Honoré Balzac - The Stepmother, A Drama in Five Acts

Gertrude Is there any merit in loving an excellent husband and a daughter such as these?

The General Come, Gertrude, say no more! Such words ought not to be spoken in public.

Vernon (aside) Such things are always said in this way, when it is necessary to make people believe them.

The General (to Vernon)

What are you muttering about?

Vernon I was saying that I was sixty-seven years old, and that I was younger than you are, and that I should wish to be loved like that. (Aside) If only I could be sure that it was love.

The General (to the doctor) I see you are dubious! (to his wife) My dear child, there is no need for me to bless the power of God on your behalf, but I think He must have lent it me, in order that I might love you sufficiently.

Vernon

You forget that I am a doctor, my dear friend. What you are saying to

Madame is only good for the burden of a ballad.

Gertrude

The burdens of some ballads, doctor, are exceedingly true.

The General Doctor, if you continue teasing my wife, we shall quarrel; to doubt on such a subject as that is an insult.

Vernon I have no doubt about it. (to the General) I would merely say, that you have loved so many women with the powers of God, that I am in an ecstasy as a doctor to see you still so good a Christian at seventy!

(Gertrude glides softly towards the sofa, where the doctor is seated.)

The General

Pshaw! The last passions, my friend, are always the strongest.

Vernon You are right. In youth, we love with all our strength which grows weaker with age, while in age we love with all our weakness which is ever on the increase.

The General

Oh, vile philosophy!

Gertrude (to Vernon) Doctor, how is it that you, who are so good, try to infuse doubts into the heart of Grandchamp? You know that he is so jealous that he would kill a man on suspicion. I have such respect for his feelings that I have concluded upon seeing no one, but you, the mayor and the cure. Do you want me also to forego your society which is so pleasant, so agreeable to us? Ah! Here is Napoleon.

Vernon (aside) I take this for a declaration of war. She has sent away everyone else, she intends to dismiss me.

Godard (to Vernon) Doctor, you are an intimate friend of the house, tell me, pray, what do you think of Mlle. Pauline?

(The doctor rises from his seat, looks at the speaker, blows his nose, and goes to the middle of the stage. The dinner bells sounds.)

The same persons, Napoleon and Felix.

Napoleon

Papa, papa, didn't you say I could ride Coco?

The General

Certainly.

Napoleon (to Felix)

Do you hear that?

Gertrude (wiping her son's forehead)

He is quite warm!

The General

But only on the condition that some one goes with you.

Felix You see I was right, Master Napoleon. General, the little rascal wished to go on his pony alone into the country.

Napoleon

He was frightened for me! Do you think I am afraid of anything?

(Exit Felix. Dinner bell rings.)

The General Come and let me kiss you for that word. He is a little soldier and belongs to the Young Guard.

Vernon (with a glance at Gertrude)

He takes after his father!

Gertrude (quickly) As regards courage, he is his father's counterpart; but as to physique, he resembles me.

Felix

Dinner is served.

Gertrude Very well! But do you know where Ferdinand is? He is generally so punctual. Here, Napoleon, go to the entrance of the factory and see if he is coming. Tell him to hurry; the bell has rung.

The General

We need not wait for Ferdinand. Godard, give your arm to Pauline.

(Vernon offers his arm to Gertrude.) Excuse me, Vernon, you ought to be aware that I never permit anybody but myself to take my wife's arm.

Vernon (aside)

Decidedly, he is incurable.

Napoleon (running back)

I saw Ferdinand down in the main avenue.

Vernon

Give me your hand, you little tyrant!

Napoleon

Tyrant yourself! I'll bet I could tire you out.

(Napoleon turns Vernon round and round. All leave, chatting gaily.)

Ferdinand (cautiously stealing from Pauline's room) The youngster saved me, but I do not know how he happened to see me in the avenue! One more piece of carelessness like this may ruin us! I must extricate myself from this situation at any price. Here is Pauline refusing Godard's proposal. The General, and especially Gertrude, will try to find out the motives of her refusal! But I must hasten to reach the veranda, so that I may have the appearance of having come from the main avenue, as Leon said. I hope no one will catch sight of me from the dining-room. (He meets Ramel.) What, Eugene Ramel!

Ferdinand and Ramel.

Ramel

You here, Marcandal!

Ferdinand Hush! Don't pronounce that name in this place! If the General heard that my name was Marcandal, he would kill me at once as if I were a mad dog.

Ramel

And why?

Ferdinand

Because I am the son of General Marcandal.

Ramel A general to whom the Bourbons are in part indebted for their second innings.

Ferdinand In the eyes of General Grandchamp, to leave Napoleon for service under the Bourbons was treason against France. Alas! this was also my father's opinion, for he died of grief. You must therefore remember to call me by the name of Ferdinand Charny, my mother's maiden name.

Ramel

And what are you doing here?

Ferdinand

I am the manager, the cashier, the factotum of Grandchamp's factory.

Ramel

How is this? Do you do it from necessity?

Ferdinand From dire necessity! My father spent everything, even the fortune of my poor mother, who lived during her later years in Brittany on the pension she received as widow of a lieutenant-general.

Ramel How is it that your father, who had command of the Royal Guard, a most brilliant position, died without leaving you anything, not even a patron?

Ferdinand Had he never betrayed his friends, and changed sides, without any reason —

Ramel

Come, come, we won't talk any more about that.

Ferdinand My father was a gambler – that was the reason why he was so indulgent to me. But may I ask what has brought you here?

Ramel

A fortnight ago I was appointed king's attorney at Louviers.

Ferdinand I heard something about it. But the appointment was published under another name.

Ramel

De la Grandiere, I suppose.

Ferdinand

That is it.

Ramel In order that I might marry Mlle. de Boudeville, I obtained permission to assume my mother's name – as you have done. The Boudeville family have given me their protection, and in a year's time I shall doubtless be attorney-general at Rouen – a stepping-stone towards a position at Paris.

Ferdinand

And what brings you to our quiet factory?

Ramel I came to investigate a criminal case, a poisoning affair, – a fine introduction into my office.

(Felix enters.)

Felix

Monsieur, Madame is worrying about you —

Ferdinand Please ask her to excuse me for a few moments. (Exit Felix.) My dear Eugene, in case the General – who like all retired troopers is very inquisitive – should inquire how we happen to meet here, don't forget to say that we came up the main avenue. It is important for me that you should say so. But go on with your story. It is on account of the wife of Champagne, our foreman, that you have come here; but he is innocent as a new-born babe!

Ramel You believe so, do you? Well, the officers of justice are paid for being incredulous. I see that you still remain, as I left you, the noblest, the most enthusiastic fellow in the world; in short, a poet! A poet who puts the poetry into his life instead of writing it, and believes in the good and the beautiful! And that reminds me – that angel of your dreams, that Gertrude of yours, whatever has become of her?