honore de balzac-第13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！
r…effects of an operation on the liver； June 19； 1829。 Honore felt this loss keenly； for； although his father often showed himself sceptical as to the value of his son's literary efforts； too little attention has been paid to the share that he had in the origin of that son's ideas。
The Physiology had only just appeared when Balzac published the Scenes of Private Life； on March 10； 1836； and without slackening speed； he contributed to a number of different journals。 Emile de Girardin had welcomed him to the columns of La Mode； which he had founded in 1829； under the patronage of the Duchesse de Berry； and he contributed sketches to it regularly： El Verdugo； The Usurer； a Study of a Woman （signed 〃By the author of the Physiology of Marriage〃）； Farewell； The Latest Fashion in Words； A New Theory of Breakfasting； The Crossing of the Beresina； and Chateau Life； an essay against the publication of which Balzac protested because his sensitive literary conscience was unwilling that it should be printed until developed into something more than a crude sketch；and lastly came the Treatise on Fashionable Life； a manual which； under the form of pleasantry； was saturated with philosophy and lofty social doctrines。
At the same period； from 1829 to 1830； he collaborated with Victor Ratier on the Silhouette； under his own name and various pseudonyms。 For this periodical he wrote phantasies of a festive tone and somewhat broad humour： Some Artists （signed； 〃An Old Artist〃）； The Studio； The Grocer； The Charlatan； Aquatic Customs； Physiology of the Toilet； the Cravat considered by itself and in its relations to Society and the Individual； Physiology of the Toilet and Padded Coats； Gastronomic Physiology； etc。 In Le Voleur； edited by Maurice Alhoy； he published La Grisette Parvenue； A Working Girl's Sunday； and Letters on Paris； a series of articles； incisive and farsighted； dealing with French politics。 Finally； still in 1830； he was almost one of the accredited editors of La Caricature； for which he wrote fantasies against the government； sketches of Parisian manners； and pictures of the life of the capital； some of which were destined later to find their way into The Magic Skin； namely； Le Cornac de Carlsuhe； Concerning Indifference in Politics； A Minister's Council； The Veneerer； A Passion in College； Physiology of the Passions； etc。
But； not satisfied with this fecundity；which would have exhausted many another man of letters；Honore de Balzac； in 1830； founded a critical organ； in company with Emile de Girardin； H。 Auger； and Victor Varaigne； under the title of Feuilleton des Journaux Politiques。
And there were thousands of pages which Balzac carelessly let fall from his fertile pen； and which he valued so slightly that he never afterwards gathered them together for his collected works。 On the other hand； they did not seem to interfere with the composition of his more important writings； and at the very time that he seemed to be scattering his efforts in twenty different papers he was writing The Woman of Thirty； under the guidance of Mme。 de Berny； and working on his extraordinary Magic Skin； a dramatic study with a colouring of social philosophy； which he was greatly distressed to hear defined as a novel。 He was possessed with a sort of fever of creation； he had already visualised nearly all the characters in his Human Comedy； and； in spite of his driving labours and his marvellous facility at writing； he could not keep pace with his own imagination。 Meanwhile； in order to keep himself awake and excite his productive forces； he indulged； at this period； in a veritable orgy of coffee； cup after cup； an orgy which was destined； after twenty years' continuance to have a disastrous effect upon his health。
Balzac took the most minute precautions in making this coffee； he not only selected several kinds from different localities； in order to obtain a special aroma； but he had his own special method of brewing it； which developed all the virtues of the blend。 In his Treatise on Modern Stimulants he has told us how he prepared the coffee and what its effects were upon his temperament。 〃At last I have discovered a horrible and cruel method；〃 he writes； 〃which I recommend only to men of excessive vigour； with coarse black hair； a skin of mingled ochre and vermilion； squarish hands and legs like the balustrades in the Palace Louis XV。 It consists in the employment of a decoction of ground coffee taken cold and anhydride （a chemical term which signifies 'little or no water'） and on an empty stomach。 This coffee falls into your stomach； which； as you have learned from Brillat…Savarin； is a sack with a velvety interior； lined with little pores and papillae； it finds nothing else； so it attacks this delicate and voluptuous lining； it becomes a sort of food which demands its digestive juices； so it wrings them forth； it demands them as a pythoness calls upon her god； it maltreats those delicate walls as a truckman maltreats a pair of young horses； the plexus nerves inflame； they burn and send their flashes to the brain。 Thereupon everything leaps into action； thoughts and ideas rush pell…mell over one another； like battalions of the grand army on the field of battle； and the battle takes place。 Recollections arrive in a headlong charge； with banners flying； the light cavalry of comparisons advances in a magnificent gallop； the artillery of logic hurries up with its gun…carriages and ammunition； flashes of wit arrive like so many sharp…shooters； the action develops； the paper slowly covers over with ink； for the night's work has begun； and it will end in torrents of black water； like the battle in torrents of black powder。〃
In spite of the alarming benefits which Balzac attributes to this regime； one is amazed at the abundance of his productions； for； even though he sacrificed a large part of his days and nights； he none the less frequented certain famous salons； was often absent on vacations at M。 de Margonne's home at Sache； at La Grenadiere； where he rented a house； and at Nemours。 Besides； he had to spare some time to his friends； his publishers； and to the adjustment of his already complicated finances。
With his remarkably keen sense of realities； he knew that it did not suffice merely to produce a work in order to have it become known and sell； and； while it was repugnant to him to solicit an article from a fellow craftsman； he excelled in the art of exciting curiosity； and acquiring partisans and women admirers who； upon the publication of each new volume； would loudly proclaim it as a masterpiece。 He was on intimate terms with the Duchesse d'Abrantes and Mme。 Sophie Gay； he was received by the Baron Gerard and by Mme。 Ancelot； he announced to his publisher； Charles Gosselin； that Mme。 Recamier had asked him to give a reading from his Magic Skin； 〃so that we are going to have a whole lot of people to boom us in the Faubourg Saint…Germain。〃 And he did not content himself with all these benevolent 〃boomers；〃 for； according to Philibert Audebrand； he himself wrote a very flattering article on his own work in La Caricature； over one of his three pseudonyms。
The book…collector Jacob sketched a verbal portrait of Balzac in 1831； a little heavy and over…emphasised； yet fairly like him： 〃He was about thirty…two years old； and seemed younger than his age。 He had not yet taken on too much flesh； yet he was far from being slender； as he still was five or six years earlier。 He did not yet wear his hair long； nor had he a moustache。 His open countenance revealed a character ordinarily kindly and jovial； his high colour； red lips and brilliant eyes were often likely to give the impression that he had just come from the dinner table； where he had not wasted his time。〃 In order to give a greater degree of truth and life to this sketch； it should be added that Balzac had extremely mobile features； that he was very sensitive； and that； if anything was said that gave him offence； his expression became indifferent； non…committal or haughty。 He suffered when he was congratulated on his short stories and tales； for with justifiable pride he wished to be appreciated as a poet； a philosopher and a thinker。 It has not been sufficiently recognised how well he understood the essence of his own genius； for； aside from the short recitals in the Scenes of Private Life； his early works are philosophic works； The Magic Skin； Louis Lambert； and The Country Doctor； ranging all the way from the most lofty speculations regarding human intelligence to the details of the social； material and moral organisation of a village。
But； on the other hand； although Balzac had already acquired a massive aspect； he did not have that vulgar outline which Jacob； the book…fancier； suggests。 And when he was speaking enthusiastically in a drawing…room his face irradiated； one might almost say； a sort of spirituality； his eyes glowed with a splendid fire； and his lips parted in a laugh of such potent joyousness that he communicated the contagion of it to his hearers。 He spoke in a pleasant； well…modulated voice； with fluctuations in tone that accorded nicely with the circumstances of the recital； and his gestures and power of mimicry seemed to conjure up the characters whose adventures he n
