the muse of the department-第6部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


terrified　the　young　wife　of　twenty；　she　could　not　at　first　understand
the　selfish　quiescence　of　this　man；　who　might　be　compared　to　a　cracked
pot；　and　who；　in　order　to　live；　regulated　his　existence　with　the
unchangeable　regularity　which　a　clockmaker　requires　of　a　clock。　So　the
little　man　always　evaded　his　wife；　while　she　always　hit　out；　as　it
were；　ten　feet　above　his　head。

Dinah's　fits　of　fury　when　she　saw　herself　condemned　never　to　escape
from　La　Baudraye　and　Sancerre　are　more　easily　imagined　than　described
she　who　had　dreamed　of　handling　a　fortune　and　managing　the　dwarf
whom　she；　the　giant；　had　at　first　humored　in　order　to　command。　In　the
hope　of　some　day　making　her　appearance　on　the　greater　stage　of　Paris；
she　accepted　the　vulgar　incense　of　her　attendant　knights　with　a　view
to　seeing　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye's　name　drawn　from　the　electoral　urn；
for　she　supposed　him　to　be　ambitious；　after　seeing　him　return　thrice
from　Paris；　each　time　a　step　higher　on　the　social　ladder。　But　when　she
struck　on　the　man's　heart；　it　was　as　though　she　had　tapped　on　marble！
The　man　who　had　been　Receiver…General　and　Referendary；　who　was　now
Master　of　Appeals；　Officer　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；　and　Royal
Commissioner；　was　but　a　mole　throwing　up　its　little　hills　round　and
round　a　vineyard！　Then　some　lamentations　were　poured　into　the　heart　of
the　Public　Prosecutor；　of　the　Sous…prefet；　even　of　Monsieur　Gravier；
and　they　all　increased　in　their　devotion　to　this　sublime　victim；　for；
like　all　women；　she　never　mentioned　her　speculative　schemes；　and
again　like　all　womenfinding　such　speculation　vain；　she　ceased　to
speculate。

Dinah；　tossed　by　mental　storms；　was　still　undecided　when；　in　the
autumn　of　1827；　the　news　was　told　of　the　purchase　by　the　Baron　de　la
Baudraye　of　the　estate　of　Anzy。　Then　the　little　old　man　showed　an
impulsion　of　pride　and　glee　which　for　a　few　months　changed　the　current
of　his　wife's　ideas；　she　fancied　there　was　a　hidden　vein　of　greatness
in　the　man　when　she　found　him　applying　for　a　patent　of　entail。　In　his
triumph　the　Baron　exclaimed：

〃Dinah；　you　shall　be　a　countess　yet！〃

There　was　then　a　patched…up　reunion　between　the　husband　and　wife；　such
as　can　never　endure；　and　which　only　humiliated　and　fatigued　a　woman
whose　apparent　superiority　was　unreal；　while　her　unseen　superiority
was　genuine。　This　whimsical　medley　is　commoner　than　people　think。
Dinah；　who　was　ridiculous　from　the　perversity　of　her　cleverness；　had
really　great　qualities　of　soul；　but　circumstances　did　not　bring　these
rarer　powers　to　light；　while　a　provincial　life　debased　the　small
change　of　her　wit　from　day　to　day。　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye；　on　the
contrary；　devoid　of　soul；　of　strength；　and　of　wit；　was　fated　to　figure
as　a　man　of　character；　simply　by　pursuing　a　plan　of　conduct　which　he
was　too　feeble　to　change。



There　was　in　their　lives　a　first　phase；　lasting　six　years；　during
which　Dinah；　alas！　became　utterly　provincial。　In　Paris　there　are
several　kinds　of　women：　the　duchess　and　the　financier's　wife；　the
ambassadress　and　the　consul's　wife；　the　wife　of　the　minister　who　is　a
minister；　and　of　him　who　is　no　longer　a　minister；　then　there　is　the
ladyquite　the　ladyof　the　right　bank　of　the　Seine　and　of　the　left。
But　in　the　country　there　is　but　one　kind　of　woman；　and　she；　poor
thing；　is　the　provincial　woman。

This　remark　points　to　one　of　the　sores　of　modern　society。　It　must　be
clearly　understood：　France　in　the　nineteenth　century　is　divided　into
two　broad　zonesParis；　and　the　provinces。　The　provinces　jealous　of
Paris；　Paris　never　thinking　of　the　provinces　but　to　demand　money。　Of
old；　Paris　was　the　Capital　of　the　provinces；　and　the　court　ruled　the
Capital；　now；　all　Paris　is　the　Court；　and　all　the　country　is　the　town。

However　lofty；　beautiful；　and　clever　a　girl　born　in　any　department　of
France　may　be　on　entering　life；　if；　like　Dinah　Piedefer；　she　marries
in　the　country　and　remains　there；　she　inevitably　becomes　the
provincial　woman。　In　spite　of　every　determination；　the　commonplace　of
second…rate　ideas；　indifference　to　dress；　the　culture　of　vulgar
people；　swamp　the　sublimer　essence　hidden　in　the　youthful　plant；　all
is　over；　it　falls　into　decay。　How　should　it　be　otherwise？　From　their
earliest　years　girls　bred　in　the　country　see　none　but　provincials；
they　cannot　imagine　anything　superior；　their　choice　lies　among
mediocrities；　provincial　fathers　marry　their　daughters　to　provincial
sons；　crossing　the　races　is　never　thought　of；　and　the　brain　inevitably
degenerates；　so　that　in　many　country　towns　intellect　is　as　rare　as　the
breed　is　hideous。　Mankind　becomes　dwarfed　in　mind　and　body；　for　the
fatal　principle　of　conformity　of　fortune　governs　every　matrimonial
alliance。　Men　of　talent；　artists；　superior　brainsevery　bird　of
brilliant　plumage　flies　to　Paris。　The　provincial　woman；　inferior　in
herself；　is　also　inferior　through　her　husband。　How　is　she　to　live
happy　under　this　crushing　twofold　consciousness？

But　there　is　a　third　and　terrible　element　besides　her　congenital　and
conjugal　inferiority　which　contributes　to　make　the　figure　arid　and
gloomy；　to　reduce　it；　narrow　it；　distort　it　fatally。　Is　not　one　of　the
most　flattering　unctions　a　woman　can　lay　to　her　soul　the　assurance　of
being　something　in　the　existence　of　a　superior　man；　chosen　by　herself；
wittingly；　as　if　to　have　some　revenge　on　marriage；　wherein　her　tastes
were　so　little　consulted？　But　if　in　the　country　the　husbands　are
inferior　beings；　the　bachelors　are　no　less　so。　When　a　provincial　wife
commits　her　〃little　sin；〃　she　falls　in　love　with　some　so…called
handsome　native；　some　indigenous　dandy；　a　youth　who　wears　gloves　and
is　supposed　to　ride　well；　but　she　knows　at　the　bottom　of　her　soul　that
her　fancy　is　in　pursuit　of　the　commonplace；　more　or　less　well　dressed。
Dinah　was　preserved　from　this　danger　by　the　idea　impressed　upon　her　of
her　own　superiority。　Even　if　she　had　not　been　as　carefully　guarded　in
her　early　married　life　as　she　was　by　her　mother；　whose　presence　never
weighed　upon　her　till　the　day　when　she　wanted　to　be　rid　of　it；　her
pride；　and　her　high　sense　of　her　own　destinies；　would　have　protected
her。　Flattered　as　she　was　to　find　herself　surrounded　by　admirers；　she
saw　no　lover　among　them。　No　man　here　realized　the　poetical　ideal　which
she　and　Anna　Grossetete　had　been　wont　to　sketch。　When；　stirred　by　the
involuntary　temptations　suggested　by　the　homage　she　received；　she
asked　herself；　〃If　I　had　to　make　a　choice；　who　should　it　be？〃　she
owned　to　a　preference　for　Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf；　a　gentleman　of　good
family；　whose　appearance　and　manners　she　liked；　but　whose　cold　nature；
selfishness；　and　narrow　ambition；　never　rising　above　a　prefecture　and
a　good　marriage；　repelled　her。　At　a　word　from　his　family；　who　were
alarmed　lest　he　should　be　killed　for　an　intrigue；　the　Vicomte　had
already　deserted　a　woman　he　had　loved　in　the　town　where　he　previously
had　been　Sous…prefet。

Monsieur　de　Clagny；　on　the　other　hand；　the　only　man　whose　mind
appealed　to　hers；　whose　ambition　was　founded　on　love；　and　who　knew
what　love　means；　Dinah　thought　perfectly　odious。　When　Dinah　saw
herself　condemned　to　six　years'　residence　at　Sancerre　she　was　on　the
point　of　accepting　the　devotion　of　Monsieur　le　Vicomte　de　Chargeboeuf；
but　he　was　appointed　to　a　prefecture　and　left　the　district。　To
Monsieur　de　Clagny's　great　satisfaction；　the　new　Sous…prefet　was　a
married　man　whose　wife　made　friends　with　Dinah。　The　lawyer　had　now　no
rival　to　fear　but　Monsieur　Gravier。　Now　Monsieur　Gravier　was　the
typical　man　of　forty　of　whom　women　make　use　while　they　laugh　at　him；
whose　hopes　they　intentionally　and　remorselessly　encourage；　as　we　are
kind　to　a　beast　of　burden。　In　six　years；　among　all　the　men　who　were
introduced　to　her　from　twenty　leagues　round；　there　was　not　one　in
whose　presence　Dinah　was　conscious　of　the　excitement　caused　by
personal　beauty；　by　a　belief　in　promised　happiness；　by　the　impact　of　a
superior　soul；　or　the　anticipation　of　a　love　affair；　even　an　unhappy
one。

Thus　none　of　Dinah's　choicest　faculties　had　a　chance　of　developing；
she　swallowed　many　insults　to　her　pride；　which　was　constantly
suffering　under　the　husband　who　so　calmly　walked　the　stage　as
supernumerary　in　the　drama　of　her　life。　Compelled　to　bury　her　wealth
of　love；　she　showed　only　the　surface　to　the　world。　Now　and　then　she
would　try　to　rouse　herself；　try　to　form　some　manly　resolution；　but　she
was　kept　in　leading　strings　by　the　need　for　money。　And　so；　slowly　and
in　spite　of　the　ambitious　protests　and　grievous　recriminations　of　her
own　mind；　she　underwent　the　provincial　metamorphosis　here　described。
Each　day　took　with　it　a　fragment　of　her　spirited　determination。　She
had　laid　down　a　rule　for　the　care　of　her　person；　which　she　gradually
departed　from。　Though　at　first　she　kept　up　with　the　fashions　and　the
little　novelties　of　elegant　life；　she　was　obliged　to　limit　her
purchases　by　the　amount　of　her　allowance。　Instead　of　six　hats；　caps；
or　gowns；　she　resigned　herself　to　one　gown　each　season。　She　was　so
much　admired　in　a　certain　bonnet　that　she　made　it　do　duty　for　two
seasons。　So　it　was　in　everything。

Not　unfrequently　her　artistic　sense　led　her　to　sacrifice　the
requirements　of　her　person　to　secure　some　bit　of　Gothic　furniture。　By
the　seventh　year　she　had　come　so　low　as　to　think　it　convenient　to　have
her　morning　dresses　made　at　home　by　the　best　needlewoman　in　the
neighborhood；　and　her　mother；　her　husband；　and　her　friends　pronounced
her　charming　in　these　inexpensive　costumes　which　did　credit　to　her
taste。　Her　ideas　were　imitated！　As　she　had　no　standard　of　comparison；
Dinah　fell　into　the　snares　that　surround　the　provincial　woman。　If　a
Parisian　woman's　hips　are　too　narrow　or　too　full；　her　inventive　wit
and　the　desire　to　please　help　to　find　some　heroic　remedy；　if　she　has
some　defect；　some　ugly　spot；　or　small　disfigurement；　she　is　capable　of
making　it　an　adornment；　this　is　often　seen；　but　the　provincial　woman
never！　If　her　waist　is　too　short　and　her　figure　ill　balanced；　well；
she　makes　up　her　mind　to　the　worst；　and　her　adorersor　they　do　not
adore　hermust　take　her　as　she　is；　while　the　Parisian　always　insists
on　being　taken　for　what　she　is　not。　Hence　the　preposterous　bustles；
the　audacious