the alkahest-第15节

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transforming　into　jewels；　to　observe　the　meaning　of　the　notary's

words。



〃What　good　do　they　do　you？〃　continued　Pierquin；　addressing　Balthazar；

〃you　ought　to　sell　them。〃



〃Bah！　am　I　in　want　of　money？〃　replied　Claes；　in　the　tone　of　a　man　to

whom　forty　thousand　francs　was　a　matter　of　no　consequence。



There　was　a　moment's　silence；　during　which　the　children　made　many

exclamations。



〃See　this　one；　mamma！〃



〃Oh！　here's　a　beauty！〃



〃Tell　me　the　name　of　that　one！〃



〃What　a　gulf　for　human　reason　to　sound！〃　cried　Balthazar；　raising　his

hands　and　clasping　them　with　a　gesture　of　despair。　〃A　compound　of

hydrogen　and　oxygen　gives　off；　according　to　their　relative

proportions；　under　the　same　conditions　and　by　the　same　principle；

these　manifold　colors；　each　of　which　constitutes　a　distinct　result。〃



His　wife　heard　the　words　of　his　proposition；　but　it　was　uttered　so

rapidly　that　she　did　not　seize　its　exact　meaning；　and　Balthazar；　as　if

remembering　that　she　had　studied　his　favorite　science；　made　her　a

mysterious　sign；　saying；



〃You　do　not　yet　understand　me；　but　you　will。〃



Then　he　apparently　fell　back　into　the　absorbed　meditation　now　habitual

to　him。



〃No；　I　am　sure　you　do　not　understand　him；〃　said　Pierquin；　taking　his

coffee　from　Marguerite's　hand。　〃The　Ethiopian　can't　change　his　skin；

nor　the　leopard　his　spots；〃　he　whispered　to　Madame　Claes。　〃Have　the

goodness　to　remonstrate　with　him　later；　the　devil　himself　couldn't

draw　him　out　of　his　cogitation　now；　he　is　in　it　for　to…day；　at　any

rate。〃



So　saying；　he　bade　good…bye　to　Claes；　who　pretended　not　to　hear　him；

kissed　little　Jean　in　his　mother's　arms；　and　retired　with　a　low　bow。



When　the　street…door　clanged　behind　him；　Balthazar　caught　his　wife

round　the　waist；　and　put　an　end　to　the　uneasiness　his　feigned　reverie

was　causing　her　by　whispering　in　her　ear；



〃I　knew　how　to　get　rid　of　him。〃



Madame　Claes　turned　her　face　to　her　husband；　not　ashamed　to　let　him

see　the　tears　of　happiness　that　filled　her　eyes：　then　she　rested　her

forehead　against　his　shoulder　and　let　little　Jean　slide　to　the　floor。



〃Let　us　go　back　into　the　parlor；〃　she　said；　after　a　pause。



Balthazar　was　exuberantly　gay　throughout　the　evening。　He　invented

games　for　the　children；　and　played　with　such　zest　himself　that　he　did

not　notice　two　or　three　short　absences　made　by　his　wife。　About　half…

past　nine；　when　Jean　had　gone　to　bed；　Marguerite　returned　to　the

parlor　after　helping　her　sister　Felicie　to　undress；　and　found　her

mother　seated　in　the　deep　armchair；　and　her　father　holding　his　wife's

hand　as　he　talked　to　her。　The　young　girl　feared　to　disturb　them；　and

was　about　to　retire　without　speaking；　when　Madame　Claes　caught　sight

of　her；　and　said：



〃Come　in；　Marguerite；　come　here；　dear　child。〃　She　drew　her　down；

kissed　her　tenderly　on　the　forehead；　and　said；　〃Carry　your　book　into

your　own　room；　but　do　not　sit　up　too　late。〃



〃Good…night；　my　darling　daughter；〃　said　Balthazar。



Marguerite　kissed　her　father　and　mother　and　went　away。　Husband　and

wife　remained　alone　for　some　minutes　without　speaking；　watching　the

last　glimmer　of　the　twilight　as　it　faded　from　the　trees　in　the　garden；

whose　outlines　were　scarcely　discernible　through　the　gathering

darkness。　When　night　had　almost　fallen；　Balthazar　said　to　his　wife　in

a　voice　of　emotion；



〃Let　us　go　upstairs。〃



Long　before　English　manners　and　customs　had　consecrated　the　wife's

chamber　as　a　sacred　spot；　that　of　a　Flemish　woman　was　impenetrable。

The　good　housewives　of　the　Low　Countries　did　not　make　it　a　symbol　of

virtue。　It　was　to　them　a　habit　contracted　from　childhood；　a　domestic

superstition；　rendering　the　bedroom　a　delightful　sanctuary　of　tender

feelings；　where　simplicity　blended　with　all　that　was　most　sweet　and

sacred　in　social　life。　Any　woman　in　Madame　Claes's　position　would　have

wished　to　gather　about　her　the　elegances　of　life；　but　Josephine　had

done　so　with　exquisite　taste；　knowing　well　how　great　an　influence　the

aspect　of　our　surroundings　exerts　upon　the　feelings　of　others。　To　a

pretty　creature　it　would　have　been　mere　luxury；　to　her　it　was　a

necessity。　No　one　better　understood　the　meaning　of　the　saying；　〃A

pretty　woman　is　self…created；〃a　maxim　which　guided　every　action　of

Napoleon's　first　wife；　and　often　made　her　false；　whereas　Madame　Claes

was　ever　natural　and　true。



Though　Balthazar　knew　his　wife's　chamber　well；　his　forgetfulness　of

material　things　had　lately　been　so　complete　that　he　felt　a　thrill　of

soft　emotion　when　he　entered　it；　as　though　he　saw　it　for　the　first

time。　The　proud　gaiety　of　a　triumphant　woman　glowed　in　the　splendid

colors　of　the　tulips　which　rose　from　the　long　throats　of　Chinese　vases

judiciously　placed　about　the　room；　and　sparkled　in　the　profusion　of

lights　whose　effect　can　only　be　compared　to　a　joyous　burst　of　martial

music。　The　gleam　of　the　wax　candles　cast　a　mellow　sheen　on　the

coverings　of　pearl…gray　silk；　whose　monotony　was　relieved　by　touches

of　gold；　soberly　distributed　here　and　there　on　a　few　ornaments；　and　by

the　varied　colors　of　the　tulips；　which　were　like　sheaves　of　precious

stones。　The　secret　of　this　choice　arrangementit　was　he；　ever　he！

Josephine　could　not　tell　him　in　words　more　eloquent　that　he　was　now

and　ever　the　mainspring　of　her　joys　and　woes。



The　aspect　of　that　chamber　put　the　soul　deliciously　at　ease；　cast　out

sad　thoughts；　and　left　a　sense　of　pure　and　equable　happiness。　The

silken　coverings；　brought　from　China；　gave　forth　a　soothing　perfume

that　penetrated　the　system　without　fatiguing　it。　The　curtains；

carefully　drawn；　betrayed　a　desire　for　solitude；　a　jealous　intention

of　guarding　the　sound　of　every　word；　of　hiding　every　look　of　the

reconquered　husband。　Madame　Claes；　wearing　a　dressing…robe　of　muslin；

which　was　trimmed　by　a　long　pelerine　with　falls　of　lace　that　came

about　her　throat；　and　adorned　with　her　beautiful　black　hair；　which　was

exquisitely　glossy　and　fell　on　either　side　of　her　forehead　like　a

raven's　wing；　went　to　draw　the　tapestry　portiere　that　hung　before　the

door　and　allowed　no　sound　to　penetrate　the　chamber　from　without。







CHAPTER　VI



At　the　doorway　Josephine　turned；　and　threw　to　her　husband；　who　was

sitting　near　the　chimney；　one　of　those　gay　smiles　with　which　a

sensitive　woman　whose　soul　comes　at　moments　into　her　face；　rendering

it　beautiful；　gives　expression　to　irresistible　hopes。　Woman's　greatest

charm　lies　in　her　constant　appeal　to　the　generosity　of　man　by　the

admission　of　a　weakness　which　stirs　his　pride　and　wakens　him　to　the

nobler　sentiments。　Is　not　such　an　avowal　of　weakness　full　of　magical

seduction？　When　the　rings　of　the　portiere　had　slipped　with　a　muffled

sound　along　the　wooden　rod；　she　turned　towards　Claes；　and　made　as

though　she　would　hide　her　physical　defects　by　resting　her　hand　upon　a

chair　and　drawing　herself　gracefully　forward。　It　was　calling　him　to

help　her。　Balthazar；　sunk　for　a　moment　in　contemplation　of　the　olive…

tinted　head；　which　attracted　and　satisfied　the　eye　as　it　stood　out　in

relief　against　the　soft　gray　background；　rose　to　take　his　wife　in　his

arms　and　carry　her　to　her　sofa。　This　was　what　she　wanted。



〃You　promised　me；〃　she　said；　taking　his　hand　which　she　held　between

her　own　magnetic　palms；　〃to　tell　me　the　secret　of　your　researches。

Admit；　dear　friend；　that　I　am　worthy　to　know　it；　since　I　have　had　the

courage　to　study　a　science　condemned　by　the　Church　that　I　might　be

able　to　understand　you。　I　am　curious；　hide　nothing　from　me。　Tell　me

first　how　it　happened；　that　you　rose　one　morning　anxious　and

oppressed；　when　over　night　I　had　left　you　happy。〃



〃Is　it　to　hear　me　talk　of　chemistry　that　you　have　made　yourself　so

coquettishly　delightful？〃



〃Dear　friend；　a　confidence　which　puts　me　in　your　inner　heart　is　the

greatest　of　all　pleasures　for　me；　is　it　not　a　communion　of　souls　which

gives　birth　to　the　highest　happiness　of　earth？　Your　love　comes　back　to

me　not　lessened；　pure；　I　long　to　know　what　dream　has　had　the　power　to

keep　it　from　me　so　long。　Yes；　I　am　more　jealous　of　a　thought　than　of

all　the　women　in　the　world。　Love　is　vast；　but　it　is　not　infinite；

while　Science　has　depths　unfathomed；　to　which　I　will　not　let　you　go

alone。　I　hate　all　that　comes　between　us。　If　you　win　the　glory　for

which　you　strive；　I　must　be　unhappy；　it　will　bring　you　joy；　while　II

aloneshould　be　the　giver　of　your　happiness。〃



〃No；　my　angel；　it　was　not　an　idea；　not　a　thought；　it　was　a　man　that

first　led　me　into　this　glorious　path。〃



〃A　man！〃　she　cried　in　terror。



〃Do　you　remember；　Pepita；　the　Polish　officer　who　stayed　with　us　in

1809？〃



〃Do　I　remember　him！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　am　often　annoyed　because　my

memory　still　recalls　those　eyes；　like　tongues　of　fire　darting　from

coals　of　hell；　those　hollows　above　the　eyebrows；　that　broad　skull

stripped　of　hair；　the　upturned　moustache；　the　angular；　worn　face！

What　awful　impassiveness　in　his　bearing