the marriage contract-第7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！



These　indications　were　those　of　violent　passions　without　tenderness；

sudden　devotions；　irreconcilable　dislikes；　a　mind　without

intelligence；　and　the　desire　to　rule　natural　to　persons　who　feel

themselves　inferior　to　their　pretensions。



These　defects；　born　of　temperament　and　constitution；　were　buried　in

Natalie　like　ore　in　a　mine；　and　would　only　appear　under　the　shocks　and

harsh　treatment　to　which　all　characters　are　subjected　in　this　world。

Meantime　the　grace　and　freshness　of　her　youth；　the　distinction　of　her

manners；　her　sacred　ignorance；　and　the　sweetness　of　a　young　girl；　gave

a　delicate　glamour　to　her　features　which　could　not　fail　to　mislead　an

unthinking　or　superficial　mind。　Her　mother　had　early　taught　her　the

trick　of　agreeable　talk　which　appears　to　imply　superiority；　replying

to　arguments　by　clever　jests；　and　attracting　by　the　graceful

volubility　beneath　which　a　woman　hides　the　subsoil　of　her　mind；　as

Nature　disguises　her　barren　strata　beneath　a　wealth　of　ephemeral

vegetation。　Natalie　had　the　charm　of　children　who　have　never　known

what　it　is　to　suffer。　She　charmed　by　her　frankness；　and　had　none　of

that　solemn　air　which　mothers　impose　on　their　daughters　by　laying　down

a　programme　of　behavior　and　language　until　the　time　comes　when　they

marry　and　are　emancipated。　She　was　gay　and　natural；　like　any　young

girl　who　knows　nothing　of　marriage；　expects　only　pleasure　from　it；

replies　to　all　objections　with　a　jest；　foresees　no　troubles；　and

thinks　she　is　acquiring　the　right　to　have　her　own　way。



How　could　Paul；　who　loved　as　men　love　when　desire　increases　love；

perceive　in　a　girl　of　this　nature　whose　beauty　dazzled　him；　the　woman；

such　as　she　would　probably　be　at　thirty；　when　observers　themselves

have　been　misled　by　these　appearances？　Besides；　if　happiness　might

prove　difficult　to　find　in　a　marriage　with　such　a　girl；　it　was　not

impossible。　Through　these　embryo　defects　shone　several　fine　qualities。

There　is　no　good　quality　which；　if　properly　developed　by　the　hand　of

an　able　master；　will　not　stifle　defects；　especially　in　a　young　girl

who　loves　him。　But　to　render　ductile　so　intractable　a　woman；　the　iron

wrist；　about　which　de　Marsay　had　preached　to　Paul；　was　needful。　The

Parisian　dandy　was　right。　Fear；　inspired　by　love　is　an　infallible

instrument　by　which　to　manage　the　minds　of　women。　Whoso　loves；　fears；

whoso　fears　is　nearer　to　affection　than　to　hatred。



Had　Paul　the　coolness；　firmness；　and　judgment　required　for　this

struggle；　which　an　able　husband　ought　not　to　let　the　wife　suspect？　Did

Natalie　love　Paul？　Like　most　young　girls；　Natalie　mistook　for　love　the

first　emotions　of　instinct　and　the　pleasure　she　felt　in　Paul's

external　appearance；　but　she　knew　nothing　of　the　things　of　marriage

nor　the　demands　of　a　home。　To　her；　the　Comte　de　Manerville；　a　rising

diplomatist；　to　whom　the　courts　of　Europe　were　known；　and　one　of　the

most　elegant　young　men　in　Paris；　could　not　seem；　what　perhaps　he　was；

an　ordinary　man；　without　moral　force；　timid；　though　brave　in　some

ways；　energetic　perhaps　in　adversity；　but　helpless　against　the

vexations　and　annoyances　that　hinder　happiness。　Would　she；　in　after

years；　have　sufficient　tact　and　insight　to　distinguish　Paul's　noble

qualities　in　the　midst　of　his　minor　defects？　Would　she　not　magnify　the

latter　and　forget　the　former；　after　the　manner　of　young　wives　who　know

nothing　of　life？　There　comes　a　time　when　wives　will　pardon　defects　in

the　husband　who　spares　her　annoyances；　considering　annoyances　in　the

same　category　as　misfortunes。　What　conciliating　power；　what　wise

experience　would　uphold　and　enlighten　the　home　of　this　young　pair？

Paul　and　his　wife　would　doubtless　think　they　loved　when　they　had

really　not　advanced　beyond　the　endearments　and　compliments　of　the

honeymoon。　Would　Paul　in　that　early　period　yield　to　the　tyranny　of　his

wife；　instead　of　establishing　his　empire？　Could　Paul　say；　〃No？〃　All

was　peril　to　a　man　so　weak　where　even　a　strong　man　ran　some　risks。



The　subject　of　this　Study　is　not　the　transition　of　a　bachelor　into　a

married　man；a　picture　which；　if　broadly　composed；　would　not　lack　the

attraction　which　the　inner　struggles　of　our　nature　and　feelings　give

to　the　commonest　situations　in　life。　The　events　and　the　ideas　which

led　to　the　marriage　of　Paul　with　Natalie　Evangelista　are　an

introduction　to　our　real　subject；　which　is　to　sketch　the　great　comedy

that　precedes；　in　France；　all　conjugal　pairing。　This　Scene；　until　now

singularly　neglected　by　our　dramatic　authors；　although　it　offers　novel

resources　to　their　wit；　controlled　Paul's　future　life　and　was　now

awaited　by　Madame　Evangelista　with　feelings　of　terror。　We　mean　the

discussion　which　takes　place　on　the　subject　of　the　marriage　contract

in　all　families；　whether　noble　or　bourgeois；　for　human　passions　are　as

keenly　excited　by　small　interests　as　by　large　ones。　These　comedies；

played　before　a　notary；　all　resemble；　more　or　less；　the　one　we　shall

now　relate；　the　interest　of　which　will　be　far　less　in　the　pages　of

this　book　than　in　the　memories　of　married　persons。







CHAPTER　III



THE　MARRIAGE　CONTRACTFIRST　DAY



At　the　beginning　of　the　winter　of　1822；　Paul　de　Manerville　made　a

formal　request；　through　his　great…aunt；　the　Baronne　de　Maulincour；　for

the　hand　of　Mademoiselle　Natalie　Evangelista。　Though　the　baroness

never　stayed　more　than　two　months　in　Medoc；　she　remained　on　this

occasion　till　the　last　of　October；　in　order　to　assist　her　nephew

through　the　affair　and　play　the　part　of　a　mother　to　him。　After

conveying　the　first　suggestions　to　Madame　Evangelista　the　experienced

old　woman　returned　to　inform　Paul　of　the　results　of　the　overture。



〃My　child；〃　she　said；　〃the　affair　is　won。　In　talking　of　property；　I

found　that　Madame　Evangelista　gives　nothing　of　her　own　to　her

daughter。　Mademoiselle　Natalie's　dowry　is　her　patrimony。　Marry　her；　my

dear　boy。　Men　who　have　a　name　and　an　estate　to　transmit；　a　family　to

continue；　must；　sooner　or　later；　end　in　marriage。　I　wish　I　could　see

my　dear　Auguste　taking　that　course。　You　can　now　carry　on　the　marriage

without　me；　I　have　nothing　to　give　you　but　my　blessing；　and　women　as

old　as　I　are　out　of　place　at　a　wedding。　I　leave　for　Paris　to…morrow。

When　you　present　your　wife　in　society　I　shall　be　able　to　see　her　and

assist　her　far　more　to　the　purpose　than　now。　If　you　had　had　no　house

in　Paris　I　would　gladly　have　arranged　the　second　floor　of　mine　for

you。〃



〃Dear　aunt；〃　said　Paul；　〃I　thank　you　heartily。　But　what　do　you　mean

when　you　say　that　the　mother　gives　nothing　of　her　own；　and　that　the

daughter's　dowry　is　her　patrimony？〃



〃The　mother；　my　dear　boy；　is　a　sly　cat；　who　takes　advantage　of　her

daughter's　beauty　to　impose　conditions　and　allow　you　only　that　which

she　cannot　prevent　you　from　having；　namely；　the　daughter's　fortune

from　her　father。　We　old　people　know　the　importance　of　inquiring

closely；　What　has　he？　What　has　she？　I　advise　you　therefore　to　give

particular　instructions　to　your　notary。　The　marriage　contract；　my　dear

child；　is　the　most　sacred　of　all　duties。　If　your　father　and　your

mother　had　not　made　their　bed　properly　you　might　now　be　sleeping

without　sheets。　You　will　have　children；　they　are　the　commonest　result

of　marriage；　and　you　must　think　of　them。　Consult　Maitre　Mathias　our

old　notary。〃



Madame　de　Maulincour　departed；　having　plunged　Paul　into　a　state　of

extreme　perplexity。　His　mother…in…law　a　sly　cat！　Must　he　struggle　for

his　interests　in　the　marriage　contract？　Was　it　necessary　to　defend

them？　Who　was　likely　to　attack　them？



He　followed　the　advice　of　his　aunt　and　confided　the　drawing…up　of　the

marriage　contract　to　Maitre　Mathias。　But　these　threatened　discussions

oppressed　him；　and　he　went　to　see　Madame　Evangelista　and　announce　his

intentions　in　a　state　of　rather　lively　agitation。　Like　all　timid　men；

he　shrank　from　allowing　the　distrust　his　aunt　had　put　into　his　mind　to

be　seen；　in　fact；　he　considered　it　insulting。　To　avoid　even　a　slight

jar　with　a　person　so　imposing　to　his　mind　as　his　future　mother…in…law；

he　proceeded　to　state　his　intentions　with　the　circumlocution　natural

to　persons　who　dare　not　face　a　difficulty。



〃Madame；〃　he　said；　choosing　a　moment　when　Natalie　was　absent　from　the

room；　〃you　know；　of　course；　what　a　family　notary　is。　Mine　is　a　worthy

old　man；　to　whom　it　would　be　a　sincere　grief　if　he　were　not　entrusted

with　the　drawing　of　my　marriage　contract。〃



〃Why；　of　course！〃　said　Madame　Evangelista；　interrupting　him；　〃but　are

not　marriage　contracts　always　made　by　agreement　of　the　notaries　of

both　families？〃



The　time　that　Paul　took　to　reply　to　this　question　was　occupied　by

Madame　Evangelista　in　asking　herself；　〃What　is　he　thinking　of？〃　for

women　possess　in　an　eminent　degree　the　art　of　reading　thoughts　from

the　play　of　countenance。　She　divined　the　instigations　of　the　great…

aunt　in　the　embarrassed　glance　and　the　agitated　tone　of　voice　which

betrayed　an　inward　struggle　in　Paul's　mind。