Works of Honore De Balzac

by Honoré de Balzac

  Godard Thank you, General. (Aside) I have won over the father-in-law at any rate.

  SCENE FOURTH

  The same persons, Pauline and Gertrude.

  The General (catching sight of Pauline)

  Ah! Here you are, darling.

  Gertrude

  Doesn’t she look beautiful?

  Godard

  Madame.

  Gertrude

  Forgive me, sir. I had no eyes excepting for my handiwork.

  Godard

  Mademoiselle is radiant!

  Gertrude We have some people to dinner to-day, and I am something more than a stepmother to her; I love to deck her out, for she is to me like my own daughter.

  Godard (aside)

  They were evidently expecting me!

  Gertrude (aside to Godard) I am going to leave you alone with her. Now is the time for your declaration. (To the General) My dear, let us go out on the veranda and see if our friend the doctor is coming.

  The General

  I am at your service, as usual. (To Pauline) Good-bye, my pet. (To

  Godard) I shall see you later.

  (Gertrude and the General go to the veranda, but Gertrude keeps her eye on Godard and Pauline. Ferdinand shows his head at the door of Pauline’s chamber, but at a quick sign from her, he hurriedly withdraws it unobserved.)

  Godard (at the front of the stage) Let me see, what fine and dainty speech can I make to her? Ah, I have it! (To Pauline) It is a very fine day, mademoiselle.

  Pauline

  It certainly is, sir.

  Godard

  Mademoiselle —

  Pauline

  Sir?

  Godard

  It is in your power to make the day still finer for me.

  Pauline

  How can I do that?

  Godard Don’t you understand me? Has not Madame de Grandchamp said anything to you about the subject nearest my heart?

  Pauline While she was helping me to dress, an instant ago, she said a great many complimentary things about you!

  Godard

  And did you agree with her, even in the slightest way?

  Pauline

  Oh, sir, I agreed with all she said!

  Godard (seating himself on a chair, aside) So far so good. (Aloud) Did she commit a pardonable breach of confidence by telling you that I was so much in love with you that I wished to see you the mistress of Rimonville?

  Pauline She gave me to understand by her hints that you were coming with the intention of paying me a very great compliment.

  Godard (falling on his knees)

  I love you madly, mademoiselle; I prefer you to Mlle. de Blondville,

  to Mlle. de Clairville, to Mlle. de Verville, to Mlle. de

  Pont-de-Ville — to —

  Pauline Oh, that is sufficient, sir, you throw me into confusion by these proofs of a love which is quite unexpected! Your victims make up almost a hecatomb. (Godard rises.) Your father was contented with taking the victims to market! But you immolate them.

  Godard (aside) I really believe she is making fun of me. But wait awhile! Wait awhile!

  Pauline

  I think at least we ought to wait awhile; and I must confess —

  Godard You do not wish to marry yet. You are happy with your parents, and you are unwilling to leave your father.

  Pauline

  That is it, exactly.

  Godard In that case, there are some mothers who would agree that their daughter was too young, but as your father admits that you are twenty-two I thought that you might possibly have a desire to be settled in life.

  Pauline

  Sir!

  Godard You are, I know, quite at liberty to decide both your own destiny and mine; but in accordance with the wishes of your father and of your second mother, who imagine that your heart is free, may I be permitted still to have hope?

  Pauline Sir, however flattering to me may be your intention in thus seeking me out, that does not give you any right to question me so closely.

  Godard (aside) Is it possible I have a rival? (Aloud) No one, mademoiselle, gives up the prospect of happiness without a struggle.

  Pauline

  Do you still continue in this strain? I must leave you, sir.

  Godard

  Thank you, mademoiselle. (Aside) So much for your sarcasm.

  Pauline Come sir, you are rich, and nature has given you a fine person; you are so well educated and so witty that you will have no difficulty in finding some young person richer and prettier than I am.

  Godard

  How can that be when one is in love?

  Pauline

  Well sir, that is the very point.

  Godard (aside)

  She is in love with someone; I must find out who it is. (Aloud)

  Mademoiselle, will you at least permit me to feel that I am not in

  disgrace and that I may stay here a few days?

  Pauline

  My father will answer you on that score.

  Gertrude (coming forward to Godard)

  Well, how are things going?

  Godard A blunt refusal, without even a hope of her relenting; her heart is evidently already occupied.

  Gertrude (to Godard) Her heart occupied? This child has been brought up by me, and I know to the contrary; and besides that, no one ever comes here. (Aside) This youth has roused in me suspicions which pierce my heart like a dagger. (To Godard) Why don’t you ask her if such is the case?

  Godard How could I ask her anything? At my first word of jealous suspicion, she resented my curiosity.

  Gertrude

  Well, I shall have no hesitation in questioning her.

  The General Ah, here comes the doctor! We shall now learn the truth concerning the death of Champagne’s wife.

  SCENE FIFTH

  The same persons and Dr. Vernon.

  The General

  Well, how are you?

  Vernon I was quite sure of it. Ladies (he bows to them), as a general rule when a man beats his wife, he takes care not to poison her; he would lose too much by that. He doesn’t want to be without a victim.

  The General (to Godard)

  He is a charming fellow!

  Godard

  Charming!

  The General (to the doctor, presenting Godard to him)

  M. Godard.

  Godard

  De Rimonville.

  Vernon (looking at Godard) If he kills her, it is by mistake from having hit her a little too hard; and he is overwhelmed with grief; while Champagne is innocently delighted to have been made a widower by natural causes. As a matter of fact, his wife died of cholera. It was a very rare case, but he who has once seen Asiatic cholera cannot forget it, and I am glad that I had that opportunity; for, since the campaign in Egypt, I have never met with a case. If I had been called in time I could have saved her.

  Gertrude How fortunate we are, for if a crime had been committed in this establishment, which for twelve years has been so free from disturbance, I should have been horrified.

  The General Here you see the effect of all this tittle-tattle. But are you quite sure, Vernon?

  Vernon Am I certain? That’s a fine question to put to a retired surgeon-in-chief who has attended twelve French armies, from 1793 to 1815, and has practiced in Germany, in Spain, in Italy, in Russia, in Poland, and in Egypt!

  The General (poking him in the ribs) Away, you charlatan! I reckon you have killed more people than I have in those countries.

  Godard

  What is this talk that you are alluding to?

  Gertrude This poor Champagne, our foreman, was supposed to have poisoned his wife.

  Vernon Unhappily, the night before she died, they had had an altercation which ended in blows. Ah! they don’t take example from their masters.

  Godard Such happiness as reigns here ought to be contagious, but the virtues which are exemplified in the countess are very rare.

  Gertrude Is there any merit in loving an excellent hu
sband and a daughter such as these?

  The General Come, Gertrude, say no more! Such words ought not to be spoken in public.

  Vernon (aside) Such things are always said in this way, when it is necessary to make people believe them.

  The General (to Vernon)

  What are you muttering about?

  Vernon I was saying that I was sixty-seven years old, and that I was younger than you are, and that I should wish to be loved like that. (Aside) If only I could be sure that it was love.

  The General (to the doctor) I see you are dubious! (to his wife) My dear child, there is no need for me to bless the power of God on your behalf, but I think He must have lent it me, in order that I might love you sufficiently.

  Vernon

  You forget that I am a doctor, my dear friend. What you are saying to

  Madame is only good for the burden of a ballad.

  Gertrude

  The burdens of some ballads, doctor, are exceedingly true.

  The General Doctor, if you continue teasing my wife, we shall quarrel; to doubt on such a subject as that is an insult.

  Vernon I have no doubt about it. (to the General) I would merely say, that you have loved so many women with the powers of God, that I am in an ecstasy as a doctor to see you still so good a Christian at seventy!

  (Gertrude glides softly towards the sofa, where the doctor is seated.)

  The General

  Pshaw! The last passions, my friend, are always the strongest.

  Vernon You are right. In youth, we love with all our strength which grows weaker with age, while in age we love with all our weakness which is ever on the increase.

  The General

  Oh, vile philosophy!

  Gertrude (to Vernon) Doctor, how is it that you, who are so good, try to infuse doubts into the heart of Grandchamp? You know that he is so jealous that he would kill a man on suspicion. I have such respect for his feelings that I have concluded upon seeing no one, but you, the mayor and the cure. Do you want me also to forego your society which is so pleasant, so agreeable to us? Ah! Here is Napoleon.

  Vernon (aside) I take this for a declaration of war. She has sent away everyone else, she intends to dismiss me.

  Godard (to Vernon) Doctor, you are an intimate friend of the house, tell me, pray, what do you think of Mlle. Pauline?

  (The doctor rises from his seat, looks at the speaker, blows his nose, and goes to the middle of the stage. The dinner bells sounds.)

  SCENE SIXTH

  The same persons, Napoleon and Felix.

  Napoleon

  Papa, papa, didn’t you say I could ride Coco?

  The General

  Certainly.

  Napoleon (to Felix)

  Do you hear that?

  Gertrude (wiping her son’s forehead)

  He is quite warm!

  The General

  But only on the condition that some one goes with you.

  Felix You see I was right, Master Napoleon. General, the little rascal wished to go on his pony alone into the country.

  Napoleon

  He was frightened for me! Do you think I am afraid of anything?

  (Exit Felix. Dinner bell rings.)

  The General Come and let me kiss you for that word. He is a little soldier and belongs to the Young Guard.

  Vernon (with a glance at Gertrude)

  He takes after his father!

  Gertrude (quickly) As regards courage, he is his father’s counterpart; but as to physique, he resembles me.

  Felix

  Dinner is served.

  Gertrude Very well! But do you know where Ferdinand is? He is generally so punctual. Here, Napoleon, go to the entrance of the factory and see if he is coming. Tell him to hurry; the bell has rung.

  The General

  We need not wait for Ferdinand. Godard, give your arm to Pauline.

  (Vernon offers his arm to Gertrude.) Excuse me, Vernon, you ought to

  be aware that I never permit anybody but myself to take my wife’s arm.

  Vernon (aside)

  Decidedly, he is incurable.

  Napoleon (running back)

  I saw Ferdinand down in the main avenue.

  Vernon

  Give me your hand, you little tyrant!

  Napoleon

  Tyrant yourself! I’ll bet I could tire you out.

  (Napoleon turns Vernon round and round. All leave, chatting gaily.)

  SCENE SEVENTH

  Ferdinand (cautiously stealing from Pauline’s room) The youngster saved me, but I do not know how he happened to see me in the avenue! One more piece of carelessness like this may ruin us! I must extricate myself from this situation at any price. Here is Pauline refusing Godard’s proposal. The General, and especially Gertrude, will try to find out the motives of her refusal! But I must hasten to reach the veranda, so that I may have the appearance of having come from the main avenue, as Leon said. I hope no one will catch sight of me from the dining-room. (He meets Ramel.) What, Eugene Ramel!

  SCENE EIGHTH

  Ferdinand and Ramel.

  Ramel

  You here, Marcandal!

  Ferdinand Hush! Don’t pronounce that name in this place! If the General heard that my name was Marcandal, he would kill me at once as if I were a mad dog.

  Ramel

  And why?

  Ferdinand

  Because I am the son of General Marcandal.

  Ramel A general to whom the Bourbons are in part indebted for their second innings.

  Ferdinand In the eyes of General Grandchamp, to leave Napoleon for service under the Bourbons was treason against France. Alas! this was also my father’s opinion, for he died of grief. You must therefore remember to call me by the name of Ferdinand Charny, my mother’s maiden name.

  Ramel

  And what are you doing here?

  Ferdinand

  I am the manager, the cashier, the factotum of Grandchamp’s factory.

  Ramel

  How is this? Do you do it from necessity?

  Ferdinand From dire necessity! My father spent everything, even the fortune of my poor mother, who lived during her later years in Brittany on the pension she received as widow of a lieutenant-general.

  Ramel How is it that your father, who had command of the Royal Guard, a most brilliant position, died without leaving you anything, not even a patron?

  Ferdinand Had he never betrayed his friends, and changed sides, without any reason —

  Ramel

  Come, come, we won’t talk any more about that.

  Ferdinand My father was a gambler — that was the reason why he was so indulgent to me. But may I ask what has brought you here?

  Ramel

  A fortnight ago I was appointed king’s attorney at Louviers.

  Ferdinand I heard something about it. But the appointment was published under another name.

  Ramel

  De la Grandiere, I suppose.

  Ferdinand

  That is it.

  Ramel In order that I might marry Mlle. de Boudeville, I obtained permission to assume my mother’s name — as you have done. The Boudeville family have given me their protection, and in a year’s time I shall doubtless be attorney-general at Rouen — a stepping-stone towards a position at Paris.

  Ferdinand

  And what brings you to our quiet factory?

  Ramel I came to investigate a criminal case, a poisoning affair, — a fine introduction into my office.

  (Felix enters.)

  Felix

  Monsieur, Madame is worrying about you —

  Ferdinand Please ask her to excuse me for a few moments. (Exit Felix.) My dear Eugene, in case the General — who like all retired troopers is very inquisitive — should inquire how we happen to meet here, don’t forget to say that we came up the main avenue. It is important for me that you should say so. But go on with your story. It is on account of the wife of Champagne, our foreman, that you have come here; but he is innocent as a new-born babe!<
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  Ramel You believe so, do you? Well, the officers of justice are paid for being incredulous. I see that you still remain, as I left you, the noblest, the most enthusiastic fellow in the world; in short, a poet! A poet who puts the poetry into his life instead of writing it, and believes in the good and the beautiful! And that reminds me — that angel of your dreams, that Gertrude of yours, whatever has become of her?

  Ferdinand Hush! Not only has the minister of justice sent you here, but some celestial influence has sent to me at Louviers the friend whose help I need in my terrible perplexity. Eugene, come here and listen to me a while. I am going to appeal to you as my college friend, as the confidant of my youth; you won’t put on the airs of the prosecuting attorney to me, will you? You will see from the nature of my admissions that I impose upon you the secrecy of the confessional.

  Ramel

  Is it anything criminal?

  Ferdinand Oh, nonsense! My faults are such as the judges themselves would be willing to commit.

  Ramel

  Perhaps I had better not listen to you; or, if I do listen to you —

  Ferdinand

  Well!

  Ramel

  I could demand a change of position.

  Ferdinand You are always my best and kindest friend. Listen then! For over three years I have been in love with Mlle. Pauline de Grandchamp, and she —

  Ramel

  You needn’t go on; I understand. You have been reviving Romeo and

  Juliet — in the heart of Normandy.

  Ferdinand With this difference, that the hereditary hatred which stood between the two lovers of the play was a mere trifle in comparison with the loathing with which the Comte de Grandchamp contemplates the son of the traitor Marcandal!

  Ramel Let me see! Mlle. Pauline de Grandchamp will be free in three years; she is rich in her own right — I know this from the Boudevilles. You can easily take her to Switzerland and keep her there until the General’s wrath has had time to cool; and then you can make him the respectful apologies required under the circumstances.

  Ferdinand Do you think I would have asked your advice if the only difficulty lay in the attainment of this trite and easy solution of the problem?

  Ramel

  Ah! I see, my dear friend. You have already married your