the muse of the department-第1章

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The　Muse　of　the　Department

by　Honore　de　Balzac

Translated　by　James　Waring





DEDICATION

　　To　Monsieur　le　Comte　Ferdinand　de　Gramont。

　　MY　DEAR　FERDINAND；If　the　chances　of　the　world　of　literature
　　/habent　sua　fata　libelli/should　allow　these　lines　to　be　an
　　enduring　record；　that　will　still　be　but　a　trifle　in　return　for　the
　　trouble　you　have　takenyou；　the　Hozier；　the　Cherin；　the　King…at…
　　Arms　of　these　Studies　of　Life；　you；　to　whom　the　Navarreins；
　　Cadignans；　Langeais；　Blamont…Chauvrys；　Chaulieus；　Arthez；
　　Esgrignons；　Mortsaufs；　Valoisthe　hundred　great　names　that　form
　　the　Aristocracy　of　the　〃Human　Comedy〃　owe　their　lordly　mottoes　and
　　ingenious　armorial　bearings。　Indeed；　〃the　Armorial　of　the　Etudes；
　　devised　by　Ferdinand　de　Gramont；　gentleman；〃　is　a　complete　manual
　　of　French　Heraldry；　in　which　nothing　is　forgotten；　not　even　the
　　arms　of　the　Empire；　and　I　shall　preserve　it　as　a　monument　of
　　friendship　and　of　Benedictine　patience。　What　profound　knowledge　of
　　the　old　feudal　spirit　is　to　be　seen　in　the　motto　of　the
　　Beauseants；　/Pulchre　sedens；　melius　agens/；　in　that　of　the
　　Espards；　/Des　partem　leonis/；　in　that　of　the　Vandenesses；　/Ne　se
　　vend/。　And　what　elegance　in　the　thousand　details　of　the　learned
　　symbolism　which　will　always　show　how　far　accuracy　has　been　carried
　　in　my　work；　to　which　you；　the　poet；　have　contributed。

Your　old　friend；
DE　BALZAC。




THE　MUSE　OF　THE　DEPARTMENT




On　the　skirts　of　Le　Berry　stands　a　town　which；　watered　by　the　Loire；
infallibly　attracts　the　traveler's　eye。　Sancerre　crowns　the　topmost
height　of　a　chain　of　hills；　the　last　of　the　range　that　gives　variety
to　the　Nivernais。　The　Loire　floods　the　flats　at　the　foot　of　these
slopes；　leaving　a　yellow　alluvium　that　is　extremely　fertile；　excepting
in　those　places　where　it　has　deluged　them　with　sand　and　destroyed　them
forever；　by　one　of　those　terrible　risings　which　are　also　incidental　to
the　Vistulathe　Loire　of　the　northern　coast。

The　hill　on　which　the　houses　of　Sancerre　are　grouped　is　so　far　from
the　river　that　the　little　river…port　of　Saint…Thibault　thrives　on　the
life　of　Sancerre。　There　wine　is　shipped　and　oak　staves　are　landed；
with　all　the　produce　brought　from　the　upper　and　lower　Loire。　At　the
period　when　this　story　begins　the　suspension　bridges　at　Cosne　and　at
Saint…Thibault　were　already　built。　Travelers　from　Paris　to　Sancerre　by
the　southern　road　were　no　longer　ferried　across　the　river　from　Cosne
to　Saint…Thibault；　and　this　of　itself　is　enough　to　show　that　the　great
cross…shuffle　of　1830　was　a　thing　of　the　past；　for　the　House　of
Orleans　has　always　had　a　care　for　substantial　improvements；　though
somewhat　after　the　fashion　of　a　husband　who　makes　his　wife　presents
out　of　her　marriage　portion。

Excepting　that　part　of　Sancerre　which　occupies　the　little　plateau；　the
streets　are　more　or　less　steep；　and　the　town　is　surrounded　by　slopes
known　as　the　Great　Ramparts；　a　name　which　shows　that　they　are　the
highroads　of　the　place。

Outside　the　ramparts　lies　a　belt　of　vineyards。　Wine　forms　the　chief
industry　and　the　most　important　trade　of　the　country；　which　yields
several　vintages　of　high…class　wine　full　of　aroma；　and　so　nearly
resembling　the　wines　of　Burgundy；　that　the　vulgar　palate　is　deceived。
So　Sancerre　finds　in　the　wineshops　of　Paris　the　quick　market
indispensable　for　liquor　that　will　not　keep　for　more　than　seven　or
eight　years。　Below　the　town　lie　a　few　villages；　Fontenoy　and　Saint…
Satur；　almost　suburbs；　reminding　us　by　their　situation　of　the　smiling
vineyards　about　Neuchatel　in　Switzerland。

The　town　still　bears　much　of　its　ancient　aspect；　the　streets　are
narrow　and　paved　with　pebbles　carted　up　from　the　Loire。　Some　old
houses　are　to　be　seen　there。　The　citadel；　a　relic　of　military　power
and　feudal　times；　stood　one　of　the　most　terrible　sieges　of　our
religious　wars；　when　French　Calvinists　far　outdid　the　ferocious
Cameronians　of　Walter　Scott's　tales。

The　town　of　Sancerre；　rich　in　its　greater　past；　but　widowed　now　of　its
military　importance；　is　doomed　to　an　even　less　glorious　future；　for
the　course　of　trade　lies　on　the　right　bank　of　the　Loire。　The　sketch
here　given　shows　that　Sancerre　will　be　left　more　and　more　lonely　in
spite　of　the　two　bridges　connecting　it　with　Cosne。

Sancerre；　the　pride　of　the　left　bank；　numbers　three　thousand　five
hundred　inhabitants　at　most；　while　at　Cosne　there　are　now　more　than
six　thousand。　Within　half　a　century　the　part　played　by　these　two　towns
standing　opposite　each　other　has　been　reversed。　The　advantage　of
situation；　however；　remains　with　the　historic　town；　whence　the　view　on
every　side　is　perfectly　enchanting；　where　the　air　is　deliciously　pure；
the　vegetation　splendid；　and　the　residents；　in　harmony　with　nature；
are　friendly　souls；　good　fellows；　and　devoid　of　Puritanism；　though
two…thirds　of　the　population　are　Calvinists。　Under　such　conditions；
though　there　are　the　usual　disadvantages　of　life　in　a　small　town；　and
each　one　lives　under　the　officious　eye　which　makes　private　life　almost
a　public　concern；　on　the　other　hand；　the　spirit　of　townshipa　sort　of
patriotism；　which　cannot　indeed　take　the　place　of　a　love　of　home
flourishes　triumphantly。

Thus　the　town　of　Sancerre　is　exceedingly　proud　of　having　given　birth
to　one　of　the　glories　of　modern　medicine；　Horace　Bianchon；　and　to　an
author　of　secondary　rank；　Etienne　Lousteau；　one　of　our　most　successful
journalists。　The　district　included　under　the　municipality　of　Sancerre；
distressed　at　finding　itself　practically　ruled　by　seven　or　eight　large
landowners；　the　wire…pullers　of　the　elections；　tried　to　shake　off　the
electoral　yoke　of　a　creed　which　had　reduced　it　to　a　rotten　borough。
This　little　conspiracy；　plotted　by　a　handful　of　men　whose　vanity　was
provoked；　failed　through　the　jealousy　which　the　elevation　of　one　of
them；　as　the　inevitable　result；　roused　in　the　breasts　of　the　others。
This　result　showed　the　radical　defect　of　the　scheme；　and　the　remedy
then　suggested　was　to　rally　round　a　champion　at　the　next　election；　in
the　person　of　one　of　the　two　men　who　so　gloriously　represented
Sancerre　in　Paris　circles。

This　idea　was　extraordinarily　advanced　for　the　provinces；　for　since
1830　the　nomination　of　parochial　dignitaries　has　increased　so　greatly
that　real　statesmen　are　becoming　rare　indeed　in　the　lower　chamber。

In　point　of　fact；　this　plan；　of　very　doubtful　outcome；　was　hatched　in
the　brain　of　the　Superior　Woman　of　the　borough；　/dux　femina　fasti/；
but　with　a　view　to　personal　interest。　This　idea　was　so　widely　rooted
in　this　lady's　past　life；　and　so　entirely　comprehended　her　future
prospects；　that　it　can　scarcely　be　understood　without　some　sketch　of
her　antecedent　career。



Sancerre　at　that　time　could　boast　of　a　Superior　Woman；　long　misprized
indeed；　but　now；　about　1836；　enjoying　a　pretty　extensive　local
reputation。　This；　too；　was　the　period　at　which　two　Sancerrois　in　Paris
were　attaining；　each　in　his　own　line；　to　the　highest　degree　of　glory
for　one；　and　of　fashion　for　the　other。　Etienne　Lousteau；　a　writer　in
reviews；　signed　his　name　to　contributions　to　a　paper　that　had　eight
thousand　subscribers；　and　Bianchon；　already　chief　physician　to　a
hospital；　Officer　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；　and　member　of　the　Academy　of
Sciences；　had　just　been　made　a　professor。

If　it　were　not　that　the　word　would　to　many　readers　seem　to　imply　a
degree　of　blame；　it　might　be　said　that　George　Sand　created　/Sandism/；
so　true　is　it　that；　morally　speaking；　all　good　has　a　reverse　of　evil。
This　leprosy　of　sentimentality　would　have　been　charming。　Still；
/Sandism/　has　its　good　side；　in　that　the　woman　attacked　by　it　bases
her　assumption　of　superiority　on　feelings　scorned；　she　is　a　blue…
stocking　of　sentiment；　and　she　is　rather　less　of　a　bore；　love　to　some
extent　neutralizing　literature。　The　most　conspicuous　result　of　George
Sand's　celebrity　was　to　elicit　the　fact　that　France　has　a　perfectly
enormous　number　of　superior　women；　who　have；　however；　till　now　been　so
generous　as　to　leave　the　field　to　the　Marechal　de　Saxe's
granddaughter。

The　Superior　Woman　of　Sancerre　lived　at　La　Baudraye；　a　town…house　and
country…house　in　one；　within　ten　minutes　of　the　town；　and　in　the
village；　or；　if　you　will；　the　suburb　of　Saint…Satur。　The　La　Baudrayes
of　the　present　day　have；　as　is　frequently　the　case；　thrust　themselves
in；　and　are　but　a　substitute　for　those　La　Baudrayes　whose　name；
glorious　in　the　Crusades；　figured　in　the　chief　events　of　the　history
of　Le　Berry。

The　story　must　be　told。

In　the　time　of　Louis　XIV。　a　certain　sheriff　named　Milaud；　whose
forefathers　had　been　furious　Calvinists；　was　converted　at　the　time　of
the　Revocation　of　the　Edict　of　Nantes。　To　encourage　this　movement　in
one　of　the　strong…holds　of　Calvinism；　the　King　gave　said　Milaud　a　good
appointment　in　the　〃Waters　and　Forests；〃　granted　him　arms　and　the
title　of　Sire　（or　Lord）　de　la　Baudraye；　with　the　fief　of　the　old　and
genuine　La　Baudrayes。　The　descendants　of　the　famous　Captain　la
Baudraye　fell；　sad　to　say；　into　one　of　the　snares　laid　for　heretics　by
the　new　decrees；　and　were　hangedan　unworthy　deed　of　the　great
King's。

Under　Louis　XV。　Milaud　de　la　Baudraye；　from　being　a　mere　squire；　was
made　Chevalier；　and　had　influence　enough　to　obtain　for　his　son　a
cornet's　commission　in　the　Musketeers。　This　officer　perished　at
Fontenoy；　leaving　a　child；　to　whom　King　Louis　XVI。　subsequently
granted　the　privileges；　by　patent；　of　a　farmer…general；　in　remembrance
of　his　father's　death　on　the　field　of　battle。

This　financier；　a　fashionable　wit；　great　at　charades；　capping　verses；
and　posies　to　Chlora；　lived　in　society；　was　a　hanger…on　to　the　Duc　de
Nivernais；　and　fancied　himself　obliged　to　follow　the　nobility　into
exile；　but　he　took　care　to　carry　his　money　with　him。　Thus　the　rich
/emigre/　was　able　to　assist　more　than　one　family　of　high　rank。

In　1800；　tired　of　hoping；　and　perhaps　tired　of　lending；　he　returned　to
Sancerre；　bought　back　La　Baudraye　out　of　a　feeling　of　vanity　and
imaginary　pride；　quite　intelligible　in　a　sheriff's　grandson；　though
under　the　consulate　his　prospects　were　but　slender；　all　the　more　so；
indeed；　because　the　ex…farmer…general　had　small　hopes　of　his　heir's
perpetuating　the　new　race　of　La　Baudraye。

Jean　Athanase　Polydore　Milaud　de　la　Baudraye；　his　only　son；　more　than
delicate　from　his　birth；　was　very　evidently　the　child　of　a　man　whose
constitution　had　early　been　exhausted　by　the　excesses　in　which　rich
men　indulge；　who　then　marry　at　the　first　stage　of　premature　old　age；
and　thus　bring　degeneracy　into　the　highest　circles　of　society。　During
the　years　of　the　emigration　Madame　de　la　Baudraye；　a　girl　of　no
fortune；　chosen　for　her　noble　birth；　had　patiently　reared　this　sallow；
sickly　boy；　for　whom　she　had　the　devoted　love　mothers　feel　for　such
changeling　creatures。　Her　deathshe　was　a　Casteran　de　la　Tour
contributed　to　bring　about　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye's　return　to　France。

This　Lucullus　of　the　Milauds；　when　he　died；　left　his　son　the　fief；
stripped　indeed　of　its　fines　and　dues；　but　graced　with　weathercocks
bearing　his　coat…of…arms；　a　thousand　louis…d'orin　1802　a
considerable　sum　of　moneyand　certain　receipts　for　claims　on　very
distinguished　/emigres/　enclosed　in　a　p