"But," continued the judge, "if you have no more than twenty-six thousand francs a year, you may have a hundred thousand francs of debt.The Court would therefore have a right to imagine that the motives which prompt you to ask that your husband may be deprived of the control of his property are complicated by self-interest and the need of paying your debts--if--you--have--any.The requests addressed to me have interested me in your position; consider fully and make your confession.If my suppositions have hit the truth, there is yet time to avoid the blame which the Court would have a perfect right to express in the saving clauses of the verdict if you could not show your attitude to be absolutely honorable and clear.
"It is our duty to examine the motives of the applicant as well as to listen to the plea of the witness under examination, to ascertain whether the petitioner may not have been prompted by passion, by a desire for money, which is unfortunately too common----"The Marquise was on Saint Laurence's gridiron.
"And I must have explanations on this point.Madame, I have no wish to call you to account; I only want to know how you have managed to live at the rate of sixty thousand francs a year, and that for some years past.There are plenty of women who achieve this in their housekeeping, but you are not one of those.Tell me, you may have the most legitimate resources, a royal pension, or some claim on the indemnities lately granted; but even then you must have had your husband's authority to receive them."The Marquise did not speak.
"You must remember," Popinot went on, "that M.d'Espard may wish to enter a protest, and his counsel will have a right to find out whether you have any creditors.This boudoir is newly furnished, your rooms are not now furnished with the things left to you by M.d'Espard in 1816.If, as you did me the honor of informing me, furniture is costly for the Jeanrenauds, it must be yet more so for you, who are a great lady.Though I am a judge, I am but a man; I may be wrong--tell me so.
Remember the duties imposed on me by the law, and the rigorous inquiries it demands, when the case before it is the suspension from all his functions of the father of a family in the prime of life.So you will pardon me, Madame la Marquise, for laying all these difficulties before you; it will be easy for you to give me an explanation.
"When a man is pronounced incapable of the control of his own affairs, a trustee has to be appointed.Who will be the trustee?""His brother," said the Marquise.
The Chevalier bowed.There was a short silence, very uncomfortable for the five persons who were present.The judge, in sport as it were, had laid open the woman's sore place.Popinot's countenance of common, clumsy good-nature, at which the Marquise, the Chevalier, and Rastignac had been inclined to laugh, had gained importance in their eyes.As they stole a look at him, they discerned the various expressions of that eloquent mouth.The ridiculous mortal was a judge of acumen.His studious notice of the boudoir was accounted for: he had started from the gilt elephant supporting the chimney-clock, examining all this luxury, and had ended by reading this woman's soul.
"If the Marquis d'Espard is mad about China, I see that you are not less fond of its products," said Popinot, looking at the porcelain on the chimney-piece."But perhaps it was from M.le Marquis that you had these charming Oriental pieces," and he pointed to some precious trifles.
This irony, in very good taste, made Bianchon smile, and petrified Rastignac, while the Marquise bit her thin lips.
"Instead of being the protector of a woman placed in a cruel dilemma--an alternative between losing her fortune and her children, and being regarded as her husband's enemy," she said, "you accuse me, monsieur!
You suspect my motives! You must own that your conduct is strange!""Madame," said the judge eagerly, "the caution exercised by the Court in such cases as these might have given you, in any other judge, a perhaps less indulgent critic than I am.--And do you suppose that M.
d'Espard's lawyer will show you any great consideration? Will he not be suspicious of motives which may be perfectly pure and disinterested? Your life will be at his mercy; he will inquire into it without qualifying his search by the respectful deference I have for you.""I am much obliged to you, monsieur," said the Marquise satirically.
"Admitting for the moment that I owe thirty thousand or fifty thousand francs, in the first place, it would be a mere trifle to the d'Espards and the Blamont-Chauvrys.But if my husband is not in the possession of his mental faculties, would that prevent his being pronounced incapable?""No, madame," said Popinot.
"Although you have questioned me with a sort of cunning which I should not have suspected in a judge, and under circumstances where straightforwardness would have answered your purpose," she went on, "Iwill tell you without subterfuge that my position in the world, and the efforts I have to make to keep up my connection, are not in the least to my taste.I began my life by a long period of solitude; but my children's interest appealed to me; I felt that I must fill their father's place.By receiving my friends, by keeping up all this connection, by contracting these debts, I have secured their future welfare; I have prepared for them a brilliant career where they will find help and favor; and to have what has thus been acquired, many a man of business, lawyer or banker, would gladly pay all it has cost me.""I appreciate your devoted conduct, madame," replied Popinot."It does you honor, and I blame you for nothing.A judge belongs to all: he must know and weigh every fact."Madame d'Espard's tact and practice in estimating men made her understand that M.Popinot was not to be influenced by any consideration.She had counted on an ambitious lawyer, she had found a man of conscience.She at once thought of finding other means for securing the success of her side.
