cousin betty-第1节

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Cousin　Betty

by　Honore　de　Balzac

Translated　by　James　Waring





DEDICATION

　　To　Don　Michele　Angelo　Cajetani；　Prince　of　Teano。

　　It　is　neither　to　the　Roman　Prince；　nor　to　the　representative　of
　　the　illustrious　house　of　Cajetani；　which　has　given　more　than　one
　　Pope　to　the　Christian　Church；　that　I　dedicate　this　short　portion
　　of　a　long　history；　it　is　to　the　learned　commentator　of　Dante。

　　It　was　you　who　led　me　to　understand　the　marvelous　framework　of
　　ideas　on　which　the　great　Italian　poet　built　his　poem；　the　only
　　work　which　the　moderns　can　place　by　that　of　Homer。　Till　I　heard
　　you；　the　Divine　Comedy　was　to　me　a　vast　enigma　to　which　none　had
　　found　the　cluethe　commentators　least　of　all。　Thus；　to　understand
　　Dante　is　to　be　as　great　as　he；　but　every　form　of　greatness　is
　　familiar　to　you。

　　A　French　savant　could　make　a　reputation；　earn　a　professor's　chair；
　　and　a　dozen　decorations；　by　publishing　in　a　dogmatic　volume　the
　　improvised　lecture　by　which　you　lent　enchantment　to　one　of　those
　　evenings　which　are　rest　after　seeing　Rome。　You　do　not　know；
　　perhaps；　that　most　of　our　professors　live　on　Germany；　on　England；
　　on　the　East；　or　on　the　North；　as　an　insect　lives　on　a　tree；　and；
　　like　the　insect；　become　an　integral　part　of　it；　borrowing　their
　　merit　from　that　of　what　they　feed　on。　Now；　Italy　hitherto　has　not
　　yet　been　worked　out　in　public　lectures。　No　one　will　ever　give　me
　　credit　for　my　literary　honesty。　Merely　by　plundering　you　I　might
　　have　been　as　learned　as　three　Schlegels　in　one；　whereas　I　mean　to
　　remain　a　humble　Doctor　of　the　Faculty　of　Social　Medicine；　a
　　veterinary　surgeon　for　incurable　maladies。　Were　it　only　to　lay　a
　　token　of　gratitude　at　the　feet　of　my　cicerone；　I　would　fain　add
　　your　illustrious　name　to　those　of　Porcia；　of　San…Severino；　of
　　Pareto；　of　di　Negro；　and　of　Belgiojoso；　who　will　represent　in　this
　　〃Human　Comedy〃　the　close　and　constant　alliance　between　Italy　and
　　France；　to　which　Bandello　did　honor　in　the　same　way　in　the
　　sixteenth　centuryBandello；　the　bishop　and　author　of　some　strange
　　tales　indeed；　who　left　us　the　splendid　collection　of　romances
　　whence　Shakespeare　derived　many　of　his　plots　and　even　complete
　　characters；　word　for　word。

　　The　two　sketches　I　dedicate　to　you　are　the　two　eternal　aspects　of
　　one　and　the　same　fact。　Homo　duplex；　said　the　great　Buffon：　why　not
　　add　Res　duplex？　Everything　has　two　sides；　even　virtue。　Hence
　　Moliere　always　shows　us　both　sides　of　every　human　problem；　and
　　Diderot；　imitating　him；　once　wrote；　〃This　is　not　a　mere　tale〃in
　　what　is　perhaps　Diderot's　masterpiece；　where　he　shows　us　the
　　beautiful　picture　of　Mademoiselle　de　Lachaux　sacrificed　by
　　Gardanne；　side　by　side　with　that　of　a　perfect　lover　dying　for　his
　　mistress。

　　In　the　same　way；　these　two　romances　form　a　pair；　like　twins　of
　　opposite　sexes。　This　is　a　literary　vagary　to　which　a　writer　may
　　for　once　give　way；　especially　as　part　of　a　work　in　which　I　am
　　endeavoring　to　depict　every　form　that　can　serve　as　a　garb　to　mind。

　　Most　human　quarrels　arise　from　the　fact　that　both　wise　men　and
　　dunces　exist　who　are　so　constituted　as　to　be　incapable　of　seeing
　　more　than　one　side　of　any　fact　or　idea；　while　each　asserts　that
　　the　side　he　sees　is　the　only　true　and　right　one。　Thus　it　is
　　written　in　the　Holy　Book；　〃God　will　deliver　the　world　over　to
　　divisions。〃　I　must　confess　that　this　passage　of　Scripture　alone
　　should　persuade　the　Papal　See　to　give　you　the　control　of　the　two
　　Chambers　to　carry　out　the　text　which　found　its　commentary　in　1814；
　　in　the　decree　of　Louis　XVIII。

　　May　your　wit　and　the　poetry　that　is　in　you　extend　a　protecting
　　hand　over　these　two　histories　of　〃The　Poor　Relations〃

Of　your　affectionate　humble　servant；

DE　BALZAC。
PARIS；　August…September；　1846。




COUSIN　BETTY



PART　I

THE　PRODIGAL　FATHER

One　day；　about　the　middle　of　July　1838；　one　of　the　carriages；　then
lately　introduced　to　Paris　cabstands；　and　known　as　/Milords/；　was
driving　down　the　Rue　de　l'Universite；　conveying　a　stout　man　of　middle
height　in　the　uniform　of　a　captain　of　the　National　Guard。

Among　the　Paris　crowd；　who　are　supposed　to　be　so　clever；　there　are
some　men　who　fancy　themselves　infinitely　more　attractive　in　uniform
than　in　their　ordinary　clothes；　and　who　attribute　to　women　so　depraved
a　taste　that　they　believe　they　will　be　favorably　impressed　by　the
aspect　of　a　busby　and　of　military　accoutrements。

The　countenance　of　this　Captain　of　the　Second　Company　beamed　with　a
self…satisfaction　that　added　splendor　to　his　ruddy　and　somewhat　chubby
face。　The　halo　of　glory　that　a　fortune　made　in　business　gives　to　a
retired　tradesman　sat　on　his　brow；　and　stamped　him　as　one　of　the　elect
of　Parisat　least　a　retired　deputy…mayor　of　his　quarter　of　the　town。
And　you　may　be　sure　that　the　ribbon　of　the　Legion　of　Honor　was　not
missing　from　his　breast；　gallantly　padded　/a　la　Prussienne/。　Proudly
seated　in　one　corner　of　the　/milord/；　this　splendid　person　let　his
gaze　wander　over　the　passers…by；　who；　in　Paris；　often　thus　meet　an
ingratiating　smile　meant　for　sweet　eyes　that　are　absent。

The　vehicle　stopped　in　the　part　of　the　street　between　the　Rue　de
Bellechasse　and　the　Rue　de　Bourgogne；　at　the　door　of　a　large；　newly…
build　house；　standing　on　part　of　the　court…yard　of　an　ancient　mansion
that　had　a　garden。　The　old　house　remained　in　its　original　state；
beyond　the　courtyard　curtailed　by　half　its　extent。

Only　from　the　way　in　which　the　officer　accepted　the　assistance　of　the
coachman　to　help　him　out；　it　was　plain　that　he　was　past　fifty。　There
are　certain　movements　so　undisguisedly　heavy　that　they　are　as　tell…
tale　as　a　register　of　birth。　The　captain　put　on　his　lemon…colored
right…hand　glove；　and；　without　any　question　to　the　gatekeeper；　went　up
the　outer　steps　to　the　ground　of　the　new　house　with　a　look　that
proclaimed；　〃She　is　mine！〃

The　/concierges/　of　Paris　have　sharp　eyes；　they　do　not　stop　visitors
who　wear　an　order；　have　a　blue　uniform；　and　walk　ponderously；　in
short；　they　know　a　rich　man　when　they　see　him。

This　ground　floor　was　entirely　occupied　by　Monsieur　le　Baron　Hulot
d'Ervy；　Commissary　General　under　the　Republic；　retired　army
contractor；　and　at　the　present　time　at　the　head　of　one　of　the　most
important　departments　of　the　War　Office；　Councillor　of　State；　officer
of　the　Legion　of　Honor；　and　so　forth。

This　Baron　Hulot　had　taken　the　name　of　d'Ervythe　place　of　his　birth
to　distinguish　him　from　his　brother；　the　famous　General　Hulot；
Colonel　of　the　Grenadiers　of　the　Imperial　Guard；　created　by　the
Emperor　Comte　de　Forzheim　after　the　campaign　of　1809。　The　Count；　the
elder　brother；　being　responsible　for　his　junior；　had；　with　paternal
care；　placed　him　in　the　commissariat；　where；　thanks　to　the　services　of
the　two　brothers；　the　Baron　deserved　and　won　Napoleon's　good　graces。
After　1807；　Baron　Hulot　was　Commissary　General　for　the　army　in　Spain。

Having　rung　the　bell；　the　citizen…captain　made　strenuous　efforts　to
pull　his　coat　into　place；　for　it　had　rucked　up　as　much　at　the　back　as
in　front；　pushed　out　of　shape　by　the　working　of　a　piriform　stomach。
Being　admitted　as　soon　as　the　servant　in　livery　saw　him；　the　important
and　imposing　personage　followed　the　man；　who　opened　the　door　of　the
drawing…room；　announcing：

〃Monsieur　Crevel。〃

On　hearing　the　name；　singularly　appropriate　to　the　figure　of　the　man
who　bore　it；　a　tall；　fair　woman；　evidently　young…looking　for　her　age；
rose　as　if　she　had　received　an　electric　shock。

〃Hortense；　my　darling；　go　into　the　garden　with　your　Cousin　Betty；〃　she
said　hastily　to　her　daughter；　who　was　working　at　some　embroidery　at
her　mother's　side。

After　curtseying　prettily　to　the　captain；　Mademoiselle　Hortense　went
out　by　a　glass　door；　taking　with　her　a　withered…looking　spinster；　who
looked　older　than　the　Baroness；　though　she　was　five　years　younger。

〃They　are　settling　your　marriage；〃　said　Cousin　Betty　in　the　girl's
ear；　without　seeming　at　all　offended　at　the　way　in　which　the　Baroness
had　dismissed　them；　counting　her　almost　as　zero。

The　cousin's　dress　might；　at　need；　have　explained　this　free…and…easy
demeanor。　The　old　maid　wore　a　merino　gown　of　a　dark　plum　color；　of
which　the　cut　and　trimming　dated　from　the　year　of　the　Restoration；　a
little　worked　collar；　worth　perhaps　three　francs；　and　a　common　straw
hat　with　blue　satin　ribbons　edged　with　straw　plait；　such　as　the　old…
clothes　buyers　wear　at　market。　On　looking　down　at　her　kid　shoes；　made；
it　was　evident；　by　the　veriest　cobbler；　a　stranger　would　have
hesitated　to　recognize　Cousin　Betty　as　a　member　of　the　family；　for　she
looked　exactly　like　a　journeywoman　sempstress。　But　she　did　not　leave
the　room　without　bestowing　a　little　friendly　nod　on　Monsieur　Crevel；
to　which　that　gentleman　responded　by　a　look　of　mutual　understanding。

〃You　are　coming　to　us　to…morrow；　I　hope；　Mademoiselle　Fischer？〃　said
he。

〃You　have　no　company？〃　asked　Cousin　Betty。

〃My　children　and　yourself；　no　one　else；〃　replied　the　visitor。

〃Very　well；〃　replied　she；　〃depend　on　me。〃

〃And　here　am　I；　madame；　at　your　orders；〃　said　the　citizen…captain；
bowing　again　to　Madame　Hulot。

He　gave　such　a　look　at