a prince of bohemia-第1部分

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A　Prince　of　Bohemia

by　Honore　de　Balzac

Translated　by　Clara　Bell　and　others





DEDICATION

　　To　Henri　Heine。

　　I　inscribe　this　to　you；　my　dear　Heine；　to　you　that　represent　in
　　Paris　the　ideas　and　poetry　of　Germany；　in　Germany　the　lively　and
　　witty　criticism　of　France；　for　you　better　than　any　other　will　know
　　whatsoever　this　Study　may　contain　of　criticism　and　of　jest；　of
　　love　and　truth。

DE　BALZAC。




A　PRINCE　OF　BOHEMIA



〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　Mme。　de　la　Baudraye；　drawing　a　pile　of
manuscript　from　beneath　her　sofa　cushion；　〃will　you　pardon　me　in　our
present　straits　for　making　a　short　story　of　something　which　you　told
me　a　few　weeks　ago？〃

〃Anything　is　fair　in　these　times。　Have　you　not　seen　writers　serving　up
their　own　hearts　to　the　public；　or　very　often　their　mistress'　hearts
when　invention　fails？　We　are　coming　to　this；　dear；　we　shall　go　in
quest　of　adventures；　not　so　much　for　the　pleasure　of　them　as　for　the
sake　of　having　the　story　to　tell　afterwards。〃

〃After　all；　you　and　the　Marquise　de　Rochefide　have　paid　the　rent；　and
I　do　not　think；　from　the　way　things　are　going　here；　that　I　ever　pay
yours。〃

〃Who　knows？　Perhaps　the　same　good　luck　that　befell　Mme。　de　Rochefide
may　come　to　you。〃

〃Do　you　call　it　good　luck　to　go　back　to　one's　husband？〃

〃No；　only　great　luck。　Come；　I　am　listening。〃

And　Mme。　de　la　Baudraye　read　as　follows：

　　〃Scenea　splendid　salon　in　the　Rue　de　Chartres…du…Roule。　One　of
　　the　most　famous　writers　of　the　day　discovered　sitting　on　a　settee
　　beside　a　very　illustrious　Marquise；　with　whom　he　is　on　such　terms
　　of　intimacy；　as　a　man　has　a　right　to　claim　when　a　woman　singles
　　him　out　and　keeps　him　at　her　side　as　a　complacent　/souffre…
　　douleur/　rather　than　a　makeshift。〃

〃Well；〃　says　she；　〃have　you　found　those　letters　of　which　you　spoke
yesterday？　You　said　that　you　could　not　tell　me　all　about　/him/　without
them？〃

〃Yes；　I　have　them。〃

〃It　is　your　turn　to　speak；　I　am　listening　like　a　child　when　his　mother
begins　the　tale　of　/Le　Grand　Serpentin　Vert/。〃

〃I　count　the　young　man　in　question　in　that　group　of　our　acquaintances
which　we　are　wont　to　style　our　friends。　He　comes　of　a　good　family；　he
is　a　man　of　infinite　parts　and　ill…luck；　full　of　excellent
dispositions　and　most　charming　conversation；　young　as　he　is；　he　is
seen　much；　and　while　awaiting　better　things；　he　dwells　in　Bohemia。
Bohemianism；　which　by　rights　should　be　called　the　doctrine　of　the
Boulevard　des　Italiens；　finds　its　recruits　among　young　men　between
twenty　and　thirty；　all　of　them　men　of　genius　in　their　way；　little
known；　it　is　true；　as　yet；　but　sure　of　recognition　one　day；　and　when
that　day　comes；　of　great　distinction。　They　are　distinguished　as　it　is
at　carnival　time；　when　their　exuberant　wit；　repressed　for　the　rest　of
the　year；　finds　a　vent　in　more　or　less　ingenious　buffoonery。

〃What　times　we　live　in！　What　an　irrational　central　power　which　allows
such　tremendous　energies　to　run　to　waste！　There　are　diplomatists　in
Bohemia　quite　capable　of　overturning　Russia's　designs；　if　they　but
felt　the　power　of　France　at　their　backs。　There　are　writers；
administrators；　soldiers；　and　artists　in　Bohemia；　every　faculty；　every
kind　of　brain　is　represented　there。　Bohemia　is　a　microcosm。　If　the
Czar　would　buy　Bohemia　for　a　score　of　millions　and　set　its　population
down　in　Odessaalways　supposing　that　they　consented　to　leave　the
asphalt　of　the　boulevardsOdessa　would　be　Paris　with　the　year。　In
Bohemia；　you　find　the　flower　doomed　to　wither　and　come　to　nothing；　the
flower　of　the　wonderful　young　manhood　of　France；　so　sought　after　by
Napoleon　and　Louis　XIV。；　so　neglected　for　the　last　thirty　years　by　the
modern　Gerontocracy　that　is　blighting　everything　elsethat　splendid
young　manhood　of　whom　a　witness　so　little　prejudiced　as　Professor
Tissot　wrote；　'On　all　sides　the　Emperor　employed　a　younger　generation
in　every　way　worthy　of　him；　in　his　councils；　in　the　general
administration；　in　negotiations　bristling　with　difficulties　or　full　of
danger；　in　the　government　of　conquered　countries；　and　in　all　places
Youth　responded　to　his　demands　upon　it。　Young　men　were　for　Napoleon
the　/missi　hominici/　of　Charlemagne。'

〃The　word　Bohemia　tells　you　everything。　Bohemia　has　nothing　and　lives
upon　what　it　has。　Hope　is　its　religion；　faith　（in　oneself）　its　creed；
and　charity　is　supposed　to　be　its　budget。　All　these　young　men　are
greater　than　their　misfortune；　they　are　under　the　feet　of　Fortune；　yet
more　than　equal　to　Fate。　Always　ready　to　mount　and　ride　an　/if/；　witty
as　a　/feuilleton/；　blithe　as　only　those　can　be　that　are　deep　in　debt
and　drink　deep　to　match；　and　finallyfor　here　I　come　to　my　pointhot
lovers　and　what　lovers！　Picture　to　yourself　Lovelace；　and　Henri
Quatre；　and　the　Regent；　and　Werther；　and　Saint…Preux；　and　Rene；　and
the　Marechal　de　Richelieuthink　of　all　these　in　a　single　man；　and　you
will　have　some　idea　of　their　way　of　love。　What　lovers！　Eclectic　of　all
things　in　love；　they　will　serve　up　a　passion　to　a　woman's　order；　their
hearts　are　like　a　bill　of　fare　in　a　restaurant。　Perhaps　they　have
never　read　Stendhal's　/De　l'Amour/；　but　unconsciously　they　put　it　in
practice。　They　have　by　heart　their　chaptersLove…Taste；　Love…Passion；
Love…Caprice；　Love…Crystalized；　and　more　than　all；　Love…Transient。　All
is　good　in　their　eyes。　They　invented　the　burlesque　axiom；　'In　the
sight　of　man；　all　women　are　equal。'　The　actual　text　is　more　vigorously
worded；　but　as　in　my　opinion　the　spirit　is　false；　I　do　not　stand　nice
upon　the　letter。

〃My　friend；　madame；　is　named　Gabriel　Jean　Anne　Victor　Benjamin　George
Ferdinand　Charles　Edward　Rusticoli；　Comte　de　la　Palferine。　The
Rusticolis　came　to　France　with　Catherine　de　Medici；　having　been　ousted
about　that　time　from　their　infinitesimal　Tuscan　sovereignty。　They　are
distantly　related　to　the　house　of　Este；　and　connected　by　marriage　to
the　Guises。　On　the　day　of　Saint…Bartholomew　they　slew　a　goodly　number
of　Protestants；　and　Charles　IX。　bestowed　the　hand　of　the　heiress　of
the　Comte　de　la　Palferine　upon　the　Rusticoli　of　that　time。　The　Comte；
however；　being　a　part　of　the　confiscated　lands　of　the　Duke　of　Savoy；
was　repurchased　by　Henri　IV。　when　that　great　king　so　far　blundered　as
to　restore　the　fief；　and　in　exchange；　the　Rusticoliwho　had　borne
arms　long　before　the　Medici　bore　them　to…wit；　/argent/　a　cross　flory
/azure/　（the　cross　flower…de…luced　by　letters　patent　granted　by
Charles　IX。）；　and　a　count's　coronet；　with　two　peasants　for　supporters
with　the　motto　IN　HOC　SIGNO　VINCIMUSthe　Rusticoli；　I　repeat；
retained　their　title；　and　received　a　couple　of　offices　under　the　crown
with　the　government　of　a　province。

〃From　the　time　of　the　Valois　till　the　reign　of　Richelieu；　as　it　may　be
called；　the　Rusticoli　played　a　most　illustrious　part；　under　Louis　XIV。
their　glory　waned　somewhat；　under　Louis　XV。　it　went　out　altogether。　My
friend's　grandfather　wasted　all　that　was　left　to　the　once　brilliant
house　with　Mlle。　Laguerre；　whom　he　first　discovered；　and　brought　into
fashion　before　Bouret's　time。　Charles　Edward's　own　father　was　an
officer　without　any　fortune　in　1789。　The　Revolution　came　to　his
assistance；　he　had　the　sense　to　drop　his　title；　and　became　plain
Rusticoli。　Among　other　deeds；　M。　Rusticoli　married　a　wife　during　the
war　in　Italy；　a　Capponi；　a　goddaughter　of　the　Countess　of　Albany
（hence　La　Palferine's　final　names）。　Rusticoli　was　one　of　the　best
colonels　in　the　army。　The　Emperor　made　him　a　commander　of　the　Legion
of　Honor　and　a　count。　His　spine　was　slightly　curved；　and　his　son　was
wont　to　say　of　him　laughingly　that　he　was　/un　comte　refait
（contrefait）/。

〃General　Count　Rusticoli；　for　he　became　a　brigadier…general　at
Ratisbon　and　a　general　of　the　division　on　the　field　of　Wagram；　died　at
Vienna　almost　immediately　after　his　promotion；　or　his　name　and　ability
would　sooner　or　later　have　brought　him　the　marshal's　baton。　Under　the
Restoration　he　would　certainly　have　repaired　the　fortunes　of　a　great
and　noble　family　so　brilliant　even　as　far　back　as　1100；　centuries
before　they　took　the　French　titlefor　the　Rusticoli　had　given　a　pope
to　the　church　and　twice　revolutionized　the　kingdom　of　Naplesso
illustrious　again　under　the　Valois；　so　dexterous　in　the　days　of　the
Fronde；　that　obstinate　Frondeurs　though　they　were；　they　still　existed
through　the　reign　of　Louis　XIV。　Mazarin　favored　them；　there　was　the
Tuscan　strain　in　them　still；　and　he　recognized　it。

〃Today；　when　Charles　Edward　de　la　Palferine's　name　is　mentioned；　not
three　persons　in　a　hundred　know　the　history　of　his　house。　But　the
Bourbons　have　actually　left　a　Foix…Grailly　to　live　by　his　easel。

〃Ah；　if　you　but　knew　how　brilliantly　Charles　Edward　accepts　his
obscure　position！　how　he　scoffs　at　the　bourgeois　of　1830！　What　Attic
salt　in　his　wit！　He　would　be　the　king　of　Bohemia；　if　Bohemia　would
endure　a　king。　His　/verve/　is　inexhaustible。　To　him　we　owe　a　map　of
the　country　and　the　names　of　the　seven　castles　which　Nodier　could　not
discover。〃

〃The　one　thing　wanting　in　one　of　the　cleverest　skits　of　our　time；〃
said　the　Marquise。

〃You　can　form　your　own　opinion　of　La　Palferine　from　a　few
characteristic　touches；〃　continued　Nathan。　〃He　once　came　upon　a　friend
of　his；　a　fellow…Bohemian；　involved　in　a　dispute　on　the　boulevard　with
a　bourgeois　who　chose　to　consider　himself　affronted。　To　the　modern
powers　that　be；　Bohemia　is　insolent　in　the　extreme。　There　was　talk　of
calling　one　another　out。

〃　'One　moment；'　interposed　La　Palferine；　as　much　Lauzun　for　the
occasion　as　Lauzun　himself　could　have　been。　'One　moment。　Monsieur　was
born；　I　suppose？'

〃　'What；　sir？'

〃　'Yes；　are　you　born？　What　is　your　name？'

〃　'Godin。'

〃　'Godin；　eh！'　exclaimed　La　Palferine's　friend。

〃　'One　moment；　my　dear　fellow；'　interrupted　La　Palferine。　'There　are
the　Trigaudins。　Are　you　one　of　them？'

〃Astonishment。

〃　'No？　Then　you　are　one　of　the　new　dukes　of　Gaeta；　I　suppose；　of
imperial　creation？　No？　Oh；　well；　how　can　you　expect　my　friend　to　cross
swords　with　you　when　he　will　be　secretary　of　an　embassy　and　ambassador
/some　day/；　and　you　will　owe　him　respect？　/Godin！/　the　thing　is　non…
existent！　You　are　a　nonentity；　Godin。　My　friend　cannot　be　expected　to
beat　the　air！　When　one　is　s