the ball at sceaux-第6章

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three　times；　as　if　he　were　about　to　demand　a　count　out　of　the　House；

then　he　heard　his　daughter's　light　step；　and　she　came　in　humming　an

air　from　Il　Barbiere。



〃Good…morning；　papa。　What　do　you　want　with　me　so　early？〃　Having　sung

these　words；　as　though　they　were　the　refrain　of　the　melody；　she　kissed

the　Count；　not　with　the　familiar　tenderness　which　makes　a　daughter's

love　so　sweet　a　thing；　but　with　the　light　carelessness　of　a　mistress

confident　of　pleasing；　whatever　she　may　do。



〃My　dear　child；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Fontaine；　gravely；　〃I　sent　for　you

to　talk　to　you　very　seriously　about　your　future　prospects。　You　are　at

this　moment　under　the　necessity　of　making　such　a　choice　of　a　husband

as　may　secure　your　durable　happiness〃



〃My　good　father；〃　replied　Emilie；　assuming　her　most　coaxing　tone　of

voice　to　interrupt　him；　〃it　strikes　me　that　the　armistice　on　which　we

agreed　as　to　my　suitors　is　not　yet　expired。〃



〃Emilie；　we　must　to…day　forbear　from　jesting　on　so　important　a　matter。

For　some　time　past　the　efforts　of　those　who　most　truly　love　you；　my

dear　child；　have　been　concentrated　on　the　endeavor　to　settle　you

suitably；　and　you　would　be　guilty　of　ingratitude　in　meeting　with

levity　those　proofs　of　kindness　which　I　am　not　alone　in　lavishing　on

you。〃



As　she　heard　these　words；　after　flashing　a　mischievously　inquisitive

look　at　the　furniture　of　her　father's　study；　the　young　girl　brought

forward　the　armchair　which　looked　as　if　it　had　been　least　used　by

petitioners；　set　it　at　the　side　of　the　fireplace　so　as　to　sit　facing

her　father；　and　settled　herself　in　so　solemn　an　attitude　that　it　was

impossible　not　to　read　in　it　a　mocking　intention；　crossing　her　arms

over　the　dainty　trimmings　of　a　pelerine　a　la　neige；　and　ruthlessly

crushing　its　endless　frills　of　white　tulle。　After　a　laughing　side

glance　at　her　old　father's　troubled　face；　she　broke　silence。



〃I　never　heard　you　say；　my　dear　father；　that　the　Government　issued　its

instructions　in　its　dressing…gown。　However；〃　and　she　smiled；　〃that

does　not　matter；　the　mob　are　probably　not　particular。　Now；　what　are

your　proposals　for　legislation；　and　your　official　introductions？〃



〃I　shall　not　always　be　able　to　make　them；　headstrong　girl！Listen；

Emilie。　It　is　my　intention　no　longer　to　compromise　my　reputation；

which　is　part　of　my　children's　fortune；　by　recruiting　the　regiment　of

dancers　which；　spring　after　spring；　you　put　to　rout。　You　have　already

been　the　cause　of　many　dangerous　misunderstandings　with　certain

families。　I　hope　to　make　you　perceive　more　truly　the　difficulties　of

your　position　and　of　ours。　You　are　two…and…twenty；　my　dear　child；　and

you　ought　to　have　been　married　nearly　three　years　since。　Your　brothers

and　your　two　sisters　are　richly　and　happily　provided　for。　But；　my

dear；　the　expenses　occasioned　by　these　marriages；　and　the　style　of

housekeeping　you　require　of　your　mother；　have　made　such　inroads　on　our

income　that　I　can　hardly　promise　you　a　hundred　thousand　francs　as　a

marriage　portion。　From　this　day　forth　I　shall　think　only　of　providing

for　your　mother；　who　must　not　be　sacrificed　to　her　children。　Emilie；

if　I　were　to　be　taken　from　my　family　Madame　de　Fontaine　could　not　be

left　at　anybody's　mercy；　and　ought　to　enjoy　the　affluence　which　I　have

given　her　too　late　as　the　reward　of　her　devotion　in　my　misfortunes。

You　see；　my　child；　that　the　amount　of　your　fortune　bears　no　relation

to　your　notions　of　grandeur。　Even　that　would　be　such　a　sacrifice　as　I

have　not　hitherto　made　for　either　of　my　children；　but　they　have

generously　agreed　not　to　expect　in　the　future　any　compensation　for　the

advantage　thus　given　to　a　too　favored　child。〃



〃In　their　position！〃　said　Emilie；　with　an　ironical　toss　of　her　head。



〃My　dear；　do　not　so　depreciate　those　who　love　you。　Only　the　poor　are

generous　as　a　rule；　the　rich　have　always　excellent　reasons　for　not

handing　over　twenty　thousand　francs　to　a　relation。　Come；　my　child；　do

not　pout；　let　us　talk　rationally。Among　the　young　marrying　men　have

you　noticed　Monsieur　de　Manerville？〃



〃Oh；　he　minces　his　wordshe　says　Zules　instead　of　Jules；　he　is　always

looking　at　his　feet；　because　he　thinks　them　small；　and　he　gazes　at

himself　in　the　glass！　Besides；　he　is　fair。　I　don't　like　fair　men。〃



〃Well；　then；　Monsieur　de　Beaudenord？〃



〃He　is　not　noble！　he　is　ill　made　and　stout。　He　is　dark；　it　is　true。

If　the　two　gentlemen　could　agree　to　combine　their　fortunes；　and　the

first　would　give　his　name　and　his　figure　to　the　second；　who　should

keep　his　dark　hair；　thenperhaps〃



〃What　can　you　say　against　Monsieur　de　Rastignac？〃



〃Madame　de　Nucingen　has　made　a　banker　of　him；〃　she　said　with　meaning。



〃And　our　cousin；　the　Vicomte　de　Portenduere？〃



〃A　mere　boy；　who　dances　badly；　besides；　he　has　no　fortune。　And；　after

all；　papa；　none　of　these　people　have　titles。　I　want；　at　least；　to　be　a

countess　like　my　mother。〃



〃Have　you　seen　no　one；　then；　this　winter〃



〃No；　papa。〃



〃What　then　do　you　want？〃



〃The　son　of　a　peer　of　France。



〃My　dear　girl；　you　are　mad！〃　said　Monsieur　de　Fontaine；　rising。



But　he　suddenly　lifted　his　eyes　to　heaven；　and　seemed　to　find　a　fresh

fount　of　resignation　in　some　religious　thought；　then；　with　a　look　of

fatherly　pity　at　his　daughter；　who　herself　was　moved；　he　took　her

hand；　pressed　it；　and　said　with　deep　feeling：　〃God　is　my　witness；　poor

mistaken　child；　I　have　conscientiously　discharged　my　duty　to　you　as　a

fatherconscientiously；　do　I　say？　Most　lovingly；　my　Emilie。　Yes；　God

knows！　This　winter　I　have　brought　before　you　more　than　one　good　man；

whose　character；　whose　habits；　and　whose　temper　were　known　to　me；　and

all　seemed　worthy　of　you。　My　child；　my　task　is　done。　From　this　day

forth　you　are　the　arbiter　of　your　fate；　and　I　consider　myself　both

happy　and　unhappy　at　finding　myself　relieved　of　the　heaviest　of

paternal　functions。　I　know　not　whether　you　will　for　any　long　time；

now；　hear　a　voice　which；　to　you；　has　never　been　stern；　but　remember

that　conjugal　happiness　does　not　rest　so　much　on　brilliant　qualities

and　ample　fortune　as　on　reciprocal　esteem。　This　happiness　is；　in　its

nature；　modest；　and　devoid　of　show。　So　now；　my　dear；　my　consent　is

given　beforehand；　whoever　the　son…in…law　may　be　whom　you　introduce　to

me；　but　if　you　should　be　unhappy；　remember　you　will　have　no　right　to

accuse　your　father。　I　shall　not　refuse　to　take　proper　steps　and　help

you；　only　your　choice　must　be　serious　and　final。　I　will　never　twice

compromise　the　respect　due　to　my　white　hairs。〃



The　affection　thus　expressed　by　her　father；　the　solemn　tones　of　his

urgent　address；　deeply　touched　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine；　but　she

concealed　her　emotion；　seated　herself　on　her　father's　kneesfor　he

had　dropped　all　tremulous　into　his　chair　againcaressed　him　fondly；

and　coaxed　him　so　engagingly　that　the　old　man's　brow　cleared。　As　soon

as　Emilie　thought　that　her　father　had　got　over　his　painful　agitation；

she　said　in　a　gentle　voice：　〃I　have　to　thank　you　for　your　graceful

attention；　my　dear　father。　You　have　had　your　room　set　in　order　to

receive　your　beloved　daughter。　You　did　not　perhaps　know　that　you　would

find　her　so　foolish　and　so　headstrong。　But；　papa；　is　it　so　difficult

to　get　married　to　a　peer　of　France？　You　declared　that　they　were

manufactured　by　dozens。　At　least；　you　will　not　refuse　to　advise　me。〃



〃No；　my　poor　child；　no；and　more　than　once　I　may　have　occasion　to

cry；　'Beware！'　Remember　that　the　making　of　peers　is　so　recent　a　force

in　our　government　machinery　that　they　have　no　great　fortunes。　Those

who　are　rich　look　to　becoming　richer。　The　wealthiest　member　of　our

peerage　has　not　half　the　income　of　the　least　rich　lord　in　the　English

Upper　Chamber。　Thus　all　the　French　peers　are　on　the　lookout　for　great

heiresses　for　their　sons；　wherever　they　may　meet　with　them。　The

necessity　in　which　they　find　themselves　of　marrying　for　money　will

certainly　exist　for　at　least　two　centuries。



〃Pending　such　a　fortunate　accident