the illustrious gaudissart-第7部分

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〃Will　you　take　a　glass　of　wine？〃　asked　Margaritis。



〃With　pleasure；〃　replied　Gaudissart。



〃Wife；　give　us　a　bottle　of　the　wine　that　is　in　the　puncheons。　You　are

here　at　the　very　head　of　Vouvray；〃　he　continued；　with　a　gesture　of　the

hand；　〃the　vineyard　of　Margaritis。〃



The　maid…servant　brought　glasses　and　a　bottle　of　wine　of　the　vintage

of　1819。　The　good…man　filled　a　glass　with　circumspection　and　offered

it　to　Gaudissart；　who　drank　it　up。



〃Ah；　you　are　joking；　Monsieur！〃　exclaimed　the　commercial　traveller。

〃Surely　this　is　Madeira；　true　Madeira？〃



〃So　you　think；〃　said　the　fool。　〃The　trouble　with　our　Vouvray　wine　is

that　it　is　neither　a　common　wine；　nor　a　wine　that　can　be　drunk　with

the　entremets。　It　is　too　generous；　too　strong。　It　is　often　sold　in

Paris　adulterated　with　brandy　and　called　Madeira。　The　wine…merchants

buy　it　up；　when　our　vintage　has　not　been　good　enough　for　the　Dutch　and

Belgian　markets；　to　mix　it　with　wines　grown　in　the　neighborhood　of

Paris；　and　call　it　Bordeaux。　But　what　you　are　drinking　just　now；　my

good　Monsieur；　is　a　wine　for　kings；　the　pure　Head　of　Vouvray；that's

it's　name。　I　have　two　puncheons；　only　two　puncheons　of　it　left。　People

who　like　fine　wines；　high…class　wines；　who　furnish　their　table　with

qualities　that　can't　be　bought　in　the　regular　trade；and　there　are

many　persons　in　Paris　who　have　that　vanity；well；　such　people　send

direct　to　us　for　this　wine。　Do　you　know　any　one　who？〃



〃Let　us　go　on　with　what　we　were　saying；〃　interposed　Gaudissart。



〃We　are　going　on；〃　said　the　fool。　〃My　wine　is　capital；　you　are

capital；　capitalist；　intellectual　capital；　capital　wine；all　the　same

etymology；　don't　you　see？　hein？　Capital；　'caput；'　head；　Head　of

Vouvray；　that's　my　wine；it's　all　one　thing。〃



〃So　that　you　have　realized　your　intellectual　capital　through　your

wines？　Ah；　I　see！〃　said　Gaudissart。



〃I　have　realized；〃　said　the　lunatic。　〃Would　you　like　to　buy　my

puncheons？　you　shall　have　them　on　good　terms。〃



〃No；　I　was　merely　speaking；〃　said　the　illustrious　Gaudissart；　〃of　the

results　of　insurance　and　the　employment　of　intellectual　capital。　I

will　resume　my　argument。〃



The　lunatic　calmed　down；　and　fell　once　more　into　position。



〃I　remarked；　Monsieur；　that　if　you　die　the　capital　will　be　paid　to

your　family　without　discussion。〃



〃Without　discussion？〃



〃Yes；　unless　there　were　suicide。〃



〃That's　quibbling。〃



〃No；　Monsieur；　you　are　aware　that　suicide　is　one　of　those　acts　which

are　easy　to　prove〃



〃In　France；〃　said　the　fool；　〃but〃



〃But　in　other　countries？〃　said　Gaudissart。　〃Well；　Monsieur；　to　cut

short　discussion　on　this　point；　I　will　say；　once　for　all；　that　death

in　foreign　countries　or　on　the　field　of　battle　is　outside　of　our〃



〃Then　what　are　you　insuring？　Nothing　at　all！〃　cried　Margaritis。　〃My

bank；　my　Territorial　Bank；　rested　upon〃



〃Nothing　at　all？〃　exclaimed　Gaudissart；　interrupting　the　good…man。

〃Nothing　at　all？　What　do　you　call　sickness；　and　afflictions；　and

poverty；　and　passions？　Don't　go　off　on　exceptional　points。〃



〃No；　no！　no　points；〃　said　the　lunatic。



〃Now；　what's　the　result　of　all　this？〃　cried　Gaudissart。　〃To　you；　a

banker；　I　can　sum　up　the　profits　in　a　few　words。　Listen。　A　man　lives；

he　has　a　future；　he　appears　well；　he　lives；　let　us　say；　by　his　art；　he

wants　money；　he　tries　to　get　it；he　fails。　Civilization　withholds

cash　from　this　man　whose　thought　could　master　civilization；　and　ought

to　master　it；　and　will　master　it　some　day　with　a　brush；　a　chisel；　with

words；　ideas；　theories；　systems。　Civilization　is　atrocious！　It　denies

bread　to　the　men　who　give　it　luxury。　It　starves　them　on　sneers　and

curses；　the　beggarly　rascal！　My　words　may　be　strong；　but　I　shall　not

retract　them。　Well；　this　great　but　neglected　man　comes　to　us；　we

recognize　his　greatness；　we　salute　him　with　respect；　we　listen　to　him。

He　says　to　us：　'Gentlemen；　my　life　and　talents　are　worth　so　much；　on

my　productions　I　will　pay　you　such　or　such　percentage。'　Very　good；

what　do　we　do？　Instantly；　without　reserve　or　hesitation；　we　admit　him

to　the　great　festivals　of　civilization　as　an　honored　guest〃



〃You　need　wine　for　that；〃　interposed　the　madman。



〃as　an　honored　guest。　He　signs　the　insurance　policy；　he　takes　our

bits　of　paper；scraps；　rags；　miserable　rags！which；　nevertheless；

have　more　power　in　the　world　than　his　unaided　genius。　Then；　if　he

wants　money；　every　one　will　lend　it　to　him　on　those　rags。　At　the

Bourse；　among　bankers；　wherever　he　goes；　even　at　the　usurers；　he　will

find　money　because　he　can　give　security。　Well；　Monsieur；　is　not　that　a

great　gulf　to　bridge　over　in　our　social　system？　But　that　is　only　one

aspect　of　our　work。　We　insure　debtors　by　another　scheme　of　policies

and　premiums。　We　offer　annuities　at　rates　graduated　according　to　ages；

on　a　sliding…scale　infinitely　more　advantageous　than　what　are　called

tontines；　which　are　based　on　tables　of　mortality　that　are　notoriously

false。　Our　company　deals　with　large　masses　of　men；　consequently　the

annuitants　are　secure　from　those　distressing　fears　which　sadden　old

age；too　sad　already！fears　which　pursue　those　who　receive　annuities

from　private　sources。　You　see；　Monsieur；　that　we　have　estimated　life

under　all　its　aspects。〃



〃Sucked　it　at　both　ends；〃　said　the　lunatic。　〃Take　another　glass　of

wine。　You've　earned　it。　You　must　line　your　inside　with　velvet　if　you

are　going　to　pump　at　it　like　that　every　day。　Monsieur；　the　wine　of

Vouvray；　if　well　kept；　is　downright　velvet。〃



〃Now；　what　do　you　think　of　it　all？〃　said　Gaudissart；　emptying　his

glass。



〃It　is　very　fine；　very　new；　very　useful；　but　I　like　the　discounts　I

get　at　my　Territorial　Bank；　Rue　des　Fosses…Montmartre。〃



〃You　are　quite　right；　Monsieur；〃　answered　Gaudissart；　〃but　that　sort

of　thing　is　taken　and　retaken；　made　and　remade；　every　day。　You　have

also　hypothecating　banks　which　lend　upon　landed　property　and　redeem　it

on　a　large　scale。　But　that　is　a　narrow　idea　compared　to　our　system　of

consolidating　hopes；consolidating　hopes！　coagulating；　so　to　speak；

the　aspirations　born　in　every　soul；　and　insuring　the　realization　of

our　dreams。　It　needed　our　epoch；　Monsieur；　the　epoch　of　transition

transition　and　progress〃



〃Yes；　progress；〃　muttered　the　lunatic；　with　his　glass　at　his　lips。　〃I

like　progress。　That　is　what　I've　told　them　many　times〃



〃The　'Times'！〃　cried　Gaudissart；　who　did　not　catch　the　whole　sentence。

〃The　'Times'　is　a　bad　newspaper。　If　you　read　that；　I　am　sorry　for

you。〃



〃The　newspaper！〃　cried　Margaritis。　〃Of　course！　Wife！　wife！　where　is

the　newspaper？〃　he　cried；　going　towards　the　next　room。



〃If　you　are　interested　in　newspapers；〃　said　Gaudissart；　changing　his

attack；　〃we　are　sure　to　understand　each　other。〃



〃Yes；　but　before　we　say　anything　about　that；　tell　me　what　you　think　of

this　wine。〃



〃Delicious！〃



〃Then　let　us　finish　the　bottle。〃　The　lunatic　poured　out　a　thimbleful

for　himself　and　filled　Gaudissart's　glass。　〃Well；　Monsieur；　I　have　two

puncheons　left　of　the　same　wine；　if　you　find　it　good　we　can　come　to

terms。〃



〃Exactly；〃　said　Gaudissart。　〃The　fathers　of　the　Saint…Simonian　faith

have　authorized　me　to　send　them　all　the　commodities　IBut　allow　me　to

tell　you　about　their　noble　newspaper。　You；　who　have　understood　the

whole　question　of　insurance　so　thoroughly；　and　who　are　willing　to

assist　my　work　in　this　district〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Margaritis；　〃if〃



〃If　I　take　your　wine；　I　understand　perfectly。　Your　wine　is　very　good；

Monsieur；　it　puts　the　stomach　in　a　glow。〃



〃They　make　champagne　out　of　it；　there　is　a　man　from　Paris　who　comes

here　and　makes　it　in　Tours。〃



〃I　have　no　doubt　of　it；　Monsieur。　The　'Globe；'　of　which　we　were

speaking〃



〃Yes；　I've　gone　over　it；〃　said　Margaritis。



〃I　was　sure　of　it！〃　exclaimed　Gaudissart。　〃Monsieur；　you　have　a　fine

frontal　development；　a　pateexcuse　the　wordwhich　our　gentlemen　call

'horse…head。'　There's　a　horse　element　in　the　head　of　every　great　man。

Genius　will　make　itself　known；　but　sometimes　it　happens　that　great

men；　in　spite　of　their　gifts；　remain　obscure。　Such　was　very　nearly　the

case　with　Saint…Simon；　also　with　Monsieur　Vico；a　strong　man　just

beginning　to　shoot　up；　I　am　proud　of　Vico。　Now；　here　we　enter　upon　the

new　theory　and　formula　of　humanity。　Attention；　if　you　please。〃



〃Attention！〃　said　the　fool；　falling　into　position。



〃Man's　spoliation　of　manby　which　I　mean　bodies　of　men　living　upon

the　labor　of　other　menought　to　have　ceased　with　the　coming　of

Christ；　I　say　CHRIST；　who　was　sent　to　proclaim　the　equality　of　man　in

the　sight　of　God。　But　what　is　the　fact？　Equality　up　to　our　day　has

been　an　'ignus　fatuus；'　a　chimera。　Saint…Simon　has　arisen　as　the

complement　of　Christ；　as　the　modern　exponent　of　the　doctrine　of

equality；　or　rather　of　its　practice；　for　theory　has　served　its　time〃



〃Is　he　liberated？〃　asked　the　lunatic。



〃Like　liberalism；　it　has　had　its　day。　There　is　a　nobler　future　before

us：　a　new　faith；　free　labor；　free　growth；　free　production；　individual

progress；　a　social　co…ordination　in　which　each　man　shall　receive　the

full　worth　of　his　individual　labor；　in　which　no　man　shall　be　preyed

upon　by　other　men　who；　without　capacity　of　their　own；　compel　ALL　to

work　for　the　profit　of　ONE。　From　this　comes　the　doctrine　of〃



〃How　about　servants？〃　demanded　the　lunatic。



〃They　will　remain　servants　if　they　have　no　capacity　beyond　it。〃



〃Then　what's　the　good　of　your　doctrine？〃



〃To　judge　of　this　doctrine；　Monsieur；　you　must　consider　it　from　a

higher　point　of　view：　you　must　take　a　general　survey　of　humanity。　Here

we　come　to　the　theories　of　Ballance：　do　you　know　his　Palingenesis？〃



〃I　am　fond　of　them；〃　said　the　fool；　who　thought　he　said　〃ices。〃



〃Good！〃　returned　Gaudissart。　〃Well；　then；　if　the　palingenistic　aspects

of　the　successive　transformations　of　the　spiritualized　globe　have

struck；　stirred；　roused　you；　then；　my　dear