Maitre Solonet, who perceived no other way out of these irreconcilable difficulties than the resolution with which Paul’s love inspired him, and to which this conflict of feelings and thwarted interests had brought him, was extremely surprised at the sudden exclamation of his brother notary.  Curious to know the remedy that Mathias had found in a state of things which had seemed to him beyond all other relief, he said, addressing the old man:—­

“What is it you propose?”

“Natalie, my dear child, leave us,” said Madame Evangelista.

“Mademoiselle is not in the way,” replied Mathias, smiling.  “I am going to speak in her interests as well as in those of Monsieur le comte.”

Silence reigned for a moment, during which time everybody present, oppressed with anxiety, awaited the allocution of the venerable notary with unspeakable curiosity.

“In these days,” continued Maitre Mathias, after a pause, “the profession of notary has changed from what it was.  Political revolutions now exert an influence over the prospects of families, which never happened in former times.  In those days existences were clearly defined; so were rank and position—­”

“We are not here for a lecture on political ceremony, but to draw up a marriage contract,” said Solonet, interrupting the old man, impatiently.

“I beg you to allow me to speak in my turn as I see fit,” replied the other.

Solonet turned away and sat down on the ottoman, saying, in a low voice, to Madame Evangelista:—­

“You will now hear what we call in the profession ‘balderdash.’”

“Notaries are therefore compelled to follow the course of political events, which are now intimately connected with private interests.  Here is an example:  formerly noble families owned fortunes that were never shaken, but which the laws, promulgated by the Revolution, destroyed, and the present system tends to reconstruct,” resumed the old notary, yielding to the loquacity of the “tabellionaris boa-constrictor” (boa-notary).  “Monsieur le comte by his name, his talents, and his fortune is called upon to sit some day in the elective Chamber.  Perhaps his destiny will take him to the hereditary Chamber, for we know that he has talent and means enough to fulfil that expectation.  Do you not agree with me, madame?” he added, turning to the widow.

“You anticipate my dearest hope,” she replied.  “Monsieur de Manerville must be a peer of France, or I shall die of mortification.”

“Therefore all that leads to that end—­” continued Mathias with a cordial gesture to the astute mother-in-law.

“—­will promote my eager desire,” she replied.