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The meaning of a saying by Balzac

 
 
Reply Sun 17 Apr, 2011 10:06 pm
Balzac says, "All women are not to themselves what no one else is to another."

What does this sentence mean?
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Type: Question • Score: 4 • Views: 1,739 • Replies: 7
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View best answer, chosen by Justin Xu
oolongteasup
 
  1  
Reply Sun 17 Apr, 2011 11:32 pm
@Justin Xu,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._Henry

O. Henry was the pseudonym of the American writer William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910). O. Henry's short stories are well known for their wit, wordplay ...

Quote:
"Voilà," says Bèebè Francillon, fanning herself languidly. "That is the way with men. Flatter them, and they kiss your hand. Loose but a moment the silken leash that holds them captive through their vanity and self-opinionativeness, and the son-of-a-gun gets on his ear at once. The devil go with him, I say."

"Ah, mon Princesse," sighs the Count Pumpernickel, stooping and whispering with eloquent eyes into her ear. "You are too hard upon us. Balzac says, 'All women are not to themselves what no one else is to another.' Do you not agree with him?"

"Cheese it!" says the Princess. "Philosophy palls upon me. I'll shake you."

"Hosses?" says the Count.

Arm and arm they go out to the salon au Beurre.

Armande de Fleury, the young pianissimo danseuse from the Folies Bergère is about to sing.

She slightly clears her throat and lays a voluptuous cud of chewing gum upon the piano as the first notes of the accompaniment ring through the salon


It's complete drivel , you know , like the usual stuff I post here.
roger
 
  1  
Reply Sun 17 Apr, 2011 11:35 pm
@oolongteasup,
Oddly, I never expected you and laughingoutlood to post at the same time.
dadpad
 
  1  
Reply Sun 17 Apr, 2011 11:36 pm
@Justin Xu,
Quote:
Balzac says, "All women are not to themselves what no one else is to another."

What does this sentence mean?


I have no idea. I do not understand this myself.

Edit: I have now read the story in full. It is a nonsense. Many parts are written deliberatly so they do not make sense even to english speakers.
You would be well advised to steer clear of this work.
laughoutlood
 
  1  
Reply Sun 17 Apr, 2011 11:49 pm
@roger,
Quote:
Oddly


Simultaneity is tricky, even for toolongteasup.
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roger
 
  1  
Reply Sun 17 Apr, 2011 11:51 pm
@dadpad,
You suppose Balzac was French? I don't do French.
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dadpad
 
  1  
Reply Sun 17 Apr, 2011 11:54 pm
This is also nonsense justin, the letter combinations have no meaning.

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

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JTT
  Selected Answer
 
  2  
Reply Mon 18 Apr, 2011 09:55 am
@Justin Xu,
Balzac says, "All women are not to themselves what no one else is to another."

It's hard to say, Justin, without more context or background. Here's on possibility among many.

All women are not [honest] to themselves in the same fashion as no one else is [honest] to another.

Replace 'honest' with kind/generous/loving/... OR, I might have missed his meaning altogether.
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