Читать онлайн
The Commission in Lunacy
The Commission in Lunacy
DEDICATION
Dedicated to Monsieur le Contre-Amiral Bazoche, Governor of the Isle of Bourbon, by the grateful writer.
DE BALZAC.
THE COMMISSION IN LUNACY
In 1828, at about one o’clock one morning, two persons came out of a large house in the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, near the Elysee-Bourbon. One was the famous doctor, Horace Bianchon; the other was one of the most elegant men in Paris, the Baron de Rastignac; they were friends of long standing. Each had sent away his carriage, and no cab was to be seen in the street; but the night was fine, and the pavement dry.
“We will walk as far as the boulevard,” said Eugene de Rastignac to Bianchon. “You can get a hackney cab at the club; there is always one to be found there till daybreak. Come with me as far as my house.”
“With pleasure.”
“Well, and what have you to say about it?”
“About that woman?” said the doctor coldly.
“There I recognize my Bianchon!” exclaimed Rastignac.
“Why, how?”
“Well, my dear fellow, you speak of the Marquise d’Espard as if she were a case for your hospital.”
“Do you want to know what I think, Eugene? If you throw over Madame de Nucingen for this Marquise, you will swap a one-eyed horse for a blind one.”
“Madame de Nucingen is six-and-thirty, Bianchon.”