the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第14节
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f the lateness of the hour； bade me good…night。
My apartment； painted in white and hung with chintz； seemed to keep some traces of the elegant gallantry of the eighteenth century。 A heap of still…glowing asheswhich testified to the pains taken to dispel humidityfilled the fireplace； whose marble mantlepiece supported a bust of Marie Antoinette in bisuit。 Attached to the frame of the tarnished and discoloured mirror； two brass hooks； that had once doubtless served the ladies of old…fashioned days to hang their chatelaines on； seemed to offer a very opportune means of suspending my watch； which I took care to wind up beforehand； for； contrary to the opinion of the Thelemites； I hold that man is only master of time； which is Life itself； when he has divided it into hours； minutes and secondsthat is to say； into parts proportioned to the brevity of human existence。
And I thought to myself that life really seems short to us only because we measure it irrationally by our own mad hopes。 We have all of us； like the old man in the fable； a new wing to add to our building。 I want； for example； before I die； to finish my 〃History of the Abbots of Saint…Germain…de…Pres。〃 The time God allots to each one of us is like a precious tissue which we embroider as we best know how。 I had begun my woof with all sorts of philological illustrations。。。。 So my thoughts wandered on； and at last； as I bound my foulard about my head； the notion of Time led me back to the past； and for the second time within the same round of the dial I thought of you； Clementineto bless you again in your prosperity； if you have any； before blowing out my candle and falling asleep amid the chanting of the frogs。
Chapter II
During breakfast I had many opportunities to appreciate the good taste； tact； and intelligence of Madame de Gabry； who told me that the chateau had its ghosts； and was especially haunted by the 〃Lady… with…three…wrinkles…in…her…back；〃 a prisoner during her lifetime； and thereafter a Soul…in…pain。 I could never describe how much wit and animation she gave to this old nurse's tale。 We took out； coffee on the terrace； whose balusters； clasped and forcibly torn away from their stone coping by a vigorous growth of ivy； remained suspended in the grasp of the amorous plant like bewildered Athenian women in the arms of ravishing Centaurs。
The chateau； shaped something like a four…wheeled wagon； with a turret at each of the four angles； had lost all original character by reason of repeated remodellings。 It was merely a fine spacious building； nothing more。 It did not appear to me to have suffered much damage during its abandonment of thirty…two years。 But when Madame de Gabry conducted me into the great salon of the ground… floor； I saw that the planking was bulged in and out； the plinths rotten； the wainscotings split apart； the paintings of the piers turned black and hanging more than half out of their settings。 A chestnut…tree； after forcing up the planks of the floor； had grown tall under the ceiling； and was reaching out its large…leaved branches towards the glassless windows。
This spectacle was not devoid of charm； but I could not look at it without anxiety as I remembered that the rich library of Monsieur Honore de Gabry； in an adjoining apartment； must have been exposed for the same length of time to the same forces of decay。 Yet； as I looked at the young chestnut…tree in the salon； I could not but admire the magnificent vigour of Nature； and that resistless power which forces every germ to develop into life。 On the other hand I felt saddened to think that； whatever effort we scholars may make to preserve dead things from passing away； we are labouring painfully in vain。 Whatever has lived becomes the necessary food of new existences。 And the Arab who builds himself a hut out of the marble fragments of a Palmyra temple is really more of a philosopher than all the guardians of museums at London； Munich； or Paris。
August 11。
All day long I have been classifying MSS。。。。 The sun came in through the loft uncurtained windows； and； during my reading； often very interesting； I could hear the languid bumblebees bump heavily against the windows； and the flies intoxicated with light and heat； making their wings hum in circles around my head。 So loud became their humming about three o'clock that I looked up from the document I was readinga document containing very precious materials for the history of Melun in the thirteenth centuryto watch the concentric movements of those tiny creatures。 〃Bestions；〃 Lafontaine calls them： he found this form of the word in the old popular speech； whence also the term； tapisserie…a…bestions； applied to figured tapestry。 I was compelled to confess that the effect of heat upon the wings of a fly is totally different from that it exerts upon the brain of a paleographical archivist； for I found it very difficult to think； and a rather pleasant languor weighing upon me； from which I could rouse myself only by a very determined effort。 The dinner…bell then startled me in the midst of my labours； and I had barely time to put on my new dress…coat； so as to make a respectable appearance before Madame de Gabry。
The repast； generously served； seemed to prolong itself for my benefit。 I am more than a fair judge of wine； and my hostess； who discovered my knowledge in this regard； was friendly enough to open a certain bottle of Chateau…Margaux in my honour。 With deep respect I drank of this famous and knightly old wine； which comes from the slopes of Bordeaux； and of which the flavour and exhilarating power are beyond praise。 The ardour of it spread gently through my veins； and filled me with an almost juvenile animation。 Seated beside Madame de Gabry on the terrace； in the gloaming which gave a charming melancholy to the park； and lent to every object an air of mystery； I took pleasure in communicating my impression of the scene to my hostess。 I discoursed with a vivacity quite remarkable on the part of a man so devoid of imagination as I am。 I described to her spontaneously； without quoting from an old texts； the caressing melancholy of the evening； and the beauty of that natal earth which feeds us； not only with bread and wine； but also with ideas； sentiments； and beliefs； and which will at last take us all back to her maternal breast again； like so many tired little children at the close of a long day。
〃Monsieur；〃 said the kind lady； 〃you see these old towers； those trees； that sky； is it not quite natural that the personage of the popular tales and folk…songs should have been evoked by such scenes？ Why； over there is the very path which Little Red Riding…hood followed when she went to the woods to pick nuts。 Across this changeful and always vapoury sky the fairy chariots used to roll； and the north tower might have sheltered under its pointed roof that same old spinning woman whose distaff picked the Sleeping Beauty in the Wood。〃
I continued to muse upon her pretty fancies； while Monsieur Paul related to me； as he puffed a very strong cigar； the history of some suit he had brought against the commune about a water…right。 Madame de Gabry； feeling the chill night air； began to shiver under the shawl her husband had wrapped about her； and left us to go to her room。 I then decided； instead of going to my own； to return to the library and continue my examination of the manuscripts。 In spite of the protests of Monsieur Paul； I entered what I may call； in old…fashioned phrase； 〃the book…room；〃 and started to work by the light of a lamp。
After having read fifteen pages； evidently written by some ignorant and careless scribe； for I could scarcely discern their meaning； I plunged my hand into the pocket of my coat to get my snuff…box； but this movement； usually so natural and almost instinctive； this time cost me some effort and even fatigue。 Nevertheless； I got out the silver box； and took from it a pinch of the odorous powder； which； somehow or other； I managed to spill all over my shirt…bosom under my baffled nose。 I am sure my nose must have expressed its disappointment； for it is a very expressive nose。 More than once it has betrayed my secret thoughts； and especially upon a certain occasion at the public library of Coutances； where I discovered； right in front of my colleague Brioux； the 〃Cartulary of Notre… Dame…des…Anges。〃
What a delight！ My little eyes remained as dull and expressionless as ever behind my spectacles。 But at the mere sight of my thick pug… nose； which quivered with joy and pride； Brioux knew that I had found something。 He noted the volume I was looking at； observed the place where I put it back； pounced upon it as soon as I turned my heel； copied it secretly； and published in haste； for the sake of playing me a trick。 But his edition swarms with errors； and I had the satisfaction of afterwards criticising some of the gross blunders he made。
But to come back to the point at which I left off： I began to suspect that I was getting very sleepy indeed。 I was looking at a chart of which the interest may be divined from the fact that it contained mention of a hutch sold to Jehan d'Estonville； priest； in 1312。 But although； even then； I could recognise the
