the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第37节

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George？　　Up　to　that　time　I　had　worked　at　it　as　well　as　I　couldjust　simply　to　work　at　itjust　to　amuse　myself。　　But　when　I　lost　all　hope　of　ever　seeing　you　again　I　took　my　little　wax　figure；　and　I　began　to　work　at　it　in　quite　another　way。　　I　did　not　try　to　model　it　with　wooden　matches　any　more；　as　I　had　been　doing；　but　with　hair　pins。　　I　even　made　use　of　epingles　a　la　neige。　　But　perhaps　you　do　not　know　what　epingles　a　la　neige　are？　　Well；　I　became　more　particular　about　than　you　can　possibly　imagine。　　I　put　a　dragon　on　Saint…George's　helmet；　and　I　passed　hours　and　hours　in　making　a　head　and　eyes　and　tail　for　the　dragon。　　Oh　the　eyes！　the　eyes；　above　all！　　I　never　stopped　working　at　them　till　I　got　them　so　that　they　had　red　pupils　and　white　eye…　lids　and　eye…brows　and　everything！　　I　know　I　am　very　silly；　I　had　an　idea　that　I　was　going　to　die　as　soon　as　my　little　Saint…George　would　be　finished。　　I　worked　at　it　during　recreation…hours；　and　Mademoiselle　Prefere　used　to　let　me　alone。　　One　day　I　learned　that　you　were　in　the　parlour　with　the　schoolmistress；　I　watched　for　you；　we　said　'Au　revoir！'　that　day　to　each　other。　　I　was　a　little　consoled　by　seeing　you。　　But；　some　time　after　that；　my　guardian　came　and　wanted　to　make　me　go　to　his　house；but　please　don't　ask　me　why；　Monsieur。　　He　answered　me；　quite　gently；　that　I　was　a　very　whimsical　little　girl。　　And　then　he　left　me　alone。　　But　the　next　day　Mademoiselle　Prefere　came　to　me　with　such　a　wicked　look　on　her　face　that　I　was　really　afraid。　　She　had　a　letter　in　her　hand。　　'Mademoiselle；'　she　said　to　me；　'I　am　informed　by　your　guardian　that　he　has　spent　all　the　money　which　belonged　to　you。　　Don't　be　afraid！　　I　do　not　intend　to　abandon　you；　but；　you　must　acknowledge　yourself；　it　is　only　right　that　you　should　earn　your　own　livelihood。'　Then　she　put　me　to　work　house…cleaning；　and　whenever　I　made　a　mistake　she　would　lock　me　up　in　the　garet　for　days　together。　　And　that　is　what　has　happened　to　me　since　I　saw　you　last。　　Even　if　I　had　been　able　to　write　to　you　I　do　not　know　whether　I　should　have　done　it；　because　I　did　not　think　you　could　possibly　take　me　away　from　the　school；　and；　as　Maitre　Mouche　did　not　come　back　to　see　me；　there　was　no　hurry。　　I　thought　I　could　wait　for　awhile　in　the　garret　and　the　kitchen。

〃Jeanne；〃　I　cried；　〃even　if　we　should　have　to　flee　to　Oceania；　the　abominable　Prefere　shall　never　get　hold　of　you　again。　　I　will　take　a　great　oath　on　that！　　And　why　should　we　not　go　to　Oceania？　　The　climate　is　very　healthy；　and　I　read　in　a　newspaper　the　other　day　that　they　have　pianos　there。　　But；　in　the　meantime；　let　us　go　to　the　house　of　Madame　de　Gabry；　who　returned　to　Paris；　as　luck　would　have　it；　some　three　or　four　days　ago；　for　you　and　I　are　two　innocent　fools；　and　we　have　great　need　of　some　one　to　help　us。〃

Even　as　I　was　speaking　Jeanne's　features　suddenly　became　pale；　and　seemed　to　shrink　into　lifelessness；　her　eyes　became　all　dim；　her　lips；　half　open；　contracted　with　an　expression　of　pain。　　Then　her　head　sank　sideways　on　her　shoulder；she　had　fainted。

I　lifter　her　in　my　arms；　and　carried　her　up　Madame　de　Gabry's　staircase　like　a　little　baby　asleep。　　But　I　was　myself　on　　the　point　of　fainting　from　emotional　excitement　and　fatigue　together；　when　she　came　to　herself　again。

〃Ah！　it　is　you。〃　she　said：　　〃so　much　the　better！〃

Such　was　our　condition　when　we　rang　our　friend's　door…bell。


Same　day。


It　was　eight　o'clock。　　Madame　de　Gabry；　as　might　be　supposed；　was　very　much　surprised　by　our　unexpected　appearance。　　But　she　welcomed　the　old　man　and　the　child　with　that　glad　kindness　which　always　expresses　itself　in　her　beautiful　gestures。　　It　seems　to　me；if　I　might　use　the　language　of　devotion　so　familiar　to　her；it　seems　to　me　as　though　some　heavenly　grace　streams　from　her　hands　when　ever　she　opens　them；　and　even　the　perfume　which　impregnates　her　robes　seems　to　inspire　the　sweet　calm　zeal　of　charity　and　good　works。　　Surprised　she　certainly　was；　but　she　asked　us　no　question；and　that　silence　seemed　to　me　admirable。

〃Madame；〃　I　said　to　her；　〃we　have　both　come　to　place　ourselves　under　your　protection。　　And；　first　of　all；　we　are　going　to　ask　you　to　give　us　some　superor　to　give　Jeanne　some；　at　least；　for　a　moment　ago；　in　the　carriage；　she　fainted　from　weakness。　　As　for　myself；　I　could　not　eat　a　bite　at　this　late　hour　without　passing　a　night　of　agony　in　consequence。　　I　hope　that　Monsieur　de　Gabry　is　well。〃

〃Oh；　he　is　here！〃　she　said。

And　she　called　him　immediately。

〃Come　in　here；　Paul！　　Come　and　see　Monsieur　Bonnard　and　Mademoiselle　Alexandre。〃

He　came。　　It　was　a　pleasure　for　me　to　see　his　frank　broad　face；　and　to　press　his　strong　square　hand。　　Then　we　went；　all　four　of　us；　into　the　dining…room；　and　while　some　cold　meat　was　being　cut　for　Jeannewhich　she　never　touched　notwithstandingI　related　our　adventure。　　Paul　de　Gabry　asked　me　permission　to　smoke　his　pipe；　after　which　he　listened　to　me　in　silence。　　When　I　had　finished　my　recital　he　scratched　the　short；　stiff　beard　upon　his　chin；　and　uttered　a　tremendous　〃Sacrebleu！〃　　But；　seeing　Jeanne　stare　at　each　of　us　in　turn；　with　a　frightened　look　in　her　face；　he　added：

〃We　will　talk　about　this　matter　to…morrow　morning。　　Come　into　my　study　for　a　moment；　I　have　an　old　book　to　show　you　that　I　want　you　to　tell　me　something　about。〃

I　followed　him　into　his　study；　where　the　steel　of　guns　and　hunting　knives；　suspended　against　the　dark　hangings；　glimmered　in　the　lamp…　light。　　There；　pulling　me　down　beside　him　upon　a　leather…covered　sofa；　he　exclaimed；

〃What　have　you　done？　　Great　God！　　Do　you　know　what　you　have　done？　Corruption　of　a　minor；　abduction；　kidnapping！　　You　have　got　yourself　into　a　nice　mess！　　You　have　simply　rendered　yourself　liable　to　a　sentence　of　imprisonment　of　not　less　than　five　nor　more　than　ten　years。〃

〃Mercy　on　us！〃　I　cried；　〃ten　years　imprisonment　for　having　saved　an　innocent　child。〃

〃That　is　the　law！〃　answered　Monsieur　de　Gabry。　　〃You　see；　my　dear　Monsieur　Bonnard；　I　happen　to　know　the　Code　pretty　wellnot　because　I　ever　studied　law　as　a　profession；　but　because；　as　mayor　of　Lusance；　I　was　obliged　to　teach　myself　something　about　it　in　order　to　be　able　to　give　information　to　my　subordinates。　　Mouche　is　a　rascal；　that　woman　Prefere　is　a　vile　hussy；　and　you　are　a。。。Well！　I　really　cannot　find　a　word　strong　enough　to　signify　what　you　are！〃

After　opening　his　bookcase；　where　dog…collars；　riding…whips；　stirrups；　spurs；　cigar…boxes；　and　a　few　books　of　reference　were　indiscriminately　stowed　away；　he　took　out　of　it　a　copy　of　the　Code；　and　began　to　turn　over　the　leaves。

〃'CRIMES　AND　MISDEMEANOURS'。。。'SEQUESTRATION　OF　PERSONS'that　is　not　your　case。。。。　　'ABDUCTION　OF　MINORS'here　we　are。。。。'ARTICLE　354'：'Whosever　shall；　either　by　fraud　or　violence；　have　abducted　or　have　caused　to　be　abducted　any　minor　or　minors；　or　shall　have　enticed　them；　or　turned　them　away　from；　or　forcibly　removed　them；　or　shall　have　caused　them　to　be　enticed；　or　turned　away　from　or　forcibly　removed　from　the　places　in　which　they　have　been　placed　by　those　to　whose　authority　or　direction　they　have　been　submitted　or　confided；　shall　be　liable　to　the　penalty　of　imprisonment。　　See　PENAL　CODE；　21　and　28。'　　Here　is　21：'The　term　of　imprisonment　shall　not　be　less　than　five　years。'　28。　'The　sentence　of　imprisonment　shall　be　considered　as　involving　a　loss　of　civil　rights。'　　Now　all　that　is　very　plain；　is　it　not；　Monsieur　Bonnard？〃

〃Perfectly　plain。〃

〃Now　let　us　go　on：　　'ARTICLE　356'：'In　case　the　abductor　be　under　the　age　of　21　years　at　the　time　of　the　offense；　he　shall　only　be　punished　with'。。。But　we　certainly　cannot　invoke　this　artice　in　your　favour。　　'ARTICLE　357：'：'In　case　the　abductor　shall　have　married　the　girl　by　him　abducted；　he　can　only　be　prosecuted　at　the　insistence　of　such　persons　as；　according　to　the　Civil　Code；　may　have　the　right　to　demand　that　the　marriage　shall　be　declared　null；　nor　can　he　be　condemned　until　after　the　nullity　of　the　marriage　shall　have　been　pronounced。'　　I　do　not　know　whether　it　is　a　part　of　your　plans　to　marry　Mademoiselle　Alexandre！　　You　can　see　that　the　code　is　good…　natured　about　it；　it　leaves　you　one　door　of　escape。　　But　noI　ought　not　to　joke　with　you；　because　really　you　have　put　yourself　in　a　very　unfortunate　position！　　And　how　could　a　man　like　you　imagine　that　here　in　Paris；　in　the　middle　of　the　nineteenth　century；　a　young　girl　can　be　abducted　with　absolute　impunity？　　We　are　not　living　in　the　Middle　Ages　now；　and　such　things　are　no　longer　permitted　by　law。〃

〃You　need　not　imagine；〃　I　replied；　〃that　abduction　was　lawful　under　the　ancient　Code。　　You　will　find　in　Baluze　a　decree　issued　by　King　Cheldebert　at　Cologne；　either　in　593　or　594；　on　the　subject：　moreoever；　everybody　knows　that　the　famous　'Ordonance　de　Blois；'　of　May　1579；　formally　enacted　that　any　persons　convicted　of　having　suborned　any　son　or　daughter　under　the　age　of　twenty…five　years；　whether　under　promise　of　marriage　or　otherwise；　without　the　full　knowledge；　will；　or　consent　of　the　father；　mother；　and　guardians；　should　be　punished　with　death；　and　the　ordinance　adds：　'Et　pareillement　seront　punis　extraordinairement　tous　ceux　qui　auront　participe　audit　rapt；　et　qui　auront　prete　conseil；　confort；　et　aide　en　aucune　maniere　que　ce　soit。'　（And　in　like　manner　sha