangelistas。　Natalie　and　her　mother

were　somewhat　surprised　to　see　the　lengthened　face　of　the　marquise；

and　they　asked　at　once　if　anything　distressing　had　happened　to　her。



〃Can　it　be；〃　she　replied；　〃that　you　are　ignorant　of　the　rumors　that

are　circulating？　Though　I　think　them　false　myself；　I　have　come　to

learn　the　truth　in　order　to　stop　this　gossip；　at　any　rate　among　the

circle　of　my　own　friends。　To　be　the　dupes　or　the　accomplices　of　such

an　error　is　too　false　a　position　for　true　friends　to　occupy。〃



〃But　what　is　it？　what　has　happened？〃　asked　mother　and　daughter。



Madame　de　Gyas　thereupon　allowed　herself　the　happiness　of　repeating

all　the　current　gossip；　not　sparing　her　two　friends　a　single　stab。

Natalie　and　Madame　Evangelista　looked　at　each　other　and　laughed；　but

they　fully　understood　the　meaning　of　the　tale　and　the　motives　of　their

friend。　The　Spanish　lady　took　her　revenge　very　much　as　Celimene　took

hers　on　Arsinoe。



〃My　dear；　are　you　ignorantyou　who　know　the　provinces　so　wellcan

you　be　ignorant　of　what　a　mother　is　capable　when　she　has　on　her　hands

a　daughter　whom　she　cannot　marry　for　want　of　'dot'　and　lovers；　want　of

beauty；　want　of　mind；　and；　sometimes；　want　of　everything？　Why；　a

mother　in　that　position　would　rob　a　diligence　or　commit　a　murder；　or

wait　for　a　man　at　the　corner　of　a　streetshe　would　sacrifice　herself

twenty　times　over；　if　she　was　a　mother　at　all。　Now；　as　you　and　I　both

know；　there　are　many　such　in　that　situation　in　Bordeaux；　and　no　doubt

they　attribute　to　us　their　own　thoughts　and　actions。　Naturalists　have

depicted　the　habits　and　customs　of　many　ferocious　animals；　but　they

have　forgotten　the　mother　and　daughter　in　quest　of　a　husband。　Such

women　are　hyenas；　going　about；　as　the　Psalmist　says；　seeking　whom　they

may　devour；　and　adding　to　the　instinct　of　the　brute　the　intellect　of

man；　and　the　genius　of　woman。　I　can　understand　that　those　little

spiders；　Mademoiselle　de　Belor；　Mademoiselle　de　Trans；　and　others；

after　working　so　long　at　their　webs　without　catching　a　fly；　without　so

much　as　hearing　a　buzz；　should　be　furious；　I　can　even　forgive　their

spiteful　speeches。　But　that　you；　who　can　marry　your　daughter　when　you

please；　you；　who　are　rich　and　titled；　you　who　have　nothing　of　the

provincial　about　you；　whose　daughter　is　clever　and　possesses　fine

qualities；　with　beauty　and　the　power　to　choosethat　you；　so

distinguished　from　the　rest　by　your　Parisian　grace；　should　have　paid

the　least　heed　to　this　talk　does　really　surprise　me。　Am　I　bound　to

account　to　the　public　for　the　marriage　stipulations　which　our　notaries

think　necessary　under　the　political　circumstances　of　my　son…in…law's

future　life？　Has　the　mania　for　public　discussion　made　its　way　into

families？　Ought　I　to　convoke　in　writing　the　fathers　and　mothers　of　the

province　to　come　here　and　give　their　vote　on　the　clauses　of　our

marriage　contract？〃



A　torrent　of　epigram　flowed　over　Bordeaux。　Madame　Evangelista　was

about　to　leave　the　city；　and　could　safely　scan　her　friends　and

enemies；　caricature　them　and　lash　them　as　she　pleased；　with　nothing　to

fear　in　return。　Accordingly；　she　now　gave　vent　to　her　secret

observations　and　her　latent　dislikes　as　she　sought　for　the　reason　why

this　or　that　person　denied　the　shining　of　the　sun　at　mid…day。



〃But；　my　dear；〃　said　the　Marquise　de　Gyas；　〃this　stay　of　the　count　at

Lanstrac；　these　parties　given　to　young　men　under　such　circumstances〃



〃Ah！　my　dear；〃　said　the　great　lady；　interrupting　the　marquise；　〃do　you

suppose　that　we　adopt　the　pettiness　of　bourgeois　customs？　Is　Count

Paul　held　in　bonds　like　a　man　who　might　seek　to　get　away？　Think　you　we

ought　to　watch　him　with　a　squad　of　gendarmes　lest　some　provincial

conspiracy　should　get　him　away　from　us？〃



〃Be　assured；　my　dearest　friend；　that　it　gives　me　the　greatest　pleasure

to〃



Here　her　words　were　interrupted　by　a　footman　who　entered　the　room　to

announce　Paul。　Like　many　lovers；　Paul　thought　it　charming　to　ride

twelve　miles　to　spend　an　hour　with　Natalie。　He　had　left　his　friends

while　hunting；　and　came　in　booted　and　spurred；　and　whip　in　hand。



〃Dear　Paul；〃　said　Natalie；　〃you　don't　know　what　an　answer　you　are

giving　to　madame。〃



When　Paul　heard　of　the　gossip　that　was　current　in　Bordeaux；　he　laughed

instead　of　being　angry。



〃These　worthy　people　have　found　out；　perhaps；　that　there　will　be　no

wedding　festivities；　according　to　provincial　usages；　no　marriage　at

mid…day　in　the　church；　and　they　are　furious。　Well；　my　dear　mother；〃　he

added；　kissing　her　hand；　〃let　us　pacify　them　with　a　ball　on　the　day

when　we　sign　the　contract；　just　as　the　government　flings　a　fete　to　the

people　in　the　great　square　of　the　Champs…Elysees；　and　we　will　give　our

dear　friends　the　dolorous　pleasure　of　signing　a　marriage…contract　such

as　they　have　seldom　heard　of　in　the　provinces。〃



This　little　incident　proved　of　great　importance。　Madame　Evangelista

invited　all　Bordeaux　to　witness　the　signature　of　the　contract；　and

showed　her　intention　of　displaying　in　this　last　fete　a　luxury　which

should　refute　the　foolish　lies　of　the　community。



The　preparations　for　this　event　required　over　a　month；　and　it　was

called　the　fete　of　the　camellias。　Immense　quantities　of　that　beautiful

flower　were　massed　on　the　staircase；　and　in　the　antechamber　and

supper…room。　During　this　month　the　formalities　for　constituting　the

entail　were　concluded　in　Paris；　the　estates　adjoining　Lanstrac　were

purchased；　the　banns　were　published；　and　all　doubts　finally

dissipated。　Friends　and　enemies　thought　only　of　preparing　their

toilets　for　the　coming　fete。



The　time　occupied　by　these　events　obscured　the　difficulties　raised　by

the　first　discussion；　and　swept　into　oblivion　the　words　and　arguments

of　that　stormy　conference。　Neither　Paul　nor　his　mother…in…law

continued　to　think　of　them。　Were　they　not；　after　all；　as　Madame

Evangelista　had　said；　the　affair　of　the　two　notaries？



Butto　whom　has　it　never　happened；　when　life　is　in　its　fullest　flow；

to　be　suddenly　changed　by　the　voice　of　memory；　raised；　perhaps；　too

late；　reminding　us　of　some　important　new　fact；　some　threatened　danger？

On　the　morning　of　the　day　when　the　contract　was　to　be　signed　and　the

fete　given；　one　of　these　flashes　of　the　soul　illuminated　the　mind　of

Madame　Evangelista　during　the　semi…somnolence　of　her　waking　hour。　The

words　that　she　herself　had　uttered　at　the　moment　when　Mathias　acceded

to　Solonet's　conditions；　〃Questa　coda　non　e　di　questo　gatto；〃　were

cried　aloud　in　her　mind　by　that　voice　of　memory。　In　spite　of　her

incapacity　for　business；　Madame　Evangelista's　shrewdness　told　her：



〃If　so　clever　a　notary　as　Mathias　was　pacified；　it　must　have　been　that

he　saw　compensation　at　the　cost　of　SOME　ONE。〃



That　some　one　could　not　be　Paul；　as　she　had　blindly　hoped。　Could　it　be

that　her　daughter's　fortune　was　to　pay　the　costs　of　war？　She　resolved

to　demand　explanations　on　the　tenor　of　the　contract；　not　reflecting　on

the　course　she　would　have　to　take　in　case　she　found　her　interests

seriously　compromised。　This　day　had　so　powerful　an　influence　on　Paul

de　Manerville's　conjugal　life　that　it　is　necessary　to　explain　certain

of　the　external　circumstances　which　accompanied　it。



Madame　Evangelista　had　shrunk　from　no　expense　for　this　dazzling　fete。

The　court…yard　was　gravelled　and　converted　into　a　tent；　and　filled

with　shrubs；　although　it　was　winter。　The　camellias；　of　which　so　much

had　been　said　from　Angouleme　to　Dax；　were　banked　on　the　staircase　and

in　the　vestibules。　Wall　partitions　had　disappeared　to　enlarge　the

supper…room　and　the　ball…room　where　the　dancing　was　to　be。　Bordeaux；　a

city　famous　for　the　luxury　of　colonial　fortunes；　was　on　a　tiptoe　of

expectation　for　this　scene　of　fairyland。　About　eight　o'clock；　as　the

last　discussion　of　the　contract　was　taking　place　within　the　house；　the

inquisitive　populace；　anxious　to　see　the　ladies　in　full　dress　getting

out　of　their　carriages；　formed　in　two　hedges　on　either　side　of　the

porte…cochere。　Thus　the　sumptuous　atmosphere　of　a　fete　acted　upon　all

minds　at　the　moment　when　the　contract　was　being　signed；　illuminating

colored　lamps　lighted　up　the　shrubs；　and　the　wheels　of　the　arriving

guests　echoed　from　the　court…yard。　The　two　notaries　had　dined　with　the

bridal　pair　and　their　mother。　Mathias's　head…clerk；　whose　business　it

was　to　receive　the　signatures　of　the　guests　during　the　evening　（taking

due　care　that　the　contract　was　not　surreptitiously　read　by　the

signers）；　was　also　present　at　the　dinner。



No　bridal　toilet　was　ever　comparable　with　that　of　Natalie；　whose

beauty；　decked　with　laces　and　satin；　her　hair　coquettishly　falling　in

a　myriad　of　curls　about　her　throat；　resembled　that　of　a　flower　encased

in　its　foliage。　Madame　Evangelista；　robed　in　a　gown　of　cherry　velvet；

a　color　judiciously　chosen　to　heighten　the　brilliancy　of　her　skin　and

her　black　hair　and　eyes；　glowed　with　the　beauty　of　a　woman　at　forty；

and　wore　her　pearl　necklace；　clasped　wit