a daughter of eve-第15章

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manager　that　she　is　ill。



But　even　these　mechanical　operations　are　nothing　in　comparison　with

the　intrigues　to　be　carried　on；　the　pains　of　wounded　vanity　to　be

endured；preferences　shown　by　authors；　parts　taken　away　or　given　to

others；　exactions　of　the　male　actors；　spite　of　rivals；　naggings　of　the

stage　manager；　struggles　with　journalists；　all　of　which　require

another　twelve　hours　to　the　day。　But　even　so　far；　nothing　has　been

said　of　the　art　of　acting；　the　expression　of　passion；　the　practice　of

positions　and　gesture；　the　minute　care　and　watchfulness　required　on

the　stage；　where　a　thousand　opera…glasses　are　ready　to　detect　a　flaw；

labors　which　consumed　the　life　and　thought　of　Talma；　Lekain；　Baron；

Contat；　Clairon；　Champmesle。　In　these　infernal　〃coulisses〃　self…love

has　no　sex；　the　artist　who　triumphs；　be　it　man　or　woman；　has　all　the

other　men　and　women　against　him　or　her。　Then；　as　to　money；　however

many　engagements　Florine　may　have；　her　salary　does　not　cover　the　costs

of　her　stage　toilet；　which；　in　addition　to　its　costumes；　requires　an

immense　variety　of　long　gloves；　shoes；　and　frippery；　and　all　this

exclusive　of　her　personal　clothing。　The　first　third　of　such　a　life　is

spent　in　struggling　and　imploring；　the　next　third；　in　getting　a

foothold；　the　last　third；　in　defending　it。　If　happiness　is　frantically

grasped；　it　is　because　it　is　so　rare；　so　long　desired；　and　found　at

last　only　amid　the　odious　fictitious　pleasures　and　smiles　of　such　a

life。



As　for　Florine；　Raoul's　power　in　the　press　was　like　a　protecting

sceptre；　he　spared　her　many　cares　and　anxieties；　she　clung　to　him　less

as　a　lover　than　a　prop；　she　took　care　of　him　like　a　father；　she

deceived　him　like　a　husband；　but　she　would　readily　have　sacrificed　all

she　had　to　him。　Raoul　could；　and　did　do　everything　for　her　vanity　as

an　actress；　for　the　peace　of　her　self…love；　and　for　her　future　on　the

stage。　Without　the　intervention　of　a　successful　author；　there　is　no

successful　actress；　Champmesle　was　due　to　Racine；　like　Mars　to　Monvel

and　Andrieux。　Florine　could　do　nothing　in　return　for　Raoul；　though　she

would　gladly　have　been　useful　and　necessary　to　him。　She　reckoned　on

the　charms　of　habit　to　keep　him　by　her；　she　was　always　ready　to　open

her　salons　and　display　the　luxury　of　her　dinners　and　suppers　for　his

friends；　and　to　further　his　projects。　She　desired　to　be　for　him　what

Madame　de　Pompadour　was　to　Louis　XV。　All　actresses　envied　Florine's

position；　and　some　journalists　envied　that　of　Raoul。



Those　to　whom　the　inclination　of　the　human　mind　towards　chance；

opposition；　and　contrasts　is　known；　will　readily　understand　that　after

ten　years　of　this　lawless　Bohemian　life；　full　of　ups　and　downs；　of

fetes　and　sheriffs；　of　orgies　and　forced　sobrieties；　Raoul　was

attracted　to　the　idea　of　another　love；to　the　gentle；　harmonious

house　and　presence　of　a　great　lady；　just　as　the　Comtesse　Felix

instinctively　desired　to　introduce　the　torture　of　great　emotions　into

a　life　made　monotonous　by　happiness。　This　law　of　life　is　the　law　of

all　arts；　which　exist　only　by　contrasts。　A　work　done　without　this

incentive　is　the　loftiest　expression　of　genius；　just　as　the　cloister

is　the　highest　expression　of　the　Christian　life。



On　returning　to　his　lodging　from　Lady　Dudley's　ball；　Raoul　found　a

note　from　Florine；　brought　by　her　maid；　which　an　invincible　sleepiness

prevented　him　from　reading　at　that　moment。　He　fell　asleep；　dreaming　of

a　gentle　love　that　his　life　had　so　far　lacked。　Some　hours　later　he

opened　the　note；　and　found　in　it　important　news；　which　neither

Rastignac　nor　de　Marsay　had　allowed　to　transpire。　The　indiscretion　of

a　member　of　the　government　had　revealed　to　the　actress　the　coming

dissolution　of　the　Chamber　after　the　present　session。　Raoul　instantly

went　to　Florine's　house　and　sent　for　Blondet。　In　the　actress's

boudoir；　with　their　feet　on　the　fender；　Emile　and　Raoul　analyzed　the

political　situation　of　France　in　1834。　On　which　side　lay　the　best

chance　of　fortune？　They　reviewed　all　parties　and　all　shades　of　party；

pure　republicans；　presiding　republicans；　republicans　without　a

republic；　constitutionals　without　a　dynasty；　ministerial

conservatives；　ministerial　absolutists；　also　the　Right；　the

aristocratic　Right；　the　legitimist；　henriquinquist　Right；　and　the

carlest　Right。　Between　the　party　of　resistance　and　that　of　action

there　was　no　discussion；　they　might　as　well　have　hesitated　between

life　and　death。



At　this　period　a　flock　of　newspapers；　created　to　represent　all　shades

of　opinion；　produced　a　fearful　pell…mell　of　political　principles。

Blondet；　the　most　judicious　mind　of　the　day；judicious　for　others；

never　for　himself；　like　some　great　lawyers　unable　to　manage　their　own

affairs；was　magnificent　in　such　a　discussion。　The　upshot　was　that　he

advised　Nathan　not　to　apostatize　too　suddenly。



〃Napoleon　said　it；　you　can't　make　young　republics　of　old　monarchies。

Therefore；　my　dear　fellow；　become　the　hero；　the　support；　the　creator

of　the　Left　Centre　in　the　new　Chamber；　and　you'll　succeed。　Once

admitted　into　political　ranks；　once　in　the　government；　you　can　be　what

you　like；of　any　opinion　that　triumphs。〃



Nathan　was　bent　on　creating　a　daily　political　journal　and　becoming　the

absolute　master　of　an　enterprise　which　should　absorb　into　it　the

countless　little　papers　then　swarming　from　the　press；　and　establish

ramifications　with　a　review。　He　had　seen　so　many　fortunes　made　all

around　him　by　the　press　that　he　would　not　listen　to　Blondet；　who

warned　him　not　to　trust　to　such　a　venture；　declaring　that　the　plan　was

unsound；　so　great　was　the　present　number　of　newspapers；　all　fighting

for　subscribers。　Raoul；　relying　on　his　so…called　friends　and　his　own

courage；　was　all　for　daring　it；　he　sprang　up　eagerly　and　said；　with　a

proud　gesture；



〃I　shall　succeed。〃



〃But　you　haven't　a　sou。〃



〃I　will　write　a　play。〃



〃It　will　fail。〃



〃Let　it　fail！〃　replied　Nathan。



He　rushed　through　the　various　rooms　of　Florine's　apartment；　followed

by　Blondet；　who　thought　him　crazy；　looking　with　a　greedy　eye　upon　the

wealth　displayed　there。　Blondet　understood　that　look。



〃There's　a　hundred　and　more　thousand　francs　in　them；〃　he　remarked。



〃Yes；〃　said　Raoul；　sighing；　as　he　looked　at　Florine's　sumptuous

bedstead；　〃but　I'd　rather　be　a　pedler　all　my　life　on　the　boulevard；

and　live　on　fried　potatoes；　than　sell　one　item　of　this　apartment。〃



〃Not　one　item；〃　said　Blondet；　〃sell　all。　Ambition　is　like　death；　it

takes　all　or　nothing。〃



〃No；　a　hundred　times　no！　I　would　take　anything　from　my　new　countess；

but　rob　Florine　of　her　shell？　no。〃



〃Upset　our　money…box；　break　one's　balance…pole；　smash　our　refuge；

yes；　that　would　be　serious；〃　said　Blondet　with　a　tragic　air。



〃It　seems　to　me　from　what　I　hear　that　you　want　to　play　politics

instead　of　comedies；〃　said　Florine；　suddenly　appearing。



〃Yes；　my　dear；　yes；〃　said　Raoul；　affectionately　taking　her　by　the　neck

and　kissing　her　forehead。　〃Don't　make　faces　at　that；　you　won't　lose

anything。　A　minister　can　do　better　than　a　journalist　for　the　queen　of

the　boards。　What　parts　and　what　holidays　you　shall　have！〃



〃Where　will　you　get　the　money？〃　she　said。



〃From　my　uncle；〃　replied　Raoul。



Florine　knew　Raoul's　〃uncle。〃　The　word　meant　usury；　as　in　popular

parlance　〃aunt〃　means　pawn。



〃Don't　worry　yourself；　my　little　darling；〃　said　Blondet　to　Florine；

tapping　her　shoulder。　〃I'll　get　him　the　assistance　of　Massol；　a　lawyer

who　wants　to　be　deputy；　also　Finot；　who　has　never　yet　got　beyond　his

'petit…journal；'　and　Pantin；　who　wants　to　be　master　of　petitions；　and

who　dabbles　in　reviews。　Yes；　I'll　save　him　from　himself；　we'll　convoke

here　to　supper　Etienne　Lousteau；　who　can　do　the　feuilleton；　Claude

Vignon　for　criticisms；　Felicien　Vernou　as　general　care…taker；　the

lawyer　will　work；　and　du　Tillet　may　take　charge　of　the　Bourse；　the

money　article；　and　all　industrial　questions。　We'll　see　where　these

various　talents　and