酷兔英语
    当前位置:
  1. 首页
  2. 文章
  3. 娱乐英语
  4. 原版小说
  5. 正文

The Commission in Lunacy-Part7_Honore de Balzac(1799-1850)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

0 收藏 0 分享 0 赞

章节正文
文章总共2页
"Madame, I will do my best to bring matters to a conclusion," said



Popinot, with an air of frank good-nature. "Are you ignorant of the

reason which made the separation necessary which now subsists between



you and the Marquis d'Espard?"

"Yes, monsieur," she replied, evidently prepared with a story to tell.



"At the beginning of 1816 M. d'Espard, whose temper had completely

changed within three months or so, proposed that we should go to live



on one of his estates near Briancon, without any regard for my health,

which that climate would have destroyed, or for my habits of life; I



refused to go. My refusal gave rise to such unjustifiable reproaches

on his part, that from that hour I had my suspicions as to the



soundness of his mind. On the following day he left me, leaving me his

house and the free use of my own income, and he went to live in the



Rue de la Montagne-Sainte-Genevieve, taking with him my two

children----"



"One moment, madame," said the lawyer, interrupting her. "What was

that income?"



"Twenty-six thousand francs a year," she replied parenthetically. "I

at once consulted old M. Bordin as to what I ought to do," she went



on; "but it seems that there are so many difficulties in the way of

depriving a father of the care of his children, that I was forced to



resign myself to remaining alone at the age of twenty-two--an age at

which many young women do very foolish things. You have read my



petition, no doubt, monsieur; you know the principal facts on which I

rely to procure a Commission in Lunacy with regard to M. d'Espard?"



"Have you ever applied to him, madame, to obtain the care of your

children?"



"Yes, monsieur; but in vain. It is very hard on a mother to be

deprived of the affection of her children, particularly when they can



give her such happiness as every woman clings to."

"The elder must be sixteen," said Popinot.



"Fifteen," said the Marquise eagerly.

Here Bianchon and Rastignac looked at each other. Madame d'Espard bit



her lips.

"What can the age of my children matter to you?"



"Well, madame," said the lawyer, without seeming to attach any

importance to his words, "a lad of fifteen and his brother, of



thirteen, I suppose, have legs and their wits about them; they might

come to see you on the sly. If they do not, it is because they obey



their father, and to obey him in that matter they must love him very

dearly."



"I do not understand," said the Marquise.

"You do not know, perhaps," replied Popinot, "that in your petition



your attorney represents your children as being very unhappy with

their father?"



Madame d'Espard replied with charming innocence:

"I do not know what my attorney may have put into my mouth."



"Forgive my inferences," said Popinot, "but Justice weighs everything.

What I ask you, madame, is suggested by my wish thoroughly to



understand the matter. By your account M. d'Espard deserted you on the

most frivolous pretext. Instead of going to Briancon, where he wished



to take you, he remained in Paris. This point is not clear. Did he

know this Madame Jeanrenaud before his marriage?"



"No, monsieur," replied the Marquise, with some asperity, visible only

to Rastignac and the Chevalier d'Espard.



She was offended at being cross-examined by this layer when she had

intended to beguile his judgment; but as Popinot still looked stupid



from sheer absence of mind, she ended by attributing his interrogatory

to the Questioning Spirit of Voltaire's bailiff.



"My parents," she went on, "married me at the age of sixteen to M.

d'Espard, whose name, fortune, and mode of life were such as my family






文章总共2页
文章标签:翻译  译文  翻译文  

章节正文
Copyright © 2023 Qeto All rights reserved.
商务合作 | 联系我们 | 关于我们 | 版权声明 | 隐私条款 | 如果智培

京ICP备05059198号-1 京公网安备 11011202003401号