Balthazar, conscious that he had recovered the honor of his manhood, the life of a father, the dignity of a citizen, fell into a chair, and looked about for Marguerite; but she, with the distinctive delicacy of her sex, had left the room during the reading of the papers, as if to see that all the arrangements for the fete were properly prepared.
Each member of the family understood the old man's wish when the failing humid eyes sought for the daughter,--who was seen by all present, with the eyes of the soul, as an angel of strength and light within the house.Gabriel went to find her.Hearing her step, Balthazar ran to clasp her in his arms.
"Father," she said, at the foot of the stairs, where the old man caught her and strained her to his breast, "I implore you not to lessen your sacred authority.Thank me before the family for carrying out your wishes, and be the sole author of the good that has been done here."Balthazar lifted his eyes to heaven, then looked at his daughter, folded his arms, and said, after a pause, during which his face recovered an expression his children had not seen upon it for ten long years,--"Pepita, why are you not here to praise our child!"He strained Marguerite to him, unable to utter another word, and went back to the parlor.
"My children," he said, with the nobility of demeanor that in former days had made him so imposing, "we all owe gratitude and thanks to my daughter Marguerite for the wisdom and courage with which she has fulfilled my intentions and carried out my plans, when I, too absorbed by my labors, gave the reins of our domestic government into her hands.""Ah, now!" cried Pierquin, looking at the clock, "we must read the marriage contracts.But they are not my affair, for the law forbids me to draw up such deeds between my relations and myself.Monsieur Raparlier is coming."The friends of the family, invited to the dinner given to celebrate Claes's return and the signing of the marriage contracts, now began to arrive; and their servants brought in the wedding-presents.The company quickly assembled, and the scene was imposing as much from the quality of the persons present as from the elegance of the toilettes.
The three families, thus united through the happiness of their children, seemed to vie with each other in contributing to the splendor of the occasion.The parlor was soon filled with the charming gifts that are made to bridal couples.Gold shimmered and glistened;silks and satins, cashmere shawls, necklaces, jewels, afforded as much delight to those who gave as to those who received; enjoyment that was almost childlike shone on every face, and the mere value of the magnificent presents was lost sight of by the spectators,--who often busy themselves in estimating it out of curiosity.
The ceremonial forms used for generations in the Claes family for solemnities of this nature now began.The parents alone were seated, all present stood before them at a little distance.To the left of the parlor on the garden side were Gabriel and Mademoiselle Conyncks, next to them stood Monsieur de Solis and Marguerite, and farther on, Felicie and Pierquin.Balthazar and Monsieur Conyncks, the only persons who were seated, occupied two armchairs beside the notary who, for this occasion, had taken Pierquin's duty.Jean stood behind his father.A score of ladies elegantly dressed, and a few men chosen from among the nearest relatives of the Pierquins, the Conyncks, and the Claes, the mayor of Douai, who was to marry the couples, the twelve witnesses chosen from among the nearest friends of the three families, all, even the curate of Saint-Pierre, remained standing and formed an imposing circle at the end of the parlor next the court-yard.This homage paid by the whole assembly to Paternity, which at such a moment shines with almost regal majesty, gave to the scene a certain antique character.It was the only moment for sixteen long years when Balthazar forgot the Alkahest.
Monsieur Raparlier went up to Marguerite and her sister and asked if all the persons invited to the ceremony and to the dinner had arrived;on receiving an affirmative reply, he returned to his station and took up the marriage contract between Marguerite and Monsieur de Solis, which was the first to be read, when suddenly the door of the parlor opened and Lemulquinier entered, his face flaming.
"Monsieur! monsieur!" he cried.
Balthazar flung a look of despair at Marguerite, then, making her a sign, he drew her into the garden.The whole assembly were conscious of a shock.
"I dared not tell you, my child," said the father, "but since you have done so much, you will save me, I know, from this last trouble.
Lemulquinier lent me all his savings--the fruit of twenty years'
economy--for my last experiment, which failed.He has come no doubt, finding that I am once more rich, to insist on having them back.Ah!
my angel, give them to him; you owe him your father; he alone consoled me in my troubles, he alone has had faith in me,--without him I should have died.""Monsieur! monsieur!" cried Lemulquinier.
"What is it?" said Balthazar, turning round.
"A diamond!"
Claes sprang into the parlor and saw the stone in the hands of the old valet, who whispered in his ear,--"I have been to the laboratory."
The chemist, forgetting everything about him, cast a terrible look on the old Fleming which meant, "You went before me to the laboratory!""Yes," continued Lemulquinier, "I found the diamond in the china capsule which communicated with the battery which we left to work, monsieur--and see!" he added, showing a white diamond of octahedral form, whose brilliancy drew the astonished gaze of all present.