honorine-第4节

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singularity　of　a　face　that　was　not　pale　but　yellow。　This　complexion
seemed　to　bespeak　an　irritable　temper　and　violent　passions。　His　hair；
already　silvered；　and　carefully　dressed；　seemed　to　furrow　his　head
with　streaks　of　black　and　white　alternately。　The　trimness　of　this　head
spoiled　the　resemblance　I　had　remarked　in　the　Count　to　the　wonderful
monk　described　by　Lewis　after　Schedoni　in　the　/Confessional　of　the
Black　Penitents　（The　Italian）/；　a　superior　creation；　as　it　seems　to
me；　to　/The　Monk/。

〃The　Count　was　already　shaved；　having　to　attend　early　at　the　law
courts。　Two　candelabra　with　four　lights；　screened　by　lamp…shades；　were
still　burning　at　the　opposite　ends　of　the　writing…table；　and　showed
plainly　that　the　magistrate　rose　long　before　daylight。　His　hands；
which　I　saw　when　he　took　hold　of　the　bell…pull　to　summon　his　servant；
were　extremely　fine；　and　as　white　as　a　woman's。

〃As　I　tell　you　this　story；〃　said　the　Consul…General；　interrupting
himself；　〃I　am　altering　the　titles　and　the　social　position　of　this
gentleman；　while　placing　him　in　circumstances　analogous　to　what　his
really　were。　His　profession；　rank；　luxury；　fortune；　and　style　of
living　were　the　same；　all　these　details　are　true；　but　I　would　not　be
false　to　my　benefactor；　nor　to　my　usual　habits　of　discretion。

〃Instead　of　feelingas　I　really　was；　socially　speakingan　insect　in
the　presence　of　an　eagle；〃　the　narrator　went　on　after　a　pause；　〃I　felt
I　know　not　what　indefinable　impression　from　the　Count's　appearance；
which；　however；　I　can　now　account　for。　Artists　of　genius〃　（and　he
bowed　gracefully　to　the　Ambassador；　the　distinguished　lady；　and　the
two　Frenchmen）；　〃real　statesmen；　poets；　a　general　who　has　commanded
armiesin　short；　all　really　great　minds　are　simple；　and　their
simplicity　places　you　on　a　level　with　themselves。You　who　are　all　of
superior　minds；〃　he　said；　addressing　his　guests；　〃have　perhaps
observed　how　feeling　can　bridge　over　the　distances　created　by　society。
If　we　are　inferior　to　you　in　intellect；　we　can　be　your　equals　in
devoted　friendship。　By　the　temperatureallow　me　the　wordof　our
hearts　I　felt　myself　as　near　my　patron　as　I　was　far　below　him　in　rank。
In　short；　the　soul　has　its　clairvoyance；　it　has　presentiments　of
suffering；　grief；　joy；　antagonism；　or　hatred　in　others。

〃I　vaguely　discerned　the　symptoms　of　a　mystery；　from　recognizing　in
the　Count　the　same　effects　of　physiognomy　as　I　had　observed　in　my
uncle。　The　exercise　of　virtue；　serenity　of　conscience；　and　purity　of
mind　had　transfigured　my　uncle；　who　from　being　ugly　had　become　quite
beautiful。　I　detected　a　metamorphosis　of　a　reverse　kind　in　the　Count's
face；　at　the　first　glance　I　thought　he　was　about　fifty…five；　but　after
an　attentive　examination　I　found　youth　entombed　under　the　ice　of　a
great　sorrow；　under　the　fatigue　of　persistent　study；　under　the　glowing
hues　of　some　suppressed　passion。　At　a　word　from　my　uncle　the　Count's
eyes　recovered　for　a　moment　the　softness　of　the　periwinkle　flower；　and
he　had　an　admiring　smile；　which　revealed　what　I　believed　to　be　his
real　age；　about　forty。　These　observations　I　made；　not　then　but
afterwards；　as　I　recalled　the　circumstances　of　my　visit。

〃The　man…servant　came　in　carrying　a　tray　with　his　master's　breakfast
on　it。

〃　'I　did　not　ask　for　breakfast；'　remarked　the　Count；　'but　leave　it；
and　show　monsieur　to　his　rooms。'

〃I　followed　the　servant；　who　led　the　way　to　a　complete　set　of　pretty
rooms；　under　a　terrace；　between　the　great　courtyard　and　the　servants'
quarters；　over　a　corridor　of　communication　between　the　kitchens　and
the　grand　staircase。　When　I　returned　to　the　Count's　study；　I
overheard；　before　opening　the　door；　my　uncle　pronouncing　this　judgment
on　me：

〃　'He　may　do　wrong；　for　he　has　strong　feelings；　and　we　are　all　liable
to　honorable　mistakes；　but　he　has　no　vices。'

〃　'Well；'　said　the　Count；　with　a　kindly　look；　'do　you　like　yourself
there？　Tell　me。　There　are　so　many　rooms　in　this　barrack　that；　if　you
were　not　comfortable；　I　could　put　you　elsewhere。'

〃　'At　my　uncle's　I　had　but　one　room；'　replied　I。

〃　'Well；　you　can　settle　yourself　this　evening；'　said　the　Count；　'for
your　possessions；　no　doubt；　are　such　as　all　students　own；　and　a
hackney　coach　will　be　enough　to　convey　them。　To…day　we　will　all　three
dine　together；'　and　he　looked　at　my　uncle。

〃A　splendid　library　opened　from　the　Count's　study；　and　he　took　us　in
there；　showing　me　a　pretty　little　recess　decorated　with　paintings；
which　had　formerly　served；　no　doubt；　as　an　oratory。

〃　'This　is　your　cell；'　said　he。　'You　will　sit　there　when　you　have　to
work　with　me；　for　you　will　not　be　tethered　by　a　chain；'　and　he
explained　in　detail　the　kind　and　duration　of　my　employment　with　him。
As　I　listened　I　felt　that　he　was　a　great　political　teacher。

〃It　took　me　about　a　month　to　familiarize　myself　with　people　and
things；　to　learn　the　duties　of　my　new　office；　and　accustom　myself　to
the　Count's　methods。　A　secretary　necessarily　watches　the　man　who　makes
use　of　him。　That　man's　tastes；　passions；　temper；　and　manias　become　the
subject　of　involuntary　study。　The　union　of　their　two　minds　is　at　once
more　and　less　than　a　marriage。

〃During　these　months　the　Count　and　I　reciprocally　studied　each　other。
I　learned　with　astonishment　that　Comte　Octave　was　but　thirty…seven
years　old。　The　merely　superficial　peacefulness　of　his　life　and　the
propriety　of　his　conduct　were　the　outcome　not　solely　of　a　deep　sense
of　duty　and　of　stoical　reflection；　in　my　constant　intercourse　with
this　manan　extraordinary　man　to　those　who　knew　him　wellI　felt　vast
depths　beneath　his　toil；　beneath　his　acts　of　politeness；　his　mask　of
benignity；　his　assumption　of　resignation；　which　so　closely　resembled
calmness　that　it　is　easy　to　mistake　it。　Just　as　when　walking　through
forest…lands　certain　soils　give　forth　under　our　feet　a　sound　which
enables　us　to　guess　whether　they　are　dense　masses　of　stone　or　a　void；
so　intense　egoism；　though　hidden　under　the　flowers　of　politeness；　and
subterranean　caverns　eaten　out　by　sorrow　sound　hollow　under　the
constant　touch　of　familiar　life。　It　was　sorrow　and　not　despondency
that　dwelt　in　that　really　great　soul。　The　Count　had　understood　that
actions；　deeds；　are　the　supreme　law　of　social　man。　And　he　went　on　his
way　in　spite　of　secret　wounds；　looking　to　the　future　with　a　tranquil
eye；　like　a　martyr　full　of　faith。

〃His　concealed　sadness；　the　bitter　disenchantment　from　which　he
suffered；　had　not　led　him　into　philosophical　deserts　of　incredulity；
this　brave　statesman　was　religious；　without　ostentation；　he　always
attended　the　earliest　mass　at　Saint…Paul's　for　pious　workmen　and
servants。　Not　one　of　his　friends；　no　one　at　Court；　knew　that　he　so
punctually　fulfilled　the　practice　of　religion。　He　was　addicted　to　God
as　some　men　are　addicted　to　a　vice；　with　the　greatest　mystery。　Thus
one　day　I　came　to　find　the　Count　at　the　summit　of　an　Alp　of　woe　much
higher　than　that　on　which　many　are　who　think　themselves　the　most
tried；　who　laugh　at　the　passions　and　the　beliefs　of　others　because
they　have　conquered　their　own；　who　play　variations　in　every　key　of
irony　and　disdain。　He　did　not　mock　at　those　who　still　follow　hope　into
the　swamps　whither　she　leads；　nor　those　who　climb　a　peak　to　be　alone；
nor　those　who　persist　in　the　fight；　reddening　the　arena　with　their
blood　and　strewing　it　with　their　illusions。　He　looked　on　the　world　as
a　whole；　he　mastered　its　beliefs；　he　listened　to　its　complaining；　he
was　doubtful　of　affection；　and　yet　more　of　self…sacrifice；　but　this
great　and　stern　judge　pitied　them；　or　admired　them；　not　with　transient
enthusiasm；　but　with　silence；　concentration；　and　the　communion　of　a
deeply…touched　soul。　He　was　a　sort　of　catholic　Manfred；　and　unstained
by　crime；　carrying　his　choiceness　into　his　faith；　melting　the　snows　by
the　fires　of　a　sealed　volcano；　holding　converse　with　a　star　seen　by
himself　alone！

〃I　detected　many　dark　riddles　in　his　ordinary　life。　He　evaded　my　gaze
not　like　a　traveler　who；　following　a　path；　disappears　from　time　to
time　in　dells　or　ravines　according　to　the　formation　of　the　soil；　but
like　a　sharpshooter　who　is　being　watched；　who　wants　to　hide　himself；
and　seeks　a　cover。　I　could　not　account　for　his　frequent　absences　at
the　times　when　he　was　working　the　hardest；　and　of　which　he　made　no
secret　from　me；　for　he　would　say；　'Go　on　with　this　for　me；'　and　trust
me　with　the　work　in　hand。

〃This　man；　wrapped　in　the　threefold　duties　of　the　statesman；　the
judge；　and　the　orator；　charmed　me　by　a　taste　for　flowers；　which　shows
an　elegant　mind；　and　which　is　shared　by　almost　all　persons　of
refinement。　His　garden　and　his　study　were　full　of　the　rarest　plants；
but　he　always　bought　them　half…withered。　Perhaps　it　pleased　him　to　see
such　an　image　of　his　own　fate！　He　was　faded　like　these　dying　flowers；
whose　almost　decaying　fragrance　mounted　strangely　to　his　brain。　The
Count　loved　his　country；　he　devoted　himself　to　public　interests　with
the　frenzy　of　a　heart　that　seeks　to　cheat　some　other　passion；　but　the
studies　and　work　into　which　he　threw　himself　were　not　enough　for　him；
there　were　frightful　struggles　in　his　mind；　of　which　some　echoes
reached　me。　Finally；　he　would　give　utterance　to　harrowing　aspirations
for　hap