the lily of the valley(幽谷百合)-第34章

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！


　　up　to　her；　but　she　will　admire　the　courage　of　whoever　resists　her。
　　She　is　like　iron；　which　if　beaten；　can　be　fused　with　iron；　but
　　when　cold　will　break　everything　less　hard　than　itself。　Cultivate
　　my　mother；　for　if　she　thinks　well　of　you　she　will　introduce　you
　　into　certain　houses　where　you　can　acquire　the　fatal　science　of　the
　　world；　the　art　of　listening；　speaking；　answering；　presenting
　　yourself　to　the　company　and　taking　leave　of　it；　the　precise　use　of
　　language；　the　somethinghow　shall　I　explain　it？which　is　no　more
　　superiority　than　the　coat　is　the　man；　but　without　which　the
　　highest　talent　in　the　world　will　never　be　admitted　within　those
　　portals。

　　I　know　you　well　enough　to　be　quite　sure　I　indulge　no　illusion　when
　　I　imagine　that　I　see　you　as　I　wish　you　to　be；　simple　in　manners；
　　gentle　in　tone；　proud　without　conceit；　respectful　to　the　old；
　　courteous　without　servility；　above　all；　discreet。　Use　your　wit　but
　　never　display　it　for　the　amusement　of　others；　for　be　sure　that　if
　　your　brilliancy　annoys　an　inferior　man；　he　will　retire　from　the
　　field　and　say　of　you　in　a　tone　of　contempt；　〃He　is　very　amusing。〃
　　Let　your　superiority　be　leonine。　Moreover；　do　not　be　always
　　seeking　to　please　others。　I　advise　a　certain　coldness　in　your
　　relations　with　men；　which　may　even　amount　to　indifference；　this
　　will　not　anger　others；　for　all　persons　esteem　those　who　slight
　　them；　and　it　will　win　you　the　favor　of　women；　who　will　respect　you
　　for　the　little　consequence　that　you　attach　to　men。　Never　remain　in
　　company　with　those　who　have　lost　their　reputation；　even　though
　　they　may　not　have　deserved　to　do　so；　for　society　holds　us
　　responsible　for　our　friendships　as　well　as　for　our　enmities。　In
　　this　matter　let　your　judgments　be　slowly　and　maturely　weighed；　but
　　see　that　they　are　irrevocable。　When　the　men　whom　you　have　repulsed
　　justify　the　repulsion；　your　esteem　and　regard　will　be　all　the　more
　　sought　after；　you　have　inspired　the　tacit　respect　which　raises　a
　　man　among　his　peers。　I　behold　you　now　armed　with　a　youth　that
　　pleases；　grace　which　attracts；　and　wisdom　with　which　to　preserve
　　your　conquests。　All　that　I　have　now　told　you　can　be　summed　up　in
　　two　words；　two　old…fashioned　words；　〃Noblesse　oblige。〃

　　Now　apply　these　precepts　to　the　management　of　life。　You　will　hear
　　many　persons　say　that　strategy　is　the　chief　element　of　success；
　　that　the　best　way　to　press　through　the　crowd　is　to　set　some　men
　　against　other　men　and　so　take　their　places。　That　was　a　good　system
　　for　the　Middle　Ages；　when　princes　had　to　destroy　their　rivals　by
　　pitting　one　against　the　other；　but　in　these　days；　all　things　being
　　done　in　open　day；　I　am　afraid　it　would　do　you　ill…service。　No；　you
　　must　meet　your　competitors　face　to　face；　be　they　loyal　and　true
　　men；　or　traitorous　enemies　whose　weapons　are　calumny；　evil…
　　speaking；　and　fraud。　But　remember　this；　you　have　no　more　powerful
　　auxiliaries　than　these　men　themselves；　they　are　their　own　enemies；
　　fight　them　with　honest　weapons；　and　sooner　or　later　they　are
　　condemned。　As　to　the　first　of　them；　loyal　men　and　true；　your
　　straightforwardness　will　obtain　their　respect；　and　the　differences
　　between　you　once　settled　（for　all　things　can　be　settled）；　these
　　men　will　serve　you。　Do　not　be　afraid　of　making　enemies；　woe　to　him
　　who　has　none　in　the　world　you　are　about　to　enter；　but　try　to　give
　　no　handle　for　ridicule　or　disparagement。　I　say　TRY；　for　in　Paris　a
　　man　cannot　always　belong　solely　to　himself；　he　is　sometimes　at　the
　　mercy　of　circumstances；　you　will　not　always　be　able　to　avoid　the
　　mud　in　the　gutter　nor　the　tile　that　falls　from　the　roof。　The　moral
　　world　has　gutters　where　persons　of　no　reputation　endeavor　to
　　splash　the　mud　in　which　they　live　upon　men　of　honor。　But　you　can
　　always　compel　respect　by　showing　that　you　are；　under　all
　　circumstances；　immovable　in　your　principles。　In　the　conflict　of
　　opinions；　in　the　midst　of　quarrels　and　cross…purposes；　go　straight
　　to　the　point；　keep　resolutely　to　the　question；　never　fight　except
　　for　the　essential　thing；　and　put　your　whole　strength　into　that。
　　You　know　how　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　hates　Napoleon；　how　he　curses
　　him　and　pursues　him　as　justice　does　a　criminal；　demanding
　　punishment　day　and　night　for　the　death　of　the　Duc　d'Enghien；　the
　　only　death；　the　only　misfortune；　that　ever　brought　the　tears　to
　　his　eyes；　well；　he　nevertheless　admired　him　as　the　greatest　of
　　captains；　and　has　often　explained　to　me　his　strategy。　May　not　the
　　same　tactics　be　applied　to　the　war　of　human　interests；　they　would
　　economize　time　as　heretofore　they　economized　men　and　space。　Think
　　this　over；　for　as　a　woman　I　am　liable　to　be　mistaken　on　such
　　points　which　my　sex　judges　only　by　instinct　and　sentiment。　One
　　point；　however；　I　may　insist　on；　all　trickery；　all　deception；　is
　　certain　to　be　discovered　and　to　result　in　doing　harm；　whereas
　　every　situation　presents　less　danger　if　a　man　plants　himself
　　firmly　on　his　own　truthfulness。　If　I　may　cite　my　own　case；　I　can
　　tell　you　that；　obliged　as　I　am　by　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf's　condition
　　to　avoid　litigation　and　to　bring　to　an　immediate　settlement　all
　　difficulties　which　arise　in　the　management　of　Clochegourde；　and
　　which　would　otherwise　cause　him　an　excitement　under　which　his　mind
　　would　succumb；　I　have　invariably　settled　matters　promptly　by
　　taking　hold　of　the　knot　of　the　difficulty　and　saying　to　our
　　opponents：　〃We　will　either　untie　it　or　cut　it！〃

　　It　will　often　happen　that　you　do　a　service　to　others　and　find
　　yourself　ill…rewarded；　I　beg　you　not　to　imitate　those　who　complain
　　of　men　and　declare　them　to　be　all　ungrateful。　That　is　putting
　　themselves　on　a　pedestal　indeed！　and　surely　it　is　somewhat　silly
　　to　admit　their　lack　of　knowledge　of　the　world。　But　you；　I　trust；
　　will　not　do　good　as　a　usurer　lends　his　money；　you　will　do　itwill
　　you　not？for　good's　sake。　Noblesse　oblige。　Nevertheless；　do　not
　　bestow　such　services　as　to　force　others　to　ingratitude；　for　if　you
　　do；　they　will　become　your　most　implacable　enemies；　obligations
　　sometimes　lead　to　despair；　like　the　despair　of　ruin　itself；　which
　　is　capable　of　very　desperate　efforts。　As　for　yourself；　accept　as
　　little　as　you　can　from　others。　Be　no　man's　vassal；　and　bring
　　yourself　out　of　your　own　difficulties。

　　You　see；　dear　friend；　I　am　advising　you　only　on　the　lesser　points
　　of　life。　In　the　world　of　politics　things　wear　a　different　aspect；
　　the　rules　which　are　to　guide　your　individual　steps　give　way　before
　　the　national　interests。　If　you　reach　that　sphere　where　great　men
　　revolve　you　will　be；　like　God　himself；　the　sole　arbiter　of　your
　　determinations。　You　will　no　longer　be　a　man；　but　law；　the　living
　　law；　no　longer　an　individual；　you　are　then　the　Nation　incarnate。
　　But　remember　this；　though　you　judge；　you　will　yourself　be　judged；
　　hereafter　you　will　be　summoned　before　the　ages；　and　you　know
　　history　well　enough　to　be　fully　informed　as　to　what　deeds　and　what
　　sentiments　have　led　to　true　grandeur。

　　I　now　come　to　a　serious　matter；　your　conduct　towards　women。
　　Wherever　you　visit　make　it　a　principle　not　to　fritter　yourself
　　away　in　a　petty　round　of　gallantry。　A　man　of　the　last　century　who
　　had　great　social　success　never　paid　attention　to　more　than　one
　　woman　of　an　evening；　choosing　the　one　who　seemed　the　most
　　neglected。　That　man；　my　dear　child；　controlled　his　epoch。　He
　　wisely　reckoned　that　by　a　given　time　all　women　would　speak　well　of
　　him。　Many　young　men　waste　their　most　precious　possession；　namely；
　　the　time　necessary　to　create　connections　which　contribute　more
　　than　all　else　to　social　success。　Your　springtime　is　short；
　　endeavor　to　make　the　most　of　it。　Cultivate　influential　women。
　　Influential　women　are　old　women；　they　will　teach　you　the
　　intermarriages　and　the　secrets　of　all　the　families　of　the　great
　　world；　they　will　show　you　the　cross…roads　which　will　bring　you
　　soonest　to　your　goal。　They　will　be　fond　of　you。　The　bestowal　of
　　protection　is　their　last　form　of　lovewhen　they　are　not　devout。
　　They　will　do　you　innumerable　good　services；　sing　your　praises　and
　　make　you　desirable