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Updated: June 14, 2025
"My mother-in-law seems to me an excellent woman," he thought, still under the influence of the cajoling manner by which she had endeavored to disperse the clouds raised by the discussion. "Mathias is mistaken. These notaries are strange fellows; they envenom everything. The harm started from that little cock-sparrow Solonet, who wanted to play a clever game."
"There is still a way to harmonize all interests," said Solonet, uttering this sentence in a high falsetto tone, which silenced the other three and drew their eyes and their attention upon himself. This young man was not unlike a skilful coachman who holds the reins of four horses, and amuses himself by first exciting his animals and then subduing them.
Even if he now distrusts you, he will always trust his wife; and his wife is YOU, is she not? The count's fate is still within your power if you choose to play the cards in your hand." "If that were true, monsieur, I know not what I would not do to show my gratitude," she said, in a transport of feeling that colored her cheeks. "Let us now return to the others, madame," said Solonet.
At this moment, Paul, Solonet and Madame Evangelista, becoming embarrassed by the old man's silence, felt that the approval of that censor was necessary to carry out the transaction, and all three turned to him simultaneously. "Well, my dear Monsieur Mathias, what do you think of it?" said Paul. "This is what I think," said the conscientious and uncompromising notary.
The air and manner of Madame Evangelista and that of the bridal pair excited some comment among the elegant crowd which surrounded the altar. "Solonet tells me that the bride and bridegroom leave for Paris to-morrow morning, all alone." "Madame Evangelista was to live with them, I thought." "Count Paul has got rid of her already." "What a mistake!" said the Marquise de Gyas.
Calmed by this first outburst, madame kept the necklace and ear-rings, which she was wearing, and brought the other jewels, valued at one hundred and fifty thousand francs by Elie Magus. Accustomed to the sight of family diamonds in all valuations of inheritance, Maitre Mathias and Solonet examined these jewels in their cases and exclaimed upon their duty.
"Monsieur de Manerville will be at no loss to find another bride and another dowry." "Yes, he'll lose nothing; but we lose all, all!" "You?" replied Solonet; "why, you can easily find another count who will cost you less money, if a title is the chief object of this marriage." "No, no! we can't stake our honor in that way. I am caught in a trap, monsieur.
"Very good," said Maitre Mathias; "but what, then, becomes of madame?" At this question, which appeared to imply consent, Solonet said, softly, to himself, "Well done, old fox! I've caught you!" "Madame," he replied, aloud, "will keep the hundred and fifty thousand francs remaining from the sale of the house.
"Solonet advises me to put the proceeds of this house into an annuity," said Madame Evangelista, "but I shall do otherwise; I won't take a penny of my fortune from you." "I saw you were all very angry," said Natalie. "How did the tempest calm down?" "By an offer of my diamonds," replied Madame Evangelista. "Solonet was right. How ably he conducted the whole affair. Get out my jewel-case, Natalie.
Now, while Mathias was more than a mere notary, Solonet was still a young man, and brought into his business the vanity of youth. It often happens that personal conceit makes a man forgetful of the interests of his client. In this case, Maitre Solonet, who would not suffer the widow to think that Nestor had vanquished Achilles, advised her to conclude the marriage on the terms proposed.
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