honorine-第6节

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hardness　of　a　turquoise；　had　that　velvety　softness　of　the　blue
periwinkle；　which　had　so　much　struck　me　on　the　occasion　of　my　first
visit；　by　reason　of　the　astonishing　contrast　in　the　two　different
looks；　the　look　of　a　happy　man；　and　the　look　of　an　unhappy　man。　Two　or
three　times　at　such　a　moment　he　had　taken　me　by　the　arm　and　led　me　on；
then　he　had　said；　'What　have　you　come　to　ask？'　instead　of　pouring　out
his　joy　into　my　heart　that　opened　to　him。　But　more　often；　especially
since　I　could　do　his　work　for　him　and　write　his　reports；　the　unhappy
man　would　sit　for　hours　staring　at　the　goldfish　that　swarmed　in　a
handsome　marble　basin　in　the　middle　of　the　garden；　round　which　grew　an
amphitheatre　of　the　finest　flowers。　He；　an　accomplished　statesman；
seemed　to　have　succeeded　in　making　a　passion　of　the　mechanical
amusement　of　crumbling　bread　to　fishes。

〃This　is　how　the　drama　was　disclosed　of　this　second　inner　life；　so
deeply　ravaged　and　storm…tossed；　where；　in　a　circle　overlooked　by
Dante　in　his　/Inferno/；　horrible　joys　had　their　birth。〃

The　Consul…General　paused。



〃On　a　certain　Monday；〃　he　resumed；　〃as　chance　would　have　it；　M。　le
President　de　Grandville　and　M。　de　Serizy　（at　that　time　Vice…President
of　the　Council　of　State）　had　come　to　hold　a　meeting　at　Comte　Octave's
house。　They　formed　a　committee　of　three；　of　which　I　was　the　secretary。
The　Count　had　already　got　me　the　appointment　of　Auditor　to　the　Council
of　State。　All　the　documents　requisite　for　their　inquiry　into　the
political　matter　privately　submitted　to　these　three　gentlemen　were
laid　out　on　one　of　the　long　tables　in　the　library。　MM。　de　Grandville
and　de　Serizy　had　trusted　to　the　Count　to　make　the　preliminary
examination　of　the　papers　relating　to　the　matter。　To　avoid　the
necessity　for　carrying　all　the　papers　to　M。　de　Serizy；　as　president　of
the　commission；　it　was　decided　that　they　should　meet　first　in　the　Rue
Payenne。　The　Cabinet　at　the　Tuileries　attached　great　importance　to
this　piece　of　work；　of　which　the　chief　burden　fell　on　meand　to　which
I　owed　my　appointment；　in　the　course　of　that　year；　to　be　Master　of
Appeals。

〃Though　the　Comtes　de　Grandville　and　de　Serizy；　whose　habits　were　much
the　same　as　my　patron's；　never　dined　away　from　home；　we　were　still
discussing　the　matter　at　a　late　hour；　when　we　were　startled　by　the
man…servant　calling　me　aside　to　say；　'MM。　the　Cures　of　Saint…Paul　and
of　the　White　Friars　have　been　waiting　in　the　drawing…room　for　two
hours。'

〃It　was　nine　o'clock。

〃　'Well；　gentlemen；　you　find　yourselves　compelled　to　dine　with
priests；'　said　Comte　Octave　to　his　colleagues。　'I　do　not　know　whether
Grandville　can　overcome　his　horror　of　a　priest's　gown'

〃　'It　depends　on　the　priest。'

〃　'One　of　them　is　my　uncle；　and　the　other　is　the　Abbe　Gaudron；'　said
I。　'Do　not　be　alarmed；　the　Abbe　Fontanon　is　no　longer　second　priest　at
Saint…Paul'

〃　'Well；　let　us　dine；'　replied　the　President　de　Grandville。　'A　bigot
frightens　me；　but　there　is　no　one　so　cheerful　as　a　truly　pious　man。'

〃We　went　into　the　drawing…room。　The　dinner　was　delightful。　Men　of　real
information；　politicians　to　whom　business　gives　both　consummate
experience　and　the　practice　of　speech；　are　admirable　story…tellers；
when　they　tell　stories。　With　them　there　is　no　medium；　they　are　either
heavy；　or　they　are　sublime。　In　this　delightful　sport　Prince　Metternich
is　as　good　as　Charles　Nodier。　The　fun　of　a　statesman；　cut　in　facets
like　a　diamond；　is　sharp；　sparkling；　and　full　of　sense。　Being　sure
that　the　proprieties　would　be　observed　by　these　three　superior　men；　my
uncle　allowed　his　wit　full　play；　a　refined　wit；　gentle；　penetrating；
and　elegant；　like　that　of　all　men　who　are　accustomed　to　conceal　their
thoughts　under　the　black　robe。　And　you　may　rely　upon　it；　there　was
nothing　vulgar　nor　idle　in　this　light　talk；　which　I　would　compare；　for
its　effect　on　the　soul；　to　Rossini's　music。

〃The　Abbe　Gaudron　was；　as　M。　de　Grandville　said；　a　Saint　Peter　rather
than　a　Saint　Paul；　a　peasant　full　of　faith；　as　square　on　his　feet　as
he　was　tall；　a　sacerdotal　of　whose　ignorance　in　matters　of　the　world
and　of　literature　enlivened　the　conversation　by　guileless　amazement
and　unexpected　questions。　They　came　to　talking　of　one　of　the　plague
spots　of　social　life；　of　which　we　were　just　now　speakingadultery。　My
uncle　remarked　on　the　contradiction　which　the　legislators　of　the　Code；
still　feeling　the　blows　of　the　revolutionary　storm；　had　established
between　civil　and　religious　law；　and　which　he　said　was　at　the　root　of
all　the　mischief。

〃　'In　the　eyes　of　the　Church；'　said　he；　'adultery　is　a　crime；　in　those
of　your　tribunals　it　is　a　misdemeanor。　Adultery　drives　to　the　police
court　in　a　carriage　instead　of　standing　at　the　bar　to　be　tried。
Napoleon's　Council　of　State；　touched　with　tenderness　towards　erring
women；　was　quite　inefficient。　Ought　they　not　in　this　case　to　have
harmonized　the　civil　and　the　religious　law；　and　have　sent　the　guilty
wife　to　a　convent；　as　of　old？'

〃　'To　a　convent！'　said　M。　de　Serizy。　'They　must　first　have　created
convents；　and　in　those　days　monasteries　were　being　turned　into
barracks。　Besides；　think　of　what　you　say；　M。　l'Abbegive　to　God　what
society　would　have　none　of？'

〃　'Oh！'　said　the　Comte　de　Grandville；　'you　do　not　know　France。　They
were　obliged　to　leave　the　husband　free　to　take　proceedings：　well；
there　are　not　ten　cases　of　adultery　brought　up　in　a　year。'

〃　'M。　l'Abbe　preaches　for　his　own　saint；　for　it　was　Jesus　Christ　who
invented　adultery；'　said　Comte　Octave。　'In　the　East；　the　cradle　of　the
human　race；　woman　was　merely　a　luxury；　and　there　was　regarded　as　a
chattel；　no　virtues　were　demanded　of　her　but　obedience　and　beauty。　By
exalting　the　soul　above　the　body；　the　modern　family　in　Europea
daughter　of　Christinvented　indissoluble　marriage；　and　made　it　a
sacrament。'

〃　'Ah！　the　Church　saw　the　difficulties；'　exclaimed　M。　de　Grandville。

〃　'This　institution　has　given　rise　to　a　new　world；'　the　Count　went　on
with　a　smile。　'But　the　practices　of　that　world　will　never　be　that　of　a
climate　where　women　are　marriageable　at　seven　years　of　age；　and　more
than　old　at　five…and…twenty。　The　Catholic　Church　overlooked　the　needs
of　half　the　globe。So　let　us　discuss　Europe　only。

〃　'Is　woman　our　superior　or　our　inferior？　That　is　the　real　question　so
far　as　we　are　concerned。　If　woman　is　our　inferior；　by　placing　her　on
so　high　a　level　as　the　Church　does；　fearful　punishments　for　adultery
were　needful。　And　formerly　that　was　what　was　done。　The　cloister　or
death　sums　up　early　legislation。　But　since　then　practice　has　modified
the　law；　as　is　always　the　case。　The　throne　served　as　a　hotbed　for
adultery；　and　the　increase　of　this　inviting　crime　marks　the　decline　of
the　dogmas　of　the　Catholic　Church。　In　these　days；　in　cases　where　the
Church　now　exacts　no　more　than　sincere　repentance　from　the　erring
wife；　society　is　satisfied　with　a　brand…mark　instead　of　an　execution。
The　law　still　condemns　the　guilty；　but　it　no　longer　terrifies　them。　In
short；　there　are　two　standards　of　morals：　that　of　the　world；　and　that
of　the　Code。　Where　the　Code　is　weak；　as　I　admit　with　our　dear　Abbe；
the　world　is　audacious　and　satirical。　There　are　so　few　judges　who
would　not　gladly　have　committed　the　fault　against　which　they　hurl　the
rather　stolid　thunders　of　their　〃Inasmuch。〃　The　world；　which　gives　the
lie　to　the　law　alike　in　its　rejoicings；　in　its　habits；　and　in　its
pleasures；　is　severer　than　the　Code　and　the　Church；　the　world　punishes
a　blunder　after　encouraging　hypocrisy。　The　whole　economy　of　the　law　on
marriage　seems　to　me　to　require　reconstruction　from　the　bottom　to　the
top。　The　French　law　would　be　perfect　perhaps　if　it　excluded　daughters
from　inheriting。'

〃　'We　three　among　us　know　the　question　very　thoroughly；'　said　the
Comte　de　Grandville　with　a　laugh。　'I　have　a　wife　I　cannot　live　with。
Serizy　has　a　wife　who　will　not　live　with　him。　As　for　you；　Octave；
yours　ran　away　from　you。　So　we　three　represent　every　case　of　the
conjugal　conscience；　and；　no　doubt；　if　ever　divorce　is　brought　in
again；　we　shall　form　the　committee。'

〃Octave's　fork　dropped　on　his　glass；　broke　it；　and　broke　his　plate。　He
had　turned　as　pale　as　death；　and　flashed　a　thunderous　glare　at　M。　de
Grandville；　by　which　he　hinted　at　my　presence；　and　which　I　caught。

〃　'Forgive　me；　my　dear　fellow。　I　did　not　see　Maurice；'　the　President
went　on。　'Serizy　and　I；　after　being　the　witnesses　to　your　marriage；
became　your　accomplices；　I　did　not　think　I　was　committing　an
indiscretion　in　the　presence　of　these　two　venerable　priests。'

〃M。　de　Serizy　changed　the　subject　by　relating　all　he　had　done　to
please　his　wife　without　ever　succeeding。　The　old　man　concluded　that　it
was　impossible　to　regulate　human　sympathies　and　antipathies；　he
maintained　that　social　law　was　never　more　perfect　than　when　it　was
nearest　to　natural　law。　Now　Nature　takes　no　account　of　the　affinities
of　souls；　her　aim　is　fulfilled　by　the　propagation　of　the　species。
Hence；　the　Code；　in　its　present　form；　was　wise　in　leaving　a　wide
latitude　to　chance。　The　incapacity　of　daughters　to　inherit　so　long　as
there　were　male　heirs　was　an　excellent　provision；　whether　to　hinder
the　degeneration　of　the　race；　or　to　make　households