the alkahest-第39部分

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！



Though　the　phrase　was　natural　enough　under　the　circumstances；　Monsieur

Claes；　whose　conscience　recalled　his　past　life；　felt　it　to　be　a

reproach；　and　his　brow　clouded。



The　clerk　began　the　reading。　Balthazar's　amazement　increased　as　little

by　little　the　statement　unfolded　the　facts。　In　the　first　place；　the

fortune　of　his　wife　at　the　time　of　her　decease　was　declared　to　have

been　sixteen　hundred　thousand　francs　or　thereabouts；　and　the　summing

up　of　the　account　showed　clearly　that　the　portion　of　each　child　was

intact　and　as　well…invested　as　if　the　best　and　wisest　father　had

controlled　it。　In　consequence　of　this　the　House　of　Claes　was　free　from

all　lien；　Balthazar　was　master　of　it；　moreover；　his　rural　property　was

likewise　released　from　encumbrance。　When　all　the　papers　connected　with

these　matters　were　signed；　Pierquin　presented　the　receipts　for　the

repayment　of　the　moneys　formerly　borrowed；　and　releases　of　the　various

liens　on　the　estates。



Balthazar；　conscious　that　he　had　recovered　the　honor　of　his　manhood；

the　life　of　a　father；　the　dignity　of　a　citizen；　fell　into　a　chair；　and

looked　about　for　Marguerite；　but　she；　with　the　distinctive　delicacy　of

her　sex；　had　left　the　room　during　the　reading　of　the　papers；　as　if　to

see　that　all　the　arrangements　for　the　fete　were　properly　prepared。

Each　member　of　the　family　understood　the　old　man's　wish　when　the

failing　humid　eyes　sought　for　the　daughter；who　was　seen　by　all

present；　with　the　eyes　of　the　soul；　as　an　angel　of　strength　and　light

within　the　house。　Gabriel　went　to　find　her。　Hearing　her　step；

Balthazar　ran　to　clasp　her　in　his　arms。



〃Father；〃　she　said；　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　where　the　old　man

caught　her　and　strained　her　to　his　breast；　〃I　implore　you　not　to

lessen　your　sacred　authority。　Thank　me　before　the　family　for　carrying

out　your　wishes；　and　be　the　sole　author　of　the　good　that　has　been　done

here。〃



Balthazar　lifted　his　eyes　to　heaven；　then　looked　at　his　daughter；

folded　his　arms；　and　said；　after　a　pause；　during　which　his　face

recovered　an　expression　his　children　had　not　seen　upon　it　for　ten　long

years；



〃Pepita；　why　are　you　not　here　to　praise　our　child！〃



He　strained　Marguerite　to　him；　unable　to　utter　another　word；　and　went

back　to　the　parlor。



〃My　children；〃　he　said；　with　the　nobility　of　demeanor　that　in　former

days　had　made　him　so　imposing；　〃we　all　owe　gratitude　and　thanks　to　my

daughter　Marguerite　for　the　wisdom　and　courage　with　which　she　has

fulfilled　my　intentions　and　carried　out　my　plans；　when　I；　too　absorbed

by　my　labors；　gave　the　reins　of　our　domestic　government　into　her

hands。〃



〃Ah；　now！〃　cried　Pierquin；　looking　at　the　clock；　〃we　must　read　the

marriage　contracts。　But　they　are　not　my　affair；　for　the　law　forbids　me

to　draw　up　such　deeds　between　my　relations　and　myself。　Monsieur

Raparlier　is　coming。〃



The　friends　of　the　family；　invited　to　the　dinner　given　to　celebrate

Claes's　return　and　the　signing　of　the　marriage　contracts；　now　began　to

arrive；　and　their　servants　brought　in　the　wedding…presents。　The

company　quickly　assembled；　and　the　scene　was　imposing　as　much　from　the

quality　of　the　persons　present　as　from　the　elegance　of　the　toilettes。

The　three　families；　thus　united　through　the　happiness　of　their

children；　seemed　to　vie　with　each　other　in　contributing　to　the

splendor　of　the　occasion。　The　parlor　was　soon　filled　with　the　charming

gifts　that　are　made　to　bridal　couples。　Gold　shimmered　and　glistened；

silks　and　satins；　cashmere　shawls；　necklaces；　jewels；　afforded　as　much

delight　to　those　who　gave　as　to　those　who　received；　enjoyment　that　was

almost　childlike　shone　on　every　face；　and　the　mere　value　of　the

magnificent　presents　was　lost　sight　of　by　the　spectators；who　often

busy　themselves　in　estimating　it　out　of　curiosity。



The　ceremonial　forms　used　for　generations　in　the　Claes　family　for

solemnities　of　this　nature　now　began。　The　parents　alone　were　seated；

all　present　stood　before　them　at　a　little　distance。　To　the　left　of　the

parlor　on　the　garden　side　were　Gabriel　and　Mademoiselle　Conyncks；　next

to　them　stood　Monsieur　de　Solis　and　Marguerite；　and　farther　on；

Felicie　and　Pierquin。　Balthazar　and　Monsieur　Conyncks；　the　only

persons　who　were　seated；　occupied　two　armchairs　beside　the　notary　who；

for　this　occasion；　had　taken　Pierquin's　duty。　Jean　stood　behind　his

father。　A　score　of　ladies　elegantly　dressed；　and　a　few　men　chosen　from

among　the　nearest　relatives　of　the　Pierquins；　the　Conyncks；　and　the

Claes；　the　mayor　of　Douai；　who　was　to　marry　the　couples；　the　twelve

witnesses　chosen　from　among　the　nearest　friends　of　the　three　families；

all；　even　the　curate　of　Saint…Pierre；　remained　standing　and　formed　an

imposing　circle　at　the　end　of　the　parlor　next　the　court…yard。　This

homage　paid　by　the　whole　assembly　to　Paternity；　which　at　such　a　moment

shines　with　almost　regal　majesty；　gave　to　the　scene　a　certain　antique

character。　It　was　the　only　moment　for　sixteen　long　years　when

Balthazar　forgot　the　Alkahest。



Monsieur　Raparlier　went　up　to　Marguerite　and　her　sister　and　asked　if

all　the　persons　invited　to　the　ceremony　and　to　the　dinner　had　arrived；

on　receiving　an　affirmative　reply；　he　returned　to　his　station　and　took

up　the　marriage　contract　between　Marguerite　and　Monsieur　de　Solis；

which　was　the　first　to　be　read；　when　suddenly　the　door　of　the　parlor

opened　and　Lemulquinier　entered；　his　face　flaming。



〃Monsieur！　monsieur！〃　he　cried。



Balthazar　flung　a　look　of　despair　at　Marguerite；　then；　making　her　a

sign；　he　drew　her　into　the　garden。　The　whole　assembly　were　conscious

of　a　shock。



〃I　dared　not　tell　you；　my　child；〃　said　the　father；　〃but　since　you　have

done　so　much；　you　will　save　me；　I　know；　from　this　last　trouble。

Lemulquinier　lent　me　all　his　savingsthe　fruit　of　twenty　years'

economyfor　my　last　experiment；　which　failed。　He　has　come　no　doubt；

finding　that　I　am　once　more　rich；　to　insist　on　having　them　back。　Ah！

my　angel；　give　them　to　him；　you　owe　him　your　father；　he　alone　consoled

me　in　my　troubles；　he　alone　has　had　faith　in　me；without　him　I　should

have　died。〃



〃Monsieur！　monsieur！〃　cried　Lemulquinier。



〃What　is　it？〃　said　Balthazar；　turning　round。



〃A　diamond！〃



Claes　sprang　into　the　parlor　and　saw　the　stone　in　the　hands　of　the　old

valet；　who　whispered　in　his　ear；



〃I　have　been　to　the　laboratory。〃



The　chemist；　forgetting　everything　about　him；　cast　a　terrible　look　on

the　old　Fleming　which　meant；　〃You　went　before　me　to　the　laboratory！〃



〃Yes；〃　continued　Lemulquinier；　〃I　found　the　diamond　in　the　china

capsule　which　communicated　with　the　battery　which　we　left　to　work；

monsieurand　see！〃　he　added；　showing　a　white　diamond　of　octahedral

form；　whose　brilliancy　drew　the　astonished　gaze　of　all　present。



〃My　children；　my　friends；〃　said　Balthazar；　〃forgive　my　old　servant；

forgive　me！　This　event　will　drive　me　mad。　The　chance　work　of　seven

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　th