the marriage contract-第18部分

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〃You　wish　the　happiness　of　Mademoiselle　Natalie。〃



〃Above　all　things。〃



〃To　be　happy　in　France；〃　said　the　notary；　〃means　being　mistress　of　the

home。　She　can　lead　that　fool　of　a　Manerville　by　the　nose　if　she

chooses；　he　is　so　dull　he　has　actually　seen　nothing　of　all　this。　Even

if　he　now　distrusts　you；　he　will　always　trust　his　wife；　and　his　wife

is　YOU；　is　she　not？　The　count's　fate　is　still　within　your　power　if　you

choose　to　play　the　cards　in　your　hand。〃



〃If　that　were　true；　monsieur；　I　know　not　what　I　would　not　do　to　show

my　gratitude；〃　she　said；　in　a　transport　of　feeling　that　colored　her

cheeks。



〃Let　us　now　return　to　the　others；　madame；〃　said　Solonet。　〃Listen

carefully　to　what　I　shall　say；　and　thenyou　shall　think　me　incapable

if　you　choose。〃



〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　the　young　notary　to　Maitre　Mathias；　〃in　spite

of　your　great　ability；　you　have　not　foreseen　either　the　case　of

Monsieur　de　Manerville　dying　without　children；　nor　that　in　which　he

leaves　only　female　issue。　In　either　of　those　cases　the　entail　would

pass　to　the　Manervilles；　or；　at　any　rate；　give　rise　to　suits　on　their

part。　I　think；　therefore；　it　is　necessary　to　stipulate　that　in　the

first　case　the　entailed　property　shall　pass　under　the　general　deed　of

gift　between　husband　and　wife；　and　in　the　second　case　that　the　entail

shall　be　declared　void。　This　agreement　concerns　the　wife's　interest。〃



〃Both　clauses　seem　to　me　perfectly　just；〃　said　Maitre　Mathias。　〃As　to

their　ratification；　Monsieur　le　comte　can；　doubtless；　come　to　an

understanding　with　the　chancellor；　if　necessary。〃



Solonet　took　a　pen　and　added　this　momentous　clause　on　the　margin　of

the　contract。　Paul　and　Natalie　paid　no　attention　to　the　matter；　but

Madame　Evangelista　dropped　her　eyes　while　Maitre　Mathias　read　the

added　sentence　aloud。



〃We　will　now　sign；〃　said　the　mother。



The　volume　of　voice　which　Madame　Evangelista　repressed　as　she　uttered

those　words　betrayed　her　violent　emotion。　She　was　thinking　to　herself：

〃No；　my　daughter　shall　not　be　ruinedbut　he！　My　daughter　shall　have

the　name；　the　title；　and　the　fortune。　If　she　should　some　day　discover

that　she　does　not　love　him；　that　she　loves　another；　irresistibly；　Paul

shall　be　driven　out　of　France！　My　daughter　shall　be　free；　and　happy；

and　rich。〃



If　Maitre　Mathias　understood　how　to　analyze　business　interests；　he

knew　little　of　the　analysis　of　human　passions。　He　accepted　Madame

Evangelista's　words　as　an　honorable　〃amende；〃　instead　of　judging　them

for　what　they　were；　a　declaration　of　war。　While　Solonet　and　his　clerk

superintended　Natalie　as　she　signed　the　documents；an　operation　which

took　time；Mathias　took　Paul　aside　and　told　him　the　meaning　of　the

stipulation　by　which　he　had　saved　him　from　ultimate　pain。



〃The　whole　affair　is　now　'en　regle。'　I　hold　the　documents。　But　the

contract　contains　a　rescript　for　the　diamonds；　you　must　ask　for　them。

Business　is　business。　Diamonds　are　going　up　just　now；　but　may　go　down。

The　purchase　of　those　new　domains　justifies　you　in　turning　everything

into　money　that　you　can。　Therefore；　Monsieur　le　comte；　have　no　false

modesty　in　this　matter。　The　first　payment　is　due　after　the　formalities

are　over。　The　sum　is　two　hundred　thousand　francs；　put　the　diamonds

into　that。　You　have　the　lien　on　this　house；　which　will　be　sold　at

once；　and　will　pay　the　rest。　If　you　have　the　courage　to　spend　only

fifty　thousand　francs　for　the　next　three　years；　you　can　save　the　two

hundred　thousand　francs　you　are　now　obliged　to　pay。　If　you　plant

vineyards　on　your　new　estates；　you　can　get　an　income　of　over　twenty…

five　thousand　francs　upon　them。　You　may　be　said；　in　short；　to　have

made　a　good　marriage。〃



Paul　pressed　the　hand　of　his　old　friend　very　affectionately；　a　gesture

which　did　not　escape　Madame　Evangelista；　who　now　came　forward　to　offer

him　the　pen。　Suspicion　became　certainty　to　her　mind。　She　was　confident

that　Paul　and　Mathias　had　come　to　an　understanding　about　her。　Rage　and

hatred　sent　the　blood　surging　through　her　veins　to　her　heart。　The

worst　had　come。



After　verifying　that　all　the　documents　were　duly　signed　and　the

initials　of　the　parties　affixed　to　the　bottom　of　the　leaves；　Maitre

Mathias　looked　from　Paul　to　his　mother…in…law；　and　seeing　that　his

client　did　not　intend　to　speak　of　the　diamonds；　he　said：



〃I　do　not　suppose　there　can　be　any　doubt　about　the　transfer　of　the

diamonds；　as　you　are　now　one　family。〃



〃It　would　be　more　regular　if　Madame　Evangelista　made　them　over　now；　as

Monsieur　de　Manerville　has　become　responsible　for　the　guardianship

funds；　and　we　never　know　who　may　live　or　die；〃　said　Solonet；　who

thought　he　saw　in　this　circumstance　fresh　cause　of　anger　in　the

mother…in…law　against　the　son…in…law。



〃Ah！　mother；〃　cried　Paul；　〃it　would　be　insulting　to　us　all　to　do　that；

'Summum　jus；　summum　injuria；'　monsieur；〃　he　said　to　Solonet。



〃And　I；〃　said　Madame　Evangelista；　led　by　the　hatred　now　surging　in　her

heart　to　see　a　direct　insult　to　her　in　the　indirect　appeal　of　Maitre

Mathias；　〃I　will　tear　that　contract　up　if　you　do　not　take　them。〃



She　left　the　room　in　one　of　those　furious　passions　which　long　for　the

power　to　destroy　everything；　and　which　the　sense　of　impotence　drives

almost　to　madness。



〃For　Heaven's　sake；　take　them；　Paul；〃　whispered　Natalie　in　his　ear。

〃My　mother　is　angry；　I　shall　know　why　to…night；　and　I　will　tell　you。

We　must　pacify　her。〃



Calmed　by　this　first　outburst；　madame　kept　the　necklace　and　ear…rings；

which　she　was　wearing；　and　brought　the　other　jewels；　valued　at　one

hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs　by　Elie　Magus。　Accustomed　to　the

sight　of　family　diamonds　in　all　valuations　of　inheritance；　Maitre

Mathias　and　Solonet　examined　these　jewels　in　their　cases　and　exclaimed

upon　their　duty。



〃You　will　lose　nothing；　after　all；　upon　the　'dot；'　Monsieur　le　comte；〃

said　Solonet；　bringing　the　color　to　Paul's　face。



〃Yes；〃　said　Mathias；　〃these　jewels　will　meet　the　first　payment　on　the

purchase　of　the　new　estate。〃



〃And　the　costs　of　the　contract；〃　added　Solonet。



Hatred　feeds；　like　love；　on　little　things；　the　least　thing　strengthens

it；　as　one　beloved　can　do　no　evil；　so　the　person　hated　can　do　no　good。

Madame　Evangelista　assigned　to　hypocrisy　the　natural　embarrassment　of

Paul；　who　was　unwilling　to　take　the　jewels；　and　not　knowing　where　to

put　the　cases；　longed　to　fling　them　from　the　window。　Madame

Evangelista　spurred　him　with　a　glance　which　seemed　to　say；　〃Take　your

property　from　here。〃



〃Dear　Natalie；〃　said　Paul；　〃put　away　these　jewels；　they　are　yours；　I

give　them　to　you。〃



Natalie　locked　them　into　the　drawer　of　a　console。　At　this　instant　the

noise　of　the　carriages　in　the　court…yard　and　the　murmur　of　voices　in

the　receptions…rooms　became　so　loud　that　Natalie　and　her　mother　were

forced　to　appear。　The　salons　were　filled　in　a　few　moments；　and　the

fete　began。



〃Profit　by　the　honeymoon　to　sell　those　diamonds；〃　said　the　old　notary

to　Paul　as　he　went　away。



While　waiting　for　the　dancing　to　begin；　whispers　went　round　about　the

marriage；　and　doubts　were　expressed　as　to　the　future　of　the　promised

couple。



〃Is　it　finally　arranged？〃　said　one　of　the　leading　personages　of　the

town　to　Madame　Evangelista。



〃We　had　so　many　documents　to　read　and　sign　that　I　fear　we　are　rather

late；〃　she　replied；　〃but　perhaps　we　are　excusable。〃



〃As　for　me；　I　heard　nothing；〃　said　Natalie；　giving　her　hand　to　her

lover　to　open　the　ball。



〃Both　of　those　young　persons　are　extravagant；　and　the　mother　is　not　of

a　kind　to　check　them；〃　said　a　dowager。



〃But　they　have　founded　an　entail；　I　am　told；　worth　fifty　thousand

francs　a　year。〃



〃Pooh！〃



〃In　that　I　see　the　hand　of　our　worthy　Monsieur　Mathias；〃　said　a

magistrate。　〃If　it　is　really　true；　he　has　done　it　to　save　the　future

of　the　family。〃



〃Natalie　is　too　handsome　not　to　be　horribly　coquettish。　After　a　couple

of　years　of　marriage；〃　said　one　young　woman；　〃I　wouldn't　answer　for

Monsieur　de　Manerville's　happiness　in　his　home。〃



〃The　Pink　of　Fashion　will　then　need　staking；〃　said　Solonet；　laughing。



〃Don't　you　think　Madame　Evangelista　looks　annoyed？〃　asked　another。



〃But；　my　dear；　I　have　just　been　told　that　all　she　is　able　to　keep　is

twenty…five　thousand　francs　a　year；　and　what　is　that　to　her？〃



〃Penury！〃



〃Yes；　she　has　robbed　herself　for　Natalie。　Monsieur　de　Manerville　has

been　so　exacting〃



〃Extremely　exacting；〃　put　in　Maitre　Solonet。　〃But　before　long　he　will

be　peer　of　France。　The　Maulincours　and　the　Vidame　de　Pamiers　will　use

their　influence。　He　belongs　to　the　faubourg　Saint…Germain。〃



〃Oh！　he　is　received　there；　and　that　is　all；〃　said　a　lady；　who　had

tried　to　obtain　him　as　a　son…in…law。　〃Mademoiselle　Evangelista；　as　the

daughter　of　a　merchant；　will　certainly　not　open　the　doors　of　the

chapter…house　of　Cologne　to　him！〃



〃She　is　grand…niece　to　the　Duke　of　Casa…Reale。〃



〃Through　the　female　line！〃



The　topic　was　presently　exhausted。　The　card…players　went　to　the

tables；　the　young　people　danced；　the　supper　was　served；　and　the　ball

was　not　over　till　morning；　when　the　first　gleams　of　the　coming　day

whitened　the　windows。



Having　said　adieu　to　Paul；　who　was　the　last　to　go　away；　Madame

Evangelista　went　to　her　daughter's　room；　for　her　own　had　been　taken　by

the　architect　to　enlarge　the　scene　of　the　fete。　Though　Natalie　and　her

mother　were　overcome　with　sleep；　they　said　a　few　words　to　each　other

as　soon　as　they　were　alone。



〃Tell　me；　mother　dear；　what　was　the　matter　with　you？〃



〃My　darling；　I　learned　this　evening　to　what　lengths　a　mother's

tenderness　can　go。　You　know　nothing　of　business；　and　you　are　ignorant

of　the　suspicions　to　which　my　integrity　has　been　exposed。　I　have

trampled　my　pride　under　foot；　for　your　happiness　and　my　reputation

were　at　stake。〃



〃Are　you　talking　of　the　diamonds？　Poor　boy；　he　wept；　he　did　not　want

them；　I　ha