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！
not stop to look at what people think； but see the results。 You work；
you say？ Very good； but nothing will ever come of that。 Now； I am
ready for anything and fit for nothing。 As lazy as a lobster？ Very
likely； but I succeed everywhere。 I go out into society； I push myself
forward； the others make way before me； I brag and am believed； I
incur debts which somebody else pays！ Dissipation； dear boy； is a
methodical policy。 The life of a man who deliberately runs through his
fortune often becomes a business speculation； his friends； his
pleasures； patrons； and acquaintances are his capital。 Suppose a
merchant runs a risk of a million； for twenty years he can neither
sleep； eat； nor amuse himself； he is brooding over his million； it
makes him run about all over Europe； he worries himself； goes to the
devil in every way that man has invented。 Then comes a liquidation；
such as I have seen myself； which very often leaves him penniless and
without a reputation or a friend。 The spendthrift； on the other hand；
takes life as a serious game and sees his horses run。 He loses his
capital； perhaps； but he stands a chance of being nominated Receiver…
General； of making a wealthy marriage； or of an appointment of attache
to a minister or ambassador； and he has his friends left and his name；
and he never wants money。 He knows the standing of everybody； and uses
every one for his own benefit。 Is this logical； or am I a madman after
all？ Haven't you there all the moral of the comedy that goes on every
day in this world？ 。 。 。 Your work is completed' he went on after a
pause； 'you are immensely clever！ Well； you have only arrived at my
starting…point。 Now； you had better look after its success yourself；
it is the surest way。 You will make allies in every clique； and secure
applause beforehand。 I mean to go halves in your glory myself； I shall
be the jeweler who set the diamonds in your crown。 Come here to…morrow
evening； by way of a beginning。 I will introduce you to a house where
all Paris goes； all OUR Paris； that isthe Paris of exquisites；
millionaires； celebrities； all the folk who talk gold like Chrysostom。
When they have taken up a book； that book becomes the fashion； and
if it is something really good for once； they will have declared it
to be a work of genius without knowing it。 If you have any sense； my
dear fellow； you will ensure the success of your 〃Theory；〃 by a
better understanding of the theory of success。 To…morrow evening you
shall go to see that queen of the momentthe beautiful Countess
Foedora。 。 。 。'
〃 'I have never heard of her。 。 。 。'
〃 'You Hottentot！' laughed Rastignac； 'you do not know Foedora？ A
great match with an income of nearly eighty thousand livres； who has
taken a fancy to nobody； or else no one has taken a fancy to her。 A
sort of feminine enigma； a half Russian Parisienne； or a half Parisian
Russian。 All the romantic productions that never get published are
brought out at her house； she is the handsomest woman in Paris； and
the most gracious！ You are not even a Hottentot； you are something
between the Hottentot and the beast。 。 。 。 Good…bye till to…morrow。'
〃He swung round on his heel and made off without waiting for my
answer。 It never occurred to him that a reasoning being could refuse
an introduction to Foedora。 How can the fascination of a name be
explained？ FOEDORA haunted me like some evil thought； with which you
seek to come to terms。 A voice said in me； 'You are going to see
Foedora！' In vain I reasoned with that voice； saying that it lied to
me； all my arguments were defeated by the name 'Foedora。' Was not the
name； and even the woman herself； the symbol of all my desires； and
the object of my life？
〃The name called up recollections of the conventional glitter of the
world； the upper world of Paris with its brilliant fetes and the
tinsel of its vanities。 The woman brought before me all the problems
of passion on which my mind continually ran。 Perhaps it was neither
the woman nor the name； but my own propensities； that sprang up within
me and tempted me afresh。 Here was the Countess Foedora； rich and
loveless； proof against the temptations of Paris； was not this woman
the very incarnation of my hopes and visions？ I fashioned her for
myself； drew her in fancy； and dreamed of her。 I could not sleep that
night； I became her lover； I overbrimmed a few hours with a whole
lifetimea lover's lifetime； the experience of its prolific delights
burned me。
〃The next day I could not bear the tortures of delay； I borrowed a
novel； and spent the whole day over it； so that I could not possibly
think nor keep account of the time till night。 Foedora's name echoed
through me even as I read； but only as a distant sound； though it
could be heard； it was not troublesome。 Fortunately； I owned a fairly
creditable black coat and a white waistcoat； of all my fortune there
now remained abut thirty francs； which I had distributed about among
my clothes and in my drawers； so as to erect between my whims and the
spending of a five…franc piece a thorny barrier of search； and an
adventurous peregrination round my room。 While I as dressing； I dived
about for my money in an ocean of papers。 This scarcity of specie will
give you some idea of the value of that squandered upon gloves and
cab…hire； a month's bread disappeared at one fell swoop。 Alas！ money
is always forthcoming for our caprices； we only grudge the cost of
things that are useful or necessary。 We recklessly fling gold to an
opera…dancer； and haggle with a tradesman whose hungry family must
wait for the settlement of our bill。 How many men are there that wear
a coat that cost a hundred francs； and carry a diamond in the head of
their cane； and dine for twenty…five SOUS for all that！ It seems as
though we could never pay enough for the pleasures of vanity。
〃Rastignac； punctual to his appointment； smiled at the transformation；
and joked about it。 On the way he gave me benevolent advice as to my
conduct with the countess； he described her as mean； vain； and
suspicious； but though mean； she was ostentatious； her vanity was
transparent； and her mistrust good…humored。
〃 'You know I am pledged；' he said； 'and what I should lose； too； if I
tried a change in love。 So my observation of Foedora has been quite
cool and disinterested； and my remarks must have some truth in them。 I
was looking to your future when I thought of introducing you to her；
so mind very carefully what I am about to say。 She has a terrible
memory。 She is clever enough to drive a diplomatist wild； she would
know it at once if he spoke the truth。 Between ourselves； I fancy that
her marriage was not recognized by the Emperor； for the Russian
ambassador began to smile when I spoke of her； he does not receive her
either； and only bows very coolly if he meets her in the Bois。 For all
that； she is in Madame de Serizy's set； and visits Mesdames de
Nucingen and de Restaud。 There is no cloud over h