the two brothers-第1节

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The　Two　Brothers



by　Honore　de　Balzac



Tranlated　by　Katharine　Prescott　Wormeley







DEDICATION



To　Monsieur　Charles　Nodier；　member　of　the　French　Academy；　etc。



Here；　my　dear　Nodier；　is　a　book　filled　with　deeds　that　are

screened　from　the　action　of　the　laws　by　the　closed　doors　of

domestic　life；　but　as　to　which　the　finger　of　God；　often　called

chance；　supplies　the　place　of　human　justice；　and　in　which　the

moral　is　none　the　less　striking　and　instructive　because　it　is

pointed　by　a　scoffer。



To　my　mind；　such　deeds　contain　great　lessons　for　the　Family

and　for　Maternity。　We　shall　some　day　realize；　perhaps　too

late；　the　effects　produced　by　the　diminution　of　paternal

authority。　That　authority；　which　formerly　ceased　only　at　the

death　of　the　father；　was　the　sole　human　tribunal　before　which

domestic　crimes　could　be　arraigned；　kings　themselves；　on

special　occasions；　took　part　in　executing　its　judgments。

However　good　and　tender　a　mother　may　be；　she　cannot　fulfil　the

function　of　the　patriarchal　royalty　any　more　than　a　woman　can

take　the　place　of　a　king　upon　the　throne。　Perhaps　I　have　never

drawn　a　picture　that　shows　more　plainly　how　essential　to

European　society　is　the　indissoluble　marriage　bond；　how　fatal

the　results　of　feminine　weakness；　how　great　the　dangers

arising　from　selfish　interests　when　indulged　without

restraint。　May　a　society　which　is　based　solely　on　the　power　of

wealth　shudder　as　it　sees　the　impotence　of　the　law　in　dealing

with　the　workings　of　a　system　which　deifies　success；　and

pardons　every　means　of　attaining　it。　May　it　return　to　the

Catholic　religion；　for　the　purification　of　its　masses　through

the　inspiration　of　religious　feeling；　and　by　means　of　an

education　other　than　that　of　a　lay　university。



In　the　〃Scenes　from　Military　Life〃　so　many　fine　natures；　so

many　high　and　noble　self…devotions　will　be　set　forth；　that　I

may　here　be　allowed　to　point　out　the　depraving　effect　of　the

necessities　of　war　upon　certain　minds　who　venture　to　act　in

domestic　life　as　if　upon　the　field　of　battle。



You　have　cast　a　sagacious　glance　over　the　events　of　our　own

time；　its　philosophy　shines；　in　more　than　one　bitter

reflection；　through　your　elegant　pages；　you　have　appreciated；

more　clearly　than　other　men；　the　havoc　wrought　in　the　mind　of

our　country　by　the　existence　of　four　distinct　political

systems。　I　cannot；　therefore；　place　this　history　under　the

protection　of　a　more　competent　authority。　Your　name　may；

perhaps；　defend　my　work　against　the　criticisms　that　are

certain　to　follow　it；for　where　is　the　patient　who　keeps

silence　when　the　surgeon　lifts　the　dressing　from　his　wound？



To　the　pleasure　of　dedicating　this　Scene　to　you；　is　joined　the

pride　I　feel　in　thus　making　known　your　friendship　for　one　who

here　subscribes　himself



Your　sincere　admirer；



De　Balzac

Paris；　November；　1842。











THE　TWO　BROTHERS







CHAPTER　I



In　1792　the　townspeople　of　Issoudun　enjoyed　the　services　of　a

physician　named　Rouget；　whom　they　held　to　be　a　man　of　consummate

malignity。　Were　we　to　believe　certain　bold　tongues；　he　made　his　wife

extremely　unhappy；　although　she　was　the　most　beautiful　woman　of　the

neighborhood。　Perhaps；　indeed；　she　was　rather　silly。　But　the　prying　of

friends；　the　slander　of　enemies；　and　the　gossip　of　acquaintances；　had

never　succeeded　in　laying　bare　the　interior　of　that　household。　Doctor

Rouget　was　a　man　of　whom　we　say　in　common　parlance；　〃He　is　not

pleasant　to　deal　with。〃　Consequently；　during　his　lifetime；　his

townsmen　kept　silence　about　him　and　treated　him　civilly。　His　wife；　a

demoiselle　Descoings；　feeble　in　health　during　her　girlhood　（which　was

said　to　be　a　reason　why　the　doctor　married　her）；　gave　birth　to　a　son；

and　also　to　a　daughter　who　arrived；　unexpectedly；　ten　years　after　her

brother；　and　whose　birth　took　the　husband；　doctor　though　he　were；　by

surprise。　This　late…comer　was　named　Agathe。



These　little　facts　are　so　simple；　so　commonplace；　that　a　writer　seems

scarcely　justified　in　placing　them　in　the　fore…front　of　his　history；

yet　if　they　are　not　known；　a　man　of　Doctor　Rouget's　stamp　would　be

thought　a　monster；　an　unnatural　father；　when；　in　point　of　fact；　he　was

only　following　out　the　evil　tendencies　which　many　people　shelter　under

the　terrible　axiom　that　〃men　should　have　strength　of　character；〃a

masculine　phrase　that　has　caused　many　a　woman's　misery。



The　Descoings；　father…in…law　and　mother…in…law　of　the　doctor；　were

commission　merchants　in　the　wool…trade；　and　did　a　double　business　by

selling　for　the　producers　and　buying　for　the　manufacturers　of　the

golden　fleeces　of　Berry；　thus　pocketing　a　commission　on　both　sides。　In

this　way　they　grew　rich　and　miserlythe　outcome　of　many　such　lives。

Descoings　the　son；　younger　brother　of　Madame　Rouget；　did　not　like

Issoudun。　He　went　to　seek　his　fortune　in　Paris；　where　he　set　up　as　a

grocer　in　the　rue　Saint…Honore。　That　step　led　to　his　ruin。　But　nothing

could　have　hindered　it：　a　grocer　is　drawn　to　his　business　by　an

attracting　force　quite　equal　to　the　repelling　force　which　drives

artists　away　from　it。　We　do　not　sufficiently　study　the　social

potentialities　which　make　up　the　various　vocations　of　life。　It　would

be　interesting　to　know　what　determines　one　man　to　be　a　stationer

rather　than　a　baker；　since；　in　our　day；　sons　are　not　compelled　to

follow　the　calling　of　their　fathers；　as　they　were　among　the　Egyptians。

In　this　instance；　love　decided　the　vocation　of　Descoings。　He　said　to

himself；　〃I；　too；　will　be　a　grocer！〃　and　in　the　same　breath　he　said

（also　to　himself）　some　other　things　regarding　his　employer；a

beautiful　creature；　with　whom　he　had　fallen　desperately　in　love。

Without　other　help　than　patience　and　the　trifling　sum　of　money　his

father　and　mother　sent　him；　he　married　the　widow　of　his　predecessor；

Monsieur　Bixiou。



In　1792　Descoings　was　thought　to　be　doing　an　excellent　business。　At

that　time；　the　old　Descoings　were　still　living。　They　had　retired　from

the　wool…trade；　and　were　employing　their　capital　in　buying　up　the

forfeited　estates；another　golden　fleece！　Their　son…in…law　Doctor

Rouget；　who；　about　this　time；　felt　pretty　sure　that　he　should　soon

have　to　mourn　for　the　death　of　his　wife；　sent　his　daughter　to　Paris　to

the　care　of　his　brother…in…law；　partly　to　let　her　see　the　capital；　but

still　more　to　carry　out　an　artful　scheme　of　his　own。　Descoings　had　no

children。　Madame　Descoings；　twelve　years　older　than　her　husband；　was

in　good　health；　but　as　fat　as　a　thrush　after　harvest；　and　the　canny

Rouget　knew　enough　professionally　to　be　certain　that　Monsieur　and

Madame　Descoings；　contrary　to　the　moral　of　fairy　tales；　would　live

happy　ever　after　without　having　any　children。　The　pair　might　therefore

become　attached　to　Agathe。



That　young　girl；　the　handsomest　maiden　in　Issoudun；　did　not　resemble

either　father　or　mother。　Her　birth　had　caused　a　lasting　breach　between

Doctor　Rouget　and　his　intimate　friend　Monsieur　Lousteau；　a　former　sub…

delegate　who　had　lately　removed　from　the　town。　When　a　family

expatriates　itself；　the　natives　of　a　place　as　attractive　as　Issoudun

have　a　right　to　inquire　into　the　reasons　of　so　surprising　a　step。　It

was　said　by　certain　sharp　tongues　that　Doctor　Rouget；　a　vindictive

man；　had　been　heard　to　exclaim　that　Monsieur　Lousteau　should　die　by

his　hand。　Uttered　by　a　physician；　this　declaration　had　the　force　of　a

cannon…ball。　When　the　National　Assembly　suppressed　the　sub…delegates；

Lousteau　and　his　family　left　Issoudun；　and　never　returned　there。　After

their　departure　Madame　Rouget　spent　most　of　her　time　with　the　sister

of　the　late　sub…delegate；　Madame　Hochon；　who　was　the　godmother　of　her

daughter；　and　the　only　person　to　whom　she　confided　her　griefs。　The

little　that　the　good　town　of　Issoudun　ever　really　knew　of　the

beautiful　Madame　Rouget　was　told　by　Madame　Hochon；though　not　until

after　the　doctor's　death。



The　first　words　of　Madame　Rouget；　when　informed　by　her　husband　that　he

meant　to　send　Agathe　to　Paris；　were：　〃I　shall　never　see　my　daughter

again。〃



〃And　she　was　right；〃　said　the　worthy　Madame　Hochon。



After　this；　the　poor　mother　grew　as　yellow　as　a　quince；　and　her

appearance　did　not　contradict　the　tongues　of　those　who　declared　that

Doctor　Rouget　was　killing　her　by　inches。　The　behavior　of　her　booby　of

a　son　must　have　added　to　the　misery　of　the　poor　woman　so　unjustly

accused。　Not　restrained；　possibly　encouraged　by　his　father；　the　young

fellow；　who　was　in　every　way　stupid；　paid　her　neither　the　attentions

nor　the　respect　which　a　son　owes　to　a　mother。　Jean…Jacques　Rouget　was

like　his　father；　especially　on　the　latter's　worst　side；　and　the　doctor

at　his　best　was　far　from　satisfactory；　either　morally　or　physically。



The　arrival　of　the　charming　Agathe　Rouget　did　not　bring　happiness　to

her　uncle　Descoings；　for　in　the　same　week　（or　rather；　we　should　say

decade；　for　the　Republic　had　then　been　proclaimed）　he　was　imprisone