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！
flowery unguarded slopes； where trespasses ripen into errors full of
equivocal effervescence； into too palpitating issues。 The anecdote
puts La Palferine's genius before you in all its vivacity and
completeness。 He realizes Pascal's /entre…deux/； he comprehends the
whole scale between tenderness and pitilessness； and； like
Epaminondas； he is equally great in extremes。 And not merely so； his
epigram stamps the epoch； the /accoucheur/ is a modern innovation。 All
the refinements of modern civilization are summed up in the phrase。 It
is monumental。〃
〃Look here； my dear Nathan； what farrago of nonsense is this？〃 asked
the Marquise in bewilderment。
〃Madame la Marquise；〃 returned Nathan； 〃you do not know the value of
these 'precious' phrases； I am talking Sainte…Beuve； the new kind of
French。I resume。 Walking one day arm in arm with a friend along the
boulevard； he was accosted by a ferocious creditor； who inquired：
〃 'Are you thinking of me； sir？'
〃 'Not the least in the world；' answered the Count。
〃Remark the difficulty of the position。 Talleyrand； in similar
circumstances； had already replied； 'You are very inquisitive； my dear
fellow！' To imitate the inimitable great man was out of the question。
La Palferine； generous as Buckingham； could not bear to be caught
empty…handed。 One day when he had nothing to give a little Savoyard
chimney…sweeper； he dipped a hand into a barrel of grapes in a
grocer's doorway and filled the child's cap from it。 The little one
ate away at his grapes； the grocer began by laughing； and ended by
holding out his hand。
〃 'Oh； fie！ monsieur；' said La Palferine； 'your left hand ought not to
know what my right hand doth。'
〃With his adventurous courage； he never refuses any odds； but there is
wit in his bravado。 In the Passage de l'Opera he chanced to meet a man
who had spoken slightingly of him； elbowed him as he passed； and then
turned and jostled him a second time。
〃 'You are very clumsy！'
〃 'On the contrary； I did it on purpose。'
〃The young man pulled out his card。 La Palferine dropped it。 'It has
been carried too long in the pocket。 Be good enough to give me
another。'
〃On the ground he received a thrust； blood was drawn； his antagonist
wished to stop。
〃 'You are wounded； monsieur！'
〃 'I disallow the /botte/；' said La Palferine； as coolly as if he had
been in the fencing…saloon； then as he riposted （sending the point
home this time）； he added； 'There is the right thrust； monsieur！'
〃His antagonist kept his bed for six months。
〃This； still following on M。 Sainte…Beuve's tracks； recalls the
/raffines/； the fine…edged raillery of the best days of the monarchy。
In this speech you discern an untrammeled but drifting life； a gaiety
of imagination that deserts us when our first youth is past。 The prime
of the blossom is over； but there remains the dry compact seed with
the germs of life in it； ready against the coming winter。 Do you not
see that these things are symptoms of something unsatisfied； of an
unrest impossible to analyze； still less to describe； yet not
incomprehensible； a something ready to break out if occasion calls
into flying upleaping flame？ It is the /accidia/ of the cloister； a
trace of sourness； of ferment engendered by the enforced stagnation of
youthful energies； a vague； obscure melancholy。〃
〃That will do；〃 said the Marquise； 〃you are giving me a mental shower
bath。〃
〃It is the early afternoon languor。 If a man has nothing to do； he
will sooner get into mischief than do nothing at all； this invariably
happens in France。 Youth at present day has two sides to it； the
studious or unappreciated； and the ardent or /passionne/。〃
〃That will do！〃 repeated Mme。 de Rochefide； with an authoritative
gesture。 〃You are setting my nerves on edge。〃
〃To finish my portrait of La Palferine； I hasten to make the plunge
into the gallant regions of his character； or you will not understand
the peculiar genius of an admirable representative of a certain
section of mischievous youthyouth strong enough； be it said； to
laugh at the position in which it is put by those in power； shrewd
enough to do no work； since work profiteth nothing； yet so full of
life that it fastens upon pleasurethe one thing that cannot be taken
away。 And meanwhile a bourgeois； mercantile； and bigoted policy
continues to cut off all the sluices through which so much aptitude
and ability would find an outlet。 Poets and men of science are not
wanted。
〃To give you an idea of the stupidity of the new court； I will tell
you of something which happened to La Palferine。 There is a sort of
relieving officer on the civil list。 This functionary one day
discovered that La Palferine was in dire distress； drew up a report；
no doubt； and brought the descendant of the Rusticolis fifty francs by
way of alms。 La Palferine received the visitor with perfect courtesy；
and talked of various persons at court。
〃 'Is it true；' he asked； 'that Mlle。 d'Orleans contributes such and
such a sum to this benevolent scheme started by her nephew？ If so； it
is very gracious of her。'
〃Now La Palferine had a servant； a little Savoyard； aged ten； who
waited on him without wages。 La Palferine called him Father Anchises；
and used to say； 'I have never seen such a mixture of besotted
foolishness with great intelligence； he would go through fire and
water for me； he understands everythingand yet he cannot grasp the
fact that I can do nothing for him。'
〃Anchises was despatched to a livery stable with instructions to hire
a handsome brougham with a man in livery behind it。 By the time the
carriage arrived below； La Palferine had skilfully piloted the
conversation to the subject of the functions of his visitor； whom he
has since called 'the unmitigated misery man；' and learned the nature
of his duties and his stipend。
〃 'Do they allow you a carriage to go about the town in this way？'
〃 'Oh！ no。'
〃At that La Palferine and a friend who happened to be with him went
downstairs with the poor soul； and insisted on putting him into the
carriage。 It was raining in torrents。 La Palferine had thought of
everything。 He offered to drive the official to the next house on his
list； and when the almoner came down again； he found the carriage
waiting for him at the door。 The man in livery handed him a note
written in pencil：
〃 'The carriage has been engaged for three days。 Count Rusticoli
de la Palferine is too happy to associate himself with Court
charities by lending wings to Royal beneficence。'
〃La Palferine now calls the civil list the uncivil list。
〃He was once passionately loved by a lady of somewhat light conduct。
Antonia lived in the Rue du Helder； she had seen and been seen to some
extent； but at the time of her acquaintance with La Palferine she had
not yet 'an establishment。' Antonia was not wanting in the insolence
of old days； now degenerating into rudeness among women of her class。
After a fortnight of unmixed bliss； she was compelled； in the interest
of her civil list； to return to a less exclusive system； and La
Palferine； discovering a certain lack of sincerity in her dealings
with him； sent Madame Antonia a not