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第39章

the collection of antiquities-第39章

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irrevocably to an historic house; that the glorious names of the nation may be perpetuated。 Chesnel was not merely one of the obscure great men of private life; he was something morehe was a great fact。 In his sustained self…devotion is there not something indefinably solemn and sublime; something that rises above the one beneficent deed; or the heroic height which is reached by a moment's supreme effort? Chesnel's virtues belong essentially to the classes which stand between the poverty of the people on the one hand; and the greatness of the aristocracy on the other; for these can combine homely burgher virtues with the heroic ideals of the noble; enlightening both by a solid education。

Victurnien was not well looked upon at Court; there was no more chance of a great match for him; nor a place。 His Majesty steadily refused to raise the d'Esgrignons to the peerage; the one royal favor which could rescue Victurnien from his wretched position。 It was impossible that he should marry a bourgeoise heiress in his father's lifetime; so he was bound to live on shabbily under the paternal roof with memories of his two years of splendor in Paris; and the lost love of a great lady to bear him company。 He grew moody and depressed; vegetating at home with a careworn aunt and a half heart…broken father; who attributed his son's condition to a wasting malady。 Chesnel was no longer there。

The Marquis died in 1830。 The great d'Esgrignon; with a following of all the less infirm noblesse from the Collection of Antiquities; went to wait upon Charles X。 at Nonancourt; he paid his respects to his sovereign; and swelled the meagre train of the fallen king。 It was an act of courage which seems simple enough to…day; but; in that time of enthusiastic revolt; it was heroism。

〃The Gaul has conquered!〃 These were the Marquis' last words。

By that time du Croisier's victory was complete。 The new Marquis d'Esgrignon accepted Mlle。 Duval as his wife a week after his old father's death。 His bride brought him three millions of francs for du Croisier and his wife settled the reversion of their fortunes upon her in the marriage…contract。 Du Croisier took occasion to say during the ceremony that the d'Esgrignon family was the most honorable of all the ancient houses in France。

Some day the present Marquis d'Esgrignon will have an income of more than a hundred thousand crowns。 You may see him in Paris; for he comes to town every winter and leads a jolly bachelor life; while he treats his wife with something more than the indifference of the grand seigneur of olden times; he takes no thought whatever for her。

〃As for Mlle。 d'Esgrignon;〃 said Emile Blondet; to whom all the detail of the story is due; 〃if she is no longer like the divinely fair woman whom I saw by glimpses in my childhood; she is decidedly; at the age of sixty…seven; the most pathetic and interesting figure in the Collection of Antiquities。 She queens it among them still。 I saw her when I made my last journey to my native place in search of the necessary papers for my marriage。 When my father knew who it was that I had married; he was struck dumb with amazement; he had not a word to say until I told him that I was a prefect。

〃 'You were born to it;' he said; with a smile。

〃As I took a walk around the town; I met Mlle。 Armande。 She looked taller than ever。 I looked at her; and thought of Marius among the ruins of Carthage。 Had she not outlived her creed; and the beliefs that had been destroyed? She is a sad and silent woman; with nothing of her old beauty left except the eyes; that shine with an unearthly light。 I watched her on her way to mass; with her book in her hand; and could not help thinking that she prayed to God to take her out of the world。〃



LES JARDIES; July 1837。




ADDENDUM

The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy。

Note: The Old Maid is a companion piece to The Collection of Antiquities。 In other Addendum appearances they are combined under the title of The Jealousies of a Country Town。

Blondet (Judge)   Beatrix

Blondet; Emile   A Distinguished Provincial at Paris   Scenes from a Courtesan's Life   Modeste Mignon   Another Study of Woman   The Secrets of a Princess   A Daughter of Eve   The Firm of Nucingen   The Peasantry

Blondet; Virginie   The Secrets of a Princess   The Peasantry   A Distinguished Provincial at Paris   Another Study of Woman   The Member for Arcis   A Daughter of Eve

Bousquier; Du (or Du Croisier or Du Bourguier)   The Old Maid   The Middle Classes

Bousquier; Madame du (or du Croisier)   The Old Maid

Camusot de Marville   Cousin Pons   The Commission in Lunacy   Scenes from a Cuortesan's Life

Camusot de Marville; Madame   The Vendetta   Cesar Birotteau   Scenes from a Courtesan's Life   Cousin Pons

Cardot (Parisian notary)   The Muse of the Department   A Man of Business   Pierre Grassou   The Middle Classes   Cousin Pons

Casteran; De   The Chouans   The Seamy Side of History   The Old Maid   Beatrix   The Peasantry

Chesnel (or Choisnel)   The Seamy Side of History   The Old Maid

Coudrai; Du   The Old Maid

Esgrignon; Charles…Marie…Victor…Ange…Carol; Marquis d' (or Des Grignons)   The Chouans   The Old Maid

Esgrignon; Victurnien; Comte (then Marquis d')   Letters of Two Brides   A Man of Business   The Secrets of a Princess   Cousin Betty

Esgrignon; Marie…Armande…Claire d'   The Old Maid

Herouville; Duc d'   The Hated Son   Modeste Mignon   Cousin Betty

Lenoncourt; Duc de   The Lily of the Valley   Cesar Birotteau   The Old Maid   The Gondreville Mystery   Beatrix

Leroi; Pierre   The Chouans   The Seamy Side of History

Marsay; Henri de   The Thirteen   The Unconscious Humorists   Another Study of Woman   The Lily of the Valley   Father Goriot   Ursule Mirouet   A Marriage Settlement   Lost Illusions   A Distinguished Provincial at Paris   Letters of Two Brides   The Ball at Sceaux   Modest Mignon   The Secrets of a Princess   The Gondreville Mystery   A Daughter of Eve

Maufrigneuse; Duchesse de   The Secrets of a Princess   Modeste Mignon   The Muse of the Department   Scenes from a Courtesan's Life   Letters of Two Brides   Another Study of Woman   The Gondreville Mystery   The Member for Arcis

Michu; Francois   The Gondreville Mystery   The Member for Arcis

Pamiers; Vidame de   The Thirteen

Ronceret; Du   The Old Maid   Beatrix

Ronceret; Madame du   The Old Maid

Ronceret; Fabien…Felicien du (or Duronceret)   Beatrix   Gaudissart II

Scherbelloff; Princesse (or Scherbellof or Sherbelloff)   The Peasantry

Thirion   The Vendetta

  Cesar Birotteau

Troisville; Guibelin; Vicomte de   The Seamy Side of History   The Chouans   The Old Maid   The Peasantry

Valois; Chevalier de   The Chouans   The Old Maid

Verneuil; Duc de   The Chouans   The Old Maid





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