Vautrin
VAUTRIN A DRAMA IN FIVE ACTS BY HONORE DE BALZAC Presented for the first time at the Porte-Saint-Martin Theatre, Paris March 14, 1840 AUTHOR'S PREFACE It is difficult for the playwright to put himself, five days after the first presentation of his piece, in the situation in which he felt himself on the morning after the event; but it is still more difficult to write a preface to _Vautrin_, to which every one has written his
barter away for gain. That is the double murder you have
committed! The murder of your own soul and of mine!
BORKMAN.
[With cold self-control.] How well I recognise your passionate,
ungovernable spirit, Ella. No doubt it is natural enough that
you should look at the thing in this light. Of course, you are
a woman, and therefore it would seem that your own heart is the
one thing you know or care about in this world.
ELLA RENTHEIM.
Yes, yes it is.
BORKMAN.
Your own heart is the only thing that exists for you.
ELLA RENTHEIM.
The only thing! The only thing! You are right there.
BORKMAN.
But you must remember that I am a man. As a woman, you were the
dearest thing in the world to me. But if the worst comes to the
worst, one woman can always take the place of another.
ELLA RENTHEIM.
[Looks at him with a smile.] Was that your experience when you
VAUTRIN A DRAMA IN FIVE ACTS BY HONORE DE BALZAC Presented for the first time at the Porte-Saint-Martin Theatre, Paris March 14, 1840 AUTHOR'S PREFACE It is difficult for the playwright to put himself, five days after the first presentation of his piece, in the situation in which he felt himself on the morning after the event; but it is still more difficult to write a preface to _Vautrin_, to which every one has written his