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understand you。〃
〃Oh！ you are indeed an angel；〃 cried Balthazar； falling at her feet；
and shedding tears of tender feeling that made her quiver。 〃Yes； we
will understand each other in all things。〃
〃Ah！〃 she cried； 〃I would throw myself into those hellish fires which
heat your furnaces to hear these words from your lips and to see you
thus。〃 Then； hearing her daughter's step in the anteroom； she sprang
quickly forward。 〃What is it； Marguerite？〃 she said to her eldest
daughter。
〃My dear mother； Monsieur Pierquin has just come。 If he stays to
dinner we need some table…linen； you forgot to give it out this
morning。〃
Madame Claes drew from her pocket a bunch of small keys and gave them
to the young girl； pointing to the mahogany closets which lined the
ante…chamber as she said：
〃My daughter； take a set of the Graindorge linen； it is on your
right。〃
〃Since my dear Balthazar comes back to me； let the return be
complete；〃 she said； re…entering her chamber with a soft and arch
expression on her face。 〃My friend； go into your own room； do me the
kindness to dress for dinner； Pierquin will be with us。 Come； take off
this ragged clothing； see those stains！ Is it muratic or sulphuric
acid which left these yellow edges to the holes？ Make yourself young
again；I will send you Mulquinier as soon as I have changed my
dress。〃
Balthazar attempted to pass through the door of communication；
forgetting that it was locked on his side。 He went out through the
anteroom。
〃Marguerite； put the linen on a chair； and come and help me dress； I
don't want Martha；〃 said Madame Claes； calling her daughter。
Balthazar had caught Marguerite and turned her towards him with a
joyous action； exclaiming： 〃Good…evening； my child； how pretty you are
in your muslin gown and that pink sash！〃 Then he kissed her forehead
and pressed her hand。
〃Mamma； papa has kissed me！〃 cried Marguerite； running into her
mother's room。 〃He seems so joyous； so happy！〃
〃My child； your father is a great man； for three years he has toiled
for the fame and fortune of his family： he thinks he has attained the
object of his search。 This day is a festival for us all。〃
〃My dear mamma；〃 replied Marguerite； 〃we shall not be alone in our
joy； for the servants have been so grieved to see him unlike himself。
Oh！ put on another sash； this is faded。〃
〃So be it； but make haste； I want to speak to Pierquin。 Where is he？〃
〃In the parlor； playing with Jean。〃
〃Where are Gabriel and Felicie？〃
〃I hear them in the garden。〃
〃Run down quickly and see that they do not pick the tulips； your
father has not seen them in flower this year； and he may take a fancy
to look at them after dinner。 Tell Mulquinier to go up and assist your
father in dressing。〃
CHAPTER V
As Marguerite left the room； Madame Claes glanced at the children
through the windows of her chamber； which looked on the garden； and
saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings
spotted with gold； commonly called 〃darning…needles。〃
〃Be good； my darlings；〃 she said； raising the lower sash of the window
and leaving it up to air the room。 Then she knocked gently on the door
of communication； to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into
abstraction。 He opened it； and seeing him half…dressed； she said in
joyous tones：
〃You won't leave me long with Pierquin； will you？ Come as soon as you
can。〃
Her step was so light as she descended that a listener would never
have supposed her lame。
〃When monsieur carried madame upstairs；〃 said the old valet； whom she
met on the staircase； 〃he tore this bit out of her dress； and he broke
the jaw of that griffin； I'm sure I don't know who can put it on
again。 There's our staircase ruinedand it used to be so handsome！〃
〃Never mind； my poor Mulquinier； don't have it mended at allit is
not a misfortune；〃 said his mistress。
〃What can have happened？〃 thought Lemulquinier； 〃why isn't it a
misfortune； I should like to know？ has the master found the Absolute？〃
〃Good…evening； Monsieur Pierquin；〃 said Madame Claes； opening the
parlor door。
The notary rushed forward to give her his arm； as she never took any
but that of her husband she thanked him with a smile and said；
〃Have you come for the thirty thousand francs？〃
〃Yes； madame； when I reached home I found a letter of advice from
Messieurs Protez and Chiffreville； who have drawn six letters of
exchange upon Monsieur Claes for five thousand francs each。〃
〃Well； say nothing to Balthazar to…day；〃 she replied。 〃Stay and dine
with us。 If he happens to ask why you came； find some plausible
pretext； I entreat you。 Give me the letter。 I will speak to him myself
about it。 All is well；〃 she added； noticing the lawyer's surprise。 〃In
a few months my husband will probably pay off all the sums he has
borrowed。〃
Hearing these words； which were said in a low voice； the notary looked
at Mademoiselle Claes； who was entering the room from the garden
followed by Gabriel and Felicie； and remarked；
〃I have never seen Mademoiselle Marguerite as pretty as she is at this
moment。〃
Madame Claes； who was sitting in her armchair with little Jean upon
her lap； raised her head and looked at her daughter； and then at the
notary； with a pretended air of indifference。
Pierquin was a man of middle height； neither stout nor thin； with
vulgar good looks； a face that expressed vexation rather than
melancholy； and a pensive habit in which there was more of indecision
than thought。 People called him a misanthrope； but he was too eager
after his own interests； and too extortionate towards others to have
set up a genuine divorce from the world。 His indifferent demeanor； his
affected silence； his habitual custom of looking； as it were； into the
void； seemed to indicate depth of character； while in fact they merely
concealed the shallow insignificance of a notary busied exclusively
with earthly interests； though he was still young enough to feel envy。
To marry into the family of Claes would have been to him an object of
extreme desire； if an instinct of avarice had not underlain it。 He
could seem generous； but for all that he was a keen reckoner。 And
thus； without explaining to himself the motive for his change of
manner； his behavior was harsh； peremptory； and surly； like that of an
ordinary business man； when he thought the Claes were ruined；
accommodating； affectionate； and almost servile； when he saw reason to
believe in a happy issue to his cousin's labors。 Sometimes he beheld
an infanta in Margeurite Claes； to whom no provincial notary might
aspire； then he regarded her as any poor girl too happy if he deigned
to make her his wife。 He was a true provincial； and a Fleming； without
malevolence； not devoid of devotion and kindheartedness； but led by a
naive selfishness which rendered all his better qualities incomplete；
while certain absurdities of manner spoiled his personal appearance。
Madame Claes recollected the curt tone in which the notary had spoken
to her that afternoon in the porch of the church； and she took note of
the change which her present reply had wrought in his demeanor； she
guessed its meaning and tried to read her daughter's mind by a
penetrating glance； seeking to discover if she thought of her cousin；
but the young girl's manner showed complete indifference。
After a few moments spent in general conversation on the current
topics of the day； the master of the house came down from his bedroom；
where his wife had heard with inexpressible delight the creaking sound
of his boots as he trod the floor。 The step was that of a young and
active man； and foretold so complete a transformation； that the mere
expectation of his appearance made Madame Claes quiver as he descended
the stairs。 Balthazar entered； dressed in the fashion of the period。
He wore highly poli