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The Magic Skin-Part20_Honore de Balzac(1799-1850)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

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with an all-powerful person in Russia,' she went on, persuasion in

every modulation of her voice, 'whose intervention I need in order to



have justice done me in a matter that concerns both my fortune and my

position in the world, that is to say, the recognition of my marriage



by the Emperor. Is not the Duc de Navarreins a cousin of yours? A

letter from him would settle everything.'



" 'I am yours,' I answered; 'command me.'

" 'You are very nice,' she said, pressing my hand. 'Come and have



dinner with me, and I will tell you everything, as if you were my

confessor.'



"So this discreet, suspicious woman, who had never been heard to speak

a word about her affairs to any one, was going to consult me.



" 'Oh, how dear to me is this silence that you have imposed on me!' I

cried; 'but I would rather have had some sharper ordeal still.' And



she smiled upon the intoxication in my eyes; she did not reject my

admiration in any way; surely she loved me!



"Fortunately, my purse held just enough to satisfy her cab-man. The

day spent in her house, alone with her, was delicious; it was the



first time that I had seen her in this way. Hitherto we had always

been kept apart by the presence of others, and by her formal



politeness and reserved manners, even during her magnificent dinners;

but now it was as if I lived beneath her own roof--I had her all to



myself, so to speak. My wandering fancy broke down barriers, arranged

the events of life to my liking, and steeped me in happiness and love.



I seemed to myself her husband, I liked to watch her busied with

little details; it was a pleasure to me even to see her take off her



bonnet and shawl. She left me alone for a little, and came back,

charming, with her hair newly arranged; and this dainty change of



toilette had been made for me!

"During the dinner she lavished attention upon me, and put charm



without end into those numberless trifles to all seeming, that make up

half of our existencenevertheless. As we sat together before a



crackling fire, on silken cushions surrounded by the most desirable

creations of Oriental luxury; as I saw this woman whose famous beauty



made every heart beat, so close to me; an unapproachable woman who was

talking and bringing all her powers of coquetry to bear upon me; then



my blissful pleasure rose almost to the point of suffering. To my

vexation, I recollected the important business to be concluded; I



determined to go to keep the appointment made for me for this evening.

" 'So soon?' she said, seeing me take my hat.



"She loved me, then! or I thought so at least, from the bland tones in

which those two words were uttered. I would then have bartered a



couple of years of life for every hour she chose to grant to me, and

so prolong my ecstasy. My happiness was increased by the extent of the



money I sacrificed. It was midnight before she dismissed me. But on

the morrow, for all that, my heroism cost me a good many remorseful



pangs; I was afraid the affair of the Memoirs, now of such importance

for me, might have fallen through, and rushed off to Rastignac. We



found the nominal author of my future labors just getting up.

"Finot read over a brief agreement to me, in which nothing whatever



was said about my aunt, and when it had been signed he paid me down

fifty crowns, and the three of us breakfasted together. I had only



thirty francs left over, when I had paid for my new hat, for sixty

tickets at thirty sous each, and settled my debts; but for some days



to come the difficulties of living were removed. If I had but listened

to Rastignac, I might have had abundance by frankly adopting the



'English system.' He really wanted to establish my credit by setting

me to raise loans, on the theory that borrowing is the basis of



credit. To hear him talk, the future was the largest and most secure

kind of capital in the world. My future luck was hypothecated for the



benefit of my creditors, and he gave my custom to his tailor, an

artist, and a young man's tailor, who was to leave me in peace until I



married.

"The monastic life of study that I had led for three years past ended



on this day. I frequented Foedora's house very diligently, and tried




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