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The Lily of the Valley-Part21_Honore de Balzac(1799-1850)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

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splash the mud in which they live upon men of honor. But you can

always compel respect by showing that you are, under all



circumstances, immovable in your principles. In the conflict of

opinions, in the midst of quarrels and cross-purposes, go straight



to the point, keep resolutely to the question; never fight except

for the essential thing, and put your whole strength into that.



You know how Monsieur de Mortsauf hates Napoleon, how he curses

him and pursues him as justice does a criminal; demanding



punishment day and night for the death of the Duc d'Enghien, the

only death, the only misfortune, that ever brought the tears to



his eyes; well, he nevertheless admired him as the greatest of

captains, and has often explained to me his strategy. May not the



same tactics be applied to the war of human interests; they would

economize time as heretofore they economized men and space. Think



this over, for as a woman I am liable to be mistaken on such

points which my sex judges only by instinct and sentiment. One



point, however, I may insist on; all trickery, all deception, is

certain to be discovered and to result in doing harm; whereas



every situation presents less danger if a man plants himself

firmly on his own truthfulness. If I may cite my own case, I can



tell you that, obliged as I am by Monsieur de Mortsauf's condition

to avoid litigation and to bring to an immediate settlement all



difficulties which arise in the management of Clochegourde, and

which would otherwise cause him an excitement under which his mind



would succumb, I have invariably settled matters promptly by

taking hold of the knot of the difficulty and saying to our



opponents: "We will either untie it or cut it!"

It will often happen that you do a service to others and find



yourself ill-rewarded; I beg you not to imitate those who complain

of men and declare them to be all ungrateful. That is putting



themselves on a pedestal indeed! and surely it is somewhat silly

to admit their lack of knowledge of the world. But you, I trust,



will not do good as a usurer lends his money; you will do it--will

you not?--for good's sake. Noblesse oblige. Nevertheless, do not



bestow such services as to force others to ingratitude, for if you

do, they will become your most implacable enemies; obligations



sometimes lead to despair, like the despair of ruin itself, which

is capable of very desperate efforts. As for yourself, accept as



little as you can from others. Be no man's vassal; and bring

yourself out of your own difficulties.



You see, dear friend, I am advising you only on the lesser points

of life. In the world of politics things wear a different aspect;



the rules which are to guide your individual steps give way before

the national interests. If you reach that sphere where great men



revolve you will be, like God himself, the sole arbiter of your

determinations. You will no longer be a man, but law, the living



law; no longer an individual, you are then the Nation incarnate.

But remember this, though you judge, you will yourself be judged;



hereafter you will be summoned before the ages, and you know

history well enough to be fully informed as to what deeds and what



sentiments have led to true grandeur.

I now come to a serious matter, your conduct towards women.



Wherever you visit make it a principle not to fritter yourself

away in a petty round of gallantry. A man of the last century who



had great social success never paid attention to more than one

woman of an evening, choosing the one who seemed the most



neglected. That man, my dear child, controlled his epoch. He

wisely reckoned that by a given time all women would speak well of



him. Many young men waste their most precious possession, namely,

the time necessary to create connections which contribute more






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