the red inn-第7章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
assumed the color of a criminal passion。 I despised myself for bowing
to Taillefer when； by chance； he accompanied his daughter； but I bowed
to him all the same。
Alas！ for my misfortune Victorine is not only a pretty girl； she is
also educated； intelligent； full of talent and of charm； without the
slightest pedantry or the faintest tinge of assumption。 She converses
with reserve； and her nature has a melancholy grace which no one can
resist。 She loves me； or at least she lets me think so； she has a
certain smile which she keeps for me alone； for me； her voice grows
softer still。 Oh； yes！ she loves me！ But she adores her father； she
tells me of his kindness； his gentleness； his excellent qualities。
Those praises are so many dagger…thrusts with which she stabs me to
the heart。
One day I came near making myself the accomplice； as it were； of the
crime which led to the opulence of the Taillefer family。 I was on the
point of asking the father for Victorine's hand。 But I fled； I
travelled； I went to Germany； to Andernach； and thenI returned！ I
found Victorine pale； and thinner； if I had seen her well in health
and gay； I should certainly have been saved。 Instead of which my love
burst out again with untold violence。 Fearing that my scruples might
degenerate into monomania； I resolved to convoke a sanhedrim of sound
consciences； and obtain from them some light on this problem of high
morality and philosophy；a problem which had been； as we shall see；
still further complicated since my return。
Two days ago； therefore； I collected those of my friends to whom I
attribute most delicacy； probity； and honor。 I invited two Englishmen；
the secretary of an embassy； and a puritan； a former minister； now a
mature statesman； a priest； an old man； also my former guardian； a
simple…hearted being who rendered so loyal a guardianship account that
the memory of it is still green at the Palais； besides these； there
were present a judge； a lawyer； and a notary；in short； all social
opinions； and all practical virtues。
We began by dining well； talking well； and making some noise； then； at
dessert； I related my history candidly； and asked for advice；
concealing； of course； the Taillefer name。
A profound silence suddenly fell upon the company。 Then the notary
took leave。 He had； he said； a deed to draw。
The wine and the good dinner had reduced my former guardian to
silence； in fact I was obliged later in the evening to put him under
guardianship； to make sure of no mishap to him on his way home。
〃I understand！〃 I cried。 〃By not giving an opinion you tell me
energetically enough what I ought to do。〃
On this there came a stir throughout the assembly。
A capitalist who had subscribed for the children and tomb of General
Foy exclaimed：
〃Like Virtue's self； a crime has its degrees。〃
〃Rash tongue！〃 said the former minister； in a low voice； nudging me
with his elbow。
〃Where's your difficulty？〃 asked a duke whose fortune is derived from
the estates of stubborn Protestants； confiscated on the revocation of
the Edict of Nantes。
The lawyer rose； and said：
〃In law； the case submitted to us presents no difficulty。 Monsieur le
duc is right！〃 cried the legal organ。 〃There are time limitations。
Where should we all be if we had to search into the origin of
fortunes？ This is simply an affair of conscience。 If you must
absolutely carry the case before some tribunal； go to that of the
confessional。〃
The Code incarnate ceased speaking； sat down； and drank a glass of
champagne。 The man charged with the duty of explaining the gospel； the
good priest； rose。
〃God has made us all frail beings；〃 he said firmly。 〃If you love the
heiress of that crime； marry her； but content yourself with the
property she derives from her mother； give that of the father to the
poor。〃
〃But；〃 cried one of those pitiless hair…splitters who are often to be
met with in the world； 〃perhaps the father could make a rich marriage
only because he was rich himself； consequently； the marriage was the
fruit of the crime。〃
〃This discussion is； in itself； a verdict。 There are some things on
which a man does not deliberate；〃 said my former guardian； who thought
to enlighten the assembly with a flash of inebriety。
〃Yes！〃 said the secretary of an embassy。
〃Yes！〃 said the priest。
But the two men did not mean the same thing。
A 〃doctrinaire；〃 who had missed his election to the Chamber by one
hundred and fifty votes out of one hundred and fifty…five； here rose。
〃Messieurs；〃 he said； 〃this phenomenal incident of intellectual nature
is one of those which stand out vividly from the normal condition to
which sobriety is subjected。 Consequently the decision to be made
ought to be the spontaneous act of our consciences； a sudden
conception； a prompt inward verdict； a fugitive shadow of our mental
apprehension； much like the flashes of sentiment which constitute
taste。 Let us vote。〃
〃Let us vote！〃 cried all my guests。
I have each two balls； one white； one red。 The white； symbol of
virginity； was to forbid the marriage； the red ball sanctioned it。 I
myself abstained from voting； out of delicacy。
My friends were seventeen in number； nine was therefore the majority。
Each man put his ball into the wicker basket with a narrow throat；
used to hold the numbered balls when card…players draw for their
places at pool。 We were all roused to a more or less keen curiosity；
for this balloting to clarify morality was certainly original。
Inspection of the ballot…box showed the presence of nine white balls！
The result did not surprise me； but it came into my heard to count the
young men of my own age whom I had brought to sit in judgment。 These
casuists were precisely nine in number； they all had the same thought。
〃Oh； oh！〃 I said to myself； 〃here is secret unanimity to forbid the
marriage； and secret unanimity to sanction it！ How shall I solve that
problem？〃
〃Where does the father…in…law live？〃 asked one my school…friends；
heedlessly； being less sophisticated than the others。
〃There's no longer a father…in…law；〃 I replied。 〃Hitherto； my
conscience has spoken plainly enough to make your verdict superfluous。
If to…day its voice is weakened； here is the cause of my cowardice。 I
received； about two months ago； this all…seducing letter。〃
And I showed them the following invitation； which I took from my
pocket…book：
〃You are invited to be present at the funeral procession； burial
services； and interment of Monsieur Jean…Frederic Taillefer； of
the house of Taillefer and Company； formerly Purveyor of
Commissary…meats； in his lifetime chevalier of the Legion of
honor； and of the Golden Spur； captain of the first company of the
Grenadiers of the National Guard of Paris； deceased； May 1st； at
his residence； rue Joubert； which will take place at； etc。； etc。
〃On the part of； etc。〃
〃Now； what am I do to？〃 I continued； 〃I will put the question before
you in a broad way。 There is undoubtedly a sea of blood in
Mademoiselle Taillefer's estates； her inheritance from her father is a
vast Aceldama。 I know that。 BUT Prosper Magnan left no heirs； BUT；
again； I have been unable to discover the family of the merchant who
was murdered at Andernach。 To whom therefore can I restore that
fortune？ And ought it to be wholly restored？ Have I the right to
betray a secret surprised by me；to add a murdered head to the dowry
of an innocent girl； to give her for the rest of her life bad dreams；
to deprive her of all her illusions； and say； 'Your gold is stained
with blood'？ I have borrowed the 'Dictionary of Cases of Conscience'
from an old ecclesiastic； but I can find nothing there to solve my
doubts。 Shall I found pious masses for the repose of the souls of
Prosper Magnan； Wahlenfer； and Taillefer？ Here we are in the middle of
the nineteenth century！ Shall I build a hospital； or institute a prize
for virtue？ A prize for virtue would be given to scoundrels； and as
for hospitals； they seem to me to have become in these days the
protectors of vice。 Besides； such charitable actions； more or less
profitable to vanity； do they constitute reparation？and to whom do I
owe reparation？ But I love； I love passionately。 My love is my life。
If I； without apparent motive； suggest to a young girl accustomed to
luxury； to elegance； to a life fruitful of all enjoyments of art； a
young girl who loves to idly listen at the opera to Rossini's music；
if to her I should propose that she deprive herself of fifteen hundred
thousand francs in favor of broken…down old men； or scrofulous
paupers； she would turn her back on me and laugh； or her confidential
friend would tell her that I'm a crazy jester。 If in an ecstasy of
love； I should paint to her the charms of a modest life； and a little
home on the banks of the Loire； if I were to ask her to sacrifice her
Parisian life on the altar of our love； it would be； in the first
place； a virtuous lie； in the next； I might only be opening the way to
some painful experience； I might lose the heart of a girl who loves
society； and balls； and personal adornment； and ME for the time being。
Some slim and jaunty officer； with a well…frizzed moustache； who can
play the piano； quote Lord Byron； and ride a horse elegantly； may get
her away from me。 What shall I do？ For Heaven's sake； give me some
advice！〃
The honest man； that species of puritan not unlike the father of
Jeannie Deans； of whom I have already told you； and who； up to the
present moment hadn't uttered a word； shrugged his shoulders； as he
looked at me and said：
〃Idiot！ why did you ask him if he came from Beauvais？〃
ADDENDUM
The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy。
Taillefer； Jean…Frederic
The Firm of Nucingen
Father Goriot
The Magic Skin
Taillefer； Victorine
Father Goriot
End
