the marriage contract-第6部分

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knowledge　of　Lavater　and　Gall；　but　also　a　science　in　which　there

exists　no　formula　of　doctrine；the　individual　and　personal　science　of

an　observer；　which；　for　its　perfection；　requires　an　almost　universal

knowledge。　Natalie's　face；　like　that　of　most　young　girls；　was

impenetrable。　The　deep；　serene　peace　given　by　sculptors　to　the　virgin

faces　of　Justice　and　Innocence；　divinities　aloof　from　all　earthly

agitations；　is　the　greatest　charm　of　a　young　girl；　the　sign　of　her

purity。　Nothing；　as　yet；　has　stirred　her；　no　shattered　passion；　no

hope　betrayed　has　clouded　the　placid　expression　of　that　pure　face。　Is

that　expression　assumed？　If　so；　there　is　no　young　girl　behind　it。



Natalie；　closely　held　to　the　heart　of　her　mother；　had　received；　like

other　Spanish　women；　an　education　that　was　solely　religious；　together

with　a　few　instructions　from　her　mother　as　to　the　part　in　life　she　was

called　upon　to　play。　Consequently；　the　calm；　untroubled　expression　of

her　face　was　natural。　And　yet　it　formed　a　casing　in　which　the　woman

was　wrapped　as　the　moth　in　its　cocoon。　Nevertheless；　any　man　clever　at

handling　the　scalpel　of　analysis　might　have　detected　in　Natalie

certain　indications　of　the　difficulties　her　character　would　present

when　brought　into　contact　with　conjugal　or　social　life。　Her　beauty；

which　was　really　marvellous；　came　from　extreme　regularity　of　feature

harmonizing　with　the　proportions　of　the　head　and　the　body。　This

species　of　perfection　augurs　ill　for　the　mind；　and　there　are　few

exceptions　to　the　rule。　All　superior　nature　is　found　to　have　certain

slight　imperfections　of　form　which　become　irresistible　attractions；

luminous　points　from　which　shine　vivid　sentiments；　and　on　which　the

eye　rests　gladly。　Perfect　harmony　expresses　usually　the　coldness　of　a

mixed　organization。



Natalie's　waist　was　round；a　sign　of　strength；　but　also　the

infallible　indication　of　a　will　which　becomes　obstinacy　in　persons

whose　mind　is　neither　keen　nor　broad。　Her　hands；　like　those　of　a　Greek

statue；　confirmed　the　predictions　of　face　and　figure　by　revealing　an

inclination　for　illogical　domination；　of　willing　for　will's　sake　only。

Her　eyebrows　met；a　sign；　according　to　some　observers；　which

indicates　jealousy。　The　jealousy　of　superior　minds　becomes　emulation

and　leads　to　great　things；　that　of　small　minds　turns　to　hatred。　The

〃hate　and　wait〃　of　her　mother　was　in　her　nature；　without　disguise。　Her

eyes　were　black　apparently；　though　really　brown　with　orange　streaks；

contrasting　with　her　hair；　of　the　ruddy　tint　so　prized　by　the　Romans；

called　auburn　in　England；　a　color　which　often　appears　in　the　offspring

of　persons　of　jet　black　hair；　like　that　of　Monsieur　and　Madame

Evangelista。　The　whiteness　and　delicacy　of　Natalie's　complexion　gave

to　the　contrast　of　color　in　her　eyes　and　hair　an　inexpressible　charm；

and　yet　it　was　a　charm　that　was　purely　external；　for　whenever　the

lines　of　a　face　are　lacking　in　a　certain　soft　roundness；　whatever　may

be　the　finish　and　grace　of　the　details；　the　beauty　therein　expressed

is　not　of　the　soul。　These　roses　of　deceptive　youth　will　drop　their

leaves；　and　you　will　be　surprised　in　a　few　years　to　see　hardness　and

dryness　where　you　once　admired　what　seemed　to　be　the　beauty　of　noble

qualities。



Though　the　outlines　of　Natalie's　face　had　something　august　about　them；

her　chin　was　slightly　〃empate；〃a　painter's　expression　which　will

serve　to　show　the　existence　of　sentiments　the　violence　of　which　would　

only　become　manifest　in　after　life。　Her　mouth；　a　trifle　drawn　in；

expressed　a　haughty　pride　in　keeping　with　her　hand；　her　chin；　her

brows；　and　her　beautiful　figure。　Andas　a　last　diagnostic　to　guide

the　judgment　of　a　connoisseurNatalie's　pure　voice；　a　most　seductive

voice；　had　certain　metallic　tones。　Softly　as　that　brassy　ring　was

managed；　and　in　spite　of　the　grace　with　which　its　sounds　ran　through

the　compass　of　the　voice；　that　organ　revealed　the　character　of　the

Duke　of　Alba；　from　whom　the　Casa…Reales　were　collaterally　descended。

These　indications　were　those　of　violent　passions　without　tenderness；

sudden　devotions；　irreconcilable　dislikes；　a　mind　without

intelligence；　and　the　desire　to　rule　natural　to　persons　who　feel

themselves　inferior　to　their　pretensions。



These　defects；　born　of　temperament　and　constitution；　were　buried　in

Natalie　like　ore　in　a　mine；　and　would　only　appear　under　the　shocks　and

harsh　treatment　to　which　all　characters　are　subjected　in　this　world。

Meantime　the　grace　and　freshness　of　her　youth；　the　distinction　of　her

manners；　her　sacred　ignorance；　and　the　sweetness　of　a　young　girl；　gave

a　delicate　glamour　to　her　features　which　could　not　fail　to　mislead　an

unthinking　or　superficial　mind。　Her　mother　had　early　taught　her　the

trick　of　agreeable　talk　which　appears　to　imply　superiority；　replying

to　arguments　by　clever　jests；　and　attracting　by　the　graceful

volubility　beneath　which　a　woman　hides　the　subsoil　of　her　mind；　as

Nature　disguises　her　barren　strata　beneath　a　wealth　of　ephemeral

vegetation。　Natalie　had　the　charm　of　children　who　have　never　known

what　it　is　to　suffer。　She　charmed　by　her　frankness；　and　had　none　of

that　solemn　air　which　mothers　impose　on　their　daughters　by　laying　down

a　programme　of　behavior　and　language　until　the　time　comes　when　they

marry　and　are　emancipated。　She　was　gay　and　natural；　like　any　young

girl　who　knows　nothing　of　marriage；　expects　only　pleasure　from　it；

replies　to　all　objections　with　a　jest；　foresees　no　troubles；　and

thinks　she　is　acquiring　the　right　to　have　her　own　way。



How　could　Paul；　who　loved　as　men　love　when　desire　increases　love；

perceive　in　a　girl　of　this　nature　whose　beauty　dazzled　him；　the　woman；

such　as　she　would　probably　be　at　thirty；　when　observers　themselves

have　been　misled　by　these　appearances？　Besides；　if　happiness　might

prove　difficult　to　find　in　a　marriage　with　such　a　girl；　it　was　not

impossible。　Through　these　embryo　defects　shone　several　fine　qualities。

There　is　no　good　quality　which；　if　properly　developed　by　the　hand　of

an　able　master；　will　not　stifle　defects；　especially　in　a　young　girl

who　loves　him。　But　to　render　ductile　so　intractable　a　woman；　the　iron

wrist；　about　which　de　Marsay　had　preached　to　Paul；　was　needful。　The

Parisian　dandy　was　right。　Fear；　inspired　by　love　is　an　infallible

instrument　by　which　to　manage　the　minds　of　women。　Whoso　loves；　fears；

whoso　fears　is　nearer　to　affection　than　to　hatred。



Had　Paul　the　coolness；　firmness；　and　judgment　required　for　this

struggle；　which　an　able　husband　ought　not　to　let　the　wife　suspect？　Did

Natalie　love　Paul？　Like　most　young　girls；　Natalie　mistook　for　love　the

first　emotions　of　instinct　and　the　pleasure　she　felt　in　Paul's

external　appearance；　but　she　knew　nothing　of　the　things　of　marriage

nor　the　demands　of　a　home。　To　her；　the　Comte　de　Manerville；　a　rising

diplomatist；　to　whom　the　courts　of　Europe　were　known；　and　one　of　the

most　elegant　young　men　in　Paris；　could　not　seem；　what　perhaps　he　was；

an　ordinary　man；　without　moral　force；　timid；　though　brave　in　some

ways；　energetic　perhaps　in　adversity；　but　helpless　against　the

vexations　and　annoyances　that　hinder　happiness。　Would　she；　in　after

years；　have　sufficient　tact　and　insight　to　distinguish　Paul's　noble

qualities　in　the　midst　of　his　minor　defects？　Would　she　not　magnify　the

latter　and　forget　the　former；　after　the　manner　of　young　wives　who　know

nothing　of　life？　There　comes　a　time　when　wives　will　pardon　defects　in

the　husband　who　spares　her　annoyances；　considering　annoyances　in　the

same　category　as　misfortunes。　What　conciliating　power；　what　wise

experience　would　uphold　and　enlighten　the　home　of　this　young　pair？

Paul　and　his　wife　would　doubtless　think　they　loved　when　they　had

really　not　advanced　beyond　the　endearments　and　compliments　of　the

honeymoon。　Would　Paul　in　that　early　period　yield　to　the　tyranny　of　his

wife；　instead　of　establishing　his　empire？　Could　Paul　say；　〃No？〃　All

was　peril　to　a　man　so　weak　where　even　a　strong　man　ran　some　risks。



The　subject　of　this　Study　is　not　the　transition　of　a　bachelor　into　a

married　man；a　picture　which；　if　broadly　composed；　would　not　lack　the

attraction　which　the　inner　struggles　of　our　nature　and　feelings　give

to　the　commonest　situations　in　life。　The　events　and　the　ideas　which

led　to　the　marriage　of　Paul　with　Natalie　Evangelista　are　an

introduction　to　our　real　subject；　which　is　to　sketch　the　great　comedy

that　precedes；　in　France；　all　conjugal　pairing。　This　Scene；　until　now

singularly　neglected　by　our　dramatic　authors；　although　it　offers　novel

resources　to　their　wit；　controlled　Paul's　future　life　and　was　now

awaited　by　Madame　Evangelista　with　feelings　of　terror。　We　mean　the

discussion　which　takes　place　on　the　subject　of　the　marriage　contract

in　all　families；　whether　noble　or　bourgeois；　for　human　passions　are　as

keenly　excited　by　small　interests　as　by　large　ones。　These　comedies；

played　before　a　notary；　all　resemble；　more　or　less；　the　one　we　shall

now　relate；　the　interest　of　which　will　be　far　less　in　the　pages　of

this　book　than　in　the　memories　of　married　persons。







CHAPTER　III



THE　MARRIAGE　CONTRACTFIRST　DAY



At　the　beginning　of　the　winter　of　1822；　Paul　de　Manerville　made　a

formal　request；　through　his　great…aunt；　the　Baronne　de　Maulincour；　for

the　hand　of　Mademoiselle　Natalie　Evangelista。　Though　the　baroness

never　stayed　more　than　two　months　in　Medoc；　she　remained　on　this

occasion　till　the　last　of　October；　in　order　to　assist　her　nephew

through　the　affair　and　play　the　part　of　a　mother　to　him。　After

conveying　the　first　suggestions　to　Madame　Evangelista　the　experienced

old　woman　returned　to　inform　Paul　of　the　results　of　the　overture。



〃My　child；〃　she　said；　〃the　affair　is　won。　In　talking　of　property；　I

found　that　Madame　Evangelista　gives　nothing　of　her　own　to　her

daughter。　Mademoiselle　Natalie's　dowry　is　her　patrimony。　Marry　her；　my

dear　boy。　Men　who　have　a　name　and　an　estate　to　transmit；　a　family　to

continue；　mus