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which made her quiver； in all her life no such solemn scene as this
had taken place。 This dreadful momentdid it not virtually contain
her future； and gather within it all the past？
Weak and timid persons； or those whose excessive sensibility magnifies
the smallest difficulties of life； men who tremble involuntarily
before the masters of their fate； can now； one and all； conceive the
rush of thoughts that crowded into the brain of this woman； and the
feelings under the weight of which her heart was crushed as her
husband slowly crossed the room towards the garden…door。 Most women
know that agony of inward deliberation in which Madame Claes was
writhing。 Even one whose heart has been tried by nothing worse than
the declaration to a husband of some extravagance； or a debt to a
dress…maker； will understand how its pulses swell and quicken when the
matter is one of life itself。
A beautiful or graceful woman might have thrown herself at her
husband's feet； might have called to her aid the attitudes of grief；
but to Madame Claes the sense of physical defects only added to her
fears。 When she saw Balthazar about to leave the room； her impulse was
to spring towards him； then a cruel thought restrained hershe should
stand before him！ would she not seem ridiculous in the eyes of a man
no longer under the glamour of lovewho might see true？ She resolved
to avoid all dangerous chances at so solemn a moment； and remained
seated； saying in a clear voice；
〃Balthazar。〃
He turned mechanically and coughed； then； paying no attention to his
wife； he walked to one of the little square boxes that are placed at
intervals along the wainscoting of every room in Holland and Belgium；
and spat in it。 This man； who took no thought of other persons； never
forgot the inveterate habit of using those boxes。 To poor Josephine；
unable to find a reason for this singularity； the constant care which
her husband took of the furniture caused her at all times an
unspeakable pang； but at this moment the pain was so violent that it
put her beside herself and made her exclaim in a tone of impatience；
which expressed her wounded feelings；
〃Monsieur； I am speaking to you！〃
〃What does that mean？〃 answered Balthazar； turning quickly； and
casting a look of reviving intelligence upon his wife； which fell upon
her like a thunderbolt。
〃Forgive me； my friend；〃 she said； turning pale。 She tried to rise and
put out her hand to him； but her strength gave way and she fell back。
〃I am dying！〃 she cried in a voice choked by sobs。
At the sight Balthazar had； like all abstracted persons； a vivid
reaction of mind； and he divined； so to speak； the secret cause of
this attack。 Taking Madame Claes at once in his arms； he opened the
door upon the little antechamber； and ran so rapidly up the ancient
wooden staircase that his wife's dress having caught on the jaws of
one of the griffins that supported the balustrade； a whole breadth was
torn off with a loud noise。 He kicked in the door of the vestibule
between their chambers； but the door of Josephine's bedroom was
locked。
He gently placed her on a chair； saying to himself； 〃My God！ the key；
where is the key？〃
〃Thank you； dear friend；〃 said Madame Claes； opening her eyes。 〃This
is the first time for a long； long while that I have been so near your
heart。〃
〃Good God！〃 cried Claes； 〃the key！here come the servants。〃
Josephine signed to him to take a key that hung from a ribbon at her
waist。 After opening the door； Balthazar laid his wife on a sofa； and
left the room to stop the frightened servants from coming up by giving
them orders to serve the dinner； then he went back to Madame Claes。
〃What is it； my dear life？〃 he said； sitting down beside her； and
taking her hand and kissing it。
〃Nothingnow；〃 she answered。 〃I suffer no longer。 Only； I would I had
the power of God to pour all the gold of the world at thy feet。〃
〃Why gold？〃 he asked。 He took her in his arms； pressed her to him and
kissed her once more upon the forehead。 〃Do you not give me the
greatest of all riches in loving me as you do love me； my dear and
precious wife？〃
〃Oh！ my Balthazar； will you not drive away the anguish of our lives as
your voice now drives out the misery of my heart？ At last； at last； I
see that you are still the same。〃
〃What anguish do you speak of； dear？〃
〃My friend； we are ruined。〃
〃Ruined！〃 he repeated。 Then； with a smile； he stroked her hand；
holding it within his own； and said in his tender voice； so long
unheard： 〃To…morrow； dear love； our wealth may perhaps be limitless。
Yesterday； in searching for a far more important secret； I think I
found the means of crystallizing carbon； the substance of the diamond。
Oh； my dear wife！ in a few days' time you will forgive me all my
forgetfulnessI am forgetful sometimes； am I not？ Was I not harsh to
you just now？ Be indulgent for a man who never ceases to think of you；
whose toils are full of youof us。〃
〃Enough； enough！〃 she said； 〃let us talk of it all to…night； dear
friend。 I suffered from too much grief； and now I suffer from too much
joy。〃
〃To…night；〃 he resumed； 〃yes； willingly： we will talk of it。 If I fall
into meditation； remind me of this promise。 To…night I desire to leave
my work； my researches； and return to family joys； to the delights of
the heartPepita； I need them； I thirst for them！〃
〃You will tell me what it is you seek； Balthazar？〃
〃Poor child； you cannot understand it。〃
〃You think so？ Ah！ my friend； listen； for nearly four months I have
studied chemistry that I might talk of it with you。 I have read
Fourcroy； Lavoisier； Chaptal； Nollet； Rouelle； Berthollet； Gay…Lussac；
Spallanzani； Leuwenhoek； Galvani； Volta；in fact； all the books about
the science you worship。 You can tell me your secrets； I shall
understand you。〃
〃Oh！ you are indeed an angel；〃 cried Balthazar； falling at her feet；
and shedding tears of tender feeling that made her quiver。 〃Yes； we
will understand each other in all things。〃
〃Ah！〃 she cried； 〃I would throw myself into those hellish fires which
heat your furnaces to hear these words from your lips and to see you
thus。〃 Then； hearing her daughter's step in the anteroom； she sprang
quickly forward。 〃What is it； Marguerite？〃 she said to her eldest
daughter。
〃My dear mother； Monsieur Pierquin has just come。 If he stays to
dinner we need some table…linen； you forgot to give it out this
morning。〃
Madame Claes drew from her pocket a bunch of small keys and gave them
to the young girl； pointing to the mahogany closets which lined the
ante…chamber as she said：
〃My daughter； take a set of the Graindorge linen； it is on your
right。〃
〃Since my dear Balthazar comes back to me； let the return be
complete；〃 she said； re…entering her chamber with a soft and arch
expression on her face。 〃My friend； go into your own room； do me the
kindness to d