SAINTE-BEUVE AND BALZAC
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something said in parenthesis, give them an added pomposity. In
Le Colonel Chabert,
for instance, there are several references to '(the
intrepidity natural to attorneys," "the mistrust natural to attorneys."
And when he has to supply an explanation, Balzac does not mince
matters: he writes, "This is why"; and a chapter follows. Again,
there are his recapitulations where, without allowing a moment's
breathing space, he tells us everything we ought to know: "From
the second month after his marriage, David spent most of his
time... , etc." "Three months after his arrival in Angouleme, etc."
He hides nothing, he says everything. So one is amazed to find
that there are nevertheless wonderful effects of silence in his works.
Goncourt marveled at
L'Education.
I marvel even more at the
im–
plications
in Balzac's books. "You know Rastignac? Really? ..."
Balzac is like those people who on hearing a gentleman say, in
speaking of the Duc d'Aumale,
le Prince,
in speaking to a duchess,
Madame la Duchesse,
and on seeing him put his hat on the floor in
a drawing-room, have inquired, not then having learned that a prince,
whether he is called Comte de Paris, Prince de Joinville, Duc de
Chartres, or by other titles, is referred to as
le
Prince,
"Why do you
say Prince, when he is a Duke? Why do you say, Madame la
Duchesse, like a servant? etc." But no sooner do they know that it
is customary than they believe they have always known it, or, if
they remember their previous cavils, are no less ready to instruct
others, and enjoy giving them lessons on the customs of good society,
customs they have only just become aware of. Balzac has exactly
their peremptory, Mr. Know-all tone of voice when he lays down
what is done and what is not done. When d'Arthez is introduced
to the Princesse de Cadignan: "The Princess did not pay the great
man any of those compliments that common people would have over–
whelmed him with. People of good taste, like the Princess, are chiefly
to be recognized by the way they listen. At dinner, d'Arthez sat
next to the Princess, who, far from the excessive daintiness that
fine-lady ladies think proper, etc. etc." Here, at least, the note of
assurance is comprehensible, since he is dealing with customs only.
But he stilI retains it when he passes moral judgments: "In society,
no one has any feeling for suffering, or misfortune, everything is
words." And I must point out that Balzac, like those neo-Christian
writers who attribute to the Church a control over authorship that
