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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:17:00 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:17:00 -0700 |
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diff --git a/1373-h/1373-h.htm b/1373-h/1373-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..677dbfb --- /dev/null +++ b/1373-h/1373-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,662 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Study of a Woman, by Honore de Balzac + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1373 ***</div> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + STUDY OF A WOMAN + </h1> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h2> + By Honore De Balzac + </h2> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h3> + Translated by Katharine Prescott Wormeley + </h3> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h3> + DEDICATION<br /><br /> To the Marquis Jean-Charles di Negro.<br /> + </h3> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h3> + <a href="#link2H_4_0001"> STUDY OF A WOMAN </a><br /><br /> <a + href="#link2H_4_0002"> ADDENDUM </a><br /><br /> + </h3> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0001" id="link2H_4_0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h1> + STUDY OF A WOMAN + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <p> + The Marquise de Listomere is one of those young women who have been + brought up in the spirit of the Restoration. She has principles, she + fasts, takes the sacrament, and goes to balls and operas very elegantly + dressed; her confessor permits her to combine the mundane with sanctity. + Always in conformity with the Church and with the world, she presents a + living image of the present day, which seems to have taken the word + "legality" for its motto. The conduct of the marquise shows precisely + enough religious devotion to attain under a new Maintenon to the gloomy + piety of the last days of Louis XIV., and enough worldliness to adopt the + habits of gallantry of the first years of that reign, should it ever be + revived. At the present moment she is strictly virtuous from policy, + possibly from inclination. Married for the last seven years to the Marquis + de Listomere, one of those deputies who expect a peerage, she may also + consider that such conduct will promote the ambitions of her family. Some + women are reserving their opinion of her until the moment when Monsieur de + Listomere becomes a peer of France, when she herself will be thirty-six + years of age,—a period of life when most women discover that they + are the dupes of social laws. + </p> + <p> + The marquis is a rather insignificant man. He stands well at court; his + good qualities are as negative as his defects; the former can no more make + him a reputation for virtue than the latter can give him the sort of + glamor cast by vice. As deputy, he never speaks, but he votes RIGHT. He + behaves in his own home as he does in the Chamber. Consequently, he is + held to be one of the best husbands in France. Though not susceptible of + lively interest, he never scolds, unless, to be sure, he is kept waiting. + His friends have named him "dull weather,"—aptly enough, for there + is neither clear light nor total darkness about him. He is like all the + ministers who have succeeded one another in France since the Charter. A + woman with principles could not have fallen into better hands. It is + certainly a great thing for a virtuous woman to have married a man + incapable of follies. + </p> + <p> + Occasionally some fops have been sufficiently impertinent to press the + hand of the marquise while dancing with her. They gained nothing in return + but contemptuous glances; all were made to feel the shock of that + insulting indifference which, like a spring frost, destroys the germs of + flattering hopes. Beaux, wits, and fops, men whose sentiments are fed by + sucking their canes, those of a great name, or a great fame, those of the + highest or the lowest rank in her own world, they all blanch before her. + She has conquered the right to converse as long and as often as she + chooses with the men who seem to her agreeable, without being entered on + the tablets of gossip. Certain coquettish women are capable of following a + plan of this kind for seven years in order to gratify their fancies later; + but to suppose any such reservations in the Marquise de Listomere would be + to calumniate her. + </p> + <p> + I have had the happiness of knowing this phoenix. She talks well; I know + how to listen; consequently I please her, and I go to her parties. That, + in fact, was the object of my ambition. + </p> + <p> + Neither plain nor pretty, Madame de Listomere has white teeth, a dazzling + skin, and very red lips; she is tall and well-made; her foot is small and + slender, and she does not put it forth; her eyes, far from being dulled + like those of so many Parisian women, have a gentle glow which becomes + quite magical if, by chance, she is animated. A soul is then divined + behind that rather indefinite form. If she takes an interest in the + conversation she displays a grace which is otherwise buried beneath the + precautions of cold demeanor, and then she is charming. She does not seek + success, but she obtains it. We find that for which we do not seek: that + saying is so often true that some day it will be turned into a proverb. It + is, in fact, the moral of this adventure, which I should not allow myself + to tell if it were not echoing at the present moment through all the + salons of Paris. + </p> + <p> + The Marquise de Listomere danced, about a month ago, with a young man as + modest as he is lively, full of good qualities, but exhibiting, chiefly, + his defects. He is ardent, but he laughs at ardor; he has talent, and he + hides it; he plays the learned man with aristocrats, and the aristocrat + with learned men. Eugene de Rastignac is one of those extremely clever + young men who try all things, and seem to sound others to discover what + the future has in store. While awaiting the age of ambition, he scoffs at + everything; he has grace and originality, two rare qualities because the + one is apt to exclude the other. On this occasion he talked for nearly + half an hour with madame de Listomere, without any predetermined idea of + pleasing her. As they followed the caprices of conversation, which, + beginning with the opera of "Guillaume Tell," had reached the topic of the + duties of women, he looked at the marquise, more than once, in a manner + that embarrassed her; then he left her and did not speak to her again for + the rest of the evening. He danced, played at ecarte, lost some money, and + went home to bed. I have the honor to assure you that the affair happened + precisely thus. I add nothing, and I suppress nothing. + </p> + <p> + The next morning Rastignac woke late and stayed in bed, giving himself up + to one of those matutinal reveries in the course of which a young man + glides like a sylph under many a silken, or cashmere, or cotton drapery. + The heavier the body from its weight of sleep, the more active the mind. + Rastignac finally got up, without yawning over-much as many ill-bred + persons are apt to do. He rang for his valet, ordered tea, and drank + immoderately of it when it came; which will not seem extraordinary to + persons who like tea; but to explain the circumstance to others, who + regard that beverage as a panacea for indigestion, I will add that Eugene + was, by this time, writing letters. He was comfortably seated, with his + feet more frequently on the andirons than, properly, on the rug. Ah! to + have one's feet on the polished bar which connects the two griffins of a + fender, and to think of our love in our dressing-gown is so delightful a + thing that I deeply regret the fact of having neither mistress, nor + fender, nor dressing-gown. + </p> + <p> + The first letter which Eugene wrote was soon finished; he folded and + sealed it, and laid it before him without adding the address. The second + letter, begun at eleven o'clock, was not finished till mid-day. The four + pages were closely filled. + </p> + <p> + "That woman keeps running in my head," he muttered, as he folded this + second epistle and laid it before him, intending to direct it as soon as + he had ended his involuntary revery. + </p> + <p> + He crossed the two flaps of his flowered dressing-gown, put his feet on a + stool, slipped his hands into the pockets of his red cashmere trousers, + and lay back in a delightful easy-chair with side wings, the seat and back + of which described an angle of one hundred and twenty degrees. He stopped + drinking tea and remained motionless, his eyes fixed on the gilded hand + which formed the knob of his shovel, but without seeing either hand or + shovel. He ceased even to poke the fire,—a vast mistake! Isn't it + one of our greatest pleasures to play with the fire when we think of + women? Our minds find speeches in those tiny blue flames which suddenly + dart up and babble on the hearth. We interpret as we please the strong, + harsh tones of a "burgundian." + </p> + <p> + Here I must pause to put before all ignorant persons an explanation of + that word, derived from a very distinguished etymologist who wishes his + name kept secret. + </p> + <p> + "Burgundian" is the name given, since the reign of Charles VI., to those + noisy detonations, the result of which is to fling upon the carpet or the + clothes a little coal or ember, the trifling nucleus of a conflagration. + Heat or fire releases, they say, a bubble of air left in the heart of the + wood by a gnawing worm. "Inde amor, inde burgundus." We tremble when we + see the structure we had so carefully erected between the logs rolling + down like an avalanche. Oh! to build and stir and play with fire when we + love is the material development of our thoughts. + </p> + <p> + It was at this moment that I entered the room. Rastignac gave a jump and + said:— + </p> + <p> + "Ah! there you are, dear Horace; how long have you been here?" + </p> + <p> + "Just come." + </p> + <p> + "Ah!" + </p> + <p> + He took up the two letters, directed them, and rang for his servant. + </p> + <p> + "Take these," he said, "and deliver them." + </p> + <p> + Joseph departed without a word; admirable servant! + </p> + <p> + We began to talk of the expedition to Morea, to which I was anxious to be + appointed as physician. Eugene remarked that I should lose a great deal of + time if I left Paris. We then conversed on various matters, and I think + you will be glad if I suppress the conversation. + </p> + <p> + When the Marquise de Listomere rose, about half-past two in the afternoon + of that day, her waiting-maid, Caroline, gave her a letter which she read + while Caroline was doing her hair (an imprudence which many young women + are thoughtless enough to commit). + </p> + <p> + "Dear angel of love," said the letter, "treasure of my life and happiness—" + </p> + <p> + At these words the marquise was about to fling the letter in the fire; but + there came into her head a fancy—which all virtuous women will + readily understand—to see how a man who began a letter in that style + could possibly end it. When she had turned the fourth page and read it, + she let her arms drop like a person much fatigued. + </p> + <p> + "Caroline, go and ask who left this letter." + </p> + <p> + "Madame, I received it myself from the valet of Monsieur le Baron de + Rastignac." + </p> + <p> + After that there was silence for some time. + </p> + <p> + "Does Madame intend to dress?" asked Caroline at last. + </p> + <p> + "No—He is certainly a most impertinent man," reflected the marquise. + </p> + <p> + I request all women to imagine for themselves the reflections of which + this was the first. + </p> + <p> + Madame de Listomere ended hers by a formal decision to forbid her porter + to admit Monsieur de Rastignac, and to show him, herself, something more + than disdain when she met him in society; for his insolence far surpassed + that of other men which the marquise had ended by overlooking. At first + she thought of keeping the letter; but on second thoughts she burned it. + </p> + <p> + "Madame had just received such a fine love-letter; and she read it," said + Caroline to the housemaid. + </p> + <p> + "I should never have thought that of madame," replied the other, quite + surprised. + </p> + <p> + That evening Madame de Listomere went to a party at the Marquis de + Beauseant's, where Rastignac would probably betake himself. It was + Saturday. The Marquis de Beauseant was in some way a connection of + Monsieur de Rastignac, and the young man was not likely to miss coming. By + two in the morning Madame de Listomere, who had gone there solely for the + purpose of crushing Eugene by her coldness, discovered that she was + waiting in vain. A brilliant man—Stendhal—has given the + fantastic name of "crystallization" to the process which Madame de + Listomere's thoughts went through before, during, and after this evening. + </p> + <p> + Four days later Eugene was scolding his valet. + </p> + <p> + "Ah ca! Joseph; I shall soon have to send you away, my lad." + </p> + <p> + "What is it, monsieur?" + </p> + <p> + "You do nothing but make mistakes. Where did you carry those letters I + gave you Saturday?" + </p> + <p> + Joseph became stolid. Like a statue in some cathedral porch, he stood + motionless, entirely absorbed in the labors of imagination. Suddenly he + smiled idiotically, and said:— + </p> + <p> + "Monsieur, one was for the Marquise de Listomere, the other was for + Monsieur's lawyer." + </p> + <p> + "You are certain of what you say?" + </p> + <p> + Joseph was speechless. I saw plainly that I must interfere, as I happened + to be again in Eugene's apartment. + </p> + <p> + "Joseph is right," I said. + </p> + <p> + Eugene turned and looked at me. + </p> + <p> + "I read the addresses quite involuntarily, and—" + </p> + <p> + "And," interrupted Eugene, "one of them was <i>not</i> for Madame de + Nucingen?" + </p> + <p> + "No, by all the devils, it was not. Consequently, I supposed, my dear + fellow, that your heart was wandering from the rue Saint-Lazare to the rue + Saint-Dominique." + </p> + <p> + Eugene struck his forehead with the flat of his hand and began to laugh; + by which Joseph perceived that the blame was not on him. + </p> + <p> + Now, there are certain morals to this tale on which young men had better + reflect. <i>First mistake</i>: Eugene thought it would be amusing to make + Madame de Listomere laugh at the blunder which had made her the recipient + of a love-letter which was not intended for her. <i>Second mistake</i>: he + did not call on Madame de Listomere for several days after the adventure, + thus allowing the thoughts of that virtuous young woman to crystallize. + There were other mistakes which I will here pass over in silence, in order + to give the ladies the pleasure of deducing them, "ex professo," to those + who are unable to guess them. + </p> + <p> + Eugene at last went to call upon the marquise; but, on attempting to pass + into the house, the porter stopped him, saying that Madame la marquise was + out. As he was getting back into his carriage the Marquis de Listomere + came home. + </p> + <p> + "Come in, Eugene," he said. "My wife is at home." + </p> + <p> + Pray excuse the marquis. A husband, however good he may be, never attains + perfection. As they went up the staircase Rastignac perceived at least a + dozen blunders in worldly wisdom which had, unaccountably, slipped into + this page of the glorious book of his life. + </p> + <p> + When Madame de Listomere saw her husband ushering in Eugene she could not + help blushing. The young baron saw that sudden color. If the most + humble-minded man retains in the depths of his soul a certain conceit of + which he never rids himself, any more than a woman ever rids herself of + coquetry, who shall blame Eugene if he did say softly in his own mind: + "What! that fortress, too?" So thinking, he posed in his cravat. Young men + may not be grasping but they like to get a new coin in their collection. + </p> + <p> + Monsieur de Listomere seized the "Gazette de France," which he saw on the + mantelpiece, and carried it to a window, to obtain, by journalistic help, + an opinion of his own on the state of France. + </p> + <p> + A woman, even a prude, is never long embarrassed, however difficult may be + the position in which she finds herself; she seems always to have on hand + the fig-leaf which our mother Eve bequeathed to her. Consequently, when + Eugene, interpreting, in favor of his vanity, the refusal to admit him, + bowed to Madame de Listomere in a tolerably intentional manner, she veiled + her thoughts behind one of those feminine smiles which are more + impenetrable than the words of a king. + </p> + <p> + "Are you unwell, madame? You denied yourself to visitors." + </p> + <p> + "I am well, monsieur." + </p> + <p> + "Perhaps you were going out?" + </p> + <p> + "Not at all." + </p> + <p> + "You expected some one?" + </p> + <p> + "No one." + </p> + <p> + "If my visit is indiscreet you must blame Monsieur le marquis. I had + already accepted your mysterious denial, when he himself came up, and + introduced me into the sanctuary." + </p> + <p> + "Monsieur de Listomere is not in my confidence on this point. It is not + always prudent to put a husband in possession of certain secrets." + </p> + <p> + The firm and gentle tones in which the marquise said these words, and the + imposing glance which she cast upon Rastignac made him aware that he had + posed in his cravat a trifle prematurely. + </p> + <p> + "Madame, I understand you," he said, laughing. "I ought, therefore, to be + doubly thankful that Monsieur le marquis met me; he affords me an + opportunity to offer you excuses which might be full of danger were you + not kindness itself." + </p> + <p> + The marquise looked at the young man with an air of some surprise, but she + answered with dignity:— + </p> + <p> + "Monsieur, silence on your part will be the best excuse. As for me, I + promise you entire forgetfulness, and the pardon which you scarcely + deserve." + </p> + <p> + "Madame," said Rastignac, hastily, "pardon is not needed where there was + no offence. The letter," he added, in a low voice, "which you received, + and which you must have thought extremely unbecoming, was not intended for + you." + </p> + <p> + The marquise could not help smiling, though she wished to seem offended. + </p> + <p> + "Why deceive?" she said, with a disdainful air, although the tones of her + voice were gentle. "Now that I have duly scolded you, I am willing to + laugh at a subterfuge which is not without cleverness. I know many women + who would be taken in by it: 'Heavens! how he loves me!' they would say." + </p> + <p> + Here the marquise gave a forced laugh, and then added, in a tone of + indulgence:— + </p> + <p> + "If we desire to continue friends let there be no more <i>mistakes</i>, of + which it is impossible that I should be the dupe." + </p> + <p> + "Upon my honor, madame, you are so—far more than you think," replied + Eugene. + </p> + <p> + "What are you talking about?" asked Monsieur de Listomere, who, for the + last minute, had been listening to the conversation, the meaning of which + he could not penetrate. + </p> + <p> + "Oh! nothing that would interest you," replied his wife. + </p> + <p> + Monsieur de Listomere tranquilly returned to the reading of his paper, and + presently said:— + </p> + <p> + "Ah! Madame de Mortsauf is dead; your poor brother has, no doubt, gone to + Clochegourde." + </p> + <p> + "Are you aware, monsieur," resumed the marquise, turning to Eugene, "that + what you have just said is a great impertinence?" + </p> + <p> + "If I did not know the strictness of your principles," he answered, + naively, "I should think that you wished either to give me ideas which I + deny myself, or else to tear a secret from me. But perhaps you are only + amusing yourself with me." + </p> + <p> + The marquise smiled. That smile annoyed Eugene. + </p> + <p> + "Madame," he said, "can you still believe in an offence I have not + committed? I earnestly hope that chance may not enable you to discover the + name of the person who ought to have read that letter." + </p> + <p> + "What! can it be <i>still</i> Madame de Nucingen?" cried Madame de + Listomere, more eager to penetrate that secret than to revenge herself for + the impertinence of the young man's speeches. + </p> + <p> + Eugene colored. A man must be more than twenty-five years of age not to + blush at being taxed with a fidelity that women laugh at—in order, + perhaps, not to show that they envy it. However, he replied with tolerable + self-possession:— + </p> + <p> + "Why not, madame?" + </p> + <p> + Such are the blunders we all make at twenty-five. + </p> + <p> + This speech caused a violent commotion in Madame de Listomere's bosom; but + Rastignac did not yet know how to analyze a woman's face by a rapid or + sidelong glance. The lips of the marquise paled, but that was all. She + rang the bell for wood, and so constrained Rastignac to rise and take his + leave. + </p> + <p> + "If that be so," said the marquise, stopping Eugene with a cold and rigid + manner, "you will find it difficult to explain, monsieur, why your pen + should, by accident, write my name. A name, written on a letter, is not a + friend's opera-hat, which you might have taken, carelessly, on leaving a + ball." + </p> + <p> + Eugene, discomfited, looked at the marquise with an air that was both + stupid and conceited. He felt that he was becoming ridiculous; and after + stammering a few juvenile phrases he left the room. + </p> + <p> + A few days later the marquise acquired undeniable proofs that Eugene had + told the truth. For the last fortnight she has not been seen in society. + </p> + <p> + The marquis tells all those who ask him the reason of this seclusion:— + </p> + <p> + "My wife has an inflammation of the stomach." + </p> + <p> + But I, her physician, who am now attending her, know it is really nothing + more than a slight nervous attack, which she is making the most of in + order to stay quietly at home. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + ADDENDUM + </h2> + <h3> + The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy. + </h3> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Bianchon, Horace + Father Goriot + The Atheist's Mass + Cesar Birotteau + The Commission in Lunacy + Lost Illusions + A Distinguished Provincial at Paris + A Bachelor's Establishment + The Secrets of a Princess + The Government Clerks + Pierrette + A Study of Woman + Scenes from a Courtesan's Life + Honorine + The Seamy Side of History + The Magic Skin + A Second Home + A Prince of Bohemia + Letters of Two Brides + The Muse of the Department + The Imaginary Mistress + The Middle Classes + Cousin Betty + The Country Parson + In addition, M. Bianchon narrated the following: + Another Study of Woman + + Joseph + The Magic Skin + + Listomere, Marquis de + The Lily of the Valley + A Distinguished Provincial at Paris + + Listomere, Marquise de + The Lily of the Valley + Lost Illusions + A Distinguished Provincial at Paris + A Daughter of Eve + + Rastignac, Eugene de + Father Goriot + A Distinguished Provincial at Paris + Scenes from a Courtesan's Life + The Ball at Sceaux + The Interdiction + Another Study of Woman + The Magic Skin + The Secrets of a Princess + A Daughter of Eve + The Gondreville Mystery + The Firm of Nucingen + Cousin Betty + The Member for Arcis + The Unconscious Humorists +</pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1373 ***</div> +</body> +</html> |