the firm of nucingen-第7章

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　height；　four　feet　eleven　inches；　fair　hair；　eyebrows　idem；　blue　eyes；　forehead　neither　high　nor　low；　curved　nose；　little　mouth；　short　turned…up　chin；　oval　face；　distinguishing　signsnone。　Such　was　the　description　on　the　passport　of　the　beloved　object。　You　will　not　ask　more　than　the　police；　or　their　worships　the　mayors；　of　all　the　towns　and　communes　of　France；　the　gendarmes　and　the　rest　of　the　powers　that　be？　In　other　respectsI　give　you　my　word　for　itshe　was　a　rough　sketch　of　a　Venus　dei　Medici。

〃The　first　time　that　Godefroid　went　to　one　of　the　balls　for　which　Mme。　de　Nucingen　enjoyed　a　certain　not　undeserved　reputation；　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　his　future　lady…love　in　a　quadrille；　and　was　set　marveling　by　that　height　of　four　feet　eleven　inches。　The　fair　hair　rippled　in　a　shower　of　curls　about　the　little　girlish　head；　she　looked　as　fresh　as　a　naiad　peeping　out　through　the　crystal　pane　of　her　stream　to　take　a　look　at　the　spring　flowers。　（This　is　quite　in　the　modern　style；　strings　of　phrases　as　endless　as　the　macaroni　on　the　table　a　while　ago。）　On　that　'eyebrows　idem'　（no　offence　to　the　prefect　of　police）　Parny；　that　writer　of　light　and　playful　verse；　would　have　hung　half…a…　dozen　couplets；　comparing　them　very　agreeably　to　Cupid's　bow；　at　the　same　time　bidding　us　to　observe　that　the　dart　was　beneath；　the　said　dart；　however；　was　neither　very　potent　nor　very　penetrating；　for　as　yet　it　was　controlled　by　the　namby…pamby　sweetness　of　a　Mlle。　de　la　Valliere　as　depicted　on　fire…screens；　at　the　moment　when　she　solemnizes　her　betrothal　in　the　sight　of　heaven；　any　solemnization　before　the　registrar　being　quite　out　to　the　question。

〃You　know　the　effect　of　fair　hair　and　blue　eyes　in　the　soft；　voluptuous　decorous　dance？　Such　a　girl　does　not　knock　audaciously　at　your　heart；　like　the　dark…haired　damsels　that　seem　to　say　after　the　fashion　of　Spanish　beggars；　'Your　money　or　your　life；　give　me　five　francs　or　take　my　contempt！'　These　insolent　and　somewhat　dangerous　beauties　may　find　favor　in　the　sight　of　many　men；　but　to　my　thinking　the　blonde　that　has　the　good　fortune　to　look　extremely　tender　and　yielding；　while　foregoing　none　of　her　rights　to　scold；　to　tease；　to　use　unmeasured　language；　to　be　jealous　without　grounds；　to　do　anything；　in　short；　that　makes　woman　adorable；the　fair…haired　girl；　I　say；　will　always　be　more　sure　to　marry　than　the　ardent　brunette。　Firewood　is　dear；　you　see。

〃Isaure；　white　as　an　Alsacienne　（she　first　saw　the　light　at　Strasbourg；　and　spoke　German　with　a　slight　and　very　agreeable　French　accent）；　danced　to　admiration。　Her　feet；　omitted　on　the　passport；　though　they　really　might　have　found　a　place　there　under　the　heading　Distinguishing　Signs；　were　remarkable　for　their　small　size；　and　for　that　particular　something　which　old…fashioned　dancing　masters　used　to　call　flic…flac；　a　something　that　put　you　in　mind　of　Mlle。　Mars'　agreeable　delivery；　for　all　the　Muses　are　sisters；　and　the　dancer　and　poet　alike　have　their　feet　upon　the　earth。　Isaure's　feet　spoke　lightly　and　swiftly　with　a　clearness　and　precision　which　augured　well　for　things　of　the　heart。　'Elle　a　duc　flic…flac；'　was　old　Marcel's　highest　word　of　praise；　and　old　Marcel　was　the　dancing　master　that　deserved　the　epithet　of　'the　Great。'　People　used　to　say　'the　Great　Marcel；'　as　they　said　'Frederick　the　Great；'　and　in　Frederick's　time。〃

〃Did　Marcel　compose　any　ballets？〃　inquired　Finot。

〃Yes；　something　in　the　style　of　Les　Quatre　Elements　and　L'Europe　galante。〃

〃What　times　they　were；　when　great　nobles　dressed　the　dancers！〃　said　Finot。

〃Improper！〃　said　Bixiou。　〃Isaure　did　not　raise　herself　on　the　tips　of　her　toes；　she　stayed　on　the　ground；　she　swayed　in　the　dance　without　jerks；　and　neither　more　nor　less　voluptuously　than　a　young　lady　ought　to　do。　There　was　a　profound　philosophy　in　Marcel's　remark　that　every　age　and　condition　had　its　dance；　a　married　woman　should　not　dance　like　a　young　girl；　nor　a　little　jackanapes　like　a　capitalist；　nor　a　soldier　like　a　page；　he　even　went　so　far　as　to　say　that　the　infantry　ought　not　to　dance　like　the　cavalry；　and　from　this　point　he　proceeded　to　classify　the　world　at　large。　All　these　fine　distinctions　seem　very　far　away。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Blondet；　〃you　have　set　your　finger　on　a　great　calamity。　If　Marcel　had　been　properly　understood；　there　would　have　been　no　French　Revolution。〃

〃It　had　been　Godefroid's　privilege　to　run　over　Europe；〃　resumed　Bixiou；　〃nor　had　he　neglected　his　opportunities　of　making　a　thorough　comparative　study　of　European　dancing。　Perhaps　but　for　profound　diligence　in　the　pursuit　of　what　is　usually　held　to　be　useless　knowledge；　he　would　never　have　fallen　in　love　with　this　young　lady；　as　it　was；　out　of　the　three　hundred　guests　that　crowded　the　handsome　rooms　in　the　Rue　Saint…Lazare；　he　alone　comprehended　the　unpublished　romance　revealed　by　a　garrulous　quadrille。　People　certainly　noticed　Isaure　d'Aldrigger's　dancing；　but　in　this　present　century　the　cry　is　'Skim　lightly　over　the　surface；　do　not　lean　your　weight　on　it；'　so　one　said　（he　was　a　notary's　clerk）；　'There　is　a　girl　that　dances　uncommonly　well；'　another　（a　lady　in　a　turban）；　'There　is　a　young　lady　that　dances　enchantingly；'　and　a　third　（a　woman　of　thirty）；　'That　little　thing　is　not　dancing　badly。'But　to　return　to　the　great　Marcel；　let　us　parody　his　best　known　saying　with；　'How　much　there　is　in　an　avant…deux。'　〃

〃And　let　us　get　on　a　little　faster；〃　said　Blondet；　〃you　are　maundering。〃

〃Isaure；〃　continued　Bixiou；　looking　askance　at　Blondet；　〃wore　a　simple　white　crepe　dress　with　green　ribbons；　she　had　a　camellia　in　her　hair；　a　camellia　at　her　waist；　another　camellia　at　her　skirt…hem；　and　a　camellia〃

〃Come；　now！　here　comes　Sancho's　three　hundred　goats。〃

〃Therein　lies　all　literature；　dear　boy。　Clarissa　is　a　masterpiece；　there　are　fourteen　volumes　of　her；　and　the　most　wooden…headed　playwright　would　give　you　the　whole　of　Clarissa　in　a　single　act。　So　long　as　I　amuse　you；　what　have　you　to　complain　of？　That　costume　was　positively　lovely。　Don't　you　like　camillias？　Would　you　rather　have　dahlias？　No？　Very　good；　chestnuts　then；　here's　for　you。〃　（And　probably　Bixiou　flung　a　chestnut　across　the　table；　for　we　heard　something　drop　on　a　plate。）

〃I　was　wrong；　I　acknowledge　it。　Go　on；〃　said　Blondet。

〃I　resume。　'Pretty　enough　to　marry；　isn't　she？'　said　Rastignac；　coming　up　to　Godefroid　de　Beaudenord；　and　indicating　the　little　one　with　the　spotless　white　camellias；　every　petal　intact。

〃Rastignac　being　an　intimate　friend；　Godefroid　answered　in　a　low　voice；　'Well；　so　I　was　thinking。　I　was　saying　to　myself　that　instead　of　enjoying　my　happiness　with　fear　and　trembling　at　every　moment；　instead　of　taking　a　world　of　trouble　to　whisper　a　word　in　an　inattentive　ear；　of　looking　over　the　house　at　the　Italiens　to　see　if　some　one　wears　a　red　flower　or　a　white　in　her　hair；　or　watching　along　the　Corso　for　a　gloved　hand　on　a　carriage　door；　as　we　used　to　do　at　Milan；　instead　of　snatching　a　mouthful　of　baba　like　a　lackey　finishing　off　a　bottle　behind　a　door；　or　wearing　out　one's　wits　with　giving　and　receiving　letters　like　a　postmanletters　that　consist　not　of　a　mere　couple　of　tender　lines；　but　expand　to　five　folio　volumes　to…day　and　contract　to　a　couple　of　sheets　to…morrow　（a　tiresome　practice）；　instead　of　dragging　along　over　the　ruts　and　dodging　behind　hedgesit　would　be　better　to　give　way　to　the　adorable　passion　that　Jean…Jacques　Rousseau　envied；　to　fall　frankly　in　love　with　a　girl　like　Isaure；　with　a　view　to　making　her　my　wife；　if　upon　exchange　of　sentiments　our　hearts　respond　to　each　other；　to　be　Werther；　in　short；　with　a　happy　ending。'

〃　'Which　is　a　common　weakness；'　returned　Rastignac　without　laughing。　'Possibly　in　your　place　I　might　plunge　into　the　unspeakable　delights　of　that　ascetic　course；　it　possesses　the　merits　of　novelty　and　originality；　and　it　is　not　very　expensive。　Your　Monna　Lisa　is　sweet；　but　inane　as　music　for　the　ballet；　I　give　you　warning。'

〃Rastignac　made　this　last　remark　in　a　way　which　set　Beaudenord　thinking　that　his　friend　had　his　own　motives　for　disenchanting　him；　Beaudenord　had　not　been　a　diplomatist　for　nothing；　he　fancied　that　Rastignac　wanted　to　cut　him　out。　If　a　man　mistakes　his　vocation；　the　false　start　none　the　less　influences　him　for　the　rest　of　his　life。