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A Start in Life-Part23_Honore de Balzac(1799-1850)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

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"And I want it, too; for the master gave me five hundred francs to get

that cursed judgment of Vandernesse versus Vandernesse, and I don't



want to leave that sum of money in my room."

"But, surely, you are not going to carry it with you!" exclaimed his



mother, in alarm. "Suppose you should lose a sum like that! Hadn't you

better give it to Monsieur Godeschal for safe keeping?"



"Godeschal!" cried Oscar, who thought his mother's suggestion

excellent.



But Godeschal, who, like all clerks, has his time to himself on

Sundays, from ten to two o'clock, had already departed.



When his mother left him, Oscar went to lounge upon the boulevards

until it was time to go to Georges Marest's breakfast. Why not display



those beautiful clothes which he wore with a pride and joy which all

young fellows who have been pinched for means in their youth will



remember. A pretty waistcoat with a blue ground and a palm-leaf

pattern, a pair of black cashmere trousers pleated, a black coat very



well fitting, and a cane with a gilt top, the cost of which he had

saved himself, caused a natural joy to the poor lad, who thought of



his manner of dress on the day of that journey to Presles, as the

effect that Georges had then produced upon him came back to his mind.



Oscar had before him the perspective of a day of happiness; he was to

see the gay world at last! Let us admit that a clerk deprived of



enjoyments, though longing for dissipation, was likely to let his

unchained senses drive the wise counsels of his mother and Godeschal



completely out of his mind. To the shame of youth let it be added that

good advice is never lacking to it. In the matter of Georges, Oscar



himself had a feeling of aversion for him; he felt humiliated before a

witness of that scene in the salon at Presles when Moreau had flung



him at the count's feet. The moral senses have their laws, which are

implacable, and we are always punished for disregarding them. There is



one in particular, which the animals themselves obey without

discussion, and invariably; it is that which tells us to avoid those



who have once injured us, with or without intention, voluntarily or

involuntarily. The creature from whom we receive either damage or



annoyance will always be displeasing to us. Whatever may be his rank

or the degree of affection in which he stands to us, it is best to



break away from him; for our evil genius has sent him to us. Though

the Christian sentiment is opposed to it, obedience to this terrible



law is essentially social and conservative. The daughter of James II.,

who seated herself upon her father's throne, must have caused him many



a wound before that usurpation. Judas had certainly given some

murderous blow to Jesus before he betrayed him. We have within us an



inward power of sight, an eye of the soul which foresees catastrophes;

and the repugnance that comes over us against the fateful being is the



result of that foresight. Though religion orders us to conquer it,

distrust remains, and its voice is forever heard. Would Oscar, at



twenty years of age, have the wisdom to listen to it?

Alas! when, at half-past two o'clock, Oscar entered the salon of the



Rocher de Cancale,--where were three invited persons besides the

clerks, to wit: an old captain of dragoons, named Giroudeau; Finot, a



journalist who might procure an engagement for Florentine at the

Opera, and du Bruel, an author, the friend of Tullia, one of



Mariette's rivals,--the second clerk felt his secret hostility vanish

at the first handshaking, the first dashes of conversation as they sat



around a table luxuriously served. Georges, moreover, made himself

charming to Oscar.



"You've taken to private diplomacy," he said; "for what difference is

there between a lawyer and an ambassador? only that between a nation



and an individual. Ambassadors are the attorneys of Peoples. If I can

ever be useful to you, let me know."



"Well," said Oscar, "I'll admit to you now that you once did me a very

great harm."



"Pooh!" said Georges, after listening to the explanation for which he

asked; "it was Monsieur de Serizy who behaved badly. His wife! I



wouldn't have her at any price; neither would I like to be in the

count's red skin, minister of State and peer of France as he is. He



has a small mind, and I don't care a fig for him now."

Oscar listened with true pleasure to these slurs on the count, for



they diminished, in a way, the importance of his fault; and he echoed

the spiteful language of the ex-notary, who amused himself by



predicting the blows to the nobility of which the bourgeoisie were

already dreaming,--blows which were destined to become a reality in






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