the marriage contract-第31部分
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by the bye； that little Rastignac has enrolled himself；the scamp
will make his way！Madame d'Aiglemont and her salon； the
Lenoncourts； the Comtesse Ferraud； Madame d'Espard； the Nucingens；
the Spanish ambassador； in short； all the cliques in society are
flinging mud upon you。 You are a bad man； a gambler； a dissipated
fellow who has squandered his property。 After paying your debts a
great many times； your wife； an angel of virtue； has just redeemed
your notes for one hundred thousand francs； although her property
was separate from yours。 Luckily； you had done the best you could
do by disappearing。 If you had stayed here you would have made her
bed in the straw； the poor woman would have been the victim of her
conjugal devotion！
When a man attains to power； my dear Paul； he has all the virtues
of an epitaph； let him fall into poverty； and he has more sins
than the Prodigal Son； society at the present moment gives you the
vices of a Don Juan。 You gambled at the Bourse； you had licentious
tastes which cost you fabulous sums of money to gratify； you paid
enormous interests to money…lenders。 The two Vandenesses have told
everywhere how Gigonnet gave you for six thousand francs an ivory
frigate； and made your valet buy it back for three hundred in
order to sell it to you again。 The incident did really happen to
Maxime de Trailles about nine years ago； but it fits your present
circumstances so well that Maxime has forever lost the command of
his frigate。
In short； I can't tell you one…half that is said； you have
supplied a whole encyclopaedia of gossip which the women have an
interest in swelling。 Your wife is having an immense success。 Last
evening at the opera Madame Firmiani began to repeat to me some of
the things that are being said。 〃Don't talk of that；〃 I replied。
〃You know nothing of the real truth； you people。 Paul has robbed
the Bank； cheated the Treasury； murdered Ezzelin and three Medoras
in the rue Saint…Denis； and I think； between ourselves； that he is
a member of the Dix…Mille。 His associate is the famous Jacques
Collin； on whom the police have been unable to lay a hand since he
escaped from the galleys。 Paul gave him a room in his house； you
see he is capable of anything； in fact； the two have gone off to
India together to rob the Great Mogul。〃 Madame Firmiani； like the
distinguished woman that she is； saw that she ought not to convert
her beautiful lips into a mouthpiece for false denunciation。
Many persons； when they hear of these tragi…comedies of life；
refuse to believe them。 They take the side of human nature and
fine sentiments； they declare that these things do not exist。 But
Talleyrand said a fine thing； my dear fellow： 〃All things happen。〃
Truly； things happen under our very noses which are more amazing
than this domestic plot of yours； but society has an interest in
denying them； and in declaring itself calumniated。 Often these
dramas are played so naturally and with such a varnish of good
taste that even I have to rub the lens of my opera…glass to see to
the bottom of them。 But； I repeat to you； when a man is a friend
of mine； when we have received together the baptism of champagne
and have knelt together before the altar of the Venus Commodus；
when the crooked fingers of play have given us their benediction；
if that man finds himself in a false position I'd ruin a score of
families to do him justice。
You must be aware from all this that I love you。 Have I ever in my
life written a letter as long as this？ No。 Therefore； read with
attention what I still have to say。
Alas！ Paul； I shall be forced to take to writing； for I am taking
to politics。 I am going into public life。 I intend to have； within
five years； the portfolio of a ministry or some embassy。 There
comes an age when the only mistress a man can serve is his
country。 I enter the ranks of those who intend to upset not only
the ministry； but the whole present system of government。 In
short； I swim in the waters of a certain prince who is lame of the
foot only；a man whom I regard as a statesman of genius whose
name will go down to posterity； a prince as complete in his way as
a great artist may be in his。
Several of us； Ronquerolles； Montriveau； the Grandlieus； La Roche…
Hugon； Serisy； Feraud； and Granville； have allied ourselves
against the 〃parti…pretre；〃 as the party…ninny represented by the
〃Constitutionnel〃 has ingeniously said。 We intend to overturn the
Navarreins； Lenoncourts； Vandenesses； and the Grand Almonry。 In
order to succeed we shall even ally ourselves with Lafayette； the
Orleanists； and the Left；people whom we can throttle on the
morrow of victory； for no government in the world is possible with
their principles。 We are capable of anything for the good of the
countryand our own。
Personal questions as to the King's person are mere sentimental
folly in these days； they must be cleared away。 From that point of
view； the English with their sort of Doge； are more advanced than
we are。 Politics have nothing to do with that； my dear fellow。
Politics consist in giving the nation an impetus by creating an
oligarchy embodying a fixed theory of government； and able to
direct public affairs along a straight path； instead of allowing
the country to be pulled in a thousand different directions； which
is what has been happening for the last forty years in our
beautiful Franceat once so intelligent and so sottish； so wise
and so foolish； it needs a system； indeed； much more than men。
What are individuals in this great question？ If the end is a great
one； if the country may live happy and free from trouble； what do
the masses care for the profits of our stewardship； our fortune；
privileges； and pleasures？
I am now standing firm on my feet。 I have at the present moment a
hundred and fifty thousand francs a year in the Three per Cents；
and a reserve of two hundred thousand francs to repair damages。
Even this does not seem to me very much ballast in the pocket of a
man starting left foot foremost to scale the heights of power。
A fortunate accident settled the question of my setting out on
this career； which did not particularly smile on me； for you know
my predilection for the life of the East。 After thirty…five years
of slumber； my highly…respected mother woke up to the recollection
that she had a son who might do her honor。 Often when a vine…stock
is eradicated； some years after shoots come up to the surface of
the ground； well； my dear boy； my mother had almost torn me up by
the roots from her heart； and I sprouted again in her head。 At the
age of fifty…eight； she thinks herself old enough to think no more
of any men but her son。 At this juncture she has met in some hot…
water cauldron； at I know not what baths； a delightful old maid
English； with two hundred and forty thousand francs a year； and；
like a good mother； she has inspired her with an audacious
ambition to become my wife。 A maid of six…and…thirty； my word！
Brought up in the strictest puritanical principles； a steady
sitting hen； who maintains that unfaithful wives should be
publicly burnt。 'Where will you find wood enough？' I asked her。 I
could have sent her to the devil； for two hundred and forty
thousand francs a year are no equivalent for liberty； nor a fair
price for my physical and moral worth and my prospects。 But she is
the sole heiress of a gouty old fellow； some London brewer； who
within a calculable time will leave her a fortune equal at least
to what the sweet creature has already。 Added to these advantages；
she has a red nose； the eyes of a dead goat； a waist that makes
one fear lest she should break into three pieces if she falls
down； and the coloring of a badly painted doll。 Butshe is
delightfully economical； butshe will adore her husband； do what
he will； butshe has the English gift； she will manage my house；
my stables； my servants； my estates better than any steward。 She
has all the dignity of virtue； she holds herself as erect as a
confidante on the stage of the Francais； nothing will persuade me
that she has not been impaled and the shaft broken off in her
body。 Miss Stevens is； however； fair enough to be not too
unpleasing if I must positively marry her。 Butand this to me is
truly patheticshe has the hands of a woman as immaculate as the
sacred ark； they are so red that I have not yet hit on any way to
whiten them that will not be too costly； and I have no idea how to
fine down her fingers； which are like sausages。 Yes； she evidently
belongs to the brew…house by her hands； and to the aristocracy by
her money； but she is apt to affect the great lady a little too
much； as rich
