the brotherhood of consolation-第36节

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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　him。〃

〃Ah；　monsieur！　if　you　should　be　the　cause　of　my　daughter's　recovery；　I
would　like；yes；　I　would　like　to　give　you　my　work！〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Godefroid；　〃I　am　not　a　publisher。〃

The　old　man　started　with　surprise。

〃I　let　that　old　Vauthier　think　so　in　order　to　discover　the　traps　they
were　laying　for　you。〃

〃Then　who　are　you？〃

〃Godefroid；〃　replied　the　initiate；　〃and　since　you　allow　me　to　offer
you　enough　to　make　the　pot　boil；　you　can　call　me；　if　you　like；
Godefroid　de　Bouillon。〃

The　old　man　was　far　too　moved　to　laugh　at　a　joke。　He　held　out　his　hand
to　Godefroid；　and　pressed　that　which　the　young　man　gave　him　in　return。

〃You　wish　to　keep　your　incognito？〃　he　said；　looking　at　Godefroid
sadly；　with　some　uneasiness。

〃If　you　will　allow　it。〃

〃Well；　as　you　will。　Come　to…night；　and　you　shall　see　my　daughter　if
her　condition　permits。〃

This　was　evidently　a　great　concession　in　the　eyes　of　the　poor　father；
and　he　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing；　by　the　look　on　Godefroid's
face；　that　it　was　understood。

An　hour　later；　Cartier　returned　with　a　number　of　beautiful　flowering
plants；　which　he　placed　himself　in　the　jardinieres；　covering　them　with
fresh　moss。　Godefroid　paid　his　bill；　also　that　of　the　circulating
library；　which　was　brought　soon　after。　Books　and　flowers！these　were
the　daily　bread　of　this　poor　invalid；　this　tortured　creature；　who　was
satisfied　with　so　little。

As　he　thought　of　this　family；　coiled　by　misfortunes　like　that　of　the
Laocoon　（sublime　image　of　so　many　lives）；　Godefroid；　who　was　now　on
his　way　on　foot　to　the　rue　Marbeuf；　was　conscious　in　his　heart　of　more
curiosity　than　benevolence。　This　sick　woman；　surrounded　by　luxury　in
the　midst　of　such　direful　poverty；　made　him　forget　the　horrible
details　of　the　strangest　of　all　nervous　disorders；　which　is　happily
rare；　though　recorded　by　a　few　historians。　One　of　our　most　gossiping
chroniclers；　Tallemant　des　Reaux；　cites　an　instance　of　it。　The　mind
instinctively　pictures　a　woman　as　being　elegant　in　the　midst　of　her
worst　sufferings；　and　Godefroid　let　himself　dwell　on　the　pleasure　of
entering　that　chamber　where　none　but　the　father；　son；　and　doctor　had
been　admitted　for　six　years。　Nevertheless；　he　ended　by　blaming　himself
for　his　curiosity。　He　even　felt　that　the　sentiment；　natural　as　it　was；
would　cease　as　he　went　on　exercising　his　beneficent　ministry；　from　the
mere　fact　of　seeing　more　distressed　homes　and　many　sorrows。

Such　agents　do　reach　in　time　a　divine　serenity　which　nothing　surprises
or　confounds；　just　as　in　love　we　come　to　the　divine　quietude　of　that
emotion；　sure　of　its　strength；　sure　of　its　lastingness；　through　our
constant　experience　of　its　pains　and　sweetnesses。

Godefroid　was　told　that　Halpersohn　had　returned　during　the　night；　but
had　been　obliged　to　go　out　at　once　to　visit　patients　who　were　awaiting
him。　The　porter　told　Godefroid　to　come　the　next　day　before　nine
o'clock　in　the　morning。

Remembering　Monsieur　Alain's　injunction　to　parsimony　in　his　personal
expenses；　Godefroid　dined　for　twenty…five　sous　in　the　rue　de　Tournon；
and　was　rewarded　for　his　abnegation　by　finding　himself　in　the　midst　of
compositors　and　pressmen。　He　heard　a　discussion　on　costs　of
manufacturing；　and　learned　that　an　edition　of　one　thousand　copies　of
an　octavo　volume　of　forty　sheets　did　not　cost　more　than　thirty　sous　a
copy；　in　the　best　style　of　printing。　He　resolved　to　ascertain　the
price　at　which　publishers　of　law　books　sold　their　volumes；　so　as　to　be
prepared　for　a　discussion　with　the　men　who　held　Monsieur　Bernard　in
their　clutches　if　he　should　have　to　meet　them。

Towards　seven　in　the　evening　he　returned　to　the　boulevard　du　Mont…
Parnasse；　by　way　of　the　rue　de　Vaugiraud　and　the　rue　de　l'Ouest；　and
he　saw　then　how　deserted　the　quarter　was；　for　he　met　no　one。　It　is
true　that　the　cold　was　rigorous；　and　the　snow　fell　in　great　flakes；
the　wheels　of　the　carriages　making　no　noise　upon　the　pavements。

〃Ah；　here　you　are；　monsieur！〃　said　Madame　Vauthier。　〃If　I　had　known
you　were　coming　home　so　early　I　would　have　made　your　fire。〃

〃I　don't　want　one；〃　said　Godefroid；　seeing　that　the　widow　followed
him。　〃I　shall　spend　the　evening　in　Monsieur　Bernard's　apartment。〃

〃Well；　well！　you　must　be　his　cousin；　if　you　are　hand　and　glove　like
that！　Perhaps　monsieur　will　finish　now　the　little　conversation　we
began。〃

〃Ah；　yes！about　that　four　hundred　francs。　Look　here；　my　good　Madame
Vauthier；　you　are　trying　to　see　which　way　the　cat　jumps；　and　you'll
tumble　yourself　between　two　stools。　As　for　me；　you　have　betrayed　me；
and　made　me　miss　the　whole　affair。〃

〃Now；　don't　think　that；　my　dear　monsieur。　To…morrow；　while　you
breakfast〃

〃To…morrow　I　shall　not　breakfast　here。　I　am　going　out；　like　your
authors；　at　cock…crow。〃

Godefroid's　antecedents；　his　life　as　a　man　of　the　world　and　a
journalist；　served　him　in　this；　that　he　felt　quite　sure；　unless　he
took　this　tone；　that　Barbet's　spy　would　warn　the　old　publisher　of
danger；　and　probably　lead　to　active　measures　under　which　Monsieur
Bernard　would　before　long　be　arrested；　whereas；　if　he　left　the　trio　of
harpies　to　suppose　that　their　scheme　ran　no　risk　of　defeat；　they　would
keep　quiet。

But　Godefroid　did　not　yet　know　Parisian　human　nature　when　embodied　in
a　Vauthier。　That　woman　resolved　to　have　Godefroid's　money　and　Barbet's
too。　She　instantly　ran　off　to　her　proprietor；　while　Godefroid　changed
his　clothes　in　order　to　present　himself　properly　before　the　daughter
of　Monsieur　Bernard。



XV

AN　EVENING　WITH　VANDA

Eight　o'clock　was　striking　from　the　convent　of　the　Visitation；　the
clock　of　the　quarter；　when　the　inquisitive　Godefroid　tapped　gently　at
his　neighbor's　door。　Auguste　opened　it。　As　it　happened　to　be　a
Saturday；　the　young　lad　had　his　evening　to　himself。　Godefroid　beheld
him　in　a　little　sack…coat　of　black　velvet；　a　blue　silk　cravat；　and
black　trousers。　But　his　surprise　at　the　youth's　appearance；　so
different　from　that　of　this　outside　life；　ceased　as　soon　as　he　had
entered　the　invalid's　chamber。　He　then　understood　the　reason　why　both
father　and　son　were　well　dressed。

For　a　moment　the　contrast　between　the　squalor　of　the　other　rooms；　as
he　had　seen　them　that　morning；　and　the　luxury　of　this　chamber；　was　so
great　that　Godefroid　was　dazzled；　though　habituated　for　years　to　the
luxury　and　elegance　procured　by　wealth。

The　walls　of　the　room　were　hung　with　yellow　silk；　relieved　by　twisted
fringes　of　a　bright　green；　giving　a　gay　and　cheerful　aspect　to　the
chamber；　the　cold　tiled　floor　of　which　was　hidden　by　a　moquette　carpet
with　a　white　ground　strewn　with　flowers。　The　windows；　draped　by
handsome　curtains　lined　with　white　silk；　were　like　conservatories；　so
full　were　they　of　plants　in　flower。　The　blinds　were　lowered；　which
prevented　this　luxury；　so　rare　in　that　quarter　of　the　town；　from　being
seen　from　the　street。　The　woodwork　was　painted　in　white　enamel；
touched　up；　here　and　there；　by　a　few　gold　lines。

At　the　door　was　a　heavy　portiere；　embroidered　by　hand　with　fantastic
foliage　on　a　yellow　ground；　so　thick　that　all　sounds　from　without　were
stifled。　This　magnificent　curtain　was　made　by　the　sick　woman　herself；
who　could　work；　when　she　had　the　use　of　her　hands；　like　a　fairy。

At　the　farther　end　of　the　room；　and　opposite　to　the　door；　was　the
fireplace；　with　a　green　velvet　mantel…shelf；　on　which　a　few　extremely
elegant　ornaments；　the　last　relics　of　the　opulence　of　two　families；
were　arranged。　These　consisted　of　a　curious　clock；　in　the　shape　of　an
elephant　supporting　on　its　back　a　porcelain　tower　which　was　filled
with　the　choicest　flowers；　two　candelabra　in　the　same　style；　and
several　precious　Chinese　treasures。　The　fender；　andirons；　tongs；　and
shovel　were　all　of　the　handsomest　description。

The　largest　of　the　flower…stands　was　placed　in　the　middle　of　the　room；
and　above　it　hung　a　porcelain　chandelier　designed　with　wreaths　of
flowers。

The　bed　on　which　the　old　man's　daughter　lay　was　one　of　those　beautiful
white　and　gold　carved　bedsteads　such　as　were　made　in　the　Louis　XV。
period。　By　the　sick　woman's　pillow　was　a　very　pretty　marquetry　table；
on　which　were　the　various　articles　necessary　to　this　bedridden　life。
Against　the　wall　was　a　bracket　lamp　with　two　branches；　either　of　which
could　be　moved　forward　or　back　by　a　mere　touch　of　the　hand。　A　small
table；　adapted　to　the　use　of　the　invalid；　extended　in　front　of　her。
The　bed；　covered　with　a　beautiful　counterpane；　and　draped　with
curtains　held　back　by　cords；　was　heaped　with　books；　a　work…basket；　and
articles　of　embroidery；　beneath　which　Godefroid　would　scarcely　have
distinguished　the　sick　woman　herself　had　it　not　been　for　the　light　of
the　bracket　lamps。

There　was　nothing　of　her　to　be　seen　but　a　face　of　extreme　whiteness；
browned　around　the　eyes　by　suffering；　in　which　shone　eyes　of　fire；　its
principal　adornment　being　a　magnificent　mass　of　black　hair；　the
numerous　heavy　curls　of　which；　carefully　arranged；　showed　that　the
dressing　of　those　beautiful　locks　occupied　a　good　part　of　the
invalid's　morning。　This　supposition　was　further　strengthened　by　the
porta