the firm of nucingen-第6部分

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ng　the　blonde　that　has　the　good　fortune　to　look　extremely　tender　and　yielding；　while　foregoing　none　of　her　rights　to　scold；　to　tease；　to　use　unmeasured　language；　to　be　jealous　without　grounds；　to　do　anything；　in　short；　that　makes　woman　adorable；the　fair…haired　girl；　I　say；　will　always　be　more　sure　to　marry　than　the　ardent　brunette。　Firewood　is　dear；　you　see。

〃Isaure；　white　as　an　Alsacienne　（she　first　saw　the　light　at　Strasbourg；　and　spoke　German　with　a　slight　and　very　agreeable　French　accent）；　danced　to　admiration。　Her　feet；　omitted　on　the　passport；　though　they　really　might　have　found　a　place　there　under　the　heading　Distinguishing　Signs；　were　remarkable　for　their　small　size；　and　for　that　particular　something　which　old…fashioned　dancing　masters　used　to　call　flic…flac；　a　something　that　put　you　in　mind　of　Mlle。　Mars'　agreeable　delivery；　for　all　the　Muses　are　sisters；　and　the　dancer　and　poet　alike　have　their　feet　upon　the　earth。　Isaure's　feet　spoke　lightly　and　swiftly　with　a　clearness　and　precision　which　augured　well　for　things　of　the　heart。　'Elle　a　duc　flic…flac；'　was　old　Marcel's　highest　word　of　praise；　and　old　Marcel　was　the　dancing　master　that　deserved　the　epithet　of　'the　Great。'　People　used　to　say　'the　Great　Marcel；'　as　they　said　'Frederick　the　Great；'　and　in　Frederick's　time。〃

〃Did　Marcel　compose　any　ballets？〃　inquired　Finot。

〃Yes；　something　in　the　style　of　Les　Quatre　Elements　and　L'Europe　galante。〃

〃What　times　they　were；　when　great　nobles　dressed　the　dancers！〃　said　Finot。

〃Improper！〃　said　Bixiou。　〃Isaure　did　not　raise　herself　on　the　tips　of　her　toes；　she　stayed　on　the　ground；　she　swayed　in　the　dance　without　jerks；　and　neither　more　nor　less　voluptuously　than　a　young　lady　ought　to　do。　There　was　a　profound　philosophy　in　Marcel's　remark　that　every　age　and　condition　had　its　dance；　a　married　woman　should　not　dance　like　a　young　girl；　nor　a　little　jackanapes　like　a　capitalist；　nor　a　soldier　like　a　page；　he　even　went　so　far　as　to　say　that　the　infantry　ought　not　to　dance　like　the　cavalry；　and　from　this　point　he　proceeded　to　classify　the　world　at　large。　All　these　fine　distinctions　seem　very　far　away。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Blondet；　〃you　have　set　your　finger　on　a　great　calamity。　If　Marcel　had　been　properly　understood；　there　would　have　been　no　French　Revolution。〃

〃It　had　been　Godefroid's　privilege　to　run　over　Europe；〃　resumed　Bixiou；　〃nor　had　he　neglected　his　opportunities　of　making　a　thorough　comparative　study　of　European　dancing。　Perhaps　but　for　profound　diligence　in　the　pursuit　of　what　is　usually　held　to　be　useless　knowledge；　he　would　never　have　fallen　in　love　with　this　young　lady；　as　it　was；　out　of　the　three　hundred　guests　that　crowded　the　handsome　rooms　in　the　Rue　Saint…Lazare；　he　alone　comprehended　the　unpublished　romance　revealed　by　a　garrulous　quadrille。　People　certainly　noticed　Isaure　d'Aldrigger's　dancing；　but　in　this　present　century　the　cry　is　'Skim　lightly　over　the　surface；　do　not　lean　your　weight　on　it；'　so　one　said　（he　was　a　notary's　clerk）；　'There　is　a　girl　that　dances　uncommonly　well；'　another　（a　lady　in　a　turban）；　'There　is　a　young　lady　that　dances　enchantingly；'　and　a　third　（a　woman　of　thirty）；　'That　little　thing　is　not　dancing　badly。'But　to　return　to　the　great　Marcel；　let　us　parody　his　best　known　saying　with；　'How　much　there　is　in　an　avant…deux。'　〃

〃And　let　us　get　on　a　little　faster；〃　said　Blondet；　〃you　are　maundering。〃

〃Isaure；〃　continued　Bixiou；　looking　askance　at　Blondet；　〃wore　a　simple　white　crepe　dress　with　green　ribbons；　she　had　a　camellia　in　her　hair；　a　camellia　at　her　waist；　another　camellia　at　her　skirt…hem；　and　a　camellia〃

〃Come；　now！　here　comes　Sancho's　three　hundred　goats。〃

〃Therein　lies　all　literature；　dear　boy。　Clarissa　is　a　masterpiece；　there　are　fourteen　volumes　of　her；　and　the　most　wooden…headed　playwright　would　give　you　the　whole　of　Clarissa　in　a　single　act。　So　long　as　I　amuse　you；　what　have　you　to　complain　of？　That　costume　was　positively　lovely。　Don't　you　like　camillias？　Would　you　rather　have　dahlias？　No？　Very　good；　chestnuts　then；　here's　for　you。〃　（And　probably　Bixiou　flung　a　chestnut　across　the　table；　for　we　heard　something　drop　on　a　plate。）

〃I　was　wrong；　I　acknowledge　it。　Go　on；〃　said　Blondet。

〃I　resume。　'Pretty　enough　to　marry；　isn't　she？'　said　Rastignac；　coming　up　to　Godefroid　de　Beaudenord；　and　indicating　the　little　one　with　the　spotless　white　camellias；　every　petal　intact。

〃Rastignac　being　an　intimate　friend；　Godefroid　answered　in　a　low　voice；　'Well；　so　I　was　thinking。　I　was　saying　to　myself　that　instead　of　enjoying　my　happiness　with　fear　and　trembling　at　every　moment；　instead　of　taking　a　world　of　trouble　to　whisper　a　word　in　an　inattentive　ear；　of　looking　over　the　house　at　the　Italiens　to　see　if　some　one　wears　a　red　flower　or　a　white　in　her　hair；　or　watching　along　the　Corso　for　a　gloved　hand　on　a　carriage　door；　as　we　used　to　do　at　Milan；　instead　of　snatching　a　mouthful　of　baba　like　a　lackey　finishing　off　a　bottle　behind　a　door；　or　wearing　out　one's　wits　with　giving　and　receiving　letters　like　a　postmanletters　that　consist　not　of　a　mere　couple　of　tender　lines；　but　expand　to　five　folio　volumes　to…day　and　contract　to　a　couple　of　sheets　to…morrow　（a　tiresome　practice）；　instead　of　dragging　along　over　the　ruts　and　dodging　behind　hedgesit　would　be　better　to　give　way　to　the　adorable　passion　that　Jean…Jacques　Rousseau　envied；　to　fall　frankly　in　love　with　a　girl　like　Isaure；　with　a　view　to　making　her　my　wife；　if　upon　exchange　of　sentiments　our　hearts　respond　to　each　other；　to　be　Werther；　in　short；　with　a　happy　ending。'

〃　'Which　is　a　common　weakness；'　returned　Rastignac　without　laughing。　'Possibly　in　your　place　I　might　plunge　into　the　unspeakable　delights　of　that　ascetic　course；　it　possesses　the　merits　of　novelty　and　originality；　and　it　is　not　very　expensive。　Your　Monna　Lisa　is　sweet；　but　inane　as　music　for　the　ballet；　I　give　you　warning。'

〃Rastignac　made　this　last　remark　in　a　way　which　set　Beaudenord　thinking　that　his　friend　had　his　own　motives　for　disenchanting　him；　Beaudenord　had　not　been　a　diplomatist　for　nothing；　he　fancied　that　Rastignac　wanted　to　cut　him　out。　If　a　man　mistakes　his　vocation；　the　false　start　none　the　less　influences　him　for　the　rest　of　his　life。　Godefroid　was　so　evidently　smitten　with　Mlle。　Isaure　d'Aldrigger；　that　Rastignac　went　off　to　a　tall　girl　chatting　in　the　card…room。　'Malvina；'　he　said；　lowering　his　voice；　'your　sister　has　just　netted　a　fish　worth　eighteen　thousand　francs　a　year。　He　has　a　name；　a　manner；　and　a　certain　position　in　the　world；　keep　an　eye　on　them；　be　careful　to　gain　Isaure's　confidence；　and　if　they　philander；　do　not　let　her　send　word　to　him　unless　you　have　seen　it　first'

〃Towards　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　Isaure　was　standing　beside　a　diminutive　Shepherdess　of　the　Alps；　a　little　woman　of　forty；　coquettish　as　a　Zerlina。　A　footman　announced　that　'Mme。　la　Baronne's　carriage　stops　the　way；'　and　Godefroid　forthwith　saw　his　beautiful　maiden　out　of　a　German　song　draw　her　fantastical　mother　into　the　cloakroom；　whither　Malvina　followed　them；　and　（boy　that　he　was）　he　must　needs　go　to　discover　into　what　pot　of　preserves　the　infant　Joby　had　fallen；　and　had　the　pleasure　of　watching　Isaure　and　Malvina　coaxing　that　sparkling　person；　their　mamma；　into　her　pelisse；　with　all　the　little　tender　precautions　required　for　a　night　journey　in　Paris。　Of　course；　the　girls　on　their　side　watched　Beaudenord　out　of　the　corners　of　their　eyes；　as　well…taught　kittens　watch　a　mouse；　without　seeming　to　see　it　at　all。　With　a　certain　satisfaction　Beaudenord　noted　the　bearing；　manner；　and　appearance；　of　the　tall　well…gloved　Alsacien　servant　in　livery　who　brought　three　pairs　of　fur…lined　overshoes　for　his　mistresses。

〃Never　were　two　sisters　more　unlike　than　Isaure　and　Malvina。　Malvina　the　elder　was　tall　and　dark…haired；　Isaure　was　short　and　fair；　and　her　features　were　finely　and　delicately　cut；　while　her　sister's　were　vigorous　and　striking。　Isaure　was　one　of　those　women　who　reign　like　queens　through　their　weakness；　such　a　woman　as　a　schoolboy　would　feel　it　incumbent　upon　him　to　protect；　Malvina　was　the　Andalouse　of　Musset's　poem。　As　the　sisters　stood　together；　Isaure　looked　like　a　miniature　beside　a　portrait　in　oils。

〃　'She　is　rich！'　exclaimed　Godefroid；　going　back　to　Rastignac　in　the　ballroom。

〃　'Who？'

〃　'That　young　lady。'

〃　'Oh；　Isaure　d'Aldrigger？　Why；　yes。　The　mother　is　a　widow；　Nucingen　was　once　a　clerk　in　her　husband's　bank　at　Strasbourg。　Do　you　want　to　see　them　again？　Just　turn　off　a　compliment　for　Mme。　de　Restaud；　she　is　giving　a　ball　the　day　after　to…morrow；　the　Baroness　d'Aldrigger　and　her　two　daughters　will　be　there。　You　will　have　an　invitation。'

〃For　three　days　Godefroid　beheld　Isaure　in　the　camera　obscura　of　his　brainHIS　Isaure　with　her　white　camellias　and　the　little　ways　she　had　with　her　headsaw　her　as　you　see　the　bright　thing　on　which　you　have　been　gazing　after　your　eyes　are　shut；　a　picture　grown　somewhat　smaller；　a　radiant；　brightly…colored　vision　flashing　out　of　a　vortex　of　darkness。〃

〃Bixiou；　you　are　dropping　into　phenomena；　block　us　out　our　pictures；〃　put　in　Couture。

〃Here　you　are；　gentlemen！　Here　is　the　picture　you　ordered！〃　（from　the　tones　of　Bixiou's　voice；　he　evidently　was　posing　as　a　waiter。）　〃Finot；　attention；　one　has　to　pull　at　your　mouth　as　a　jarvie　pulls　at　his　jade。　In　Madame　Theodora　Marguerite　Wilhelmine　Adolphus　（of　the　firm　of　Adolphus　and　Company；　Manheim）；　relict　of　the　late　Baron　d'Aldrigger；　you　might　expect　to　find　a　stout；　comfortable　German；　compact　and　prudent；　with　a　fair　complexion　mellowed　to　the　tint　of　the　foam　on　a　pot　of　beer；　and　as　to　virtues；　rich　in　all　the　patriarchal　good　qualities　that　Germany　possessesin　romances；　that　is　to　say。　Well　there　was　not　a　gray　hair　in　the　frisky　ringlets　that　she　wore　on　either　side　of　her　face；　she　was　still　as　fresh　and　as　brightly　colored　on　the　cheek…bone　as　a　Nuremberg　doll；　her　eyes　were　lively　and　bright；　a　closely…fitting　bodice　set　off　the　slenderness　of　her　waist。　Her　brow　and　temples　were　furrowed　by　a　few　involuntary　wrinkles　which；　like　Ninon；　she　would　fain　have　banished　from　her　head　to　her　heel；　but　they　persisted　in　tracing　their　zigzags　in　the　more　conspicuous　place。　The　outlines　of　the　nose　had　somewhat　fallen　away；　and　the　tip　had　reddened；　and　thi