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〃Are you talking of the diamonds? Poor boy; he wept; he did not want

them; I have them。〃



〃Sleep now; my child。 We will talk business when we wakefor;〃 she

added; sighing; 〃you and I have business now; another person has come

between us。〃



〃Ah! my dear mother; Paul will never be an obstacle to our happiness;

yours and mine;〃 murmured Natalie; as she went to sleep。



〃Poor darling! she little knows that the man has ruined her。〃



Madame Evangelista's soul was seized at that moment with the first

idea of avarice; a vice to which many become a prey as they grow aged。

It came into her mind to recover in her daughter's interest the whole

of the property left by her husband。 She told herself that her honor

demanded it。 Her devotion to Natalie made her; in a moment; as shrewd

and calculating as she had hitherto been careless and wasteful。 She

resolved to turn her capital to account; after investing a part of it

in the Funds; which were then selling at eighty francs。 A passion

often changes the whole character in a moment; an indiscreet person

becomes a diplomatist; a coward is suddenly brave。 Hate made this

prodigal woman a miser。 Chance and luck might serve the project of

vengeance; still undefined and confused; which she would now mature in

her mind。 She fell asleep; muttering to herself; 〃To…morrow!〃 By an

unexplained phenomenon; the effects of which are familiar to all

thinkers; her mind; during sleep; marshalled its ideas; enlightened

them; classed them; prepared a means by which she was to rule Paul's

life; and showed her a plan which she began to carry out on that very

to…morrow。







CHAPTER V



THE MARRIAGE CONTRACTTHIRD DAY



Though the excitement of the fete had driven from Paul's mind the

anxious thoughts that now and then assailed it; when he was alone with

himself and in his bed they returned to torment him。



〃It seems to me;〃 he said to himself; 〃that without that good Mathias

my mother…in…law would have tricked me。 And yet; is that believable?

What interest could lead her to deceive me? Are we not to join

fortunes and live together? Well; well; why should I worry about it?

In two days Natalie will be my wife; our money relations are plainly

defined; nothing can come between us。 Vogue la galereNevertheless;

I'll be upon my guard。 Suppose Mathias was right? Well; if he was; I'm

not obliged to marry my mother…in…law。〃



In this second battle of the contract Paul's future had completely

changed in aspect; though he was not aware of it。 Of the two persons

whom he was marrying; one; the cleverest; was now his mortal enemy;

and meditated already withdrawing her interests from the common fund。

Incapable of observing the difference that a Creole nature placed

between his mother…in…law and other women; Paul was far from

suspecting her craftiness。 The Creole nature is apart from all others;

it derives from Europe by its intellect; from the tropics by the

illogical violence of its passions; from the East by the apathetic

indifference with which it does; or suffers; either good or evil;

equally;a graceful nature withal; but dangerous; as a child is

dangerous if not watched。 Like a child; the Creole woman must have her

way immediately; like a child; she would burn a house to boil an egg。

In her soft and easy life she takes no care upon her mind; but when

impassioned; she thinks of all things。 She has something of the

perfidy of the Negroes by whom she has been surrounded from her

cradle; but she is also as naive and even; at times; as artless as

they。 Like them and like the children; she wishes doggedly for one

thing with a growing intensity of desire; and will brood upon that

idea until she hatches it。 A strange assemblage of virtues and

defects! which her Spanish nature had strengthened in Madame

Evangelista; and over which her French experience had cast the glaze

of its politeness。



This character; slumbering in married happiness for sixteen years;

occupied since then with the trivialities of social life; this nature

to which a first hatred had revealed its strength; awoke now like a

conflagration; at the moment of the woman's life when she was losing

the dearest object of her affections and needed another element for

the energy that possessed her; this flame burst forth。 Natalie could

be but three days more beneath her influence! Madame Evangelista;

vanquished at other points; had one clear day before her; the last of

those that a daughter spends beside her mother。 A few words; and the

Creole nature could influence the lives of the two beings about to

walk together through the brambled paths and the dusty high…roads of

Parisian society; for Natalie believed in her mother blindly。 What

far…reaching power would the counsel of that Creole nature have on a

mind so subservient! The whole future of these lives might be

determined by one single speech。 No code; no human institution can

prevent the crime that kills by words。 There lies the weakness of

social law; in that is the difference between the morals of the great

world and the morals of the people: one is frank; the other

hypocritical; one employs the knife; the other the venom of ideas and

language; to one death; to the other impunity。



The next morning; about mid…day; Madame Evangelista was half seated;

half lying on the edge of her daughter's bed。 During that waking hour

they caressed and played together in happy memory of their loving

life; a life in which no discord had ever troubled either the harmony

of their feelings; the agreement of their ideas; or the mutual choice

and enjoyment of their pleasures。



〃Poor little darling!〃 said the mother; shedding true tears; 〃how can

I help being sorrowful when I think that after I have fulfilled your

every wish during your whole life you will belong; to…morrow night; to

a man you must obey?〃



〃Oh; my dear mother; as for obeying!〃 and Natalie made a little

motion of her head which expressed a graceful rebellion。 〃You are

joking;〃 she continued。 〃My father always gratified your caprices; and

why not? he loved you。 And I am loved; too。〃



〃Yes; Paul has a certain love for you。 But if a married woman is not

careful nothing more rapidly evaporates than conjugal love。 The

influence a wife ought to have over her husband depends entirely on

how she begins with him。 You need the best advice。〃



〃But you will be with us。〃



〃Possibly; my child。 Last night; while the ball was going on; I

reflected on the dangers of our being together。 If my presence were to

do you harm; if the little acts by which you ought slowly; but surely;

to establish your authority as a wife should be attributed to my

influence; your home would become a hell。 At the first frown I saw

upon your husband's brow I; proud as I am; should instantly leave his

house。 If I were driven to leave it; better; I think; not to enter it。

I should never forgive your husband if he caused trouble between us。

Whereas; when you have once become the mistress; when your husband is

to you what your father was to me; that danger is no longer to be

feared。 Though this wise policy will cost your young and tender heart

a pang; your happiness demands that you become the absolute sovereign

of your home。〃



〃Then why; mamma; did you say just now I must obey him?〃



〃My dear little daughter; in order that a wife may rule; she must

always seem to do what her husband wishes。 If you were not told this

you might by some impulsive opposition destroy your future。 Paul is a

weak young man; he might allow a friend to rule him; he might even

fall under the dominion of some woman who would make you feel her

influence。 Prevent such disasters by making yourself from the very

start his ruler。 Is it not better that he be governed by you than by

others?〃





〃Yes; certainly;〃 said Natalie。 〃I should think only of his

happiness。〃



〃And it is my privilege; darling; to think only of yours; and to wish

not to leave you at so crucial a moment without a compass in the midst

of the reefs through which you must steer。〃



〃But; dearest mother; are we not strong enough; you and I; to stay

together beside him; without having to fear those frowns you seem to

dread。 Paul loves you; mamma。〃



〃Oh! oh! He fears me more than he loves me。 Observe him carefully

to…day when I tell him that I shall let you go to Paris without me;

and you will see on his face; no matter what pains he takes to conceal

it; his inward joy。〃



〃Why should he feel so?〃



〃Why? Dear child! I am like Saint…Jean Bouche…d'Or。 I will tell that

to himself; and before you。〃



〃But suppose I marry on condition that you do not leave me?〃 urged

Natalie。



〃Our separation is necessary;〃 replied her mother。 〃Several

considerations have greatly changed my future。 I am now poor。 You will

lead a brilliant life in Paris; and I could not live with you suitably

without spending the little that re

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