the lily of the valley-第26章

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　　man　among　his　peers。　I　behold　you　now　armed　with　a　youth　that

　　pleases；　grace　which　attracts；　and　wisdom　with　which　to　preserve

　　your　conquests。　All　that　I　have　now　told　you　can　be　summed　up　in

　　two　words；　two　old…fashioned　words；　〃Noblesse　oblige。〃



　　Now　apply　these　precepts　to　the　management　of　life。　You　will　hear

　　many　persons　say　that　strategy　is　the　chief　element　of　success；

　　that　the　best　way　to　press　through　the　crowd　is　to　set　some　men

　　against　other　men　and　so　take　their　places。　That　was　a　good　system

　　for　the　Middle　Ages；　when　princes　had　to　destroy　their　rivals　by

　　pitting　one　against　the　other；　but　in　these　days；　all　things　being

　　done　in　open　day；　I　am　afraid　it　would　do　you　ill…service。　No；　you

　　must　meet　your　competitors　face　to　face；　be　they　loyal　and　true

　　men；　or　traitorous　enemies　whose　weapons　are　calumny；　evil…

　　speaking；　and　fraud。　But　remember　this；　you　have　no　more　powerful

　　auxiliaries　than　these　men　themselves；　they　are　their　own　enemies；

　　fight　them　with　honest　weapons；　and　sooner　or　later　they　are

　　condemned。　As　to　the　first　of　them；　loyal　men　and　true；　your

　　straightforwardness　will　obtain　their　respect；　and　the　differences

　　between　you　once　settled　（for　all　things　can　be　settled）；　these

　　men　will　serve　you。　Do　not　be　afraid　of　making　enemies；　woe　to　him

　　who　has　none　in　the　world　you　are　about　to　enter；　but　try　to　give

　　no　handle　for　ridicule　or　disparagement。　I　say　TRY；　for　in　Paris　a

　　man　cannot　always　belong　solely　to　himself；　he　is　sometimes　at　the

　　mercy　of　circumstances；　you　will　not　always　be　able　to　avoid　the

　　mud　in　the　gutter　nor　the　tile　that　falls　from　the　roof。　The　moral

　　world　has　gutters　where　persons　of　no　reputation　endeavor　to

　　splash　the　mud　in　which　they　live　upon　men　of　honor。　But　you　can

　　always　compel　respect　by　showing　that　you　are；　under　all

　　circumstances；　immovable　in　your　principles。　In　the　conflict　of

　　opinions；　in　the　midst　of　quarrels　and　cross…purposes；　go　straight

　　to　the　point；　keep　resolutely　to　the　question；　never　fight　except

　　for　the　essential　thing；　and　put　your　whole　strength　into　that。

　　You　know　how　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　hates　Napoleon；　how　he　curses

　　him　and　pursues　him　as　justice　does　a　criminal；　demanding

　　punishment　day　and　night　for　the　death　of　the　Duc　d'Enghien；　the

　　only　death；　the　only　misfortune；　that　ever　brought　the　tears　to

　　his　eyes；　well；　he　nevertheless　admired　him　as　the　greatest　of

　　captains；　and　has　often　explained　to　me　his　strategy。　May　not　the

　　same　tactics　be　applied　to　the　war　of　human　interests；　they　would

　　economize　time　as　heretofore　they　economized　men　and　space。　Think

　　this　over；　for　as　a　woman　I　am　liable　to　be　mistaken　on　such

　　points　which　my　sex　judges　only　by　instinct　and　sentiment。　One

　　point；　however；　I　may　insist　on；　all　trickery；　all　deception；　is

　　certain　to　be　discovered　and　to　result　in　doing　harm；　whereas

　　every　situation　presents　less　danger　if　a　man　plants　himself

　　firmly　on　his　own　truthfulness。　If　I　may　cite　my　own　case；　I　can

　　tell　you　that；　obliged　as　I　am　by　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf's　condition

　　to　avoid　litigation　and　to　bring　to　an　immediate　settlement　all

　　difficulties　which　arise　in　the　management　of　Clochegourde；　and

　　which　would　otherwise　cause　him　an　excitement　under　which　his　mind

　　would　succumb；　I　have　invariably　settled　matters　promptly　by

　　taking　hold　of　the　knot　of　the　difficulty　and　saying　to　our

　　opponents：　〃We　will　either　untie　it　or　cut　it！〃



　　It　will　often　happen　that　you　do　a　service　to　others　and　find

　　yourself　ill…rewarded；　I　beg　you　not　to　imitate　those　who　complain

　　of　men　and　declare　them　to　be　all　ungrateful。　That　is　putting

　　themselves　on　a　pedestal　indeed！　and　surely　it　is　somewhat　silly

　　to　admit　their　lack　of　knowledge　of　the　world。　But　you；　I　trust；

　　will　not　do　good　as　a　usurer　lends　his　money；　you　will　do　itwill

　　you　not？for　good's　sake。　Noblesse　oblige。　Nevertheless；　do　not

　　bestow　such　services　as　to　force　others　to　ingratitude；　for　if　you

　　do；　they　will　become　your　most　implacable　enemies；　obligations

　　sometimes　lead　to　despair；　like　the　despair　of　ruin　itself；　which

　　is　capable　of　very　desperate　efforts。　As　for　yourself；　accept　as

　　little　as　you　can　from　others。　Be　no　man's　vassal；　and　bring

　　yourself　out　of　your　own　difficulties。



　　You　see；　dear　friend；　I　am　advising　you　only　on　the　lesser　points

　　of　life。　In　the　world　of　politics　things　wear　a　different　aspect；

　　the　rules　which　are　to　guide　your　individual　steps　give　way　before

　　the　national　interests。　If　you　reach　that　sphere　where　great　men

　　revolve　you　will　be；　like　God　himself；　the　sole　arbiter　of　your

　　determinations。　You　will　no　longer　be　a　man；　but　law；　the　living

　　law；　no　longer　an　individual；　you　are　then　the　Nation　incarnate。

　　But　remember　this；　though　you　judge；　you　will　yourself　be　judged；

　　hereafter　you　will　be　summoned　before　the　ages；　and　you　know

　　history　well　enough　to　be　fully　informed　as　to　what　deeds　and　what

　　sentiments　have　led　to　true　grandeur。



　　I　now　come　to　a　serious　matter；　your　conduct　towards　women。

　　Wherever　you　visit　make　it　a　principle　not　to　fritter　yourself

　　away　in　a　petty　round　of　gallantry。　A　man　of　the　last　century　who

　　had　great　social　success　never　paid　attention　to　more　than　one

　　woman　of　an　evening；　choosing　the　one　who　seemed　the　most

　　neglected。　That　man；　my　dear　child；　controlled　his　epoch。　He

　　wisely　reckoned　that　by　a　given　time　all　women　would　speak　well　of

　　him。　Many　young　men　waste　their　most　precious　possession；　namely；

　　the　time　necessary　to　create　connections　which　contribute　more

　　than　all　else　to　social　success。　Your　springtime　is　short；

　　endeavor　to　make　the　most　of　it。　Cultivate　influential　women。

　　Influential　women　are　old　women；　they　will　teach　you　the

　　intermarriages　and　the　secrets　of　all　the　families　of　the　great

　　world；　they　will　show　you　the　cross…roads　which　will　bring　you

　　soonest　to　your　goal。　They　will　be　fond　of　you。　The　bestowal　of

　　protection　is　their　last　form　of　lovewhen　they　are　not　devout。

　　They　will　do　you　innumerable　good　services；　sing　your　praises　and

　　make　you　desirable　to　society。　Avoid　young　women。　Do　not　think　I

　　say　this　from　personal　self…interest。　The　woman　of　fifty　will　do

　　all　for　you；　the　woman　of　twenty　will　do　nothing；　she　wants　your

　　whole　life　while　the　other　asks　only　a　few　attentions。　Laugh　with

　　the　young　women；　meet　them　for　pastime　merely；　they　are　incapable

　　of　serious　thought。　Young　women；　dear　friend；　are　selfish；　vain；

　　petty；　ignorant　of　true　friendship；　they　love　no　one　but

　　themselves；　they　would　sacrifice　you　to　an　evening's　success。

　　Besides；　they　all　want　absolute　devotion；　and　your　present

　　situation　requires　that　devotion　be　shown　to　you；　two

　　irreconcilable　needs！　None　of　these　young　women　would　enter　into

　　your　interests；　they　would　think　of　themselves　and　not　of　you；

　　they　would　injure　you　more　by　their　emptiness　and　frivolity　than

　　they　could　serve　you　by　their　love；　they　will　waste　your　time

　　unscrupulously；　hinder　your　advance　to　fortune；　and　end　by

　　destroying　your　future　with　the　best　grace　possible。　If　you

　　complain；　the　silliest　of　them　will　make　you　think　that　her　glove

　　is　more　precious　than　fortune；　and　that　nothing　is　so　glorious　as

　　to　be　her　slave。　They　will　all　tell　you　that　they　bestow

　　happiness；　and　thus　lull　you　to　forget　your　nobler　destiny。

　　Believe　me；　the　happiness　they　give　is　transitory；　your　great

　　career　will　endure。　You　know　not　with　what　perfidious　cleverness

　　they　contrive　to　satisfy　their　caprices；　nor　the　art　with　which

　　they　will　convert　your　passing　fancy　into　a　love　which　ought　to　be

　　eternal。　The　day　when　they　abandon　you　they　will　tell　you　that　the

　　words；　〃I　no　longer　love　you；〃　are　a　full　justification　of　their

　　conduct；　just　as　the　words；　〃I　love；〃　justified　their　winning　you；

　　they　will　declare　that　love　is　involuntary　and　not　to　be　coerced。

　　Absurd！　Believe　me；　dear；　true　love　is　eternal；　infinite；　always

　　like　unto　itself；　it　is　equable；　pure；　without　violent

　　demonstration；　white　hair　often　covers　the　head　but　the　heart　that

　　holds　it　is　ever　young。　No　such　love　is　found　among　the　women　of

　　the　world；　all　are　playing　comedy；　this　one　will　interest　you　by

　　her　misfortunes；　she　seems　the　gentlest　and　least　exacting　of　her

　　sex；　but　when　once　she　is　necessary　to　you；　you　will　feel　the

　　tyranny　of　weakness　and　will　do　her　will；　you　may　wish　to　be　a

　　diplomat；　to　go　and　come；　and　study　men　and　interests；no；　you

　　must　stay　in　Paris；　or　at　her　country…place；　sewn　to　her

　　petticoat；　and　the　more　devotion　you　show　the　more　ungrateful　and

　　exacting　she　will　be。　Another　will　attract　you　by　her

　　submissiveness；　she　will　be　your　attendant；　follow　you

　　romantically　about；　compromise　herself　to　keep　you；　and　be　the

　　millstone　about　your　neck。　You　will　drown　yourself　some　day；　but

　　the　woman　will　come　to　the　surface。



　　The　least　manoeuvring　of　these　women　of　the　world　have　many　nets。

　　The　silliest　triumph　because　too　foolish　to　excite　distrust。　The

　　one　to　be　feared　least　may　be　the　woman　of　gallantry　whom　you　love

　　without　exactly　knowing　why；　she　will　leave　you　for　no　motive　and

　　go　back　to　you　out　of　vanity。　All　these　women　will　injure　you；

　　either　in　the　present　or　the　future。　Every　young　woman　who　enters

　　society　and　lives　a　life　of　pleasure　and　of　gratified　vanity　is

　　semi…corrupt　and　will　corrupt　you。　Among　them　you　will　not　find

　　the　chaste　and　tranquil　being　in　whom　you　may　forever　reign。　Ah！

　　she　who　loves　you　will　love　solitude；　the　festivals　of　her　heart

　　will　be　your　glances；　she　will　live　upon　your　words。　May　she　be

　　all　the　world　to　you；　for　you　will　be　all　in　all　to　her。　Love　her

　　well；　give　her　neither　griefs　nor　rivals；　do　not　rouse　her

　　jealousy。　To　be　loved；　dear；　to　be　comprehended；　is　the　greatest

　　of　all　joys；　I　pray　that　you　may　taste　it！　But　run　no　risk　of

　　injuring　the　flower　of　your　soul；　be　sure；　be　very　sure　of　the

　　heart　in　which　you　place　your　affections。　That　woman　will　never　be

　　her　own　self；　she　will　never　think　of　herself；　but　of　you。　She

　　will　never　oppose　you；　she　will　have　no　interests　of　her　own；　for

　　you　she　will　see　a　danger　where　you　can　see　none　and　where　she

　　would　be　oblivious　of　her　own。　If　she　suffers　it　will　be　in

　　silence；　she　will　have　no　personal　vanity；　but　deep　reverence　for

　　whatever　in　her　has　won　your　love。　Respond　to　such　a　love　by

　　surpassing　it。　If　you　are　fortunate　enough　to　find　that　which　I；

　　your　poor　friend；　must　ever　be　without；　I　mean　a　love　mutually

　　inspired；　mutually　felt；　remember　that　in　a　valley　lives　a　mother

　　whose　heart　is　so　filled　with　the　feelings　you　have　put　there　that

　　you　can　never　sound　its　depths。　Yes；　I　bear　you　an　affection　which

　　you　will　never　know　to　it