honore de balzac-第21部分
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ew illustrated editions of his earlier works had been issued； and he was receiving high rates for his short stories； not only from the magazines but from newspapers such as the Figaro； the Presse； the Siecle and the Constitutionnel； yet nothing could extinguish his debts； those debts which he had been so long carrying like a cross。 〃Why；〃 said he； 〃I have been bowed down by this burden for fifteen years； it hampers the expansion of my life； it disturbs the action of my heart； it stifles my thoughts； it puts a blight on my existence； it embarrasses my movements； it checks my inspirations； it weighs upon my conscience； it interferes with everything； it has been a drag on my career； it has broken my back； it has made me an old man。 My God； have I not paid dearly enough for my right to bask in the sunshine！ All that calm future； that tranquillity of which I stand so much in need； all gambled away in a few hours and exposed to the mercy of Parisian caprice； which for the moment is in a censorious mood！〃
Balzac now staked all his hopes upon his first play； Vautrin； which was about to be produced at the Porte Saint…Martin theatre。 From the very outset of his literary career his thoughts had steadily turned to the drama； and his earliest attempt had been that ill…fated Cromwell； which had failed so ignominiously when read to his family。 Yet this setback had not definitely turned him aside from the stage； and； while he rather despised the theatre as a means of literary expression； he had never ceased to consider it as the most rapid method of earning money and founding a fortune。 All the time that he was writing his Human Comedy； one can feel that he was constantly pre…occupied with the composition of plays； of which he drafted the scenarios without ever elaborating them。 In 1831 he invited Victor Ratier； editor of La Silhouette； to collaborate with him； specifying； however； 〃that it was more a question of establishing a literary porkshop than a reputation〃； in 1832 he announced to his mother that he had 〃taken the step of writing two or three plays for stage production！〃 and he added； 〃This is the greatest misfortune which could happen to me； but necessity is stronger than I； and it is impossible to extricate myself in any other way。 I shall try to find some one who will do me the service of signing them； so that I shall not need to compromise my own name。〃 Thereafter he conceived successively a Marie Touchet； a tragedy in prose entitled Don Philip and Don Carlos； a farce comedy； Prudhomme Bigamist； a drama； The Courtiers； written in collaboration with Emmanuel Arago and Jules Sandeau； and a high…class comedy； The Grande Mademoiselle； also in collaboration with Sandeau。 Then； in 1836； he reverted to Marie Touchet； and composed La Gina； a drama in three acts； and Richard the Sponge…Hearted。 Finally； in 1839； he wrote for the Renaissance Theatre The School of Married Life； with the obscure aid of Lassailly； a five…act play for which he was offered an award of six thousand francs； and which he himself produced in print。 But it was never performed； in spite of many promises。
This first unsuccessful attempt at stage production discouraged him at first； yet he never gave up his determination to succeed。 He prepared a second play； intending to ask Theophile Gautier to collaborate with him； this second play was Vautrin。
The first performance of Vautrin took place March 14； 1840。 Balzac expected that this play would bring him in at least six thousand francs。 Tickets had been greatly in demand； and speculators had so completely cornered them that the audience； composed largely of the author's friends； could not obtain them at the box office。 It was a tumultuous evening； and one would have to go back to the great opening nights of Victor Hugo in order to find a parallel case of hostile demonstrations。 Frederik Lemaitre； who played the role of Jacques Collin； had conceived the idea of making himself up to resemble Louis Philippe。 The King of France； far from being pleased at seeing himself masquerading as a bandit； suppressed the play； which consequently had only the one performance。 It was a disaster； but Balzac bore up valiantly under it。 Leon Gozlin； who called upon him at Les Jardies on the very day when the royal interdiction reached him； relates that he talked of nothing else but his plans for improving his property。 Balzac's friends； headed by Victor Hugo； tried to use their influence with the government officials； but the latter were powerless to do otherwise than to confirm the order of Louis Philippe； the royal edict had been imperative。 The government offered to pay Balzac an indemnity； but he proudly refused。
A few months prior to the production of Vautrin； Balzac； then at the height of his financial difficulties and literary labours； had nevertheless courageously undertaken the defense of a man accused of murder whom he believed to be innocent。 This act was in accordance with his conception of his duty as a citizen； and it bore witness to his generosity and sense of justice。 The case in question was that of a certain notary； Peytel by name； of Belley； who was accused of the premeditated murder of his wife and man…servant。 Balzac had had a slight acquaintance with him in 1831； at the time when Peytel was part owner of the Voleur； to which Balzac contributed。 This acquaintance had sufficed him to judge of the man's character and to conclude that he was incapable of the double crime with which he was charged。 Regardless of his own most pressing interests； Balzac； accompanied by Gavarni； set out for Bourg； where the trial and sentence of death had already taken place。 He saw the condemned man； and the conversations which they had together still further strengthened his opinion。 This opinion he set forth in a Comment on the Peytel Case； which the Siecle published in its issues of September 15…17； 1839； and with a compelling force of argument and a fervent eloquence he demonstrated the innocence of the unfortunate notary。 Nevertheless； the Court of Cassation found no reason for granting a new trial； and Peytel was executed at Bourg； October 28； 1839。 This was a bitter blow to Balzac； who had believed that he could save him。 Furthermore； his efforts and investigations had cost him ten thousand francs！
This was a cruel loss； both in time and in money。 His novels were not bringing him in a hundredth part of what he estimated that he ought to be earning； in view of his extraordinary rate of production。 He placed the blame upon the unauthorised Belgian reprints； which； according to his calculations； had robbed him of more than a million francs。 Literary works were not at that time properly protected； and it was the province of the Society of Men of Letters to demand from the Government an effective defense against the 〃hideous piracy〃 of foreign countries。 Balzac was admitted to the Society in 1839；although with no small difficulty； for he had many enemies； and received only fifty…three votes； while forty…five were necessary for election；but it was not long before he had made his influence felt and had been chosen as a member of the committee。 Leon Gozlan； who served with him； acknowledged his influence。 〃Balzac；〃 he wrote； 〃brought to the Society a profound； almost diabolical knowledge of the chronic wretchedness of the profession； a rare and unequalled ability to deal with the aristocrats of the publishing world； an unconquerable desire to limit their depredations； which he had brooded over on the Mount Sinai of a long personal experience； and； above all else； an admirable conviction of the inherent dignity of the man of letters。〃
It was Balzac's ambition to form a sort of author's league； under the direction of 〃literary marshals；〃 of whom he should be the first； and including in its membership all the widely scattered men of letters； banded together in defense of their material and moral interests。 He himself set an example by requesting the support of the Society against a little sheet entitled Les Ecoles； which had libelled him in a cartoon in which he was represented in prison for debt； wearing his monkish robe and surrounded by gay company。 The cartoon bore the following legend： 〃The Reverend Father Seraphitus Mysticus Goriot； of the regular order of the Friars of Clichy； at last taken in by those who have so long been taken in by him。〃 This was in September； 1839； and on the 22d of the following October Balzac appeared as the representative of the Society of Men of Letters before the trial court of Rouen； in an action which it had begun against the Memorial de Rouen； for having reprinted certain published matter without permission。 But he did not limit himself to a struggle from day to day； to discussions in committee meetings； to appeals to the legislature；his ambition was to become himself the law…maker for the writers。 In May； 1840； two months after the disastrous failure of Vautrin； he offered to the consideration of the Society of Men of Letters a Literary Code； divided into titles； paragraphs； and articles； in which he laid down the principles from which to formulate practical rules for the protection of the interests of authors； and for the greater glory of French literature。
Having been appointed a member of the Committee of Official Relations； a committee which had been created at his suggestion for the purpose of seeing that men of letters should exercise a just influence over the government； Balzac drew up in 1841； some highly important Notes to be submitted to Messieurs the Deputies constituting the Committee on the Law of literary Property。 But that same year； after having worked upon a Manifesto which the Committee was to present to the ruling powers； he handed in his resignation from the Society； on the 5th of October； and it was found impossible to make him reconsider his decision。 It may be that he had received some slight which he could not forgive； or perhaps he had decided that it was to his interest to retain in his own name the right to authorise the republication of his works。
At this period he had attained that supremacy of which he had formerly dreamed in his humble mansarde chamber in the Rue Lesdiguieres； and he wished to have it crowned by some sort of official recognition。 He made up his mind to pre
