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Two Poets-Part21_Honore de Balzac(1799-1850)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

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condemnation of the alleged misconduct of some slandered woman never

give a thought to the immediate provocation of the overt step. That



step many a woman only takes after she has been unjustly accused and

condemned, and Mme. de Bargeton was now on the verge of this anomalous



position.

The obstacles at the outset of a passion of this kind are alarming to



inexperience, and those in the way of the two lovers were very like

the bonds by which the population of Lilliput throttled Gulliver, a



multiplicity of nothings, which made all movement impossible, and

baffle the most vehement desires. Mme. de Bargeton, for instance, must



always be visible. If she had denied herself to visitors when Lucien

was with her, it would have been all over with her; she might as well



have run away with him at once. It is true that they sat in the

boudoir, now grown so familiar to Lucien that he felt as if he had a



right to be there; but the doors stood scrupulously open, and

everything was arranged with the utmostpropriety. M. de Bargeton



pervaded the house like a cockchafer; it never entered his head that

his wife could wish to be alone with Lucien. If he had been the only



person in the way, Nais could have got rid of him, sent him out of the

house, or given him something to do; but he was not the only one;



visitors flocked in upon her, and so much the more as curiosity

increased, for your provincial has a natural bent for teasing, and



delights to thwart a growing passion. The servants came and went about

the house promiscuously and without a summons; they had formed the



habits with a mistress who had nothing to conceal; any change now made

in her household ways was tantamount to a confession, and Angouleme



still hung in doubt.

Mme. de Bargeton could not set foot outside her house but the whole



town knew whither she was going. To take a walk alone with Lucien out

of Angouleme would have been a decidedmeasure, indeed; it would have



been less dangerous to shut herself up with him in the house. There

would have been comments the next day if Lucien had stayed on till



midnight after the rooms were emptied. Within as without her house,

Mme. de Bargeton lived in public.



These details describe life in the provinces; an intrigue is either

openly avoided or impossible anywhere.



Like all women carried away for the first time by passion, Louise

discovered the difficulties of her position one by one. They



frightened her, and her terror reacted upon the fond talk that fills

the fairest hours which lovers spend alone together. Mme. de Bargeton



had no country house whither she could take her beloved poet, after

the manner of some women who will forge ingenious pretexts for burying



themselves in the wilderness; but, weary of living in public, and

pushed to extremities by a tyranny which afforded no pleasures sweet



enough to compensate for the heaviness of the yoke, she even thought

of Escarbas, and of going to see her aged father--so much irritated



was she by these paltry obstacles.

Chatelet did not believe in such innocence. He lay in wait, and



watched Lucien into the house, and followed a few minutes later,

always taking M. de Chandour, the most indiscreet person in the



clique, along with him; and, putting that gentleman first, hoped to

find a surprise by such perseverance in pursuit of the chance. His own



part was a very difficult one to play, and its success was the more

doubtful because he was bound to appear neutral if he was to prompt



the other actors who were to play in his drama. So, to give himself a

countenance, he had attached himself to the jealous Amelie, the better



to lull suspicion in Lucien and in Mme. de Bargeton, who was not

without perspicacity. In order to spy upon the pair, he had contrived



of late to open up a stock controversy on the point with M. de

Chandour. Chatelet said that Mme. de Bargeton was simply amusing



herself with Lucien; she was too proud, too high-born, to stoop to the

apothecary's son. The role of incredulity was in accordance with the






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