the alkahest-第34节
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may seem； will be heroic if taken to protect the family。 The
virtuous Monsieur de Solis tells me so； and no conscience was ever
purer or more enlightened than his。 I could never have had the
courage to speak these words to you； even with my dying breath。
And yet； my daughter； be respectful； be kind in the dreadful
struggle。 Resist him； but love him； deny him gently。 My hidden
tears； my inward griefs will be known only when I am dead。 Kiss my
dear children in my name when the hour comes and you are called
upon to protect them。
May God and the saints be with you！
Josephine。
To this letter was added an acknowledgment from the Messieurs de
Solis； uncle and nephew； who thereby bound themselves to place the
money entrusted to them by Madame Claes in the hands of whoever of her
children should present the paper。
〃Martha；〃 cried Marguerite to the duenna； who came quickly； 〃go to
Monsieur Emmanuel de Solis； and ask him to come to me。Noble；
discreet heart！ he never told me；〃 she thought； 〃though all my griefs
and cares are his； he never told me！〃
Emmanuel came before Martha could get back。
〃You have kept a secret from me；〃 she said； showing him her mother's
letter。
Emmanuel bent his head。
〃Marguerite； are you in great trouble？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 she answered； 〃be my support；you； whom my mother calls 'our
good Emmanuel。'〃 She showed him the letter； unable to repress her joy
in knowing that her mother approved her choice。
〃My blood and my life were yours on the morrow of the day when I first
saw you in the gallery；〃 he said； 〃but I scarcely dared to hope the
time might come when you would accept them。 If you know me well； you
know my word is sacred。 Forgive the absolute obedience I have paid to
your mother's wishes； it was not for me to judge her intentions。〃
〃You have saved us；〃 she said； interrupting him； and taking his arm to
go down to the parlor。
After hearing from Emmanuel the origin of the money entrusted to him；
Marguerite confided to him the terrible straits in which the family
now found themselves。
〃I must pay those notes at once；〃 said Emmanuel。 〃If Merkstus holds
them all； you can at least save the interest。 I will bring you the
remaining seventy thousand francs。 My poor uncle left me quite a large
sum in ducats； which are easy to carry secretly。〃
〃Oh！〃 she said； 〃bring them at night； we can hide them when my father
is asleep。 If he knew that I had money； he might try to force it from
me。 Oh； Emmanuel； think what it is to distrust a father！〃 she said；
weeping and resting her forehead against the young man's heart。
This sad； confiding movement； with which the young girl asked
protection； was the first expression of a love hitherto wrapped in
melancholy and restrained within a sphere of grief： the heart； too
full； was forced to overflow beneath the pressure of this new misery。
〃What can we do； what will become of us？ He sees nothing； he cares for
nothing；neither for us nor for himself。 I know not how he can live
in that garret； where the air is stifling。〃
〃What can you expect of a man who calls incessantly； like Richard
III。； 'My kingdom for a horse'？〃 said Emmanuel。 〃He is pitiless； and
in that you must imitate him。 Pay his notes； give him； if you will；
your whole fortune； but that of your sister and of your brothers is
neither yours nor his。〃
〃Give him my fortune？〃 she said； pressing her lover's hand and looking
at him with ardor in her eyes； 〃you advise it； you！and Pierquin told
a hundred lies to make me keep it！〃
〃Alas！ I may be selfish in my own way；〃 he said。 〃Sometimes I long for
you without fortune； you seem nearer to me then！ At other times I want
you rich and happy； and I feel how paltry it is to think that the poor
grandeurs of wealth can separate us。〃
〃Dear； let us not speak of ourselves。〃
〃Ourselves！〃 he repeated； with rapture。 Then； after a pause； he added：
〃The evil is great； but it is not irreparable。〃
〃It can be repaired only by us： the Claes family has now no head。 To
reach the stage of being neither father nor man； to have no
consciousness of justice or injustice （for； in defiance of the laws；
he has dissipatedhe； so great； so noble； so uprightthe property of
the children he was bound to defend）； oh； to what depths must he have
fallen！ My God！ what is this thing he seeks？〃
〃Unfortunately； dear Marguerite； wrong as he is in his relation to his
family； he is right scientifically。 A score of men in Europe admire
him for the very thing which others count as madness。 But nevertheless
you must； without scruple； refuse to let him take the property of his
children。 Great discoveries have always been accidental。 If your
father ever finds the solution of the problem； it will be when it
costs him nothing； in a moment； perhaps； when he despairs of it。〃
〃My poor mother is happy；〃 said Marguerite； 〃she would have suffered a
thousand deaths before she died： as it was； her first encounter with
Science killed her。 Alas！ the strife is endless。〃
〃There is an end；〃 said Emmanuel。 〃When you have nothing left；
Monsieur Claes can get no further credit； then he will stop。〃
〃Let him stop now； then；〃 cried Marguerite； 〃for we are without a
penny！〃
Monsieur de Solis went to buy up Claes's notes and returned； bringing
them to Marguerite。 Balthazar； contrary to his custom； came down a few
moments before dinner。 For the first time in two years his daughter
noticed the signs of a human grief upon his face： he was again a
father； reason and judgment had overcome Science； he looked into the
court…yard； then into the garden； and when he was certain he was alone
with his daughter； he came up to her with a look of melancholy
kindness。
〃My child；〃 he said； taking her hand and pressing it with persuasive
tenderness； 〃forgive your old father。 Yes； Marguerite； I have done
wrong。 You spoke truly。 So long as I have not FOUND I am a miserable
wretch。 I will go away from here。 I cannot see Van Claes sold；〃 he
went on； pointing to the martyr's portrait。 〃He died for Liberty； I
die for Science； he is venerated； I am hated。〃
〃Hated？ oh； my father； no；〃 she cried； throwing herself on his breast；
〃we all adore you。 Do we not； Felicie？〃 she said； turning to her
sister who came in at the moment。
〃What is the matter； dear father？〃 said his youngest daughter； taking
his hand。
〃I have ruined you。〃
〃Ah！〃 cried Felicie； 〃but our brothers will make our fortune。 Jean is
always at the head of his class。〃
〃See； father；〃 said Marguerite； leading Balthazar in a coaxing； filial
way to the chimney…piece and taking some papers from beneath the
clock； 〃here are your notes of hand； but do not sign any more； there
is nothing left to pay them with〃
〃Then you have money？〃 whispered Balthazar in her ear； when he
recovered from his surprise。
His words and manner tortured the heroic girl； she saw the delirium of
joy and hope in her father's face as he looked about him to discover
the gold。
〃Father；〃 she said； 〃I have my own fortune。〃
〃Give it to me；〃 he said with a rapacious gesture； 〃I will return you
a hundred…fold。〃
〃Yes； I will give it to you；〃 answered Marguerite； looking gravely at
Balthazar； who did not know the meaning she put into her words。
〃Ah； my dear daughter！〃 he cried； 〃you save my life。 I have thought of
a last experiment； after which nothing more is possible。 If； this
time； I do not find the Absolute； I must renounce the search。 Come to
my arms； my darling child； I will make you the happiest woman upon
earth。 You give me glory； you bring me back to happiness； you bestow
the power to heap treasures upon my childrenyes！ I will load you
with jewels； with wealth。〃
He kissed his daughter's forehead； took her hands and pressed them；
and testified his joy by fondling caresses which to Marguerite seemed
almost obsequious。 During the dinner he thought only of her； he looked
at her eagerly with the assiduous devotion displayed by a lover to his
mistress： if she made a movement； he tried to divine her wish； and
rose to fulfil it； he made her ashamed by the youthful eagerness of
his attentions； which were painfully out of keeping with his premature
old age。 To all these cajoleries； Marguerite herself presented the
contrast of actual distress； shown sometimes by a word of doubt；
sometimes by a glance along the empty shelves of the sideboards in the
dining…room。
〃Well； well；〃 he said； following her eyes； 〃in six months we shall
fill them again with gold； and marvellous things。 You shall be like a
queen。 Bah！ nature herself will belong to us； we shall rise above all
created beingsthrough you； you my Marguerite！ Margarita；〃 he said；
smiling； 〃thy name is a prophecy。 'Margarita' means a pearl。 Sterne
says so somewhere。 Did you ever read Sterne？ Would you like to have a
St
