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to　our　position；　see　reason　at　last！〃



〃Madness！〃　cried　Balthazar；　struggling　to　his　feet。　He　fixed　his

luminous　eyes　upon　his　daughter；　crossed　his　arms　on　his　breast；　and

repeated　the　word　〃Madness！〃　so　majestically　that　Marguerite　trembled。



〃Ah！〃　he　cried；　〃your　mother　would　never　have　uttered　that　word　to　me。

She　was　not　ignorant　of　the　importance　of　my　researches；　she　learned　a

science　to　understand　me；　she　recognized　that　I　toiled　for　the　human

race；　she　knew　there　was　nothing　sordid　or　selfish　in　my　aims。　The

feelings　of　a　loving　wife　are　higher；　I　see　it　now；　than　filial

affection。　Yes；　Love　is　above　all　other　feelings。　See　reason！〃　he　went

on；　striking　his　breast。　〃Do　I　lack　reason？　Am　I　not　myself？　You　say

we　are　poor；　well；　my　daughter；　I　choose　it　to　be　so。　I　am　your

father；　obey　me。　I　will　make　you　rich　when　I　please。　Your　fortune？　it

is　a　pittance！　When　I　find　the　solvent　of　carbon　I　will　fill　your

parlor　with　diamonds；　and　they　are　but　a　scintilla　of　what　I　seek。　You

can　well　afford　to　wait　while　I　consume　my　life　in　superhuman

efforts。〃



〃Father；　I　have　no　right　to　ask　an　account　of　the　four　millions　you

have　already　engulfed　in　this　fatal　garret。　I　will　not　speak　to　you　of

my　mother　whom　you　killed。　If　I　had　a　husband；　I　should　love　him；

doubtless；　as　she　loved　you；　I　should　be　ready　to　sacrifice　all　to

him；　as　she　sacrificed　all　for　you。　I　have　obeyed　her　orders　in　giving

myself　wholly　to　you；　I　have　proved　it　in　not　marrying　and　compelling

you　to　render　an　account　of　your　guardianship。　Let　us　dismiss　the　past

and　think　of　the　present。　I　am　here　now　to　represent　the　necessity

which　you　have　created　for　yourself。　You　must　have　money　to　meet　your

notesdo　you　understand　me？　There　is　nothing　left　to　seize　here　but

the　portrait　of　your　ancestor；　the　Claes　martyr。　I　come　in　the　name　of

my　mother；　who　felt　herself　too　feeble　to　defend　her　children　against

their　father；　she　ordered　me　to　resist　you。　I　come　in　the　name　of　my

brothers　and　my　sister；　I　come；　father；　in　the　name　of　all　the　Claes；

and　I　command　you　to　give　up　your　experiments；　or　earn　the　means　of

pursuing　them　hereafter；　if　pursue　them　you　must。　If　you　arm　yourself

with　the　power　of　your　paternity；　which　you　employ　only　for　our

destruction；　I　have　on　my　side　your　ancestors　and　your　honor；　whose

voice　is　louder　than　that　of　chemistry。　The　Family　is　greater　than

Science。　I　have　been　too　long　your　daughter。〃



〃And　you　choose　to　be　my　executioner；〃　he　said；　in　a　feeble　voice。



Marguerite　turned　and　fled　away；　that　she　might　not　abdicate　the　part

she　had　just　assumed：　she　fancied　she　heard　again　her　mother's　voice

saying　to　her；　〃Do　not　oppose　your　father　too　much；　love　him　well。〃







CHAPTER　XII



〃Mademoiselle　has　made　a　pretty　piece　of　work　up　yonder；〃　said

Lemulquinier；　coming　down　to　the　kitchen　for　his　breakfast。　〃We　were

just　going　to　put　our　hands　on　the　great　secret；　we　only　wanted　a

scrap　of　July　sun；　for　monsieur；ah；　what　a　man！　he's　almost　in　the

shoes　of　the　good　God　himself！was　almost　within　THAT；〃　he　said　to

Josette；　clicking　his　thumbnail　against　a　front　tooth；　〃of　getting

hold　of　the　Absolute；　when　up　she　came；　slam　bang；　screaming　some

nonsense　about　notes　of　hand。〃



〃Well；　pay　them　yourself；〃　said　Martha；　〃out　of　your　wages。〃



〃Where's　the　butter　for　my　bread？〃　said　Lemulquinier　to　the　cook。



〃Where's　the　money　to　buy　it？〃　she　answered；　sharply。　〃Come；　old

villain；　if　you　make　gold　in　that　devil's　kitchen　of　yours；　why　don't

you　make　butter？　'Twouldn't　be　half　so　difficult；　and　you　could　sell

it　in　the　market　for　enough　to　make　the　pot　boil。　We　all　eat　dry

bread。　The　young　ladies　are　satisfied　with　dry　bread　and　nuts；　and　do

you　expect　to　be　better　fed　than　your　masters？　Mademoiselle　won't

spend　more　than　one　hundred　francs　a　month　for　the　whole　household。

There's　only　one　dinner　for　all。　If　you　want　dainties　you've　got　your

furnaces　upstairs　where　you　fricassee　pearls　till　there's　nothing　else

talked　of　in　town。　Get　your　roast　chickens　up　there。〃



Lemulquinier　took　his　dry　bread　and　went　out。



〃He　will　go　and　buy　something　to　eat　with　his　own　money；〃　said　Martha；

〃all　the　better；it　is　just　so　much　saved。　Isn't　he　stingy；　the　old

scarecrow！〃



〃Starve　him！　that's　the　only　way　to　manage　him；〃　said　Josette。　〃For　a

week　past　he　hasn't　rubbed　a　single　floor；　I　have　to　do　his　work；　for

he　is　always　upstairs。　He　can　very　well　afford　to　pay　me　for　it　with

the　present　of　a　few　herrings；　if　he　brings　any　home；　I　shall　lay

hands　on　them；　I　can　tell　him　that。〃



〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Martha；　〃I　hear　Mademoiselle　Marguerite　crying。　Her

wizard　of　a　father　would　swallow　the　house　at　a　gulp　without　asking　a

Christian　blessing；　the　old　sorcerer！　In　my　country　he'd　be　burned

alive；　but　people　here　have　no　more　religion　than　the　Moors　in

Africa。〃



Marguerite　could　scarcely　stifle　her　sobs　as　she　came　through　the

gallery。　She　reached　her　room；　took　out　her　mother's　letter；　and　read

as　follows：



　　My　Child；If　God　so　wills；　my　spirit　will　be　within　your　heart

　　when　you　read　these　words；　the　last　I　shall　ever　write；　they　are

　　full　of　love　for　my　dear　ones；　left　at　the　mercy　of　a　demon　whom　I

　　have　not　been　able　to　resist。　When　you　read　these　words　he　will

　　have　taken　your　last　crust；　just　as　he　took　my　life　and　squandered

　　my　love。　You　know；　my　darling；　if　I　loved　your　father：　I　die

　　loving　him　less；　for　I　take　precautions　against　him　which　I　never

　　could　have　practised　while　living。　Yes；　in　the　depths　of　my　coffin

　　I　shall　have　kept　a　resource　for　the　day　when　some　terrible

　　misfortune　overtakes　you。　If　when　that　day　comes　you　are　reduced

　　to　poverty；　or　if　your　honor　is　in　question；　my　child；　send　for

　　Monsieur　de　Solis；　should　he　be　living；if　not；　for　his　nephew；

　　our　good　Emmanuel；　they　hold　one　hundred　and　seventy　thousand

　　francs　which　are　yours　and　will　enable　you　to　live。



　　If　nothing　shall　have　subdued　his　passion；　if　his　children　prove

　　no　stronger　barrier　than　my　happiness　has　been；　and　cannot　stop

　　his　criminal　career；leave　him；　leave　your　father；　that　you　may

　　live。　I　could　not　forsake　him；　I　was　bound　to　him。　You；

　　Marguerite；　you　must　save　the　family。　I　absolve　you　for　all　you

　　may　do　to　defend　Gabriel　and　Jean　and　Felicie。　Take　courage；　be

　　the　guardian　angel　of　the　Claes。　Be　firm；I　dare　not　say　be

　　pitiless；　but　to　repair　the　evil　already　done　you　must　keep　some

　　means　at　hand。　On　the　day　when　you　read　this　letter；　regard

　　yourself　as　ruined　already；　for　nothing　will　stay　the　fury　of　that

　　passion　which　has　torn　all　things　from　me。



　　My　child；　remember　this：　the　truest　love　is　to　forget　your　heart。

　　Even　though　you　be　forced　to　deceive　your　father；　your

　　dissimulation　will　be　blessed；　your　actions；　however　blamable　they

　　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