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第19节

the marriage contract-第19节

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Code; whatever be the number of the children; the constitution of a

common fund for husband and wife; the settlement of the diamonds on

the wife; the library and horses on the husband; were duly read and

passed without observations。 Then followed the constitution of the

entail。 When all was read and nothing remained but to sign the

contract; Madame Evangelista demanded to know what would be the

ultimate effect of the entail。



〃An entail; madam;〃 replied Solonet; 〃means an inalienable right to

the inheritance of certain property belonging to both husband and

wife; which is settled from generation to generation on the eldest son

of the house; without; however; depriving him of his right to share in

the division of the rest of the property。〃



〃What will be the effect of this on my daughter's rights?〃



Maitre Mathias; incapable of disguising the truth; replied:



〃Madame; an entail being an appanage; or portion of property set aside

for this purpose from the fortunes of husband and wife; it follows

that if the wife dies first; leaving several children; one of them a

son; Monsieur de Manerville will owe those children three hundred and

sixty thousand francs only; from which he will deduct his fourth in

life…interest and his fourth in capital。 Thus his debt to those

children will be reduced to one hundred and sixty thousand francs; or

thereabouts; exclusive of his savings and profits from the common fund

constituted for husband and wife。 If; on the contrary; he dies first;

leaving a male heir; Madame de Manerville has a right to three hundred

and sixty thousand francs only; and to her deeds of gift of such of

her husband's property as is not included in the entail; to the

diamonds now settled upon her; and to her profits and savings from the

common fund。〃



The effect of Maitre Mathias's astute and far…sighted policy were now

plainly seen。



〃My daughter is ruined;〃 said Madame Evangelista in a low voice。



The old and the young notary both overheard the words。



〃Is it ruin;〃 replied Mathias; speaking gently; 〃to constitute for her

family an indestructible fortune?〃



The younger notary; seeing the expression of his client's face;

thought it judicious in him to state the disaster in plain terms。



〃We tried to trick them out of three hundred thousand francs;〃 he

whispered to the angry woman。 〃They have actually laid hold of eight

hundred thousand; it is a loss of four hundred thousand from our

interests for the benefit of the children。 You must now either break

the marriage off at once; or carry it through;〃 concluded Solonet。



It is impossible to describe the moment of silence that followed。

Maitre Mathias waited in triumph the signature of the two persons who

had expected to rob his client。 Natalie; not competent to understand

that she had lost half her fortune; and Paul; ignorant that the house

of Manerville had gained it; were laughing and chattering still。

Solonet and Madame Evangelista gazed at each other; the one

endeavoring to conceal his indifference; the other repressing the rush

of a crowd of bitter feelings。



After suffering in her own mind the struggles of remorse; after

blaming Paul as the cause of her dishonesty; Madame Evangelista had

decided to employ those shameful manoeuvres to cast on him the burden

of her own unfaithful guardianship; considering him her victim。 But

now; in a moment; she perceived that where she thought she triumphed

she was about to perish; and her victim was her own daughter。 Guilty

without profit; she saw herself the dupe of an honorable old man;

whose respect she had doubtless lost。 Her secret conduct must have

inspired the stipulation of old Mathias; and Mathias must have

enlightened Paul。 Horrible reflection! Even if he had not yet done so;

as soon as that contract was signed the old wolf would surely warn his

client of the dangers he had run and had now escaped; were it only to

receive the praise of his sagacity。 He would put him on his guard

against the wily woman who had lowered herself to this conspiracy; he

would destroy the empire she had conquered over her son…in…law! Feeble

natures; once warned; turn obstinate; and are never won again。 At the

first discussion of the contract she had reckoned on Paul's weakness;

and on the impossibility he would feel of breaking off a marriage so

far advanced。 But now; she herself was far more tightly bound。 Three

months earlier Paul had no real obstacles to prevent the rupture; now;

all Bordeaux knew that the notaries had smoothed the difficulties; the

banns were published; the wedding was to take place immediately; the

friends of both families were at that moment arriving for the fete;

and to witness the contract。 How could she postpone the marriage at

this late hour? The cause of the rupture would surely be made known;

Maitre Mathias's stern honor was too well known in Bordeaux; his word

would be believed in preference to hers。 The scoffers would turn

against her and against her daughter。 No; she could not break it off;

she must yield!



These reflections; so cruelly sound; fell upon Madame Evangelista's

brain like a water…spout and split it。 Though she still maintained the

dignity and reserve of a diplomatist; her chin was shaken by that

apoplectic movement which showed the anger of Catherine the Second on

the famous day when; seated on her throne and in presence of her court

(very much in the present circumstances of Madame Evangelista); she

was braved by the King of Sweden。 Solonet observed that play of the

muscles; which revealed the birth of a mortal hatred; a lurid storm to

which there was no lightning。 At this moment Madame Evangelista vowed

to her son…in…law one of those unquenchable hatreds the seeds of which

were left by the Moors in the atmosphere of Spain。



〃Monsieur;〃 she said; bending to the ear of her notary; 〃you called

that stipulation balderdash; it seems to me that nothing could have

been more clear。〃



〃Madame; allow me〃



〃Monsieur;〃 she continued; paying no heed to his interruption; 〃if you

did not perceive the effect of that entail at the time of our first

conference; it is very extraordinary that it did not occur to you in

the silence of your study。 This can hardly be incapacity。〃



The young notary drew his client into the next room; saying to

himself; as he did so:



〃I get a three…thousand franc fee for the guardianship account; three

thousand for the contract; six thousand on the sale of the house;

fifteen thousand in allbetter not be angry。〃



He closed the door; cast on Madame Evangelista the cool look of a

business man; and said:



〃Madame; having; for your sake; passedas I didthe proper limits of

legal craft; do you seriously intend to reward my devotion by such

language?〃



〃But; monsieur〃



〃Madame; I did not; it is true; calculate the effect of the deeds of

gift。 But if you do not wish Comte Paul for your son…in…law you are

not obliged to accept him。 The contract is not signed。 Give your fete;

and postpone the signing。 It is far better to brave Bordeaux than

sacrifice yourself。〃



〃How can I justify such a course to society; which is already

prejudiced against us by the slow conclusion of the marriage?〃



〃By some error committed in Paris; some missing document not sent with

the rest;〃 replied Solonet。



〃But those purchases of land near Lanstrac?〃



〃Monsieur de Manerville will be at no loss to find another bride and

another dowry。〃



〃Yes; he'll lose nothing; but we lose all; all!〃



〃You?〃 replied Solonet; 〃why; you can easily find another count who

will cost you less money; if a title is the chief object of this

marriage。〃



〃No; no! we can't stake our honor in that way。 I am caught in a trap;

monsieur。 All Bordeaux will ring with this to…morrow。 Our solemn words

are pledged〃



〃You wish the happiness of Mademoiselle Natalie。〃



〃Above all things。〃



〃To be happy in France;〃 said the notary; 〃means being mistress of the

home。 She can lead that fool of a Manerville by the nose if she

chooses; he is so dull he has actually seen nothing of all this。 Even

if he now distrusts you; he will always trust his wife; and his wife

is YOU; is she not? The count's fate is still within your power if you

choose to play the cards in your hand。〃



〃If that were true; monsieur; I know not what I would not do to show

my gratitude;〃 she said; in a transport of feeling that colored her

cheeks。



〃Let us now return to the others; madame;〃 said Solonet。 〃Listen

carefully to what I shall say; and thenyou shall think me incapable

if you choose。〃



〃My dear friend;〃 said the young notary to Maitre Mathias; 〃in spite

of your great ability; you have not foreseen either the case of

Monsieur de Manerville dying without children; nor that in which he

leaves only female issue。 In either of those cases the entail would

pass to the Manervilles; or; at

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