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appeared in the bosom of his family at dinner…time。
After the second year he no longer passed the summer at his country…
house； and his wife was unwilling to live there alone。 Sometimes he
went to walk and did not return till the following day； leaving Madame
Claes a prey to mortal anxiety during the night。 After causing a
fruitless search for him through the town； whose gates； like those of
other fortified places； were closed at night； it was impossible to
send into the country； and the unhappy woman could only wait and
suffer till morning。 Balthazar； who had forgotten the hour at which
the gates closed； would come tranquilly home next day； quite unmindful
of the tortures his absence had inflicted on his family； and the
happiness of getting him back proved as dangerous an excitement of
feeling to his wife as her fears of the preceding night。 She kept
silence and dared not question him； for when she did so on the
occasion of his first absence； he answered with an air of surprise：
〃Well； what of it？ Can I not take a walk？〃
Passions never deceive。 Madame Claes's anxieties corroborated the
rumors she had taken so much pains to deny。 The experience of her
youth had taught her to understand the polite pity of the world。
Resolved not to undergo it a second time； she withdrew more and more
into the privacy of her own house； now deserted by society and even by
her nearest friends。
Among these many causes of distress； the negligence and disorder of
Balthazar's dress； so degrading to a man of his station； was not the
least bitter to a woman accustomed to the exquisite nicety of Flemish
life。 At first Josephine endeavored； in concert with Balthazar's
valet； Lemulquinier； to repair the daily devastation of his clothing；
but even that she was soon forced to give up。 The very day when
Balthazar； unaware of the substitution； put on new clothes in place of
those that were stained； torn； or full of holes； he made rags of them。
The poor wife； whose perfect happiness had lasted fifteen years；
during which time her jealousy had never once been roused； was
apparently and suddenly nothing in the heart where she had lately
reigned。 Spanish by race； the feelings of a Spanish woman rose within
her when she discovered her rival in a Science that allured her
husband from her： torments of jealousy preyed upon her heart and
renewed her love。 What could she do against Science？ Should she combat
that tyrannous； unyielding； growing power？ Could she kill an invisible
rival？ Could a woman； limited by nature； contend with an Idea whose
delights are infinite； whose attractions are ever new？ How make head
against the fascination of ideas that spring the fresher and the
lovelier out of difficulty； and entice a man so far from this world
that he forgets even his dearest loves？
At last one day； in spite of Balthazar's strict orders； Madame Claes
resolved to follow him； to shut herself up in the garret where his
life was spent； and struggle hand to hand against her rival by sharing
her husband's labors during the long hours he gave to that terrible
mistress。 She determined to slip secretly into the mysterious
laboratory of seduction； and obtain the right to be there always。
Lemulquinier alone had that right； and she meant to share it with him；
but to prevent his witnessing the contention with her husband which
she feared at the outset； she waited for an opportunity when the valet
should be out of the way。 For a while she studied the goings and
comings of the man with angry impatience； did he not know that which
was denied to herall that her husband hid from her； all that she
dared not inquire into？ Even a servant was preferred to a wife！
The day came； she approached the place； trembling； yet almost happy。
For the first time in her life she encountered Balthazar's anger。 She
had hardly opened the door before he sprang upon her； seized her；
threw her roughly on the staircase； so that she narrowly escaped
rolling to the bottom。
〃God be praised！ you are still alive！〃 he cried； raising her。
A glass vessel had broken into fragments over Madame Claes； who saw
her husband standing by her； pale； terrified； and almost livid。
〃My dear； I forbade you to come here；〃 he said； sitting down on the
stairs； as though prostrated。 〃The saints have saved your life！ By
what chance was it that my eyes were on the door when you opened it？
We have just escaped death。〃
〃Then I might have been happy！〃 she exclaimed。
〃My experiment has failed；〃 continued Balthazar。 〃You alone could I
forgive for that terrible disappointment。 I was about to decompose
nitrogen。 Go back to your own affairs。〃
Balthazar re…entered the laboratory and closed the door。
〃Decompose nitrogen！〃 said the poor woman as she re…entered her
chamber； and burst into tears。
The phrase was unintelligible to her。 Men； trained by education to
have a general conception of everything； have no idea how distressing
it is for a woman to be unable to comprehend the thought of the man
she loves。 More forbearing than we； these divine creatures do not let
us know when the language of their souls is not understood by us； they
shrink from letting us feel the superiority of their feelings； and
hide their pain as gladly as they silence their wishes： but； having
higher ambitions in love than men； they desire to wed not only the
heart of a husband； but his mind。
To Madame Claes the sense of knowing nothing of a science which
absorbed her husband filled her with a vexation as keen as the beauty
of a rival might have caused。 The struggle of woman against woman
gives to her who loves the most the advantage of loving best； but a
mortification like this only proved Madame Claes's powerlessness and
humiliated the feelings by which she lived。 She was ignorant； and she
had reached a point where her ignorance parted her from her husband。
Worse than all； last and keenest torture； he was risking his life； he
was often in dangernear her； yet far away； and she might not share；
nor even know； his peril。 Her position became； like hell； a moral
prison from which there was no issue； in which there was no hope。
Madame Claes resolved to know at least the outward attractions of this
fatal science； and she began secretly to study chemistry in the books。
From this time the family became； as it were； cloistered。
Such were the successive changes brought by this dire misfortune upon
the family of Claes； before it reached the species of atrophy in which
we find it at the moment when this history begins。
The situation grew daily more complicated。 Like all passionate women；
Madame Claes was disinterested。 Those who truly love know that
considerations of money count for little in matters of feeling and are
reluctantly associated with them。 Nevertheless； Josephine did not hear
without distress that her husband had borrowed three hundred thousand
francs upon his property。 The apparent authenticity