ferragus-第6章

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that　pure　brow　is　a　dreadful　drama。　But　there　are　other　souls　to　whom
the　sight　is　saddening；　and　many　of　those　who　laugh　in　public；　when
withdrawn　into　themselves　and　alone　with　their　conscience；　curse　the
world　while　they　despise　the　woman。　Such　was　the　case　with　Auguste　de
Maulincour；　as　he　stood　there　in　presence　of　Madame　Jules。　Singular
situation！　There　was　no　other　relation　between　them　than　that　which
social　life　establishes　between　persons　who　exchange　a　few　words　seven
or　eight　times　in　the　course　of　a　winter；　and　yet　he　was　calling　her
to　account　on　behalf　of　a　happiness　unknown　to　her；　he　was　judging
her；　without　letting　her　know　of　his　accusation。

Many　young　men　find　themselves　thus　in　despair　at　having　broken
forever　with　a　woman　adored　in　secret；　condemned　and　despised　in
secret。　There　are　many　hidden　monologues　told　to　the　walls　of　some
solitary　lodging；　storms　roused　and　calmed　without　ever　leaving　the
depths　of　hearts；　amazing　scenes　of　the　moral　world；　for　which　a
painter　is　wanted。　Madame　Jules　sat　down；　leaving　her　husband　to　make
a　turn　around　the　salon。　After　she　was　seated　she　seemed　uneasy；　and；
while　talking　with　her　neighbor；　she　kept　a　furtive　eye　on　Monsieur
Jules　Desmarets；　her　husband；　a　broker　chiefly　employed　by　the　Baron
de　Nucingen。　The　following　is　the　history　of　their　home　life。

Monsieur　Desmarets　was；　five　years　before　his　marriage；　in　a　broker's
office；　with　no　other　means　than　the　meagre　salary　of　a　clerk。　But　he
was　a　man　to　whom　misfortune　had　early　taught　the　truths　of　life；　and
he　followed　the　strait　path　with　the　tenacity　of　an　insect　making　for
its　nest；　he　was　one　of　those　dogged　young　men　who　feign　death　before
an　obstacle　and　wear　out　everybody's　patience　with　their　own　beetle…
like　perseverance。　Thus；　young　as　he　was；　he　had　all　the　republican
virtue　of　poor　peoples；　he　was　sober；　saving　of　his　time；　an　enemy　to
pleasure。　He　waited。　Nature　had　given　him　the　immense　advantage　of　an
agreeable　exterior。　His　calm；　pure　brow；　the　shape　of　his　placid；　but
expressive　face；　his　simple　manners；all　revealed　in　him　a　laborious
and　resigned　existence；　that　lofty　personal　dignity　which　is　imposing
to　others；　and　the　secret　nobility　of　heart　which　can　meet　all　events。
His　modesty　inspired　a　sort　of　respect　in　those　who　knew　him。　Solitary
in　the　midst　of　Paris；　he　knew　the　social　world　only　by　glimpses
during　the　brief　moments　which　he　spent　in　his　patron's　salon　on
holidays。

There　were　passions　in　this　young　man；　as　in　most　of　the　men　who　live
in　that　way；　of　amazing　profundity；passions　too　vast　to　be　drawn
into　petty　incidents。　His　want　of　means　compelled　him　to　lead　an
ascetic　life；　and　he　conquered　his　fancies　by　hard　work。　After　paling
all　day　over　figures；　he　found　his　recreation　in　striving　obstinately
to　acquire　that　wide　general　knowledge　so　necessary　in　these　days　to
every　man　who　wants　to　make　his　mark；　whether　in　society；　or　in
commerce；　at　the　bar；　or　in　politics　or　literature。　The　only　peril
these　fine　souls　have　to　fear　comes　from　their　own　uprightness。　They
see　some　poor　girl；　they　love　her；　they　marry　her；　and　wear　out　their
lives　in　a　struggle　between　poverty　and　love。　The　noblest　ambition　is
quenched　perforce　by　the　household　account…book。　Jules　Desmarets　went
headlong　into　this　peril。

He　met　one　evening　at　his　patron's　house　a　girl　of　the　rarest　beauty。
Unfortunate　men　who　are　deprived　of　affection；　and　who　consume　the
finest　hours　of　youth　in　work　and　study；　alone　know　the　rapid　ravages
that　passion　makes　in　their　lonely；　misconceived　hearts。　They　are　so
certain　of　loving　truly；　all　their　forces　are　concentrated　so　quickly
on　the　object　of　their　love；　that　they　receive；　while　beside　her；　the
most　delightful　sensations；　when；　as　often　happens；　they　inspire　none
at　all。　Nothing　is　more　flattering　to　a　woman's　egotism　than　to　divine
this　passion；　apparently　immovable；　and　these　emotions　so　deep　that
they　have　needed　a　great　length　of　time　to　reach　the　human　surface。
These　poor　men；　anchorites　in　the　midst　of　Paris；　have　all　the
enjoyments　of　anchorites；　and　may　sometimes　succumb　to　temptations。
But；　more　often　deceived；　betrayed；　and　misunderstood；　they　are　rarely
able　to　gather　the　sweet　fruits　of　a　love　which；　to　them；　is　like　a
flower　dropped　from　heaven。

One　smile　from　his　wife；　a　single　inflection　of　her　voice　sufficed　to
make　Jules　Desmarets　conceive　a　passion　which　was　boundless。　Happily；
the　concentrated　fire　of　that　secret　passion　revealed　itself　artlessly
to　the　woman　who　inspired　it。　These　two　beings　then　loved　each　other
religiously。　To　express　all　in　a　word；　they　clasped　hands　without
shame　before　the　eyes　of　the　world　and　went　their　way　like　two
children；　brother　and　sister；　passing　serenely　through　a　crowd　where
all　made　way　for　them　and　admired　them。

The　young　girl　was　in　one　of　those　unfortunate　positions　which　human
selfishness　entails　upon　children。　She　had　no　civil　status；　her　name
of　〃Clemence〃　and　her　age　were　recorded　only　by　a　notary　public。　As
for　her　fortune；　that　was　small　indeed。　Jules　Desmarets　was　a　happy
man　on　hearing　these　particulars。　If　Clemence　had　belonged　to　an
opulent　family；　he　might　have　despaired　of　obtaining　her；　but　she　was
only　the　poor　child　of　love；　the　fruit　of　some　terrible　adulterous
passion；　and　they　were　married。　Then　began　for　Jules　Desmarets　a
series　of　fortunate　events。　Every　one　envied　his　happiness；　and
henceforth　talked　only　of　his　luck；　without　recalling　either　his
virtues　or　his　courage。

Some　days　after　their　marriage；　the　mother　of　Clemence；　who　passed　in
society　for　her　godmother；　told　Jules　Desmarets　to　buy　the　office　and
good…will　of　a　broker；　promising　to　provide　him　with　the　necessary
capital。　In　those　days；　such　offices　could　still　be　bought　at　a　modest
price。　That　evening；　in　the　salon　as　it　happened　of　his　patron；　a
wealthy　capitalist　proposed；　on　the　recommendation　of　the　mother；　a
very　advantageous　transaction　for　Jules　Desmarets；　and　the　next　day
the　happy　clerk　was　able　to　buy　out　his　patron。　In　four　years
Desmarets　became　one　of　the　most　prosperous　men　in　his　business；　new
clients　increased　the　number　his　predecessor　had　left　to　him；　he
inspired　confidence　in　all；　and　it　was　impossible　for　him　not　to　feel；
by　the　way　business　came　to　him；　that　some　hidden　influence；　due　to
his　mother…in…law；　or　to　Providence；　was　secretly　protecting　him。

At　the　end　of　the　third　year　Clemence　lost　her　godmother。　By　that　time
Monsieur　Jules　（so　called　to　distinguish　him　from　an　elder　brother；
whom　he　had　set　up　as　a　notary　in　Paris）　possessed　an　income　from
invested　property　of　two　hundred　thousand　francs。　There　was　not　in　all
Paris　another　instance　of　the　domestic　happiness　enjoyed　by　this
couple。　For　five　years　their　exceptional　love　had　been　troubled　by
only　one　event；a　calumny　for　which　Monsieur　Jules　exacted　vengeance。
One　of　his　former　comrades　attributed　to　Madame　Jules　the　fortune　of
her　husband；　explaining　that　it　came　from　a　high　protection　dearly
paid　for。　The　man　who　uttered　the　calumny　was　killed　in　the　duel　that
followed　it。

The　profound　passion　of　this　couple；　which　survived　marriage；　obtained
a　great　success　in　society；　though　some　women　were　annoyed　by　it。　The
charming　household　was　respected；　everybody　feted　it。　Monsieur　and
Madame　Jules　were　sincerely　liked；　perhaps　because　there　is　nothing
more　delightful　to　see　than　happy　people；　but　they　never　stayed　long
at　any　festivity。　They　slipped　away　early；　as　impatient　to　regain
their　nest　as　wandering　pigeons。　This　nest　was　a　large　and　beautiful
mansion　in　the　rue　de　Menars；　where　a　true　feeling　for　art　tempered
the　luxury　which　the　financial　world　continues；　traditionally；　to
display。　Here　the　happy　pair　received　their　society　magnificently；
although　the　obligations　of　social　life　suited　them　but　little。

Nevertheless；　Jules　submitted　to　the　demands　of　the　world；　knowing
that；　sooner　or　later；　a　family　has　need　of　it；　but　he　and　his　wife
felt　themselves；　in　its　midst；　like　green…house　plants　in　a　tempest。
With　a　delicacy　that　was　very　natural；　Jules　had　concealed　from　his
wife　the　calumny　and　the　death　of　the　calumniator。　Ma