登陆注册
15460400000024

第24章 CHAPTER III(13)

"It rains, Mathias; shall I take you home?" said Solonet. "My cabriolet is here.""My carriage is here too," said Paul, manifesting an intention to accompany the old man.

"I won't rob you of a moment's pleasure," said Mathias. "I accept my friend Solonet's offer.""Well," said Achilles to Nestor, as the cabriolet rolled away, "you have been truly patriarchal to-night. The fact is, those young people would certainly have ruined themselves.""I felt anxious about their future," replied Mathias, keeping silent as to the real motives of his proposition.

At this moment the two notaries were like a pair of actors arm in arm behind the stage on which they have played a scene of hatred and provocation.

"But," said Solonet, thinking of his rights as notary, "isn't it my place to buy that land you mentioned? The money is part of our dowry.""How can you put property bought in the name of Mademoiselle Evangelista into the creation of an entail by the Comte de Manerville?" replied Mathias.

"We shall have to ask the chancellor about that," said Solonet.

"But I am the notary of the seller as well as of the buyer of that land," said Mathias. "Besides, Monsieur de Manerville can buy in his own name. At the time of payment we can make mention of the fact that the dowry funds are put into it.""You've an answer for everything, old man," said Solonet, laughing.

"You were really surpassing to-night; you beat us squarely.""For an old fellow who didn't expect your batteries of grape-shot, Idid pretty well, didn't I?"

"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Solonet.

The odious struggle in which the material welfare of a family had been so perilously near destruction was to the two notaries nothing more than a matter of professional polemics.

"I haven't been forty years in harness for nothing," remarked Mathias.

"Look here, Solonet," he added, "I'm a good fellow; you shall help in drawing the deeds for the sale of those lands.""Thanks, my dear Mathias. I'll serve you in return on the very first occasion."While the two notaries were peacefully returning homeward, with no other sensations than a little throaty warmth, Paul and Madame Evangelista were left a prey to the nervous trepidation, the quivering of the flesh and brain which excitable natures pass through after a scene in which their interests and their feelings have been violently shaken. In Madame Evangelista these last mutterings of the storm were overshadowed by a terrible reflection, a lurid gleam which she wanted, at any cost, to dispel.

"Has Maitre Mathias destroyed in a few minutes the work I have been doing for six months?" she asked herself. "Was he withdrawing Paul from my influence by filling his mind with suspicion during their secret conference in the next room?"She was standing absorbed in these thoughts before the fireplace, her elbow resting on the marble mantel-shelf. When the porte-cochere closed behind the carriage of the two notaries, she turned to her future son-in-law, impatient to solve her doubts.

"This has been the most terrible day of my life," cried Paul, overjoyed to see all difficulties vanish. "I know no one so downright in speech as that old Mathias. May God hear him, and make me peer of France! Dear Natalie, I desire this for your sake more than for my own. You are my ambition; I live only in you."Hearing this speech uttered in the accents of the heart, and noting, more especially, the limpid azure of Paul's eyes, whose glance betrayed no thought of double meaning, Madame Evangelista's satisfaction was complete. She regretted the sharp language with which she had spurred him, and in the joy of success she resolved to reassure him as to the future. Calming her countenance, and giving to her eyes that expression of tender friendship which made her so attractive, she smiled and answered:--"I can say as much to you. Perhaps, dear Paul, my Spanish nature has led me farther than my heart desired. Be what you are,--kind as God himself,--and do not be angry with me for a few hasty words. Shake hands."Paul was abashed; he fancied himself to blame, and he kissed Madame Evangelista.

"Dear Paul," she said with much emotion, "why could not those two sharks have settled this matter without dragging us into it, since it was so easy to settle?""In that case I should not have known how grand and generous you can be," replied Paul.

"Indeed she is, Paul," cried Natalie, pressing his hand.

"We have still a few little matters to settle, my dear son," said Madame Evangelista. "My daughter and I are above the foolish vanities to which so many persons cling. Natalie does not need my diamonds, but I am glad to give them to her.""Ah! my dear mother, do you suppose that I will accept them?""Yes, my child; they are one of the conditions of the contract.""I will not allow it; I will not marry at all," cried Natalie, vehemently. "Keep those jewels which my father took such pride in collecting for you. How could Monsieur Paul exact--""Hush, my dear," said her mother, whose eyes now filled with tears.

"My ignorance of business compels me to a greater sacrifice than that.""What sacrifice?"

"I must sell my house in order to pay the money that I owe to you.""What money can you possibly owe to me?" she said; "to me, who owe you life! If my marriage costs you the slightest sacrifice, I will not marry.""Child!"

"Dear Natalie, try to understand that neither I, nor your mother, nor you yourself, require these sacrifices, but our children.""Suppose I do not marry at all?"

"Do you not love me?" said Paul, tenderly.

"Come, come, my silly child; do you imagine that a contract is like a house of cards which you can blow down at will? Dear little ignoramus, you don't know what trouble we have had to found an entail for the benefit of your eldest son. Don't cast us back into the discussions from which we have just escaped.""Why do you wish to ruin my mother?" said Natalie, looking at Paul.

"Why are you so rich?" he replied, smiling.

同类推荐
  • 仁术便览

    仁术便览

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 古谣谚

    古谣谚

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 宁坤秘笈

    宁坤秘笈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 孙子兵法

    孙子兵法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Russia in 1919

    Russia in 1919

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • purelove纯洁的爱

    purelove纯洁的爱

    她,是大一的小学妹;他,是高三的学长。她,是普通的女孩;他,是众人喜欢的校草。那年她入学,不小心撞到了他,他很生气,但看到她一副单纯的模样,就喜欢上了她。他喜欢她,但是她并不知道。后来经历了许许多多的事情,俩人最终在一起了......
  • 十八年后我十八

    十八年后我十八

    我是被风吹落的叶子再也看不见你不舍得样子飞到了你桌上的本子看到了你眼里我的样子我是被你拾起的叶子感受到了你手里的情字却看不见你眼里的爱字然后在你满员的院子我变成了永远摸不到的影子
  • 吸血之殿

    吸血之殿

    _ 黑 夜 的 神 秘 ,异 界 的 玄 幻_ 秂 、 妖 两 界 的 不 相 融_ 却 要 生 活 在 一 个 学 校 里_ 异 界 死 而 复 生 的 传 说 是 否 可 信 ?_ 自 己 最 爱 的 秂 又 为 什 么 要 对 自 己 设 下 诅 咒 ?_ 同 类 之 间 的 僾 又 为 什 么 这 么 辛 苦 ?_ 背 后 的 主 使 者 究 竟 是 谁 ?_ 纯 血 统 的 他 们 又 在 争 夺 什 么 呢 ?
  • 糖尿病科学保健指南

    糖尿病科学保健指南

    糖尿病是一组由于胰岛素分泌缺陷或胰岛素作用障碍所致的以高血糖为特征的代谢性疾病。持续高血糖与长期代谢紊乱等可导致全身组织器官,特别是眼、肾、心血管及神经系统的损害及其功能障碍和衰竭。严重者可引起失水,电解质紊乱和酸碱平衡失调等急性并发症酮症酸中毒和昏迷。本书主要分别对糖尿病的基本知识、生活方式与糖尿病、糖尿病的防治策略,具有降血糖作用的各种食物等做了全面、科学系统地阐述,并介绍了防治糖尿病的食疗药膳方,对每一个食料保健方都作了详细的介绍。
  • 三国演义白话文

    三国演义白话文

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 绿染炎夏

    绿染炎夏

    岁月果然是残忍的,当曾经天真可爱的少女逐渐被青春中的背叛离别浸湿后,逐渐成长为独当一面的高冷女王,曾经的爱人还能找回当初那个总爱穿着绿色裙子,笑得一脸无邪的少女吗?还请期待!
  • 屠神传说之疯魔狂舞

    屠神传说之疯魔狂舞

    “你不会连最基本的搭讪都不会吧?”“额……真不会,当初都是美女和我搭讪,哦!对了,据说现在还有的已经开山立派了。”“你有没有厉害的战技?”“这个也没有,我只有斗战圣法!”“哎!匆匆数千载,忽地觉得有些迷茫,不知为何修行,你呢?那般拼命修炼是为了什么?”“屠神!”“……”我叫凌云飞,当双手挣扎着从连墓碑都没有的坟墓中爬出,有关英雄屠神的传说也由此拉开了帷幕!既然诸神称吾等为魔,那么我们便猖獗疯魔,屠神灭佛,演绎场传说!
  • 女人要懂得选择 学会放弃

    女人要懂得选择 学会放弃

    本书从女人的角度出发,阐述了在复杂纷繁的社会中如何以豁达、乐观的心态,面对各种抉择,做出正确的选择,放弃不必要的烦扰,轻装上阵,活出真我,获取生活、事业的成功。
  • 爱情故事奇

    爱情故事奇

    一本以五章为一卷,一年四季,每季出一卷。作品不废话,喜欢爱情的读者敬请关注!这是一本永远写不完的小说……
  • 无限穿越之二次元纵横

    无限穿越之二次元纵横

    一个在现实世界普通的宅男悲催的被雷劈了,然后他意外的得到了一个穿越系统,从此他踏上了征服二次元的征途.