george sand-第32节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Grenoble。〃 Each _Compagnon_ had a surname； and among such surnames we find _The Prudence of Draguignan_； _The Flower of Bagnolet_ and _The Liberty of Chateauneuf_。 The unfortunate part was that among the different societies； instead of the union that ought to have reigned； there were rivalries； quarrels； fights； and sometimes all this led to serious skirmishes； Agricol Perdiguier undertook to preach to the different societies peace and tolerance。 He went about travelling through France with this object in view。 His second expedition was…at George Sand's expense。
A fresh edition of his book contained the letters of approval addressed to him by those who approved his campaign。 Among these signatures are the following： Nantais…Pret…a…bien…faire； Bourgignonla…Felicite； Decide…le…Briard。 All this is a curious history of the syndicates of the nineteenth century。 Agricol Perdiguier may have seen the _Confederation du Travail_ dawning in the horizon。
In the _Compagnon du Tour de France_； Pierre Huguenin； a carpenter； travels about among all these different societies of the _Compagnonnage_； and lets us see something of their competition； rivalries； battles； etc。 He is then sent for to the Villepreux Chateau； to do some work。 The noble Yseult falls in love with this fine…talking carpenter； and at once begs him to make her happy by marrying her。
In the _Meunier d'Angibault_ it is a working locksmith； Henri Lemor； who falls in love with Marcelle de BIanchemont。 Born to wealth； she regrets that she is not the daughter or the mother of workingmen。 Finally； however； she loses her fortune； and rejoices in this event。 The personage who stands out in relief in this novel is the miller； Grand Louis。 He is always gay and contented； with a smile on his lips； singing lively songs and giving advice to every one。
In the _Peche de M。 Antoine_； the _role_ of Grand Louis falls to Jean the carpenter。 In this story all the people are communists； with the exception of the owner of the factory； who； in consequence； is treated with contempt。 His son Emile marries the daughter of Monsieur Antoine。 Her name is Gilberte； and a silly old man； the Marquis de Boisguilbaut； leaves her all his money； on condition that the young couple found a colony of agriculturists in which there shall be absolute communism。 All these stories； full of eloquence and dissertations on the misfortune of being rich and the corrupting influence of wealth； would be insufferable； if it were not for the fact that the Angibault mill were in the Black Valley； and the crumbling chateau； belonging to Monsieur Antoine； on the banks of the Creuse。
They are very poor novels； and it would be a waste of time to attempt to defend them。 They are not to be despised； though； as regards their influence on the rest of George Sand's work； and also as regards the history of the French novel。 They rendered great service to George Sand； inasmuch as they helped her to come out of herself and to turn her attention to the miseries of other people； instead of dwelling all the time on her own。 The miseries she now saw were more general ones； and consequently more worthy of interest。 In the history of the novel they are of capital importance； as they are the first ones to bring into notice； by making them play a part； people of whom novelists had never spoken。 Before Eugene Sue and before Victor Hugo； George Sand gives a _role_ to a mason； a carpenter and a joiner。 We see the working…class come into literature in these novels； and this marks an era。
As to their socialistic influence； it is supposed by many people that they had none。 The kind of socialism that consists of making tinkers marry marchionesses； and duchesses marry zinc…workers； seems very childish and very feminine。 It is just an attempt at bringing about the marriage of classes。 This socialistic preaching； by means of literature； cannot be treated so lightly； though； as it is by no means harmless。 It is； on the contrary； a powerful means of diffusing doctrines to which it lends the colouring of imagination； and for which it appeals to the feelings。 George Sand propagated the humanitarian dream among a whole category of men and women who read her books。 But for her； they would probably have turned a deaf ear to the inducements held out to them with regard to this Utopia。 Lamartine with his _Girondins_ reconciled the _bourgeois_ classes to the idea of the Revolution。 In both cases the effect was the same； and it is just this which literature does in affairs of this kind。 Its _role_ consists here in creating a sort of snobbism； and this snobbism； created by literature in favour of all the elements of social destruction； continues to rage at present。 We still see men smiling indulgently and stupidly at doctrines of revolt and anarchy； which they ought to repudiate； not because of their own interest； but because it is their duty to repudiate them with all the strength of their own common sense and rectitude。 Instead of any arguments； we have facts to offer。 All this was in 1846； and the time was now drawing near when George Sand was to see those novels of hers actually taking place in the street； so that she could throw down to the rioters the bulletins that she wrote in their honour。
VIII
1848
GEORGE SAND AND THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT
HER PASTORAL NOVELS
IN 1846； George Sand published _Le Peche de M。 Antoine_。 It was a very dull story of a sin； for sins are not always amusing。 The same year； though； she published _La Mare au Diable_。 People are apt to say； when comparing the socialistic novels and the pastoral novels by George Sand； that the latter are superb； because they are the result of a conception of art that was quite disinterested； as the author had given up her preaching mania； and devoted herself to depicting people that she knew and things that she liked； without any other care than that of painting them well。 Personally； I think that this was not so。 George Sand's pastoral style is not essentially different from her socialistic style。 The difference is only in the success of the execution； but the ideas and the intentions are the same。 George Sand is continuing her mission in them； she is going on with her humanitarian dream； that dream which she dreamed when awake。
We have a proof of this in the preface of the author to the reader with which the _Mare au Diable_ begins。 This preface would be disconcerting to any one who does not remember the intellectual atmosphere in which it was written。
People have wondered by what fit of imagination George Sand； when telling such a wholesome story of country life； should evoke the ghastly vision of Holbein's Dance of Death。 It is the close of day； the horses are thin and exhausted； there is an old peasant； and； skipping about in the furrows near the team； is Death； the only lively； careless； nimble being in this scene of 〃sweat and weariness。〃 She gives us the explanation of it herself。 She wanted to show up the ideal of the new order of things； as opposed to the old ideal； as translated by the ghastly dance。
〃We have nothing more to do with death；〃 she writes； 〃but with life。 We no longer believe in the _neant_ of the tomb； nor in salvation bought by enforced renunciation。 We want life to be good； because we want it to be fertile。 。 。 。 Every one must be happy； so that the happiness of a few may not be criminal and cursed by God。〃 This note we recognize as the common feature of all the socialistic Utopias。 It consists in taking the opposite basis to that on which the Christian idea is founded。 Whilst Christianity puts off； until after death； the possession of happiness； transfiguring death by its eternal hopes； Socialism places its Paradise on earth。 It thus runs the risk of leaving all those without any recourse who do not find this earth a paradise； and it has no answer to give to the lamentations of incurable human misery。
George Sand goes on to expose to us the object of art； as she understands it。 She believes that it is for pleading the cause of the people。
She does not consider that her _confreres_ in novel…writing and in Socialism set about their work in the best way。 They paint poverty that is ugly and vile； and sometimes even vicious and criminal。 How is it to be expected that the bad； rich man will take pity on the sorrows of the poor man； if this poor man is always presented to him as an escaped convict or a night loafer？ It is very evident that the people； as presented to us in the _Mysteres de Paris_； are not particularly congenial to us； and we should have no wish to make the acquaintance of the 〃Chourineur。〃 In order to bring about conversions； George Sand has more faith in gentle； agreeable people； and； in conclusion； she tells us： 〃We believe that the mission of art is a mission of sentiment and of love； and that the novel of to…day ought to take the place of the parable and the apologue of more primitive times。〃 The object of the artist； she tells us； 〃is to make people appreciate what he presents to them。〃 With that end in view； he has a right to embellish his subjects a little。 〃Art；〃 we are told； 〃is not a study of positive reality； it is the seeking for ideal truth。〃 Such is
