honore de balzac-第23部分
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built a cathedral single…handed and whose heart bled upon discovering a neglected carving in the shadow of some buttress and expended infinite pains to perfect it； although it was almost invisible amidst the vastness and the beauty of the whole structure。
Accordingly his work became steadily more laborious to Balzac； and from time to time we can hear him grumbling and groaning； we can see him at his task； his broad face contracted； his black eyes bloodshot； his skin bathed in perspiration and showing dark； almost greenish； in the candle…light； while his whole body trembled and quivered with the unseen effort of creation。 His fatigue was often extreme； the use of coffee troubled his stomach and heated his blood； he had a nervous twitching of the eyelids； and suffered from painful shortness of breath and a congested condition of the head that resulted in over…powering somnolence。
But he rallied and his will power dominated illness itself and imposed his own rules upon his overstrained body。 At the same time he dreamed of a calmer life； he pictured the delights of bucolic days and longed to know when this driving slavery was to end。 Accordingly we find him consulting a sorcerer； a reader of cards； the celebrated Balthazar； in regard to his future。 He was amazed to find how much of his past this man was able to reveal to him； a past made up of struggles and of obstacles overcome； and he joyously accepted predictions that assured him victory。 Balzac was superstitious； not in a vulgar way； but through a deep curiosity in the presence of those mysteries of the universe which are unexplained by science。 He believed himself to be endowed with magnetic powers； and； as a matter of fact； the irresistible effect of his words； the subtle force which emanated from his whole personality and confirmed by his contemporaries。 He believed in telepathy； he held that two beings who love each other； and whose sensibilities are in a certain degree in harmony； are able； even when far apart； mutually to respond to emotions felt by the one or the other。 He consulted clairvoyants as to the course of diet to be followed by Mme。 Hanska； and gravely communicated their replies to her； urging her to follow their advice。 Occurrences apparently quite trivial troubled him profoundly； and he was anxious for several days because he had lost a shirt…stud given him by Mme。 de Berny and could not determine what could be the meaning of the loss。 His sorcerer had predicted that he would shortly receive a letter which would change the entire course of his life； and； as a confirmation of his clairvoyance； Mme。 de Hanska announced a few months later the death of her husband； M。 de Hanski； which permitted Balzac to indulge in the highest hopes。
This event brought him an access of fresh courage； for in order to make the journey to St。 Petersburg it was essential that he should first achieve a triumph； brief； brilliant and complete。 He decided once again to make a bold attempt at the theatre； and the scene of battle was to be the Odeon。 He offered The Resources of Quinola to the manager； Lireux； who accepted it with enthusiasm。 Balzac read his comedy to its future interpreters；notwithstanding that he had as yet written only four acts of it；and calmly informed them that he would have to tell them the general substance of the fifth。 They were amazed at such bold disregard of professional usages； but it was passed over； for Lireux was all impatience to produce The Resources and to begin the rehearsals。
Warned by the failure of Vautrin； Balzac took the most minute care in arranging for the opening night audience which he relied upon to sweep Quinola heavenward on a mounting wave of glory。 To begin with； he did away with the claquers and fixed the price of admission at five francs； while the general scale of prices was as follows： balcony seats twenty five francs； stalls twenty francs； seats in the open boxes of the first tier twenty…five francs； open boxes of the second tier twenty francs； closed boxes of the second tier twenty five francs； baignoir boxes twenty francs。 He had no use for mere nobodies； but determined to sift out his audience from amongst the most distinguished men and women in all Paris； ministers； counts； princesses； academicians； and financiers。 He included the two Princesses Troubetskoi； the Countess Leon； the Countess Nariskine； the Aguados； the Rothschilds； the Doudeauvilles； the Castries； and he decided that there should be none but pretty women in the front seats of the open boxes。 And he counted upon piling up a fine little surplus； since the revenues of the box…office were in his hands for the first three nights。 Alas； on the night of March 19； 1842； The Resources of Quinola met with the same reception as Vautrin had done before it； in spite of all his precautions； his enemies had gained admission to the Odeon； and throughout the whole evening； from the first act onward； there was a ceaseless storm of hisses and cat…calls。 He had wasted four months； only to arrive at another defeat。
And all the while his financial difficulties were becoming keener； more pressing； more imminent； and Balzac； overburdened； recapitulated his disasters as follows： the Chronique de Paris； the Trip to Sardinia； the Revue Parisienne and Vautrin； nevertheless he proudly squared his shoulders。 〃My writings will never make my fortune until the time comes when I shall no longer be in need of a fortune for it takes twenty…five years before a success begins to pay； and fifty years before a great achievement is understood。〃 And he returned to his work！ His Complete Works were now published； for he had written a 〃Foreword；〃 summing up his method； his art and his idea； he composed Albert Savarus； in order 〃to respond with a masterpiece to the barkings of the press〃； he completed The Peasants； The Two Brothers （later A Bachelor's Establishment）； he wrote The Pretended Mistress； A Debut in Life； which appeared in La Legislature； David Sechard； The Evil Doings of a Saint； The Love of Two Beasts； he began The Deputy from Arcis and The Brothers of Consolation； he dreamed of bringing out a new editionand we know the labour that new editions cost him！of Louis Lambert and Seraphita； and； lastly； he corrected three volumes of the Comedie Humaine！
Living as a recluse at Passy； shut up in his working room with its hangings of red velvet； seated at his table； with one shapely hand supporting his massive head and his eyes fixed upon a miniature reproducing the somewhat opulent contours of Mme。 Hanska's profile； and hence straying to an aquarelle representing the chateau at Wierzchownia； Balzac interrupted his proof correcting to forget his weariness in golden dreams： It was impossible that he should fail to be elected to the Academie Francaisewhich would mean two thousand francshereupon he smiledhe was sure of being appointed a member of the dictionary committeesix thousand francs morehis smile broadenedand why should he not become a member of the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles…Lettres and its permanent secretary？another six thousand francstotal； fourteen thousand！and laughing his vast sonorous laughin view of this assured and honourable positionBalzac made plans for a prompt marriage with his far…off and long…awaited bride。
But his dreams were of short duration。 There was no end of ink…stained paper which had to be inked still further； for without money there could be no journey to St。 Petersburg。 And then there were losses of time； which he regretted but could not avoid； such as having to pose for David of Angers； who was modelling his monumental bust； having to take long walks； in order to keep down his growing corpulence； and inviting a few friends to Le Rocher de Cancale； Victor Hugo and Leon Gozlan； in order to entertain a Russian； M。 de Lenz； who wished to meet him；a sumptuous and lively dinner which cost him a hundred and twenty francs；a sum which he naturally had to borrow； and with no small difficulty！
After alternating between hope and despair； Balzac set forth by way of Dunkerque for St。 Petersburg； where he arrived July 29； 1843； not returning to Paris until the 3rd of November。 This was his fourth meeting with Mme。 Hanska in the space of ten years； and the first since the death of M。 de Hanski。 （Hanski is the masculine form for Hanska。 ＇Translator's Note。＇） Balzac was happy and irresponsible； he laughed his deep； resounding laugh of joyous days； that laugh which no misfortune could quite extinguish。 He was carefree and elated； and found the strength to write a short story； Honorine； without taking coffee。 He indulged in jests； the Emperor of Russia； he declared； valued him to the extent of thirty…two roubles； for that was the cost of his permit of residence。 And heart and soul he gave himself up to his dear Countess Hanska。
Balzac's trip to Russia was the source of numerous legends。 It was said that he went for the purpose of asking the Czar to authorise him to write a work that should be to a certain extent official； for the purpose of refuting M。 de Custine's Russia in 1839； and that； having demanded an audience in too cavalier a tone； he was ordered to regain the frontier by the shortest possible route。 Others related that he had gone there in pursuit of a princess whom he was bent upon marrying。
The return trip was made in short stages through Germany and Belgium； and Balzac stayed over long enough in Berlin； Dresden and Liege to become acquainted with these cities and their museums。 But he had no sooner arrived in Paris than he was attacked with inflammation of the brain； and Dr。 Nacquart put him on a very strict regime。 In Paris he once again found his tasks and his financial difficulties faithfully awaiting him； and； faithful in his turn； he set to work again with true 〃Balzacian fury。〃 But now a new element had entered into his life： his marriage to Mme。 Hanska； although still far distant； and dependent upon chance； was at least a settled question； and he left St。 Petersburg taking her formal promise with him。 Consequently； whatever the hardships of his existence； his periods of poverty and toil； he was now sustained by the hope of realising a union that had been so long desired； and he strove towards it with all his tenacious energy； as towards a supreme goa
