the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第11节

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s　masterly　engravings　of　caryatides　and　telamones。　This　apparent　disorder　which　only　masked　cunning　arrangement；　this　factitious　hazard　which　had　placed　the　best　objects　in　the　most　favourable　light；　would　have　increased　my　distrust　of　the　place；　but　that　the　distrust　which　the　mere　name　of　Polizzi　had　already　inspired　could　not　have　been　increased　by　any　circumstancesbeing　already　infinite。

Signor　Rafael；　who　sat　there　as　the　presiding　genius　of　all　these　vague　and　incongruous　shapes；　impressed　me　as　a　phlegmatic　young　man；　with　a　sort　of　English　character。　　he　betrayed　no　sign　whatever　of　those　transcendent　faculties　displayed　by　his　father　in　the　arts　of　mimcry　and　declamation。

I　told　him　what　I　had　come　for；　he　opened　a　cabinet　and　drew　from　it　a　manuscript；　which　he　placed　on　a　table　that　I　might　examine　it　at　my　leisure。

Never　in　my　life　did　I　experience　such　an　emotionexcept；　indeed；　during　some　few　brief　months　of　my　youth；　months　whose　memories；　though　I　should　live　a　hundred　years；　would　remain　as　fresh　at　my　last　hour　as　in　the　first　day　they　came　to　me。

It　was；　indeed；　the　very　manuscript　described　by　the　librarian　of　Sir　Thomas　Raleigh；　it　was；　indeed；　the　manuscript　of　the　Clerk　Alexander　which　I　saw；　which　I　touched！　　The　work　of　Voragine　himself　had　been　perceptibly　abridged；　but　that　made　little　difference　to　me。　　All　the　inestimable　additions　of　the　monk　of　Saint…Germain…　des…Pres　were　there。　　That　was　the　main　point！　　I　tried　to　read　the　Legend　of　Saint　Droctoveus；　but　I　could　notall　the　lines　of　the　page　quivered　before　my　eyes；　and　there　was　a　sound　in　my　ears　like　the　noise　of　a　windmill　in　the　country　at　night。　　Nevertheless；　I　was　able　to　see　that　the　manuscript　offered　every　evidence　of　indubitable　authenticity。　　The　two　drawings　of　the　Purification　of　the　Virgin　and　the　Coronationof　Proserpine　were　meagre　in　design　and　vulgar　in　violence　of　colouring。　　Considerably　damaged　in　1824；　as　attested　by　the　catalogue　of　Sir　Thomas；　they　had　obtained　during　the　interval　a　new　aspect　of　freshness。　　But　this　miracle　did　not　surprise　me　at　all。　　And；　besides；　what　did　I　care　about　the　two　miniatures？　　The　legends　and　the　poem　of　Alexanderthose　alone　formed　the　treasure　I　desired。　　My　eyes　devoured　as　much　of　it　as　they　had　the　power　to　absorb。

I　affected　indifference　while　asking　Signor　Polizzi　the　price　of　the　manuscript；　and；　while　awaiting　his　reply；　I　offered　up　a　secret　prayer　that　the　price　might　not　exceed　the　amount　of　ready　money　at　my　disposalalready　much　diminished　by　the　cost　of　my　expensive　voyage。　　Signor　Polizzi；　however；　informed　me　that　he　was　not　at　liberty　to　dispose　of　the　article；　inasmuch　as　it　did　not　belong　to　him；　and　was　to　be　sold　at　auction　shortly；　at　the　Hotel　des　Ventes；　with　a　number　of　other　MSS。　and　several　incunabula。

This　was　a　severe　blow　to　me。　　It　tried　to　preserve　my　calmness；　notwithstanding；　and　replied　somewhat　to　this　effect：

〃You　surprise　me；　Monsieur！　　Your　father；　whom　I　talked　with　recently　at　Girgenti；　told　me　positively　that　the　manuscript　was　yours。　　You　cannot　now　attempt　to　make　me　discredit　your　father's　word。〃

〃I　DID　own　the　manuscript；　indeed；〃　answered　Signor　Rafael　with　absolute　frankness；　〃but　I　do　not　own　it　any　longer。　　I　sold　that　manuscriptthe　remarkable　interest　of　which　you　have　not　failed　to　perceiveto　an　amateur　whom　I　am　forbidden　to　name；　and　who；　for　reasons　which　I　am　not　at　liberty　to　mention；　finds　himself　obliged　to　sell　his　collection。　　I　am　honoured　with　the　confidence　of　my　customer；　and　was　commissioned　by　him　to　draw　up　the　catalogue　and　manage　the　sale；　which　takes　place　the　24th　of　December。　　Now；　if　you　will　be　kind　enough　to　give　me　your　address；　I　shall　have　the　pleasure　of　sending　you　the　catalogue；　which　is　already　in　the　press。　　you　fill　find　the　'Legende　Doree'　described　in　it　as　'No。　42。'〃

I　gave　my　address；　and　left　the　shop。

The　polite　gravity　of　the　son　impressed　me　quite　as　disagreeably　as　the　impudent　buffoonery　of　the　father。　　I　hated；　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart；　the　tricks　of　the　vile　hagglers！　　It　was　perfectly　evident　that　the　two　rascals　had　a　secret　understanding；　and　had　only　devised　this　auction…sale；　with　the　aid　of　a　professional　appraiser；　to　force　the　bidding　on　the　manuscript　I　wanted　so　much　up　to　an　outrageous　figure。　　I　was　completely　at　their　mercy。　　There　is　one　evil　in　all　passionate　desires；　even　the　noblestnamely；　that　they　leave　us　subject　to　the　will　of　others；　and　in　so　far　dependent。　　This　reflection　made　me　suffer　cruelly；　but　it　did　not　conquer　my　longing　to　won　the　work　of　Clerk　Alexander。　　While　I　was　thus　meditating；　I　heard　a　coachman　swear。　　And　I　discovered　it　was　I　whom　he　was　swearing　at　only　when　I　felt　the　pole　of　a　carriage　poke　me　in　the　ribs。　　I　started　aside；　barely　in　time　to　save　myself　from　being　run　over；　and　whom　did　I　perceive　through　the　windows　of　the　coupe？　Madame　Trepof；　being　taken　by　two　beautiful　horses；　and　a　coachman　all　wrapped　up　in　furs　like　a　Russian　Boyard；　into　the　very　street　I　had　just　left。　　She　did　not　notice　me；　she　was　laughing　to　herself　with　that　artless　grace　of　expression　which　still　preserved　for　her；　at　thirty　years；　all　the　charm　of　her　early　youth。

〃Well；　well！〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃she　is　laughing！　　I　suppose　she　must　have　just　found　another　match…box。〃

And　I　made　my　way　back　to　the　Ponts；　feeling　very　miserable。

Nature；　eternally　indifferent；　neither　hastened　nor　hurried　the　twenty…fourth　day　of　December。　　I　went　to　the　Hotel　Bullion；　and　took　my　place　in　Salle　No。　4；　immediately　below　the　high　desk　at　which　the　auctioneer　Boulouze　and　the　expert　Polizzi　were　to　sit。　I　saw　the　hall　gradually　fill　with　familiar　faces。　　I　shook　hands　with　several　old　booksellers　of　the　quays；　but　that　prudence　which　any　large　interest　inspires　in　even　the　most　self…assured　caused　me　to　keep　silence　in　regard　to　the　reason　of　my　unaccustomed　presence　in　the　halls　of　the　Hotel　Bullion。　　On　the　other　hand；　I　questioned　those　gentlemen　at　the　auction　sale；　and　I　had　teh　satisfaction　of　finding　them　all　interested　about　matters　in　no　wise　related　to　my　affair。

Little　by　little　the　hall　became　thronged　with　interested　or　merely　curious　spectators；　and；　after　half　an　hour's　delay；　the　auctioneer　with　his　ivory　hammer；　the　clerk　with　his　bundle　of　memorandum…papers；　and　the　crier；　carrying　his　collection…box　fixed　to　the　end　of　a　pole；　all　took　their　places　on　the　platform　in　the　most　solemn　business　manner。　　The　attendants　ranged　themselves　at　the　foot　of　the　desk。　　The　presiding　officer　having　declared　the　sale　open；　a　partial　hush　followed。

A　commonplace　series　of　Preces　dia；　with　miniatures；　were　first　sold　off　at　mediocre　prices。　　Needless　to　say；　the　illuminations　of　these　books　were　in　perfect　condition！

The　lowness　of　the　bids　gave　courage　to　the　gathering　of　second…hand　booksellers　present；　who　began　to　mingle　with　us；　and　become　more　familiar。　　The　dealers　in　old　brass　and　bric…a…brac　pressed　forward　in　their　tun；　waiting　for　the　doors　of　an　adjoining　room　to　be　opened；　and　the　voice　of　the　auctioneer　was　drowned　by　the　jests　of　the　Auvergnats。

A　magnificent　codex　of　the　〃Guerre　des　Juifs〃　revived　attention。　　It　was　long　disputed　for。　　〃Five　thousand　francs！　five　thousand！〃　called　the　crier；　while　the　bric…a…brac　dealers　remained　silent　with　admiration。　　Then　seven　or　eight　antiphonaries　brought　us　back　again　to　low　prices。　　A　fat　old　woman；　in　a　loose　gown；　bareheadeda　dealer　in　second…hand　goodsencouraged　by　the　size　of　the　books　and　the　low　prices　bidden；　had　one　of　the　antiphonaries　knocked　down　to　her　for　thirty　francs。

At　last　the　expert　Polizzi　announced　No。　42：　〃The　'Golden　Legend'；　French　MS。；　unpublished；　two　superb　miniatures；　with　a　starting　bid　of　three　thousand　francs。〃

〃Three　thousand！　three　thousand　bid！〃　yelled　the　crier。

〃Three　thousand！〃　dryly　repeated　the　auctioneer。

There　was　a　buzzing　in　my　head；　and；　as　through　a　cloud；　I　saw　a　host　of　curious　faces　all　turning　towards　the　manuscript；　which　a　boy　was　carrying　open　through　the　audience。

〃Three　thousand　and　fifty！〃　I　said。

I　was　frightened　by　the　sound　of　my　own　voice；　and　further　confused　by　seeing；　or　thinking　that　I　saw；　all　eyes　turned　on　me。

〃Three　thousand　and　fifty　on　the　right！〃　called　the　crier；　taking　up　my　bid。

〃Three　thousand　one　hundred！〃　responded　Signor　Polizzi。

Then　began　a　heroic　duel　between　the　expert　and　myself。

〃Three　thousand　five　hundred！〃

〃Six　hundred！〃

〃Seven　hundred！〃

〃Four　thousand！〃

〃Four　thousand　five　hundred。〃

Then　by　a　sudden　bold　stroke；　Signor　Polizzi　raised　the　bid　at　once　to　six　thousand。

Six　thousand　francs　was　all　the　money　I　could　dispose　of。　　It　represented　the　possible。　　I　risked　the　impossible。

〃Six　thousand　one　hundred！〃

Alas！　even　the　impossible　did　not　suffice。

〃Six　thousand　five　hundred！〃　replied　Signor　Polizzi；　with　calm。

I　bowed　my　head　and　sat　there　stupefied；　unable　to　answer　either　yes　or　no　to　the　crier；　who　called　to　me：

〃Six　thousand　five　hundred；　by　menot　by　you　on　the　right　there！it　is　my　bidno　mistake！　　Six　thousand　five　hundred！〃

〃Perfectly　understood！〃　declared　the　auctioneer。　　〃Six　thousand　five　hundred。　　Perfectly　clear；　perfect