the muse of the department-第30部分
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printer another announcement in the following words：
/〃Madame la Baronne de la Baudraye is happily delivered of a son。
〃Monsieur le Baron de la Baudraye has the honor of informing you
of the fact。
〃Mother and child are doing well。〃/
After seeing the proofs destroyed； the form of type； everything that
could bear witness to the existence of the former document； Monsieur
de Clagny set to work to intercept those that had been sent； in many
cases he changed them at the porter's lodge； he got back thirty into
his own hands； and at last； after three days of hard work； only one of
the original notes existed； that； namely sent to Nathan。
Five times had the lawyer called on the great man without finding him。
By the time Monsieur de Clagny was admitted； after requesting an
interview； the story of the announcement was known to all Paris。 Some
persons regarded it as one of those waggish calumnies； a sort of stab
to which every reputation； even the most ephemeral； is exposed； others
said they had read the paper and returned it to some friend of the La
Baudraye family； a great many declaimed against the immorality of
journalists； in short； this last remaining specimen was regarded as a
curiosity。 Florine； with whom Nathan was living； had shown it about；
stamped in the post as paid； and addressed in Etienne's hand。 So； as
soon as the judge spoke of the announcement； Nathan began to smile。
〃Give up that monument of recklessness and folly？〃 cried he。 〃That
autograph is one of those weapons which an athlete in the circus
cannot afford to lay down。 That note proves that Lousteau has no
heart； no taste； no dignity； that he knows nothing of the world nor of
public morality； that he insults himself when he can find no one else
to insult。None but the son of a provincial citizen imported from
Sancerre to become a poet； but who is only the /bravo/ of some
contemptible magazine； could ever have sent out such a circular
letter； as you must allow； monsieur。 This is a document indispensable
to the archives of the age。To…day Lousteau flatters me； to…morrow he
may ask for my head。Excuse me； I forgot you were a judge。
〃I have gone through a passion for a lady； a great lady； as far
superior to Madame de la Baudraye as your fine feeling； monsieur； is
superior to Lousteau's vulgar retaliation； but I would have died
rather than utter her name。 A few months of her airs and graces cost
me a hundred thousand francs and my prospects for life； but I do not
think the price too high！And I have never murmured！If a woman
betrays the secret of her passion； it is the supreme offering of her
love； but a man！He must be a Lousteau！
〃No； I would not give up that paper for a thousand crowns。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said the lawyer at last； after an eloquent battle lasting
half an hour； 〃I have called on fifteen or sixteen men of letters
about this affair； and can it be that you are the only one immovable
by an appeal of honor？ It is not for Etienne Lousteau that I plead；
but for a woman and child； both equally ignorant of the damage done to
their fortune； their prospects； and their honor。Who knows； monsieur；
whether you might not some day be compelled to plead for some favor of
justice for a friend； for some person whose honor was dearer to you
than your own。It might be remembered against you that you had been
ruthless。Can such a man as you are hesitate？〃 added Monsieur de
Clagny。
〃I only wished you to understand the extent of the sacrifice；〃 replied
Nathan； giving up the letter； as he reflected on the judge's influence
and accepted this implied bargain。
When the journalist's stupid jest had been counteracted； Monsieur de
Clagny went to give him a rating in the presence of Madame Piedefer；
but he found Lousteau fuming with irritation。
〃What I did monsieur； I did with a purpose！〃 replied Etienne。
〃Monsieur de la Baudraye has sixty thousand francs a year and refuses
to make his wife an allowance； I wished to make him feel that the
child is in my power。〃
〃Yes； monsieur； I quite suspected it；〃 replied the lawyer。 〃For that
reason I readily agreed to be little Polydore's godfather； and he is
registered as the son of the Baron and Baronne de la Baudraye； if you
have the feelings of a father； you ought to rejoice in knowing that
the child is heir to one of the finest entailed estates in France。〃
〃And pray； sir； is the mother to die of hunger？〃
〃Be quite easy；〃 said the lawyer bitterly； having dragged from
Lousteau the expression of feeling he had so long been expecting。 〃I
will undertake to transact the matter with Monsieur de la Baudraye。〃
Monsieur de Clagny left the house with a chill at his heart。
Dinah； his idol； was loved for her money。 Would she not； when too
late； have her eyes opened？
〃Poor woman！〃 said the lawyer； as he walked away。 And this justice we
will do himfor to whom should justice be done unless to a Judge？he
loved Dinah too sincerely to regard her degradation as a means of
triumph one day； he was all pity and devotion； he really loved her。
The care and nursing of the infant； its cries； the quiet needed for
the mother during the first few days； and the ubiquity of Madame
Piedefer； were so entirely adverse to literary labors； that Lousteau
moved up to the three rooms taken on the first floor for the old
bigot。 The journalist； obliged to go to the first performances without
Dinah； and living apart from her； found an indescribable charm in the
use of his liberty。 More than once he submitted to be taken by the arm
and dragged off to some jollification； more than once he found himself
at the house of a friend's mistress in the heart of bohemia。 He again
saw women brilliantly young and splendidly dressed； in whom economy
seemed treason to their youth and power。 Dinah； in spite of her
striking beauty； after nursing her baby for three months； could not
stand comparison with these perishable blossoms； so soon faded； but so
showy as long as they live rooted in opulence。
Home life had； nevertheless； a strong attraction for Etienne。 In three
months the mother and daughter； with the help of the cook from
Sancerre and of little Pamela； had given the apartment a quite changed
appearance。 The journalist found his breakfast and his dinner served
with a sort of luxury。 Dinah； handsome and nicely dressed； was careful
to anticipate her dear Etienne's wishes； and he felt himself the king
of his home； where everything； even the baby； was subject to his
selfishness。 Dinah's affection was to be seen in every trifle；
Lousteau could not possibly cease the entrancing deceptions of his
unreal passion。
Dinah； meanwhile； was aware of a source of ruin； both to her love and
to the household； in the kind of life into which Lousteau had allowed
himself to drift。 At the end of ten months she weaned her baby；
installed her mother in the upstairs rooms； and restored the family
intimacy which indissolubly links a man and woman when the woman is
loving and clever。 One of the most striking circumstances in Benjamin
Constant's novel； one of the explanations of Ellenore's desertion； is
the want of dailyor； if you will； of nightlyintercourse between
her and Adolphe。 Each of the lovers has a separate home； they have
both submitted to the world and saved appearances。 Ellenore；
repeatedly left to herself； is compelled to vast labors of affection
to expel the thoughts of release which captivate Adolphe when absent。
The constant exchange of glances and thoughts in domestic life gives a
woman such power that a man needs stronger reasons for desertion than
she will ever give him so long as she loves him。
This was an entirely new phase both to Etienne and to Dinah。 Dinah
intended to be indispensable； she wanted to infuse fresh energy into
this man； whose weakness smiled upon her； for she thought it a
security。 She found him subjects； sketched the treatment； and at a
pinch； would write whole chapters。 She revived the vitality of this
dying talent by transfusing fresh blood into his veins； she supplied
him with ideas and opinions。 In short； she produced two books which
were a success。 More than once she saved Lousteau's self…esteem by
dictating； correcting； or finishing his articles when he was in
despair at his own lack of ideas。 The secret of this collaboration was
strictly preserved； Madame Piedefer knew nothing of it。
This mental galvanism was rewarded by improved pay； enabling them to
live comfortably till the end of 1838。 Lousteau became used to seeing
Dinah do his work； and he paid heras the French people say in their
vigorous lingoin 〃monkey money；〃 nothing for her pains。 This
expenditure in self…sacrifice becomes a treasure which generous souls
prize； and the more she gave the more she loved Lousteau； the time
soon came when Dinah felt that it would be too bitter a grief ever to
give him up。
But then another child was coming； and this year was a terrible trial。
In spite of the precautions of the two women； Etienne contracted
debts； he worked himself to death to pay them off while Dinah was laid
up； and； knowing him as she did； she thought him heroic。 But after
this effort； appalled at having two women； two children； and two maids
on his hands； he was incapable of the struggle to maintain a family by
his pen when he had failed to maintain even himself。 So he let things
take their chance。 Then the ruthless speculator exaggerated the farce
of love…making at home to secure greater liberty abroad。
Dinah proudly endured the burden of life without support。 The one
idea； 〃He loves me！〃 gave her superhuman strength。 She worked as hard
as the most energetic spirits of our time。 At the risk of her beauty
and health； Didine was to Lousteau what Mademoiselle Delachaux was to
Gardane in Diderot's noble and true tale。 But while sacrificing
herself； she committed the magnanimous blunder of sacrificing dress。
She had her gowns dyed； and wore nothing but black。 She stank of
black； as Malaga said； making fun mercilessly of Lousteau。
By the end of 1839； Etienne； following the example of Louis XV。； had；
by dint of gradual capitulations of conscience； come to the point of
establishing a distinction between his own money and the housekeeping
m
