Works of Honore De Balzac

by Honoré de Balzac

  Dupre (aside) He is candid, at any rate — Those who make their calculations aloud and in such evident excitement are not the worst of people.

  Joseph I say! Do you know the proverb — “A lawyer who talks to himself is like a pastry cook who eats his own wares,” — eh, sir?

  Dupre I understand you to say that Pamela is in love with M. Jules?

  Joseph Ah! I see, you understand matters.

  Dupre They used frequently to meet I suppose?

  Joseph Far too frequently! Oh! if I had only known it, I would have put a stop to it!

  Dupre Is she pretty?

  Joseph Who? — Pamela? — My eye! My Pamela! She is as pretty as the Apollo Belvidere!

  Dupre Keep your fourteen hundred francs, my friend, and if you have courage, you and your Pamela, you will be able to help me in effecting his deliverance; for the question is absolutely whether we must let him go to the scaffold, or save him from it.

  Joseph I beg you, sir, do not think of saying one word to Pamela; she is in despair.

  Dupre Nevertheless you must bring it about that I see her this morning.

  Joseph I will send word to her through her parents.

  Dupre Ah! she has a father and mother living then? (Aside) This will cost a lot of money. (Aloud) Who are they?

  Joseph They are respectable porters.

  Dupre That is good.

  Joseph Old Giraud is a ruined tailor.

  Dupre Very well, go and inform them of my intended visit, and above all things preserve the utmost secrecy, or M. Jules will be sacrificed.

  Joseph I shall be dumb.

  Dupre And let it be thought that we have never met.

  Joseph We have never seen each other.

  Dupre Now go.

  Joseph I am going.

  (He mistakes the door.)

  Dupre This is the way.

  Joseph This is the way, great advocate — but let me give you a bit of advice — a slight taste of transportation will not do him any harm; in fact, it will teach him to leave the government in peace. (Exit.)

  SCENE EIGHTH

  Rousseau, Madame Rousseau, Madame du Brocard (attended by Justine) and Dupre. Mme. Rousseau Poor child! What courage he shows!

  Dupre I hope to save him for you, madame; but it cannot be done without making great sacrifices.

  Rousseau Sir, the half of our fortune is at your disposal.

  Mme. du Brocard And the half of mine.

  Dupre It is always the half of some fortune or other. I am going to try to do my duty — afterwards, you must do yours; we shall have to make great efforts. You, madame, must rouse yourself, for I have great hopes.

  Mme. Rousseau Ah! sir, what can you mean?

  Dupre A little time ago, your son was a ruined man; at the present moment, I believe he can be saved.

  Mme. Rousseau What must we do?

  Mme. du Brocard What do you ask?

  Rousseau You may be sure we will do as you require.

  Dupre I feel certain you will. This is my plan which will undoubtedly succeed with the jury. Your son had an intrigue with a certain working-girl, Pamela Giraud, the daughter of a porter.

  Mme. du Brocard What low people!

  Dupre Yet you will have to humble yourselves to them. Your son was always with this young girl, and in this point lies the sole hope of his deliverance. The very evening on which the public prosecutor avers that he attended a meeting of the conspirators, he was possibly visiting her. If this is a fact, if she declares that he remained with her that night, if her father and her mother, if the rival of Jules confirm the testimony — we shall then have ground for hope. When the choice has to be made between a sentence of guilty and an alibi, the jury prefers the alibi.

  Mme. Rousseau (aside) Ah! sir, you bring back life to me.

  Rousseau Sir, we owe you a debt of eternal gratitude.

  Dupre (looking at them) What sum of money must I offer to the daughter, to the father and to the mother?

  Mme. du Brocard Are they poor?

  Dupre They are, but the matter concerns their honor.

  Mme. du Brocard Oh, she is only a working-girl!

  Dupre (ironically) It ought to be done very cheaply.

  Rousseau What do you think?

  Dupre I think that you are bargaining for the life of your son.

  Mme. du Brocard Well, M. Dupre, I suppose you may go as high as —

  Mme. Rousseau As high as —

  Dupre As high as —

  Rousseau Upon my word, I don’t understand why you hesitate — and you must offer, sir, whatever sum you consider suitable.

  Dupre Just so, you leave it to my discretion. But what compensation do you offer her if she restores your son to you at the sacrifice of her honor? For possibly he has made love to her.

  Mme. Rousseau He shall marry her. I come from the people myself, and I am no marchioness.

  Mme. du Brocard What do you mean by that? You are forgetting Mlle. de Verby.

  Mme. Rousseau Sister, my son’s life must be saved.

  Dupre (aside) Here we have the beginning of a comedy and the last which I wish to see; but I must keep them to their word. (Aloud) Perhaps it would be well if you secretly paid a visit to the young girl.

  Mme. Rousseau Oh, yes, I should like to go to see her — to implore her — (she rings) Justine! Antoine! Quick! Order the carriage! At once —

  Antoine Yes, madame.

  Mme. Rousseau Sister, will you go with me? Ah, Jules my poor son!

  Mme. du Brocard They are bringing him back.

  SCENE NINTH

  The same persons, Jules (brought in by the police), and later De Verby. Jules (kissing his mother) O mother! — I will not say good-bye; I shall be back very soon.

  (Rousseau and Mme. du Brocard embrace Jules.)

  De Verby (going up to Dupre) I will do, monsieur, what you have asked of me. One of my friends, M. Adolph Durand, who facilitated the flight of our dear Jules, will testify that his friend was altogether taken up with a grisette, whom he loved passionately, and with whom he was taking measures to elope.

  Dupre That is enough; success now depends upon the way we set about things.

  The magistrate (to Jules) We must be going, monsieur.

  Jules I will follow you. Be of good courage, mother!

  (He bids farewell to Rousseau and Dupre; De Verby signs to him to be cautious.)

  Mme. Rousseau (to Jules, as he is being led away) Jules! Jules! Do not give up hope — we are going to save you!

  (The police lead Jules away.) Curtain to the Second Act.

  ACT III

  SCENE FIRST

  (The stage represents the room of Pamela.)

  Pamela, Giraud and Madame Giraud.

  (Pamela is standing near her mother, who is knitting; Giraud is at work at a table on the left.) Mme. Giraud The fact of the matter is this, my poor daughter; I do not mean to reproach you, but you are the cause of all our trouble.

  Giraud No doubt about it! We came to Paris because in the country tailoring is no sort of a business, and we had some ambition for you, our Pamela, such a sweet, pretty little thing as you were. We said to each other: “We will go into service; I will work at my trade; we will give a good position to our child; and as she will be good, industrious and pretty, we can take care of our old age by marrying her well.”

  Pamela O father!

  Mme. Giraud Half of our plans were already carried out.

  Giraud Yes, certainly. We had a good position; you made as fine flowers as any gardener could grow; and Joseph Binet, your neighbor, was to be the husband of our choice.

  Mme. Giraud Instead of all this, the scandal which has arisen in the house has caused the landlord to dismiss us; the talk of the neighborhood was incessant, for the young man was arrested in your room.

  Pamela And yet I have been guilty of nothing!

  Giraud Come, now, we know that well enough! Do you think if it were otherwise that we would stay near you? And that I would embrace you? After
all, Pamela, there is nothing like a father and a mother! And when the whole world is against you, if a girl can look into her parents’ face without a blush it is enough.

  SCENE SECOND

  The same persons and Joseph Binet. Mme. Giraud Well, well! Here is Joseph Binet.

  Pamela M. Binet, what are you doing here? But for your want of common-sense, M. Jules would not have been found here.

  Joseph I am come to tell you about him.

  Pamela What! Really? Well, let us hear, Joseph.

  Joseph Ah! you won’t send me away now, will you? I have seen his lawyer, and I have offered him all that I possess if he would get him off!

  Pamela Do you mean it?

  Joseph Yes. Would you be satisfied if he was merely transported?

  Pamela Ah! you are a good fellow, Joseph, and I see that you love me! Let us be friends.

  Joseph (aside) I have good hopes that we shall be.

  (A knock at the door is heard.)

  SCENE THIRD

  The preceding, M. de Verby and Madame du Brocard. Mme. Giraud (opening the door) There are some people here!

  Giraud A lady and a gentleman.

  Joseph What did you say?

  (Pamela rises from her seat and takes a step toward M. de Verby, who bows to her.)

  Mme. du Brocard Is this Mlle. Pamela Giraud?

  Pamela It is, madame.

  De Verby Forgive us, mademoiselle, for presenting ourselves without previous announcement —

  Pamela There is no harm done. May I know the object of this visit?

  Mme. du Brocard And you, good people, are her father and mother?

  Mme. Giraud Yes, madame.

  Joseph She calls them good people — she must be one of the swells.

  Pamela Will you please be seated.

  (Mme. Giraud offers them seats.)

  Joseph (to Giraud) My eye! The gentleman has on the ribbon of the Legion of Honor! He belongs to high society.

  Giraud (looking at De Verby) By my faith, that’s true!

  Mme. du Brocard I am the aunt of M. Jules Rousseau.

  Pamela You, madame? Then this gentleman must be his father?

  Mme. du Brocard He is merely a friend of the family. We are come, mademoiselle, to ask a favor of you. (Looking at Binet with embarrassment.) Your brother?

  Giraud No, madame, just a neighbor of ours.

  Mme. du Brocard (to Pamela) Send him away.

  Joseph (aside) Send him away, indeed. I’d like to know what right she has —

  (Pamela makes a sign to Joseph.)

  Giraud (to Joseph) My friend, you had better leave us. It seems this is a private matter.

  Joseph Very well. (Exit.)

  SCENE FOURTH

  The same persons excepting Binet. Mme. du Brocard (to Pamela) You are acquainted with my nephew. I do not intend to reproach you. Your parents alone have the right.

  Mme. Giraud But, thank God, they have no reason.

  Giraud It is your nephew who has caused all this talk about her, but she is blameless!

  De Verby (interrupting him) But suppose that we wish her to be guilty?

  Pamela What do you mean, sir?

  Giraud and Mme. Giraud To think of it!

  Mme. du Brocard (seizing De Verby’s meaning) Yes, suppose, to save the life of a poor young man —

  De Verby It were necessary to declare that M. Jules Rousseau spent nearly the whole night of the twenty-fourth of August here with you?

  Pamela Ah! sir!

  De Verby (to Giraud and his wife) Yes, suppose it were necessary to testify against your daughter, by alleging this?

  Mme. Giraud I would never say such a thing.

  Giraud What! Insult my child! Sir, I have had all possible troubles. I was once a tailor, now I am reduced to nothing. I am a porter! But I have remained a father. My daughter is our sole treasure, the glory of our old age, and you ask us to dishonor her?

  Mme. du Brocard Pray listen to me, sir.

  Giraud No, madame, I will listen to nothing. My daughter is the hope of my gray hairs.

  Pamela Calm yourself, father, I implore you.

  Mme. Giraud Keep quite, Giraud! Do let this lady and gentleman speak!

  Mme. du Brocard A family in deep affliction implores you to save them.

  Pamela (aside) Poor Jules!

  De Verby (in a low voice to Pamela) His fate is in your hands.

  Mme. Giraud We are respectable people and know what it is for parents, for a mother, to be in despair. But what you ask is out of the question.

  (Pamela puts a handkerchief to her eyes.)

  Giraud We must stop this! You see the girl is in tears.

  Mme. Giraud She has done nothing but weep for several days.

  Giraud I know my daughter; she would be capable of going and making the declaration they ask, in spite of us.

  Mme. Giraud Yes, — for you must see, she loves him, she loves your nephew! And to save his life — Well! Well! I would have done as much in her place.

  Mme. du Brocard Have compassion on us!

  De Verby Grant this request of ours —

  Mme. du Brocard (to Pamela) If it is true that you love Jules —

  Mme. Giraud (leading Giraud up to Pamela) Did you hear that? Well! Listen to me. She is in love with this youth. It is quite certain that he also is in love with her. If she should make a sacrifice like that, as a return, he ought to marry her.

  Pamela (with vehemence) Never! (Aside) These people would not wish it, not they.

  De Verby (to Mme. du Brocard) They are consulting about it.

  Mme. du Brocard (in a low voice to De Verby) It will be absolutely necessary for us to make a sacrifice. We must appeal to their interest. It is the only plan!

  De Verby In venturing to ask of you so great a sacrifice, we are quite aware of the claims that you will have on our gratitude. The family of Jules, who might have blamed you on account of your relations with him, are, on the contrary, anxious to discharge the obligations which bind them to you.

  Mme. Giraud Ah! Did I not tell you so?

  Pamela Can it be possible that Jules —

  De Verby I am authorized to make a promise to you.

  Pamela (with emotion) Oh!

  De Verby Tell me, how much do you ask for the sacrifice required of you?

  Pamela (in consternation) What do you mean? How much — I ask — for saving Jules? What do you take me for?

  Mme. du Brocard Ah! Mademoiselle!

  De Verby You misunderstand me.

  Pamela No, it is you who misunderstand us! You are come here, to the house of poor people, and you are quite unaware of what you ask from them. You, madame, ought to know that whatever be the rank or the education of a woman, her honor is her sole treasure! And that which you in your own families guard with so much care, with so much reverence, you actually believe that people here, living in an attic, would be willing to sell! And you have said to yourselves: “Let us offer them money! We need just now the sacrifice of a working-girl’s honor!”

  Giraud That is excellent! I recognize my own blood there.

  Mme. du Brocard My dear child, do not be offended! Money is money, after all.

  De Verby (addressing Giraud) Undoubtedly! And six thousand francs for a solid annual income as a price of — a —

  Pamela As the price of a lie! For I must out with it. But thank God I haven’t yet lost my self-respect! Good-bye, sir.

  (Pamela makes a low bow to Mme. du Brocard, then goes into her bed- chamber.)

  De Verby What is to be done?

  Mme. du Brocard I am quite nonplussed.

  Giraud I quite admit that an income of six thousand francs is no trifle, but our daughter has a high spirit, you see; she takes after me —

  Mme. Giraud And she will never yield.

  SCENE FIFTH

  The same persons, Joseph Binet, Dupre and Mme. Rousseau. Joseph This way, sir. This way, madame. (Dupre and Mme. Rousseau enter.) These are the father and mother of Pamela Giraud!

&nbs
p; Dupre (to De Verby) I am very sorry, sir, that you have got here before me!

  Mme. Rousseau My sister has doubtless told you, madame, the sacrifice which we expect your daughter to make for us. Only an angel would make it.

  Joseph What sacrifice?

  Mme. Giraud It is no business of yours.

  De Verby We have just had an interview with Mlle. Pamela —

  Mme. du Brocard She has refused!

  Mme. Rousseau Oh, heavens!

  Dupre Refused what?

  Mme. du Brocard An income of six thousand francs.

  Dupre I could have wagered on it. To think of offering money!

  Mme. du Brocard But it was the only way —

  Dupre To spoil everything. (To Mme. Giraud) Madame, kindly tell your daughter that the counsel of M. Jules Rousseau is here and desires to see her.

  Mme. Giraud Oh, as for that you will gain nothing.

  Giraud Either from her or from us.

  Joseph But what is it they want?

  Giraud Hold your tongue.

  Mme. du Brocard (to Mme. Giraud) Madame, offer her —

  Dupre Now, Mme. du Brocard, I must beg you — (To Mme. Giraud) It is in the name of the mother of Jules that I ask of you permission to see your daughter.

  Mme. Giraud It will be of no use at all, sir! And to think that they point-blank offered her money when the young man a little time before had spoken of marrying her!

  Mme. Rousseau (with excitement) Well, why not?

  Mme. Giraud (with vehemence) How was that, madame?

  Dupre (seizing the hand of Mme. Giraud) Come, come! Bring me your daughter.

  (Exit Mme. Giraud.)

  De Verby and Mme. du Brocard You have then made up your mind?

  Dupre It is not I, but madame who has made up her mind.

  De Verby (questioning Mme. du Brocard) What has she promised?

  Dupre (seeing that Joseph is listening) Be silent, general; stay for a moment, I beg you, with these ladies. Here she comes. Now leave us alone, if you please.