太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > the marriage contract >

第15节

the marriage contract-第15节

小说: the marriage contract 字数: 每页4000字

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!




position; she was thinking to herself: 〃How odd it is that they tell

me nothing of my own affairs。〃



The younger notary had seized; in the main; the future effect of the

new proposal; based; as it was; on the self…love of both parties; into

which his client had fallen headlong。 Now; while Mathias was more than

a mere notary; Solonet was still a young man; and brought into his

business the vanity of youth。 It often happens that personal conceit

makes a man forgetful of the interests of his client。 In this case;

Maitre Solonet; who would not suffer the widow to think that Nestor

had vanquished Achilles; advised her to conclude the marriage on the

terms proposed。 Little he cared for the future working of the marriage

contract; to him; the conditions of victory were: Madame Evangelista

released from her obligations as guardian; her future secured; and

Natalie married。



〃Bordeaux shall know that you have ceded eleven hundred thousand

francs to your daughter; and that you still have twenty…five thousand

francs a year left;〃 whispered Solonet to his client。 〃For my part; I

did not expect to obtain such a fine result。〃



〃But;〃 she said; 〃explain to me why the creation of this entail should

have calmed the storm at once。〃



〃It relieves their distrust of you and your daughter。 An entail is

unchangeable; neither husband nor wife can touch that capital。〃



〃Then this arrangement is positively insulting!〃



〃No; we call it simply precaution。 The old fellow has caught you in a

net。 If you refuse to consent to the entail; he can reply: 'Then your

object is to squander the fortune of my client; who; by the creation

of this entail; is protected from all such injury as securely as if

the marriage took place under the 〃regime dotal。〃'〃



Solonet quieted his own scruples by reflecting: 〃After all; these

stipulations will take effect only in the future; by which time Madame

Evangelista will be dead and buried。〃



Madame Evangelista contented herself; for the present; with these

explanations; having full confidence in Solonet。 She was wholly

ignorant of law; considering her daughter as good as married; she

thought she had gained her end; and was filled with the joy of

success。 Thus; as Mathias had shrewdly calculated; neither Solonet nor

Madame Evangelista understood as yet; to its full extent; this scheme

which he had based on reasons that were undeniable。



〃Well; Monsieur Mathias;〃 said the widow; 〃all is for the best; is it

not?〃



〃Madame; if you and Monsieur le comte consent to this arrangement you

ought to exchange pledges。 It is fully understood; I suppose;〃 he

continued; looking from one to the other; 〃that the marriage will only

take place on condition of creating an entail upon the estate of

Lanstrac and the house in the rue de la Pepiniere; together with eight

hundred thousand francs in money brought by the future wife; the said

sum to be invested in landed property? Pardon me the repetition;

madame; but a positive and solemn engagement becomes absolutely

necessary。 The creation of an entail requires formalities; application

to the chancellor; a royal ordinance; and we ought at once to conclude

the purchase of the new estate in order that the property be included

in the royal ordinance by virtue of which it becomes inalienable。 In

many families this would be reduced to writing; but on this occasion I

think a simple consent would suffice。 Do you consent?〃



〃Yes;〃 replied Madame Evangelista。



〃Yes;〃 said Paul。



〃And I?〃 asked Natalie; laughing。



〃You are a minor; mademoiselle;〃 replied Solonet; 〃don't complain of

that。〃



It was then agreed that Maitre Mathias should draw up the contract;

Maitre Solonet the guardianship account and release; and that both

documents should be signed; as the law requires some days before the

celebration of the marriage。 After a few polite salutations the

notaries withdrew。



〃It rains; Mathias; shall I take you home?〃 said Solonet。 〃My

cabriolet is here。〃



〃My carriage is here too;〃 said Paul; manifesting an intention to

accompany the old man。



〃I won't rob you of a moment's pleasure;〃 said Mathias。 〃I accept my

friend Solonet's offer。〃



〃Well;〃 said Achilles to Nestor; as the cabriolet rolled away; 〃you

have been truly patriarchal to…night。 The fact is; those young people

would certainly have ruined themselves。〃



〃I felt anxious about their future;〃 replied Mathias; keeping silent

as to the real motives of his proposition。



At this moment the two notaries were like a pair of actors arm in arm

behind the stage on which they have played a scene of hatred and

provocation。



〃But;〃 said Solonet; thinking of his rights as notary; 〃isn't it my

place to buy that land you mentioned? The money is part of our dowry。〃



〃How can you put property bought in the name of Mademoiselle

Evangelista into the creation of an entail by the Comte de

Manerville?〃 replied Mathias。



〃We shall have to ask the chancellor about that;〃 said Solonet。



〃But I am the notary of the seller as well as of the buyer of that

land;〃 said Mathias。 〃Besides; Monsieur de Manerville can buy in his

own name。 At the time of payment we can make mention of the fact that

the dowry funds are put into it。〃



〃You've an answer for everything; old man;〃 said Solonet; laughing。

〃You were really surpassing to…night; you beat us squarely。〃



〃For an old fellow who didn't expect your batteries of grape…shot; I

did pretty well; didn't I?〃



〃Ha! ha! ha!〃 laughed Solonet。



The odious struggle in which the material welfare of a family had been

so perilously near destruction was to the two notaries nothing more

than a matter of professional polemics。



〃I haven't been forty years in harness for nothing;〃 remarked Mathias。

〃Look here; Solonet;〃 he added; 〃I'm a good fellow; you shall help in

drawing the deeds for the sale of those lands。〃



〃Thanks; my dear Mathias。 I'll serve you in return on the very first

occasion。〃



While the two notaries were peacefully returning homeward; with no

other sensations than a little throaty warmth; Paul and Madame

Evangelista were left a prey to the nervous trepidation; the quivering

of the flesh and brain which excitable natures pass through after a

scene in which their interests and their feelings have been violently

shaken。 In Madame Evangelista these last mutterings of the storm were

overshadowed by a terrible reflection; a lurid gleam which she wanted;

at any cost; to dispel。



〃Has Maitre Mathias destroyed in a few minutes the work I have been

doing for six months?〃 she asked herself。 〃Was he withdrawing Paul

from my influence by filling his mind with suspicion during their

secret conference in the next room?〃



She was standing absorbed in these thoughts before the fireplace; her

elbow resting on the marble mantel…shelf。 When the porte…cochere

closed behind the carriage of the two notaries; she turned to her

future son…in…law; impatient to solve her doubts。



〃This has been the most terrible day of my life;〃 cried Paul;

overjoyed to see all difficulties vanish。 〃I know no one so downright

in speech as that old Mathias。 May God hear him; and make me peer of

France! Dear Natalie; I desire this for your sake more than for my

own。 You are my ambition; I live only in you。〃



Hearing this speech uttered in the accents of the heart; and noting;

more especially; the limpid azure of Paul's eyes; whose glance

betrayed no thought of double meaning; Madame Evangelista's

satisfaction was complete。 She regretted the sharp language with which

she had spurred him; and in the joy of success she resolved to

reassure him as to the future。 Calming her countenance; and giving to

her eyes that expression of tender friendship which made her so

attractive; she smiled and answered:



〃I can say as much to you。 Perhaps; dear Paul; my Spanish nature has

led me farther than my heart desired。 Be what you are;kind as God

himself;and do not be angry with me for a few hasty words。 Shake

hands。〃



Paul was abashed; he fancied himself to blame; and he kissed Madame

Evangelista。



〃Dear Paul;〃 she said with much emotion; 〃why could not those two

sharks have settled this matter without dragging us into it; since it

was so easy to settle?〃



〃In that case I should not have known how grand and generous you can

be;〃 replied Paul。



〃Indeed she is; Paul;〃 cried Natalie; pressing his hand。



〃We have still a few little matters to settle; my dear son;〃 said

Madame Evangelista。 〃My daughter and I are above the foolish vanities

to which so many persons cling。 Natalie does not need my diamonds; but

I am glad to give them to her。〃



〃Ah! my dear mother; do you suppose that I will accept them?〃



〃Yes; my child; they are one of the conditions of the contract。〃



〃I will not allow it; I will not marry at all;〃 cried Natalie;

vehemently。 〃Kee

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的