the brotherhood of consolation-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　made　him　submit　to　what　magistrates　call　the　〃first　degree　of
interrogation。〃

〃Was　monsieur　unmarried？　Madame　wished　a　person　of　regular　habits；　the
gate　was　closed　at　eleven　at　the　latest。　Monsieur　certainly　seemed　of
an　age　to　suit　Madame　de　la　Chanterie。〃

〃How　old　do　you　think　me？〃　asked　Godefroid。

〃About　forty！〃　replied　the　grocer。

This　ingenuous　answer　threw　the　young　man　into　a　state　of　misanthropic
gloom。　He　went　off　and　dined　at　a　restaurant　on　the　quai　de　la
Tournelle；　and　afterwards　went　to　the　parapet　to　contemplate　Notre…
Dame　at　the　moment　when　the　fires　of　the　setting　sun　were　rippling　and
breaking　about　the　manifold　buttresses　of　the　apsis。

The　young　man　was　floating　between　the　promptings　of　despair　and　the
moving　voice　of　religious　harmonies　sounding　in　the　bell　of　the
cathedral　when；　amid　the　shadows；　the　silence；　the　half…veiled　light
of　the　moon；　he　heard　the　words　of　the　priest。　Though；　like　most　of
the　sons　of　our　century；　he　was　far　from　religious；　his　sensibilities
were　touched　by　those　words；　and　he　returned　to　the　rue　Chanoinesse；
although　he　had　almost　made　up　his　mind　not　to　do　so。

The　priest　and　Godefroid　were　both　surprised　when　they　entered
together　the　rue　Massilon；　which　is　opposite　to　the　small　north　portal
of　the　cathedral；　and　turned　together　into　the　rue　Chanoinesse；　at　the
point　where；　towards　the　rue　de　la　Colombe；　it　becomes　the　rue　des
Marmousets。　When　Godefroid　stopped　before　the　arched　portal　of　Madame
de　la　Chanterie's　house；　the　priest　turned　towards　him　and　examined
him　by　the　light　of　the　hanging　street…lamp；　probably　one　of　the　last
to　disappear　from　the　heart　of　old　Paris。

〃Have　you　come　to　see　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　monsieur？〃　said　the
priest。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Godefroid。　〃The　words　I　heard　you　say　to　that　workman
show　me　that；　if　you　live　here；　this　house　must　be　salutary　for　the
soul。〃

〃Then　you　were　a　witness　of　my　defeat；〃　said　the　priest；　raising　the
knocker　of　the　door；　〃for　I　did　not　succeed。〃

〃I　thought；　on　the　contrary；　it　was　the　workman　who　did　not　succeed；
he　demanded　money　energetically。〃

〃Alas！〃　replied　the　priest；　〃one　of　the　great　evils　of　revolutions　in
France　is　that　each　offers　a　fresh　premium　to　the　ambitions　of　the
lower　classes。　To　get　out　of　his　condition；　to　make　his　fortune　（which
is　regarded　to…day　as　the　only　social　standard）；　the　working…man
throws　himself　into　some　of　those　monstrous　associations　which；　if
they　do　not　succeed；　ought　to　bring　the　speculators　to　account　before
human　justice。　This　is　what　trusts　often　lead　to。〃

The　porter　opened　a　heavy　door。　The　priest　said　to　Godefroid：
〃Monsieur　has　perhaps　come　about　the　little　suite　of　rooms？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

The　priest　and　Godefroid　then　crossed　a　wide　courtyard；　at　the　farther
end　of　which　loomed　darkly　a　tall　house　flanked　by　a　square　tower
which　rose　above　the　roof；　and　appeared　to　be　in　a　dilapidated
condition。　Whoever　knows　the　history　of　Paris；　knows　that　the　soil
before　and　around　the　cathedral　has　been　so　raised　that　there　is　not　a
vestige　now　of　the　twelve　steps　which　formerly　led　up　to　it。　To…day
the　base　of　the　columns　of　the　porch　is　on　a　level　with　the　pavement；
consequently　what　was　once　the　ground…floor　of　the　house　of　which　we
speak　is　now　its　cellar。　A　portico；　reached　by　a　few　steps；　leads　to
the　entrance　of　the　tower；　in　which　a　spiral　stairway　winds　up　round　a
central　shaft　carved　with　a　grape…vine。　This　style；　which　recalls　the
stairways　of　Louis　XII。　at　the　chateau　of　Blois；　dates　from　the
fourteenth　century。　Struck　by　these　and　other　evidences　of　antiquity；
Godefroid　could　not　help　saying；　with　a　smile；　to　the　priest：　〃This
tower　is　not　of　yesterday。〃

〃It　sustained；　they　say；　an　assault　of　the　Normans；　and　probably
formed　part　of　the　first　palace　of　the　kings　of　Paris；　but；　according
to　actual　tradition；　it　was　certainly　the　dwelling　of　the　famous　Canon
Fulbert；　the　uncle　of　Heloise。〃

As　he　ended　these　words；　the　priest　opened　the　door　of　the　apartment
which　appeared　now　to　be　the　ground…floor　of　the　house；　but　was　in
reality　towards　both　the　front　and　back　courtyard　（for　there　was　a
small　interior　court）　on　the　first　floor。

In　the　antechamber　a　maid…servant；　wearing　a　cambric　cap　with　fluted
frills　for　its　sole　decoration；　was　knitting　by　the　light　of　a　little
lamp。　She　stuck　her　needles　into　her　hair；　held　her　work　in　her　hand；
and　rose　to　open　the　door　of　a　salon　which　looked　out　on　the　inner
court。　The　dress　of　the　woman　was　somewhat　like　that　of　the　Sisters　of
Mercy。

〃Madame；　I　bring　you　a　tenant；〃　said　the　priest；　ushering　Godefroid
into　the　salon；　where　the　latter　saw　three　persons　sitting　in
armchairs　near　Madame　de　la　Chanterie。

These　three　persons　rose；　the　mistress　of　the　house　rose；　then；　when
the　priest　had　drawn　up　another　armchair　for　Godefroid；　and　when　the
future　tenant　had　seated　himself　in　obedience　to　a　gesture　of　Madame
de　la　Chanterie；　accompanied　by　the　old…fashioned　words；　〃Be　seated；
monsieur；〃　the　man　of　the　boulevards　fancied　himself　at　some　enormous
distance　from　Paris；in　lower　Brittany　or　the　wilds　of　Canada。

Silence　has　perhaps　its　own　degrees。　Godefroid；　already　penetrated
with　the　silence　of　the　rues　Massillon　and　Chanoinesse；　where　two
carriages　do　not　pass　in　a　month；　and　grasped　by　the　silence　of　the
courtyard　and　the　tower；　may　have　felt　that　he　had　reached　the　very
heart　of　silence　in　this　still　salon；　guarded　by　so　many　old　streets；
old　courts；　old　walls。

This　part　of　the　Ile；　which　is　called　〃the　Cloister；〃　has　preserved
the　character　of　all　cloisters；　it　is　damp；　cold；　and　monastically
silent　even　at　the　noisiest　hours　of　the　day。　It　will　be　remarked；
also；　that　this　portion　of　the　Cite；　crowded　between　the　flank　of
Notre…Dame　and　the　river；　faces　the　north；　and　is　always　in　the　shadow
of　the　cathedral。　The　east　winds　swirl　through　it　unopposed；　and　the
fogs　of　the　Seine　are　caught　and　retained　by　the　black　walls　of　the
old　metropolitan　church。　No　one　will　therefore　be　surprised　at　the
sensations　Godefroid　felt　when　he　found　himself　in　this　old　dwelling；
in　presence　of　four　silent　human　beings；　who　seemed　as　solemn　as　the
things　which　surrounded　them。

He　did　not　look　about　him；　being　seized　with　curiosity　as　to　Madame　de
la　Chanterie；　whose　name　was　already　a　puzzle　to　him。　This　lady　was
evidently　a　person　of　another　epoch；　not　to　say　of　another　world。　Her
face　was　placid；　its　tones　both　soft　and　cold；　the　nose　aquiline；　the
forehead　full　of　sweetness；　the　eyes　brown；　the　chin　double；　and　all
were　framed　in　silvery　white　hair。　Her　gown　could　only　be　called　by
its　ancient　name　of　〃fourreau；〃　so　tightly　was　she　sheathed　within　it；
after　the　fashion　of　the　eighteenth　century。　The　materiala　brown
silk；　with　very　fine　and　multiplied　green　linesseemed　also　of　that
period。　The　bodice；　which　was　one　with　the　skirt；　was　partly　hidden
beneath　a　mantle　of　/poult…de…soie/　edged　with　black　lace；　and
fastened　on　the　bosom　by　a　brooch　enclosing　a　miniature。　Her　feet；　in
black　velvet　boots；　rested　on　a　cushion。　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　like
her　maid；　was　knitting　a　stocking；　and　she；　too；　had　a　needle　stuck
through　her　white　curls　beneath　the　lace　of　her　cap。

〃Have　you　seen　Monsieur　Millet？〃　she　said　to　Godefroid；　in　the　head
voice　peculiar　to　the　dowagers　of　the　faubourg　Saint…Germain；
observing　that　her　visitor　seemed　confused；　and　as　if　to　put　the　words
into　his　mouth。

〃Yes；　madame。〃

〃I　fear　that　the　apartment　will　scarcely　suit　you；〃　she　said；　noticing
the　elegance　and　newness　of　his　clothes。

Godefroid　was　wearing　polished　leather　boots；　yellow　gloves；　handsome
studs；　and　a　very　pretty　gold　chain　passed　through　the　buttonhole　of
his　waistcoat　of　black　silk　with　blue　flowers。　Madame　de　la　Chanterie
took　a　little　silver　whistle　from　her　pocket　and　blew　it。　The　serving…
woman　came。

〃Manon；　my　child；　show　this　gentleman　the　apartment。　Would　you；　my
dear　vicar；　be　so　kind　as　to　accompany　him？〃　she　said；　addressing　the
priest。　〃If　by　chance；〃　she　added；　rising　and　again　looking　at
Godefroid；　〃the　apartment　suits　you；　we　will　talk　of　the　conditions。〃

Godefroid　bowed　and　went　out。　He　heard　the　rattle　of　keys　which　Manon
took　from　a　drawer；　and　he　saw　her　light　the　candle　in　a　large　brass
candlestick。　Manon　went　first；　without　uttering　a　word。　When　Godefroid
found　himself　again　on　the　staircase；　winding　up　two　flights；　he
doubted　the　reality　of　life；　he　dreamed　awake；　he　saw　with　his　eyes
the　fantastic　world　of　romances　he　had　read　in　his　idle　hours。　Any
Parisian　leaving；　as　he　did；　the　modern　quarter；　with　its　luxury　of
houses　and　furniture；　the　glitter　of　its　restaurants　and　theatres；　the
tumult　and　movement　of　the　heart　of　Paris；　would　have　shared　his
feeling。

The　candle　carried　by　the　woman　feebly　lighted　the　winding　stair；
where　spiders　swung　their　draperies　gray　with　dust。　Manon　wore　a
petticoat　with　heavy　plaits　of　a　coarse　woollen　stuff；　the　bodice　was
square　before　and　square　behind；　and　all　her　clothes　seemed　to　hang
together。　When　she　reached　the　second　floor；　which；　it　will　be
remembered；　was　actually　the　third；　Manon　stopped；　turned　a　key　in　an
ancie