an old maid-第1部分

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An　Old　Maid



by　Honore　de　Balzac



Translated　by　Katharine　Prescott　Wormeley






DEDICATION



To　Monsieur　Eugene…Auguste…Georges…Louis　Midy　de　la　Greneraye

Surville；　Royal　Engineer　of　the　Ponts　at　Chausses。



As　a　testimony　to　the　affection　of　his　brother…in…law；



De　Balzac









AN　OLD　MAID







CHAPTER　I



ONE　OF　MANY　CHEVALIERS　DE　VALOIS



Most　persons　have　encountered；　in　certain　provinces　in　France；　a

number　of　Chevaliers　de　Valois。　One　lived　in　Normandy；　another　at

Bourges；　a　third　（with　whom　we　have　here　to　do）　flourished　in　Alencon；

and　doubtless　the　South　possesses　others。　The　number　of　the　Valesian

tribe　is；　however；　of　no　consequence　to　the　present　tale。　All　these

chevaliers；　among　whom　were　doubtless　some　who　were　Valois　as　Louis

XIV。　was　Bourbon；　knew　so　little　of　one　another　that　it　was　not

advisable　to　speak　to　one　about　the　others。　They　were　all　willing　to

leave　the　Bourbons　in　tranquil　possession　of　the　throne　of　France；　for

it　was　too　plainly　established　that　Henri　IV。　became　king　for　want　of

a　male　heir　in　the　first　Orleans　branch　called　the　Valois。　If　there

are　any　Valois；　they　descend　from　Charles　de　Valois；　Duc　d'Angouleme；

son　of　Charles　IX。　and　Marie　Touchet；　the　male　line　from　whom　ended；

until　proof　to　the　contrary　be　produced；　in　the　person　of　the　Abbe　de

Rothelin。　The　Valois…Saint…Remy；　who　descended　from　Henri　II。；　also

came　to　an　end　in　the　famous　Lamothe…Valois　implicated　in　the　affair

of　the　Diamond　Necklace。



Each　of　these　many　chevaliers；　if　we　may　believe　reports；　was；　like

the　Chevalier　of　Alencon；　an　old　gentleman；　tall；　thin；　withered；　and

moneyless。　He　of　Bourges　had　emigrated；　he　of　Touraine　hid　himself；　he

of　Alencon　fought　in　La　Vendee　and　〃chouanized〃　somewhat。　The　youth　of

the　latter　was　spend　in　Paris；　where　the　Revolution　overtook　him　when

thirty　years　of　age　in　the　midst　of　his　conquests　and　gallantries。



The　Chevalier　de　Valois　of　Alencon　was　accepted　by　the　highest

aristocracy　of　the　province　as　a　genuine　Valois；　and　he　distinguished

himself；　like　the　rest　of　his　homonyms；　by　excellent　manners；　which

proved　him　a　man　of　society。　He　dined　out　every　day；　and　played　cards

every　evening。　He　was　thought　witty；　thanks　to　his　foible　for　relating

a　quantity　of　anecdotes　on　the　reign　of　Louis　XV。　and　the　beginnings

of　the　Revolution。　When　these　tales　were　heard　for　the　first　time；

they　were　held　to　be　well　narrated。　He　had；　moreover；　the　great　merit

of　not　repeating　his　personal　bons　mots　and　of　never　speaking　of　his

love…affairs；　though　his　smiles　and　his　airs　and　graces　were

delightfully　indiscreet。　The　worthy　gentleman　used　his　privilege　as　a

Voltairean　noble　to　stay　away　from　mass；　and　great　indulgence　was

shown　to　his　irreligion　because　of　his　devotion　to　the　royal　cause。

One　of　his　particular　graces　was　the　air　and　manner　（imitated；　no

doubt；　from　Mole）　with　which　he　took　snuff　from　a　gold　box　adorned

with　the　portrait　of　the　Princess　Goritza；a　charming　Hungarian；

celebrated　for　her　beauty　in　the　last　years　of　the　reign　of　Louis　XV。

Having　been　attached　during　his　youth　to　that　illustrious　stranger；　he

still　mentioned　her　with　emotion。　For　her　sake　he　had　fought　a　duel

with　Monsieur　de　Lauzun。



The　chevalier；　now　fifty…eight　years　of　age；　owned　to　only　fifty；　and

he　might　well　allow　himself　that　innocent　deception；　for；　among　the

other　advantages　granted　to　fair　thin　persons；　he　managed　to　preserve

the　still　youthful　figure　which　saves　men　as　well　as　women　from　an

appearance　of　old　age。　Yes；　remember　this：　all　of　life；　or　rather　all

the　elegance　that　expresses　life；　is　in　the　figure。　Among　the

chevalier's　other　possessions　must　be　counted　an　enormous　nose　with

which　nature　had　endowed　him。　This　nose　vigorously　divided　a　pale　face

into　two　sections　which　seemed　to　have　no　knowledge　of　each　other；　for

one　side　would　redden　under　the　process　of　digestion；　while　the　other

continued　white。　This　fact　is　worthy　of　remark　at　a　period　when

physiology　is　so　busy　with　the　human　heart。　The　incandescence；　so　to

call　it；　was　on　the　left　side。　Though　his　long　slim　legs；　supporting　a

lank　body；　and　his　pallid　skin；　were　not　indicative　of　health；

Monsieur　de　Valois　ate　like　an　ogre　and　declared　he　had　a　malady

called　in　the　provinces　〃hot　liver；〃　perhaps　to　excuse　his　monstrous

appetite。　The　circumstance　of　his　singular　flush　confirmed　this

declaration；　but　in　a　region　where　repasts　are　developed　on　the　line

of　thirty　or　forty　dishes　and　last　four　hours；　the　chevalier's　stomach

would　seem　to　have　been　a　blessing　bestowed　by　Providence　on　the　good

town　of　Alencon。　According　to　certain　doctors；　heat　on　the　left　side

denotes　a　prodigal　heart。　The　chevalier's　gallantries　confirmed　this

scientific　assertion；　the　responsibility　for　which　does　not　rest；

fortunately；　on　the　historian。



In　spite　of　these　symptoms；　Monsieur　de　Valois'　constitution　was

vigorous；　consequently　long…lived。　If　his　liver　〃heated；〃　to　use　an

old…fashioned　word；　his　heart　was　not　less　inflammable。　His　face　was

wrinkled　and　his　hair　silvered；　but　an　intelligent　observer　would　have

recognized　at　once　the　stigmata　of　passion　and　the　furrows　of　pleasure

which　appeared　in　the　crow's…feet　and　the　marches…du…palais；　so　prized

at　the　court　of　Cythera。　Everything　about　this　dainty　chevalier

bespoke　the　〃ladies'　man。〃　He　was　so　minute　in　his　ablutions　that　his

cheeks　were　a　pleasure　to　look　upon；　they　seemed　to　have　been　laved　in

some　miraculous　water。　The　part　of　his　skull　which　his　hair　refused　to

cover　shone　like　ivory。　His　eyebrows；　like　his　hair；　affected　youth　by

the　care　and　regularity　with　which　they　were　combed。　His　skin；　already

white；　seemed　to　have　been　extra…whitened　by　some　secret　compound。

Without　using　perfumes；　the　chevalier　exhaled　a　certain　fragrance　of

youth；　that　refreshed　the　atmosphere。　His　hands；　which　were　those　of　a

gentleman；　and　were　cared　for　like　the　hands　of　a　pretty　woman；

attracted　the　eye　to　their　rosy；　well…shaped　nails。　In　short；　had　it

not　been　for　his　magisterial　and　stupendous　nose；　the　chevalier　might

have　been　thought　a　trifle　too　dainty。



We　must　here　compel　ourselves　to　spoil　this　portrait　by　the　avowal　of

a　littleness。　The　chevalier　put　cotton　in　his　ears；　and　wore；　appended

to　them；　two　little　ear…rings　representing　negroes'　heads　in　diamonds；

of　admirable　workmanship。　He　clung　to　these　singular　appendages；

explaining　that　since　his　ears　had　been　bored　he　had　ceased　to　have

headaches　（he　had　had　headaches）。　We　do　not　present　the　chevalier　as

an　accomplished　man；　but　surely　we　can　pardon；　in　an　old　celibate

whose　heart　sends　so　much　blood　to　his　left　cheek；　these　adorable

qualities；　founded；　perhaps；　on　some　sublime　secret　history。



Besides；　the　Chevalier　de　Valois　redeemed　those　negroes'　heads　by　so

many　other　graces　that　society　felt　itself　sufficiently　compensated。

He　really　took　such　immense　trouble　to　conceal　his　age　and　give

pleasure　to　his　friends。　In　the　first　place；　we　must　call　attention　to

the　extreme　care　he　gave　to　his　linen；　the　only　distinction　that　well…

bred　men　can　nowadays　exhibit　in　their　clothes。　The　linen　of　the

chevalier　was　invariably　of　a　fineness　and　whiteness　that　were　truly

aristocratic。　As　for　his　coat；　though　remarkable　for　its　cleanliness；

it　was　always　half　worn…out；　but　without　spots　or　creases。　The

preservation　of　that　garment　was　something　marvellous　to　those　who

noticed　the　chevalier's　high…bred　indifference　to　its　shabbiness。　He

did　not　go　so　far　as　to　scrape　the　seams　with　glass；a　refinement

invented　by　the　Prince　of　Wales；　but　he　did　practice　the　rudiments　of

English　elegance　with　a　personal　satisfaction　little　understood　by　the

people　of　Alencon。　The　world　owes　a　great　deal　to　persons　who　take

such　pains　to　please　it。　In　this　there　is　certainly　some

accomplishment　of　that　most　difficult　precept　of　the　Gospel　about

rendering　good　for　evil。　This　freshness　of　ablution　and　all　the　other

little　cares　harmonized　charmingly　with　the　blue　eyes；　the　ivory

teeth；　and　the　blond　person　of　the　old　chevalier。



The　only　blemish　was　that　this　retired　Adonis　had　nothing　manly　about

him；　he　seemed　to　be　employing　this　toilet　varnish　to　hide　the　ruins

occasioned　by　the　military　service　of　gallantry　only。　But　we　must

hasten　to　add　that　his　voice　produced　what　might　be　called　an

antithesis　to　his　blond　delicacy。　Unless　you　adopted　the　opinion　of

certain　observers　of　the　human　heart；　and　thought　that　the　chevalier

had　the　voice　of　his　nose；　his　organ　of　speech　would　have　amazed　you

by　its　full　and　redundant　sound。　Without　possessing　the　volume　of

classical　bass　voices；　the　tone　of　it　was　pleasing　from　a　slightly

muffled　quality　like　that　of　an　English　bugle；　which　is　firm　and

sweet；　strong　but　velvety。



The　chevalier　had　repudiated　the　ridiculous　costume　still　preserved　by

certain　monarchical　old　men；　he　had　frankly　modernized　himself。　He　was

always　seen　in　a　maroon…colored　coat　with　gilt　buttons；　half…tight

breeches　of　poult…de…soie　with　gold　buckles；　a　white　waistcoat　without

embroidery；　and　a　tight　cravat　showing　no　shirt…collar；a　last

vestige　of　the　old　French　costume　which　he　did　not　renounce；　perhaps；

because　it　enabled　him　to　show　a　neck　like　that　of　the　sleekest　abbe。

His　shoes　were　noticeable　for　their　square　buckles；　a　style　of　which

the　present　generation　has　no　knowledge；　these　buckles　were　fastened

to　a　square　of　polished　black　leather。　The　chevalier　allowed　two

watch…chains　to　hang　parallel　to　each　other　from　each　of　his　waistcoat

pockets；another　vestige　of　the　eighteenth　century；　which　the

Incroyables　had　not　disdained　to　use　under　the　Directory。　This

transition　costume；　uniting　as　it　did　two　centuries；　was　worn　by　the

chevalier　with　the　high…bred　grace　of　an　old　French　marquis；　the

secret　of　which　is　lost　to　France　since　the　day　when　Fleury；　Mole's

last　pupil；　van