Poor Relations
POOR RELATIONS BY HONORE DE BALZAC INTRODUCTION _La Cousine Bette_ was perhaps the last really great thing that Balzac did--for _Le Cousin Pons_, which now follows it, was actually written before--and it is beyond all question one of the very greatest of his works. It was written at the highest possible pressure, and (contrary to the author's more usual system) in parts, without even seeing a proof, for the _Constitutionnel_ in the autumn, winter, and early spring of 1846-47, before his departure from Vierzschovnia, the object being to secure a certain sum of ready money to clear off indebtedness. And it has been sometimes asserted that this labor, coming on the top of many years of scarcely less hard works, was
"Good Lord!" he said softly. "That is going a bit far."
"Is it so men act--when they are in love?" she asked.
Monte started.
"I don't know. If it is, then they ought to be put in jail."
"If it is, it is most unpleasant," she said; "and I can't stand it,
Monte. There is no reason why I should, is there?"
"No: if you can avoid it."
"That's the trouble," she frowned. "I've been quite frank with him. I
told him that I did not want to marry him. I've told him that I could
not conceive of any possible circumstances under which I would marry
him. I've told him that in French and I 've told him that in English,
and he won't believe me."
"The cad!" exclaimed Monte.
"It does n't seem fair," she mused. "The only thing I ask for is to be
allowed to lead my life undisturbed, and he won't let me. There are
others, too. I had five letters this morning. So all I can do is to
run away again."
POOR RELATIONS BY HONORE DE BALZAC INTRODUCTION _La Cousine Bette_ was perhaps the last really great thing that Balzac did--for _Le Cousin Pons_, which now follows it, was actually written before--and it is beyond all question one of the very greatest of his works. It was written at the highest possible pressure, and (contrary to the author's more usual system) in parts, without even seeing a proof, for the _Constitutionnel_ in the autumn, winter, and early spring of 1846-47, before his departure from Vierzschovnia, the object being to secure a certain sum of ready money to clear off indebtedness. And it has been sometimes asserted that this labor, coming on the top of many years of scarcely less hard works, was