honore de balzac-第13部分
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s own glory； but they enjoyed his penetrating analysis of the human heart； his understanding of women； and his picturesque； alluring and dramatic power of narrative。 He excited the curiosity of his women readers； who recognised themselves in his heroines as in so many faithful mirrors； and the consequence was that he was besieged by a host of feminine letters。 Balzac had a perfumed casket in which he put away the confidences； avowals and advances of his fair admirers； but he did not reply to them。
In September； 1831； however； an unsigned letter arrived at the chateau at Sache； where he had been spending his vacation； but； as he had already left； it was forwarded to him in Paris。 It was distinguished by its refinement of tone； its cleverness and its frank and discerning criticisms of the Physiology and The Magic Skin；so much so； indeed； that Balzac decided to answer its attacks upon him by defending his works and explaining his ideas。 There followed a second letter and then others； and before long a correspondence had been established between Balzac and the unknown lady； so fascinating on her side of it that Balzac was eager to know her name； and demanded it； under penalty of breaking off the whole correspondence。 She willingly revealed her identity； she was the Duchesse de Castries。 She informed him further that it would give her pleasure to have him call upon her； in the Rue de Varennes； on the day when she received her intimate friends。 Balzac； no doubt； gave utterance to his great； joyous； triumphant laugh； in which there was also mingled a touch of pride。
Mme。 de Castries was one of the most highly courted ladies in the exclusive circle of the Faubourg Saint…Germain； an aristocrat of aristocrats； she was still young；her age was thirty…five；and beautiful； with pale and delicate features； crowned with masses of hair of a dazzling Venetian blonde。 She was a descendant of the de Maille family； her husband had been a peer of France under Charles X； and through marriage with the Duc de Fitz…James； one of the leaders of the legitimist party； was her brother…in…law； thus connecting her with the highest nobility of France。 To Balzac she represented the doorway to a world of which he had had only vague glimpses as reflected in the reminiscences of Mme。 de Berny；and she smiled upon him with a mysterious smile of welcome。
The novelist hastened to accept the Duchess's invitation； and became one of the regular frequenters of her salon。 She led him on； and he talked of his ideas； his projects and his dreams。 He also talked discreetly of his heart； and without encouraging him； she allowed him to understand that she listened to him without displeasure。 His relations with Mme。 de Berny had been tinged with a sort of bitterness； due to the disparity in their ages； and his happiness had never been complete。 These relations were now about to come to a close； yet even after the rupture they were destined to remain like a single soul； united by a profound and lasting affection； beyond the reach of any severance。 Be that as it may； Balzac at this period was audaciously planning another conquest； and a dazzling one； more brilliant than his most ambitious hopes could have wished。 So the pretty game continued； half in sport and half in earnest。
Whether it was due solely to the influence of the duchess or whether a certain amount of calculation entered in； since literary success is judged by the money profits and the expenditures and fashionable appearance of the writer； or whether he also obeyed his own fondness for a broad and sumptuous scale of living； no one knows； probably something of all three entered in； but the fact remains that after he knew Mme。 de Castries Balzac became transformed into a dandy； a man of fashion。 He was a lion in that circle of gilded youth which frequented the Opera and the Bouffes； that shone in famous salons； that diverted itself in cabarets； and distinguished itself by wealth； gallantry and impertinence。
Balzac now had money。 He possessed an unusual faculty for disposing of his copy advantageously。 To begin with； he was paid by the magazines to which he gave the first serial rights； the Revue de Paris and the Revue des Deux Mondes； and； secondly； in disposing of the book rights he never gave his publishers more than the right to bring out one edition and for a limited time； and the result was that frequent new editions； either of single works or groups of works； taken together with his new works； formed altogether a considerable production of volumes。 Furthermore； he received advances from publishers and editors； he trafficked in endorsed notes； he borrowed and lived on credit。 This was in a measure the prosperity that he had so greatly coveted； yet he gained it at the cost of countless toil； activity and worriment。
Balzac now acquired carriages and horses； he had a cabriolet and a tilbury painted maroon； his coachman was enormous and was named Leclercq； while the groom was a dwarf whom he called Anchises。 He engaged servants； a cook and a valet named Paradis。 He patronised the most fashionable tailor of the time； and dressed in accordance with the decrees of the latest style。 Mme。 Ancelot states that he ordered no less than thirty…one waistcoats； and that he had not given up the hope of some day having three hundred and sixty…five； one for each day in the year。 He abandoned wool in favour of silk。 Rings adorned his fingers； his linen was of the finest quality； and he used perfumes； of which he was passionately fond。
In the morning he went to the Bois； where the other young men of fashion congregated； he sauntered up and down and later paid visits； in the evening； when he had no invitations to social functions； he dined at the Rocher de Cancale or at Bignon's； or showed himself at the Opera in the box occupied by an ultra…fashionable set known as the 〃Tigers。〃 After the performance he hurried off to cut a brilliant figure at the salon of the beautiful Delphine Gay； the wife of Emile de Girardin； in company with Lautour…Mezeray； the 〃man with the camelia；〃 Alphonse Karr； Eugene Sue； Dumas； and sometimes Victor Hugo and Lamartine。 In that celebrated apartment； hung in sea…green damask； which formed such a perfect background for Delphine's blonde beauty； Balzac would arrive exuberant； resplendent with health and happiness； and there he would remain for hours； overflowing with wit and brilliance。
In the midst of this worldly life he by no means neglected Mme。 de Castries； but； on the contrary； was assiduous in his attentions to the fair duchess。 At her home he met the Duc de Fitz…James and the other leaders of militant legitimism； and little by little he gravitated towards their party。 He wrote The Life of a Woman for Le Renovateur； and also an essay in two parts on The Situation of the Royalist Party； but it was not long before he quarrelled with Laurentie； the editor in chief who probably wounded his pride as a man of letters。
The society which he frequented must have reacted on Balzac； for it was at this time that he conceived the desire of proving himself a gentleman by descent； the issue of a time…honoured stock； the d'Antragues family。 He adopted their coat…of…arms and had his monogram surmounted by a coronet。 Later on he abandoned these pretensions； and his forceful and proud reply is well known when some one had proved to him that he had no connection with any branch of that house：
〃Very well； so much the worse for them！〃
But meanwhile； how about his work？ It is not known by what prodigy Balzac kept at his task； in spite of this busy life of fashion and frivolity。 He published The Purse； Mme。 Firmiani； A Study of a Woman； The Message； La Grenadiere； The Forsaken Woman； Colonel Chabert （which appeared in L'Artiste under the title of Transaction）； The Vicar of Tours； and he composed that mystical work which cost him so much pains that he almost succumbed to it； the Biographical Notice of Louis Lambert。 At the same time he corrected； improved and partly rewrote The Chouans and the newly published Magic Skin； with a view to new editions； in accordance with the criticisms of his sister Laure and Mme。 de Berny。
Nevertheless； money continued to evaporate under his prodigal fingers； he had counted upon revenues which failed to materialise； he could no longer borrow； for his credit was exhausted； and he found himself reduced to a keener poverty than that of his mansarde garret。 After all this accumulation of work； all this expenditure of genius； to think that he did not yet have an assured living！ He had frightful attacks of depression； but they had no sooner passed than his will power was as strong as ever； his fever for work redoubled； and his visionary gaze discerned the fair horizons of hope as vividly as though they were already within reach of his hand。 Then he would shut himself into his room； breaking off all ties with the social world； or else would flee into the provinces； far from the dizzy whirl of Paris。
Thus it happened that he made several sojourns at Sache in 1831； and that he set out for it once again in 1832； determined upon a lengthy absence。 Mme。 de Castries had left Paris and had asked him to join her at the waters of Aix in September； but； before he could permit himself to take this trip； he must needs have the sort of asylum for work that awaited him in Touraine。
M。 de Margonne； his host； welcomed him like a son each time that he arrived。 He had entire liberty to live at the chateau precisely as he chose。 He was not required to be present at meals； nor to conform to any of the social conventions which might have interfered with the most profitable employment of his time。 If； in the absorption of working out the scheme of the task which he had in progress； he was sometimes irritable and sullen； no one took offence at his attitude。 When he had not yet reached the stage of the actual writing； and was merely composing his drama within his powerful imagination； he arose early in the morning and set off upon long walks across country； sometimes solitary and silent； sometimes getting into conversation with the people he met and asking them all sorts of questions。 He had no other source of amusement； for he did not care for hunting； and； as to fishing； he made no success of it； for
