a second home-第1部分

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A　Second　Home

by　Honore　de　Balzac

Translated　by　Clara　Bell




DEDICATION

To　Madame　la　Comtesse　Louise　de　Turheim　as　a　token　of　remembrance　and　affectionate　respect。




A　SECOND　HOME



The　Rue　du　Tourniquet…Saint…Jean；　formerly　one　of　the　darkest　and　most　tortuous　of　the　streets　about　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　zigzagged　round　the　little　gardens　of　the　Paris　Prefecture；　and　ended　at　the　Rue　Martroi；　exactly　at　the　angle　of　an　old　wall　now　pulled　down。　Here　stood　the　turnstile　to　which　the　street　owed　its　name；　it　was　not　removed　till　1823；　when　the　Municipality　built　a　ballroom　on　the　garden　plot　adjoining　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　for　the　fete　given　in　honor　of　the　Duc　d'Angouleme　on　his　return　from　Spain。

The　widest　part　of　the　Rue　du　Tourniquet　was　the　end　opening　into　the　Rue　de　la　Tixeranderie；　and　even　there　it　was　less　than　six　feet　across。　Hence　in　rainy　weather　the　gutter　water　was　soon　deep　at　the　foot　of　the　old　houses；　sweeping　down　with　it　the　dust　and　refuse　deposited　at　the　corner…stones　by　the　residents。　As　the　dust…carts　could　not　pass　through；　the　inhabitants　trusted　to　storms　to　wash　their　always　miry　alley；　for　how　could　it　be　clean？　When　the　summer　sun　shed　its　perpendicular　rays　on　Paris　like　a　sheet　of　gold；　but　as　piercing　as　the　point　of　a　sword；　it　lighted　up　the　blackness　of　this　street　for　a　few　minutes　without　drying　the　permanent　damp　that　rose　from　the　ground…floor　to　the　first　story　of　these　dark　and　silent　tenements。

The　residents；　who　lighted　their　lamps　at　five　o'clock　in　the　month　of　June；　in　winter　never　put　them　out。　To　this　day　the　enterprising　wayfarer　who　should　approach　the　Marais　along　the　quays；　past　the　end　of　the　Rue　du　Chaume；　the　Rues　de　l'Homme　Arme；　des　Billettes；　and　des　Deux…Portes；　all　leading　to　the　Rue　du　Tourniquet；　might　think　he　had　passed　through　cellars　all　the　way。

Almost　all　the　streets　of　old　Paris；　of　which　ancient　chronicles　laud　the　magnificence；　were　like　this　damp　and　gloomy　labyrinth；　where　the　antiquaries　still　find　historical　curiosities　to　admire。　For　instance；　on　the　house　then　forming　the　corner　where　the　Rue　du　Tourniquet　joined　the　Rue　de　la　Tixeranderie；　the　clamps　might　still　be　seen　of　two　strong　iron　rings　fixed　to　the　wall；　the　relics　of　the　chains　put　up　every　night　by　the　watch　to　secure　public　safety。

This　house；　remarkable　for　its　antiquity；　had　been　constructed　in　a　way　that　bore　witness　to　the　unhealthiness　of　these　old　dwellings；　for；　to　preserve　the　ground…floor　from　damp；　the　arches　of　the　cellars　rose　about　two　feet　above　the　soil；　and　the　house　was　entered　up　three　outside　steps。　The　door　was　crowned　by　a　closed　arch；　of　which　the　keystone　bore　a　female　head　and　some　time…eaten　arabesques。　Three　windows；　their　sills　about　five　feet　from　the　ground；　belonged　to　a　small　set　of　rooms　looking　out　on　the　Rue　du　Tourniquet；　whence　they　derived　their　light。　These　windows　were　protected　by　strong　iron　bars；　very　wide　apart；　and　ending　below　in　an　outward　curve　like　the　bars　of　a　baker's　window。

If　any　passer…by　during　the　day　were　curious　enough　to　peep　into　the　two　rooms　forming　this　little　dwelling；　he　could　see　nothing；　for　only　under　the　sun　of　July　could　he　discern；　in　the　second　room；　two　beds　hung　with　green　serge；　placed　side　by　side　under　the　paneling　of　an　old…fashioned　alcove；　but　in　the　afternoon；　by　about　three　o'clock；　when　the　candles　were　lighted；　through　the　pane　of　the　first　room　an　old　woman　might　be　seen　sitting　on　a　stool　by　the　fireplace；　where　she　nursed　the　fire　in　a　brazier；　to　simmer　a　stew；　such　as　porters'　wives　are　expert　in。　A　few　kitchen　utensils；　hung　up　against　the　wall；　were　visible　in　the　twilight。

At　that　hour　an　old　table　on　trestles；　but　bare　of　linen；　was　laid　with　pewter…spoons；　and　the　dish　concocted　by　the　old　woman。　Three　wretched　chairs　were　all　the　furniture　of　this　room；　which　was　at　once　the　kitchen　and　the　dining…room。　Over　the　chimney…piece　were　a　piece　of　looking…glass；　a　tinder…box；　three　glasses；　some　matches；　and　a　large；　cracked　white　jug。　Still；　the　floor；　the　utensils；　the　fireplace；　all　gave　a　pleasant　sense　of　the　perfect　cleanliness　and　thrift　that　pervaded　the　dull　and　gloomy　home。

The　old　woman's　pale；　withered　face　was　quite　in　harmony　with　the　darkness　of　the　street　and　the　mustiness　of　the　place。　As　she　sat　there；　motionless；　in　her　chair；　it　might　have　been　thought　that　she　was　as　inseparable　from　the　house　as　a　snail　from　its　brown　shell；　her　face；　alert　with　a　vague　expression　of　mischief；　was　framed　in　a　flat　cap　made　of　net；　which　barely　covered　her　white　hair；　her　fine；　gray　eyes　were　as　quiet　as　the　street；　and　the　many　wrinkles　in　her　face　might　be　compared　to　the　cracks　in　the　walls。　Whether　she　had　been　born　to　poverty；　or　had　fallen　from　some　past　splendor；　she　now　seemed　to　have　been　long　resigned　to　her　melancholy　existence。

From　sunrise　till　dark；　excepting　when　she　was　getting　a　meal　ready；　or；　with　a　basket　on　her　arm；　was　out　purchasing　provisions；　the　old　woman　sat　in　the　adjoining　room　by　the　further　window；　opposite　a　young　girl。　At　any　hour　of　the　day　the　passer…by　could　see　the　needlewoman　seated　in　an　old；　red　velvet　chair；　bending　over　an　embroidery　frame；　and　stitching　indefatigably。

Her　mother　had　a　green　pillow　on　her　knee；　and　busied　herself　with　hand…made　net；　but　her　fingers　could　move　the　bobbin　but　slowly；　her　sight　was　feeble；　for　on　her　nose　there　rested　a　pair　of　those　antiquated　spectacles　which　keep　their　place　on　the　nostrils　by　the　grip　of　a　spring。　By　night　these　two　hardworking　women　set　a　lamp　between　them；　and　the　light；　concentrated　by　two　globe…shaped　bottles　of　water；　showed　the　elder　the　fine　network　made　by　the　threads　on　her　pillow；　and　the　younger　the　most　delicate　details　of　the　pattern　she　was　embroidering。　The　outward　bend　of　the　window　had　allowed　the　girl　to　rest　a　box　of　earth　on　the　window…sill；　in　which　grew　some　sweet　peas；　nasturtiums；　a　sickly　little　honeysuckle；　and　some　convolvulus　that　twined　its　frail　stems　up　the　iron　bars。　These　etiolated　plants　produced　a　few　pale　flowers；　and　added　a　touch　of　indescribable　sadness　and　sweetness　to　the　picture　offered　by　this　window；　in　which　the　two　figures　were　appropriately　framed。

The　most　selfish　soul　who　chanced　to　see　this　domestic　scene　would　carry　away　with　him　a　perfect　image　of　the　life　led　in　Paris　by　the　working　class　of　women；　for　the　embroideress　evidently　lived　by　her　needle。　Many；　as　they　passed　through　the　turnstile；　found　themselves　wondering　how　a　girl　could　preserve　her　color；　living　in　such　a　cellar。　A　student　of　lively　imagination；　going　that　way　to　cross　to　the　Quartier…Latin；　would　compare　this　obscure　and　vegetative　life　to　that　of　the　ivy　that　clung　to　these　chill　walls；　to　that　of　the　peasants　born　to　labor；　who　are　born；　toil；　and　die　unknown　to　the　world　they　have　helped　to　feed。　A　house…owner；　after　studying　the　house　with　the　eye　of　a　valuer；　would　have　said；　〃What　will　become　of　those　two　women　if　embroidery　should　go　out　of　fashion？〃　Among　the　men　who；　having　some　appointment　at　the　Hotel　de　Ville　or　the　Palais　de　Justice；　were　obliged　to　go　through　this　street　at　fixed　hours；　either　on　their　way　to　business　or　on　their　return　home；　there　may　have　been　some　charitable　soul。　Some　widower　or　Adonis　of　forty；　brought　so　often　into　the　secrets　of　these　sad　lives；　may　perhaps　have　reckoned　on　the　poverty　of　this　mother　and　daughter；　and　have　hoped　to　become　the　master　at　no　great　cost　of　the　innocent　work…woman；　whose　nimble　and　dimpled　fingers；　youthful　figure；　and　white　skina　charm　due；　no　doubt；　to　living　in　this　sunless　streethad　excited　his　admiration。　Perhaps；　again；　some　honest　clerk；　with　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year；　seeing　every　day　the　diligence　the　girl　gave　to　her　needle；　and　appreciating　the　purity　of　her　life；　was　only　waiting　for　improved　prospects　to　unite　one　humble　life　with　another；　one　form　of　toil　to　another；　and　to　bring　at　any　rate　a　man's　arm　and　a　calm　affection；　pale…hued　like　the　flowers　in　the　window；　to　uphold　this　home。

Vague　hope　certainly　gave　life　to　the　mother's　dim；　gray　eyes。　Every　morning；　after　the　most　frugal　breakfast；　she　took　up　her　pillow；　though　chiefly　for　the　look　of　the　thing；　for　she　would　lay　her　spectacles　on　a　little　mahogany　worktable　as　old　as　herself；　and　look　out　of　the　window　from　about　half…past　eight　till　ten　at　the　regular　passers　in　the　street；　she　caught　their　glances；　remarked　on　their　gait；　their　dress；　their　countenance；　and　almost　seemed　to　be　offering　her　daughter；　her　gossiping　eyes　so　evidently　tried　to　attract　some　magnetic　sympathy　by　manoeuvres　worthy　of　the　stage。　It　was　evident　that　this　little　review　was　as　good　as　a　play　to　her；　and　perhaps　her　single　amusement。

The　daughter　rarely　looked　up。　Modesty；　or　a　painful　consciousness　of　poverty；　seemed　to　keep　her　eyes　riveted　to　the　work…frame；　and　only　some　exclamation　of　surprise　from　her　mother　moved　her　to　show　her　small　features。　Then　a　clerk　in　a　new　coat；　or　who　unexpectedly　appeared　with　a　woman　on　his　arm；　might　catch　sight　of　the　girl's　slightly　upturned　nose；　her　rosy　mouth；　and　gray　eyes；　always　bright　and　lively　in　spite　of　her　fatiguing　toil。　Her　late　hours　had　left　a　trace　on　her　face　by　a　pale　circle　marked　under　each　eye　on　the　fresh　rosiness　of　her　cheeks。　The　poor　child　looked　as　if　she　were　made　for　love　and　cheerfulnessfor　love；　which　had　drawn　two　perfect　arches　above　her　eyelids；　and　had　given　her　such　a　mass　of　chestnut　hair；　that　she　might　have　hidden　under　it　as　under　a　tent；　impenetrable　to　the　lover's　eyefor　cheerfulness；　which　gave　quivering　animation　to　her　nostrils；　which　carved　two　dimples　in　her　rosy　cheeks；　and　made　her　quick　to　forget　her　troubles；　cheerfulness；　the　blossom　of　hope；　which　gave　her　strength　to　look　out　without　shuddering　on　the　barren　path　of　life。

The　girl's　hair　was　always　carefully　dressed。　After　the　manner　of　Paris　needlewomen；　her　toilet　seemed　to　her　quite　complete　when　she　had　brushed　her　hair　smooth　and　tucked　up　the　little　short　curls　that　played　on　each　temple　in　contrast　with　the　whiteness　of　her　skin。　The　growth　of　it　on　the　back　of　her　neck　was　so　pretty；　and　the　brown　line；　so　clearly　traced；　gave　such　a　pleasing　idea　of　her　yout