the marriage contract-第22部分

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accompanied　by　their　friends；　heard　mass　by　torchlight；　in　presence　of

a　crowd　of　inquisitive　persons。　A　marriage　celebrated　at　night　always

suggests　to　the　mind　an　unpleasant　omen。　Light　is　the　symbol　of　life

and　pleasure；　the　forecasts　of　which　are　lacking　to　a　midnight

wedding。　Ask　the　intrepid　soul　why　it　shivers；　why　the　chill　of　those

black　arches　enervates　it；　why　the　sound　of　steps　startles　it；　why　it

notices　the　cry　of　bats　and　the　hoot　of　owls。　Though　there　is

absolutely　no　reason　to　tremble；　all　present　do　tremble；　and　the

darkness；　emblem　of　death；　saddens　them。　Natalie；　parted　from　her

mother；　wept。　The　girl　was　now　a　prey　to　those　doubts　which　grasp　the

heart　as　it　enters　a　new　career　in　which；　despite　all　assurances　of

happiness；　a　thousand　pitfalls　await　the　steps　of　a　young　wife。　She

was　cold　and　wanted　a　mantle。　The　air　and　manner　of　Madame　Evangelista

and　that　of　the　bridal　pair　excited　some　comment　among　the　elegant

crowd　which　surrounded　the　altar。



〃Solonet　tells　me　that　the　bride　and　bridegroom　leave　for　Paris

to…morrow　morning；　all　alone。〃



〃Madame　Evangelista　was　to　live　with　them；　I　thought。〃



〃Count　Paul　has　got　rid　of　her　already。〃



〃What　a　mistake！〃　said　the　Marquise　de　Gyas。　〃To　shut　the　door　on　the

mother　of　his　wife　is　to　open　it　to　a　lover。　Doesn't　he　know　what　a

mother　is？〃



〃He　has　been　very　hard　on　Madame　Evangelista；　the　poor　woman　has　had

to　sell　her　house　and　her　diamonds；　and　is　going　to　live　at　Lanstrac。〃



〃Natalie　looks　very　sad。〃



〃Would　you　like　to　be　made　to　take　a　journey　the　day　after　your

marriage？〃



〃It　is　very　awkward。〃



〃I　am　glad　I　came　here　to…night；〃　said　a　lady。　〃I　am　now　convinced　of

the　necessity　of　the　pomps　of　marriage　and　of　wedding　fetes；　a　scene

like　this　is　very　bare　and　sad。　If　I　may　say　what　I　think；〃　she　added；

in　a　whisper　to　her　neighbor；　〃this　marriage　seems　to　me　indecent。〃



Madame　Evangelista　took　Natalie　in　her　carriage　and　accompanied　her；

alone；　to　Paul's　house。



〃Well；　mother；　it　is　done！〃



〃Remember；　my　dear　child；　my　last　advice；　and　you　will　be　a　happy

woman。　Be　his　wife；　and　not　his　mistress。〃



When　Natalie　had　retired；　the　mother　played　the　little　comedy　of

flinging　herself　with　tears　into　the　arms　of　her　son…in…law。　It　was

the　only　provincial　thing　that　Madame　Evangelista　allowed　herself；　but

she　had　her　reasons　for　it。　Amid　tears　and　speeches；　apparently　half

wild　and　despairing；　she　obtained　of　Paul　those　concessions　which　all

husbands　make。



The　next　day　she　put　the　married　pair　into　their　carriage；　and

accompanied　them　to　the　ferry；　by　which　the　road　to　Paris　crosses　the

Gironde。　With　a　look　and　a　word　Natalie　enabled　her　mother　to　see　that

if　Paul　had　won　the　trick　in　the　game　of　the　contract；　her　revenge　was

beginning。　Natalie　was　already　reducing　her　husband　to　perfect

obedience。







CHAPTER　VI



CONCLUSION



Five　years　later；　on　an　afternoon　in　the　month　of　November；　Comte　Paul

de　Manerville；　wrapped　in　a　cloak；　was　entering；　with　a　bowed　head　and

a　mysterious　manner；　the　house　of　his　old　friend　Monsieur　Mathias　at

Bordeaux。



Too　old　to　continue　in　business；　the　worthy　notary　had　sold　his

practice　and　was　ending　his　days　peacefully　in　a　quiet　house　to　which

he　had　retired。　An　urgent　affair　had　obliged　him　to　be　absent　at　the

moment　of　his　guest's　arrival；　but　his　housekeeper；　warned　of　Paul's

coming；　took　him　to　the　room　of　the　late　Madame　Mathias；　who　had　been

dead　a　year。　Fatigued　by　a　rapid　journey；　Paul　slept　till　evening。

When　the　old　man　reached　home　he　went　up　to　his　client's　room；　and

watched　him　sleeping；　as　a　mother　watches　her　child。　Josette；　the　old

housekeeper；　followed　her　master　and　stood　before　the　bed；　her　hands

on　her　hips。



〃It　is　a　year　to…day；　Josette；　since　I　received　my　dear　wife's　last

sigh；　I　little　knew　then　that　I　should　stand　here　again　to　see　the

count　half　dead。〃



〃Poor　man！　he　moans　in　his　sleep；〃　said　Josette。



〃Sac　a　papier！〃　cried　the　old　notary；　an　innocent　oath　which　was　a

sign　with　him　of　the　despair　on　a　man　of　business　before

insurmountable　difficulties。　〃At　any　rate；〃　he　thought；　〃I　have　saved

the　title　to　the　Lanstrac　estate　for　him；　and　that　of　Ausac；　Saint…

Froult；　and　his　house；　though　the　usufruct　has　gone。〃　Mathias　counted

his　fingers。　〃Five　years！　Just　five　years　this　month；　since　his　old

aunt；　now　dead；　that　excellent　Madame　de　Maulincour；　asked　for　the

hand　of　that　little　crocodile　of　a　woman；　who　has　finally　ruined　him

as　I　expected。〃



And　the　gouty　old　gentleman；　leaning　on　his　cane；　went　to　walk　in　the

little　garden　till　his　guest　should　awake。　At　nine　o'clock　supper　was

served；　for　Mathias　took　supper。　The　old　man　was　not　a　little

astonished；　when　Paul　joined　him；　to　see　that　his　old　client's　brow

was　calm　and　his　face　serene；　though　noticeably　changed。　If　at　the　age

of　thirty…three　the　Comte　de　Manerville　seemed　to　be　a　man　of　forty；

that　change　in　his　appearance　was　due　solely　to　mental　shocks；

physically；　he　was　well。　He　clasped　the　old　man's　hand　affectionately；

and　forced　him　not　to　rise；　saying：



〃Dear；　kind　Maitre　Mathias；　you；　too；　have　had　your　troubles。〃



〃Mine　were　natural　troubles；　Monsieur　le　comte；　but　yours〃



〃We　will　talk　of　that　presently；　while　we　sup。〃



〃If　I　had　not　a　son　in　the　magistracy；　and　a　daughter　married；〃　said

the　good　old　man；　〃you　would　have　found　in　old　Mathias；　believe　me；

Monsieur　le　comte；　something　better　than　mere　hospitality。　Why　have

you　come　to　Bordeaux　at　the　very　moment　when　posters　are　on　all　the

walls　of　the　seizure　of　your　farms　at　Grassol　and　Guadet；　the　vineyard

of　Belle…Rose　and　the　family　mansion？　I　cannot　tell　you　the　grief　I

feel　at　the　sight　of　those　placards；I；　who　for　forty　years　nursed

that　property　as　if　it　belonged　to　me；　I；　who　bought　it　for　your

mother　when　I　was　only　third　clerk　to　Monsieur　Chesnau；　my

predecessor；　and　wrote　the　deeds　myself　in　my　best　round　hand；　I；　who

have　those　titles　now　in　my　successor's　office；　I；　who　have　known　you

since　you　were　so　high〃；　and　the　old　man　stopped　to　put　his　hand　near

the　ground。　〃Ah！　a　man　must　have　been　a　notary　for　forty…one　years　and

a　half　to　know　the　sort　of　grief　I　feel　to　see　my　name　exposed　before

the　face　of　Israel　in　those　announcements　of　the　seizure　and　sale　of

the　property。　When　I　pass　through　the　streets　and　see　men　reading

these　horrible　yellow　posters；　I　am　ashamed；　as　if　my　own　honor　and

ruin　were　concerned。　Some　fools　will　stand　there　and　read　them　aloud

expressly　to　draw　other　fools　about　themand　what　imbecile　remarks

they　make！　As　if　a　man　were　not　master　of　his　own　property！　Your

father　ran　through　two　fortunes　before　he　made　the　one　he　left　you；

and　you　wouldn't　be　a　Manerville　if　you　didn't　do　likewise。　Besides；

seizures　of　real　estate　have　a　whole　section　of　the　Code　to

themselves；　they　are　expected　and　provided　for；　you　are　in　a　position

recognized　by　the　law。If　I　were　not　an　old　man　with　white　hair；　I

would　thrash　those　fools　I　hear　reading　aloud　in　the　streets　such　an

abomination　as　this；〃　added　the　worthy　notary；　taking　up　a　paper；　〃'At

the　request　of　Dame　Natalie　Evangelista；　wife　of　Paul…Francois…Joseph；

Comte　de　Manerville；　separated　from　him　as　to　worldly　goods　and

chattels　by　the　Lower　court　of　the　department　of　the　Seine'〃



〃Yes；　and　now　separated　in　body；〃　said　Paul。



〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　the　old　man。



〃Oh！　against　my　wife's　will；〃　added　the　count；　hastily。　〃I　was　forced

to　deceive　her；　she　did　not　know　that　I　was　leaving　her。〃



〃You　have　left　her？〃



〃My　passage　is　taken；　I　sail　for　Calcutta　on　the　'Belle…Amelie。'〃



〃Two　day's　hence！〃　cried　the　notary。　〃Then；　Monsieur　le　comte；　we

shall　never　meet　again。〃



〃You　are　only　seventy…three；　my　dear　Mathias；　and　you　have　the　gout；

the　brevet　of　old　age。　When　I　return　I　shall　find　you　still　afoot。

Your　good　head　and　heart　will　be　as　sound　as　ever；　and　you　will　help

me　to　reconstruct　what　is　now　a　shaken　edifice。　I　intend　to　make　a

noble　fortune　in　seven　years。　I　shall　be　only　forty　on　my　return。　All

is　still　possible　at　that　age。〃



〃You？〃　said　Mathias；　with　a　gesture　of　amazement；you；　Monsieur　le

comte；　to　undertake　commerce！　How　can　you　even　think　of　it？〃



〃I　am　no　longer　Monsieur　le　comte；　dear　Mathias。　My　passage　is　taken

under　the　name　of　Camille；　one　of　my　mother's　baptismal　names。　I　have

acquirements　which　will　enable　me　to　make　my　fortune　otherwise　than　in

business。　Commerce；　at　any　rate；　will　be　only　my　final　chance。　I　start

with　a　sum　in　hand　sufficient　for　the　redemption　of　my　future　on　a

large　scale。〃



〃Where　is　that　money？〃



〃A　friend　is　to　send　it　to　me。〃



The　old　man　dropped　his　fork　as　he　heard　the　word　〃friend；〃　not　in

surprise；　not　scoffingly；　but　in　grief；　his　look　and　manner　expressed

the　pain　he　felt　in　finding　Paul　under　the　influence　of　a　deceitful

illusion；　his　practised　eye　fathomed　a　gulf　where　the　count　saw

nothing　but　solid　ground。



〃I　have　been　fifty　years　in　the　notariat；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　never　yet

knew　a　ruined　man　whose　friend　would　lend　him　money。〃



〃You　don't　know　de　Marsay。　I　am　certain　that　he　has　sold　out　some　of

his　investments　already；　and　to…morrow　you　will　receive　from　him　a

bill　of　exchange　for　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs。〃



〃I　hope　I　may。　If　that　be　so；　cannot　your　friend　settle　your

difficulties　here？　You　could　live　quietly　at　Lanstrac　for　five　or　six

years　on　your　wife's　income；　and　so　recover　yourself。〃



〃No　assignment　or　economy　on　my　part　could　pay　off　fifteen　hundred

thousand　francs　of　debt；　in　which　my　wife　is　involved　to　the　amount　of

five　hundred　and　fifty　thousand。〃



〃You　cannot　mean　to　say　that　in　four　years　you　have　incurred　a　million

and　a　half　of　debt？〃



〃Nothing　is　more　certain；　Mathias。　Did　I　not　give　those　diamonds　to　my

wife？　Did　I　not　spend　the　hu