letters of two brides-第12节
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Clarissa also is much too pleased with herself and her long； little
letter； but Richardson's work is an admirable picture； my father tells
me； of English women。 Rousseau's seems to me a sort of philosophical
sermon； cast in the form of letters。
Love； as I conceive it； is a purely subjective poem。 In all that books
tell us about it； there is nothing which is not at once false and
true。 And so； my pretty one； as you will henceforth be an authority
only on conjugal love； it seems to me my dutyin the interest； of
course； of our common lifeto remain unmarried； and have a grand
passion； so that we may enlarge our experience。
Tell me every detail of what happens to you； especially in the first
few days； with that strange animal called a husband。 I promise to do
the same for you if ever I am loved。
Farewell； poor martyred darling。
XI
MME。 DE L'ESTORADE TO MLLE。 DE CHAULIEU
La Crampade。
Your Spaniard and you make me shudder； my darling。 I write this line
to beg of you to dismiss him。 All that you say of him corresponds with
the character of those dangerous adventurers who； having nothing to
lose； will take any risk。 This man cannot be your husband； and must
not be your lover。 I will write to you more fully about the inner
history of my married life when my heart is free from the anxiety your
last letter has roused in it。
XII
MLLE。 DE CHAULIEU TO MME。 DE L'ESTORADE
February。
At nine o'clock this morning； sweetheart； my father was announced in
my rooms。 I was up and dressed。 I found him solemnly seated beside the
fire in the drawing…room； looking more thoughtful than usual。 He
pointed to the armchair opposite to him。 Divining his meaning； I sank
into it with a gravity； which so well aped his； that he could not
refrain from smiling； though the smile was dashed with melancholy。
〃You are quite a match for your grandmother in quick…wittedness；〃 he
said。
〃Come； father； don't play the courtier here；〃 I replied； 〃you want
something from me。〃
He rose； visibly agitated； and talked to me for half an hour。 This
conversation； dear； really ought to be preserved。 As soon as he had
gone； I sat down to my table and tried to recall his words。 This is
the first time that I have seen my father revealing his inner
thoughts。
He began by flattering me； and he did not do it badly。 I was bound to
be grateful to him for having understood and appreciated me。
〃Armande；〃 he said； 〃I was quite mistaken in you； and you have
agreeably surprised me。 When you arrived from the convent； I took you
for an average young girl； ignorant and not particularly intelligent；
easily to be bought off with gewgaws and ornaments； and with little
turn for reflection。〃
〃You are complimentary to young girls； father。〃
〃Oh！ there is no such thing as youth nowadays；〃 he said； with the air
of a diplomat。 〃Your mind is amazingly open。 You take everything at
its proper worth； your clear…sightedness is extraordinary； there is no
hoodwinking you。 You pass for being blind； and all the time you have
laid your hand on causes； while other people are still puzzling over
effects。 In short； you are a minister in petticoats； the only person
here capable of understanding me。 It follows； then； that if I have any
sacrifice to ask from you； it is only to yourself I can turn for help
in persuading you。
〃I am therefore going to explain to you； quite frankly； my former
plans； to which I still adhere。 In order to recommend them to you； I
must show that they are connected with feelings of a very high order；
and I shall thus be obliged to enter into political questions of the
greatest importance to the kingdom； which might be wearisome to any
one less intelligent than you are。 When you have heard me； I hope you
will take time for consideration； six months if necessary。 You are
entirely your own mistress； and if you decline to make the sacrifice I
ask； I shall bow to your decision and trouble you no further。〃
This preface； my sweetheart； made me really serious； and I said：
〃Speak； father。〃
Here； then； is the deliverance of the statesman：
〃My child； France is in a very critical position； which is understood
only by the King and a few superior minds。 But the King is a head
without arms； the great nobles； who are in the secret of the danger；
have no authority over the men whose co…operation is needful in order
to bring about a happy result。 These men； cast up by popular election；
refuse to lend themselves as instruments。 Even the able men among them
carry on the work of pulling down society； instead of helping us to
strengthen the edifice。
〃In a word； there are only two partiesthe party of Marius and the
party of Sulla。 I am for Sulla against Marius。 This； roughly speaking；
is our position。 To go more into details： the Revolution is still
active； it is embedded in the law and written on the soil； it fills
people's minds。 The danger is all the greater because the greater
number of the King's counselors； seeing it destitute of armed forces
and of money； believe it completely vanquished。 The King is an able
man； and not easily blinded； but from day to day he is won over by his
brother's partisans； who want to hurry things on。 He has not two years
to live； and thinks more of a peaceful deathbed than of anything else。
〃Shall I tell you； my child； which is the most destructive of all the
consequences entailed by the Revolution？ You would never guess。 In
Louis XVI。 the Revolution has decapitated every head of a family。 The
family has ceased to exist； we have only individuals。 In their desire
to become a nation； Frenchmen have abandoned the idea of empire； in
proclaiming the equal rights of all children to their father's
inheritance； they have killed the family spirit and created the State
treasury。 But all this has paved the way for weakened authority； for
the blind force of the masses； for the decay of art and the supremacy
of individual interests； and has left the road open to the foreign
invader。
〃We stand between two policieseither to found the State on the basis
of the family； or to rest it on individual interestin other words；
between democracy and aristocracy； between free discussion and
obedience； between Catholicism and religious indifference。 I am among
the few who are resolved to oppose what is called the people； and that
in the people's true interest。 It is not now a question of feudal
rights； as fools are told； nor of rank； it is a question of the State
and of the existence of France。 The country which does not rest on the
foundation of paternal authority cannot be stable。 That is the foot of
the ladder of responsibility and subordination； which has for its
summit the King。
〃The King stands for us all。 To die for the King is to die for
oneself； for one's family； which； like the kingdom； cannot die。 All
animals have certain instincts； the instinct of man is for family
life。 A country is strong which consists of wealthy families； every
member of whom is interested in defending a common treasure； it is
weak when composed of scattered individuals； to whom it matters little
whether they obey seven or one； a Russian or a Corsican； so long as
each keeps his own plot of land； blind； in their wretched egotism； to
the fact that the day is coming when this too will be torn from them。
〃Terrible calamities are in store for us； in case our party fails。
Nothing will be left but penal or fiscal lawsyour money or your
life。 The most generous nation on the earth will have ceased to obey
the call of noble instincts。 Wounds past curing will have been
fostered and aggravated； an all pervading jealousy being the first。
Then the upper classes will be submerged； equality of desire will be
taken for equality of strength； true distinction； even when proved and
recognized； will be threatened by the advancing tide of middle…class
prejudice。 It was possible to choose one man out of a thousand； but；
amongst three millions； discrimination becomes impossible； when all
are moved by the same ambitions and attired in the same livery of
mediocrity。 No foresight will warn this victorious horde of that other
terrible horde； soon to be arrayed against them in the peasant
proprietors； in other words； twenty million acres of land； alive；
stirring； arguing； deaf to reason； insatiable of appetite； obstructing
progress； masters in their brute force〃
〃But；〃 said I； interrupting my father； 〃what can I do to help the
State。 I feel no vocation for playing Joan of Arc in the interests of
the family； or for finding a martyr's block in the convent。〃
〃You are a little hussy；〃 cried my father。 〃If I speak sensibly to
you； you are full of jokes； when I jest； you talk like an
ambassadress。〃
〃Love lives on contrasts；〃 was my reply。
And he laughed till the tears stood in his eyes。
〃You will reflect on what I have told you； you will do justice to the
large and confiding spirit in which I have broached the matter； and
possibly events may assist my plans。 I know that； so far as you are
concerned； they are injurious and unfair； and this is the reason why I
appeal for your sanction of them less to your heart and your
imagination than to your reason。 I have found more
