massimilla doni-第1章

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Massimilla　Doni

by　Honore　de　Balzac

Translated　by　Clara　Bell　and　James　Waring





DEDICATION

　　To　Jacques　Strunz。

　　MY　DEAR　STRUNZ：I　should　be　ungrateful　if　I　did　not　set　your　name
　　at　the　head　of　one　of　the　two　tales　I　could　never　have　written　but
　　for　your　patient　kindness　and　care。　Accept　this　as　my　grateful
　　acknowledgment　of　the　readiness　with　which　you　triedperhaps　not
　　very　successfullyto　initiate　me　into　the　mysteries　of　musical
　　knowledge。　You　have　at　least　taught　me　what　difficulties　and　what
　　labor　genius　must　bury　in　those　poems　which　procure　us
　　transcendental　pleasures。　You　have　also　afforded　me　the
　　satisfaction　of　laughing　more　than　once　at　the　expense　of　a　self…
　　styled　connoisseur。

　　Some　have　taxed　me　with　ignorance；　not　knowing　that　I　have　taken
　　counsel　of　one　of　our　best　musical　critics；　and　had　the　benefit　of
　　your　conscientious　help。　I　have；　perhaps；　been　an　inaccurate
　　amanuensis。　If　this　were　the　case；　I　should　be　the　traitorous
　　translator　without　knowing　it；　and　I　yet　hope　to　sign　myself
　　always　one　of　your　friends。

DE　BALZAC。




MASSIMILLA　DONI



As　all　who　are　learned　in　such　matters　know；　the　Venetian　aristocracy
is　the　first　in　Europe。　Its　/Libro　d'Oro/　dates　from　before　the
Crusades；　from　a　time　when　Venice；　a　survivor　of　Imperial　and
Christian　Rome　which　had　flung　itself　into　the　waters　to　escape　the
Barbarians；　was　already　powerful　and　illustrious；　and　the　head　of　the
political　and　commercial　world。

With　a　few　rare　exceptions　this　brilliant　nobility　has　fallen　into
utter　ruin。　Among　the　gondoliers　who　serve　the　Englishto　whom
history　here　reads　the　lesson　of　their　future　fatethere　are
descendants　of　long　dead　Doges　whose　names　are　older　than　those　of
sovereigns。　On　some　bridge；　as　you　glide　past　it；　if　you　are　ever　in
Venice；　you　may　admire　some　lovely　girl　in　rags；　a　poor　child
belonging；　perhaps；　to　one　of　the　most　famous　patrician　families。　When
a　nation　of　kings　has　fallen　so　low；　naturally　some　curious　characters
will　be　met　with。　It　is　not　surprising　that　sparks　should　flash　out
among　the　ashes。

These　reflections；　intended　to　justify　the　singularity　of　the　persons
who　figure　in　this　narrative；　shall　not　be　indulged　in　any　longer；　for
there　is　nothing　more　intolerable　than　the　stale　reminiscences　of
those　who　insist　on　talking　about　Venice　after　so　many　great　poets　and
petty　travelers。　The　interest　of　the　tale　requires　only　this　record　of
the　most　startling　contrast　in　the　life　of　man：　the　dignity　and
poverty　which　are　conspicuous　there　in　some　of　the　men　as　they　are　in
most　of　the　houses。

The　nobles　of　Venice　and　of　Geneva；　like　those　of　Poland　in　former
times；　bore　no　titles。　To　be　named　Quirini；　Doria；　Brignole；　Morosini；
Sauli；　Mocenigo；　Fieschi；　Cornaro；　or　Spinola；　was　enough　for　the
pride　of　the　haughtiest。　But　all　things　become　corrupt。　At　the　present
day　some　of　these　families　have　titles。

And　even　at　a　time　when　the　nobles　of　the　aristocratic　republics　were
all　equal；　the　title　of　Prince　was；　in　fact；　given　at　Genoa　to　a
member　of　the　Doria　family；　who　were　sovereigns　of　the　principality　of
Amalfi；　and　a　similar　title　was　in　use　at　Venice；　justified　by　ancient
inheritance　from　Facino　Cane；　Prince　of　Varese。　The　Grimaldi；　who
assumed　sovereignty；　did　not　take　possession　of　Monaco　till　much
later。

The　last　Cane　of　the　elder　branch　vanished　from　Venice　thirty　years
before　the　fall　of　the　Republic；　condemned　for　various　crimes　more　or
less　criminal。　The　branch　on　whom　this　nominal　principality　then
devolved；　the　Cane　Memmi；　sank　into　poverty　during　the　fatal　period
between　1796　and　1814。　In　the　twentieth　year　of　the　present　century
they　were　represented　only　by　a　young　man　whose　name　was　Emilio；　and
an　old　palace　which　is　regarded　as　one　of　the　chief　ornaments　of　the
Grand　Canal。　This　son　of　Venice　the　Fair　had　for　his　whole　fortune
this　useless　Palazzo；　and　fifteen　hundred　francs　a　year　derived　from　a
country　house　on　the　Brenta；　the　last　plot　of　the　lands　his　family　had
formerly　owned　on　/terra　firma/；　and　sold　to　the　Austrian　government。
This　little　income　spared　our　handsome　Emilio　the　ignominy　of
accepting；　as　many　nobles　did；　the　indemnity　of　a　franc　a　day；　due　to
every　impoverished　patrician　under　the　stipulations　of　the　cession　to
Austria。

At　the　beginning　of　winter；　this　young　gentleman　was　still　lingering
in　a　country　house　situated　at　the　base　of　the　Tyrolese　Alps；　and
purchased　in　the　previous　spring　by　the　Duchess　Cataneo。　The　house；
erected　by　Palladio　for　the　Piepolo　family；　is　a　square　building　of
the　finest　style　of　architecture。　There　is　a　stately　staircase　with　a
marble　portico　on　each　side；　the　vestibules　are　crowded　with　frescoes；
and　made　light　by　sky…blue　ceilings　across　which　graceful　figures
float　amid　ornament　rich　in　design；　but　so　well　proportioned　that　the
building　carries　it；　as　a　woman　carries　her　head…dress；　with　an　ease
that　charms　the　eye；　in　short；　the　grace　and　dignity　that　characterize
the　/Procuratie/　in　the　piazetta　at　Venice。　Stone　walls；　admirably
decorated；　keep　the　rooms　at　a　pleasantly　cool　temperature。　Verandas
outside；　painted　in　fresco；　screen　off　the　glare。　The　flooring
throughout　is　the　old　Venetian　inlay　of　marbles；　cut　into　unfading
flowers。

The　furniture；　like　that　of　all　Italian　palaces；　was　rich　with
handsome　silks；　judiciously　employed；　and　valuable　pictures　favorably
hung；　some　by　the　Genoese　priest；　known　as　/il　Capucino/；　several　by
Leonardo　da　Vinci；　Carlo　Dolci；　Tintoretto；　and　Titian。

The　shelving　gardens　were　full　of　the　marvels　where　money　has　been
turned　into　rocky　grottoes　and　patterns　of　shells；the　very　madness
of　craftsmanship；terraces　laid　out　by　the　fairies；　arbors　of　sterner
aspect；　where　the　cypress　on　its　tall　trunk；　the　triangular　pines；　and
the　melancholy　olive　mingled　pleasingly　with　orange　trees；　bays；　and
myrtles；　and　clear　pools　in　which　blue　or　russet　fishes　swam。　Whatever
may　be　said　in　favor　of　the　natural　or　English　garden；　these　trees；
pruned　into　parasols；　and　yews　fantastically　clipped；　this　luxury　of
art　so　skilfully　combined　with　that　of　nature　in　Court　dress；　those
cascades　over　marble　steps　where　the　water　spreads　so　shyly；　a　filmy
scarf　swept　aside　by　the　wind　and　immediately　renewed；　those　bronzed
metal　figures　speechlessly　inhabiting　the　silent　grove；　that　lordly
palace；　an　object　in　the　landscape　from　every　side；　raising　its　light
outline　at　the　foot　of　the　Alps；all　the　living　thoughts　which
animate　the　stone；　the　bronze；　and　the　trees；　or　express　themselves　in
garden　plots；this　lavish　prodigality　was　in　perfect　keeping　with　the
loves　of　a　duchess　and　a　handsome　youth；　for　they　are　a　poem　far
removed　from　the　coarse　ends　of　brutal　nature。

Any　one　with　a　soul　for　fantasy　would　have　looked　to　see；　on　one　of
those　noble　flights　of　steps；　standing　by　a　vase　with　medallions　in
bas…relief；　a　negro　boy　swathed　about　the　loins　with　scarlet　stuff；
and　holding　in　one　hand　a　parasol　over　the　Duchess'　head；　and　in　the
other　the　train　of　her　long　skirt；　while　she　listened　to　Emilio　Memmi。
And　how　far　grander　the　Venetian　would　have　looked　in　such　a　dress　as
the　Senators　wore　whom　Titian　painted。

But　alas！　in　this　fairy　palace；　not　unlike　that　of　the　Peschieri　at
Genoa；　the　Duchess　Cataneo　obeyed　the　edicts　of　Victorine　and　the
Paris　fashions。　She　had　on　a　muslin　dress　and　broad　straw　hat；　pretty
shot　silk　shoes；　thread　lace　stockings　that　a　breath　of　air　would　have
blown　away；　and　over　her　shoulders　a　black　lace　shawl。　But　the　thing
which　no　one　could　ever　understand　in　Paris；　where　women　are　sheathed
in　their　dresses　as　a　dragon…fly　is　cased　in　its　annular　armor；　was
the　perfect　freedom　with　which　this　lovely　daughter　of　Tuscany　wore
her　French　attire；　she　had　Italianized　it。　A　Frenchwoman　treats　her
shirt　with　the　greatest　seriousness；　an　Italian　never　thinks　about　it；
she　does　not　attempt　self…protection　by　some　prim　glance；　for　she
knows　that　she　is　safe　in　that　of　a　devoted　love；　a　passion　as　sacred
and　serious　in　her　eyes　as　in　those　of　others。

At　eleven　in　the　forenoon；　after　a　walk；　and　by　the　side　of　a　table
still　strewn　with　the　remains　of　an　elegant　breakfast；　the　Duchess；
lounging　in　an　easy…chair；　left　her　lover　the　master　of　these　muslin
draperies；　without　a　frown　each　time　he　moved。　Emilio；　seated　at　her
side；　held　one　of　her　hands　between　his；　gazing　at　her　with　utter
absorption。　Ask　not　whether　they　loved；　they　loved　only　too　well。　They
were　not　reading　out　of　the　same　book；　like　Paolo　and　Francesca；　far
from　it；　Emilio　dared　not　say：　〃Let　us　read。〃　The　gleam　of　those　eyes；
those　glistening　gray　irises　streaked　with　threads　of　gold　that
started　from　the　centre　like　rifts　of　light；　giving　her　gaze　a　soft；
star…like　radiance；　thrilled　him　with　nervous　rapture　that　was　almost
a　spasm。　Sometimes　the　mere　sight　of　the　splendid　black　hair　that
crowned　the　adored　head；　bound　by　a　simple　gold　fillet；　and　falling　in
satin　tresses　on　each　side　of　a　spacious　brow；　was　enough　to　give　him
a　ringing　in　his　ears；　the　wild　tide　of　the　blood　rushing　through　his
veins　as　if　it　must　burst　his　heart。　By　what　obscure　phenomenon　did
his　soul　so　overmaster　his　body　that　he　was　no　longer　conscious　of　his
independent　self；　but　was　wholly　one　with　this　woman　at　the　least　word
she　spoke　in　that　voice　which　disturbed　the　very　sources　of　life　in
him？　If；　in　utter　seclusion；　a　woman　of　moderate　charms　can；　by　being
constantly　studied；　seem　supreme　and　imposing；　perhaps　one　so
magnificently　handsome　as　the　Duchess　could　fascinate　to　stupidity　a
youth　in　whom　rapture　found　some　fresh　incitement；　for　she　had　really
absorbed　his　young　soul。

Massimilla；　the　heiress　of　the　Doni；　of　Florence；　had　married　the
Sicilian　Duke　Cataneo。　Her　mother；　since　dead；　had　hoped；　by　promoting
this　marriage；　to　leave　her　rich　and　happy；　according　to　Florentine
custom。　She　had　concluded　that　her　daughter；　emerging　from　a　convent
to　embark　in　life；　would　achieve；　under　the　laws　of　love；　that　second
union　of　heart　with　heart　which；　to　an　Italian　woman；　is　all　in　all。
But　Massimilla　Doni　had　acquired　in　her　convent　a　real　taste　for　a
religious　life；　and；　when　she　had　pledged　her　troth　to　Duke　Cataneo；
she　was　Christianly　content　to　be　his　wife。

This　was　an　untenable　position。　Cataneo；　who　only　looked　for　a
duchess；　thought　himself　ridiculous　as　a　husband；　and；　when　Massimilla
complained　of　this　indifference；　he　calmly　bid　her　look　about　her　for
a　/cavaliere　servente/；　even　offering　his　services　to　introduce　to　her
some　youths　from　whom　to　choose。　The　Duchess　wept；　the　Duke　made　his
bow。

Massimilla　looked　about　her　at　the　world　that　crowded　round　her；　her
mother　took　her　to　the　Pergola；　to　some　ambassadors'　drawing…rooms；　to
the　Cascinewherever　handsome　young　men　of　fashion　were　to　be　met；
she　saw　none　to　her　mind；　and　determined　to　travel。　Then　she　lost　her
mother；　inherited　her　property；　assumed　mourning；　and　made　her　way　to
Venice。　There　she　saw　Emilio；　who；　as　he　went　past　her　opera　box；
exchanged　with　her　a　flash　of　inquiry。

This　was　all。　The　Venetian　was　thunderstruck；　while　a　voice　in　the
Duchess'　ear　call