A chance marriage

Chapter I

Why Pascal Divorne handed in his resignation within fifteen days after his departure from the School of Civil Engineers, of which he was one of the most promising pupils, no one ever knew.

He did not take the trouble to explain, nor did he give any reasons for his action, probably because he had none to give. By this I mean satisfactory reasons, based on a certain personal interest or a prudent self-love, such in fact as would be admissible and conclusive to judges of a paying business.

The opportunities for him to declare the truth, or to equivocate, were not wanting. All his distant relatives in Paris as well as his acquaintances, skillfully sounded him. They hoped to discover some secret or perhaps some little scandal, and this was very

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tempting. But he was cruel enough to deceive these worthy inquisitors, who excuse their intermeddling in the affairs of others, by assigning the eternal and hackneyed pretext of a tender interest which is never felt. He laughed at these persons so obliging, always ready to open their hearts in confidence and their mouths in good counsel, hut who never open their purses when their assistance is needed.

Some of them were very persistent. These Pascal took aside, and, after glancing about with the look of a restless conspirator, mysteriously, and in a very low whisper, pronounced the significant word — “politics” — although he had never in his life given any attention to the subject. This expedient succeeded; for these troublesome persons fled affrighted, imagining that they already saw the prison of Mont Saint Michel opened to receive them.

Their fruitless attacks were abandoned and Pascal was left to his tranquillity, but not without their declaration that he was not a very social young man, that he was destitute of candor, and that . it would be prudent to be guarded against him so long as he held his extreme opinions.

His particular friends were still left to him, and to them he made the simple statement that, although a Frenchman and a very good Frenchman, he detested all kinds of uniforms, even if they were more adorned than a shrine; that governmental employment was not adapted to his taste, that the uncertain chances of fortune appeared more desirable to him than any fixed appointment, small or great, deserved or not; in a word, that his own independence was a thousand times more precious to him than all the honors of the administration, even than the portfolio of the prime minister.

His friends were naturally indifferent to the motive of his actions. It was of no importance to them whether he did one thing or another. They unanimously declared that his utterances were wise, and that his course was the right one. Only one boldly censured the young engineer, and in a patronizing tone reproached him for his precipitate imprudence. This was the bosom friend of Pascal, his confidant, his chum at the college of Henry IV. They had pursued their studies together and were afterwards inseparable.

This fidus Achates , transformed into a Mentor, was named Eugene Lorilleux. He was two or three years older than Pascal. About eighteen months previous to this, he had received a diploma as “Doctor of Medicine,” and was now looking with some anx-

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iety for patients.

He was still at the beginning of a profession which, above all others, is difficult and precarious. He had a few patients, but they were of a class that paid little or nothing. These sick people inhabited garrets, wretched holes. In order to prescribe for them he had to go up four or five flights. He had gratuitous and paying consultations, but since only the poor called on him, he concluded that it was useless to keep up the distinction. He, however, had patience, and waited for the ‘‘moment that leads to fortune, which” as it is said “comes three times in the life of every man,” and which each should be ready to seize upon when it comes.

A painstaking student, he relied on his scientific attainments and his talents to acquire reputation and fortune. In this he was, and continued to be, deceived. That he was learned was incontestable; but he was deficient in perception, in insinuating manners, in audacity. In his study he was self-reliant and most tenacious of his theories, but at the bedside of his patients he had not that quick insight into disease, that divining sense, that instant inspiration, which characterize all great and true physicians.

Lorilleux was, however, by no means an ordinary man. His great misfortune was

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that lie had never known enthusiasm. He never had youth or adolescence. He was born old, and he is to-day just what he was in his fourteenth year, when he was studying for the third bench of the Lyceum. There is no change in him, neither in size nor character. He is small, precise and formal. He is so exceedingly solemn, dignified and self-important, as to appear, at times, ridiculous. His insignificant figure is not the reflection of his mind for that is a blank page on which nothing can be deciphered. More subtle than the ordinary Norman peasant, he has the weakness of supposing that all the world has the same mania as himself for finessing.

He did not believe in disinterested actions and he always saw some hidden motives in those of others. You could not make him understand that people sometimes acted on the spur of the moment, without consideration. His invariable answer was: “there is something underneath. ” His days were spent in baffling, by skillful manoeuvres, fantastical conspiracies, or in laboriously unravelling the chimerical thread of some very complicated plot. Such exaggerated fears and fancies made his life miserable. His friends often laughed at his singular apprehensions, and when they found him more

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preoccupied with them than ordinarily, they would say: “Well, Lorilleux, we want to know if you have solved the enigma !”

In a word, this close calculator looked upon life. as a series of problems in algebra, the solution of which clever people must carry in their pockets. For ten years he had followed one rule of conduct, which he believed in — never to trust chance; and he never varied from it in the least.

Is it astonishing that such a man was narrow-minded? He was the very opposite of Pascal, who had large ideas, a positive audacity in conception, and great courage in the initiative. Hence it was that he was reproached for having romantic ideas.

These opposite characteristics are sufficient to account for the great friendship between these young men; but there was still another cause for it. For a long time the physician had a design upon his friend, who was unconscious of it. It dated from their college days.

Lorilleux had a sister ten years younger than himself, whom he tenderly loved. During the age that other young men indulge in ideas of pleasure alone, he was planning for his sister’s future. Their mother, Madame Lorilleux, was a widow. All her fortune consisted of an annuity which

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would terminate with her life. What would become of the young girl in the event of her mother’s death? And, even aside from such a calamity, what would be her destiny in later life? A young lady without dowry stood no chance of marriage,* her family connections could scarcely make the “two ends of the year meet,” and there was no prospect that her brother, from the income of his profession, would be able to furnish her with a marriage portion by the time that she had reached her twentieth year. How then could she find a husband ?

These were the ideas that tormented this precocious calculator at the age of seventeen; when he suddenly thought that his friend Pascal, would, in about ten years, make an excellent match for his dear sister. This idea appeared sublime to the penetratingcollegian. He instantly seized upon it and was haunted continually by it. He turned it over in every way, considered it in all its phases, calculated all its probabilities; and arrived at the conclusion that it was not only most admirable as well as most necessary, but also that, with a little patience and address, it might be realized.

“The fortune,” he said to himself, “will be no obstacle; the family of Pascal is wealthy, and he is the most disinterested of men.”

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My sister is pretty, modest and refined; she will make him happy, and will be the best of mothers. She will certainly please Pascal; hut, even if he did not love her, he would marry her out of his affection for me, his dearest friend, and so strengthen our friendship and become my brother. Thus shall I procure the happiness of the two whom I most cherish, and to this end shall my efforts be directed.”

It was for this that Lorilleux became and continued the intimate friend of Pascal, and took so tender an interest in all that concerned him. He knew to a cent the precise amount that he would inherit someday, and he had even spent fifteen days in Brittany, in the house of his future “brother-in-law,” for the express purpose of studying the characteristics of the future relatives of his sister. He returned convinced that there were no obstacles on that side.

In the meantime he never uttered a word, nor made the slightest allusion to the subject. He never said anything that could awaken any suspicion as to his design, or cause any alarm. He was altogether too sagacious for that. His sister was yet too young, and Pascal had not left college. It was necessary to wait, and he waited.

But in the meantime, how attentive he

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was to his friend ! How he coddled him ! How solicitous he was to know everything that concerned him and his family ! Was there not involved, (as is often the case in provincial places) some little cousin delicately brought up, some project of union ? Ho, nothing of the kind.

When Pascal was admitted to the Polytechnic School, he was congratulated by Lorilleux, who was undoubtedly the happier of the two. How he praised and glorified him, saying to himself: “Good, my sister will marry an officer of Artillery.”

But Pascal and three others left and joined the School of Civil Engineers.

“Bravo!” said Lorilleux to himself, on learning of this decision, “garrison life would not be agreeable to my sister; she will be the wife of an Engineer; this suits me better,” and he rubbed his hands.

We may judge of his disappointment when the young engineer resigned without consulting him and without saying anything to him as to his intentions. This independent way of acting annoyed the physician ; and besides that he considered it very foob ish to abandon a permanent position, a magnificent career! “The deuce take the thoughtless fellow,” he repeated to himself, in the same tone, as if he said; “My

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poor sister has a husband who acts very foolishly.”

He, however, partly concealed his annoyance. Pascal was a Breton, and that is to say, very tenacious of his own views. To change his determinations was impossible; and Lorilleux did not attempt to do so. It would have thrown a coldness over their warm friendship. But he earnestly denounced his inconsiderateness. The folly was done, it was now necessary to take advantage of it, and the physician had, at this time, in view a certain position for an engineer.

‘‘What will you do now,” he asked Pascal, “since you have thrown away five years?”

‘ ‘Ho you think so, my dear friend ? I thought that I had spent my time profitably.”

“But, what have you decided upon this time?”

“You will see. I have a project.”

“Ah!” said Lorilleux, with feeling, “you have never spoken to me about it.”

“I wished to give you a surprise.”

“Let me say in conclusion, that there is no one living avIio wishes you success more than I do. But life is not a romance. Depend upon it, you are deceived. At any rate, my friendship compels me to give you my opinion; you have acted unwisely.”

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Chapter II

Unfortunately the opinion of Lorilleux was also the opinion of Pascal’s father, who was a licensed attorney in the Court of Common Pleas, of Lannion, on the northern coast of France.

The news of his son’s sudden resignation, pained him exceedingly. His most cherished desires and projects, which, as a considerate father, he had entertained for his only son, had come to an end. The fond dream of his life had been to see Pascal the inheritor of his name and fortune, as an engineer, and to promenade the streets of Lannion with him, dressed in his superblyembroidered uniform, with a sword at his side and a helmet on his head; but now, in the moment of its realization, it vanished. Mr. Divorne decided that it was only ‘ ‘caprice,” because Pascal merely notified him that he had retired from the service, without a word of explanation or apology.

Less than this would make a man furious, and the attorney did not fail to show his anger and send Pascal his severe remonstrances; and certainly he would have been

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justified in denouncing him twenty times, over.

After the first excitement had passed, the unhappy father tried to reflect. It might have been better, had he done so at the beginning. He asked himself what right had a man, twenty-four years of age — for whom he had succeeded in securing a position, first in the Polytechnic School, and afterwards in the School of Civil Engineers, and whose education cost him more than thirty thousand francs — to resign his position without the consent of his parents or guardians ? Had he any right whatever? He questioned it, he consulted the authorities, but alas ! the evidence was against him. With profound sadness he detected a flaw in the law, and although he was an interpreter and a passionate admirer of decrees and statutes, he cursed the legislators and accused their want of foresight.

In connection with this, and as if to increase his sadness and to inflame his anger, all whom he met in the streets wore sorrowful countenances, as if they knew all about what had occurred.

The fact was that the news had spread rapidly through all Lannion, and on the very same evening had been, discussed in ten different localities, All sympathize^

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with, the father and censured the son without measure.

From that day Pascal was undone. His fellow villagers declared that he was a lost youth, that he would never amount to anything, and that he would come to a bad end.

It was certainly very sad to realize that he would, sooner or later, bring dishonor upon his unhappy father. Some one had even said that Mr. Divorne had grown ten years older in two days. In a little while they would have affirmed that he had become gray in a night, as there have been instances of this kind known to have happened.

In a word, Pascal could not have been more seriously reviled, had he ruined his family, committed perjury, or deserved the convict’s cell. Such was the great tenderness of heart of these charitable country people.

Madame Divorne received twenty calls during the week. She never knew that she had so many friends, All the women, however slightly acquainted, found some good pretext for calling, in order to ascertain exactly how matters stood, and they increased her heart wound, if indeed her heart had been wounded.

It is important to say here that all, who blamed the son and sympathized with the un-

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fortunate father, were generally convinced that his punishment was just. The attorney had always been prosperous, and prosperity in a little provincial town is a crime not easily pardoned. The success of one is an injury to another. Jealousy lies dormant in all hearts. How many secret and envenomed hatreds have their origin in this way !

Mr. Divorne was envied more than any other person in Lannion. He had been poor, and was now rich. He also owned the finest house in the village, but the people remembered the coarse clothing he wore when he was a clerk in the office of his predecessor, and they said he had been very lucky in business.

“He has indeed been very fortunate,” said they, whose want of sagacity or manifest incapability had doomed to uniform mediocrity : “He is really a lucky fellow.”

A small inheritance had enabled him to pursue his studies, and his wife’s dowry had purchased his business. Afterwards he had uniformily prospered through thrift and economy,

How many fathers had he humiliated, in other days, by contrasting his son with their sons ! And with what unction did he express the satisfaction which his son

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gave him by annually returning with the first prize, having passed his examination with a clear vote! And afterwards how loudly did he speak of his high expectations !

This occurrence was therefore a merited punishment, another proof that no reliance can be placed on these model college boys, these young men of high spirit ; they trust to their own superiority; they desire to strike out into new paths, disdaining to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors, and usually turn out bad. It is an old saying that “genius is impracticable.”

So it was for fifteen days ; all who approached Mr. Divorne assumed a doleful countenance, because of his grief, although their hearts were filled with delight. At court he was condoled, and at the club he received a profusion of consolation; and his irritation was increased by his conviction that Pascal had actually committed a crime.

At home he vented his rage and threw the blame on his wife, whose motherly partiality, he maintained, was blind and imprudent, and had been the cause of all this evil. However, after further reflection and studying the situation more carefully, he became satisfied that the damage was not

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irreparable, and he had already thought seriously of writing to the minister of the interior, or of making a journey to Paris for the purpose of soliciting an interview, when Pascal, unexpectedly, one fine evening made his appearance under the paternal roof. He had arrived by the stage that ran between Rennes and Brest,

His coming was certainly a surprise, and Josette, the old governess, who went to the door grumbling at the impertinence of the person, who was so bold as to ring the bell so furiously at that unreasonable hour, came near falling back in astonishment when she beheld her young master.

She recognized him instantly, as she afterwards boasted, although his face was much altered, and he had grown taller and much stronger during the three years of his absence.

She cried aloud for joy and surprise, and, dropping the candle, ran up stairs, calling on every one as if the house was on fire.

In the meantime Pascal had closed the door and was groping his way in the dark.

“It is I,” he cried out laughingly. “It is I, be not afraid. ” Surprised by the disturbance and the piercing cries of Josette, the attorney had opened the parlor door and demanded: “Well, what is the matter ? what

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is the matter ? I say.”

Josette’s emotion was so great that she could not speak, but Madame Divorne had already recognized the voice of her son, and ran in haste to meet him, even while her husband was still repeating: 4 ‘What is the matter ? what is the matter ?” Pascal was in the arms of his mother, who was crying for joy and pressing him warmly to her heart.

For the sake of this her dearly beloved son, she had suffered much during the past two weeks, but his presence was enough and more than sufficient to compensate for all that she had endured. Seeing him, all was pardoned, or rather, forgotten.

Mr. Divorne, on his part, in order to maintain his dignity, thought it proper to be impassible; and how could he do less since the principle of parental authority had been invaded ?

He succeeded to some extent in mastering his emotions, but not without a painful struggle could he put on a look of severity that concealed a tear. He succeeded, however, in preserving a coolness in his manner, and in exhibiting displeasure in his countenance, even while embracing his son who had been his joy and his pride. But further than this he had little control of

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himself. When Pascal embraced him, he felt that his anger was melting like the snows by the breezes of April. Parental emotion was gaining the upper hand with him, but not wishing to expose his weakness he pretended to have some urgent business to attend to — urgent business in Lannion at nine o’clock at night ! — and went out hurriedly, blowing his nose with unusual force.

The prodigal son had returned, and the father, unlike that one mentioned in the Bible, had not commanded the fatted calf to be killed for him; but the father of the Prodigal Son was not an advocate before the Court of Common Pleas. Pascal remained alone with his mother.

It was necessary to prepare supper for this traveler, who had the appetite of a man, that for the last two days had only hurriedly eaten whatever he could obtain at the railroad buffets. He, however, not wishing to choke himself, had gone half starved. Josette busied herself in spreading the table before the fireplace, and in running up and down from the kitchen to the dining room, and back again, almost beside herself, making ten turns for every necessary one and manifesting the depth of her emotion by now and then breaking a dish,

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or wiping a tear from her eyes.

Madame Divorne was seated opposite to her son who was eating ravenously. She was in ecstasy, she gazed upon him admiringly, she desired to remain in this state for years. But an explanation between Pascal and his father was imminent, and that might be stormy. Was it necessary to caution Pascal, or to obtain any concession from him ? She would interpose even at the risk of drawing upon herself the anger of both.

“Thy father,” she said, “is greatly irritated, thou naughty boy; thou hast given us, or at least given him much trouble. ”

“Not at all, my dear mother, I assure you: Let your mind be at ease, all will be well.”

“At least thou shouldst have notified him, and asked his advice.”

“Sure of a refusal, it would have been foolish: I could have gone no further; judge for yourself.”

“Promise me at least that thou wilt be reasonable, even if he scolds, and that thou wilt not get angry.”

“I will make you this pledge, but you will soon learn that I have been reasonable.”

“Ah ! I hope so,” murmured Madame Divorne sadly.

Pascal embraced her, and his cause was gained. She* was now confident that he

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could not be wrong, and she was ready to take sides with her son. And thus it is with all mothers : it is so difficult to convince them ! And then they cannot be imposed upon with bad reasons !

It appears the attorney recovered his equanimity by his out door exercise, for when he returned, after having dispatched the urgent business, his look was far from being harsh or severe. His anger had passed away, and he talked, laughed and jested good naturedly with his son, without even referring to his resignation.

The next day he did not speak about it any more than on the preceding night, nor did he mention it for several succeeding days. God knows, however, how he felt, when the people asked him wherever he went: “And so your son has returned ? Well, well, what does he say ?”

The report of Pascal’s return had, in fact, spread rapidly; the people had seen the porter entering the house with a trunk and a hat box ; visitors began to assail the house, but Madame Divorne guarded the door, and made some enemies that day who never forgave her.

Once Pascal thought it would do him good to go out, but he had scarcely taken a few steps, before he was met by five per-

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sons hvo of jphoni he knew hut little , and one he had never seen ; they all offered him their hands, and hypocritically inquired about the School of Engineers. He quickly returned home, denouncing his townsmen, and resolved that he would not again put his nose out of doors.

The days were passing, and Mr. Divorne seemed to have forgotten altogether his complaints against his son. Annoyed by this state of uncertainty, Pascal had desired twenty times to give the explanation which his father longed for, hut was always prevented by his mother.

4 ‘Don’t be in a hurry,” she would say to him. “I know thy father : it takes him a long time to come to a decision. He has been considering since thy arrival. When he has made up his mind, be assured that he will let thee know his determination.”

And so it was ! One morning, after breakfast, when the table cloth was removed, the attorney asked his son to give him his attention.

“ At last,” thought Pascal, “ the moment has come.”

Mr. Divorne was exceedingly prolix in speech, so much so, that he had even been reprimanded in court for it; but, he never before had so abused this precious gift, as

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on this serious occasion. The exordium to his discourse was a sort of apostrophe to paternal love. Who had discharged the duties of a parent better than himself ? He would be judged by his own son. Had he not given him many proofs of his affection? And what had been his reward?

He then passed to the enumeration of the numberless cares which children give to parents. Nothing was forgotten of what he had done for him. from the time of cutting his first tooth, to the post-chaise journey to Paris, when he was very sick. This was the first point. The second related to pecuniary sacrifices, and was much longer. The attorney calculated and marked down all the moneys he had paid out, including the most trifling expenses, to secure for his son the advantages of an education of which he himself had been deprived.

Finally, as might be expected, in the third place he came to the subject of compensations, and acknowledged the satisfactions of every kind, which he had received from Pascal. These were numerous, and he did not omit a single one.

In a word, this discourse was precisely like the perusal of a great paternal ledger, in which, on one side, were entered the sorrows and the losses, and, on the other.

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the joys and tlje profits; and so far Mr. Divorne acknowledged that the balance was in favor of his son, and that he was his debtor.

“And now, my son,” said he, in concluding his address, “I hope that thou wilt not change the present state of things. Thou must have reflected since thy return, and must now be sorry for having so foolishly ended thy career. Recall thy decision, write to the minister, who will not refuse to restore thee to thy position, and I will forgive thee the cruel chagrin which thou hast caused me.”

The effect produced by this long dissertation was quite different from what Mr. Divorne expected; Pascal remained silent for some minutes, as he wished to collect all his forces. In appearance he seemed to hesitate, but, finally, with a firm voice, he said: “ My father, what you desire is impossible. Such a demand would be rejected, and, besides that, I cannot consent to it.”

“Very well,” replied the attorney, with a sorrowful countenance, but ironically; “it is quite easy to get another position at once, and thou hast doubtless found something better.”

“If no better,” answered the son, “at least something more to my taste. You

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must consider that I have Reflected before acting, and as to my intentions, it was precisely to tell you what they are that I came home; and this was the more necessary because I will require your assistance.”

‘'This is indeed fortunate ! I now understand why thou hast thought of me. How then can I be of service to thee ?”

''Before undertaking my enterprise, it is necessary to secure funds, and I must rely on you for them.”

"Ah ! now I perceive,” said the attorney in a bantering tone, "thou dost require money; but it seems to me that before throwing up a good position, already secured, thou shouldst have made sure of my good will. If I were to deny thee — and I certainly will—”

"But my father,” interposed Pascal, with some impatience, "it seems to me that, some ten years ago, an aunt of mine bequeathed to me about forty thousand francs.”

Had any old woman of sixty years of age, almost confident of gaining one of her suits, come to him and said: "Mr. Divorne, I abandon it,” the surprise would have been less than that produced by the words of his son.