louis lambert-第2章

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mental　powers；　whose　sphere　was　enormously　expanded；　he　left　space
behind　him；　to　use　his　own　words。

But　I　will　not　here　anticipate　the　intellectual　phases　of　his　life。
Already；　in　spite　of　myself；　I　have　reversed　the　order　in　which　I
ought　to　tell　the　history　of　this　man；　who　transferred　all　his
activities　to　thinking；　as　others　throw　all　their　life　into　action。

A　strong　bias　drew　his　mind　into　mystical　studies。

〃/Abyssus　abyssum/；〃　he　would　say。　〃Our　spirit　is　abysmal　and　loves
the　abyss。　In　childhood；　manhood；　and　old　age　we　are　always　eager　for
mysteries　in　whatever　form　they　present　themselves。〃

This　predilection　was　disastrous；　if　indeed　his　life　can　be　measured
by　ordinary　standards；　or　if　we　may　gauge　another's　happiness　by　our
own　or　by　social　notions。　This　taste　for　the　〃things　of　heaven；〃
another　phrase　he　was　fond　of　using；　this　/mens　divinior/；　was　due
perhaps　to　the　influence　produced　on　his　mind　by　the　first　books　he
read　at　his　uncle's。　Saint　Theresa　and　Madame　Guyon　were　a　sequel　to
the　Bible；　they　had　the　first…fruits　of　his　manly　intelligence；　and
accustomed　him　to　those　swift　reactions　of　the　soul　of　which　ecstasy
is　at　once　the　result　and　the　means。　This　line　of　study；　this　peculiar
taste；　elevated　his　heart；　purified；　ennobled　it；　gave　him　an　appetite
for　the　divine　nature；　and　suggested　to　him　the　almost　womanly
refinement　of　feeling　which　is　instinctive　in　great　men；　perhaps　their
sublime　superiority　is　no　more　than　the　desire　to　devote　themselves
which　characterizes　woman；　only　transferred　to　the　greatest　things。

As　a　result　of　these　early　impressions；　Louis　passed　immaculate
through　his　school　life；　this　beautiful　virginity　of　the　senses
naturally　resulted　in　the　richer　fervor　of　his　blood；　and　in　increased
faculties　of　mind。

The　Baroness　de　Stael；　forbidden　to　come　within　forty　leagues　of
Paris；　spent　several　months　of　her　banishment　on　an　estate　near
Vendome。　One　day；　when　out　walking；　she　met　on　the　skirts　of　the　park
the　tanner's　son；　almost　in　rags；　and　absorbed　in　reading。　The　book
was　a　translation　of　/Heaven　and　Hell/。　At　that　time　Monsieur　Saint…
Martin；　Monsieur　de　Gence；　and　a　few　other　French　or　half　German
writers　were　almost　the　only　persons　in　the　French　Empire　to　whom　the
name　of　Swedenborg　was　known。　Madame　de　Stael；　greatly　surprised；　took
the　book　from　him　with　the　roughness　she　affected　in　her　questions；
looks；　and　manners；　and　with　a　keen　glance　at　Lambert；

〃Do　you　understand　all　this？〃　she　asked。

〃Do　you　pray　to　God？〃　said　the　child。

〃Why？　yes！〃

〃And　do　you　understand　Him？〃

The　Baroness　was　silent　for　a　moment；　then　she　sat　down　by　Lambert；
and　began　to　talk　to　him。　Unfortunately；　my　memory；　though　retentive；
is　far　from　being　so　trustworthy　as　my　friend's；　and　I　have　forgotten
the　whole　of　the　dialogue　excepting　those　first　words。

Such　a　meeting　was　of　a　kind　to　strike　Madame　de　Stael　very　greatly；
on　her　return　home　she　said　but　little　about　it；　notwithstanding　an
effusiveness　which　in　her　became　mere　loquacity；　but　it　evidently
occupied　her　thoughts。

The　only　person　now　living　who　preserves　any　recollection　of　the
incident；　and　whom　I　catechised　to　be　informed　of　what　few　words
Madame　de　Stael　had　let　drop；　could　with　difficulty　recall　these　words
spoken　by　the　Baroness　as　describing　Lambert；　〃He　is　a　real　seer。〃

Louis　failed　to　justify　in　the　eyes　of　the　world　the　high　hopes　he　had
inspired　in　his　protectress。　The　transient　favor　she　showed　him　was
regarded　as　a　feminine　caprice；　one　of　the　fancies　characteristic　of
artist　souls。　Madame　de　Stael　determined　to　save　Louis　Lambert　alike
from　serving　the　Emperor　or　the　Church；　and　to　preserve　him　for　the
glorious　destiny　which；　she　thought；　awaited　him；　for　she　made　him　out
to　be　a　second　Moses　snatched　from　the　waters。　Before　her　departure
she　instructed　a　friend　of　hers；　Monsieur　de　Corbigny；　to　send　her
Moses　in　due　course　to　the　High　School　at　Vendome；　then　she　probably
forgot　him。



Having　entered　this　college　at　the　age　of　fourteen；　early　in　1811；
Lambert　would　leave　it　at　the　end　of　1814；　when　he　had　finished　the
course　of　Philosophy。　I　doubt　whether　during　the　whole　time　he　ever
heard　a　word　of　his　benefactressif　indeed　it　was　the　act　of　a
benefactress　to　pay　for　a　lad's　schooling　for　three　years　without　a
thought　of　his　future　prospects；　after　diverting　him　from　a　career　in
which　he　might　have　found　happiness。　The　circumstances　of　the　time；
and　Louis　Lambert's　character；　may　to　a　great　extent　absolve　Madame　de
Stael　for　her　thoughtlessness　and　her　generosity。　The　gentleman　who
was　to　have　kept　up　communications　between　her　and　the　boy　left　Blois
just　at　the　time　when　Louis　passed　out　of　the　college。　The　political
events　that　ensued　were　then　a　sufficient　excuse　for　this　gentleman's
neglect　of　the　Baroness'　protege。　The　authoress　of　/Corinne/　heard　no
more　of　her　little　Moses。

A　hundred　louis；　which　she　placed　in　the　hands　of　Monsieur　de
Corbigny；　who　died；　I　believe；　in　1812；　was　not　a　sufficiently　large
sum　to　leave　lasting　memories　in　Madame　de　Stael；　whose　excitable
nature　found　ample　pasture　during　the　vicissitudes　of　1814　and　1815；
which　absorbed　all　her　interest。

At　this　time　Louis　Lambert　was　at　once　too　proud　and　too　poor　to　go　in
search　of　a　patroness　who　was　traveling　all　over　Europe。　However；　he
went　on　foot　from　Blois　to　Paris　in　the　hope　of　seeing　her；　and
arrived；　unluckily；　on　the　very　day　of　her　death。　Two　letters　from
Lambert　to　the　Baroness　remained　unanswered。　The　memory　of　Madame　de
Stael's　good　intentions　with　regard　to　Louis　remains；　therefore；　only
in　some　few　young　minds；　struck；　as　mine　was；　by　the　strangeness　of
the　story。

No　one　who　had　not　gone　through　the　training　at　our　college　could
understand　the　effect　usually　made　on　our　minds　by　the　announcement
that　a　〃new　boy〃　had　arrived；　or　the　impression　that　such　an　adventure
as　Louis　Lambert's　was　calculated　to　produce。

And　here　a　little　information　must　be　given　as　to　the　primitive
administration　of　this　institution；　originally　half…military　and　half…
monastic；　to　explain　the　new　life　which　there　awaited　Lambert。　Before
the　Revolution；　the　Oratorians；　devoted；　like　the　Society　of　Jesus；　to
the　education　of　youthsucceeding　the　Jesuits；　in　fact；　in　certain　of
their　establishmentsthe　colleges　of　Vendome；　of　Tournon；　of　la
Fleche；　Pont…Levoy；　Sorreze；　and　Juilly。　That　at　Vendome；　like　the
others；　I　believe；　turned　out　a　certain　number　of　cadets　for　the　army。
The　abolition　of　educational　bodies；　decreed　by　the　convention；　had
but　little　effect　on　the　college　at　Vendome。　When　the　first　crisis　had
blown　over；　the　authorities　recovered　possession　of　their　buildings；
certain　Oratorians；　scattered　about　the　country；　came　back　to　the
college　and　re…opened　it　under　the　old　rules；　with　the　habits；
practices；　and　customs　which　gave　this　school　a　character　with　which　I
have　seen　nothing　at　all　comparable　in　any　that　I　have　visited　since　I
left　that　establishment。

Standing　in　the　heart　of　the　town；　on　the　little　river　Loire　which
flows　under　its　walls；　the　college　possesses　extensive　precincts；
carefully　enclosed　by　walls；　and　including　all　the　buildings　necessary
for　an　institution　on　that　scale：　a　chapel；　a　theatre；　an　infirmary；　a
bakehouse；　gardens；　and　water　supply。　This　college　is　the　most
celebrated　home　of　learning　in　all　the　central　provinces；　and　receives
pupils　from　them　and　from　the　colonies。　Distance　prohibits　any
frequent　visits　from　parents　to　their　children。

The　rule　of　the　House　forbids　holidays　away　from　it。　Once　entered
there；　a　pupil　never　leaves　till　his　studies　are　finished。　With　the
exception　of　walks　taken　under　the　guidance　of　the　Fathers；　everything
is　calculated　to　give　the　School　the　benefit　of　conventual　discipline；
in　my　day　the　tawse　was　still　a　living　memory；　and　the　classical
leather　strap　played　its　terrible　part　with　all　the　honors。　The
punishment　originally　invented　by　the　Society　of　Jesus；　as　alarming　to
the　moral　as　to　the　physical　man；　was　still　in　force　in　all　the
integrity　of　the　original　code。

Letters　to　parents　were　obligatory　on　certain　days；　so　was　confession。
Thus　our　sins　and　our　sentiments　were　all　according　to　pattern。
Everything　bore　the　stamp　of　monastic　rule。　I　well　remember；　among
other　relics　of　the　ancient　order；　the　inspection　we　went　through
every　Sunday。　We　were　all　in　our　best；　placed　in　file　like　soldiers　to
await　the　arrival　of　the　two　inspectors　who；　attended　by　the　tutors
and　the　tradesmen；　examined　us　from　the　three　points　of　view　of　dress；
health；　and　morals。

The　two　or　three　hundred　pupils　lodged　in　the　establishment　were
divided；　according　to　ancient　custom；　into　the　/minimes/　（the
smallest）；　the　little　boys；　the　middle　boys；　and　the　big　boys。　The
division　of　the　/minimes/　included　the　eighth　and　seventh　classes；　the
little　boys　formed　the　sixth；　fifth；　and　fourth；　the　middle　boys　were
classed　as　third　and　second；　and　the　first　class　comprised　the　senior
studentsof　philosophy；　rhetoric；　the　higher　mathematics；　and
chemistry。　Each　of　these　divisions　had　its　own　building；　classrooms；
and　play…ground；　in　the　large　common　precincts　on　to　which　the
classrooms　opened；　and　beyond　which　was　the　refectory。

This　dining…hall；　worthy　of　an　ancient　religious　Order；　accommodated
all　the　school。　Contrary　to　the　usual　practice　in　educational
institutions；　we　were　allowed　to　talk　at　our　meals；　a　tolerant
Oratorian　rule　which　enabled　us　to　exchange　plates　according　to　our
taste。　This　gastronomical　barter　was　always　one　of　the　chief　pleasures
of　our　college　life。　If　one　of　the　〃middle〃　boys　at　the　head　of　his
table　wished　for　a　helping　of　lentils　instead　of　dessertfor　we　had
dessertthe　offer　was　passed　down　from　one　to　another：　〃Dessert　for
lentils！〃　till　some　other　epicure　had　accepted；　then　the　plate　of
lentils　was　passed　up　to　the　bidder　from　hand　to　hand；　and　the　plate
of　dessert　returned　by　the　same　road。　Mistakes　were　never　made。　If
several　identical　offers　were　made；　they　were　taken　in　order；　and　the
formula　would　be；　〃Lentils　number　one　for　dessert　number　one。〃　The
tables　were　very　long；　our　incessant　barter　kept　everything　moving；　we
transacted　it　with　amazing　eagerness；　and　the　chatter　of　three　hundred
lads；　the　bustling　to　and　fro　of　the　servants　employed　in　changing　the
plates；　setting　down　the　dishes；　handing　the　bread；　with　the　tours　of
inspection　of　the　masters；　made　this　refectory　at　Vendome　a　scene
unique　in　its　way；　and　the　amazement　of　visitors。

To　make　our　life　more　tolerable；　deprived　as　we　were　of　all
communication　with　the　outer　world　and　of　family　affection；　we　were
allowed　to　keep　pigeons　and　to　have　gardens。　Our　two　or　three　hundred
pigeon…houses；　with　a　thousand　birds　nesting　all　round　the　outer　wall；
and　above　thirty　garden　plots；　were　a　sight　even　stranger　than　our
meals。　But　a　full　account　of　the　peculiarities　which　made　the　college
at　Vendome　a　place　unique　in　itself　and　fertile　in　reminiscences　to
those　who　spent　their　boyhood　there；　would　be　weariness　to　the　reader。
Which　of　us　all　but　remembers　with　delight；　notwithstanding　the
bitterness　of　learning；　the　eccentric　pleasures　of