the brotherhood of consolation-第35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！


ways；　two　hundred　is　the　very　most；　my　good　woman；　and　even　that　is
only　promised；　you　can't　assign　it。　But　I　will　say　this：　if　you　will
put　me　in　the　way　to　do　the　business　they　want　to　do　with　Monsieur
Bernard　I　will　pay　you　four　hundred　francs。　Now；　then；　how　does　the
matter　stand？〃

〃They　have　advanced　fifteen　hundred　francs　upon　the　work；〃　said　Madame
Vauthier；　making　no　further　effort　at　deception；　〃and　the　old　man　has
signed　an　acknowledgment　for　three　thousand。　They　wouldn't　do　it　under
a　hundred　per　cent。　He　thought　he　could　easily　pay　them　out　of　his
book；　but　they　have　arranged　to　get　the　better　of　him　there。　It　was
they　who　sent　Cartier　here；　and　the　other　creditors。〃

Here　Godefroid　gave　the　old　woman　a　glance　of　ironical　intelligence；
which　showed　her　that　he　saw　through　the　role　she　was　playing　in　the
interest　of　her　proprietor。　Her　words　were；　in　fact；　a　double
illumination　to　Godefroid；　the　curious　scene　between　himself　and　the
gardener　was　now　explained。

〃Well；〃　she　resumed；　〃they　have　got　him　now。　Where　is　he　to　find　three
thousand　francs？　They　intend　to　offer　him　five　hundred　the　day　he　puts
the　first　volume　of　his　book　into　their　hands；　and　five　hundred　for
each　succeeding　volume。　The　affair　isn't　in　their　names；　they　have　put
it　into　the　hands　of　a　publisher　whom　Barbet　set　up　on　the　quai　des
Augustins。〃

〃What；　that　little　fellow？〃

〃Yes；　that　little　Morand；　who　was　formerly　Barbet's　clerk。　It　seems
they　expect　a　good　bit　of　money　out　of　the　affair。〃

〃There's　a　good　bit　to　spend；〃　said　Godefroid；　with　a　significant
grimace。

Just　then　a　gentle　rap　was　heard　at　the　door　of　the　outer　room。
Godefroid；　glad　of　the　interruption；　having　got　all　he　wanted　to　know
out　of　Madame　Vauthier；　went　to　open　it。

〃What　is　said；　is　said；　Madame　Vauthier；〃　he　remarked　as　he　did　so。
The　visitor　was　Monsieur　Bernard。

〃Ah！　Monsieur　Bernard；〃　cried　the　widow　when　she　saw　him；　〃I've　got　a
letter　downstairs　for　you。〃

The　old　man　followed　her　down　a　few　steps。　When　they　were　out　of
hearing　from　Godefroid's　room　she　stopped。

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃I　haven't　any　letter；　I　only　wanted　to　tell　you　to
beware　of　that　young　man；　he　belongs　to　a　publishing　house。〃

〃That　explains　everything；〃　thought　the　old　man。

He　went　back　to　his　neighbor　with　a　very　different　expression　of
countenance。

The　look　of　calm　coldness　with　which　Monsieur　Bernard　now　entered　the
room　contrasted　so　strongly　with　the　frank　and　cordial　air　he　had　worn
not　an　instant　earlier　that　Godefroid　was　forcibly　struck　by　it。

〃Pardon　me；　monsieur；〃　said　the　old　man；　stiffly；　〃but　you　have　shown
me　many　favors；　and　a　benefactor　creates　certain　rights　in　those　he
benefits。〃

Godefroid　bowed。

〃I；　who　for　the　last　five　years　have　endured　a　passion　like　that　of
our　Lord；　I；　who　for　thirty…six　years　represented　social　welfare；
government；　public　vengeance；　have；　as　you　may　well　believe；　no
illusionsno；　I　have　nothing　left　but　anguish。　Well；　monsieur；　I　was
about　to　say　that　your　little　act　in　closing　the　door　of　my　wretched
lair；　that　simple　little　thing；　was　to　me　the　glass　of　water　Bossuet
tells　of。　Yes；　I　did　find　in　my　heart；　that　exhausted　heart　which
cannot　weep；　just　as　my　withered　body　cannot　sweat；　I　did　find　a　last
drop　of　the　elixir　which　makes　us　fancy　in　our　youth　that　all　human
beings　are　noble；　and　I　came　to　offer　you　my　hand；　I　came　to　bring　you
that　celestial　flower　of　belief　in　good〃

〃Monsieur　Bernard；〃　said　Godefroid；　remembering　the　kind　old　Alain's
lessons。　〃I　have　done　nothing　to　obtain　your　gratitude。　You　are　quite
mistaken。〃

〃Ah；　that　is　frankness　indeed！〃　said　the　former　magistrate。　〃Well；　it
pleases　me。　I　was　about　to　reproach　you；　pardon　me；　I　now　esteem　you。
So　you　are　a　publisher；　and　you　have　come　here　to　get　my　work　away
from　Barbet；　Metivier；　and　Morand？　All　is　now　explained。　You　are
making　me　advances　in　money　as　they　did；　only　you　do　it　with　some
grace。〃

〃Did　Madame　Vauthier　just　tell　you　that　I　was　employed　by　a
publisher？〃　asked　Godefroid。

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　then；　Monsieur　Bernard；　before　I　can　say　how　much　I　can　/give/
over　what　those　other　gentlemen　/offer/；　I　must　know　the　terms　on
which　you　stand　with　them。〃

〃That　is　fair；〃　said　Monsieur　Bernard；　who　seemed　rather　pleased　to
find　himself　the　object　of　a　competition　by　which　he　might　profit。　〃Do
you　know　what　my　work　is？〃

〃No；　I　only　know　it　is　a　good　enterprise　from　a　business　point　of
view。〃

〃It　is　only　half…past　nine；　my　daughter　has　breakfasted；　and　Cartier
will　not　bring　the　flowers　for　an　hour　or　more；　we　have　time　to　talk；
MonsieurMonsieur　who？〃

〃Godefroid。〃

〃Monsieur　Godefroid；　the　work　in　question　was　projected　by　me　in　1825；
at　the　time　when　the　ministry；　being　alarmed　by　the　persistent
destruction　of　landed　estates；　proposed　that　law　of　primogeniture
which　was；　you　will　remember；　defeated。　I　had　remarked　certain
imperfections　in　our　codes　and　in　the　fundamental　institutions　of
France。　Our　codes　have　often　been　the　subject　of　important　works；　but
those　works　were　all　from　the　point　of　view　of　jurisprudence。　No　one
had　even　ventured　to　consider　the　work　of　the　Revolution；　or　（if　you
prefer　it）　of　Napoleon；　as　a　whole；　no　one　had　studied　the　spirit　of
those　laws；　and　judged　them　in　their　application。　That　is　the　main
purpose　of　my　work；　it　is　entitled；　provisionally；　'The　Spirit　of　the
New　Laws；'　it　includes　organic　laws　as　well　as　codes；　all　codes；　for
we　have　many　more　than　five　codes。　Consequently；　my　work　is　in　several
volumes；　six　in　all；　the　last　being　a　volume　of　citations；　notes；　and
references。　It　will　take　me　now　about　three　months　to　finish　it。　The
proprietor　of　this　house；　a　former　publisher；　of　whom　I　made　a　few
inquiries；　perceived；　scented　I　may　say；　the　chance　of　a　speculation。
I；　in　the　first　instance；　thought　only　of　doing　a　service　to　my
country；　and　not　of　my　own　profit。　Well；　this　Barbet　has　circumvented
me。　You　will　ask　me　how　it　was　possible　for　a　publisher　to　get　the
better　of　a　magistrate；　a　man　who　knows　the　laws。　Well；　it　was　in　this
way：　You　know　my　history；　Barbet　is　an　usurer；　he　has　the　keen　glance
and　the　shrewd　action　of　that　breed　of　men。　His　money　was　always　at　my
heels　to　help　me　over　my　worst　needs。　Strange　to　say；　on　the　days　I
was　most　defenceless　against　despair　he　happened　to　appear。〃

〃No；　no；　my　dear　Monsieur　Bernard；〃　said　Godefroid；　〃he　had　a　spy　in
Madame　Vauthier；　she　told　him　when　you　needed　money。　But　the　terms；
the　conditions？　Tell　them　to　me　briefly。〃

〃He　has　lent　me　from　time　to　time　fifteen　hundred　francs；　for　which　I
have　signed　three　notes　of　a　thousand　francs　each；　and　those　notes　are
secured　by　a　sort　of　mortgage　on　the　copyright　of　my　book；　so　that　I
cannot　sell　my　book　unless　I　pay　off　those　notes；　and　the　notes　are
now　protested；he　has　taken　the　matter　into　court　and　obtained　a
judgment　against　me。　Such　are　the　complications　of　poverty！　At　the
lowest　valuation；　the　first　edition　of　my　great　work；　a　work
representing　ten　years'　toil　and　thirty…six　years'　experience；　is
fully　worth　ten　thousand　francs。　Well；　ten　days　ago　Morand　proposed　to
give　me　three　thousand　francs　and　my　notes　cancelled　for　the　entire
rights　in　perpetuity。　Now　as　it　is　not　possible　for　me　to　refund　the
amount　of　my　notes　and　interest；　namely；　three　thousand　two　hundred
and　forty　francs；　I　must；unless　you　intend　to　step　between　those
usurers　and　me；I　must　yield　to　them。　They　are　not　content　with　my
word　of　honor；　they　first　obtained　the　notes；　then　they　had　them
protested；　and　now　I　am　threatened　with　arrest　for　debt。　If　I　could
manage　to　pay　them　back；　those　scoundrels　would　have　doubled　their
money。　If　I　accept　their　terms　they　will　make　a　fortune　out　of　my　book
and　I　shall　get　almost　nothing；　one　of　them　is　a　paper…maker；　and　God
knows　how　they　may　keep　down　the　costs　of　publication。　They　will　have
my　name；　and　that　alone　will　sell　ten　thousand　copies　for　them。〃

〃But；　monsieur；　how　could　you；　a　former　magistrate！〃

〃How　could　I　help　it？　Not　a　friend；　not　a　claim　that　I　could　make！　And
yet　I　saved　many　heads；　if　I　made　some　fall！　And；　then；　my　daughter；
my　daughter！　whose　nurse　I　am；　whose　companion　I　must　be；　so　that　I
can　work　but　a　few　hours　snatched　from　sleep。　Ah；　young　man！　none　but
the　wretched　can　judge　the　wretched！　Sometimes　I　think　I　used　to　be
too　stern　to　misery。〃

〃Monsieur；　I　do　not　ask　your　name。　I　cannot　provide　three　thousand
francs；　especially　if　I　pay　Halpersohn　and　your　lesser　debts；　but　I
will　save　you　if　you　will　promise　me　not　to　part　with　your　book
without　letting　me　know。　It　is　impossible　for　me　to　arrange　a　matter
as　important　as　this　without　consulting　others。　My　backers　are
powerful；　and　I　can　promise　you　success　if　you；　in　return；　will
promise　me　absolute　secrecy；　even　to　your　children；　and　keep　your
promise。〃

〃The　only　success　I　care　for　is　the　recovery　of　my　poor　Vanda；　for
such　sufferings　as　hers　extinguish　every　other　feeling　in　a　father's
heart。　As　for　fame；　what　is　that　to　one　who　sees　an　open　grave　before
him？〃

〃I　will　come　and　see　you　this　evening；　they　expect　Halpersohn　at　any
time；　and　I　shall　go　there　day　after　day　until　I　find