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The Collection of Antiquities-Part7_Honore de Balzac(1799-1850)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

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confidence, so that it might not reflect on you; for it is known in

the town that I am closely connected with the d'Esgrignon family."



Tears came into Mlle. Armande's eyes. Chesnel saw them, took a fold of

the noble woman's dress in his hands, and kissed it.



"Never mind," he said, "a lad must sow his wild oats. In great salons

in Paris his boyish ideas will take a new turn. And, really, though



our old friends here are the worthiest folk in the world, and no one

could have nobler hearts than they, they are not amusing. If M. le



Comte wants amusement, he is obliged to look below his rank, and he

will end by getting into low company."



Next day the old traveling coach saw the light, and was sent to be put

in repair. In a solemninterview after breakfast, the hope of the



house was duly informed of his father's intentions regarding him--he

was to go to court and ask to serve His Majesty. He would have time



during the journey to make up his mind about his career. The navy or

the army, the privy council, an embassy, or the Royal Household,--all



were open to a d'Esgrignon, a d'Esgrignon had only to choose. The King

would certainly look favorably upon the d'Esgrignons, because they had



asked nothing of him, and had sent the youngest representative of

their house to receive the recognition of Majesty.



But young d'Esgrignon, with all his wild pranks, had guessed

instinctively what society in Paris meant, and formed his own opinions



of life. So when they talked of his leaving the country and the

paternal roof, he listened with a grave countenance to his revered



parent's lecture, and refrained from giving him a good deal of

information in reply. As, for instance, that young men no longer went



into the army or the navy as they used to do; that if a man had a mind

to be a second lieutenant in a cavalryregiment without passing



through a special training in the Ecoles, he must first serve in the

Pages; that sons of the greatest houses went exactly like commoners to



Saint-Cyr and the Ecole polytechnique, and took their chances of being

beaten by base blood. If he had enlightened his relatives on these



points, funds might not have been forthcoming for a stay in Paris; so

he allowed his father and Aunt Armande to believe that he would be



permitted a seat in the King's carriages, that he must support his

dignity at court as the d'Esgrignon of the time, and rub shoulders



with great lords of the realm.

It grieved the Marquis that he could send but one servant with his



son; but he gave him his own valet Josephin, a man who can be trusted

to take care of his young master, and to watch faithfully over his



interests. The poor father must do without Josephin, and hope to

replace him with a young lad.



"Remember that you are a Carol, my boy," he said; "remember that you

come of an unalloyed descent, and that your scutcheon bears the motto



Cil est nostre; with such arms you may hold your head high everywhere,

and aspire to queens. Render grace to your father, as I to mine. We



owe it to the honor of our ancestors, kept stainless until now, that

we can look all men in the face, and need bend the knee to none save a



mistress, the King, and God. This is the greatest of your privileges."

Chesnel, good man, was breakfasting with the family. He took no part



in counsels based on heraldry, nor in the inditing of letters

addressed to diversmightypersonages of the day; but he had spent the



night in writing to an old friend of his, one of the oldest

established notaries of Paris. Without this letter it is not possible



to understand Chesnel's real and assumed fatherhood. It almost recalls

Daedalus' address to Icarus; for where, save in old mythology, can you



look for comparisons worthy of this man of antique mould?

"MY DEAR AND ESTIMABLE SORBIER,--I remember with no little



pleasure that I made my first campaign in our honorable profession

under your father, and that you had a liking for me, poor little



clerk that I was. And now I appeal to old memories of the days

when we worked in the same office, old pleasant memories for our



hearts, to ask you to do me the one service that I have ever asked

of you in the course of our long lives, crossed as they have been



by political catastrophes, to which, perhaps, I owe it that I have

the honor to be your colleague. And now I ask this service of you,



my friend, and my white hairs will be brought with sorrow to the

grave if you should refuse my entreaty. It is no question of



myself or of mine, Sorbier, for I lost poor Mme. Chesnel, and I

have no child of my own. Something more to me than my own family






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