按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
assumed； she will make you miserable； you will be her head footman。'
〃He spoke to the deaf。 I broke in upon him； disclosing； with an
affectation of light…heartedness； the state of my finances。
〃 'Yesterday evening；' he rejoined； 'luck ran against me； and that
carried off all my available cash。 But for that trivial mishap； I
would gladly have shared my purse with you。 But let us go and
breakfast at the restaurant； perhaps there is good counsel in
oysters。'
〃He dressed； and had his tilbury brought round。 We went to the Cafe de
Paris like a couple of millionaires； armed with all the audacious
impertinence of the speculator whose capital is imaginary。 That devil
of a Gascon quite disconcerted me by the coolness of his manners and
his absolute self…possession。 While we were taking coffee after an
excellent and well…ordered repast； a young dandy entered； who did not
escape Rastignac。 He had been nodding here and there among the crowd
to this or that young man； distinguished both by personal attractions
and elegant attire； and now he said to me：
〃 'Here's your man；' as he beckoned to this gentleman with a wonderful
cravat； who seemed to be looking for a table that suited his ideas。
〃 'That rogue has been decorated for bringing out books that he
doesn't understand a word of；' whispered Rastignac； 'he is a chemist；
a historian； a novelist； and a political writer； he has gone halves；
thirds； or quarters in the authorship of I don't know how many plays；
and he is as ignorant as Dom Miguel's mule。 He is not a man so much as
a name； a label that the public is familiar with。 So he would do well
to avoid shops inscribed with the motto； 〃Ici l'on peut ecrire soi…
meme。〃 He is acute enough to deceive an entire congress of
diplomatists。 In a couple of words； he is a moral half…caste； not
quite a fraud； nor entirely genuine。 But； hush！ he has succeeded
already； nobody asks anything further； and every one calls him an
illustrious man。'
〃 'Well； my esteemed and excellent friend； and how may Your
Intelligence be？' So Rastignac addressed the stranger as he sat down
at a neighboring table。
〃 'Neither well nor ill； I am overwhelmed with work。 I have all the
necessary materials for some very curious historical memoirs in my
hands； and I cannot find any one to whom I can ascribe them。 It
worries me； for I shall have to be quick about it。 Memoirs are falling
out of fashion。'
〃 'What are the memoirscontemporaneous； ancient； or memoirs of the
court； or what？'
〃 'They relate to the Necklace affair。'
〃 'Now； isn't that a coincidence？' said Rastignac； turning to me and
laughing。 He looked again to the literary speculation； and said；
indicating me：
〃 'This is M。 de Valentin； one of my friends； whom I must introduce to
you as one of our future literary celebrities。 He had formerly an
aunt； a marquise； much in favor once at court； and for about two years
he has been writing a Royalist history of the Revolution。'
〃Then； bending over this singular man of business； he went on：
〃 'He is a man of talent； and a simpleton that will do your memoirs
for you； in his aunt's name； for a hundred crowns a volume。'
〃 'It's a bargain；' said the other； adjusting his cravat。 'Waiter； my
oysters。'
〃 'Yes； but you must give me twenty…five louis as commission； and you
will pay him in advance for each volume；' said Rastignac。
〃 'No； no。 He shall only have fifty crowns on account； and then I
shall be sure of having my manuscript punctually。'
〃Rastignac repeated this business conversation to me in low tones； and
then； without giving me any voice in the matter； he replied：
〃 'We agree to your proposal。 When can we call upon you to arrange the
affair？'
〃 'Oh； well！ Come and dine here to…morrow at seven o'clock。'
〃We rose。 Rastignac flung some money to the waiter； put the bill in
his pocket； and we went out。 I was quite stupified by the flippancy
and ease with which he had sold my venerable aunt； la Marquise de
Montbauron。
〃 'I would sooner take ship for the Brazils； and give the Indians
lessons in algebra； though I don't know a word of it； than tarnish my
family name。'
〃Rastignac burst out laughing。
〃 'How dense you are！ Take the fifty crowns in the first instance； and
write the memoirs。 When you have finished them； you will decline to
publish them in your aunt's name； imbecile！ Madame de Montbauron； with
her hooped petticoat； her rank and beauty； rouge and slippers； and her
death upon the scaffold； is worth a great deal more than six hundred
francs。 And then； if the trade will not give your aunt her due； some
old adventurer； or some shady countess or other； will be found to put
her name to the memoirs。'
〃 'Oh；' I groaned； 'why did I quit the blameless life in my garret？
This world has aspects that are very vilely dishonorable。'
〃 'Yes；' said Rastignac； 'that is all very poetical； but this is a
matter of business。 What a child you are！ Now； listen to me。 As to
your work； the public will decide upon it； and as for my literary
middle…man； hasn't he devoted eight years of his life to obtaining a
footing in the book…trade； and paid heavily for his experience？ You
divide the money and the labor of the book with him very unequally；
but isn't yours the better part？ Twenty…five louis means as much to
you as a thousand francs does to him。 Come； you can write historical
memoirs； a work of art such as never was； since Diderot once wrote six
sermons for a hundred crowns！'
〃 'After all；' I said； in agitation； 'I cannot choose but do it。 So；
my dear friend； my thanks are due to you。 I shall be quite rich with
twenty…five louis。'
〃 'Richer than you think；' he laughed。 'If I have my commission from
Finot in this matter； it goes to you； can't you see？ Now let us go to
the Bois de Boulogne；' he said； 'we shall see your countess there； and
I will show you the pretty little widow that I am to marrya charming
woman； an Alsacienne； rather plump。 She reads Kant； Schiller； Jean
Paul； and a host of lachrymose books。 She has a mania for continually
asking my opinion； and I have to look as if I entered into all this
German sensibility； and to know a pack of balladsdrugs； all of them；
that my doctor absolutely prohibits。 As yet I have not been able to
wean her from her literary enthusiasms； she sheds torrents of tears as
she reads Goethe； and I have to weep a little myself to please her；
for she has an income of fifty thousand livres； my dear boy； and the
prettiest little hand and foot in the world。 Oh； if she would only say
mon ange and brouiller instead of mon anche and prouiller； she would
be perfection！'
〃We saw the countess； radiant amid the splendors of her equipage。 The
coquette bowed very graciously to us both； and the smile she gave me
seemed to me to be divine and full of love。 I was very happy； I
fancied myself beloved； I had money； a wealth of love in my heart； and