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her；　lost　as　he　was　for　hours　together　in　depths　of　thought　from　which

he　looked　at　her　without　seeing　her；　it　was　only　during　those　cruel

moments　that　she　forgot　her　griefs。　His　indifference　to　the　dying

woman　would　have　seemed　criminal　to　a　stranger；　but　Madame　Claes　and

her　daughters　were　accustomed　to　it；　they　knew　his　heart　and　they

forgave　him。　If；　during　the　daytime；　Josephine　was　seized　by　some

sudden　illness；　if　she　were　worse　and　seemed　near　dying；　Claes　was　the

only　person　in　the　house　or　in　the　town　who　remained　ignorant　of　it。

Lemulquinier　knew　it；　but　neither　the　daughters；　bound　to　silence　by

their　mother；　nor　Josephine　herself　let　Balthazar　know　the　danger　of

the　being　he　had　once　so　passionately　loved。



When　his　heavy　step　sounded　in　the　gallery　as　he　came　to　dinner；

Madame　Claes　was　happyshe　was　about　to　see　him！　and　she　gathered　up

her　strength　for　that　happiness。　As　he　entered；　the　pallid　face

blushed　brightly　and　recovered　for　an　instant　the　semblance　of　health。

Balthazar　came　to　her　bedside；　took　her　hand；　saw　the　misleading　color

on　her　cheek；　and　to　him　she　seemed　well。　When　he　asked；　〃My　dear

wife；　how　are　you　to…day？〃　she　answered；　〃Better；　dear　friend；〃　and

made　him　think　she　would　be　up　and　recovered　on　the　morrow。　His

preoccupation　was　so　great　that　he　accepted　this　reply；　and　believed

the　illness　of　which　his　wife　was　dying　a　mere　indisposition。　Dying　to

the　eyes　of　the　world；　in　his　alone　she　was　living。



A　complete　separation　between　husband　and　wife　was　the　result　of　this

year。　Claes　slept　in　a　distant　chamber；　got　up　early　in　the　morning；

and　shut　himself　into　his　laboratory　or　his　study。　Seeing　his　wife

only　in　presence　of　his　daughters　or　of　the　two　or　three　friends　who

came　to　visit　them；　he　lost　the　habit　of　communicating　with　her。　These

two　beings；　formerly　accustomed　to　think　as　one；　no　longer；　unless　at

rare　intervals；　enjoyed　those　moments　of　communion；　of　passionate

unreserve　which　feed　the　life　of　the　heart；　and　finally　there　came　a

time　when　even　these　rare　pleasures　ceased。　Physical　suffering　was　now

a　boon　to　the　poor　woman；　helping　her　to　endure　the　void　of

separation；　which　might　have　killed　her　had　she　been　truly　living。　Her

bodily　pain　became　so　great　that　there　were　times　when　she　was　joyful

in　the　thought　that　he　whom　she　loved　was　not　a　witness　of　it。　She　lay

watching　Balthazar　in　the　evening　hours；　and　knowing　him　happy　in　his

own　way；　she　lived　in　the　happiness　she　had　procured　for　him；a

shadowy　joy；　and　yet　it　satisfied　her。　She　no　longer　asked　herself　if

she　were　loved；　she　forced　herself　to　believe　it；　and　she　glided　over

that　icy　surface；　not　daring　to　rest　her　weight　upon　it　lest　it　should

break　and　drown　her　soul　in　a　gulf　of　awful　nothingness。



No　events　stirred　the　calm　of　this　existence；　the　malady　that　was

slowly　consuming　Madame　Claes　added　to　the　household　stillness；　and　in

this　condition　of　passive　gloom　the　House　of　Claes　reached　the　first

weeks　of　the　year　1816。　Pierquin；　the　lawyer；　was　destined；　at　the

close　of　February；　to　strike　the　death…blow　of　the　fragile　woman　who；

in　the　words　of　the　Abbe　de　Solis；　was　well…nigh　without　sin。



〃Madame；〃　said　Pierquin；　seizing　a　moment　when　her　daughters　could　not

hear　the　conversation；　〃Monsieur　Claes　has　directed　me　to　borrow　three

hundred　thousand　francs　on　his　property。　You　must　do　something　to

protect　the　future　of　your　children。〃



Madame　Claes　clasped　her　hands　and　raised　her　eyes　to　the　ceiling；

then　she　thanked　the　notary　with　a　sad　smile　and　a　kindly　motion　of

her　head　which　affected　him。



His　words　were　the　stab　that　killed　her。　During　that　day　she　had

yielded　herself　up　to　sad　reflections　which　swelled　her　heart；　she　was

like　the　wayfarer　walking　beside　a　precipice　who　loses　his　balance　and

a　mere　pebble　rolls　him　to　the　depth　of　the　abyss　he　had　so　long　and

so　courageously　skirted。　When　the　notary　left　her；　Madame　Claes　told

Marguerite　to　bring　writing　materials；　then　she　gathered　up　her

remaining　strength　to　write　her　last　wishes。　Several　times　she　paused

and　looked　at　her　daughter。　The　hour　of　confidence　had　come。



Marguerite's　management　of　the　household　since　her　mother's　illness

had　amply　fulfilled　the　dying　woman's　hopes　that　Madame　Claes　was　able

to　look　upon　the　future　of　the　family　without　absolute　despair；

confident　that　she　herself　would　live　again　in　this　strong　and　loving

angel。　Both　women　felt；　no　doubt；　that　sad　and　mutual　confidences　must

now　be　made　between　them；　the　daughter　looked　at　the　mother；　the

mother　at　the　daughter；　tears　flowing　from　their　eyes。　Several　times；

as　Madame　Claes　rested　from　her　writing；　Marguerite　said：　〃Mother？〃

then　she　dropped　as　if　choking；　but　the　mother；　occupied　with　her　last

thoughts；　did　not　ask　the　meaning　of　the　interrogation。　At　last；

Madame　Claes　wished　to　seal　the　letter；　Marguerite　held　the　taper；

turning　aside　her　head　that　she　might　not　see　the　superscription。



〃You　can　read　it；　my　child；〃　said　the　mother；　in　a　heart…rending

voice。



The　young　girl　read　the　words；　〃To　my　daughter　Marguerite。〃



〃We　will　talk　to　each　other　after　I　have　rested　awhile；〃　said　Madame

Claes；　putting　the　letter　under　her　pillow。



Then　she　fell　back　as　if　exhausted　by　the　effort；　and　slept　for

several　hours。　When　she　woke；　her　two　daughters　and　her　two　sons　were

kneeling　by　her　bed　and　praying。　It　was　Thursday。　Gabriel　and　Jean　had

been　brought　from　school　by　Emmanuel　de　Solis；　who　for　the　last　six

months　was　professor　of　history　and　philosophy。



〃Dear　children；　we　must　part！〃　she　cried。　〃You　have　never　forsaken　me；

never！　and　he　who〃



She　stopped。



〃Monsieur　Emmanuel；〃　said　Marguerite；　seeing　the　pallor　on　her

mother's　face；　〃go　to　my　father；　and　tell　him　mamma　is　worse。〃



Young　de　Solis　went　to　the　door　of　the　laboratory　and　persuaded

Lemulquinier　to　make　Balthazar　come　and　speak　to　him。　On　hearing　of

the　urgent　request　of　the　young　man；　Claes　answered；　〃I　will　come。〃



〃Emmanuel；〃　said　Madame　Claes　when　he　returned　to　her；　〃take　my　sons

away；　and　bring　your　uncle　here。　It　is　time　to　give　me　the　last

sacraments；　and　I　wish　to　receive　them　from　his　hand。〃



When　she　was　alone　with　her　daughters　she　made　a　sign　to　Marguerite；

who　understood　her　and　sent　Felicie　away。



〃I　have　something　to　say　to　you　myself；　dear　mamma；〃　said　Marguerite

who；　not　believing　her　mother　so　ill　as　she　really　was；　increased　the

wound　Pierquin　had　given。　〃I　have　had　no　money　for　the　household

expenses　during　the　last　ten　days；　I　owe　six　months'　wages　to　the

servants。　Twice　I　have　tried　to　ask　my　father　for　money；　but　did　not

dare　to　do　so。　You　don't　know；　perhaps；　that　all　the　pictures　in　the

gallery　have　been　sold；　and　all　the　wines　in　the　cellar？〃



〃He　never　told　me！〃　exclaimed　Madame　Claes。　〃My　God！　thou　callest　me

to　thyself　in　time！　My　poor　children！　what　will　become　of　them？〃



She　made　a　fervent　prayer；　which　brought　the　fires　of　repentance　to

her　eyes。



〃Marguerite；〃　she　resumed；　drawing　the　letter　from　her　pillow；　〃here

is　a　paper　which　you　must　not　open　or　read　until　a　time；　after　my

death；　when　some　great　disaster　has　overtaken　you；　when；　in　short；　you

are　without　the　means　of　living。　My　dear　Marguerite；　love　your　father；

but　take　care　of　your　brothers　and　your　sister。　In　a　few　days；　in　a

few　hours　perhaps；　you　will　be　the　head　of　this　household。　Be

economical。　Should　you　find　yourself　opposed　to　the　wishes　of　your

father；and　it　may　so　happen；　because　he　has　spent　vast　sums　in

searching　for　a　secret　whose　discovery　is　to　bring　glory　and　wealth　to

his　family；　and　he　will　no　doubt　need　money；　perhaps　he　may　demand　it

of　you；should　that　time　come；　treat　him　with　the　tenderness　of　a

daughter；　strive　to　reconcile　the　interests　of　which　you　will　be　the

sole　protector　with　the　duty　which　you　owe　to　a　father；　to　a　great　man

who　sacrificed　his　happiness　and　his　life　to　the　glory　of　his　family；

he　can　only　do　wrong　in　act；　his　intentions　are　noble；　his　heart　is

full　of　love；　you　will　see　him　once　more　kind　and　affectionateYOU！

Marguerite；　it　is　my　duty　to　say　these　words　to　you　on　the　borders　of

the　grave。　If　you　wish　to　soften　the　anguish　of　my　death；　promise　me；

my　child；　to　take　my　place　beside　your　father；　to　cause　him　no　grief；

never　to　reproach　him；　never　to　condemn　him。　Be　a　gentle；　considerate

guardian　of　the　home　untilhis　work　accomplishedhe　is　again　the

master　of　his　family。〃



〃I　understand　you；　dear　mother；〃　said　Marguerite；　kissing　the　swollen

eyelids　of　the　dying　woman。　〃I　will　do　as　you　wish。〃



〃Do　not　marry；　my　darling；　until　Gabriel　can　succeed　you　in　the

management　of　the　property　and　the　household。　If　you　married；　your

husband　might　not　share　your　feelings；　he　might　bring　trouble　into　the

family　and　disturb　your　father's　life。〃



Marguerite　looked　at　her　mother　and　said；　〃Have　you　nothing　else　to

say　to　me　about　my　marri