[The Alkahest by Honore de Balzac]@TWC D-Link book
The Alkahest

CHAPTER X
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Pierquin, however, found so many good reasons to reject the suggested matches as unworthy of Marguerite's position, that the confabulators glanced at each other and smiled, and took malicious pleasure in prolonging this truly provincial method of annoyance.

Pierquin had already decided that Madame Claes's death would have a favorable effect upon his suit, and he began mentally to cut up the body in his own interests.
"That good woman," he said to himself as he went home to bed, "was as proud as a peacock; she would never gave given me her daughter.

Hey, hey! why couldn't I manage matters now so as to marry the girl?
Pere Claes is drunk on carbon, and takes no care of his children.

If, after convincing Marguerite that she must marry to save the property of her brothers and sister, I were to ask him for his daughter, he will be glad to get rid of a girl who is likely to thwart him." He went to sleep anticipating the charms of the marriage contract, and reflecting on the advantages of the step and the guarantees afforded for his happiness in the person he proposed to marry.

In all the provinces there was certainly not a better brought-up or more delicately lovely young girl than Mademoiselle Claes.


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