the alkahest-第1章

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The　Alkahest



by　Honore　de　Balzac



Translated　by　Katharine　Prescott　Wormeley






DEDICATION



　　To　Madame　Josephine　Delannoy　nee　Doumerc。



　　Madame；　may　God　grant　that　this；　my　book；　may　live　longer　than　I；

　　for　then　the　gratitude　which　I　owe　to　you；　and　which　I　hope　will

　　equal　your　almost　maternal　kindness　to　me；　would　last　beyond　the

　　limits　prescribed　for　human　affection。　This　sublime　privilege　of

　　prolonging　life　in　our　hearts　for　a　time　by　the　life　of　the　work

　　we　leave　behind　us　would　be　（if　we　could　only　be　sure　of　gaining

　　it　at　last）　a　reward　indeed　for　all　the　labor　undertaken　by　those

　　who　aspire　to　such　an　immortality。



　　Yet　again　I　sayMay　God　grant　it！



DE　BALZAC。











THE　ALKAHEST

（THE　HOUSE　OF　CLAES）







CHAPTER　I



There　is　a　house　at　Douai　in　the　rue　de　Paris；　whose　aspect；　interior

arrangements；　and　details　have　preserved；　to　a　greater　degree　than

those　of　other　domiciles；　the　characteristics　of　the　old　Flemish

buildings；　so　naively　adapted　to　the　patriarchal　manners　and　customs

of　that　excellent　land。　Before　describing　this　house　it　may　be　well；

in　the　interest　of　other　writers；　to　explain　the　necessity　for　such

didactic　preliminaries；since　they　have　roused　a　protest　from　certain

ignorant　and　voracious　readers　who　want　emotions　without　undergoing

the　generating　process；　the　flower　without　the　seed；　the　child　without

gestation。　Is　Art　supposed　to　have　higher　powers　than　Nature？



The　events　of　human　existence；　whether　public　or　private；　are　so

closely　allied　to　architecture　that　the　majority　of　observers　can

reconstruct　nations　and　individuals；　in　their　habits　and　ways　of　life；

from　the　remains　of　public　monuments　or　the　relics　of　a　home。

Archaeology　is　to　social　nature　what　comparative　anatomy　is　to

organized　nature。　A　mosaic　tells　the　tale　of　a　society；　as　the

skeleton　of　an　ichthyosaurus　opens　up　a　creative　epoch。　All　things　are

linked　together；　and　all　are　therefore　deducible。　Causes　suggest

effects；　effects　lead　back　to　causes。　Science　resuscitates　even　the

warts　of　the　past　ages。



Hence　the　keen　interest　inspired　by　an　architectural　description；

provided　the　imagination　of　the　writer　does　not　distort　essential

facts。　The　mind　is　enabled　by　rigid　deduction　to　link　it　with　the

past；　and　to　man；　the　past　is　singularly　like　the　future；　tell　him

what　has　been；　and　you　seldom　fail　to　show　him　what　will　be。　It　is

rare　indeed　that　the　picture　of　a　locality　where　lives　are　lived　does

not　recall　to　some　their　dawning　hopes；　to　others　their　wasted　faith。

The　comparison　between　a　present　which　disappoints　man's　secret　wishes

and　a　future　which　may　realize　them；　is　an　inexhaustible　source　of

sadness　or　of　placid　content。



Thus；　it　is　almost　impossible　not　to　feel　a　certain　tender　sensibility

over　a　picture　of　Flemish　life；　if　the　accessories　are　clearly　given。

Why　so？　Perhaps；　among　other　forms　of　existence；　it　offers　the　best

conclusion　to　man's　uncertainties。　It　has　its　social　festivities；　its

family　ties；　and　the　easy　affluence　which　proves　the　stability　of　its

comfortable　well…being；　it　does　not　lack　repose　amounting　almost　to

beatitude；　but；　above　all；　it　expresses　the　calm　monotony　of　a　frankly

sensuous　happiness；　where　enjoyment　stifles　desire　by　anticipating　it。

Whatever　value　a　passionate　soul　may　attach　to　the　tumultuous　life　of

feeling；　it　never　sees　without　emotion　the　symbols　of　this　Flemish

nature；　where　the　throbbings　of　the　heart　are　so　well　regulated　that

superficial　minds　deny　the　heart's　existence。　The　crowd　prefers　the

abnormal　force　which　overflows　to　that　which　moves　with　steady

persistence。　The　world　has　neither　time　nor　patience　to　realize　the

immense　power　concealed　beneath　an　appearance　of　uniformity。

Therefore；　to　impress　this　multitude　carried　away　on　the　current　of

existence；　passion；　like　a　great　artist；　is　compelled　to　go　beyond　the

mark；　to　exaggerate；　as　did　Michael　Angelo；　Bianca　Capello；

Mademoiselle　de　la　Valliere；　Beethoven；　and　Paganini。　Far…seeing　minds

alone　disapprove　such　excess；　and　respect　only　the　energy　represented

by　a　finished　execution　whose　perfect　quiet　charms　superior　men。　The

life　of　this　essentially　thrifty　people　amply　fulfils　the　conditions

of　happiness　which　the　masses　desire　as　the　lot　of　the　average

citizen。



A　refined　materialism　is　stamped　on　all　the　habits　of　Flemish　life。

English　comfort　is　harsh　in　tone　and　arid　in　color；　whereas　the　old…

fashioned　Flemish　interiors　rejoice　the　eye　with　their　mellow　tints；

and　the　feelings　with　their　genuine　heartiness。　There；　work　implies　no

weariness；　and　the　pipe　is　a　happy　adaptation　of　Neapolitan　〃far…

niente。〃　Thence　comes　the　peaceful　sentiment　in　Art　（its　most

essential　condition）；　patience；　and　the　element　which　renders　its

creations　durable；　namely；　conscience。　Indeed；　the　Flemish　character

lies　in　the　two　words；　patience　and　conscience；　words　which　seem　at

first　to　exclude　the　richness　of　poetic　light　and　shade；　and　to　make

the　manners　and　customs　of　the　country　as　flat　as　its　vast　plains；　as

cold　as　its　foggy　skies。　And　yet　it　is　not　so。　Civilization　has

brought　her　power　to　bear；　and　has　modified　all　things；　even　the

effects　of　climate。　If　we　observe　attentively　the　productions　of

various　parts　of　the　globe；　we　are　surprised　to　find　that　the

prevailing　tints　from　the　temperate　zones　are　gray　or　fawn；　while　the

more　brilliant　colors　belong　to　the　products　of　the　hotter　climates。

The　manners　and　customs　of　a　country　must　naturally　conform　to　this

law　of　nature。



Flanders；　which　in　former　times　was　essentially　dun…colored　and

monotonous　in　tint；　learned　the　means　of　irradiating　its　smoky

atmosphere　through　its　political　vicissitudes；　which　brought　it　under

the　successive　dominion　of　Burgundy；　Spain；　and　France；　and　threw　it

into　fraternal　relations　with　Germany　and　Holland。　From　Spain　it

acquired　the　luxury　of　scarlet　dyes　and　shimmering　satins；　tapestries

of　vigorous　design；　plumes；　mandolins；　and　courtly　bearing。　In

exchange　for　its　linen　and　its　laces；　it　brought　from　Venice　that

fairy　glass…ware　in　which　wine　sparkles　and　seems　the　mellower。　From

Austria　it　learned　the　ponderous　diplomacy　which；　to　use　a　popular

saying；　takes　three　steps　backward　to　one　forward；　while　its　trade

with　India　poured　into　it　the　grotesque　designs　of　China　and　the

marvels　of　Japan。



And　yet；　in　spite　of　its　patience　in　gathering　such　treasures；　its

tenacity　in　parting　with　no　possession　once　gained；　its　endurance　of

all　things；　Flanders　was　considered　nothing　more　than　the　general

storehouse　of　Europe；　until　the　day　when　the　discovery　of　tobacco

brought　into　one　smoky　outline　the　scattered　features　of　its　national

physiognomy。　Thenceforth；　and　notwithstanding　the　parcelling　out　of

their　territory；　the　Flemings　became　a　people　homogeneous　through

their　pipes　and　beer。＇*＇



＇*＇　Flanders　was　parcelled　into　three　divisions；　of　which　Eastern

　　　　Flanders；　capital　Ghent；　and　Western　Flanders；　capital　Bruges；　are

　　　　two　provinces　of　Belgium。　French　Flanders；　capital　Lille；　is　the

　　　　Departement　du　Nord　of　France。　Douai；　about　twenty　miles　from

　　　　Lille；　is　the　chief　town　of　the　arrondissement　du　Nord。



After　assimilating；　by　constant　sober　regulation　of　conduct；　the

products　and　the　ideas　of　its　masters　and　its　neighbors；　this　country

of　Flanders；　by　nature　so　tame　and　devoid　of　poetry；　worked　out　for

itself　an　original　existence；　with　characteristic　manners　and　customs

which　bear　no　signs　of　servile　imitation。　Art　stripped　off　its

ideality　and　produced　form　alone。　We　may　seek　in　vain　for　plastic

grace；　the　swing　of　comedy；　dramatic　action；　musical　genius；　or　the

bold　flight　of　ode　and　epic。　On　the　other　hand；　the　people　are　fertile

in　discoveries；　and　trained　to　scientific　discussions　which　demand

time　and　the　midnight　oil。　All　things　bear　the　ear…mark　of　temporal

enjoyment。　There　men　look　exclusively　to　the　thing　that　is：　their

thoughts　are　so　scrupulously　bent　on　supplying　the　wants　of　this　life

that　they　have　never　risen；　in　any　direction；　above　the　level　of　this

present　earth。　The　sole　idea　they　have　ever　conceived　of　the　future　is

that　of　a　thrifty；　prosaic　statecraft：　their　revolutionary　vigor　came

from　a　domestic　desire　to　live　as　they　liked；　with　their　elbows　on　the

table；　and　to　take　their　ease　under　the　projecting　roofs　of　their　own

porches。



The　consciousness　of　well…being　and　the　spirit　of　independence　which

comes　of　prosperity　begot　in　Flanders；　sooner　than　elsewhere；　that

craving　for　liberty　which；　later；　permeated　all　Europe。　Thus　the

compactness　of　their　ideas；　and　the　tenacity　which　education　grafted

on　their　nature　made　the　Flemish　people　a　formidable　body　of　men　in

the　defence　of　their　rights。　Among　them　nothing　is　half…done；neither

houses；　furniture；　dikes；　husbandry；　nor　revolutions；　and　they　hold　a

monopoly　of　all　that　they　undertake。　The　manufacture　of　linen；　and

that　of　lace；　a　work　of　patient　agriculture　and　still　more　patient

industry；　are　hereditary　like　their　family　fortunes。　If　we　were　asked

to　show　in　human　form　the　purest　specimen　of　solid　stability；　we　could

do　no　better　than　point　to　a　portrait　of　some　old　burgomaster；

capable；　as　was　proved　again　and　again；　of　dying　in　a　commonplace　way；

and　without　the　incitements　of　glory；　for　the　welfare　of　his　Free…

town。



Yet　we　shall　find　a　tender　and　poetic　side　to　this　patriarchal　life；

which　will　come　naturally　to　the　surface　in　the　description　of　an

ancient　house　which；　at　the　period　when　this　history　begins；　was　one

of　the　last　in　Douai　to　preserve　the　old…time　characteristics　of

Flemish　life。



Of　all　the　towns　in　the　Departement　du　Nord；　Douai　is；　alas；　the　most

modernized：　there　the　innovating　spirit　has　made　the　greatest　strides；

and　the　love　of　social　progress　is　the　most　diffused。　There　the　old

buildings　are　daily　disappearing；　and　the　manners　and　customs　of　a

venerable　past　are　being　rapidly　obliterated。　Parisian　ideas　and

fashions　and　modes　of　life　now　rule　the　day；　and　soon　nothing　will　be

left　of　that　ancient　Flemish　life　but　the　warmth　of　its　hospitality；

its　traditional　Spanish　courtesy；　and　the　wealth　and　cleanliness　of

Holland。　Mansions　of　white　stone　are　replacing　the　old　brick

buildings；　and　the　cosy　comfort　of　Batavian　interiors　is　fast　yielding

before　the　capricious　elegance　of　Parisian　novelties。



The　house　in　which　the　events　of　this　history　occurred　stands　at　about

the　middle　of　the　rue　de　Paris；　and　has　been　known　at　Douai　for　more

than　two　centuries　as　the　House　of　Claes。　The　Van　Claes　were　formerly

one　of　the　great　families　of　craftsmen　to　whom；　in　various　lines　of

production；　the　Netherlands　owed　a　commercial　supremacy　which　it　has

never　lost。　For　a　long　period　of　time　the　Claes　lived　at　Ghent；　and

were；　from　generation　to　generation；　the　syndics