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！
CAMILLE （LA DAME AUX CAMILIAS）
CAMILLE （LA DAME
AUX CAMILIAS）
by ALEXANDRE DUMAS fils
1
… Page 2…
CAMILLE （LA DAME AUX CAMILIAS）
CHAPTER I
In my opinion； it is impossible to create characters until one has spent
a long time in studying men； as it is impossible to speak a language until it
has been seriously acquired。 Not being old enough to invent； I content
myself with narrating； and I beg the reader to assure himself of the truth of
a story in which all the characters； with the exception of the heroine； are
still alive。 Eye…witnesses of the greater part of the facts which I have
collected are to be found in Paris； and I might call upon them to confirm
me if my testimony is not enough。 And； thanks to a particular
circumstance； I alone can write these things； for I alone am able to give the
final details； without which it would have been impossible to make the
story at once interesting and complete。
This is how these details came to my knowledge。 On the 12th of
March； 1847； I saw in the Rue Lafitte a great yellow placard announcing a
sale of furniture and curiosities。 The sale was to take place on account of
the death of the owner。 The owner's name was not mentioned； but the sale
was to be held at 9； Rue d'Antin； on the 16th； from 12 to 5。 The placard
further announced that the rooms and furniture could be seen on the 13th
and 14th。
I have always been very fond of curiosities； and I made up my mind
not to miss the occasion； if not of buying some； at all events of seeing
them。 Next day I called at 9； Rue d'Antin。
It was early in the day； and yet there were already a number of visitors；
both men and women； and the women； though they were dressed in
cashmere and velvet； and had their carriages waiting for them at the door；
gazed with astonishment and admiration at the luxury which they saw
before them。
I was not long in discovering the reason of this astonishment and
admiration； for； having begun to examine things a little carefully； I
discovered without difficulty that I was in the house of a kept woman。
Now； if there is one thing which women in society would like to see （and
there were society women there）； it is the home of those women whose
carriages splash their own carriages day by day； who； like them； side by
2
… Page 3…
CAMILLE （LA DAME AUX CAMILIAS）
side with them； have their boxes at the Opera and at the Italiens； and who
parade in Paris the opulent insolence of their beauty； their diamonds； and
their scandal。
This one was dead； so the most virtuous of women could enter even
her bedroom。 Death had purified the air of this abode of splendid foulness；
and if more excuse were needed； they had the excuse that they had merely
come to a sale； they knew not whose。 They had read the placards； they
wished to see what the placards had announced； and to make their choice
beforehand。 What could be more natural？ Yet； all the same； in the midst of
all these beautiful things； they could not help looking about for some
traces of this courtesan's life； of which they had heard； no doubt； strange
enough stories。
Unfortunately the mystery had vanished with the goddess； and； for all
their endeavours； they discovered only what was on sale since the owner's
decease； and nothing of what had been on sale during her lifetime。 For the
rest； there were plenty of things worth buying。 The furniture was superb；
there were rosewood and buhl cabinets and tables； Sevres and Chinese
vases； Saxe statuettes； satin； velvet； lace； there was nothing lacking。
I sauntered through the rooms； following the inquisitive ladies of
distinction。 They entered a room with Persian hangings； and I was just
going to enter in turn； when they came out again almost immediately；
smiling； and as if ashamed of their own curiosity。 I was all the more eager
to see the room。 It was the dressing…room； laid out with all the articles of
toilet； in which the dead woman's extravagance seemed to be seen at its
height。
On a large table against the wall； a table three feet in width and six in
length； glittered all the treasures of Aucoc and Odiot。 It was a magnificent
collection； and there was not one of those thousand little things so
necessary to the toilet of a woman of the kind which was not in gold or
silver。 Such a collection could only have been got together little by little；
and the same lover had certainly not begun and ended it。
Not being shocked at the sight of a kept woman's dressing…room； I
amused myself with examining every detail； and I discovered that these
magnificently chiselled objects bore different initials and different
3
… Page 4…
CAMILLE （LA DAME AUX CAMILIAS）
coronets。 I looked at one after another； each recalling a separate shame；
and I said that God had been merciful to the poor child； in not having left
her to pay the ordinary penalty； but rather to die in the midst of her beauty
and luxury； before the coming of old age； the courtesan's first death。
Is there anything sadder in the world than the old age of vice；
especially in woman？ She preserves no dignity； she inspires no interest。
The everlasting repentance； not of the evil ways followed； but of the plans
that have miscarried； the money that has been spent in vain； is as
saddening a thing as one can well meet with。 I knew an aged woman who
had once been 〃gay；〃 whose only link with the past was a daughter almost
as beautiful as she herself had been。 This poor creature to whom her
mother had never said； 〃You are my child；〃 except to bid her nourish her
old age as she herself had nourished her youth； was called Louise； and；
being obedient to her mother； she abandoned herself without volition；
without passion； without pleasure； as she would have worked at any other
profession that might have been taught her。
The constant sight of dissipation； precocious dissipation； in addition to
her constant sickly state； had extinguished in her mind all the knowledge
of good and evil that God had perhaps given her； but that no one had ever
thought of developing。 I shall always remember her； as she passed along
the boulevards almost every day at the same hour； accompanied by her
mother as assiduously as a real mother might have accompanied her
daughter。 I was very young then； and ready to accept for myself the easy
morality of the age。 I remember； however； the contempt and disgust which
awoke in me at the sight of this scandalous chaperoning。 Her face； too；
was inexpressibly virginal in its expression of innocence and of
melancholy suffering。 She was like a figure of Resignation。
One day the girl's face was transfigured。 In the midst of all the
debauches mapped out by her mother； it seemed to her as if God had left
over for her one happiness。 And why indeed should God； who had made
her without strength； have left her without consolation； under the
sorrowful burden of her life？ One day； then； she realized that she was to
have a child； and all that remained to her of chastity leaped for joy。 The
soul has strange refuges。 Louise ran to tell the good news to her mother。 It
4
… Page 5…
CAMILLE （LA DAME AUX CAMILIAS）
is a shameful thing to speak of； but we are not telling tales of pleasant sins；
we are telling of true facts； which it would be better； no doubt； to pass over
in silence； if we did not believe that it is needful from time to time to
reveal the martyrdom of those who are condemned without bearing；
scorned without judging； shameful it is； but this mother answered the
daughter that they had alread