modeste mignon-第1章

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Modeste　Mignon



by　Honore　de　Balzac



Translated　by　Katharine　Prescott　Wormeley








DEDICATION



　　To　a　Polish　Lady。



　　Daughter　of　an　enslaved　land；　angel　through　love；　witch　through

　　fancy；　child　by　faith；　aged　by　experience；　man　in　brain；　woman　in

　　heart；　giant　by　hope；　mother　through　sorrows；　poet　in　thy　dreams；

　　to　THEE　belongs　this　book；　in　which　thy　love；　thy　fancy；　thy

　　experience；　thy　sorrow；　thy　hope；　thy　dreams；　are　the　warp　through

　　which　is　shot　a　woof　less　brilliant　than　the　poesy　of　thy　soul；

　　whose　expression；　when　it　shines　upon　thy　countenance；　is；　to

　　those　who　love　thee；　what　the　characters　of　a　lost　language　are　to

　　scholars。



De　Balzac。









MODESTE　MIGNON







CHAPTER　I



THE　CHALET



At　the　beginning　of　October；　1829；　Monsieur　Simon　Babylas　Latournelle；

notary；　was　walking　up　from　Havre　to　Ingouville；　arm　in　arm　with　his

son　and　accompanied　by　his　wife；　at　whose　side　the　head　clerk　of　the

lawyer's　office；　a　little　hunchback　named　Jean　Butscha；　trotted　along

like　a　page。　When　these　four　personages　（two　of　whom　came　the　same　way

every　evening）　reached　the　elbow　of　the　road　where　it　turns　back　upon

itself　like　those　called　in　Italy　〃cornice；〃　the　notary　looked　about

to　see　if　any　one　could　overhear　him　either　from　the　terrace　above　or

the　path　beneath；　and　when　he　spoke　he　lowered　his　voice　as　a　further

precaution。



〃Exupere；〃　he　said　to　his　son；　〃you　must　try　to　carry　out

intelligently　a　little　manoeuvre　which　I　shall　explain　to　you；　but　you

are　not　to　ask　the　meaning　of　it；　and　if　you　guess　the　meaning　I

command　you　to　toss　it　into　that　Styx　which　every　lawyer　and　every　man

who　expects　to　have　a　hand　in　the　government　of　his　country　is　bound

to　keep　within　him　for　the　secrets　of　others。　After　you　have　paid　your

respects　and　compliments　to　Madame　and　Mademoiselle　Mignon；　to

Monsieur　and　Madame　Dumay；　and　to　Monsieur　Gobenheim　if　he　is　at　the

Chalet；　and　as　soon　as　quiet　is　restored；　Monsieur　Dumay　will　take　you

aside；　you　are　then　to　look　attentively　at　Mademoiselle　Modeste　（yes；

I　am　willing　to　allow　it）　during　the　whole　time　he　is　speaking　to　you。

My　worthy　friend　will　ask　you　to　go　out　and　take　a　walk；　at　the　end　of

an　hour；　that　is；　about　nine　o'clock；　you　are　to　come　back　in　a　great

hurry；　try　to　puff　as　if　you　were　out　of　breath；　and　whisper　in

Monsieur　Dumay's　ear；　quite　low；　but　so　that　Mademoiselle　Modeste　is

sure　to　overhear　you；　these　words：　'The　young　man　has　come。'〃



Exupere　was　to　start　the　next　morning　for　Paris　to　begin　the　study　of

law。　This　impending　departure　had　induced　Latournelle　to　propose　him

to　his　friend　Dumay　as　an　accomplice　in　the　important　conspiracy　which

these　directions　indicate。



〃Is　Mademoiselle　Modeste　suspected　of　having　a　lover？〃　asked　Butscha

in　a　timid　voice　of　Madame　Latournelle。



〃Hush；　Butscha；〃　she　replied；　taking　her　husband's　arm。



Madame　Latournelle；　the　daughter　of　a　clerk　of　the　supreme　court；

feels　that　her　birth　authorizes　her　to　claim　issue　from　a

parliamentary　family。　This　conviction　explains　why　the　lady；　who　is

somewhat　blotched　as　to　complexion；　endeavors　to　assume　in　her　own

person　the　majesty　of　a　court　whose　decrees　are　recorded　in　her

father's　pothooks。　She　takes　snuff；　holds　herself　as　stiff　as　a

ramrod；　poses　for　a　person　of　consideration；　and　resembles　nothing　so

much　as　a　mummy　brought　momentarily　to　life　by　galvanism。　She　tries　to

give　high…bred　tones　to　her　sharp　voice；　and　succeeds　no　better　in

doing　that　than　in　hiding　her　general　lack　of　breeding。　Her　social

usefulness　seems；　however；　incontestable　when　we　glance　at　the　flower…

bedecked　cap　she　wears；　at　the　false　front　frizzling　around　her

forehead；　at　the　gowns　of　her　choice；　for　how　could　shopkeepers

dispose　of　those　products　if　there　were　no　Madame　Latournelle？　All

these　absurdities　of　the　worthy　woman；　who　is　truly　pious　and

charitable；　might　have　passed　unnoticed；　if　nature；　amusing　herself　as

she　often　does　by　turning　out　these　ludicrous　creations；　had　not

endowed　her　with　the　height　of　a　drum…major；　and　thus　held　up　to　view

the　comicalities　of　her　provincial　nature。　She　has　never　been　out　of

Havre；　she　believes　in　the　infallibility　of　Havre；　she　proclaims

herself　Norman　to　the　very　tips　of　her　fingers；　she　venerates　her

father；　and　adores　her　husband。



Little　Latournelle　was　bold　enough　to　marry　this　lady　after　she　had

attained　the　anti…matrimonial　age　of　thirty…three；　and　what　is　more；

he　had　a　son　by　her。　As　he　could　have　got　the　sixty　thousand　francs　of

her　〃dot〃　in　several　other　ways；　the　public　assigned　his　uncommon

intrepidity　to　a　desire　to　escape　an　invasion　of　the　Minotaur；　against

whom　his　personal　qualifications　would　have　insufficiently　protected

him　had　he　rashly　dared　his　fate　by　bringing　home　a　young　and　pretty

wife。　The　fact　was；　however；　that　the　notary　recognized　the　really

fine　qualities　of　Mademoiselle　Agnes　（she　was　called　Agnes）　and

reflected　to　himself　that　a　woman's　beauty　is　soon　past　and　gone　to　a

husband。　As　to　the　insignificant　youth　on　whom　the　clerk　of　the　court

bestowed　in　baptism　his　Norman　name　of　〃Exupere；〃　Madame　Latournelle

is　still　so　surprised　at　becoming　his　mother；　at　the　age　of　thirty…

five　years　and　seven　months；　that　she　would　still　provide　him；　if　it

were　necessary；　with　her　breast　and　her　milk；an　hyperbole　which

alone　can　fully　express　her　impassioned　maternity。　〃How　handsome　he

is；　that　son　of　mine！〃　she　says　to　her　little　friend　Modeste；　as　they

walk　to　church；　with　the　beautiful　Exupere　in　front　of　them。　〃He　is

like　you；〃　Modeste　Mignon　answers；　very　much　as　she　might　have　said；

〃What　horrid　weather！〃　This　silhouette　of　Madame　Latournelle　is　quite

important　as　an　accessory；　inasmuch　as　for　three　years　she　has　been

the　chaperone　of　the　young　girl　against　whom　the　notary　and　his　friend

Dumay　are　now　plotting　to　set　up　what　we　have　called；　in　the

〃Physiologie　du　Mariage；〃　a　〃mouse…trap。〃



As　for　Latournelle；　imagine　a　worthy　little　fellow　as　sly　as　the

purest　honor　and　uprightness　would　allow　him　to　be；a　man　whom　any

stranger　would　take　for　a　rascal　at　sight　of　his　queer　physiognomy；　to

which；　however；　the　inhabitants　of　Havre　were　well　accustomed。　His

eyesight；　said　to　be　weak；　obliged　the　worthy　man　to　wear　green

goggles　for　the　protection　of　his　eyes；　which　were　constantly

inflamed。　The　arch　of　each　eyebrow；　defined　by　a　thin　down　of　hair；

surrounded　the　tortoise…shell　rim　of　the　glasses　and　made　a　couple　of

circles　as　it　were；　slightly　apart。　If　you　have　never　observed　on　the

human　face　the　effect　produced　by　these　circumferences　placed　one

within　the　other；　and　separated　by　a　hollow　space　or　line；　you　can

hardly　imagine　how　perplexing　such　a　face　will　be　to　you；　especially

if　pale；　hollow…cheeked；　and　terminating　in　a　pointed　chin　like　that

of　Mephistopheles；a　type　which　painters　give　to　cats。　This　double

resemblance　was　observable　on　the　face　of　Babylas　Latournelle。　Above

the　atrocious　green　spectacles　rose　a　bald　crown；　all　the　more　crafty

in　expression　because　a　wig；　seemingly　endowed　with　motion；　let　the

white　hairs　show　on　all　sides　of　it　as　it　meandered　crookedly　across

the　forehead。　An　observer　taking　note　of　this　excellent　Norman；

clothed　in　black　and　mounted　on　his　two　legs　like　a　beetle　on　a　couple

of　pins；　and　knowing　him　to　be　one　of　the　most　trustworthy　of　men；

would　have　sought；　without　finding　it；　for　the　reason　of　such　physical

misrepresentation。



Jean　Butscha；　a　natural　son　abandoned　by　his　parents　and　taken　care　of

by　the　clerk　of　the　court　and　his　daughter；　and　now；　through　sheer

hard　work；　head…clerk　to　the　notary；　fed　and　lodged　by　his　master；　who

gave　him　a　salary　of　nine　hundred　francs；　almost　a　dwarf；　and　with　no

semblance　of　youth；Jean　Butscha　made　Modeste　his　idol；　and　would

willingly　have　given　his　life　for　hers。　The　poor　fellow；　whose　eyes

were　hollowed　beneath　their　heavy　lids　like　the　touch…holes　of　a

cannon；　whose　head　overweighted　his　body；　with　its　shock　of　crisp

hair；　and　whose　face　was　pock…marked；　had　lived　under　pitying　eyes

from　the　time　he　was　seven　years　of　age。　Is　not　that　enough　to　explain

his　whole　being？　Silent；　self…contained；　pious；　exemplary　in　conduct；

he　went　his　way　over　that　vast　tract　of　country　named　on　the　map　of

the　heart　Love…without…Hope；　the　sublime　and　arid　steppes　of　Desire。

Modeste　had　christened　this　grotesque　little　being　her　〃Black　Dwarf。〃

The　nickname　sent　him　to　the　pages　of　Walter　Scott's　novel；　and　he　one

day　said　to　Modeste：　〃Will　you　accept　a　rose　against　the　evil　day　from

your　mysterious　dwarf？〃　Modeste　instantly　sent　the　soul　of　her　adorer

to　its　humble　mud…cabin　with　a　terrible　glance；　such　as　young　girls

bestow　on　the　men　who　cannot　please　them。　Butscha's　conception　of

himself　was　lowly；　and；　like　the　wife　of　his　master；　he　had　never　been

out　of　Havre。



Perhaps　it　will　be　well；　for　the　sake　of　those　who　have　never　seen

that　city；　to　say　a　few　words　as　to　the　present　destination　of　the

Latournelle　family；the　head　clerk　being　included　in　the　latter　term。

Ingouville　is　to　Havre　what　Montmartre　is　to　Paris；a　high　hill　at

the　foot　of　which　the　city　lies；　with　this　difference；　that　the　hill

and　the　city　are　surrounded　by　the　sea　and　the　Seine；　that　Havre　is

helplessly　circumscribed　by　enclosing　fortifications；　and；　in　short；

that　the　mouth　of　the　river；　the　harbor；　and　the　docks　present　a　very

different　aspect　from　the　fifty　thousand　houses　of　Paris。　At　the　foot

of　Montmartre　an　ocean　of　slate　roofs　lies　in　motionless　blue　billows；

at　Ingouville　the　sea　is　like　the　same　roofs　stirred　by　the　wind。　This

eminence；　or　line　of　hills；　which　coasts　the　Seine　from　Rouen　to　the

seashore；　leaving　a　margin　of　valley　land　more　or　less　narrow　between

itself　and　the　river；　and　containing　in　its　cities；　its　ravines；　its

vales；　its　meadows；　veritable　treasures　of　the　picturesque；　became　of

enormous　value　in　and　about　Ingouville；　after　the　year　1816；　the

period　at　which　the　prosperity　of　Havre　began。　This　township　has

become　since　that　time　the　Auteuil；　the　Ville…d'Avray；　the

Montmorency；　in　short；　the　suburban　residence　of　the　merchants　of

Havre。　Here　they　build　their　houses　on　terraces　around　its　ampitheatre

of　hills；　and　breathe　the　sea　air　laden　with　the　fragrance　of　their

splendid　gardens。　Here　these　bold　speculators　cast　off　the　burden　of

their　counting…rooms　and　the　atmosphere　of　their　city　houses；　which

are　built　closely　together　without　open　spaces；　often　without　court…

yards；a　vice　of　construction　with　the　increasing　population　of

Havre；　the　inflexible　line　of　the　fortifications；　and　the　enlargement

of　the　docks　has　forced　upon　them。　The　result　is；　weariness　of　heart

in　Havre；　cheerfulness　and　joy　at　Ingouville。　The　law　of　social

development　has　forced　up　the　suburb　of　Graville　like　a　mushroom。　It

is　to…da