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A Prince of Bohemia
by Honore de Balzac
Translated by Clara Bell and others
DEDICATION
To Henri Heine。
I inscribe this to you； my dear Heine； to you that represent in
Paris the ideas and poetry of Germany； in Germany the lively and
witty criticism of France； for you better than any other will know
whatsoever this Study may contain of criticism and of jest； of
love and truth。
DE BALZAC。
A PRINCE OF BOHEMIA
〃My dear friend；〃 said Mme。 de la Baudraye； drawing a pile of
manuscript from beneath her sofa cushion； 〃will you pardon me in our
present straits for making a short story of something which you told
me a few weeks ago？〃
〃Anything is fair in these times。 Have you not seen writers serving up
their own hearts to the public； or very often their mistress' hearts
when invention fails？ We are coming to this； dear； we shall go in
quest of adventures； not so much for the pleasure of them as for the
sake of having the story to tell afterwards。〃
〃After all； you and the Marquise de Rochefide have paid the rent； and
I do not think； from the way things are going here； that I ever pay
yours。〃
〃Who knows？ Perhaps the same good luck that befell Mme。 de Rochefide
may come to you。〃
〃Do you call it good luck to go back to one's husband？〃
〃No； only great luck。 Come； I am listening。〃
And Mme。 de la Baudraye read as follows：
〃Scenea splendid salon in the Rue de Chartres…du…Roule。 One of
the most famous writers of the day discovered sitting on a settee
beside a very illustrious Marquise； with whom he is on such terms
of intimacy； as a man has a right to claim when a woman singles
him out and keeps him at her side as a complacent /souffre…
douleur/ rather than a makeshift。〃
〃Well；〃 says she； 〃have you found those letters of which you spoke
yesterday？ You said that you could not tell me all about /him/ without
them？〃
〃Yes； I have them。〃
〃It is your turn to speak； I am listening like a child when his mother
begins the tale of /Le Grand Serpentin Vert/。〃
〃I count the young man in question in that group of our acquaintances
which we are wont to style our friends。 He comes of a good family； he
is a man of infinite parts and ill…luck； full of excellent
dispositions and most charming conversation； young as he is； he is
seen much； and while awaiting better things； he dwells in Bohemia。
Bohemianism； which by rights should be called the doctrine of the
Boulevard des Italiens； finds its recruits among young men between
twenty and thirty； all of them men of genius in their way； little
known； it is true； as yet； but sure of recognition one day； and when
that day comes； of great distinction。 They are distinguished as it is
at carnival time； when their exuberant wit； repressed for the rest of
the year； finds a vent in more or less ingenious buffoonery。
〃What times we live in！ What an irrational central power which allows
such tremendous energies to run to waste！ There are diplomatists in
Bohemia quite capable of overturning Russia's designs； if they but
felt the power of France at their backs。 There are writers；
administrators； soldiers； and artists in Bohemia； every faculty； every
kind of brain is represented there。 Bohemia is a microcosm。 If the
Czar would buy Bohemia for a score of millions and set its population
down in Odessaalways supposing that they consented to leave the
asphalt of the boulevardsOdessa would be Paris with the year。 In
Bohemia； you find the flower doomed to wither and come to nothing； the
flower of the wonderful young manhood of France； so sought after by
Napoleon and Louis XIV。； so neglected for the last thirty years by the
modern Gerontocracy that is blighting everything elsethat splendid
young manhood of whom a witness so little prejudiced as Professor
Tissot wrote； 'On all sides the Emperor employed a younger generation
in every way worthy of him； in his councils； in the general
administration； in negotiations bristling with difficulties or full of
danger； in the government of conquered countries； and in all places
Youth responded to his demands upon it。 Young men were for Napoleon
the /missi hominici/ of Charlemagne。'
〃The word Bohemia tells you everything。 Bohemia has nothing and lives
upon what it has。 Hope is its religion； faith （in oneself） its creed；
and charity is supposed to be its budget。 All these young men are
greater than their misfortune； they are under the feet of Fortune； yet
more than equal to Fate。 Always ready to mount and ride an /if/； witty
as a /feuilleton/； blithe as only those can be that are deep in debt
and drink deep to match； and finallyfor here I come to my pointhot
lovers and what lovers！ Picture to yourself Lovelace； and Henri
Quatre； and the Regent； and Werther； and Saint…Preux； and Rene； and
the Marechal de Richelieuthink of all these in a single man； and you
will have some idea of their way of love。 What lovers！ Eclectic of all
things in love； they will serve up a passion to a woman's order； their
hearts are like a bill of fare in a restaurant。 Perhaps they have
never read Stendhal's /De l'Amour/； but unconsciously they put it in
practice。 They have by heart their chaptersLove…Taste； Love…Passion；
Love…Caprice； Love…Crystalized； and more than all； Love…Transient。 All
is good in their eyes。 They invented the burlesque axiom； 'In the
sight of man； all women are equal。' The actual text is more vigorously
worded； but as in my opinion the spirit is false； I do not stand nice
upon the letter。
〃My friend； madame； is named Gabriel Jean Anne Victor Benjamin George
Ferdinand Charles Edward Rusticoli； Comte de la Palferine。 The
Rusticolis came to France with Catherine de Medici； having been ousted
about that time from their infinitesimal Tuscan sovereignty。 They are
distantly related to the house of Este； and connected by marriage to
the Guises。 On the day of Saint…Bartholomew they slew a goodly number
of Protestants； and Charles IX。 bestowed the hand of the heiress of
the Comte de la Palferine upon the Rusticoli of that time。 The Comte；
however； being a part of the confiscated lands of the Duke of Savoy；
was repurchased by Henri IV。 when that great king so far blundered as
to restore the fief； and in exchange； the Rusticoliwho had borne
arms long before the Medici bore them to…wit； /argent/ a cross flory
/azure/ （the cross flower…de…luced by letters patent granted by
Charles IX。）； and a count's coronet； with two peasants for supporters
with the motto IN HOC SIGNO VINCIMUSthe Rusticoli； I repeat；
retained their title； and received a couple of offices under the crown
with the government of a province。
〃From the time of the Valois till the reign of Richelieu； as it may be
called； the Rusticoli played a most illustrious part； under Louis XIV。
their glory waned somewhat； under Louis XV。 it went out altogether。 My
friend's grandfather wasted all that was left to the once brilliant
house with Mlle。 Laguerre； whom he first discovered； and brought into
fashion before Bouret's time。 Charles Edward's own father was an
officer without any fortune in 1789。 The Revolution came to his
assistance； he had the sense to drop his