honore de balzac-第21节
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his review on its feet； but in spite of his activity and the talent of his collaborators； the Chronique exerted little or no influence； and remained very poor in subscribers。
While he was still editing it he once more underwent the singular and vexatious experience of being imprisoned。 Although a good citizen； he energetically refused to fulfill his duties in the national guard； which he deemed unbefitting the dignity of an artist and author。 In March； 1835； he had already been detained for seven days in the Hotel Bazancourt； so in order to avoid a similar annoyance in the future he hired his apartment under another name than his own。 But his sergeant…major； a dentist by profession and a man of resource； succeeded in capturing him and landing him safely in the 〃Hotel des Haricots。〃 （Popular nickname for the debtors' prison。 ＇Translator's Note。＇） He was locked up without a penny in his pocket； and in order to soften the rigours of his captivity must needs appeal for help to his publisher； Werdet。 His hardships； however； proved to be tolerably mild when once he was supplied with money。 In the prison he met Eugene Sue； who was detained for the same cause； and who carried the thing off in lordly fashion； having sumptuous repasts brought to him on his own silver service。 Owing to this attitude there was a certain coldness at first between the two novelists； but before long they joined forces in order to enliven their days of imprisonment。 Eugene Sue could draw； and he made a pen…and…ink sketch of a horse； a horseman and a stretch of seashore； which Balzac inscribed as follows： 〃Drawn in prison in the Hotel Bazancourt； where we were under punishment for not having mounted guard； in accordance with the decree of the grocers of Paris。〃
A still harsher prison； that of Clichy； very nearly fell to Balzac's lot； a few months later。 His efforts to carry on the Chronique had been in vain； and he had been obliged to abandon it； toward the middle of 1837； with a fresh accumulation of debts。 One of his creditors； William Duckett； pressed him so vigorously for a sum of ten thousand francs that Balzac was forced to go into hiding； and the process…servers were unable to discover him。 A woman finally betrayed his retreat； and one morning the officers of the law presented themselves at the home of Mme。 de Visconti； the lady who had given him asylum。 Balzac was caught； but not taken； for the generous woman promptly paid the debt demanded of him。
Once again he had been saved； but now all his creditors were at his heels； and he was like a hare before them； never sure where he could lay his head。 In order to satisfy them he added toil to toil； story to story； notwithstanding the sorrow caused him by the loss of Mme。 de Berny； that early love who had protected his youth and sustained his courage； with an unwavering devotion； a heart of wife and mother in one。 His troubles were now constant； and he was forced to carry on a famous litigation with Buloz； director of the Revue des Deux Mondes； who had forwarded to the Revue Etrangere of St。 Petersburg uncorrected proofs of the Lily of the Valley。 In defending himself he was defending the common rights of all authors。
Theophile Gautier； whom he had invited to collaborate on the Chronique de Paris at a time when the author of Mademoiselle de Maupin was but little known； has left some vivid recollections of Balzac at this period：
〃It was；〃 he writes； 〃in that same boudoir （the luxurious chamber in the Rue des Batailles） that he gave us a splendid dinner； on which occasion he lighted with his own hands all the candles in the vermilion sconces as well as those in the chandelier and candlesticks。 The guests were the Marquis de B… （de Belloy） and the artist L。B。 （Louis Boulanger）。 Although quite sober and abstemious by habit； Balzac did not disdain on occasion the festive board and flowing bowl； he ate with a whole…hearted satisfaction that was appetising to see； and he drank in true Pantagruelian fashion。 Four bottles of the white wine of Vouvray； one of the headiest wines known； in no way affected his strong brain； and produced no other result than to add a slightly keener sparkle to his gaiety。
〃Characteristic touch！ At this splendid feast； furnished by Chevot； there was no bread。 But when one has all the superfluities； of what use are the necessities？〃
Balzac； who ordinarily ate quite soberly； consumed an enormous quantity of fruit； pears； strawberries and grapes。 He held that they were good for his health； and that they suited his temperament； overheated as it was by his abuse of coffee and his sleepless nights。 Alcohol did not agree with him； and as to tobacco； he detested it to such a degree that he refused to employ servants who had the habit of smoking。
His intellectual conceptions intermingled with the current events of life； and he drew no very clear demarcation between the characters and adventures which he created and the actualities of life。 The History of the Thirteen and the exploits of the association of which Ferragus was chief gave Balzac the idea of forming a secret society； after the manner of the one he had conceived； the members of which were to afford one another aid and protection under all circumstances。 This society he called the Red Horse； from the name of the restaurant where the charter members met。 They were Theophile Gautier； Leon Gozlan； Alphonse Karr； Louis Desnoyers； Eugene Guinot； Altorache； Merle； and Granier de Cassagnac； all of whom swore the oath of fidelity and enthusiastically named Balzac Grand Master of the new order。 The place of meeting was changed each week； in order not to attract the attention of the waiters who served the 〃Horses；〃cabalistic name of the conspirators；and their secret had to be carefully guarded； for it was nothing less than a project for distributing among the members of the Red Horse the chief offices of State； the ministries and ambassadorships； the highest positions in arts and letters； the Academie Francaise and the Institut。 These secret reunions ceased after a few months； for there was no more corn in the crib；in other words； a majority of the 〃Horses〃 were unable to pay their dues。
Did these chimerical dreams serve to distract Balzac's thoughts from the realities； or did he believe that he possessed some occult means of dominating society？ Perhaps it was something of both。 His material situation had become worse。 Werdet succumbed under the weight of his publications； dragging down his favourite author in his ruin。 Balzac had hours of heavy depression； he went for a rest to Mme。 Carraud's home at Frapesle； and after his return to Paris he wrote her in the following strain：
〃I am horribly embarrassed for money。 By tomorrow I may not have a care in the world； if the matters that I have in hand turn out well； but then again it is quite possible that I may perish。 It is quite dramatic to be always hovering between life and death； it is the life of a corsair； but human endurance cannot keep it up forever。〃
He sought for new publishers； then； having passed through the crisis of humility； he straightened up once more； his courage was born again； and he undertook a very mysterious journey the goal of which he revealed to no one； aside from Commander Carraud； whom he had let into his secret。 He announced only that if he succeeded it would mean a fortune for him and all his family。 Balzac borrowed five hundred francs and left Paris in March； 1836； arriving on the 20th in Marseilles； and on the 26th in Ajaccio； where； his incognito having been betrayed by a former fellow student； he was royally entertained by the younger generation； and on April 1st he set out for Sardinia in a small sloop propelled by oars。 What was the object of this journey？ During a stay in Genoa in 1837 a merchant of that city had told him that whole mountains of slag existed near the silver mines which the Romans had worked in Sardinia。 This information had set Balzac's spirit of deduction to working； and； assuming that the ancients were very ignorant in the art of reducing ores and had probably abandoned enormous quantities of silver in the slag； had asked his Genoese friend to send him some specimens to Paris。
Landing at Alghiero； he explored Sardinia； saw the mountains of slag and； returning to Genoa on the 22d； had the discomfiture of learning that his Genoese friend； instead of sending him the requested specimens； had adopted the idea himself and had obtained from the court of Turin the right to develop the project in conjunction with a firm in Marseilles which had assayed the ore。 All Balzac's hopes of making his fortune once more crumbled to pieces； yet he refused to succumb； but； at the same time he wrote the bad news to Laure； announced that he had hit upon something better！ Such was his unconquerable optimism。 He returned by way of Milan； where he remained several weeks； attending to some business matters for the Visconti family； and； far from his 〃phrase…shop；〃 he indulged in bitter reflections。 At the age of thirty…nine his debts amounted to two hundred thousand francs； he had resorted to every means to clear himself； and； weary of so many useless efforts； he ceased to look forward to a day of liberation。
But he missed his routine of exhausti
