a daughter of eve-第12章

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others　covered　by　those　charming　pleated　chemisettes　which　Raffaelle

painted。　The　prettiest　feet　pointed　for　the　dance；　the　slimmest　waists

encircled　in　the　waltz；　stimulated　the　gaze　of　the　most　indifferent

person　present。　The　murmur　of　sweet　voices；　the　rustle　of　gowns；　the

cadence　of　the　dance；　the　whir　of　the　waltz　harmoniously　accompanied

the　music。　A　fairy's　wand　seemed　to　have　commanded　this　dazzling

revelry；　this　melody　of　perfumes；　these　iridescent　lights　glittering

from　crystal　chandeliers　or　sparkling　in　candelabra。　This　assemblage

of　the　prettiest　women　in　their　prettiest　dresses　stood　out　upon　a

gloomy　background　of　men　in　black　coats；　among　whom　the　eye　remarked

the　elegant；　delicate；　and　correctly　drawn　profile　of　nobles；　the

ruddy　beards　and　grave　faces　of　Englishmen；　and　the　more　gracious

faces　of　the　French　aristocracy。　All　the　orders　of　Europe　glittered　on

the　breasts　or　hung　from　the　necks　of　these　men。



Examining　this　society　carefully；　it　was　seen　to　present　not　only　the

brilliant　tones　and　colors　and　outward　adornment；　but　to　have　a　soul；

it　lived；　it　felt；　it　thought。　Hidden　passions　gave　it　a

physiognomy；　mischievous　or　malignant　looks　were　exchanged；　fair　and

giddy　girls　betrayed　desires；　jealous　women　told　each　other　scandals

behind　their　fans；　or　paid　exaggerated　compliments。　Society；　anointed；

curled；　and　perfumed；　gave　itself　up　to　social　gaiety　which　went　to

the　brain　like　a　heady　liquor。　It　seemed　as　if　from　all　foreheads；　as

well　as　from　all　hearts；　ideas　and　sentiments　were　exhaling；　which

presently　condensed　and　reacted　in　a　volume　on　the　coldest　persons

present；　and　excited　them。　At　the　most　animated　moment　of　this

intoxicating　party；　in　a　corner　of　a　gilded　salon　where　certain

bankers；　ambassadors；　and　the　immoral　old　English　earl；　Lord　Dudley；

were　playing　cards；　Madame　Felix　de　Vandenesse　was　irresistibly　drawn

to　converse　with　Raoul　Nathan。　Possibly　she　yielded　to　that　ball…

intoxication　which　sometimes　wrings　avowals　from　the　most　discreet。



At　sight　of　such　a　fete；　and　the　splendors　of　a　world　in　which　he　had

never　before　appeared；　Nathan　was　stirred　to　the　soul　by　fresh

ambition。　Seeing　Rastignac；　whose　younger　brother　had　just　been　made

bishop　at　twenty…seven　years　of　age；　and　whose　brother…in…law；　Martial

de　la　Roche…Hugon；　was　a　minister；　and　who　himself　was　under…secretary

of　State；　and　about　to　marry；　rumor　said；　the　only　daughter　of　the

Baron　de　Nucingen；a　girl　with　an　illimitable　〃dot〃；　seeing；

moreover；　in　the　diplomatic　body　an　obscure　writer　whom　he　had

formerly　known　translating　articles　in　foreign　journals　for　a

newspaper　turned　dynastic　since　1830；　also　professors　now　made　peers

of　France；he　felt　with　anguish　that　he　was　left　behind　on　a　bad　road

by　advocating　the　overthrow　of　this　new　aristocracy　of　lucky　talent；

of　cleverness　crowned　by　success；　and　of　real　merit。　Even　Blondet；　so

unfortunate；　so　used　by　others　in　journalism；　but　so　welcomed　here；

who　could；　if　he　liked；　enter　a　career　of　public　service　through　the

influence　of　Madame　de　Montcornet；　seemed　to　Nathan's　eyes　a　striking

example　of　the　power　of　social　relations。　Secretly；　in　his　heart；　he

resolved　to　play　the　game　of　political　opinions；　like　de　Marsay；

Rastignac；　Blondet；　Talleyrand；　the　leader　of　this　set　of　men；　to　rely

on　facts　only；　turn　them　to　his　own　profit；　regard　his　system　as　a

weapon；　and　not　interfere　with　a　society　so　well　constituted；　so

shrewd；　so　natural。



〃My　influence；〃　he　thought；　〃will　depend　on　the　influence　of　some

woman　belonging　to　this　class　of　society。〃



With　this　thought　in　his　mind；　conceived　by　the　flame　of　this　frenzied

desire；　he　fell　upon　the　Comtesse　de　Vandenesse　like　a　hawk　on　its

prey。　That　charming　young　woman　in　her　head…dress　of　marabouts；　which

produced　the　delightful　〃flou〃　of　the　paintings　of　Lawrence　and

harmonized　well　with　her　gentle　nature；　was　penetrated　through　and

through　by　the　foaming　vigor　of　this　poet　wild　with　ambition。　Lady

Dudley；　whom　nothing　escaped；　aided　this　tete…a…tete　by　throwing　the

Comte　de　Vandenesse　with　Madame　de　Manerville。　Strong　in　her　former

ascendancy　over　him；　Natalie　de　Manerville　amused　herself　by　leading

Felix　into　the　mazes　of　a　quarrel　of　witty　teasing；　blushing　half…

confidences；　regrets　coyly　flung　like　flowers　at　his　feet；

recriminations　in　which　she　excused　herself　for　the　sole　purpose　of

being　put　in　the　wrong。



These　former　lovers　were　speaking　to　each　other　for　the　first　time

since　their　rupture；　and　while　her　husband's　former　love　was　stirring

the　embers　to　see　if　a　spark　were　yet　alive；　Madame　Felix　de

Vandenesse　was　undergoing　those　violent　palpitations　which　a　woman

feels　at　the　certainty　of　doing　wrong；　and　stepping　on　forbidden

ground；emotions　that　are　not　without　charm；　and　which　awaken　various

dormant　faculties。　Women　are　fond　of　using　Bluebeard's　bloody　key；

that　fine　mythological　idea　for　which　we　are　indebted　to　Perrault。



The　dramatistwho　knew　his　Shakespearedisplayed　his　wretchedness；

related　his　struggle　with　men　and　things；　made　his　hearer　aware　of　his

baseless　grandeur；　his　unrecognized　political　genius；　his　life　without

noble　affections。　Without　saying　a　single　definite　word；　he　contrived

to　suggest　to　this　charming　woman　that　she　should　play　the　noble　part

of　Rebecca　in　Ivanhoe；　and　love　and　protect　him。　It　was　all；　of

course；　in　the　ethereal　regions　of　sentiment。　Forget…me…nots　are　not

more　blue；　lilies　not　more　white　than　the　images；　thoughts；　and

radiantly　illumined　brow　of　this　accomplished　artist；　who　was　likely

to　send　his　conversation　to　a　publisher。　He　played　his　part　of　reptile

to　this　poor　Eve　so　cleverly；　he　made　the　fatal　bloom　of　the　apple　so

dazzling　to　her　eyes；　that　Marie　left　the　ball…room　filled　with　that

species　of　remorse　which　resembles　hope；　flattered　in　all　her

vanities；　stirred　to　every　corner　of　her　heart；　caught　by　her　own

virtues；　allured　by　her　native　pity　for　misfortune。



Perhaps　Madame　de　Manerville　had　taken　Vandenesse　into　the　salon　where

his　wife　was　talking　with　Nathan；　perhaps　he　had　come　there　himself　to

fetch　Marie；　and　take　her　home；　perhaps　his　conversation　with　his

former　flame　had　awakened　slumbering　griefs；　certain　it　is　that　when

his　wife　took　his　arm　to　leave　the　ball…room；　she　saw　that　his　face

was　sad　and　his　look　serious。　The　countess　wondered　if　he　was

displeased　with　her。　No　sooner　were　they　seated　in　the　carriage　than

she　turned　to　Felix　and　said；　with　a　mischievous　smile；



〃Did　not　I　see　you　talking　half　the　evening　with　Madame　de

Manerville？〃



Felix　was　not　out　of　the　tangled　paths　into　which　his　wife　had　led　him

by　this　charming　little　quarrel；　when　the　carriage　turned　into　their

court…yard。　This　was　Marie's　first　artifice　dictated　by　her　new

emotion；　and　she　even　took　pleasure　in　triumphing　over　a　man　who；

until　then；　had　seemed　to　her　so　superior。







CHAPTER　V



FLORINE



Between　the　rue　Basse…du…Rempart　and　the　rue　Neuve…des…Mathurins；

Raoul　had；　on　the　third　floor　of　an　ugly　and　narrow　house；　in　the

Passage　Sandrie；　a　poor　enough　lodging；　cold　and　bare；　where　he　lived

ostensibly　for　the　general　public；　for　literary　neophytes；　and　for　his

creditors；　duns；　and　other　annoying　persons　whom　he　kept　on　the

threshold　of　private　life。　His　real　home；　his　fine　existence；　his

presentation　of　himself　before　his　friends；　was　in　the　house　of

Mademoiselle　Florine；　a　second…class　comedy　actress；　where；　for　ten

years；　the　said　friends；　journalists；　certain　authors；　and　writers　in

general　disported　themselves　in　the　society　of　equally　illustrious

actresses。　For　ten　years　Raoul　had　attached　himself　so　closely　to　this

woman　that　he　passed　more　than　half　his　life　with　her；　he　took　all　his

meals　at　her　house　unless　he　had　some　friend　to　invite；　or　an

invitation　to　dinner　elsewhere。



To　consummate　corruption；　Florine　added　a　lively　wit；　which

intercourse　with　artists　had　devel