the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第13节
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t a person。 But his first aspect of tender interest invariably reappeared when he spoke to any of our mothers in our presence； and always at such times； while warmly praising our remarkable aptitudes； he would cast down upon us a look of intense affection。 Still； those were happy days which I passed on the benches of the Monsieur Couloir with my little playfellows； who； like myself； cried and laughed by turns with all their might； from morning till evening。
After a whole half…century these souvenirs float up again； fresh and bright as ever； to the surface of memory； under this starry sky； whose face has in no wise changed since then； and whose serene and immutable lights will doubtless see many other schoolboys such as I was slowly turn into grey…headed servants； afflicted with catarrh。
Stars； who have shown down upon each wise or foolish head among all my forgotten ancestors； it is under your soft light that I now feel stir within me a certain poignant regret！ I would that I could have a son who might be able to see you when I shall see you no more。 How I should love him！ Ah！ such a son wouldwhat am I saying？ why； he would be no just twenty years old if you had only been willing； Clementineyou whose cheeks used to look so ruddy under your pink hood！ But you are married to that young bank clerk； Noel Alexandre； who made so many millions afterwards！ I never met you again after your marriage； Clementine； but I can see you now； with your bright curls and your pink hood。
A looking…glass！ a looking…glass！ a looking…glass！ Really； it would be curious to see what I look like now； with my white hair； sighing Clementine's name to the stars！ Still； it is not right to end with sterile irony the thought begun in the spirit of faith and love。 No； Clementine； if your name came to my lips by chance this beautiful night； be it for ever blessed； your dear name！ and may you ever； as a happy mother； a happy grandmother； enjoy to the very end of life with your rich husband the utmost degree of that happiness which you had the right to believe you could not win with the poor young scholar who loved you！ Ifthough I cannot even now imagine itif your beautiful hair has become white； Clementine； bear worthily the bundle of keys confided to you by Noel Alexandre； and impart to your grandchildren the knowledge of all domestic virtues！
Ah！ beautiful Night！ She rules； with such noble repose； over men and animals alike； kindly loosed by her from the yoke of daily toil； and even I feel her beneficent influence； although my habits of sixty years have so changed me that I can feel most things only through the signs which represent them。 My world is wholly formed of wordsso much of a philologist I have become！ Each one dreams the dream of life in his own way。 I have dreamed it in my library； and when the hour shall come in which I must leave this world； may it please God to take me from my ladderfrom before my shelves of books！。。。
〃Well； well！ it is really himself； pardieu！ How are you； Monsieur Sylvestre Bonnard？ And where have you been travelling to all this time； over the country； while I was waiting for you at the station with my cabriolet？ You missed me when the train came in； and I was driving back； quite disappointed； to Lusance。 Give me your valise； and get up here beside me in the carriage。 Why； do you know it is fully seven kilometres from here to the chateau？〃
Who addresses me thus； at the very top of his voice from the height of his cabriolet？ Monsieur Paul de Gabry； nephew and heir of Monsieur Honore de Gabry； peer of France in 1842； who recently died at Monaco。 And it was precisely to Monsieur Paul de Gabry's house that I was going with that valise of mine； so carefully strapped by my housekeeper。 This excellent young man has just inherited； conjointly with his two brothers…in…law； the property of his uncle； who； belonging to a very ancient family of distinguished lawyers； had accumulated in his chateau at Lusance a library rich in MSS。； some dating back to the fourteenth century。 It was for the purpose of making an inventory and catalogue of these MSS。 that I had come to Lusance at the urgent request of Monsieur Paul de Gabry； whose father； a perfect gentleman and distinguished bibliophile； had maintained the most pleasant relations with me during his lifetime。 To tell the truth； Monsieur Paul has not inherited the fine tastes of his father。 Monsieur Paul likes sporting； he is a great authority on horses and dogs； and I much fear that of all the sciences capable of satisfying or of duping the inexhaustible curiosity of mankind； those of the stable and the dog…kennel are the only ones thoroughly mastered by him。
I cannot say I was surprised to meet him； since we had made a rendezvous； but I acknowledge that I had become so preoccupied with my own thoughts that I had forgotten all about the Chateau de Lusance and its inhabitants； and that the voice of the gentleman calling out to me as I started to follow the country road winding away before me〃un bon ruban de queue；〃 as they sayhad given me quite a start。
I fear my face must have betrayed my incongruous distraction by a certain stupid expression which it is apt to assume in most of my social transactions。 My valise was pulled up into the carriage； and I followed my valise。 My host pleased me by his straightforward simplicity。
〃I don't know anything myself about your old parchments；〃 he said； 〃but I think you will find some folks to talk to at the house。 Besides the cure； who writes books himself； and the doctor； who is a very good fellowalthough a radicalyou will meet somebody able to keep your company。 I mean my wife。 She is not a very learned woman； but there are few things which she can't divine pretty well。 Then I count upon being able to keep you with us long enough to make you acquainted with Mademoiselle Jeanne； who has the fingers of a magician and the soul of an angel。〃
〃And is this delightfully gifted young lady one of your family？〃 I asked。
〃Not at all；〃 replied Monsieur Paul。
〃Then she is just a friend of yours？〃 I persisted； rather stupidly。
〃She has lost both her father and mother；〃 answered Monsieur de Gabry； keeping his eyes fixed upon the ears of his horse； whose hoofs rang loudly over the road blue…tinted by the moonshine。 〃Her father managed to get us into some very serious trouble； and we did not get off with a fright either！〃
Then he shook his head； and changed the subject。 He gave me due warning of the ruinous condition in which I should find the chateau and the park； they had been absolutely deserted for thirty…two years。
I learned from him that Monsieur Honore de Gabry； his uncle； had been on very bad terms with some poachers； whom he used to shoot at like rabbits。 One of them； a vindictive peasant； who had received a whole charge of shot in his face； lay in wait for the Seigneur one evening behind the trees of the mall； and very nearly succeeded in killing him； for the ball took off the tip of his ear。
〃My uncle；〃 Monsieur Paul continued； 〃tried to discover who had fired the shot； but he could not see any one； and he walked back slowly to the house。 The day after he called his steward and ordered him to close up the manor and the park； and allow no living soul to enter。 He expressly forbade that anything should be touched； or looked after； or any repairs made on the estate during his absence。 He added； between his teeth； that he would return at Easter； or Trinity Sunday； as they say in the song； and； just as the song has it； Trinity Sunday passed without a sign of him。 He died last year at Monaco； my brother…in…law and myself were the first to enter the chateau after it had been abandoned for thirty…two years。 We found a chestnut…tree growing in the middle of the parlour。 As for the park； it was useless trying to visit it； because there were no longer any paths or alleys。〃
My companion ceased to speak； and only the regular hoof…beat of the trotting horse； and the chirping of insects in the grass； broke the silence。 On either hand； the sheaves standing in the fields took； in the vague moonlight； the appearance of tall white women kneeling down； and I abandoned myself awhile to those wonderful childish fancies which the charm of night always suggests。 After driving under the heavy shadows of the mall； we turned to the right and rolled up a lordly avenue at the end of which the chateau suddenly rose into viewa black mass； with turrets en poivriere。 We followed a sort of causeway； which gave access to the court…of…honor； and which； passing over a moat full of running water； doubtless replaced a long…vanished drawbridge。 The loss of that draw…bridge must have been； I think； the first of various humiliations to which the warlike manor had been subjected ere being reduced to that pacific aspect with which it received me。 The stars reflected themselves with marvelous clearness in the dark water。 Monsieur Paul； like a courteous host； escorted me to my chamber at the very top of the building； at the end of a long corridor； and then； excusing himself for not presenting me at once to his wife by reason of the lateness of the hour； bade me good…night。
My apartment； painted in white and hung with chin
