the lily of the valley-第27部分

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　　and　you　stay　at　the　foot　of　the　social　system　instead　of　looking

　　down　upon　it。　Even　though　this　letter　may　seem　to　you　diffuse；

　　telling　you　much　that　you　have　already　thought；　let　me　confide　to

　　you　a　woman's　ethics。



　　To　explain　society　on　the　theory　of　individual　happiness　adroitly

　　won　at　the　cost　of　the　greater　number　is　a　monstrous　doctrine；

　　which　in　its　strict　application　leads　men　to　believe　that　all　they

　　can　secretly　lay　hold　of　before　the　law　or　society　or　other

　　individuals　condemn　it　as　a　wrong　is　honestly　and　fairly　theirs。

　　Once　admit　that　claim　and　the　clever　thief　goes　free；　the　woman

　　who　violates　her　marriage　vow　without　the　knowledge　of　the　world

　　is　virtuous　and　happy；　kill　a　man；　leaving　no　proof　for　justice；

　　and　if；　like　Macbeth；　you　win　a　crown　you　have　done　wisely；　your

　　selfish　interests　become　the　higher　law；　the　only　question　then　is

　　how　to　evade；　without　witnesses　or　proof；　the　obstacles　which　law

　　and　morality　place　between　you　and　your　self…indulgence。　To　those

　　who　hold　this　view　of　society；　the　problem　of　making　their

　　fortune；　my　dear　friend；　resolves　itself　into　playing　a　game　where

　　the　stakes　are　millions　or　the　galleys；　political　triumphs　or

　　dishonor。　Still；　the　green　cloth　is　not　long　enough　for　all　the

　　players；　and　a　certain　kind　of　genius　is　required　to　play　the

　　game。　I　say　nothing　of　religious　beliefs；　nor　yet　of　feelings；

　　what　concerns　us　now　is　the　running…gear　of　the　great　machine　of

　　gold　and　iron；　and　its　practical　results　with　which　men's　lives

　　are　occupied。　Dear　child　of　my　heart；　if　you　share　my　horror　at

　　this　criminal　theory　of　the　world；　society　will　present　to　your

　　mind；　as　it　does　to　all　sane　minds；　the　opposite　theory　of　duty。

　　Yes；　you　will　see　that　man　owes　himself　to　man　in　a　thousand

　　differing　ways。　To　my　mind；　the　duke　and　peer　owe　far　more　to　the

　　workman　and　the　pauper　than　the　pauper　and　the　workman　owe　to　the

　　duke。　The　obligations　of　duty　enlarge　in　proportion　to　the

　　benefits　which　society　bestows　on　men；　in　accordance　with　the

　　maxim；　as　true　in　social　politics　as　in　business；　that　the　burden

　　of　care　and　vigilance　is　everywhere　in　proportion　to　profits。　Each

　　man　pays　his　debt　in　his　own　way。　When　our　poor　toiler　at　the

　　Rhetoriere　comes　home　weary　with　his　day's　work　has　he　not　done

　　his　duty？　Assuredly　he　has　done　it　better　than　many　in　the　ranks

　　above　him。



　　If　you　take　this　view　of　society；　in　which　you　are　about　to　seek　a

　　place　in　keeping　with　your　intellect　and　your　faculties；　you　must

　　set　before　you　as　a　generating　principle　and　mainspring；　this

　　maxim：　never　permit　yourself　to　act　against　either　your　own

　　conscience　or　the　public　conscience。　Though　my　entreaty　may　seem

　　to　you　superfluous；　yet　I　entreat；　yes；　your　Henriette　implores

　　you　to　ponder　the　meaning　of　that　rule。　It　seems　simple　but；　dear；

　　it　means　that　integrity；　loyalty；　honor；　and　courtesy　are　the

　　safest　and　surest　instruments　for　your　success。　In　this　selfish

　　world　you　will　find　many　to　tell　you　that　a　man　cannot　make　his

　　way　by　sentiments；　that　too　much　respect　for　moral　considerations

　　will　hinder　his　advance。　It　is　not　so；　you　will　see　men　ill…

　　trained；　ill…taught；　incapable　of　measuring　the　future；　who　are

　　rough　to　a　child；　rude　to　an　old　woman；　unwilling　to　be　irked　by

　　some　worthy　old　man　on　the　ground　that　they　can　do　nothing　for

　　him；　later；　you　will　find　the　same　men　caught　by　the　thorns　which

　　they　might　have　rendered　pointless；　and　missing　their　triumph　for

　　some　trivial　reason；　whereas　the　man　who　is　early　trained　to　a

　　sense　of　duty　does　not　meet　the　same　obstacles；　he　may　attain

　　success　less　rapidly；　but　when　attained　it　is　solid　and　does　not

　　crumble　like　that　of　others。



　　When　I　show　you　that　the　application　of　this　doctrine　demands　in

　　the　first　place　a　mastery　of　the　science　of　manners；　you　may　think

　　my　jurisprudence　has　a　flavor　of　the　court　and　of　the　training　I

　　received　as　a　Lenoncourt。　My　dear　friend；　I　do　attach　great

　　importance　to　that　training；　trifling　as　it　seems。　You　will　find

　　that　the　habits　of　the　great　world　are　as　important　to　you　as　the

　　wide　and　varied　knowledge　that　you　possess。　Often　they　take　the

　　place　of　such　knowledge；　for　some　really　ignorant　men；　born　with

　　natural　gifts　and　accustomed　to　give　connection　to　their　ideas；

　　have　been　known　to　attain　a　grandeur　never　reached　by　others　far

　　more　worthy　of　it。　I　have　studied　you　thoroughly；　Felix；　wishing

　　to　know　if　your　education；　derived　wholly　from　schools；　has

　　injured　your　nature。　God　knows　the　joy　with　which　I　find　you　fit

　　for　that　further　education　of　which　I　speak。



　　The　manners　of　many　who　are　brought　up　in　the　traditions　of　the

　　great　world　are　purely　external；　true　politeness；　perfect　manners；

　　come　from　the　heart；　and　from　a　deep　sense　of　personal　dignity。

　　This　is　why　some　men　of　noble　birth　are；　in　spite　of　their

　　training；　ill…mannered；　while　others；　among　the　middle　classes；

　　have　instinctive　good　taste　and　only　need　a　few　lessons　to　give

　　them　excellent　manners　without　any　signs　of　awkward　imitation。

　　Believe　a　poor　woman　who　no　longer　leaves　her　valley　when　she

　　tells　you　that　this　dignity　of　tone；　this　courteous　simplicity　in

　　words；　in　gesture；　in　bearing；　and　even　in　the　character　of　the

　　home；　is　a　living　and　material　poem；　the　charm　of　which　is

　　irresistible；　imagine　therefore　what　it　is　when　it　takes　its

　　inspiration　from　the　heart。　Politeness；　dear；　consists　in　seeming

　　to　forget　ourselves　for　others；　with　many　it　is　social　cant；　laid

　　aside　when　personal　self…interest　shows　its　cloven…foot；　a　noble

　　then　becomes　ignoble。　Butand　this　is　what　I　want　you　to

　　practise；　Felixtrue　politeness　involves　a　Christian　principle；

　　it　is　the　flower　of　Love；　it　requires　that　we　forget　ourselves

　　really。　In　memory　of　your　Henriette；　for　her　sake；　be　not　a

　　fountain　without　water；　have　the　essence　and　the　form　of　true　

　　courtesy。　Never　fear　to　be　the　dupe　and　victim　of　this　social

　　virtue；　you　will　some　day　gather　the　fruit　of　seeds　scattered

　　apparently　to　the　winds。



　　My　father　used　to　say　that　one　of　the　great　offences　of　sham

　　politeness　was　the　neglect　of　promises。　When　anything　is　demanded

　　of　you　that　you　cannot　do；　refuse　positively　and　leave　no

　　loopholes　for　false　hopes；　on　the　other　hand；　grant　at　once

　　whatever　you　are　willing　to　bestow。　Your　prompt　refusal　will　make

　　you　friends　as　well　as　your　prompt　benefit；　and　your　character

　　will　stand　the　higher；　for　it　is　hard　to　say　whether　a　promise

　　forgotten；　a　hope　deceived　does　not　make　us　more　enemies　than　a

　　favor　granted　brings　us　friends。



　　Dear　friend；　there　are　certain　little　matters　on　which　I　may

　　dwell；　for　I　know　them；　and　it　comes　within　my　province　to　impart

　　them。　Be　not　too　confiding；　nor　frivolous；　nor　over　enthusiastic；

　　three　rocks　on　which　youth　often　strikes。　Too　confiding　a　nature

　　loses　respect；　frivolity　brings　contempt；　and　others　take

　　advantage　of　excessive　enthusiasm。　In　the　first　place；　Felix；　you

　　will　never　have　more　than　two　or　three　friends　in　the　course　of

　　your　life。　Your　entire　confidence　is　their　right；　to　give　it　to

　　many　is　to　betray　your　real　friends。　If　you　are　more　intimate　with

　　some　men　than　with　others　keep　guard　over　yourself；　be　as　cautious

　　as　though　you　knew　they　would　one　day　be　your　rivals；　or　your

　　enemies；　the　chances　and　changes　of　life　require　this。　Maintain　an

　　attitude　which　is　neither　cold　nor　hot；　find　the　medium　point　at

　　which　a　man　can　safely　hold　intercourse　with　others　without

　　compromising　himself。　Yes；　believe　me；　the　honest　man　is　as　far

　　from　the　base　cowardice　of　Philinte　as　he　is　from　the　harsh　virtue

　　of　Alceste。　The　genius　of　the　poet　is　displayed　in　the　mind　of

　　this　true　medium；　certainly　all　minds　do　enjoy　more　the　ridicule

　　of　virtue　than　the　sovereign　contempt　of　easy…going　selfishness

　　which　underlies　that　picture　of　it；　but　all；　nevertheless；　are

　　prompted　to　keep　themselves　from　either　extreme。



　　As　to　frivolity；　if　it　causes　fools　to　proclaim　you　a　charming

　　man；　others　who　are　accustomed　to　judge　of　men's　capacities　and

　　fathom　character；　will　winnow　out　your　tare　and　bring　you　to

　　disrepute；　for　frivolity　is　the　resource　of　weak　natures；　and

　　weakness　is　soon　appraised　in　a　society　which　regards　its　members

　　as　nothing　more　than　organsand　perhaps　justly；　for　nature

　　herself　puts　to　death　imperfect　beings。　A　woman's　protecting

　　instincts　may　be　roused　by　the　pleasure　she　feels　in　supporting

　　the　weak　against　the　strong；　and　in　leading　the　intelligence　of

　　the　heart　to　victory　over　the　brutality　of　matter；　but　society；

　　less　a　mother　than　a　stepmother；　adores　only　the　children　who

　　flatter　her　vanity。



　　As　to　ardent　enthusiasm；　that　first　sublime　mistake　of　youth；

　　which　finds　true　happiness　in　using　its　powers；　and　begins　by

　　being　its　own　dupe　before　it　is　the　dupe　of　others；　keep　it　within

　　the　region　of　the　heart's　communion；　keep　it　for　woman　and　for

　　God。　Do　not　hawk　its　treasures　in　the　bazaars　of　society　or　of

　　politics；　where　trumpery　will　be　offered　in　exchange　for　them。

　　Believe　the　voice　which　commands　you　to　be　noble　in　all　things

　　when　it　also　prays　you　not　to　expend　your　forces　uselessly。

　　Unhappily；　men　will　rate　you　according　to　your　usefulness；　and　not

　　according　to　your　worth。　To　use　an　image　which　I　think　will　strike

　　your　poetic　mind；　let　a　cipher　be　what　it　may；　immeasurable　in

　　size；　written　in　gold；　or　written　in　pencil；　it　is　only　a　cipher

　　after　all。　A　man　of　our　times　has　said；　〃No　zeal；　above　all；　no

　　zeal！〃　The　lesson　may　be　sad；　but　it　is　true；　and　it　saves　the

　　soul　from　wasting　its　bloom。　Hide　your　pure　sentiments；　or　put

　　them　in　regions　inaccessible；　where　their　blossoms　may　be

　　pa