a daughter of eve-第13章

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To　consummate　corruption；　Florine　added　a　lively　wit；　which

intercourse　with　artists　had　developed　and　practice　sharpened　day　by

day。　Wit　is　thought　to　be　a　quality　rare　in　comedians。　It　is　so

natural　to　suppose　that　persons　who　spend　their　lives　in　showing

things　on　the　outside　have　nothing　within。　But　if　we　reflect　on　the

small　number　of　actors　and　actresses　who　live　in　each　century；　and

also　on　how　many　dramatic　authors　and　fascinating　women　this

population　has　supplied　relatively　to　its　numbers；　it　is　allowable　to

refute　that　opinion；　which　rests；　and　apparently　will　rest　forever；　on

a　criticism　made　against　dramatic　artists；namely；　that　their

personal　sentiments　are　destroyed　by　the　plastic　presentation　of

passions；　whereas；　in　fact；　they　put　into　their　art　only　their　gifts

of　mind；　memory；　and　imagination。　Great　artists　are　beings　who；　to

quote　Napoleon；　can　cut　off　at　will　the　connection　which　Nature　has

put　between　the　senses　and　thought。　Moliere　and　Talma；　in　their　old

age；　were　more　in　love　than　ordinary　men　in　all　their　lives。



Accustomed　to　listen　to　journalists；　who　guess　at　most　things；　putting

two　and　two　together；　to　writers；　who　foresee　and　tell　all　that　they

see；　accustomed　also　to　the　ways　of　certain　political　personages；　who

watched　one　another　in　her　house；　and　profited　by　all　admissions；

Florine　presented　in　her　own　person　a　mixture　of　devil　and　angel；

which　made　her　peculiarly　fitted　to　receive　these　roues。　They

delighted　in　her　cool　self…possession；　her　anomalies　of　mind　and　heart

entertained　them　prodigiously。　Her　house；　enriched　by　gallant

tributes；　displayed　the　exaggerated　magnificence　of　women　who；　caring

little　about　the　cost　of　things；　care　only　for　the　things　themselves；

and　give　them　the　value　of　their　own　caprices；women　who　will　break　a

fan　or　a　smelling…bottle　fit　for　queens　in　a　moment　of　passion；　and

scream　with　rage　if　a　servant　breaks　a　ten…franc　saucer　from　which

their　poodle　drinks。



Florine's　dining…room；　filled　with　her　most　distinguished　offerings；

will　give　a　fair　idea　of　this　pell…mell　of　regal　and　fantastic　luxury。

Throughout；　even　on　the　ceilings；　it　was　panelled　in　oak；　picked　out；

here　and　there；　by　dead…gold　lines。　These　panels　were　framed　in　relief

with　figures　of　children　playing　with　fantastic　animals；　among　which

the　light　danced　and　floated；　touching　here　a　sketch　by　Bixiou；　that

maker　of　caricatures；　there　the　cast　of　an　angel　holding　a　vessel　of

holy　water　（presented　by　Francois　Souchet）；　farther　on　a　coquettish

painting　of　Joseph　Bridau；　a　gloomy　picture　of　a　Spanish　alchemist　by

Hippolyte　Schinner；　an　autograph　of　Lord　Byron　to　Lady　Caroline　Lamb；

framed　in　carved　ebony；　while；　hanging　opposite　as　a　species　of

pendant；　was　a　letter　from　Napoleon　to　Josephine。　All　these　things

were　placed　about　without　the　slightest　symmetry；　but　with　almost

imperceptible　art。　On　the　chimney…piece；　of　exquisitely　carved　oak；

there　was　nothing　except　a　strange；　evidently　Florentine；　ivory

statuette　attributed　to　Michael　Angelo；　representing　Pan　discovering　a

woman　under　the　skin　of　a　young　shepherd；　the　original　of　which　is　in

the　royal　palace　of　Vienna。　On　either　side　were　candelabra　of

Renaissance　design。　A　clock；　by　Boule；　on　a　tortoise…shell　stand；

inlaid　with　brass；　sparkled　in　the　centre　of　one　panel　between　two

statuettes；　undoubtedly　obtained　from　the　demolition　of　some　abbey。　In

the　corners　of　the　room；　on　pedestals；　were　lamps　of　royal

magnificence；　as　to　which　a　manufacturer　had　made　strong　remonstrance

against　adapting　his　lamps　to　Japanese　vases。　On　a　marvellous

sideboard　was　displayed　a　service　of　silver　plate；　the　gift　of　an

English　lord；　also　porcelains　in　high　relief；　in　short；　the　luxury　of

an　actress　who　has　no　other　property　than　her　furniture。



The　bedroom；　all　in　violet；　was　a　dream　that　Florine　had　indulged　from

her　debut；　the　chief　features　of　which　were　curtains　of　violet　velvet

lined　with　white　silk；　and　looped　over　tulle；　a　ceiling　of　white

cashmere　with　violet　satin　rays；　an　ermine　carpet　beside　the　bed；　in

the　bed；　the　curtains　of　which　resembled　a　lily　turned　upside　down　was

a　lantern　by　which　to　read　the　newspaper　plaudits　or　criticisms　before

they　appeared　in　the　morning。　A　yellow　salon；　its　effect　heightened　by

trimmings　of　the　color　of　Florentine　bronze；　was　in　harmony　with　the

rest　of　these　magnificences；　a　further　description　of　which　would　make

our　pages　resemble　the　posters　of　an　auction　sale。　To　find　comparisons

for　all　these　fine　things；　it　would　be　necessary　to　go　to　a　certain

house　that　was　almost　next　door；　belonging　to　a　Rothschild。



Sophie　Grignault；　surnamed　Florine　by　a　form　of　baptism　common　in

theatres；　had　made　her　first　appearances；　in　spite　of　her　beauty；　on

very　inferior　boards。　Her　success　and　her　money　she　owed　to　Raoul

Nathan。　This　association　of　their　two　fates；　usual　enough　in　the

dramatic　and　literary　world；　did　no　harm　to　Raoul；　who　kept　up　the

outward　conventions　of　a　man　of　the　world。　Moreover；　Florine's　actual

means　were　precarious；　her　revenues　came　from　her　salary　and　her

leaves　of　absence；　and　barely　sufficed　for　her　dress　and　her　household

expenses。　Nathan　gave　her　certain　perquisites　which　he　managed　to　levy

as　critic　on　several　of　the　new　enterprises　of　industrial　art。　But

although　he　was　always　gallant　and　protecting　towards　her；　that

protection　had　nothing　regular　or　solid　about　it。



This　uncertainty；　and　this　life　on　a　bough；　as　it　were；　did　not　alarm

Florine；　she　believed　in　her　talent；　and　she　believed　in　her　beauty。

Her　robust　faith　was　somewhat　comical　to　those　who　heard　her　staking

her　future　upon　it；　when　remonstrances　were　made　to　her。



〃I　can　have　income　enough　when　I　please；〃　she　was　wont　to　say；　〃I　have

invested　fifty　francs　on　the　Grand…livre。〃



No　one　could　ever　understand　how　it　happened　that　Florine；　handsome　as

she　was；　had　remained　in　obscurity　for　seven　years；　but　the　fact　is；

Florine　was　enrolled　as　a　supernumerary　at　thirteen　years　of　age；　and

made　her　debut　two　years　later　at　an　obscure　boulevard　theatre。　At

fifteen；　neither　beauty　nor　talent　exist；　a　woman　is　simply　all

promise。



She　was　now　twenty…eight；the　age　at　which　the　beauties　of　a　French

woman　are　in　their　glory。　Painters　particularly　admired　the　lustre　of

her　white　shoulders；　tinted　with　olive　tones　about　the　nape　of　the

neck；　and　wonderfully　firm　and　polished；　so　that　the　light　shimmered

over　them　as　it　does　on　watered　silk。　When　she　turned　her　head；　superb

folds　formed　about　her　neck；　the　admiration　of　sculptors。　She　carried

on　this　triumphant　neck　the　small　head　of　a　Roman　empress；　the

delicate；　round；　and　self…willed　head　of　Pompeia；　with　features　of

elegant　correctness；　and　the　smooth　forehead　of　a　woman　who　drives　all

care　away　and　all　reflection；　who　yields　easily；　but　is　capable　of

balking　like　a　mule；　and　incapable　at　such　times　of　listening　to

reason。　That　forehead；　turned；　as　it　were；　with　one　cut　of　the　chisel；

brought　out　the　beauty　of　the　golden　hair；　which　was　raised　in　front；

after　the　Roman　fashion；　in　two　equal　masses；　and　twisted　up　behind

the　head　to　prolong　the　line　of　the　neck；　and　enhance　that　whiteness

by　its　beautiful　color。　Black　and　delicate　eyebrows；　drawn　by　a

Chinese　brush；　encircled　the　soft　eyelids；　which　were　threaded　with

rosy　fibres。　The　pupils　of　the　eyes；　extremely　bright；　though　striped

with　brown　rays；　gave　to　her　glance　the　cruel　fixity　of　a　beast　of

prey；　and　betrayed　the　cold　maliciousness　of　the　courtesan。　The　eyes

were　gray；　fringed　with　black　lashes；a　charming　contrast；　which　made

their　expression　of　calm　and　contemplative　voluptuousness　the　more

observable；　the　circle　round　the　eyes　showed　marks　of　fatigue；　but　the

artistic　manner　in　which　she　could　turn　her　eyeballs；　right　and　left；

or　up　and　down；　to　observe；　or　seem　to　mediate；　the　way　in　which　she

could　hold　them　fixed；　casting　out　their　vivid　fire　without　moving　her