the ball at sceaux-第5章

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not　pout；　let　us　talk　rationally。Among　the　young　marrying　men　have

you　noticed　Monsieur　de　Manerville？〃



〃Oh；　he　minces　his　wordshe　says　Zules　instead　of　Jules；　he　is　always

looking　at　his　feet；　because　he　thinks　them　small；　and　he　gazes　at

himself　in　the　glass！　Besides；　he　is　fair。　I　don't　like　fair　men。〃



〃Well；　then；　Monsieur　de　Beaudenord？〃



〃He　is　not　noble！　he　is　ill　made　and　stout。　He　is　dark；　it　is　true。

If　the　two　gentlemen　could　agree　to　combine　their　fortunes；　and　the

first　would　give　his　name　and　his　figure　to　the　second；　who　should

keep　his　dark　hair；　thenperhaps〃



〃What　can　you　say　against　Monsieur　de　Rastignac？〃



〃Madame　de　Nucingen　has　made　a　banker　of　him；〃　she　said　with　meaning。



〃And　our　cousin；　the　Vicomte　de　Portenduere？〃



〃A　mere　boy；　who　dances　badly；　besides；　he　has　no　fortune。　And；　after

all；　papa；　none　of　these　people　have　titles。　I　want；　at　least；　to　be　a

countess　like　my　mother。〃



〃Have　you　seen　no　one；　then；　this　winter〃



〃No；　papa。〃



〃What　then　do　you　want？〃



〃The　son　of　a　peer　of　France。



〃My　dear　girl；　you　are　mad！〃　said　Monsieur　de　Fontaine；　rising。



But　he　suddenly　lifted　his　eyes　to　heaven；　and　seemed　to　find　a　fresh

fount　of　resignation　in　some　religious　thought；　then；　with　a　look　of

fatherly　pity　at　his　daughter；　who　herself　was　moved；　he　took　her

hand；　pressed　it；　and　said　with　deep　feeling：　〃God　is　my　witness；　poor

mistaken　child；　I　have　conscientiously　discharged　my　duty　to　you　as　a

fatherconscientiously；　do　I　say？　Most　lovingly；　my　Emilie。　Yes；　God

knows！　This　winter　I　have　brought　before　you　more　than　one　good　man；

whose　character；　whose　habits；　and　whose　temper　were　known　to　me；　and

all　seemed　worthy　of　you。　My　child；　my　task　is　done。　From　this　day

forth　you　are　the　arbiter　of　your　fate；　and　I　consider　myself　both

happy　and　unhappy　at　finding　myself　relieved　of　the　heaviest　of

paternal　functions。　I　know　not　whether　you　will　for　any　long　time；

now；　hear　a　voice　which；　to　you；　has　never　been　stern；　but　remember

that　conjugal　happiness　does　not　rest　so　much　on　brilliant　qualities

and　ample　fortune　as　on　reciprocal　esteem。　This　happiness　is；　in　its

nature；　modest；　and　devoid　of　show。　So　now；　my　dear；　my　consent　is

given　beforehand；　whoever　the　son…in…law　may　be　whom　you　introduce　to

me；　but　if　you　should　be　unhappy；　remember　you　will　have　no　right　to

accuse　your　father。　I　shall　not　refuse　to　take　proper　steps　and　help

you；　only　your　choice　must　be　serious　and　final。　I　will　never　twice

compromise　the　respect　due　to　my　white　hairs。〃



The　affection　thus　expressed　by　her　father；　the　solemn　tones　of　his

urgent　address；　deeply　touched　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine；　but　she

concealed　her　emotion；　seated　herself　on　her　father's　kneesfor　he

had　dropped　all　tremulous　into　his　chair　againcaressed　him　fondly；

and　coaxed　him　so　engagingly　that　the　old　man's　brow　cleared。　As　soon

as　Emilie　thought　that　her　father　had　got　over　his　painful　agitation；

she　said　in　a　gentle　voice：　〃I　have　to　thank　you　for　your　graceful

attention；　my　dear　father。　You　have　had　your　room　set　in　order　to

receive　your　beloved　daughter。　You　did　not　perhaps　know　that　you　would

find　her　so　foolish　and　so　headstrong。　But；　papa；　is　it　so　difficult

to　get　married　to　a　peer　of　France？　You　declared　that　they　were

manufactured　by　dozens。　At　least；　you　will　not　refuse　to　advise　me。〃



〃No；　my　poor　child；　no；and　more　than　once　I　may　have　occasion　to

cry；　'Beware！'　Remember　that　the　making　of　peers　is　so　recent　a　force

in　our　government　machinery　that　they　have　no　great　fortunes。　Those

who　are　rich　look　to　becoming　richer。　The　wealthiest　member　of　our

peerage　has　not　half　the　income　of　the　least　rich　lord　in　the　English

Upper　Chamber。　Thus　all　the　French　peers　are　on　the　lookout　for　great

heiresses　for　their　sons；　wherever　they　may　meet　with　them。　The

necessity　in　which　they　find　themselves　of　marrying　for　money　will

certainly　exist　for　at　least　two　centuries。



〃Pending　such　a　fortunate　accident　as　you　long　forand　this

fastidiousness　may　cost　you　the　best　years　of　your　lifeyour

attractions　might　work　a　miracle；　for　men　often　marry　for　love　in

these　days。　When　experience　lurks　behind　so　sweet　a　face　as　yours　it

may　achieve　wonders。　In　the　first　place；　have　you　not　the　gift　of

recognizing　virtue　in　the　greater　or　smaller　dimensions　of　a　man's

body？　This　is　no　small　matter！　To　so　wise　a　young　person　as　you　are；　I

need　not　enlarge　on　all　the　difficulties　of　the　enterprise。　I　am　sure

that　you　would　never　attribute　good　sense　to　a　stranger　because　he　had

a　handsome　face；　or　all　the　virtues　because　he　had　a　fine　figure。　And

I　am　quite　of　your　mind　in　thinking　that　the　sons　of　peers　ought　to

have　an　air　peculiar　to　themselves；　and　perfectly　distinctive　manners。

Though　nowadays　no　external　sign　stamps　a　man　of　rank；　those　young　men

will　have；　perhaps；　to　you　the　indefinable　something　that　will　reveal

it。　Then；　again；　you　have　your　heart　well　in　hand；　like　a　good

horseman　who　is　sure　his　steed　cannot　bolt。　Luck　be　with　you；　my

dear！〃



〃You　are　making　game　of　me；　papa。　Well；　I　assure　you　that　I　would

rather　die　in　Mademoiselle　de　Conde's　convent　than　not　be　the　wife　of

a　peer　of　France。〃



She　slipped　out　of　her　father's　arms；　and　proud　of　being　her　own

mistress；　went　off　singing　the　air　of　Cara　non　dubitare；　in　the

〃Matrimonio　Segreto。〃



As　it　happened；　the　family　were　that　day　keeping　the　anniversary　of　a

family　fete。　At　dessert　Madame　Planat；　the　Receiver…General's　wife；

spoke　with　some　enthusiasm　of　a　young　American　owning　an　immense

fortune；　who　had　fallen　passionately　in　love　with　her　sister；　and　made

through　her　the　most　splendid　proposals。



〃A　banker；　I　rather　think；〃　observed　Emilie　carelessly。　〃I　do　not　like

money　dealers。〃



〃But；　Emilie；〃　replied　the　Baron　de　Villaine；　the　husband　of　the

Count's　second　daughter；　〃you　do　not　like　lawyers　either；　so　that　if

you　refuse　men　of　wealth　who　have　not　titles；　I　do　not　quite　see　in

what　class　you　are　to　choose　a　husband。〃



〃Especially；　Emilie；　with　your　standard　of　slimness；〃　added　the

Lieutenant…General。



〃I　know　what　I　want；〃　replied　the　young　lady。



〃My　sister　wants　a　fine　name；　a　fine　young　man；　fine　prospects；　and　a

hundred　thousand　francs　a　year；〃　said　the　Baronne　de　Fontaine。

〃Monsieur　de　Marsay；　for　instance。〃



〃I　know；　my　dear；〃　retorted　Emilie；　〃that　I　do　not　mean　to　make　such　a

foolish　marriage　as　some　I　have　seen。　Moreover；　to　put　an　end　to　these

matrimonial　discussions；　I　hereby　declare　that　I　shall　look　on　anyone

who　talks　to　me　of　marriage　as　a　foe　to　my　peace　of　mind。〃



An　uncle　of　Emilie's；　a　vice…admiral；　whose　fortune　had　just　been

increased　by　twenty　thousand　francs　a　year　in　consequence　of　the　Act

of　Indemnity；　and　a　man　of　seventy；　feeling　himself　privileged　to　say

hard　things　to　his　grand…niece；　on　whom　he　doted；　in　order　to　mollify

the　bitter　tone　of　the　discussion　now　exclaimed：



〃Do　not　tease　my　poor　little　Emilie；　don't　you　see　she　is　waiting　till

the　Duc　de　Bordeaux　comes　of　age！〃



The　old　man's　pleasantry　was　received　with　general　laughter。



〃Take　care　I　don't　marry　you；　old　fool！〃　replied　the　young　girl；　whose

last　words　were　happily　drowned　in　the　noise。



〃My　dear　children；〃　said　Madame　de　Fontaine；　to　soften　this　saucy

retort；　〃Emilie；　like　you；　will　take　no　advice　but　her　mother's。〃



〃Bless　me！　I　shall　take　no　advice　but　my　own　in　a　matter　which

concerns　no　one　but　myself；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　very

distinctly。



At　this　all　eyes　were　turned　to　the　head　of　the　family。　Every　one

seemed　anxious　as　to　what　he　would　do　to　assert　his　dignity。　The

venerable　gentleman　enjoyed　much　consideration；　not　only　in　the　world；

happier　than　many　fathers；　he　was　also　appreciated　by　his　family；　all

its　members　having　a　just　esteem　for　the　solid　qualities　by　which　he

had　been　able　to　make　their　fortunes。　Hence　he　was　treated　with　the

deep　respect　which　is　shown　by　English　families；　and　some　aristocratic

houses　on　the　continent；　to　the　living　representatives　of　an　ancient

pedigree。　Deep　silence　had　fallen；　and　the　guests　looked　alternately

from　the　spoilt　girl's　proud　and　sulky　pout　to　the　severe　faces　of

Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Fontaine。



〃I　have　made　my　daughter　Emilie　mistress　of　her　own　fate；〃　was　the

reply　spoken　by　the　Count　in　a　deep　voice。



Relations　and　guests　gazed　at　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　with　mingled

curiosity　and　pity。　The　words　seemed　to　declare　that　fatherly

affection　was　weary　of　the　contest　with　a　character　that　the　whole

family　knew　to　be　incorrigible。　The　sons…in…law　muttered；　and　the

brothers　glanced　at　their　wives　with　mocking　smiles。　From　that　moment

every　one　ceased　to　take　any　interest　in　the　haughty　girl's　prospects

of　marriage。　Her　old　uncle　was　the　only　person　who；　as　an　old　sailor；

ventured　to　stand　on　her　tack；　and　take　her　broadsides；　without　ever

troubling　himself　to　return　her　fire。



When　the　fine　weather　was　settled；　and　after　the　budget　was　voted；　the

whole　familya　perfect　example　of　the　parliamentary　families　on　the

northern　side　of　the　Channel　who　have　a　footing　in　every　government

department；　and　ten　votes　in　the　House　of　Commonsflew　away　like　a

brood　of　young　birds　to　the　charming　neighborhoods　of　Aulnay；　Antony；

and　Chatenay。　The　wealthy　Receiver…General　had　lately　purchased　in

this　part　of　the　world　a　country…house　for　his　wife；　who　remained　in

Paris　only　during　the　session。　Though　the　fair　Emilie　despised　the

commonalty；　her　feeling　was　not　carried　so　far　as　to　scorn　the

advantages　of　a　fortune　acquired　in　a　profession；　so　she　accompanied

her　sister　to　the　sumptuous　villa；　less　out　of　affection　for　the

members　of　her　family　who　were　visiting　there；　than　because　fashion

has　ordained　that　every　woman　who　has　any　self…respect　must　leave

Paris　in　the　summer。　The　green　seclusion　of　Sceaux　answered　to

perfection　the　requirements　of　good　style　and　of　the　duties　of　an

official　position。



As　it　is　extremely　doubtful　that　the　fame　of　the　〃Bal　de　Sceaux〃

should　ever　have　extended　beyond　the　borders　of　the　Department　of　the

Seine；　it　will　be　necessary　to　give　some　account　of　this　weekly

festivity；　which　at　that　time　was　important　enough　to　threaten　to

become　an　institution。　The　environs　of　the　little　town　of　Sceaux　enjoy

a　reputation　due　to　the　scenery；　which　is　considered　enchanting。

Perhaps　it　is　quite　ordinary；　and　owes　its　fame　only　to　the　stupidity

of　the　Paris　townsfolk；　who；　emerging　from　the　stony　abyss　in　which

they　are　buried；　would　find　something　to　admire　in　the　flats　of　La

Beauce。　However；　as　the　poetic　shades　of　Aulnay；　the　hillsides　of

Antony；　and　the　valley　of　the　Bieve　are　peopled　with　artists　who　have

traveled　far；　by　foreigners　who　are　very　hard　to　please；　and　by　a

great　many　pretty　women　not　devoid　of　taste；　it　is　to　be　supposed　that

the　Pa