the marriage contract-第17部分

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her　son…in…law　was　the　vanquished　side。







CHAPTER　IV



THE　MARRIAGE　CONTRACTSECOND　DAY



The　next　day　Elie　Magus　（who　happened　at　that　time　to　be　in　Bordeaux）

obeyed　Madame　Evangelista's　summons；　believing；　from　general　rumor　as

to　the　marriage　of　Comte　Paul　with　Mademoiselle　Natalie；　that　it

concerned　a　purchase　of　jewels　for　the　bride。　The　Jew　was；　therefore；

astonished　when　he　learned　that；　on　the　contrary；　he　was　sent　for　to

estimate　the　value　of　the　mother…in…law's　property。　The　instinct　of

his　race；　as　well　as　certain　insidious　questions；　made　him　aware　that

the　value　of　the　diamonds　was　included　in　the　marriage…contract。　The

stones　were　not　to　be　sold；　and　yet　he　was　to　estimate　them　as　if　some

private　person　were　buying　them　from　a　dealer。　Jewellers　alone　know

how　to　distinguish　between　the　diamonds　of　Asia　and　those　of　Brazil。

The　stones　of　Golconda　and　Visapur　are　known　by　a　whiteness　and

glittering　brilliancy　which　others　have　not；the　water　of　the

Brazilian　diamonds　having　a　yellow　tinge　which　reduces　their　selling

value。　Madame　Evangelista's　necklace　and　ear…rings；　being　composed

entirely　of　Asiatic　diamonds；　were　valued　by　Elie　Magus　at　two　hundred

and　fifty　thousand　francs。　As　for　the　〃Discreto；〃　he　pronounced　it　one

of　the　finest　diamonds　in　the　possession　of　private　persons；　it　was

known　to　the　trade　and　valued　at　one　hundred　thousand　francs。　On

hearing　this　estimate；　which　proved　to　her　the　lavishness　of　her

husband；　Madame　Evangelista　asked　the　old　Jew　whether　she　should　be

able　to　obtain　that　money　immediately。



〃Madame；〃　replied　the　Jew；　〃if　you　wish　to　sell　I　can　give　you　only

seventy…five　thousand　for　the　brilliant；　and　one　hundred　and　sixty

thousand　for　the　necklace　and　earrings。〃



〃Why　such　reduction？〃



〃Madame；〃　replied　Magus；　〃the　finer　the　diamond；　the　longer　we　keep　it

unsold。　The　rarity　of　such　investments　is　one　reason　for　the　high

value　set　upon　precious　stones。　As　the　merchant　cannot　lose　the

interest　of　his　money；　this　additional　sum；　joined　to　the　rise　and

fall　to　which　such　merchandise　is　subject；　explains　the　difference

between　the　price　of　purchase　and　the　price　of　sale。　By　owning　these

diamonds　you　have　lost　the　interest　on　three　hundred　thousand　francs

for　twenty　years。　If　you　wear　your　jewels　ten　times　a　year；　it　costs

you　three　thousand　francs　each　evening　to　put　them　on。　How　many

beautiful　gowns　you　could　buy　with　that　sum。　Those　who　own　diamonds

are；　therefore；　very　foolish；　but；　luckily　for　us；　women　are　never

willing　to　understand　the　calculation。〃



〃I　thank　you　for　explaining　it　to　me；　and　I　shall　profit　by　it。〃



〃Do　you　wish　to　sell？〃　asked　Magus；　eagerly。



〃What　are　the　other　jewels　worth？〃



The　Jew　examined　the　gold　of　the　settings；　held　the　pearls　to　the

light；　scrutinized　the　rubies；　the　diadems；　clasps；　bracelets；　and

chains；　and　said；　in　a　mumbling　tone：



〃A　good　many　Portuguese　diamonds　from　Brazil　are　among　them。　They　are

not　worth　more　than　a　hundred　thousand　to　me。　But；〃　he　added；　〃a

dealer　would　sell　them　to　a　customer　for　one　hundred　and　fifty

thousand；　at　least。〃



〃I　shall　keep　them；〃　said　Madame　Evangelista。



〃You　are　wrong；〃　replied　Elie　Magus。　〃With　the　income　from　the　sum

they　represent　you　could　buy　just　as　fine　diamonds　in　five　years；　and

have　the　capital　to　boot。〃



This　singular　conference　became　known；　and　corroborated　certain　rumors

excited　by　the　discussion　of　the　contract。　The　servants　of　the　house；

overhearing　high　voices；　supposed　the　difficulties　greater　than　they

really　were。　Their　gossip　with　other　valets　spread　the　information；

which　from　the　lower　regions　rose　to　the　ears　of　the　masters。　The

attention　of　society；　and　of　the　town　in　general；　became　so　fixed　on

the　marriage　of　two　persons　equally　rich　and　well…born；　that　every

one；　great　and　small；　busied　themselves　about　the　matter；　and　in　less

than　a　week　the　strangest　rumors　were　bruited　about。



〃Madame　Evangelista　sells　her　house；　she　must　be　ruined。　She　offered

her　diamonds　to　Elie　Magus。　Nothing　is　really　settled　between　herself

and　the　Comte　de　Manerville。　Is　it　probable　that　the　marriage　will

ever　take　place？〃



To　this　question　some　answered　yes；　and　others　said　no。　The　two

notaries；　when　questioned；　denied　these　calumnies；　and　declared　that

the　difficulties　arose　only　from　the　official　delay　in　constituting

the　entail。　But　when　public　opinion　has　taken　a　trend　in　one　direction

it　is　very　difficult　to　turn　it　back。　Though　Paul　went　every　day　to

Madame　Evangelista's　house；　and　though　the　notaries　denied　these

assertions　continually；　the　whispered　calumny　went　on。　Young　girls；

and　their　mothers　and　aunts；　vexed　at　a　marriage　they　had　dreamed　of

for　themselves　or　for　their　families；　could　not　forgive　the　Spanish

ladies　for　their　happiness；　as　authors　cannot　forgive　each　other　for

their　success。　A　few　persons　revenged　themselves　for　the　twenty…years

luxury　and　grandeur　of　the　family　of　Evangelista；　which　had　lain

heavily　on　their　self…love。　A　leading　personage　at　the　prefecture

declared　that　the　notaries　could　have　chosen　no　other　language　and

followed　no　other　conduct　in　the　case　of　a　rupture。　The　time　actually

required　for　the　establishment　of　the　entail　confirmed　the　suspicions

of　the　Bordeaux　provincials。



〃They　will　keep　the　ball　going　through　the　winter；　then；　in　the

spring；　they　will　go　to　some　watering…place；　and　we　shall　learn　before

the　year　is　out　that　the　marriage　is　off。〃



〃And；　of　course；　we　shall　be　given　to　understand；〃　said　others；　〃for

the　sake　of　the　honor　of　the　two　families；　that　the　difficulties　did

not　come　from　either　side；　but　the　chancellor　refused　to　consent；　you

may　be　sure　it　will　be　some　quibble　about　that　entail　which　will　cause

the　rupture。〃



〃Madame　Evangelista；〃　some　said；　〃lived　in　a　style　that　the　mines　of

Valencia　couldn't　meet。　When　the　time　came　to　melt　the　bell；　and　pay

the　daughter's　patrimony；　nothing　would　be　found　to　pay　it　with。〃



The　occasion　was　excellent　to　add　up　the　spendings　of　the　handsome

widow　and　prove；　categorically；　her　ruin。　Rumors　were　so　rife　that

bets　were　made　for　and　against　the　marriage。　By　the　laws　of　worldly

jurisprudence　this　gossip　was　not　allowed　to　reach　the　ears　of　the

parties　concerned。　No　one　was　enemy　or　friend　enough　to　Paul　or　to

Madame　Evangelista　to　inform　either　of　what　was　being　said。　Paul　had

some　business　at　Lanstrac；　and　used　the　occasion　to　make　a　hunting…

party　for　several　of　the　young　men　of　Bordeaux；a　sort　of　farewell；

as　it　were；　to　his　bachelor　life。　This　hunting　party　was　accepted　by

society　as　a　signal　confirmation　of　public　suspicion。



When　this　event　occurred；　Madame　de　Gyas；　who　had　a　daughter　to　marry；

thought　it　high　time　to　sound　the　matter；　and　to　condole；　with　joyful

heart；　the　blow　received　by　the　Evangelistas。　Natalie　and　her　mother

were　somewhat　surprised　to　see　the　lengthened　face　of　the　marquise；

and　they　asked　at　once　if　anything　distressing　had　happened　to　her。



〃Can　it　be；〃　she　replied；　〃that　you　are　ignorant　of　the　rumors　that

are　circulating？　Though　I　think　them　false　myself；　I　have　come　to

learn　the　truth　in　order　to　stop　this　gossip；　at　any　rate　among　the

circle　of　my　own　friends。　To　be　the　dupes　or　the　accomplices　of　such

an　error　is　too　false　a　position　for　true　friends　to　occupy。〃



〃But　what　is　it？　what　has　happened？〃　asked　mother　and　daughter。



Madame　de　Gyas　thereupon　allowed　herself　the　happiness　of　repeating

all　the　current　gossip；　not　sparing　her　two　friends　a　single　stab。

Natalie　and　Madame　Evangelista　looked　at　each　other　and　laughed；　but

they　fully　understood　the　meaning　of　the　tale　and　the　motives　of　their

friend。　The　Spanish　lady　took　her　revenge　very　much　as　Celimene　took

hers　on　Arsinoe。



〃My　dear；　are　you　ignorantyou　who　know　the　provinces　so　wellcan

you　be　ignorant　of　what　a　mother　is　capable　when　she　has　on　her　hands

a　daughter　whom　she　cannot　marry　for　want　of　'dot'　and　lovers；　want　of

beauty；　want　of　mind；　and；　sometimes；　want　of　everything？　Why；　a

mother　in　that　position　would　rob　a　diligence　or　commit　a　murder；　or

wait　for　a　man　at　the　corner　of　a　streetshe　would　sacrifice　herself

twenty　times　over；　if　she　was　a　mother　at　all。　Now；　as　you　and　I　both

know；　there　are　many　such　in　that　situation　in　Bordeaux；　and　no　doubt

they　attribute　to　us　their　own　thoughts　and　actions。　Naturalists　have

depicted　the　habits　and　customs　of　many　ferocious　animals；　but　they

have　forgotten　the　mother　and　daughter　in　quest　of　a　husband。　Such

women　are　hyenas；　going　about；　as　the　Psalmist　says；　seeking　whom　they

may　devour；　and　adding　to　the　instinct　of　the　brute　the　intellect　of

man；　and　the　genius　of　woman。　I　can　understand　that　those　little

spiders；　Mademoiselle　de　Belor；　Mademoiselle　de　Trans；　and　others；

after　working　so　long　at　their　webs　without　catching　a　fly；　without　so

much　as　hearing　a　buzz；　should　be　f