Balthazar from Monsieur de Wierzchownia； then in Dresden and dying； he
wrote； from wounds received in one of the late engagements。 He
remembered his promise； and desired to bequeath to his former host
several ideas on the subject of the Absolute； which had come to him
since the period of their meeting。 The letter plunged Claes into a
reverie which apparently did honor to his patriotism； but his wife was
not misled by it。 To her； this festal day brought a double mourning：
and the ball； during which the House of Claes shone with departing
lustre； was sombre and sad in spite of its magnificence； and the many
choice treasures gathered by the hands of six generations； which the
people of Douai now beheld for the last time。
Marguerite Claes； just sixteen； was the queen of the day； and on this
occasion her parents presented her to society。 She attracted all eyes
by the extreme simplicity and candor of her air and manner； and
especially by the harmony of her form and countenance with the
characteristics of her home。 She was the embodiment of the Flemish
girl whom the painters of that country loved to represent；the head
perfectly rounded and full； chestnut hair parted in the middle and
laid smoothly on the brow； gray eyes with a mixture of green； handsome
arms； natural stoutness which did not detract from her beauty； a timid
air； and yet； on the high square brow an expression of firmness；
hidden at present under an apparent calmness and docility。 Without
being sad or melancholy； she seemed to have little natural enjoyment。
Reflectiveness； order； a sense of duty； the three chief expressions of
Flemish nature； were the characteristics of a face that seemed cold at
first sight； but to which the eye was recalled by a certain grace of
outline and a placid pride which seemed the pledges of domestic
happiness。 By one of those freaks which physiologists have not yet
explained； she bore no likeness to either father or mother； but was
the living image of her maternal great…grandmother； a Conyncks of
Bruges； whose portrait； religiously preserved； bore witness to the
resemblance。
The supper gave some life to the ball。 If the military disasters
forbade the delights of dancing； every one felt that they need not
exclude the pleasures of the table。 The true patriots； however；
retired early； only the more indifferent remained； together with a few
card players and the intimate friends of the family。 Little by little
the brilliantly lighted house； to which all the notabilities of Douai
had flocked； sank into silence； and by one o'clock in the morning the
great gallery was deserted； the lights were extinguished in one salon
after another； and the court…yard； lately so bustling and brilliant；
grew dark and gloomy；prophetic image of the future that lay before
the family。 When the Claes returned to their own appartement；
Balthazar gave his wife the letter he had received from the Polish
officer： Josephine returned it with a mournful gesture； she foresaw
the coming doom。
From that day forth； Balthazar made no attempt to disguise the
weariness and the depression that assailed him。 In the mornings； after
the family breakfast； he played for awhile in the parlor with little
Jean； and talked to his daughters； who were busy with their sewing； or
embroidery or lace…work； but he soon wearied of the play and of the
talk； and seemed at last to get through with them as a duty。 When his
wife came down again after dressing； she always found him sitting in
an easy…chair looking blankly at Marguerite and Felicie； quite
undisturbed by the rattle of their bobbins。 When the newspaper was
brought in； he read it slowly like a retired merchant at a loss how to
kill the time。 Then he would get up； look at the sky through the
window panes； go back to his chair and mend the fire drearily； as
though he were deprived of all consciousness of his own movements by
the tyranny of ideas。
Madame Claes keenly regretted her defects of education and memory。 It
was difficult for her to sustain an interesting conversation for any
length of time； perhaps this is always difficult between two persons
who have said everything to each other； and are forced to seek for
subjects of interest outside the life of the heart； or the life of
material existence。 The life of the heart has its own moments of
expansion which need some stimulus to bring them forth； discussions of
material life cannot long occupy superior minds accustomed to decide
promptly； and the mere gossip of society is intolerable to loving
natures。 Consequently； two isolated beings who know each other
thoroughly ought to seek their enjoyments in the higher regions of
thought； for it is impossible to satisfy with paltry things the
immensity of the relation between them。 Moreover； when a man has
accustomed himself to deal with great subjects； he becomes unamusable；
unless he preserves in the depths of his heart a certain guileless
simplicity and unconstraint which often make great geniuses such
charming children； but the childhood of the heart is a rare human
phenomenon among those whose mission it is to see all； know all； and
comprehend all。
During these first months； Madame Claes worked her way through this
critical situation； by unwearying efforts； which love or necessity
suggested to her。 She tried to learn backgammon； which she had never
been able to play； but now； from an impetus easy to understand； she
ended by mastering it。 Then she interested Balthazar in the education
of his daughters； and asked him to direct their studies。 All such
resources were； however； soon exhausted。 There came a time when
Josephine's relation to Balthazar was like that of Madame de Maintenon
to Louis XIV。； she had to amuse the unamusable； but without the pomps
of power or the wiles of a court which could play comedies like the
sham embassies from the King of Siam and the Shah of Persia。 After
wasting the revenues of France； Louis XIV。； no longer young or
successful； was reduced to the expedients of a family heir to raise
the money he needed； in the midst of his grandeur he felt his
impotence； and the royal nurse who had rocked the cradles of his
children was often at her wit's end to rock his； or soothe the monarch
now suffering from his misuse of men and things； of life and God。
Claes； on the contrary； suffered from too much power。 Stifling in the
clutch of a single thought； he dreamed of the pomps of Science； of
treasures for the human race； of glory for himself。 He suffered as
artists suffer in the grip of poverty； as Samson suffered beneath the
pillars of the temple。 The result was the same for the two sovereigns；
though the intellectual monarch was crushed by his inward force； the
other by his weakness。
What could Pepita do； singly； against this species of scientific
nostalgia？ After employing every means that family life afforded her；
she called society to the rescue； and gave two 〃cafes〃 every week。
Cafes at Douai took the place of teas。 A cafe was an assemblage which；
during a whole evening； the guests sipped the delicious wines and
liqueurs which overflow the cellars of that ever…blessed land； ate the
Flemish dainties and took their 〃cafe noir〃 or their 〃cafe au lait
frappe；〃 while the women sang ballads； discussed each other's
toilettes； and related the gossip of the day。 It was a living picture
by Mieris or Terburg； without the pointed gray hats； the scarlet
plumes； or the beautiful costumes of the sixteenth century。 And yet；
Balthazar's efforts to play the part of host； his constrained
courtesy； his forced animation； left him the next day in a state of
languor which showed but too plainly the depths of the inward ill。
These continual fetes； weak remedies for the real evil； only increased
it。 Like branches which caught him as he rolled down the precipice；
they retarded Claes's fall； but in the end he fell the heavier。 Though
he never spoke of his former occupations； never showed the least
regret for the promise he had given not to renew his researches； he
grew to have the melancholy motions； the feeble voice； the depression
of a sick person。 The ennui that possessed him showed at times in the
very manner with which he picked up the tongs and built fantastic
pyramids in the fire with bits of coal； utterly unconscious of what he
was doing。 When night came he was evidently relieved； sleep no doubt
released him from the importunities of thought： the next day he rose
wearily to encounter another day；seeming to measure time as the
tired traveller measures the desert he is forced to cross。
If Madame Claes knew the cause of this languor she endeavored not to
see the extent of its ravages。 Full of courage against the sufferings
of the mind； she was helpless against the generous impulses of the
heart。 She dared not question Balthazar when she saw him listening to
the laughter of little Jean or the chatter of his girls； with the air
of a man