the secrets of the princesse de cadignan- 第4部分

him　to　make　the　acquaintance　of　the　Baron　de　Rastignac；　under…

secretary　of　State；　and　a　friend　of　de　Marsay；　the　prime　minister。

These　two　political　officials　acquiesced；　rather　nobly；　in　the　strong

wish　of　d'Arthez；　Bianchon；　and　other　friends　of　Michel　Chrestien　for

the　removal　of　the　body　of　that　republican　to　the　church　of　Saint…

Merri　for　the　purpose　of　giving　it　funeral　honors。　Gratitude　for　a

service　which　contrasted　with　the　administrative　rigor　displayed　at　a

time　when　political　passions　were　so　violent；　had　bound；　so　to　speak；

d'Arthez　to　Rastignac。　The　latter　and　de　Marsay　were　much　too　clever

not　to　profit　by　that　circumstance；　and　thus　they　won　over　other

friends　of　Michel　Chrestien；　who　did　not　share　his　political　opinions；

and　who　now　attached　themselves　to　the　new　government。　One　of　them；

Leon　Giraud；　appointed　in　the　first　instance　master　of　petitions；

became　eventually　a　Councillor　of　State。



The　whole　existence　of　Daniel　d'Arthez　is　consecrated　to　work；　he　sees

society　only　by　snatches；　it　is　to　him　a　sort　of　dream。　His　house　is　a

convent；　where　he　leads　the　life　of　a　Benedictine；　the　same　sobriety

of　regimen；　the　same　regularity　of　occupation。　His　friends　knew　that

up　to　the　present　time　woman　had　been　to　him　no　more　than　an　always

dreaded　circumstance；　he　had　observed　her　too　much　not　to　fear　her；

but　by　dint　of　studying　her　he　had　ceased　to　understand　her；like；　in

this；　to　those　deep　strategists　who　are　always　beaten　on　unexpected

ground；　where　their　scientific　axioms　are　either　modified　or

contradicted。　In　character　he　still　remains　a　simple…hearted　child；

all　the　while　proving　himself　an　observer　of　the　first　rank。　This

contrast；　apparently　impossible；　is　explainable　to　those　who　know　how

to　measure　the　depths　which　separate　faculties　from　feelings；　the

former　proceed　from　the　head；　the　latter　from　the　heart。　A　man　can　be

a　great　man　and　a　wicked　one；　just　as　he　can　be　a　fool　and　a　devoted

lover。　D'Arthez　is　one　of　those　privileged　beings　in　whom　shrewdness

of　mind　and　a　broad　expanse　of　the　qualities　of　the　brain　do　not

exclude　either　the　strength　or　the　grandeur　of　sentiments。　He　is；　by

rare　privilege；　equally　a　man　of　action　and　a　man　of　thought。　His

private　life　is　noble　and　generous。　If　he　carefully　avoided　love；　it

was　because　he　knew　himself；　and　felt　a　premonition　of　the　empire　such

a　passion　would　exercise　upon　him。



For　several　years　the　crushing　toil　by　which　he　prepared　the　solid

ground　of　his　subsequent　works；　and　the　chill　of　poverty；　were

marvellous　preservatives。　But　when　ease　with　his　inherited　fortune

came　to　him；　he　formed　a　vulgar　and　most　incomprehensible　connection

with　a　rather　handsome　woman；　belonging　to　the　lower　classes；　without

education　or　manners；　whom　he　carefully　concealed　from　every　eye。

Michel　Chrestien　attributed　to　men　of　genius　the　power　of　transforming

the　most　massive　creatures　into　sylphs；　fools　into　clever　women；

peasants　into　countesses；　the　more　accomplished　a　woman　was；　the　more

she　lost　her　value　in　their　eyes；　for；　according　to　Michel；　their

imagination　had　the　less　to　do。　In　his　opinion　love；　a　mere　matter　of

the　senses　to　inferior　beings；　was　to　great　souls　the　most　immense　of

all　moral　creations　and　the　most　binding。　To　justify　d'Arthez；　he

instanced　the　example　of　Raffaele　and　the　Fornarina。　He　might　have


offered　himself　as　an　instance　for　this　theory；　he　who　had　seen　an

angel　in　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse。　This　strange　fancy　of　d'Arthez

might；　however；　be　explained　in　other　ways；　perhaps　he　had　despaired

of　meeting　here　below　with　a　woman　who　answered　to　that　delightful

vision　which　all　men　of　intellect　dream　of　and　cherish；　perhaps　his

heart　was　too　sensitive；　too　delicate；　to　yield　itself　to　a　woman　of

society；　perhaps　he　thought　best　to　let　nature　have　her　way；　and　keep

his　illusions　by　cultivating　his　ideal；　perhaps　he　had　laid　aside　love

as　being　incompatible　with　his　work　and　the　regularity　of　a　monastic

life　which　love　would　have　wholly　upset。



For　several　months　past　d'Arthez　had　been　subjected　to　the　jests　and

satire　of　Blondet　and　Rastignac；　who　reproached　him　with　knowing

neither　the　world　nor　women。　According　to　them；　his　authorship　was

sufficiently　advanced；　and　his　works　numerous　enough；　to　allow　him　a

few　distractions；　he　had　a　fine　fortune；　and　here　he　was　living　like　a

student；　he　enjoyed　nothing；neither　his　money　nor　his　fame；　he　was

ignorant　of　the　exquisite　enjoyments　of　the　noble　and　delicate　love

which　well…born　and　well…bred　women　could　inspire　and　feel；　he　knew

nothing　of　the　charming　refinements　of　language；　nothing　of　the　proofs

of　affection　incessantly　given　by　refined　women　to　the　commonest

things。　He　might；　perhaps；　know　woman；　but　he　knew　nothing　of　the

divinity。　Why　not　take　his　rightful　place　in　the　world；　and　taste　the

delights　of　Parisian　society？



〃Why　doesn't　a　man　who　bears　party　per　bend　gules　and　or；　a　bezant　and

crab　counterchanged；〃　cried　Rastignac；　〃display　that　ancient

escutcheon　of　Picardy　on　the　panels　of　a　carriage？　You　have　thirty

thousand　francs　a　year；　and　the　proceeds　of　your　pen；　you　have

justified　your　motto：　Ars　thesaurusque　virtus；　that　punning　device　our

ancestors　were　always　seeking；　and　yet　you　never　appear　in　the　Bois　de

Boulogne！　We　live　in　times　when　virtue　ought　to　show　itself。〃



〃If　you　read　your　works　to　that　species　of　stout　Laforet；　whom　you

seem　to　fancy；　I　would　forgive　you；〃　said　Blondet。　〃But；　my　dear

fellow；　you　are　living　on　dry　bread；　materially　speaking；　in　the

matter　of　intellect　you　haven't　even　bread。〃



This　friendly　little　warfare　had　been　going　on　for　several　months

between　Daniel　and　his　friends；　when　Madame　d'Espard　asked　Rastignac

and　Blondet　to　induce　d'Arthez　to　come　and　dine　with　her；　telling　them

that　the　Princesse　de　Cadignan　had　a　great　desire　to　see　that

celebrated　man。　Such　curiosities　are　to　certain　women　what　magic

lanterns　are　to　children；a　pleasure　to　the　eyes；　but　rather　shallow

and　full　of　disappointments。　The　more　sentiments　a　man　of　talent

excites　at　a　distance；　the　less　he　responds　to　them　on　nearer　view；

the　more　brilliant　fancy　has　pictured　him；　the　duller　he　will　seem　in

reality。　Consequently；　disenchanted　curiosity　is　often　unjust。



Neither　Blondet　nor　Rastignac　could　deceive　d'Arthez；　but　they　told

him；　laughing；　that　they　now　offered　him　a　most　seductive　opportunity

to　polish　up　his　heart　and　know　the　supreme　fascinations　which　love

conferred　on　a　Parisian　great　lady。　The　princess　was　evidently　in　love

with　him；　he　had　nothing　to　fear　but　everything　to　gain　by　accepting

the　interview；　it　was　quite　impossible　he　could　descend　from　the

pedestal　on　which　madame　de　Cadignan　had　placed　him。　Neither　Blondet

nor　Rastignac　saw　any　impropriety　in　attributing　this　love　to　the

princess；　she　whose　past　had　given　rise　to　so　many　anecdotes　could

very　well　stand　that　lesser　calumny。　Together　they　began　to　relate　to

d'Arthez　the　adventures　of　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse：　her　first

affair　with　de　Marsay；　her　second　with　d'Ajuda；　whom　she　had；　they

said；　distracted　from　his　wife；　thus　avenging　Madame　de　Beausant；　also

her　later　connection　with　young　d'Esgrignon；　who　had　travelled　with

her　in　Italy；　and　had　horribly　compromised　himself　on　her　account；

after　that　they　told　him　how　unhappy　she　had　been　with　a　certain

celebrated　ambassador；　how　happy　with　a　Russian　general；　besides

becoming　the　Egeria　of　two　ministers　of　Foreign　affairs；　and　various

other　anecdotes。　D'Arthez　replied　that　he　knew　a　great　deal　more　than

they　could　tell　him　about　her　through　their　poor　friend；　Michel

Chrestien；　who　adored　her　secretly　for　four　years；　and　had　well…nigh

gone　mad　about　her。



〃I　have　often　accompanied　him；〃　said　Daniel；　〃to　the　opera。　He　would

make　me　run　through　the　streets　as　far　as　her　horses　that　he　might　see

the　princess　through　the　window　of　her　coupe。〃



〃Well；　there　you　have　a　topic　all　ready　for　you；〃　said　Blondet；

smiling。　〃This　is　the　very　woman　you　need；　she'll　initiate　you　most

gracefully　into　the　mysteries　of　elegance；　but　take　care！　she　has

wasted　many　fortunes。　The　beautiful　Diane　is　one　of　those　spendthrifts

who　don't　cost　a　penny；　but　for　whom　a　man　spends　millions。　Give

yourself　up　to　her；　body　and　soul；　if　you　choose；　but　keep　your　money

in　your　hand；　like　the　old　fellow　in　Girodet's　'Deluge。'〃



From　the　tenor　of　these　remarks　it　was　to　be　inferred　that　the

princess　had　the　depth　of　a　precipice；　the　grace　of　a　queen；　the

corruption　of　diplomatists；　the　mystery　of　a　first　initiation；　and　the

dangerous　qualities　of　a　siren。　The　two　clever　men　of　the　world；

incapable　of　foreseeing　the　denouement　of　their　joke；　succeeded　in

presenting　Diane　d'Uxelles　as　a　consummate　specimen　of　the　Parisian

woman；　the　cleverest　of　coquettes；　the　most　enchanting　mistress　in　the

world。　Right　or　wrong；　the　woman　whom　they　thus　treated　so　lightly　was

sacred　to　d'Arthez；　his　desire　to　meet　her　needed　no　spur；　he

consented　to　do　so　at　the　first　word；　which　was　all　the　two　friends

wanted　of　him。



Madame　d'Espard　went　to　see　the　princess　as　soon　as　she　had　received

this　answer。



〃My　dear；　do　you　feel　yourself　in　full　beauty　and　coquetry？〃　she　said。

〃If　so；　come　and　dine　with　me　a　few　days　hence；　and　I'll　serve　up

d'Arthez。　Our　man　of　genius　is　by　nature；　it　seems；　a　savage；　he　fears

women；　and　has　never　loved！　Make　your　plans　on　that。　He　is　all

intellect；　and　so　simple　that　he'll　mislead　you　into　feeling　no

distrust。　But　his　penetration；　which　is　wholly　retrospective；　acts

later；　and　frustrates　calculation。　You　may　hoodwink　him　to…day；　but

to…morrow　nothing　can　dupe　him。〃



〃Ah！〃　cried　the　princess；　〃if　I　were　only　thirty　years　old　what

amusement　I　might　have　with　him！　The　one　enjoyment　I　have　lacked　up　to

the　present　is　a　man　of　intellect　to　fool。　I　have　had　only　partners；

never　adversaries。　Love　was　a　mere　game　inste