the marriage contract-第8部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





〃If　that　is　so；〃　said　Solonet；　〃tell　me　what　are　the　utmost

concessions　you　are　willing　to　make。〃



〃I　wish　to　make　as　few　as　possible；〃　she　answered；　laughing。



〃A　woman's　answer；〃　cried　Solonet。　〃Madame；　are　you　anxious　to　marry

Mademoiselle　Natalie？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　you　want　a　receipt　for　the　eleven　hundred　and　fifty…six　thousand

francs；　for　which　you　are　responsible　on　the　guardianship　account

which　the　law　obliges　you　to　render　to　your　son…in…law？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃How　much　do　you　want　to　keep　back？〃



〃Thirty　thousand　a　year；　at　least。〃



〃It　is　a　question　of　conquer　or　die；　is　it？〃



〃It　is。〃



〃Well；　then；　I　must　reflect　on　the　necessary　means　to　that　end；　it

will　need　all　our　cleverness　to　manage　our　forces。　I　will　give　you

some　instructions　on　my　arrival　this　evening；　follow　them　carefully；

and　I　think　I　may　promise　you　a　successful　issue。　Is　the　Comte　de

Manerville　in　love　with　Mademoiselle　Natalie？〃　he　asked　as　he　rose　to

take　leave。



〃He　adores　her。〃



〃That　is　not　enough。　Does　he　desire　her　to　the　point　of　disregarding

all　pecuniary　difficulties？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃That's　what　I　call　having　a　lien　upon　a　daughter's　property；〃　cried

the　notary。　〃Make　her　look　her　best　to…night；〃　he　added　with　a　sly

glance。



〃She　has　a　most　charming　dress　for　the　occasion。〃



〃The　marriage…contract　dress　is；　in　my　opinion；　half　the　battle；〃　said

Solonet。



This　last　argument　seemed　so　cogent　to　Madame　Evangelista　that　she

superintended　Natalie's　toilet　herself；　as　much　perhaps　to　watch　her

daughter　as　to　make　her　the　innocent　accomplice　of　her　financial

conspiracy。



With　her　hair　dressed　a　la　Sevigne　and　wearing　a　gown　of　white　tulle

adorned　with　pink　ribbons；　Natalie　seemed　to　her　mother　so　beautiful

as　to　guarantee　victory。　When　the　lady's…maid　left　the　room　and　Madame

Evangelista　was　certain　that　no　one　could　overhear　her；　she　arranged　a

few　curls　on　her　daughter's　head　by　way　of　exordium。



〃Dear　child；〃　she　said；　in　a　voice　that　was　firm　apparently；　〃do　you

sincerely　love　the　Comte　de　Manerville？〃



Mother　and　daughter　cast　strange　looks　at　each　other。



〃Why　do　you　ask　that　question；　little　mother？　and　to…day　more　than

yesterday》　Why　have　you　thrown　me　with　him？〃



〃If　you　and　I　had　to　part　forever　would　you　still　persist　in　the

marriage？〃



〃I　should　give　it　upand　I　should　not　die　of　grief。〃



〃You　do　not　love　him；　my　dear；〃　said　the　mother；　kissing　her

daughter's　forehead。



〃But　why；　my　dear　mother；　are　you　playing　the　Grand　Inquisitor？〃



〃I　wished　to　know　if　you　desired　the　marriage　without　being　madly　in

love　with　the　husband。〃



〃I　love　him。〃



〃And　you　are　right。　He　is　a　count；　we　will　make　him　a　peer　of　France

between　us；　nevertheless；　there　are　certain　difficulties。〃



〃Difficulties　between　persons　who　love　each　other？　Oh；　no。　The　heart

of　the　Pink　of　Fashion　is　too　firmly　planted　here；〃　she　said；　with　a

pretty　gesture；　〃to　make　the　very　slightest　objection。　I　am　sure　of

that。〃



〃But　suppose　it　were　otherwise？〃　persisted　Madame　Evangelista。



〃He　would　be　profoundly　and　forever　forgotten；〃　replied　Natalie。



〃Good！　You　are　a　Casa…Reale。　But　suppose；　though　he　madly　loves　you；

suppose　certain　discussions　and　difficulties　should　arise；　not　of　his

own　making；　but　which　he　must　decide　in　your　interests　as　well　as　in

minehey；　Natalie；　what　then？　Without　lowering　your　dignity；　perhaps

a　little　softness　in　your　manner　might　decide　hima　word；　a　tone；　a

mere　nothing。　Men　are　so　made；　they　resist　a　serious　argument；　but

they　yield　to　a　tender　look。〃



〃I　understand！　a　little　touch　to　make　my　Favori　leap　the　barrier；〃

said　Natalie；　making　the　gesture　of　striking　a　horse　with　her　whip。



〃My　darling！　I　ask　nothing　that　resembles　seduction。　You　and　I　have

sentiments　of　the　old　Castilian　honor　which　will　never　permit　us　to

pass　certain　limits。　Count　Paul　shall　know　our　situation。〃



〃What　situation？〃



〃You　would　not　understand　it。　But　I　tell　you　now　that　if　after　seeing

you　in　all　your　glory　his　look　betrays　the　slightest　hesitation；and

I　shall　watch　him；on　that　instant　I　shall　break　off　the　marriage；　I

will　liquidate　my　property；　leave　Bordeaux；　and　go　to　Douai；　to　be

near　the　Claes。　Madame　Claes　is　our　relation　through　the　Temnincks。

Then　I'll　marry　you　to　a　peer　of　France；　and　take　refuge　in　a　convent

myself；　that　I　may　give　up　to　you　my　whole　fortune。〃



〃Mother；　what　am　I　to　do　to　prevent　such　misfortunes？〃　cried　Natalie。



〃I　have　never　seen　you　so　beautiful　as　you　are　now；〃　replied　her

mother。　〃Be　a　little　coquettish；　and　all　is　well。〃



Madame　Evangelista　left　Natalie　to　her　thoughts；　and　went　to　arrange

her　own　toilet　in　such　a　way　that　would　bear　comparison　with　that　of

her　daughter。　If　Natalie　ought　to　make　herself　attractive　to　Paul　she

ought；　none　the　less；　to　inflame　the　ardor　of　her　champion　Solonet。

The　mother　and　daughter　were　therefore　under　arms　when　Paul　arrived；

bearing　the　bouquet　which　for　the　last　few　months　he　had　daily　offered

to　his　love。　All　three　conversed　pleasantly　while　awaiting　the　arrival

of　the　notaries。



This　day　brought　to　Paul　the　first　skirmish　of　that　long　and　wearisome

warfare　called　marriage。　It　is　therefore　necessary　to　state　the　forces

on　both　sides；　the　position　of　the　belligerent　bodies；　and　the　ground

on　which　they　are　about　to　manoeuvre。



To　maintain　a　struggle；　the　importance　of　which　had　wholly　escaped

him；　Paul's　only　auxiliary　was　the　old　notary；　Mathias。　Both　were

about　to　be　confronted；　unaware　and　defenceless；　by　a　most　unexpected

circumstance；　to　be　pressed　by　an　enemy　whose　strategy　was　planned；

and　driven　to　decide　on　a　course　without　having　time　to　reflect　upon

it。　Where　is　the　man　who　would　not　have　succumbed；　even　though

assisted　by　Cujas　and　Barthole？　How　should　he　look　for　deceit　and

treachery　where　all　seemed　compliant　and　natural？　What　could　old

Mathias　do　alone　against　Madame　Evangelista；　against　Solonet；　against

Natalie；　especially　when　a　client　in　love　goes　over　to　the　enemy　as

soon　as　the　rising　conflict　threatens　his　happiness？　Already　Paul　was

damaging　his　cause　by　making　the　customary　lover's　speeches；　to　which

his　passion　gave　excessive　value　in　the　ears　of　Madame　Evangelista；

whose　object　it　was　to　drive　him　to　commit　himself。



The　matrimonial　condottieri　now　about　to　fight　for　their　clients；

whose　personal　powers　were　to　be　so　vitally　important　in　this　solemn

encounter；　the　two　notaries；　on　short；　represent　individually　the　old

and　the　new　systems；old　fashioned　notarial　usage；　and　the　new…

fangled　modern　procedure。



Maitre　Mathias　was　a　worthy　old　gentleman　sixty…nine　years　of　age；　who

took　great　pride　in　his　forty　years'　exercise　of　the　profession。　His

huge　gouty　feet　were　encased　in　shoes　with　silver　buckles；　making　a

ridiculous　termination　to　legs　so　spindling；　with　knees　so　bony；　that

when　he　crossed　them　they　made　you　think　of　the　emblems　on　a

tombstone。　His　puny　little　thighs；　lost　in　a　pair　of　wide　black

breeches　fastened　with　buckles；　seemed　to　bend　beneath　the　weight　of　a

round　stomach　and　a　torso　developed；　like　that　of　most　sedentary

persons；　into　a　stout　barrel；　always　buttoned　into　a　green　coat　with

square　tails；　which　no　man　could　remember　to　have　ever　seen　new。　His

hair；　well　brushed　and　powdered；　was　tied　in　a　rat's　tail　that　lay

between　the　collar　of　his　coat　and　that　of　his　waistcoat；　which　was

white；　with　a　pattern　of　flowers。　With　his　round　head；　his　face　the

color　of　a　vine…leaf；　his　blue　eyes；　a　trumpet　nose；　a　thick…lipped

mouth；　and　a　double…chin；　the　dear　old　fellow　excited；　whenever　he

appeared　among　strangers　who　did　not　know　him；　that　satirical　laugh

which　Frenchmen　so　generously　bestow　on　the　ludicrous　creations　Dame

Nature　occasionally　allows　herself；　which　Art　delights　in　exaggerating

under　the　name　of　caricatures。



But　in　Maitre　Mathias；　mind　had　triumphed　over　form；　the　qualities　of

his　soul　had　vanquished　the　oddities　of　his　body。　The　inhabitants　of

Bordeaux；　as　a　rule；　testified　a　friendly　respect　and　a　deference　that

was　full　of　esteem　for　him。　The　old　man's　voice　went　to　their　hearts

and　sounded　there　with　the　eloquence　of　uprightness。　His　craft

consisted　in　going　straight　to　the　fact；　overturning　all　subterfuge

and　evil　devices　by　plain　questionings。　His　quick　perception；　his　long

training　in　his　profession　gave　him　that　divining　sense　which　goes　to

the　depths　of　conscience　and　reads　its　secret　thoughts。　Though　grave

and　deliberate　in　business；　the　patriarch　could　be　gay　with　the　gaiety

of　our　ancestors。　He　could　risk　a　song　after　dinner；　enjoy　all　family

festivities；　celebrate　the　birthdays　of　grandmothers　and　children；　and

bury　with　due　solemnity　the　Christmas　log。　He　loved　to　send　presents

at　New　Year；　and　eggs　at　Easter；　he　believed　in　the　duties　of　a

godfather；　and　never　deserted　the　customs　which　colored　the　life　of

the　olden　time。　Maitre　Mathias　was　a　noble　and　venerable　relic　of　the

notaries；　obscure　great　men；　who　gave　no　receipt　for　the　millions

entrusted　to　them；　but　returned　those　millions　in　the　sacks　they　were

delivered　in；　tied　with　the　same　twine；　men　who　fulfilled　their　trusts

to　the　letter；　drew　honest　inventories；　took　fatherly　interest　in

their　clients；　often　barring　the　way　to　extravagance　and　dissipation；

men　to　whom　families　confided　their　secrets；　and　who　felt　so

responsible　for　any　error　in　their　deeds　that　they　meditated　long　and

carefully　over　them。　Never　during　his　whole　notarial　life；　had　any

client　found　reason　to　complain　of　a　bad　investment　or　an　ill…placed

mortgage。　His　own　fortune；　slowly　but　honorably　acquired；　had　come　to

him　as　the　result　of　a　thirty　years'　practice　and　careful　economy。　He

had　established　in　life　fourteen　of　his　clerks。　Religious；　and

generous　in　secret；　Mathias　was　found　whenever　good　was　to　be　done

without　r