honore de balzac-第19节
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ce to which he consented for love's sake； because he had always refused to let anyone； even Gerard； paint his portrait； insisting 〃that he was not handsome enough to be worth preserving in oil。〃
But letter…writing and delicate attentions in the form of gifts were far from satisfying him。 He wanted to see her； to talk with her； to put into speech shades of feeling so delicate that the written word was powerless to reproduce them。 And presently chance aided and abetted him。 Mme。 Hanska left Wierzchnownia for a summer vacation in Switzerland； and Balzac； on the trail of one of those business opportunities for which he was ever on the watch； was obliged to go to Besancon at precisely the same season。 His mission related to the manufacture of a special kind of paper； to be made exclusively for his works； and which he imagined would speedily make his fortune。 Since she was to be at Neufchatel and he at Besancon； how could they resist the pleasure of a first meeting？ Permission was asked to call； and permission was granted； and Balzac； impatient and intoxicated with hope； left Paris； September 22d； arrived at Neufchatel on the 25th； and for five days enjoyed profound happiness； tender and unalloyed。 They met； and the sentiments born of their correspondence； far from being destroyed by this meeting； were on the contrary exalted into trembling avowals； transports and protestations of eternal love。 Balzac returned to Paris radiant with his new…found joy。 He wrote as follows to his sister Laure； the habitual recipient of his confidences：
〃I found down yonder all that is needed to flatter the thousand vanities of that animal known as man； of which species the poet still remains the vainest variety。 But why do I use the word vanity？ No； that has nothing to do with it。 I am happy； very happy in thought； and so far all for the best and in all honour 。 。 。
〃I say nothing to you of her colossal wealth； of what consequence is that； beside a perfection of beauty which I can compare to no one except the Princess of Bellejoyeuse； only infinitely better？〃
Mme。 Hanska was profoundly religious and a practical Catholic； and from this time onward she exerted an influence over the trend of Balzac's thoughts。 Indeed； he brought back from their first interviews the germ idea of his mystical story； Seraphita。 The project of the special paper having failed to materialise at Besancon； he tried to carry it out through the mediation of Mme。 Carraud； but with no better success。
The Country Doctor proved a source of nothing but disappointments to Balzac； who received an adverse decision from the courts； in the lawsuit bought by Mame； because he had failed to furnish copy at the stipulated dates； and found himself facing a judgment of three thousand francs damages； besides another thousand francs for corrections made at his expense。 The cost of the latter was； for that matter； always charged to him by his publishers in all his contracts； because his method of work raised this item to an unreasonable sum。 For one of his short stories； Pierette； Balzac demanded no less than seventeen successive revised proofs。 And his corrections； his additions and his suppressions formed such an inextricable tangle that the typesetters refused to work more than an hour at a time over his copy。
The failure of the work on which he had counted so much and the loss of his lawsuit did not discourage him。 To borrow his own phrase； he 〃buried himself in the most frightful labours。〃 Between the end of 1833 and 1834 he produced Eugenie Grandet； The Illustrious Gaudissart； The Girl with the Golden Eyes； and The Search for the Absolute。 The paper which he used for writing was a large octavo in form； with a parchment finish。 His manuscripts often bore curious annotations and drawings。 On the cover of that of Eugenie Grandet he had drawn a ground plan of old Grandet's house； and had compiled a list of names； from which he chose those of the characters in the story。 Balzac attached an extreme importance to proper names； and he did not decide which to give to his heroes until after long meditation； for he believed that names were significant； even to the extent of influencing their destinies。 The manuscript of The Search for the Absolute bears witness to his constant preoccupation about money。 He had inscribed on it the following account：
Total for June 7；505 francs。 Total for July 1；500 francs。 Floating debt 3；700 francs。 12；705 francs。
And melancholically he wrote below it； 〃Deficit； 1；705！〃 His writing was small； compressed； irregular and often far from easy to read； when he suppressed a passage； he used a form of pothook erasure which rendered the condemned phrase absolutely illegible。
In 1834； Honore de Balzac； while still keeping his apartment in the Rue Cassini； transferred his residence to Chaillot； No。 13； Rue des Bastailles （now the Avenue d'Iena）； in a house situated on the site of the hotel of Prince Roland Bonaparte。 This was his bachelor quarters； where he received his letters； under the name of Madame the Widow Durand。 He had by no means abandoned his projects of luxurious surroundings； and in The Girl with the Golden Eyes he has given a description of his own parlour； which shows that he had in a measure already realised his desires：
〃One…half of the boudoir；〃 he wrote； 〃described an easy and graceful semicircle； while the opposite side was perfectly square； and in the centre glistened a mantelpiece of white marble and gold。 The entrance was through a side door； hidden by a rich portiere of tapestry； and facing a window。 Within the horseshoe curve was a genuine Turkish divan； that is to say； a mattress resting directly upon the floor； a mattress as large as a bed； a divan fifty feet in circumference and covered with white cashmere； relieved by tufts of black and poppy…red silk arranged in a diamond pattern。 The headboard of this immense bed rose several inches above the numerous cushions which still further enriched it by the good taste of their harmonious tints。 The walls of this boudoir were covered with red cloth； overlaid with India muslin fluted like a Corinthian column； the flutings being alternately hollowed and rounded； and finished at top and bottom with a band of poppy…red cloth embroidered with black arabesques。 Seen through the muslin； the poppy…red turned to rose colour； the colour emblematic of love； and the same effect was repeated in the window curtains； which were also of India muslin lined with rose…coloured taffeta and ornamented with fringes of mixed black and poppy…red。 Six vermilion sconces； each containing two candles； were fixed at even intervals to the wall； for the purpose of lighting the divan。 The ceiling； from the centre of which hung a chandelier of dull vermilion； was a dazzling white； and the cornice was gilded。 The carpet resembled an Oriental shawl； exhibiting the patterns and recalling the poetry of Persia； the land where it had been woven by the hands of slaves。 The furniture was all upholstered in white cashmere； emphasised by trimmings of the same combination of black and poppy…red。 The clock； the candle…sticks； all the ornaments； were of white marble and gold。 The only table in the room had a cashmere covering。 Graceful jardinieres contained roses of all species having blossoms of red or white。〃
Theophile Gautier has borne witness to the accuracy of this description； but as though wishing to show him the double aspect of his life； Balzac； after willingly exhibiting in detail all the luxury of his boudoir； led him to a corner recess； necessitated by the rounded form of one side of the room； and there； hidden behind the ostentatious decoration； there was nothing but a narrow iron cot； a table and a chair； this was where he worked。
Balzac disliked being disturbed while working； and； for the double reason of avoiding unwelcome visitors and throwing his creditors off the scent； he had invented a whole series of pass…words； which it was necessary to know before one could penetrate to his apartment。 A visitor； let into the secret； would say to the porter； 〃The season for plums has arrived；〃 thanks to which he acquired the right to enter the house。 But this was only the first degree of initiation。 A servant would next come forward and ask； 〃What does Monsieur wish？〃 and one had to be able to answer； 〃I have brought some Brussels lace。〃 This constituted the second degree and resulted in permission to ascend the stairs。 Then； with the door of the sanctuary just ajar； the visitor could not hope to see it swing fully open before him until he had made the assertion that 〃Mme。 Durand was in good health！〃 Whenever Balzac suspected that his pass…words had been betrayed； he invented a new set； which he communicated only to those few chosen spirits whom he cared to receive。 And this method of protecting himself caused him； when with his friends； to indulge in great outbursts of his vast； resounding laughter。
In spite of envy and conspiracies； Balzac's reputation was now established； he had become one of those writers who are widely discussed and whose sayings and doings are a current topic of conversation。 At the same time； he was the prey of the low…class journals； which attacked him maliciously。 At this period；
