Thisannouncement,whichimpliedorappearedtoimply,theapprovalofallthepersonsconcernedinthismomentousaffair,hadbeenprecededbyascenetowhichourreadersmustbeadmitted.
Webegthemtotakeonestepbackward,andtotransportthemselves,themorningofthatdayofgreatcatastrophes,intotheshowy,gildedsalonwehavebeforeshownthem,andwhichwastheprideofitsowner,BaronDanglars.
Inthisroom,ataboutteno’clockinthemorning,thebankerhimselfhadbeenwalkingtoandfroforsomeminutesthoughtfullyandinevidentuneasiness,watchingbothdoors,andlisteningtoeverysound.
“Etienne,”saidhe,“seewhyMademoiselleEugeniehasaskedmetomeetherinthedrawing–room,andwhyshemakesmewaitsolong.”
Havinggiventhisventtohisill–humor,thebaronbecamemorecalm;MademoiselleDanglarshadthatmorningrequestedaninterviewwithherfather,andhadfixedonthegildeddrawing–roomasthespot.
Thesingularityofthisstep,andaboveallitsformality,hadnotalittlesurprisedthebanker,whohadimmediatelyobeyedhisdaughterbyrepairingfirsttothedrawing–room.Etiennesoonreturnedfromhiserrand.
Thiswasoneofhispartsinthepopularcomedyhewasperforming,—amake–uphehadadoptedandwhichsuitedhimaboutaswellasthemaskswornontheclassicstagebypaternalactors,whoseenfromoneside,weretheimageofgeniality,andfromtheothershowedlipsdrawndowninchronicill–temper.
Letushastentosaythatinprivatethegenialsidedescendedtotheleveloftheother,sothatgenerallytheindulgentmandisappearedtogiveplacetothebrutalhusbandanddomineeringfather.
Hewasturningthisthoughtoverinhisbrainforthetwentiethtime,whenthedooropenedandEugenieappeared,attiredinafiguredblacksatindress,herhairdressedandgloveson,asifsheweregoingtotheItalianOpera.
“Iquiteunderstandwhyyouask,sir,”saidEugenie,makingasignthatherfathermightbeseated,“andinfactyourtwoquestionssuggestfullythethemeofourconversation.
Ihavechosenthedrawing–room,sir,asourplaceofmeeting,inordertoavoidthedisagreeableimpressionsandinfluencesofabanker’sstudy.
Thosegildedcashbooks,drawerslockedlikegatesoffortresses,heapsofbank–bills,comefromIknownotwhere,andthequantitiesoflettersfromEngland,Holland,Spain,India,China,andPeru,havegenerallyastrangeinfluenceonafather’smind,andmakehimforgetthatthereisintheworldaninterestgreaterandmoresacredthanthegoodopinionofhiscorrespondents.
Ihave,therefore,chosenthisdrawing–room,whereyousee,smilingandhappyintheirmagnificentframes,yourportrait,mine,mymother’s,andallsortsofrurallandscapesandtouchingpastorals.
Irelymuchonexternalimpressions;perhaps,withregardtoyou,theyareimmaterial,butIshouldbenoartistifIhadnotsomefancies.”
“Verywell,”repliedM.Danglars,whohadlistenedtoallthispreamblewithimperturbablecoolness,butwithoutunderstandingaword,sincelikeeverymanburdenedwiththoughtsofthepast,hewasoccupiedwithseekingthethreadofhisownideasinthoseofthespeaker.
“Thereis,then,thesecondpointclearedup,ornearlyso,”saidEugenie,withouttheleastconfusion,andwiththatmasculinepointednesswhichdistinguishedhergestureandherlanguage;“andyouappearsatisfiedwiththeexplanation.Now,letusreturntothefirst.
YouaskmewhyIhaverequestedthisinterview;Iwilltellyouintwowords,sir;IwillnotmarrycountAndreaCavalcanti.”
“Yes,indeed,sir,”continuedEugenie,stillquitecalm;“youareastonished,Isee;forsincethislittleaffairbegan,Ihavenotmanifestedtheslightestopposition,andyetIamalwayssure,whentheopportunityarrives,toopposeadeterminedandabsolutewilltopeoplewhohavenotconsultedme,andthingswhichdispleaseme.
However,thistime,mytranquillity,orpassivenessasphilosopherssay,proceededfromanothersource;itproceededfromawish,likeasubmissiveanddevoteddaughter”(aslightsmilewasobservableonthepurplelipsoftheyounggirl),“topracticeobedience.”
“Well,sir,”repliedEugenie,“Ihavetriedtotheverylastandnowthatthemomenthascome,Ifeelinspiteofallmyeffortsthatitisimpossible.”
“But,”saidDanglars,whoseweakmindwasatfirstquiteoverwhelmedwiththeweightofthispitilesslogic,markingevidentpremeditationandforceofwill,“whatisyourreasonforthisrefusal,Eugenie?whatreasondoyouassign?”
“Well,itisnotthatthemanismoreugly,morefoolish,ormoredisagreeablethananyother;no,M.AndreaCavalcantimayappeartothosewholookatmen’sfacesandfiguresasaverygoodspecimenofhiskind.
Itisnot,either,thatmyheartislesstouchedbyhimthananyother;thatwouldbeaschoolgirl’sreason,whichIconsiderquitebeneathme.
Well,mydearfather,intheshipwreckoflife—forlifeisaneternalshipwreckofourhopes—Icastintotheseamyuselessencumbrance,thatisall,andIremainwithmyownwill,disposedtoliveperfectlyalone,andconsequentlyperfectlyfree.”
“Unhappygirl,unhappygirl!”murmuredDanglars,turningpale,forheknewfromlongexperiencethesolidityoftheobstaclehehadsosuddenlyencountered.
Ipossessashareofwit,andacertainrelativesensibility,whichenablesmetodrawfromlifeingeneral,forthesupportofmine,allImeetwiththatisgood,likethemonkeywhocracksthenuttogetatitscontents.
Iamyouronlydaughter,andyouarenotsoexactingasthefathersofthePorteSaint–MartinandGaiete,whodisinherittheirdaughtersfornotgivingthemgrandchildren.
Besides,theprovidentlawhasdeprivedyouofthepowertodisinheritme,atleastentirely,asithasalsoofthepowertocompelmetomarryMonsieurThisorMonsieurThat.
Andso—being,beautiful,witty,somewhattalented,asthecomicoperassay,andrich—andthatishappiness,sir—whydoyoucallmeunhappy?”
Danglars,seeinghisdaughtersmiling,andproudeventoinsolence,couldnotentirelyrepresshisbrutalfeelings,buttheybetrayedthemselvesonlybyanexclamation.
Underthefixedandinquiringgazelevelledathimfromunderthosebeautifulblackeyebrows,heprudentlyturnedaway,andcalmedhimselfimmediately,dauntedbythepowerofaresolutemind.
“Truly,mydaughter,”repliedhewithasmile,“youareallyouboastofbeing,exceptingonething;Iwillnottoohastilytellyouwhich,butwouldratherleaveyoutoguessit.”
EugenielookedatDanglars,muchsurprisedthatoneflowerofhercrownofpride,withwhichshehadsosuperblydeckedherself,shouldbedisputed.
“Mydaughter,”continuedthebanker,“youhaveperfectlyexplainedtomethesentimentswhichinfluenceagirllikeyou,whoisdeterminedshewillnotmarry;nowitremainsformetotellyouthemotivesofafatherlikeme,whohasdecidedthathisdaughtershallmarry.”
“Mydaughter,”continuedDanglars,“whenafatheraskshisdaughtertochooseahusband,hehasalwayssomereasonforwishinghertomarry.
ImayacknowledgethistoadaughterwhomIknowtobephilosophicalenoughtounderstandmyindifference,andnottoimputeittomeasacrime.”
“Oh,”saidDanglars,“Ican,whencircumstancesrenderitdesirable,adoptyoursystem,althoughitmaynotbemygeneralpractice.Iwillthereforeproceed.
Ihaveproposedtoyoutomarry,notforyoursake,forindeedIdidnotthinkofyouintheleastatthemoment(youadmirecandor,andwillnowbesatisfied,Ihope);butbecauseitsuitedmetomarryyouassoonaspossible,onaccountofcertaincommercialspeculationsIamdesirousofenteringinto.”Eugeniebecameuneasy.
Idonotwillinglyenterintoarithmeticalexplanationswithanartistlikeyou,whofearstoentermystudylestsheshouldimbibedisagreeableoranti–poeticimpressionsandsensations.
Butinthatsamebanker’sstudy,whereyouverywillinglypresentedyourselfyesterdaytoaskforthethousandfrancsIgiveyoumonthlyforpocket–money,youmustknow,mydearyounglady,thatmanythingsmaybelearned,usefuleventoagirlwhowillnotmarry.
Thereonemaylearn,forinstance,what,outofregardtoyournervoussusceptibility,Iwillinformyouofinthedrawing–room,namely,thatthecreditofabankerishisphysicalandmorallife;thatcreditsustainshimasbreathanimatesthebody;andM.deMonteCristooncegavemealectureonthatsubject,whichIhaveneverforgotten.
Therewemaylearnthatascreditsinks,thebodybecomesacorpse,andthisiswhatmusthappenverysoontothebankerwhoisproudtoownsogoodalogicianasyouforhisdaughter.”
“Exactly,mydaughter;thatispreciselywhatImean,”saidDanglars,almostdigginghisnailsintohisbreast,whilehepreservedonhisharshfeaturesthesmileoftheheartlessthoughcleverman;“ruined—yes,thatisit.”
“Yes,ruined!Nowitisrevealed,thissecretsofullofhorror,asthetragicpoetsays.Now,mydaughter,learnfrommylipshowyoumayalleviatethismisfortune,sofarasitwillaffectyou.”
“Oh,”criedEugenie,“youareabadphysiognomist,ifyouimagineIdeploreonmyownaccountthecatastropheofwhichyouwarnme.Iruined?andwhatwillthatsignifytome?HaveInotmytalentleft?
CanInot,likePasta,Malibran,Grisi,acquireformyselfwhatyouwouldneverhavegivenme,whatevermighthavebeenyourfortune,ahundredorahundredandfiftythousandlivresperannum,forwhichIshallbeindebtedtonoonebutmyself;andwhich,insteadofbeinggivenasyougavemethosepoortwelvethousandfrancs,withsourlooksandreproachesformyprodigality,willbeaccompaniedwithacclamations,withbravos,andwithflowers?
AndifIdonotpossessthattalent,whichyoursmilesprovetomeyoudoubt,shouldInotstillhavethatardentloveofindependence,whichwillbeasubstituteforwealth,andwhichinmymindsupersedeseventheinstinctofself–preservation?
No,Igrievenotonmyownaccount,Ishallalwaysfindaresource;mybooks,mypencils,mypiano,allthethingswhichcostbutlittle,andwhichIshallbeabletoprocure,willremainmyown.
Undeceiveyourselfagain;eitherIamgreatlymistaken,orshehasprovidedagainstthecatastrophewhichthreatensyou,and,whichwillpassoverwithoutaffectingher.
Shehastakencareforherself,—atleastIhopeso,—forherattentionhasnotbeendivertedfromherprojectsbywatchingoverme.
Oh,no,sir;frommychildhoodIhaveseentoomuch,andunderstoodtoomuch,ofwhathaspassedaroundme,formisfortunetohaveanunduepoweroverme.
Frommyearliestrecollections,Ihavebeenbelovedbynoone—somuchtheworse;thathasnaturallyledmetolovenoone—somuchthebetter—nowyouhavemyprofessionoffaith.”
“Then,”saidDanglars,palewithanger,whichwasnotatallduetooffendedpaternallove,—”then,mademoiselle,youpersistinyourdeterminationtoacceleratemyruin?”
“Iamallattention,”saidEugenie,lookingsoearnestlyatherfatherthatitwasaneffortforthelattertoendureherunrelentinggaze.
“M.Cavalcanti,”continuedDanglars,“isabouttomarryyou,andwillplaceinmyhandshisfortune,amountingtothreemillionlivres.”
Iandabrotherbankerhaveobtainedagrantofarailway,theonlyindustrialenterprisewhichinthesedayspromisestomakegoodthefabulousprospectsthatLawonceheldouttotheeternallydeludedParisians,inthefantasticMississippischeme.
Wemakeinourcaseadeposit,onamortgage,whichisanadvance,asyousee,sincewegainatleastten,fifteen,twenty,orahundredlivres’worthofironinexchangeforourmoney.
Well,withinaweekIamtodepositfourmillionsformyshare;thefourmillions,Ipromiseyou,willproducetenortwelve.”
“Butduringmyvisittoyouthedaybeforeyesterday,sir,whichyouappeartorecollectsowell,”repliedEugenie,“Isawyouarrangingadeposit—isnotthattheterm?
—offivemillionsandahalf;youevenpointeditouttomeintwodraftsonthetreasury,andyouwereastonishedthatsovaluableapaperdidnotdazzlemyeyeslikelightning.”
“Yes,butthosefivemillionsandahalfarenotmine,andareonlyaproofofthegreatconfidenceplacedinme;mytitleofpopularbankerhasgainedmetheconfidenceofcharitableinstitutions,andthefivemillionsandahalfbelongtothem;atanyothertimeIshouldnothavehesitatedtomakeuseofthem,butthegreatlossesIhaverecentlysustainedarewellknown,and,asItoldyou,mycreditisrathershaken.
Thatdepositmaybeatanymomentwithdrawn,andifIhademployeditforanotherpurpose,Ishouldbringonmeadisgracefulbankruptcy.
Now,ifyoumarryM.Cavalcanti,andIgetthethreemillions,orevenifitisthoughtIamgoingtogetthem,mycreditwillberestored,andmyfortune,whichforthelastmonthortwohasbeenswallowedupingulfswhichhavebeenopenedinmypathbyaninconceivablefatality,willrevive.Doyouunderstandme?”
“Thankyou.Onewordmore,sir;doyoupromisemetomakewhatuseyoucanofthereportofthefortuneM.Cavalcantiwillbringwithouttouchingthemoney?
“Ah,thatismyaffair.WhatadvantageshouldIhaveoveryou,ifknowingyoursecretIweretotellyoumine?”Danglarsbithislips.
But,extraordinarytorelate,thefatherdidnotsay,“Thankyou,mychild,”nordidthedaughtersmileatherfather.“Istheconferenceended?”askedEugenie,rising.
FiveminutesafterwardsthepianoresoundedtothetouchofMademoiselled’Armilly’sfingers,andMademoiselleDanglarswassingingBrabantio’smaledictiononDesdemona.
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