The Celibates
INTRODUCTION _Les Celibataires_, the longest number of the original _Comedie Humaine_ under a single title, next to _Illusions perdues_, is not, like that book, connected by any unity of story. Indeed, the general bond of union is pretty weak; and though it is quite true that bachelors and old maids are the heroes and heroines of all three, it would be rather hard to establish any other bond of connection, and it is rather unlikely that any one unprompted would fix on this as a sufficient ground of partnership. Two at least of the component parts, however, are of very high excellence. I do not myself think that _Pierrette_, which opens the series, is quite the equal of its companions. Written, as it was, for Countess Anna de Hanska, Balzac's step-daughter of the future, while she was still very young, it partakes necessarily of the rather elaborate artificiality of all attempts to suit the young person, of French attempts in particular, and it may perhaps be said of Balzac's attempts most of all. It belongs, in a way, to the Arcis series--the series which also includes the fine _Tenebreuse Affaire_ and the unfinished _Depute d'Arcis_--but is not very closely connected
"It doesn't matter," murmured little Eve Edgarton.
"What?" said Barton. Nervously he began to fumble through the pages.
"Isn't there any beginning?" he demanded.
"No," moped little Eve Edgarton.
"Nor any end?" he insisted. "Nor any middle?"
"N--o," sighed little Eve Edgarton.
Helplessly Barton plunged into the unhappy task before him. On page
nine there were perhaps the fewest blots. He decided to begin there.
"Paleontologically,"
the first sentence smote him--
"Paleontologically the periods are characterized by absence of
the large marine saurians, Dinosaurs and Pterosaurs--"
"eh?" gasped Barton.
"Why, of course!" called Edgarton, a bit impatiently, from the window.
INTRODUCTION _Les Celibataires_, the longest number of the original _Comedie Humaine_ under a single title, next to _Illusions perdues_, is not, like that book, connected by any unity of story. Indeed, the general bond of union is pretty weak; and though it is quite true that bachelors and old maids are the heroes and heroines of all three, it would be rather hard to establish any other bond of connection, and it is rather unlikely that any one unprompted would fix on this as a sufficient ground of partnership. Two at least of the component parts, however, are of very high excellence. I do not myself think that _Pierrette_, which opens the series, is quite the equal of its companions. Written, as it was, for Countess Anna de Hanska, Balzac's step-daughter of the future, while she was still very young, it partakes necessarily of the rather elaborate artificiality of all attempts to suit the young person, of French attempts in particular, and it may perhaps be said of Balzac's attempts most of all. It belongs, in a way, to the Arcis series--the series which also includes the fine _Tenebreuse Affaire_ and the unfinished _Depute d'Arcis_--but is not very closely connected