按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
doing； he speaks or is silent with my voice； he consults me in
everything。' The Abbe de Vermont felt thus for Marie…Antoinette。〃
〃He led her to the scaffold。〃
〃He did not love the Queen；〃 said the priest。 〃HE only loved the Abbe
de Vermont。〃
〃Must I leave desolation behind me？〃
〃I have money； you shall draw on me。〃
〃I would do a great deal just now to rescue David Sechard；〃 said
Lucien； in the tone of one who has given up all idea of suicide。
〃Say but one word； my son； and by to…morrow morning he shall have
money enough to set him free。〃
〃What！ Would you give me twelve thousand francs？〃
〃Ah！ child； do you not see that we are traveling on at the rate of
four leagues an hour？ We shall dine at Poitiers before long； and
there； if you decide to sign the pact； to give me a single proof of
obedience； a great proof that I shall require； then the Bordeaux coach
shall carry fifteen thousand francs to your sister〃
〃Where is the money？〃
The Spaniard made no answer； and Lucien said within himself； 〃There I
had him； he was laughing at me。〃
In another moment they took their places。 Neither of them said a word。
Silently the Abbe groped in the pocket of the coach； and drew out a
traveler's leather pouch with three divisions in it； thence he took a
hundred Portuguese moidores； bringing out his large hand filled with
gold three times。
〃Father； I am yours；〃 said Lucien； dazzled by the stream of gold。
〃Child！〃 said the priest； and set a tender kiss on Lucien's forehead。
〃There is twice as much still left in the bag； besides the money for
traveling expenses。〃
〃And you are traveling alone！〃 cried Lucien。
〃What is that？〃 asked the Spaniard。 〃I have more than a hundred
thousand crowns in drafts on Paris。 A diplomatist without money is in
your position of this morninga poet without a will of his own！〃
As Lucien took his place in the caleche beside the so…called Spanish
diplomatist； Eve rose to give her child a draught of milk； found the
fatal letter in the cradle； and read it。 A sudden cold chilled the
damps of morning slumber； dizziness came over her； she could not see。
She called aloud to Marion and Kolb。
〃Has my brother gone out？〃 she asked； and Kolb answered at once with；
〃Yes； Montame； pefore tay。〃
〃Keep this that I am going to tell you a profound secret；〃 said Eve。
〃My brother has gone no doubt to make away with himself。 Hurry； both
of you； make inquiries cautiously； and look along the river。〃
Eve was left alone in a dull stupor； dreadful to see。 Her trouble was
at its height when Petit…Claud came in at seven o'clock to talk over
the steps to be taken in David's case。 At such a time； any voice in
the world may speak； and we let them speak。
〃Our poor； dear David is in prison； madame；〃 so began Petit…Claud。 〃I
foresaw all along that it would end in this。 I advised him at the time
to go into partnership with his competitors the Cointets； for while
your husband has simply the idea； they have the means of putting it
into practical shape。 So as soon as I heard of his arrest yesterday
evening； what did I do but hurry away to find the Cointets and try to
obtain such concessions as might satisfy you。 If you try to keep the
discovery to yourselves； you will continue to live a life of shifts
and chicanery。 You must give in； or else when you are exhausted and at
the last gasp； you will end by making a bargain with some capitalist
or other； and perhaps to your own detriment； whereas to…day I hope to
see you make a good one with MM。 Cointet。 In this way you will save
yourselves the hardships and the misery of the inventor's duel with
the greed of the capitalist and the indifference of the public。 Let us
see！ If the MM。 Cointet should pay your debtsif； over and above your
debts； they should pay you a further sum of money down； whether or no
the invention succeeds； while at the same time it is thoroughly
understood that if it succeeds a certain proportion of the profits of
working the patent shall be yours； would you not be doing very well？
You yourself； madame； would then be the proprietor of the plant in the
printing…office。 You would sell the business； no doubt； it is quite
worth twenty thousand francs。 I will undertake to find you a buyer at
that price。
〃Now if you draw up a deed of partnership with the MM。 Cointet； and
receive fifteen thousand francs of capital； and if you invest it in
the funds at the present moment； it will bring you in an income of two
thousand francs。 You can live on two thousand francs in the provinces。
Bear in mind； too； madame； that； given certain contingencies； there
will be yet further payments。 I say 'contingencies；' because we must
lay our accounts with failure。
〃Very well；〃 continued Petit…Claud； 〃now these things I am sure that I
can obtain for you。 First of all； David's release from prison；
secondly； fifteen thousand francs； a premium paid on his discovery；
whether the experiments fail or succeed； and lastly； a partnership
between David and the MM。 Cointet； to be taken out after private
experiment made jointly。 The deed of partnership for the working of
the patent should be drawn up on the following basis： The MM。 Cointet
to bear all the expenses； the capital invested by David to be confined
to the expenses of procuring the patent； and his share of the profits
to be fixed at twenty…five per cent。 You are a clear…headed and very
sensible woman； qualities which are not often found combined with
great beauty； think over these proposals； and you will see that they
are very favorable。〃
Poor Eve in her despair burst into tears。〃Ah； sir！ why did you not
come yesterday evening to tell me this？ We should have been spared
disgrace andand something far worse〃
〃I was talking with the Cointets until midnight。 They are behind
Metivier； as you must have suspected。 But how has something worse than
our poor David's arrest happened since yesterday evening？〃
〃Here is the awful news that I found when I awoke this morning；〃 she
said； holding out Lucien's letter。 〃You have just given me proof of
your interest in us； you are David's friend and Lucien's； I need not
ask you to keep the secret〃
〃You need not feel the least anxiety；〃 said Petit…Claud； as he
returned the letter。 〃Lucien will not take his life。 Your husband's
arrest was his doing； he was obliged to find some excuse for leaving
you； and this exit of his looks to me like a piece of stage business。〃
The Cointets had gained their ends。 They had tormented the inventor
and his family； until； worn out by the torture； the victims longed for
a respite； and then seized their opportunity and made the offer。 Not
every inventor has the tenacity of the bull…dog that will perish with
his teeth fast set in his capture； the Cointets had shrewdly estimated
David's character。 The tall Cointet looked upon David's imprisonment
as the first scene of the first act of the drama。 The second act
opened with the proposal which Petit…Claud had just made。 As arch…
schemer； the attorney looked upon Lucien's frantic folly as a bit of
unhoped…for luck； a chance that would finally decide the issues of the
day。
Eve was completely prostrated by this event