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of course； the guardianship account。 If madame； with Spanish
generosity； robs herself in this way to fulfil her obligations； the
least that her children can do is to give her a full receipt。〃
〃Nothing could be more just than that；〃 said Paul。 〃I am simply
overwhelmed by these generous proposals。〃
〃My daughter is another myself；〃 said Madame Evangelista； softly。
Maitre Mathias detected a look of joy on her face when she saw that
the difficulties were being removed： that joy； and the previous
forgetfulness of the diamonds； which were now brought forward like
fresh troops； confirmed his suspicions。
〃The scene has been prepared between them as gamblers prepare the
cards to ruin a pigeon；〃 thought the old notary。 〃Is this poor boy；
whom I saw born； doomed to be plucked alive by that woman； roasted by
his very love； and devoured by his wife？ I； who have nursed these fine
estates for years with such care； am I to see them ruined in a single
night？ Three million and a half to be hypothecated for eleven hundred
thousand francs these women will force him to squander！〃
Discovering thus in the soul of the elder woman intentions which；
without involving crime； theft； swindling； or any actually evil or
blameworthy action； nevertheless belonged to all those criminalities
in embryo； Maitre Mathias felt neither sorrow nor generous
indignation。 He was not the Misanthrope； he was an old notary；
accustomed in his business to the shrewd calculations of worldly
people； to those clever bits of treachery which do more fatal injury
than open murder on the high…road committed by some poor devil； who is
guillotined in consequence。 To the upper classes of society these
passages in life； these diplomatic meetings and discussions are like
the necessary cesspools where the filth of life is thrown。 Full of
pity for his client； Mathias cast a foreseeing eye into the future and
saw nothing good。
〃We'll take the field with the same weapons；〃 thought he； 〃and beat
them。〃
At this moment； Paul； Solonet and Madame Evangelista； becoming
embarrassed by the old man's silence； felt that the approval of that
censor was necessary to carry out the transaction； and all three
turned to him simultaneously。
〃Well； my dear Monsieur Mathias； what do you think of it？〃 said Paul。
〃This is what I think；〃 said the conscientious and uncompromising
notary。 〃You are not rich enough to commit such regal folly。 The
estate of Lanstrac； if estimated at three per cent on its rentals；
represents； with its furniture； one million。； the farms of Grassol and
Guadet and your vineyard of Belle…Rose are worth another million； your
two houses in Bordeaux and Paris； with their furniture； a third
million。 Against those three millions； yielding forty…seven thousand
francs a year； Mademoiselle Natalie brings eight hundred thousand
francs in the Five…per…cents； the diamonds （supposing them to be worth
a hundred thousand francs； which is still problematical） and fifty
thousand francs in money； in all； one million and fifty thousand
francs。 In presence of such facts my brother notary tells you
boastfully that we are marrying equal fortunes！ He expects us to
encumber ourselves with a debt of eleven hundred and fifty…six
thousand francs to our children by acknowledging the receipt of our
wife's patrimony； when we have actually received but little more than
a doubtful million。 You are listening to such stuff with the rapture
of a lover； and you think that old Mathias； who is not in love； can
forget arithmetic； and will not point out the difference between
landed estate； the actual value of which is enormous and constantly
increasing； and the revenues of personal property； the capital of
which is subject to fluctuations and diminishment of income。 I am old
enough to have learned that money dwindles and land augments。 You have
called me in； Monsieur le comte； to stipulate for your interests；
either let me defend those interests； or dismiss me。〃
〃If monsieur is seeking a fortune equal in capital to his own；〃 said
Solonet； 〃we certainly cannot give it to him。 We do not possess three
millions and a half； nothing can be more evident。 While you can boast
of your three overwhelming millions； we can only produce our poor one
million；a mere nothing in your eyes； though three times the dowry of
an archduchess of Austria。 Bonaparte received only two hundred and
fifty thousand francs with Maria…Louisa。〃
〃Maria…Louisa was the ruin of Bonaparte；〃 muttered Mathias。
Natalie's mother caught the words。
〃If my sacrifices are worth nothing；〃 she cried； 〃I do not choose to
continue such a discussion； I trust to the discretion of Monsieur le
comte； and I renounce the honor of his hand for my daughter。〃
According to the strategy marked out by the younger notary； this
battle of contending interests had now reached the point where victory
was certain for Madame Evangelista。 The mother…in…law had opened her
heart； delivered up her property； and was therefore practically
released as her daughter's guardian。 The future husband； under pain of
ignoring the laws of generous propriety and being false to love； ought
now to accept these conditions previously planned； and cleverly led up
to by Solonet and Madame Evangelista。 Like the hands of a clock turned
by mechanism； Paul came faithfully up to time。
〃Madame！〃 he exclaimed； 〃is it possible you can think of breaking off
the marriage？〃
〃Monsieur；〃 she replied； 〃to whom am I accountable？ To my daughter。
When she is twenty…one years of age she will receive my guardianship
account and release me。 She will then possess a million； and can； if
she likes； choose her husband among the sons of the peers of France。
She is a daughter of the Casa…Reale。〃
〃Madame is right；〃 remarked Solonet。 〃Why should she be more hardly
pushed to…day than she will be fourteen months hence？ You ought not to
deprive her of the benefits of her maternity。〃
〃Mathias；〃 cried Paul； in deep distress； 〃there are two sorts of ruin；
and you are bringing one upon me at this moment。〃
He made a step towards the old notary； no doubt intending to tell him
that the contract must be drawn at once。 But Mathias stopped that
disaster with a glance which said； distinctly； 〃Wait！〃 He saw the
tears in Paul's eyes；tears drawn from an honorable man by the shame
of this discussion as much as by the peremptory speech of Madame
Evangelista； threatening rupture；and the old man stanched them with
a gesture like that of Archimedes when he cried； 〃Eureka！〃 The words
〃peer of France〃 had been to him like a torch in a dark crypt。
Natalie appeared at this moment； dazzling as the dawn； saying； with
infantine look and manner； 〃Am I in the way？〃
〃Singularly so； my child；〃 answered her mother； in a bitter tone。
〃Come in； dear Natalie；〃 said Paul； taking her hand and leading her to
a chair near the fireplace。 〃All is settled。〃
He felt it impossible to en