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life she planned for him。
After dinner the two plenipotentiaries left the loving pair with the
mother； and betook themselves to an adjoining salon where their
conference was arranged to take place。 A dual scene then followed on
this domestic stage： in the chimney…corner of the great salon a scene
of love； in which to all appearances life was smiles and joy； in the
other room； a scene of gravity and gloom； where selfish interests；
baldly proclaimed； openly took the part they play in life under
flowery disguises。
〃My dear master；〃 said Solonet； 〃the document can remain under your
lock and key； I know very well what I owe to my old preceptor。〃
Mathias bowed gravely。 〃But；〃 continued Solonet； unfolding the rough
copy of a deed he had made his clerk draw up； 〃as we are the oppressed
party； I mean the daughter； I have written the contractwhich will
save you trouble。 We marry with our rights under the rule of community
of interests； with general donation of our property to each other in
case of death without heirs； if not； donation of one…fourth as life
interest； and one…fourth in fee； the sum placed in community of
interests to be one…fourth of the respective property of each party；
the survivor to possess the furniture without appraisal。 It's all as
simple as how d'ye do。〃
〃Ta； ta； ta； ta；〃 said Mathias； 〃I don't do business as one sings a
tune。 What are your claims？〃
〃What are yours？〃 said Solonet。
〃Our property；〃 replied Mathias； 〃is： the estate of Lanstrac； which
brings in a rental of twenty…three thousand francs a year； not
counting the natural products。 Item： the farms of Grassol and Guadet；
each worth three thousand six hundred francs a year。 Item： the
vineyard of Belle…Rose； yielding in ordinary years sixteen thousand
francs； total； forty…six thousand two hundred francs a year。 Item： the
patrimonial mansion at Bordeaux taxed for nine hundred francs。 Item： a
handsome house； between court and garden in Paris； rue de la
Pepiniere； taxed for fifteen hundred francs。 These pieces of property；
the title…deeds of which I hold； are derived from our father and
mother； except the house in Paris； which we bought ourselves。 We must
also reckon in the furniture of the two houses； and that of the
chateau of Lanstrac； estimated at four hundred and fifty thousand
francs。 There's the table； the cloth； and the first course。 What do
you bring for the second course and the dessert？〃
〃Our rights；〃 replied Solonet。
〃Specify them； my friend；〃 said Mathias。 〃What do you bring us？ Where
is the inventory of the property left by Monsieur Evangelista？ Show me
the liquidation； the investment of the amount。 Where is your capital？
if there is any capital。 Where is your landed property？if you have
any。 In short； let us see your guardianship account； and tell us what
you bring and what your mother will secure to us。〃
〃Does Monsieur le Comte de Manerville love Mademoiselle Evangelista？〃
〃He wishes to make her his wife if the marriage can be suitably
arranged；〃 said the old notary。 〃I am not a child； this matter
concerns our business； and not our feelings。〃
〃The marriage will be off unless you show generous feeling； and for
this reason；〃 continued Solonet。 〃No inventory was made at the death
of our husband； we are Spaniards； Creoles； and know nothing of French
laws。 Besides； we were too deeply grieved at our loss to think at such
a time of the miserable formalities which occupy cold hearts。 It is
publicly well known that our late husband adored us； and that we
mourned for him sincerely。 If we did have a settlement of accounts
with a short inventory attached； made； as one may say； by common
report； you can thank our surrogate guardian； who obliged us to
establish a status and assign to our daughter a fortune； such as it
is； at a time when we were forced to withdraw from London our English
securities； the capital of which was immense； and re…invest the
proceeds in Paris； where interests were doubled。〃
〃Don't talk nonsense to me。 There are various ways of verifying the
property。 What was the amount of your legacy tax？ Those figures will
enable us to get at the total。 Come to the point。 Tell us frankly what
you received from the father's estate and how much remains of it。 If
we are very much in love we'll see then what we can do。〃
〃If you are marrying us for our money you can go about your business。
We have claims to more than a million； but all that remains to our
mother is this house and furniture and four hundred odd thousand
francs invested about 1817 in the Five…per…cents； which yield about
forty…thousand francs a year。〃
〃Then why do you live in a style that requires one hundred thousand a
year at the least？〃 cried Mathias； horror…stricken。
〃Our daughter has cost us the eyes out of our head；〃 replied Solonet。
〃Besides； we like to spend money。 Your jeremiads； let me tell you；
won't recover two farthings of the money。〃
〃With the fifty thousand francs a year which belong to Mademoiselle
Natalie you could have brought her up handsomely without coming to
ruin。 But if you have squandered everything while you were a girl what
will it be when you are a married woman？〃
〃Then drop us altogether；〃 said Solonet。 〃The handsomest girl in
Bordeaux has a right to spend more than she has； if she likes。〃
〃I'll talk to my client about that；〃 said the old notary。
〃Very good； old father Cassandra； go and tell your client that we
haven't a penny；〃 thought Solonet； who； in the solitude of his study；
had strategically massed his forces； drawn up his propositions； manned
the drawbridge of discussion； and prepared the point at which the
opposing party； thinking the affair a failure； could suddenly be led
into a compromise which would end in the triumph of his client。
The white dress with its rose…colored ribbons； the Sevigne curls；
Natalie's tiny foot； her winning glance； her pretty fingers constantly
employed in adjusting curls that needed no adjustment； these girlish
manoeuvres like those of a peacock spreading his tail； had brought
Paul to the point at which his future mother…in…law desired to see
him。 He was intoxicated with love； and his eyes； the sure thermometer
of the soul； indicated the degree of passion at which a man commits a
thousand follies。
〃Natalie is so beautiful；〃 he whispered to the mother； 〃that I can
conceive the frenzy which leads a man to pay for his happiness by
death。〃
Madame Evangelista replied with a shake of her head：
〃Lover's talk； my dear count。 My husband never said such charming
things to me； but he married me without a fortune and for thirteen
years he never caused me one moment's pain。〃
〃Is that a lesson you are giving me？〃 said Paul； laughing。
〃You know how I love you； my dear son；〃 she answered； pressing his
hand。 〃I must indeed love you well to give you my Natalie。〃
〃Give me； give me？〃 said the young girl； waving a screen of Indian