按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ness schemes； and he would have accepted the appointment of deputy supervisor of the construction work on the Saint…Martin canal； under his brother…in…law； Surville； if he had been able to give the required security。 But he had at his command only five hundred francs； which was an inadequate sum。 The attraction of business； which was one of the characteristics of his temperament； enticed him into the most chimerical adventures； although the first business connection which he formed； and which was in the nature of publishing and bookselling； resulted in giving him the financial start which he so ardently desired。
Chapter 4。
In Business。
Having started in to be a 〃literary man…of…all…work；〃 to borrow the phrase of Hippolyte Auger； his collaborator on the Feuilleton des Journaux Politiques； who was closely in touch with him in those early days； Honore de Balzac had formed relations with the second rate papers； the publishers of novels； the promoters of all sorts of works that might lend themselves to speculating purposes in the publishing line。 It was undoubtedly due to the chance demands of literary work that he found himself flung headlong into business。 He had reached the point where he was ready to accept any proposition of a promising nature； in his eagerness to become free； to escape the strict surveillance of his family and the reproaches of his mother； and furthermore he was urged into this path by a certain Mme。 de Berny； a woman who loved him and who wished to see him become a great man； for she alone recognised his genius。
How and when had they become acquainted？ Perhaps at Paris； since the de Bernys dwelt at No。 3 Rue Portefoin； and the Balzacs at No。 17； perhaps later on at Villeparisis； as a result of the neighbourly relations between the two families。 However this may be； Mme。 de Berny exerted a profound and decisive influence upon Honore de Balzac； she was his first love and； it should be added； the only real one； if we may judge by the length of time that he cherished an unchanging memory of her。
Laure Antoinette Hinner was born at Versailles on May 24th； 1777； she was the daughter of a German harpist who had been summoned from Wetzlar to the Court of France； and her mother was Louise Guelpee de Laborde； lady…in…waiting to Marie…Antoinette。 She had no less personages than the king and queen for her god…father and god…mother； and she grew up within sound of the festivities of the Trianon； in an atmosphere of frivolity and exaggerated refinements。 Her mother； left a widow when the child was barely ten years old； took a second husband； Francois Regnier de Jarjayes； a fervent royalist； involved in all the plots which had for their object the deliverance of the royal family。 After the brilliant days of court life； she lived through the tragic hours of the Revolution； in the midst of conspirators； and in an atmosphere of restlessness and anxiety。 In 1793； Laure Hinner； at the age of fifteen years and ten months； was married at Livry to Gabriel de Berny； who was himself only twenty。 The union seems to have resulted unhappily； in spite of the fact that it was blessed with nine children； the sensibility of the wife and her warm…hearted tenderness accorded ill with the cold and reserved character of the husband。
When Balzac entered into his close friendship with Mme。 de Berny； the latter was forty…five years of age and a grandmother。 In spite of her years and her many children； she was still beautiful； on the order of tender and mature beauty。 Balzac borrowed certain traits from her for the noblest heroines in his works； and she served successively as model for Mme。 Firmiani； for Mme。 de Mortsauf in The Lily in the Valley； and for Pauline in Louis Lambert； and he spoke constantly of her in his correspondence with Mme。 de Hanska； yet always with a sort of reverence and passionate gratitude。
She was a woman of almost clairvoyant intelligence； instinctive and unerring； and was endowed with rich qualities of heart and brain； which she had never had a chance to use。 She treasured letters and souvenirs； and she held in reserve a store of tenderness of a rather maternal sort。 Balzac； isolated in the midst of his own family； thrust back upon himself and suffering from the need of expansion； surrendered himself utterly to this new friend； with the impetuosity born of happiness and freedom。 She was his confidential adviser； his comforter and his friend。 She listened to his dreams； she shared the elation of his ambitions； she espoused his projects and fostered his genius； and when he was too cruelly wounded in the struggle； she consoled him with words of soothing tenderness。
It caused Mme。 de Berny actual suffering to see her young friend toiling for sheer mercenary ends； and squandering the precious years of his youth in writing novels that were frankly hack…work； and it hurt her also to see the condition of financial servitude in which his family kept him。 While the father； Francois de Balzac； watched his son's efforts with indulgent irony； for he held that novels were to the Europeans what opium is to the Chinese； and while the mother； irritated at the rebellion of her first…born； maintained her attitude of hostile distrust； Mme。 de Berny alone had confidence in his future； notwithstanding that appearances were all against him。
Mme。 de Berny and Honore de Balzac undoubtedly put their heads together； to seek for some means of bettering a situation so painful and humiliating for a young man of twenty…five。 Accordingly； when chance seemed to offer them a good opportunity； they hastened to take advantage of it。
The publisher； Urbain Canel； had conceived the idea of bringing out the French classics in single compact octavo volumes； to be issued in installments。 He was to begin this collection with a Lafontaine； for which he had ordered a preface from Balzac； who had previously done work for him。 We may well believe that he at the same time enlarged upon his projects and that he aroused Balzac's interest by dwelling upon the magnitude； the novelty and the large remuneration of his enterprise。 It was a question of nothing more nor less than the production of an entire library。 Balzac's imagination awoke to the possibilities of this scheme which seemed to him a colossal one； capable of laying the foundations of numerous fortunes。 He calculated what he might make out of it personally； and decided that at last destiny had deigned to smile upon him。 Canel was far richer in hopes for the success of his project than in money to carry it out； and he was ready to accept all offers of co…operation； if not actually to solicit them。 When Mme。 de Berny was informed of the scheme by Balzac； she did not try to dissuade him from joining in it； but； on the contrary； devoted and trusting friend that she was； offered to aid him by placing a considerable sum of money at his disposal。
In April； 1825； a partnership for the purpose of publishing French classics； and more especially a Lafontaine in one octavo volume； to be issued in installments； was formed between Messrs。 Urbain Canel； publisher； Charles Carron； physician； Honore de Balzac； man of letters； and Benet de Montcarville； retired officer。 It was not long before the partners quarrelled； and M。 Hanotaux has published a letter （La Jeunesse de Balzac： Balzac Imprimeur； 1825…1828 （The Youth of Balzac： Balzac as Printer）； by G。 Hanotaux and G。 Vicaire； Paris； 1903。）； written by M。 Carron； in which the latter complains of Balzac's arrogant tone； while at the same time apologising to him for having called him a liar。 At all events； when a second partnership was formed later in that same month of April； with a view to the publishing of a Moliere； to form a part of the same collection as the Lafontaine； the only members left were Canel and Balzac； who agreed each to put up half the capital and divide the profits and losses equally。
Balzac had taken his role quite seriously； and the first partnership was barely formed when he set off for Alencon； in order to make arrangements with a certain engraver； Godart fils； who had been chosen to reproduce the drawings by Deveria； with which the collection was to be illustrated。 He was the most active of all the partners； nevertheless； as business ventures； the Lafontaine and the Moliere were very far from profitable。 The volumes were to be issued in four parts at five francs each； making the cost of the complete work in each case twenty francs。 But when the installments of the Lafontaine were issued； during the months of April and May； in an edition of three thousand copies； they met with no success。 Urbain Canel declared that he could go no further with the venture； the partners withdrew； and Balzac was left alone to bear the whole burden of the enterprise。 His share of the capital had been furnished him by a certain M。 d'Assouvillez； and； in order to buy out Canel's interest； Mme。 de Berny endorsed notes to the amount of nine thousand； two hundred and five francs； between May 15； 1825； and August 31； 1826。 Altogether； the net result of the transaction was a loss to Balzac of fifteen thousand francs。 Being unable to continue by himself the publication of these two works； he sold the Lafontaine to Baudouin； who paid for it by transferring