bureaucracy-第1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！






Bureaucracy



by　Honore　de　Balzac



Translated　by　Katharine　Prescott　Wormeley








DEDICATION



To　the　Comtesse　Seraphina　San　Severino；　with　the　respectful

homage　of　sincere　and　deep　admiration。

De　Balzac。









BUREAUCRACY







CHAPTER　I



THE　RABOURDIN　HOUSEHOLD



In　Paris；　where　men　of　thought　and　study　bear　a　certain　likeness　to

one　another；　living　as　they　do　in　a　common　centre；　you　must　have　met

with　several　resembling　Monsieur　Rabourdin；　whose　acquaintance　we　are

about　to　make　at　a　moment　when　he　is　head　of　a　bureau　in　one　of　our

most　important　ministries。　At　this　period　he　was　forty　years　old；　with

gray　hair　of　so　pleasing　a　shade　that　women　might　at　a　pinch　fall　in

love　with　it　for　it　softened　a　somewhat　melancholy　countenance；　blue

eyes　full　of　fire；　a　skin　that　was　still　fair；　though　rather　ruddy　and

touched　here　and　there　with　strong　red　marks；　a　forehead　and　nose　a　la

Louis　XV。；　a　serious　mouth；　a　tall　figure；　thin；　or　perhaps　wasted；

like　that　of　a　man　just　recovering　from　illness；　and　finally；　a

bearing　that　was　midway　between　the　indolence　of　a　mere　idler　and　the

thoughtfulness　of　a　busy　man。　If　this　portrait　serves　to　depict　his

character；　a　sketch　of　this　man's　dress　will　bring　it　still　further

into　relief。　Rabourdin　wore　habitually　a　blue　surcoat；　a　white　cravat；

a　waistcoat　crossed　a　la　Robespierre；　black　trousers　without　straps；

gray　silk　stockings　and　low　shoes。　Well…shaved；　and　with　his　stomach

warmed　by　a　cup　of　coffee；　he　left　home　at　eight　in　the　morning　with

the　regularity　of　clock…work；　always　passing　along　the　same　streets　on

his　way　to　the　ministry：　so　neat　was　he；　so　formal；　so　starched　that

he　might　have　been　taken　for　an　Englishman　on　the　road　to　his　embassy。



From　these　general　signs　you　will　readily　discern　a　family　man；

harassed　by　vexations　in　his　own　household；　worried　by　annoyances　at

the　ministry；　yet　philosopher　enough　to　take　life　as　he　found　it；　an

honest　man；　loving　his　country　and　serving　it；　not　concealing　from

himself　the　obstacles　in　the　way　of　those　who　seek　to　do　right；

prudent；　because　he　knew　men；　exquisitely　courteous　with　women；　of

whom　he　asked　nothing；a　man　full　of　acquirements；　affable　with　his

inferiors；　holding　his　equals　at　great　distance；　and　dignified　towards

his　superiors。　At　the　epoch　of　which　we　write；　you　would　have　noticed

in　him　the　coldly　resigned　air　of　one　who　has　buried　the　illusions　of

his　youth　and　renounced　every　secret　ambition；　you　would　have

recognized　a　discouraged；　but　not　disgusted　man；　one　who　still　clings

to　his　first　projects；more　perhaps　to　employ　his　faculties　than　in

the　hope　of　a　doubtful　success。　He　was　not　decorated　with　any　order；

and　always　accused　himself　of　weakness　for　having　worn　that　of　the

Fleur…de…lis　in　the　early　days　of　the　Restoration。



The　life　of　this　man　was　marked　by　certain　mysterious　peculiarities。

He　had　never　known　his　father；　his　mother；　a　woman　to　whom　luxury　was

everything；　always　elegantly　dressed；　always　on　pleasure　bent；　whose

beauty　seemed　to　him　miraculous　and　whom　he　very　seldom　saw；　left　him

little　at　her　death；　but　she　had　given　him　that　too　common　and

incomplete　education　which　produces　so　much　ambition　and　so　little

ability。　A　few　days　before　his　mother's　death；　when　he　was　just

sixteen；　he　left　the　Lycee　Napoleon　to　enter　as　supernumerary　a

government　office；　where　an　unknown　protector　had　provided　him　with　a

place。　At　twenty…two　years　of　age　Rabourdin　became　under…head…clerk；

at　twenty…five；　head…clerk；　or；　as　it　was　termed；　head　of　the　bureau。

From　that　day　the　hand　that　assisted　the　young　man　to　start　in　life

was　never　felt　again　in　his　career；　except　as　to　a　single

circumstance；　it　led　him；　poor　and　friendless；　to　the　house　of　a

Monsieur　Leprince；　formerly　an　auctioneer；　a　widower　said　to　be

extremely　rich；　and　father　of　an　only　daughter。　Xavier　Rabourdin　fell

desperately　in　love　with　Mademoiselle　Celestine　Leprince；　then

seventeen　years　of　age；　who　had　all　the　matrimonial　claims　of　a　dowry

of　two　hundred　thousand　francs。　Carefully　educated　by　an　artistic

mother；　who　transmitted　her　own　talents　to　her　daughter；　this　young

lady　was　fitted　to　attract　distinguished　men。　Tall；　handsome；　and

finely…formed；　she　was　a　good　musician；　drew　and　painted；　spoke

several　languages；　and　even　knew　something　of　science；a　dangerous

advantage；　which　requires　a　woman　to　avoid　carefully　all　appearance　of

pedantry。　Blinded　by　mistaken　tenderness；　the　mother　gave　the　daughter

false　ideas　as　to　her　probable　future；　to　the　maternal　eyes　a　duke　or

an　ambassador；　a　marshal　of　France　or　a　minister　of　State；　could　alone

give　her　Celestine　her　due　place　in　society。　The　young　lady　had；

moreover；　the　manners；　language；　and　habits　of　the　great　world。　Her

dress　was　richer　and　more　elegant　than　was　suitable　for　an　unmarried

girl；　a　husband　could　give　her　nothing　more　than　she　now　had；　except

happiness。　Besides　all　such　indulgences；　the　foolish　spoiling　of　the

mother；　who　died　a　year　after　the　girl's　marriage；　made　a　husband's

task　all　the　more　difficult。　What　coolness　and　composure　of　mind　were

needed　to　rule　such　a　woman！　Commonplace　suitors　held　back　in　fear。

Xavier　Rabourdin；　without　parents　and　without　fortune　other　than　his

situation　under　government；　was　proposed　to　Celestine　by　her　father。

She　resisted　for　a　long　time；　not　that　she　had　any　personal　objection

to　her　suitor；　who　was　young；　handsome；　and　much　in　love；　but　she

shrank　from　the　plain　name　of　Madame　Rabourdin。　Monsieur　Leprince

assured　his　daughter　that　Xavier　was　of　the　stock　that　statesmen　came

of。　Celestine　answered　that　a　man　named　Rabourdin　would　never　be

anything　under　the　government　of　the　Bourbons；　etc。　Forced　back　to　his

intrenchments；　the　father　made　the　serious　mistake　of　telling　his

daughter　that　her　future　husband　was　certain　of　becoming　Rabourdin　〃de

something　or　other〃　before　he　reached　the　age　of　admission　to　the

Chamber。　Xavier　was　soon　to　be　appointed　Master　of　petitions；　and

general…secretary　at　his　ministry。　From　these　lower　steps　of　the

ladder　the　young　man　would　certainly　rise　to　the　higher　ranks　of　the

administration；　possessed　of　a　fortune　and　a　name　bequeathed　to　him　in

a　certain　will　of　which　he；　Monsieur　Leprince；　was　cognizant。　On　this

the　marriage　took　place。



Rabourdin　and　his　wife　believed　in　the　mysterious　protector　to　whom

the　auctioneer　alluded。　Led　away　by　such　hopes　and　by　the　natural

extravagance　of　happy　love；　Monsieur　and　Madame　Rabourdin　spent　nearly

one　hundred　thousand　francs　of　their　capital　in　the　first　five　years

of　married　life。　By　the　end　of　this　time　Celestine；　alarmed　at　the

non…advancement　of　her　husband；　insisted　on　investing　the　remaining

hundred　thousand　francs　of　her　dowry　in　landed　property；　which

returned　only　a　slender　income；　but　her　future　inheritance　from　her

father　would　amply　repay　all　present　privations　with　perfect　comfort

and　ease　of　life。　When　the　worthy　auctioneer　saw　his　son…in…law

disappointed　of　the　hopes　they　had　placed　on　the　nameless　protector；

he　tried；　for　the　sake　of　his　daughter；　to　repair　the　secret　loss　by

risking　part　of　his　fortune　in　a　speculation　which　had　favourable

chances　of　success。　But　the　poor　man　became　involved　in　one　of　the

liquidations　of　the　house　of　Nucingen；　and　died　of　grief；　leaving

nothing　behind　him　but　a　dozen　fine　pictures　which　adorned　his

daughter's　salon；　and　a　few　old…fashioned　pieces　of　furniture；　which

she　put　in　the　garret。



Eight　years　of　fruitless　expectation　made　Madame　Rabourdin　at　last

understand　that　the　paternal　protector　of　her　husband　must　have　died；

and　that　his　will；　if　it　ever　existed；　was　lost　or　destroyed。　Two

years　before　her　father's　death　the　place　of　chief　of　division；　which

became　vacant；　was　given；　over　her　husband's　head；　to　a　certain

Monsieur　de　la　Billardiere；　related　to　a　deputy　of　the　Right　who　was

made　minister　in　1823。　It　was　enough　to　drive　Rabourdin　out　of　the

service；　but　how　could　he　give　up　his　salary　of　eight　thousand　francs

and　perquisites；　when　they　constituted　three　fourths　of　his　income　and

his　household　was　accustomed　to　spend　them？　Besides；　if　he　had

patience　for　a　few　more　years　he　would　then　be　entitled　to　a　pension。

What　a　fall　was　this　for　a　woman　whose　high　expectations　at　the

opening　of　her　life　were　more　or　less　warranted；　and　one　who　was

admitted　on　all　sides　to　be　a　superior　woman。



Madame　Rabourdin　had　justified　the　expectations　formed　of　Mademoiselle

Leprince；　she　possessed　the　elements　of　that　apparent　superiority

which　pleases　the　world；　her　liberal　education　enabled　her　to　speak　to

every　one　in　his　or　her　own　language；　her　talents　were　real；　she

showed　an　independent　and　elevated　mind；　her　conversation　charmed　as

much　by　its　variety　and　ease　as　by　the　oddness　and　originality　of　her

ideas。　Such　qualities；　useful　and　appropriate　in　a　sovereign　or　an

ambassadress；　were　of　little　service　to　a　household　compelled　to　jog

in　the　common　round。　Those　who　have　the　gift　of　speaking　well　desire

an　audience；　they　like　to　talk；　even　if　they　sometimes　weary　others。

To　satisfy　the　requirements　of　her　mind　Madame　Rabourdin　took　a　weekly

reception…day　and　went　a　great　deal　into　society　to　obtain　the

consideration　her　self…love　was　accustomed　to　enjoy。　Those　who　know

Parisian　life　will　readily　understand　how　a　woman　of　her　temperament

suffered；　and　was　martyrized　at　heart　by　the　scantiness　of　her

pecuniary　means。　No　matter　what　foolish　declarations　people　make　about

money；　they　one　and　all；　if　they　live　in　Paris；　must　grovel　before

accounts；　do　homage　to　figures；　and　kiss　the　forked　hoof　of　the　golden

calf。　What　a　problem　was　hers！　twelve　thousand　francs　a　year　to　defray

the　costs　of　a　household　consisting　of　father；　mother；　two　children；　a

chambermaid　and　cook；　living　on　the　second　floor　of　a　house　in　the　rue

Duphot；　in　an　apartment　costing　two　thousand　francs　a　year。　Deduct　the

dress　and　the　carriage　of　Madame　before　you　estimate　the　gross

expenses　of　the　family；　for　dress　precedes　everything；　then　see　what

remains　for　the　education　of　the　children　（a　girl　of　eight　and　a　boy

of　nine；　whose　maintenance　must　cost　at　least　two　thousand　francs

besides）　and　you　will　find　that　Madame　Rabourdin　could　barely　afford

to　give　her　husband　thirty　francs　a　month。　That　is　the　position　of

half　the　husbands　in　Paris；　under　penalty　of　being　thought　monsters。



Thus　it　was　that　this　woman　who　believed　herself　destined　to　shine　in

the　world　was　condemned　to　use　her　mind　and　her　faculties　in　a　sordid

struggle；　fighting　hand　to　hand　with　an　account…book。　Already；

terrible　sacrifice　of　pride！　she　had　dismissed　her　man…servant；　not

long　after　the　death　of　her　father。　Most　women　grow　weary　of　this

daily　struggle；　they　complain　but　they　usually　end　by　giving　up　to

fate　and　taking　what　comes　to　them；　Celestine's　ambition；　far