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！
her most serious offences； I can thrill and soften with the King on
that memorable occasion when he goes to upbraid and remains to
flirt； and when it comes to the 〃ALLONS； AIMEZ…MOI DONC；〃 it is my
heart that melts in the bosom of de Guiche。 Not so with Louise。
Readers cannot fail to have remarked that what an author tells us
of the beauty or the charm of his creatures goes for nought； that
we know instantly better； that the heroine cannot open her mouth
but what； all in a moment； the fine phrases of preparation fall
from round her like the robes from Cinderella； and she stands
before us； self…betrayed； as a poor； ugly； sickly wench； or perhaps
a strapping market…woman。 Authors； at least； know it well； a
heroine will too often start the trick of 〃getting ugly；〃 and no
disease is more difficult to cure。 I said authors； but indeed I
had a side eye to one author in particular； with whose works I am
very well acquainted； though I cannot read them； and who has spent
many vigils in this cause； sitting beside his ailing puppets and
（like a magician） wearying his art to restore them to youth and
beauty。 There are others who ride too high for these misfortunes。
Who doubts the loveliness of Rosalind？ Arden itself was not more
lovely。 Who ever questioned the perennial charm of Rose Jocelyn；
Lucy Desborough； or Clara Middleton？ fair women with fair names；
the daughters of George Meredith。 Elizabeth Bennet has but to
speak； and I am at her knees。 Ah！ these are the creators of
desirable women。 They would never have fallen in the mud with
Dumas and poor La Valliere。 It is my only consolation that not one
of all of them； except the first； could have plucked at the
moustache of d'Artagnan。
Or perhaps； again； a proportion of readers stumble at the
threshold。 In so vast a mansion there were sure to be back stairs
and kitchen offices where no one would delight to linger； but it
was at least unhappy that the vestibule should be so badly lighted；
and until； in the seventeenth chapter； d'Artagnan sets off to seek
his friends； I must confess； the book goes heavily enough。 But；
from thenceforward； what a feast is spread！ Monk kidnapped；
d'Artagnan enriched； Mazarin's death； the ever delectable adventure
of Belle Isle； wherein Aramis outwits d'Artagnan； with its epilogue
（vol。 v。 chap。 xxviii。）； where d'Artagnan regains the moral
superiority； the love adventures at Fontainebleau； with St。
Aignan's story of the dryad and the business of de Guiche； de
Wardes； and Manicamp； Aramis made general of the Jesuits； Aramis at
the bastille； the night talk in the forest of Senart； Belle Isle
again； with the death of Porthos； and last； but not least； the
taming of d'Artagnan the untamable； under the lash of the young
King。 What other novel has such epic variety and nobility of
incident？ often； if you will； impossible； often of the order of an
Arabian story； and yet all based in human nature。 For if you come
to that； what novel has more human nature？ not studied with the
microscope； but seen largely； in plain daylight； with the natural
eye？ What novel has more good sense； and gaiety； and wit； and
unflagging； admirable literary skill？ Good souls； I suppose； must
sometimes read it in the blackguard travesty of a translation。 But
there is no style so untranslatable； light as a whipped trifle；
strong as silk； wordy like a village tale； pat like a general's
despatch； with every fault； yet never tedious； with no merit； yet
inimitably right。 And； once more； to make an end of commendations；
what novel is inspired with a more unstained or a more wholesome
morality？
Yes； in spite of Miss Yonge； who introduced me to the name of
d'Artagnan only to dissuade me from a nearer knowledge of the man；
I have to add morality。 There is no quite good book without a good
morality； but the world is wide； and so are morals。 Out of two
people who have dipped into Sir Richard Burton's THOUSAND AND ONE
NIGHTS； one shall have been offended by the animal details； another
to whom these were harmless； perhaps even pleasing； shall yet have
been shocked in his turn by the rascality and cruelty of all the
characters。 Of two readers； again； one shall have been pained by
the morality of a religious memoir； one by that of the VICOMTE DE
BRAGELONNE。 And the point is that neither need be wrong。 We shall
always shock each other both in life and art； we cannot get the sun
into our pictures； nor the abstract right （if there be such a
thing） into our books； enough if； in the one； there glimmer some
hint of the great light that blinds us from heaven； enough if； in
the other； there shine； even upon foul details； a spirit of
magnanimity。 I would scarce send to the VICOMTE a reader who was
in quest of what we may call puritan morality。 The ventripotent
mulatto； the great cater； worker； earner and waster； the man of
much and witty laughter； the man of the great heart and alas！ of
the doubtful honesty； is a figure not yet clearly set before the
world； he still awaits a sober and yet genial portrait； but with
whatever art that may be touched； and whatever indulgence； it will
not be the portrait of a precision。 Dumas was certainly not
thinking of himself； but of Planchet； when he put into the mouth of
d'Artagnan's old servant this excellent profession： 〃MONSIEUR；
J'ETAIS UNE DE CES BONNES PATES D'HOMMES QUE DIEU A FAIT POUR
S'ANIMER PENDANT UN CERTAIN TEMPS ET POUR TROUVER BONNES TOUTES
CHOSES QUI ACCOMPAGNENT LEUR SEJOUR SUR LA TERRE。〃 He was
thinking； as I say； of Planchet； to whom the words are aptly
fitted； but they were fitted also to Planchet's creator； and
perhaps this struck him as he wrote； for observe what follows：
〃D'ARTAGNAN S'ASSIT ALORS PRES DE LA FENETRE； ET； CETTE PHILOSOPHIE
DE PLANCHET LUI AYANT PARU SOLIDE； IL Y REVA。〃 In a man who finds
all things good； you will scarce expect much zeal for negative
virtues： the active alone will have a charm for him； abstinence；
however wise； however kind； will always seem to such a judge
entirely mean and partly impious。 So with Dumas。 Chastity is not
near his heart； nor yet； to his own sore cost； that virtue of
frugality which is the armour of the artist。 Now； in the VICOMTE；
he had much to do with the contest of Fouquet and Colbert。
Historic justice should be all upon the side of Colbert； of
official honesty； and fiscal competence。
And Dumas knew it well： three times at least he shows his
knowledge； once it is but flashed upon us and received with the
laughter of Fouquet himself； in the jesting controversy in the
gardens of Saint Mande； once it is touched on by Aramis in the
forest of Senart； in the end； it is set before us clearly in one
dignified speech of the triumphant Colbert。 But in Fouquet； the
waster； the lover of good cheer and wit and art； the swift
transactor of much business； 〃L'HOMME DE