the alkahest-第44节

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years　has　producedwithout　mea　discovery　I　have　sought　for　sixteen

years。　How？　My　God；　I　know　notyes；　I　left　sulphide　of　carbon　under

the　influence　of　a　Voltaic　pile；　whose　action　ought　to　have　been

watched　from　day　to　day。　During　my　absence　the　power　of　God　has　worked

in　my　laboratory；　but　I　was　not　there　to　note　its　progressive　effects！

Is　it　not　awful？　Oh；　cursed　exile！　cursed　chance！　Alas！　had　I　watched

that　slow；　that　suddenwhat　can　I　call　it？crystallization；

transformation；　in　short　that　miracle；　then；　then　my　children　would

have　been　richer　still。　Though　this　result　is　not　the　solution　of　the

Problem　which　I　seek；　the　first　rays　of　my　glory　would　have　shone　from

that　diamond　upon　my　native　country；　and　this　hour；　which　our

satisfied　affections　have　made　so　happy；　would　have　glowed　with　the

sunlight　of　Science。〃



Every　one　kept　silence　in　the　presence　of　such　a　man。　The　disconnected

words　wrung　from　him　by　his　anguish　were　too　sincere　not　to　be

sublime。



Suddenly；　Balthazar　drove　back　his　despair　into　the　depths　of　his　own

being；　and　cast　upon　the　assembly　a　majestic　look　which　affected　the

souls　of　all；　he　took　the　diamond　and　offered　it　to　Marguerite；

saying；



〃It　is　thine；　my　angel。〃



Then　he　dismissed　Lemulquinier　with　a　gesture；　and　motioned　to　the

notary；　saying；　〃Go　on。〃



The　two　words　sent　a　shudder　of　emotion　through　the　company　such　as

Talma　in　certain　roles　produced　among　his　auditors。　Balthazar；　as　he

reseated　himself；　said　in　a　low　voice；



〃To…day　I　must　be　a　father　only。〃



Marguerite　hearing　the　words　went　up　to　him　and　caught　his　hand　and

kissed　it　respectfully。



〃No　man　was　ever　greater；〃　said　Emmanuel；　when　his　bride　returned　to

him；　〃no　man　was　ever　so　mighty；　another　would　have　gone　mad。〃



After　the　three　contracts　were　read　and　signed；　the　company　hastened

to　question　Balthazar　as　to　the　manner　in　which　the　diamond　had　been

formed；　but　he　could　tell　them　nothing　about　so　strange　an　accident。

He　looked　through　the　window　at　his　garret　and　pointed　to　it　with　an

angry　gesture。



〃Yes；　the　awful　power　resulting　from　a　movement　of　fiery　matter　which

no　doubt　produces　metals；　diamonds；〃　he　said；　〃was　manifested　there

for　one　moment；　by　one　chance。〃



〃That　chance　was　of　course　some　natural　effect；〃　whispered　a　guest

belonging　to　the　class　of　people　who　are　ready　with　an　explanation　of

everything。　〃At　any　rate；　it　is　something　saved　out　of　all　he　has

wasted。〃



〃Let　us　forget　it；〃　said　Balthazar；　addressing　his　friends；　〃I　beg　you

to　say　no　more　about　it　to…day。〃



Marguerite　took　her　father's　arm　to　lead　the　way　to　the　reception…

rooms　of　the　front　house；　where　a　sumptuous　fete　had　been　prepared。　As

he　entered　the　gallery；　followed　by　his　guests；　he　beheld　it　filled

with　pictures　and　garnished　with　choice　flowers。



〃Pictures！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃pictures！and　some　of　the　old　ones！〃



He　stopped　short；　his　brow　clouded；　for　a　moment　grief　overcame　him；

he　felt　the　weight　of　his　wrong…doing　as　the　vista　of　his　humiliation

came　before　his　eyes。



〃It　is　all　your　own；　father；〃　said　Marguerite；　guessing　the　feelings

that　oppressed　his　soul。



〃Angel；　whom　the　spirits　in　heaven　watch　and　praise；〃　he　cried；　〃how

many　times　have　you　given　life　to　your　father？〃



〃Then　keep　no　cloud　upon　your　brow；　nor　the　least　sad　thought　in　your

heart；〃　she　said；　〃and　you　will　reward　me　beyond　my　hopes。　I　have　been

thinking　of　Lemulquinier；　my　darling　father；　the　few　words　you　said　a

little　while　ago　have　made　me　value　him；　perhaps　I　have　been　unjust　to

him；　he　ought　to　remain　your　humble　friend。　Emmanuel　has　laid　by

nearly　sixty　thousand　francs　which　he　has　economized；　and　we　will　give

them　to　Lemulquinier。　After　serving　you　so　well　the　man　ought　to　be

made　comfortable　for　his　remaining　years。　Do　not　be　uneasy　about　us。

Monsieur　de　Solis　and　I　intend　to　lead　a　quiet；　peaceful　life；a　life

without　luxury；　we　can　well　afford　to　lend　you　that　money　until　you

are　able　to　return　it。〃



〃Ah；　my　daughter！　never　forsake　me；　continue　to　be　thy　father's

providence。〃



When　they　entered　the　reception…rooms　Balthazar　found　them　restored

and　furnished　as　elegantly　as　in　former　days。　The　guests　presently

descended　to　the　dining…room　on　the　ground…floor　by　the　grand

staircase；　on　every　step　of　which　were　rare　plants　and　flowering

shrubs。　A　silver　service　of　exquisite　workmanship；　the　gift　of　Gabriel

to　his　father；　attracted　all　eyes　to　a　luxury　which　was　surprising　to

the　inhabitants　of　a　town　where　such　luxury　is　traditional。　The

servants　of　Monsieur　Conyncks　and　of　Pierquin；　as　well　as　those　of　the

Claes　household；　were　assembled　to　serve　the　repast。　Seeing　himself

once　more　at　the　head　of　that　table；　surrounded　by　friends　and

relatives　and　happy　faces　beaming　with　heartfelt　joy；　Balthazar；

behind　whose　chair　stood　Lemulquinier；　was　overcome　by　emotions　so

deep　and　so　imposing　that　all　present　kept　silence；　as　men　are　silent

before　great　sorrows　or　great　joys。



〃Dear　children；〃　he　cried；　〃you　have　killed　the　fatted　calf　to　welcome

home　the　prodigal　father。〃



These　words；　in　which　the　father　judged　himself　（and　perhaps　prevented

others　from　judging　him　more　severely）；　were　spoken　so　nobly　that　all

present　shed　tears；　they　were　the　last　expression　of　sadness；　however；

and　the　general　happiness　soon　took　on　the　merry；　animated　character

of　a　family　fete。



Immediately　after　dinner　the　principal　people　of　the　city　began　to

arrive　for　the　ball；　which　proved　worthy　of　the　almost　classic

splendor　of　the　restored　House　of　Claes。　The　three　marriages　followed

this　happy　day；　and　gave　occasion　to　many　fetes；　and　balls；　and

dinners；　which　involved　Balthazar　for　some　months　in　the　vortex　of

social　life。　His　eldest　son　and　his　wife　removed　to　an　estate　near

Cambrai　belonging　to　Monsieur　Conyncks；　who　was　unwilling　to　separate

from　his　daughter。　Madame　Pierquin　also　left　her　father's　house　to　do

the　honors　of　a　fine　mansion　which　Pierquin　had　built；　and　where　he

desired　to　live　in　all　the　dignity　of　rank；　for　his　practise　was　sold；

and　his　uncle　des　Racquets　had　died　and　left　him　a　large　property

scraped　together　by　slow　economy。　Jean　went　to　Paris　to　finish　his

education；　and　Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Solis　alone　remained　with　their

father　in　the　House　de　Claes。　Balthazar　made　over　to　them　the　family

home　in　the　rear　house；　and　took　up　his　own　abode　on　the　second　floor

of　the　front　building。







CHAPTER　XVI



Marguerite　continued　to　keep　watch　over　her　father's　material　comfort；

aided　in　the　sweet　task　by　Emmanuel。　The　noble　girl　received　from　the

hands　of　love　that　most　envied　of　all　garlands；　the　wreath　that

happiness　entwines　and　constancy　keeps　ever　fresh。　No　couple　ever

afforded　a　better　illustration　of　the　complete；　acknowledged；　spotless

felicity　which　all　women　cherish　in　their　dreams。　The　union　of　two

beings　so　courageous　in　the　trials　of　life；　who　had　loved　each　other

through　years　with　so　sacred　an　affection；　drew　forth　the　respectful

admiration　of　the　whole　community。　Monsieur　de　Solis；　who　had　long

held　an　appointment　as　inspector…general　of　the　University；　resigned

those　functions　to　enjoy　his　happiness　more　freely；　and　remained　at

Douai　where　every　one　did　such　homage　to　his　character　and　attainments

that　his　name　was　proposed　as　candidate　for　the　Electoral　college

whenever　he　should　reach　the　required　age。　Marguerite；　who　had　shown

herself　so　strong　in　adversity；　became　in　prosperity　a　sweet　and

tender　woman。



Throughout　the　following　year　Claes　was　grave　and　preoccupied；　and

yet；　though　he　made　a　few　inexpensive　experiments　for　which　his

ordinary　income　sufficed；　he　seemed　to　neglect　his　laboratory。

Marguerite　restored　all　the　old　customs　of　the　House　of　Claes；　and

gave　a　family　fete　every　month　in　honor　of　her　father；　at　which　the

Pierquins　and　the　Conyncks　were　present；　and　she　also　received　the

upper　ranks　of　society　one　day　in　the　week　at　a　〃cafe〃　which　became

celebrated。　Though　frequently　absent…minded；　Claes　took　part　in　all

these　assemblages　and　became；　to　please　his　daughter；　so　willingly　a

man　of　the　world　that　the　family　were　able　to　believe　he　had　renounced

his　search　for　the　solution　of　the　great　problem。



Three　years　went　by。　In　1828　family　affairs　called　Emmanuel　de　Solis

to　Spain。　Although　there　were　three　numerous　branches　between　himself

and　the　inheritance　of　the　house　of　Solis；　yellow　fever；　old　age；

barrenness；　and　other　caprices　of　fortune；　combined　to　make　him　the

last　lineal　descendant　of　the　family　and　heir　to　the　titles　and

estates　of　his　ancient　house。　Moreover；　by　one　of　those　curious

chances　which　seem　impossible　except　in　a　book；　the　house　of　Solis　had

acquired　the　territory　and　titles　of　the　Comtes　de　Nourho。　Marguerite

did　not　wish　to　separate　from　her　husband；　who　was　to　stay　in　Spain

long　enough　to　settle　his　affairs；　and　she　was