English
AssoonasBarroishadlefttheroom,NoirtierlookedatValentinewithamaliciousexpressionthatsaidmanythings.
Theyounggirlperfectlyunderstoodthelook,andsodidVillefort,forhiscountenancebecameclouded,andheknittedhiseyebrowsangrily.
Hetookaseat,andquietlyawaitedthearrivalofthenotary.
Noirtiersawhimseathimselfwithanappearanceofperfectindifference,atthesametimegivingasidelookatValentine,whichmadeherunderstandthatshealsowastoremainintheroom.
Three–quartersofanhourafter,Barroisreturned,bringingthenotarywithhim.
“Sir,”saidVillefort,afterthefirstsalutationswereover,“youweresentforbyM.Noirtier,whomyouseehere.
Allhislimbshavebecomecompletelyparalysed,hehaslosthisvoicealso,andweourselvesfindmuchtroubleinendeavoringtocatchsomefragmentsofhismeaning.”
NoirtiercastanappealinglookonValentine,whichlookwasatoncesoearnestandimperative,thatsheansweredimmediately.
“Sir,”saidshe,“Iperfectlyunderstandmygrandfather’smeaningatalltimes.”
“Thatisquitetrue,”saidBarrois;“andthatiswhatItoldthegentlemanaswewalkedalong.”
“Permitme,”saidthenotary,turningfirsttoVillefortandthentoValentine—”permitmetostatethatthecaseinquestionisjustoneofthoseinwhichapublicofficerlikemyselfcannotproceedtoactwithouttherebyincurringadangerousresponsibility.
Thefirstthingnecessarytorenderanactvalidis,thatthenotaryshouldbethoroughlyconvincedthathehasfaithfullyinterpretedthewillandwishesofthepersondictatingtheact.
NowIcannotbesureoftheapprobationordisapprobationofaclientwhocannotspeak,andastheobjectofhisdesireorhisrepugnancecannotbeclearlyprovedtome,onaccountofhiswantofspeech,myservicesherewouldbequiteuseless,andcannotbelegallyexercised.”Thenotarythenpreparedtoretire.
Animperceptiblesmileoftriumphwasexpressedonthelipsoftheprocureur.
NoirtierlookedatValentinewithanexpressionsofullofgrief,thatshearrestedthedepartureofthenotary.
“Sir,”saidshe,“thelanguagewhichIspeakwithmygrandfathermaybeeasilylearnt,andIcanteachyouinafewminutes,tounderstanditalmostaswellasIcanmyself.
Willyoutellmewhatyourequire,inordertosetyourconsciencequiteateaseonthesubject?”
“Inordertorenderanactvalid,Imustbecertainoftheapprobationordisapprobationofmyclient.
Illnessofbodywouldnotaffectthevalidityofthedeed,butsanityofmindisabsolutelyrequisite.”
“Well,sir,bythehelpoftwosigns,withwhichIwillacquaintyoupresently,youmayascertainwithperfectcertaintythatmygrandfatherisstillinthefullpossessionofallhismentalfaculties.
M.Noirtier,beingdeprivedofvoiceandmotion,isaccustomedtoconveyhismeaningbyclosinghiseyeswhenhewishestosignify‘yes,’andtowinkwhenhemeans‘no.’
YounowknowquiteenoughtoenableyoutoconversewithM.Noirtier;—try.”
NoirtiergaveValentinesuchalookoftendernessandgratitudethatitwascomprehendedevenbythenotaryhimself.
“Youhaveheardandunderstoodwhatyourgranddaughterhasbeensaying,sir,haveyou?”askedthenotary.Noirtierclosedhiseyes.
“Andyouapproveofwhatshesaid—thatistosay,youdeclarethatthesignswhichshementionedarereallythosebymeansofwhichyouareaccustomedtoconveyyourthoughts?”
“Yes.”
“Itwasyouwhosentforme?”
“Yes.”
“Tomakeyourwill?”
“Yes.”
“Andyoudonotwishmetogoawaywithoutfulfillingyouroriginalintentions?”Theoldmanwinkedviolently.
“Well,sir,”saidtheyounggirl,“doyouunderstandnow,andisyourconscienceperfectlyatrestonthesubject?”
Butbeforethenotarycouldanswer,Villeforthaddrawnhimaside.
“Sir,”saidhe,“doyousupposeforamomentthatamancansustainaphysicalshock,suchasM.Noirtierhasreceived,withoutanydetrimenttohismentalfaculties?”
“Itisnotexactlythat,sir,”saidthenotary,“whichmakesmeuneasy,butthedifficultywillbeinwordinghisthoughtsandintentions,soastobeabletogethisanswers.”
“Youmustseethattobeanutterimpossibility,”saidVillefort.
Valentineandtheoldmanheardthisconversation,andNoirtierfixedhiseyesoearnestlyonValentinethatshefeltboundtoanswertothelook.
“Sir,”saidshe,“thatneednotmakeyouuneasy,howeverdifficultitmayatfirstsightappeartobe.
Icandiscoverandexplaintoyoumygrandfather’sthoughts,soastoputanendtoallyourdoubtsandfearsonthesubject.
IhavenowbeensixyearswithM.Noirtier,andlethimtellyouifeveronce,duringthattime,hehasentertainedathoughtwhichhewasunabletomakemeunderstand.”
“No,”signedtheoldman.
“Letustrywhatwecando,then,”saidthenotary.“Youacceptthisyoungladyasyourinterpreter,M.Noirtier?”
“Yes.”
“Well,sir,whatdoyourequireofme,andwhatdocumentisitthatyouwishtobedrawnup?”
ValentinenamedallthelettersofthealphabetuntilshecametoW.
AtthislettertheeloquenteyeofNoirtiergavehernoticethatshewastostop.
“ItisveryevidentthatitistheletterWwhichM.Noirtierwants,”saidthenotary.
“Wait,”saidValentine;and,turningtohergrandfather,sherepeated,“Wa—We—Wi”—Theoldmanstoppedheratthelastsyllable.
Valentinethentookthedictionary,andthenotarywatchedherwhilesheturnedoverthepages.
Shepassedherfingerslowlydownthecolumns,andwhenshecametotheword“Will,”M.Noirtier’seyebadeherstop.
“Will,”saidthenotary;“itisveryevidentthatM.Noirtierisdesirousofmakinghiswill.”
“Yes,yes,yes,”motionedtheinvalid.
“Really,sir,youmustallowthatthisismostextraordinary,”saidtheastonishednotary,turningtoM.deVillefort.
“Yes,”saidtheprocureur,“andIthinkthewillpromisestobeyetmoreextraordinary,forIcannotseehowitistobedrawnupwithouttheinterventionofValentine,andshemay,perhaps,beconsideredastoomuchinterestedinitscontentstoallowofherbeingasuitableinterpreteroftheobscureandill–definedwishesofhergrandfather.”
“No,no,no,”repliedtheeyeoftheparalytic.
“What?”saidVillefort,“doyoumeantosaythatValentineisnotinterestedinyourwill?”
“No.”
“Sir,”saidthenotary,whoseinteresthadbeengreatlyexcited,andwhohadresolvedonpublishingfarandwidetheaccountofthisextraordinaryandpicturesquescene,“whatappearedsoimpossibletomeanhourago,hasnowbecomequiteeasyandpracticable,andthismaybeaperfectlyvalidwill,provideditbereadinthepresenceofsevenwitnesses,approvedbythetestator,andsealedbythenotaryinthepresenceofthewitnesses.
Astothetime,itwillnotrequireverymuchmorethanthegeneralityofwills.
Therearecertainformsnecessarytobegonethrough,andwhicharealwaysthesame.
Astothedetails,thegreaterpartwillbefurnishedafterwardsbythestateinwhichwefindtheaffairsofthetestator,andbyyourself,who,havinghadthemanagementofthem,candoubtlessgivefullinformationonthesubject.
Butbesidesallthis,inorderthattheinstrumentmaynotbecontested,Iamanxioustogiveitthegreatestpossibleauthenticity,therefore,oneofmycolleagueswillhelpme,and,contrarytocustom,willassistinthedictationofthetestament.Areyousatisfied,sir?”
continuedthenotary,addressingtheoldman.
“Yes,”lookedtheinvalid,hiseyebeamingwithdelightatthereadyinterpretationofhismeaning.
“Whatishegoingtodo?”thoughtVillefort,whosepositiondemandedmuchreserve,butwhowaslongingtoknowwhathisfather’sintentionswere.
Helefttheroomtogiveordersforanothernotarytobesent,butBarrois,whohadheardallthatpassed,hadguessedhismaster’swishes,andhadalreadygonetofetchone.
Theprocureurthentoldhiswifetocomeup.
Inthecourseofaquarterofanhoureveryonehadassembledinthechamberoftheparalytic;thesecondnotaryhadalsoarrived.
Afewwordssufficedforamutualunderstandingbetweenthetwoofficersofthelaw.
TheyreadtoNoirtiertheformalcopyofawill,inordertogivehimanideaofthetermsinwhichsuchdocumentsaregenerallycouched;then,inordertotestthecapacityofthetestator,thefirstnotarysaid,turningtowardshim,—”Whenanindividualmakeshiswill,itisgenerallyinfavororinprejudiceofsomeperson.”
“Yes.”
“Haveyouanexactideaoftheamountofyourfortune?”
“Yes.”
“Iwillnametoyouseveralsumswhichwillincreasebygradation;youwillstopmewhenIreachtheonerepresentingtheamountofyourownpossessions?”
“Yes.”Therewasakindofsolemnityinthisinterrogation.
Neverhadthestrugglebetweenmindandmatterbeenmoreapparentthannow,andifitwasnotasublime,itwas,atleast,acuriousspectacle.
Theyhadformedacircleroundtheinvalid;thesecondnotarywassittingatatable,preparedforwriting,andhiscolleaguewasstandingbeforethetestatorintheactofinterrogatinghimonthesubjecttowhichwehavealluded.“Yourfortuneexceeds300,000.francs,doesitnot?”askedhe.Noirtiermadeasignthatitdid.“Doyoupossess400,000francs?”inquiredthenotary.Noirtier’seyeremainedimmovable.
“Fivehundredthousand?”Thesameexpressioncontinued.
“Sixhundredthousand—700,000—800,000—900,000?”
Noirtierstoppedhimatthelast–namedsum.“Youaretheninpossessionof900,000.francs?”askedthenotary.“Yes.”
“Inlandedproperty?”
“No.”
“Instock?”
“Yes.”
“Thestockisinyourownhands?”ThelookwhichM.NoirtiercastonBarroisshowedthattherewassomethingwantingwhichheknewwheretofind.
Theoldservantlefttheroom,andpresentlyreturned,bringingwithhimasmallcasket.“Doyoupermitustoopenthiscasket?”askedthenotary.Noirtiergavehisassent.Theyopenedit,andfound900,000.francsinbankscrip.
Thefirstnotaryhandedovereachnote,asheexaminedit,tohiscolleague.
ThetotalamountwasfoundtobeasM.Noirtierhadstated.
“Itisallashehassaid;itisveryevidentthatthemindstillretainsitsfullforceandvigor.”
Then,turningtowardstheparalytic,hesaid,“Youpossess,then,900,000.
francsofcapital,which,accordingtothemannerinwhichyouhaveinvestedit,oughttobringinanincomeofabout40,000livres?”
“Yes.”
“Towhomdoyoudesiretoleavethisfortune?”
“Oh,”saidMadamedeVillefort,“thereisnotmuchdoubtonthatsubject.
M.Noirtiertenderlyloveshisgranddaughter,MademoiselledeVillefort;itisshewhohasnursedandtendedhimforsixyears,andhas,byherdevotedattention,fullysecuredtheaffection,Ihadalmostsaidthegratitude,ofhergrandfather,anditisbutjustthatsheshouldreapthefruitofherdevotion.”
TheeyeofNoirtierclearlyshowedbyitsexpressionthathewasnotdeceivedbythefalseassentgivenbyMadamedeVillefort’swordsandmannertothemotiveswhichshesupposedhimtoentertain.
“Isit,then,toMademoiselleValentinedeVillefortthatyouleavethese900,000francs?”
demandedthenotary,thinkinghehadonlytoinsertthisclause,butwaitingfirstfortheassentofNoirtier,whichitwasnecessaryshouldbegivenbeforeallthewitnessesofthissingularscene.
Valentine,whenhernamewasmadethesubjectofdiscussion,hadsteppedback,toescapeunpleasantobservation;hereyeswerecastdown,andshewascrying.
Theoldmanlookedatherforaninstantwithanexpressionofthedeepesttenderness,then,turningtowardsthenotary,hesignificantlywinkedhiseyeintokenofdissent.
“What,”saidthenotary,“doyounotintendmakingMademoiselleValentinedeVillefortyourresiduarylegatee?”
“No.”
“Youarenotmakinganymistake,areyou?”saidthenotary;“youreallymeantodeclarethatsuchisnotyourintention?”
“No,”repeatedNoirtier;“No.”Valentineraisedherhead,struckdumbwithastonishment.
Itwasnotsomuchtheconvictionthatshewasdisinheritedthatcausedhergrief,buthertotalinabilitytoaccountforthefeelingswhichhadprovokedhergrandfathertosuchanact.
ButNoirtierlookedatherwithsomuchaffectionatetendernessthatsheexclaimed,“Oh,grandpapa,Iseenowthatitisonlyyourfortuneofwhichyoudepriveme;youstillleavemethelovewhichIhavealwaysenjoyed.”
“Ah,yes,mostassuredly,”saidtheeyesoftheparalytic,forheclosedthemwithanexpressionwhichValentinecouldnotmistake.“Thankyou,thankyou,”murmuredshe.
Theoldman’sdeclarationthatValentinewasnotthedestinedinheritorofhisfortunehadexcitedthehopesofMadamedeVillefort;shegraduallyapproachedtheinvalid,andsaid:“Then,doubtless,dearM.Noirtier,youintendleavingyourfortunetoyourgrandson,EdwarddeVillefort?”
Thewinkingoftheeyeswhichansweredthisspeechwasmostdecidedandterrible,andexpressedafeelingalmostamountingtohatred.
“No?”saidthenotary;“then,perhaps,itistoyourson,M.deVillefort?”
“No.”Thetwonotarieslookedateachotherinmuteastonishmentandinquiryastowhatweretherealintentionsofthetestator.
Villefortandhiswifebothgrewred,onefromshame,theotherfromanger.
“Whathavewealldone,then,deargrandpapa?”
saidValentine;“younolongerseemtoloveanyofus?”
Theoldman’seyespassedrapidlyfromVillefortandhiswife,andrestedonValentinewithalookofunutterablefondness.
“Well,”saidshe;“ifyouloveme,grandpapa,tryandbringthatlovetobearuponyouractionsatthispresentmoment.
YouknowmewellenoughtobequitesurethatIhaveneverthoughtofyourfortune;besides,theysayIamalreadyrichinrightofmymother—toorich,even.Explainyourself,then.”
NoirtierfixedhisintelligenteyesonValentine’shand.“Myhand?”saidshe.
“Yes.”
“Herhand!”exclaimedeveryone.
“Oh,gentlemen,youseeitisalluseless,andthatmyfather’smindisreallyimpaired,”saidVillefort.
“Ah,”criedValentinesuddenly,“Iunderstand.Itismymarriageyoumean,isitnot,deargrandpapa?”
“Yes,yes,yes,”signedtheparalytic,castingonValentinealookofjoyfulgratitudeforhavingguessedhismeaning.
“Youareangrywithusallonaccountofthismarriage,areyounot?”
“Yes?”
“Really,thisistooabsurd,”saidVillefort.
“Excuseme,sir,”repliedthenotary;“onthecontrary,themeaningofM.Noirtierisquiteevidenttome,andIcanquiteeasilyconnectthetrainofideaspassinginhismind.”
“YoudonotwishmetomarryM.Franzd’Epinay?”observedValentine.
“Idonotwishit,”saidtheeyeofhergrandfather.“Andyoudisinherityourgranddaughter,”continuedthenotary,“becauseshehascontractedanengagementcontrarytoyourwishes?”
“Yes.”
“Sothat,butforthismarriage,shewouldhavebeenyourheir?”
“Yes.”Therewasaprofoundsilence.
Thetwonotarieswereholdingaconsultationastothebestmeansofproceedingwiththeaffair.
Valentinewaslookingathergrandfatherwithasmileofintensegratitude,andVillefortwasbitinghislipswithvexation,whileMadamedeVillefortcouldnotsucceedinrepressinganinwardfeelingofjoy,which,inspiteofherself,appearedinherwholecountenance.
“But,”saidVillefort,whowasthefirsttobreakthesilence,“IconsiderthatIamthebestjudgeoftheproprietyofthemarriageinquestion.
Iamtheonlypersonpossessingtherighttodisposeofmydaughter’shand.
ItismywishthatsheshouldmarryM.Franzd’Epinay—andsheshallmarryhim.”Valentinesankweepingintoachair.
“Sir,”saidthenotary,“howdoyouintenddisposingofyourfortuneincaseMademoiselledeVillefortstilldeterminesonmarryingM.Franz?”Theoldmangavenoanswer.
“Youwill,ofcourse,disposeofitinsomewayorother?”
“Yes.”
“Infavorofsomememberofyourfamily?”
“No.”
“Doyouintenddevotingittocharitablepurposes,then?”pursuedthenotary.
“Yes.”
“But,”saidthenotary,“youareawarethatthelawdoesnotallowasontobeentirelydeprivedofhispatrimony?”
“Yes.”
“Youonlyintend,then,todisposeofthatpartofyourfortunewhichthelawallowsyoutosubtractfromtheinheritanceofyourson?”Noirtiermadenoanswer.“Doyoustillwishtodisposeofall?”
“Yes.”
“Buttheywillcontestthewillafteryourdeath?”
“No.”
“Myfatherknowsme,”repliedVillefort;“heisquitesurethathiswisheswillbeheldsacredbyme;besides,heunderstandsthatinmypositionIcannotpleadagainstthepoor.”
TheeyeofNoirtierbeamedwithtriumph.“Whatdoyoudecideon,sir?”askedthenotaryofVillefort.
“Nothing,sir;itisaresolutionwhichmyfatherhastakenandIknowheneveraltershismind.Iamquiteresigned.
These900,000francswillgooutofthefamilyinordertoenrichsomehospital;butitisridiculousthustoyieldtothecapricesofanoldman,andIshall,therefore,actaccordingtomyconscience.”
Havingsaidthis,Villefortquittedtheroomwithhiswife,leavinghisfatheratlibertytodoashepleased.
Thesamedaythewillwasmade,thewitnesseswerebrought,itwasapprovedbytheoldman,sealedinthepresenceofallandgiveninchargetoM.Deschamps,thefamilynotary.
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