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
own. The single utterance of the author will infallibly prove inferior
to so vast a number of divergent expressions. The report of a cannon
is never so effective as a display of fireworks.

Must the author explain his work? Its only possible commentator is M.
Frederick Lemaitre.

Must he complain of the injunction which delayed the presentation of
his play? That would be to betray ignorance of his time and country.