you for these? you will gain by the transaction, but what of that? I



am not selfish. Instead of those mere fancy jewels, Paul, your wife

will have fine diamonds which she can really enjoy. Isn't it better



that I should sell those ornaments which will surely go out of

fashion, and that you should keep in the family these priceless



stones?"

"But, my dear mother, consider yourself," said Paul.



"I," replied Madame Evangelista, "I want such things no longer. Yes,

Paul, I am going to be your bailiff at Lanstrac. It would be folly in



me to go to Paris at the moment when I ought to be here to liquidate

my property and settle my affairs. I shall grow miserly for my



grandchildren."

"Dear mother," said Paul, much moved, "ought I to accept this exchange



without paying you the difference?"

"Good heavens! are you not, both of you, my dearest interests? Do you



suppose I shall not find happiness in thinking, as I sit in my

chimney-corner, 'Natalie is dazzling to-night at the Duchesse de



Berry's ball'? When she sees my diamond at her throat and my ear-rings

in her ears she will have one of those little enjoyments of vanity



which contribute so much to a woman's happiness and make her so gay

and fascinating. Nothing saddens a woman more than to have her vanity



repressed; I have never seen an ill-dressed woman who was amiable or

good-humored."



"Heavens! what was Mathias thinking about?" thought Paul. "Well, then,

mamma," he said, in a low voice, "I accept."



"But I am confounded!" said Natalie.

At this moment Solonet arrived to announce the good news that he had



found among the speculators of Bordeaux two contractors who were much

attracted by the house, the gardens of which could be covered with



dwellings.

"They offer two hundred and fifty thousand francs," he said; "but if



you consent to the sale, I can make them give you three hundred

thousand. There are three acres of land in the garden."



"My husband paid two hundred thousand for the place, therefore I

consent," she replied. "But you must reserve the furniture and the



mirrors."

"Ah!" said Solonet, "you are beginning to understand business."



"Alas! I must," she said, sighing.

"I am told that a great many persons are coming to your midnight



service," said Solonet, perceiving that his presence was inopportune,

and preparing to go.



Madame Evangelista accompanied him to the door of the last salon, and

there she said, in a low voice:--



"I now have personal property to the amount of two hundred and fifty

thousand francs; if I can get two hundred thousand for my share of the



house it will make a handsome capital, which I shall want to invest to

the very best advantage. I count on you for that. I shall probably



live at Lanstrac."

The young notary kissed his client's hand with a gesture of gratitude;



for the widow's tone of voice made Solonet fancy that this alliance,

really made from self-interest only, might extend a little farther.



"You can count on me," he replied. "I can find you investments in

merchandise on which you will risk nothing and make very considerable



profits."

"Adieu until to-morrow," she said; "you are to be our witness, you



know, with Monsieur le Marquis de Gyas."

"My dear mother," said Paul, when she returned to them, "why do you



refuse to come to Paris? Natalie is provoked with me, as if I were the

cause of your decision."



"I have thought it all over, my children, and I am sure that I should

hamper you. You would feel obliged to make me a third in all you did,



and young people have ideas of their own which I might,

unintentionally, thwart. Go to Paris. I do not wish to exercise over



the Comtesse de Manerville the gentle authority I have held over

Natalie. I desire to leave her wholly to you. Don't you see, Paul,



that there are habits and ways between us which must be broken up? My

influence ought to yield to yours. I want you to love me, and to



believe that I have your interests more at heart than you think for.

Young husbands are, sooner or later, jealous for the love of a wife



for her mother. Perhaps they are right. When you are thoroughly

united, when love has blended your two souls into one, then, my dear



son, you will not fear an opposing influence if I live in your house.

• extent [ik´stent] n.长度；程度；范围 (初中英语单词)


• mistress [´mistris] n.女主人；情妇；女能手 (初中英语单词)


• knowing [´nəuiŋ] a.会意的，心照不宣的 (初中英语单词)


• charming [´tʃɑ:miŋ] a.可爱的；极好的 (初中英语单词)


• luxury [´lʌkʃəri] n.奢侈(品)；享受 (初中英语单词)


• visible [´vizəbəl] a.可见的；明显的 (初中英语单词)


• flatter [´flætə] vt.阿谀，奉承；胜过 (初中英语单词)


• acquire [ə´kwaiə] vt.求得，获得，学得 (初中英语单词)


• frighten [´fraitn] vt.吓唬，使惊惧 (初中英语单词)


• reflect [ri´flekt] v.反射；反响；表达 (初中英语单词)


• satisfaction [,sætis´fækʃən] n.满意；满足 (初中英语单词)


• reality [ri´æliti] n.现实(性)；真实；逼真 (初中英语单词)


• commit [kə´mit] vt.犯(罪)；把…判处 (初中英语单词)


• accustom [ə´kʌstəm] vt.使习惯于 (初中英语单词)


• measure [´meʒə] n.量度；范围 vt.测量 (初中英语单词)


• victory [´viktəri] n.胜利，战胜 (初中英语单词)


• therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词)


• constant [´kɔnstənt] a.坚定的；坚贞的 (初中英语单词)


• coldness [´kəuldnis] n.寒冷；冷淡 (初中英语单词)


• maintain [mein´tein] vt.维持；保持；继续 (初中英语单词)


• dignity [´digniti] n.尊严，尊贵；高官显贵 (初中英语单词)


• argument [´ɑ:gjumənt] n.辩论；争论；论证 (初中英语单词)


• constitute [´kɔnstitju:t] vt.组成；构成；指定 (初中英语单词)


• discussion [di´skʌʃən] n.讨论；辩论 (初中英语单词)


• inspire [in´spaiə] v.鼓舞；使感悟；吸入 (初中英语单词)


• belief [bi´li:f] n.相信；信仰，信条 (初中英语单词)


• advantage [əd´vɑ:ntidʒ] n.优势；利益 (初中英语单词)


• gratitude [´grætitju:d] n.感激，感谢 (初中英语单词)


• mental [´mentl] a.精神的；心理的 (初中英语单词)


• emotion [i´məuʃən] n.感情；情绪；激动 (初中英语单词)


• physical [´fizikəl] a.物质的；有形的 (初中英语单词)


• charge [tʃɑ:dʒ] v.收费；冲锋 n.费用 (初中英语单词)


• promote [prə´məut] vt.促进；发扬；助长 (初中英语单词)


• abandon [ə´bændən] vt.抛弃，放弃，离弃 (初中英语单词)


• amount [ə´maunt] n.总数；数量 v.合计 (初中英语单词)


• motive [´məutiv] n.动机；主题 a.运动的 (初中英语单词)


• gracious [´greiʃəs] a.和蔼可亲的；任慈的 (初中英语单词)


• drawer [drɔ:ə] n.抽屉 (初中英语单词)


• frankly [´fræŋkli] ad.直率地；慷慨地 (初中英语单词)


• confess [kən´fes] vt.供认；坦白；承认 (初中英语单词)


• monsieur [mə´sjə:] n.先生 (初中英语单词)


• payment [´peimənt] n.支付；报酬；报偿 (初中英语单词)


• weakness [´wi:knis] n.虚弱；弱点，缺点 (初中英语单词)


• disaster [di´zɑ:stə] n.灾难，不幸 (初中英语单词)


• selfish [´selfiʃ] a.自私的，利己的 (初中英语单词)


• throat [θrəut] n.咽喉；嗓子；出入口 (初中英语单词)


• contribute [kən´tribju:t] v.贡献出；投稿；捐献 (初中英语单词)


• fascinating [´fæsineitiŋ] a.迷人，使神魂颠倒的 (初中英语单词)


• beginning [bi´giniŋ] n.开始，开端；起源 (初中英语单词)


• invest [in´vest] v.投资；授予 (初中英语单词)


• gesture [´dʒestʃə] n.手势 v.打手势 (初中英语单词)


• witness [´witnis] n.见证人 vt.目击 (初中英语单词)


• wholly [´həul-li] ad.完全，十足；统统 (初中英语单词)


• jealous [´dʒeləs] a.妒忌的 (初中英语单词)


• species [´spi:ʃi:z] n.(生物的)种，类 (高中英语单词)


• dismal [´dizməl] a.灰暗的；阴郁的 (高中英语单词)


• destiny [´destini] n.命运 (高中英语单词)


• hostess [´həustis] n.女主人；旅馆女老板 (高中英语单词)


• steward [´stju:əd] n.管家；服务员 (高中英语单词)


• embarrass [im´bærəs] vt.妨碍；使为难 (高中英语单词)


• obedience [ə´bi:djəns] n.服从；顺从 (高中英语单词)


• lifetime [´laiftaim] n.一生，终生，寿命 (高中英语单词)


• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)


• proposition [,prɔpə´ziʃən] n.提议；主张；陈述 (高中英语单词)


• historic [his´tɔrik] a.有历史意义的 (高中英语单词)


• marquis [´mɑ:kwis] n.侯爵 (高中英语单词)


• feminine [´feminin] a.女性的 (英语四级单词)


• morrow [´mɔrəu] n.翌日 (英语四级单词)


• superiority [su:piəri´ɔriti, sju:-] n.优越，卓越 (英语四级单词)


• wasting [´weistiŋ] a.&n.浪费(的) (英语四级单词)


• unreasonable [ʌn´ri:zənəbl] a.不合理的；荒唐的 (英语四级单词)


• proverb [´prɔvə:b] n.谚语；格言 (英语四级单词)


• policy [´pɔlisi] n.政策；权谋；保险单 (英语四级单词)


• advancement [əd´vɑ:nsmənt] n.前进；促进；提升 (英语四级单词)


• console [kən´səul] vt.安慰；慰问 (英语四级单词)


• cordially [´kɔ:djəli] ad.热诚地；亲切地 (英语四级单词)


• necklace [´neklis] n.项链 (英语四级单词)


• amiable [´eimiəbəl] a.亲切的，温和的 (英语四级单词)


• thwart [θwɔ:t] vt.阻挠 a.横(断的) (英语四级单词)


• apathy [´æpəθi] n.缺乏感情；冷淡 (英语六级单词)


• vocation [vəu´keiʃən] n.职业；使命；天职 (英语六级单词)