the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第38节

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t　qui　auront　prete　conseil；　confort；　et　aide　en　aucune　maniere　que　ce　soit。'　（And　in　like　manner　shall　be　extraordinarily　punished　all　persons　whomsoever；　who　shall　have　participated　in　the　said　abduction；　and　who　shall　have　given　thereunto　counsel；　succor；　or　aid　in　any　manner　whatsoever。）　　Those　are　the　exact；　or　very　nearly　the　exact；　terms　of　the　ordinance。　As　for　that　article　of　the　Code…Napoleon　which　you　have　just　told　me　of；　and　which　excepts　from　liability　to　prosecution　the　abductor　who　marries　the　young　girl　abducted　by　him；　it　reminds　me　that　according　to　the　laws　of　Bretagne；　forcible　abduction；　followed　by　marriage；　was　not　punished。　　But　this　usage；　which　involved　various　abuses；　was　suppressed　in　1720at　least　I　give　you　the　date　within　ten　years。　　My　memory　is　not　very　good　now；　and　the　time　is　long　passed　when　I　could　repeat　by　heart　without　even　stopping　to　take　breath；　fifteen　hundred　verses　of　Girart　de　Rousillon。

〃As　far　as　regards　the　Capitulary　of　Charlemagne；　which　fixes　the　compensation　for　abduction；　I　have　not　mentioned　it　because　I　am　sure　that　you　must　remember　it。　　So；　my　dear　Monsieur　de　Gabry；　you　see　abduction　was　considered　as　decidedly　a　punishable　offense　under　the　three　dynasties　of　Old　France。　　It　is　a　very　great　mistake　to　suppose　that　the　Middle　Ages　represent　a　period　of　social　chaos。　　You　must　remember；　on　the　contrary…〃

Monsieur　de　Gabry　here　interrupted　me：

〃So；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃you　know　of　the　Ordonnacne　de　Blois；　you　know　Baluze；　you　know　Childebert；　you　know　the　Capitulariesand　you　don't　know　anything　about　the　Code…Napoleon！〃

I　replied　that；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　I　never　had　read　the　Code；　and　he　looked　very　much　surprised。

〃And　now　do　you　understand；〃　he　asked；　〃the　extreme　gravity　of　the　action　you　have　committed？〃

I　had　not　indeed　been　yet　able　to　understand　it　fully。　　But　little　by　little；　with　the　aid　of　Monsieur　Paul's　very　sensible　explanations；　I　reached　the　conviction　at　last　that　I　should　not　be　judged　in　regard　to　my　motives；　which　were　innocent；　but　only　according　to　my　action；　which　was　punishable。　　Thereupon　I　began　to　feel　very　despondent；　and　to　utter　divers　lamentations。

〃What　am　I　to　do？〃　I　cried　out；　〃what　am　I　to　do？　　Am　I　then　irretrievably　ruined？and　have　I　also　ruined　the　poor　child　whom　I　wanted　to　save？〃

Monsieur　de　Gabry　silently　filled　his　pipe；　and　lighted　it　so　slowly　that　his　kind　broad　face　remained　for　at　least　three　or　four　minutes　glowing　red　behind　the　light；　like　a　blacksmith's　in　the　gleam　of　his　forge…fire。　　Then　he　said；

〃You　want　to　know　what　to　do？　　Why；　don't　do　anything；　my　dear　Monsieur　Bonnard！　　For　God's　sake；　and　for　your　own　sake；　don't　do　anything　at　all！　　Your　situation　is　bad　enough　as　it　is；　don't　try　to　meddle　with　it　now；　unless　you　want　to　create　new　difficulties　for　yourself。　　But　you　must　promise　me　to　sustain　me　in　any　action　that　I　may　take。　　I　shall　go　to　see　Monsieur　Mouche　the　very　first　thing　to…morrow　morning；　and　if　he　turns　out　to　be　what　I　think　he　isthat　is　to　say；　a　consummate　rascalI　shall　very　soon　find　means　of　making　him　harmless；　even　if　the　devil　himself　should　take　sides　with　him。　　For　everything　depends　on　him。　　As　it　is　too　late　this　evening　to　take　Mademoiselle　Jeanne　back　to　her　boarding…school；　my　wife　will　keep　the　young　lady　here　to…night。　　This　of　course　plainly　constitues　the　misdemeanour　of　complicity；　but　it　saves　the　girl　from　anything　like　an　equivocal　position。　　As　for　you；　my　dear　Monsieur；　you　just　go　back　to　the　Quai　Malaquais　as　quickly　as　you　can；　and　if　they　come　to　look　for　Jeanne　there；　it　will　be　very　easy　for　you　to　prove　she　is　not　in　your　house。〃

While　we　were　thus　talking；　Madame　de　Gabry　was　preparing　to　make　her　young　lodger　comfortable　for　the　night。　　When　she　bade　me　good…bye　at　the　door；　she　was　carrying　a　pair　of　clean　sheets；　scented　with　lavender；　thrown　over　her　arm。

〃That；〃　I　said；　〃is　a　sweet　honest　smell。〃

〃Well；　of　course；〃　answered　Madame　de　Gabry；　〃you　must　remember　we　are　peasants。〃

〃Ah！〃　I　answered　her；　〃heaven　grant　that　I　also　may　be　able　one　of　these　days　ti　becine　a　peasant！　　Heaven　grant　that　one　of　these　days　I　may　be　able；　as　you　are　at　Lusance；　to　inhale　the　sweet　fresh　odour　of　the　country；　and　live　in　some　little　house　all　hidden　among　trees；　and　if　this　wish　of　mine　be　too　ambitious　on　the　part　of　an　old　man　whose　life　is　nearly　closed；　then　I　will　only　wish　that　my　winding…　sheet　may　be　as　sweetly　scented　with　lavender　as　that　linen　you　have　on　your　arm。〃

It　was　agreed　that　I　should　come　to　lunch　the　following　morning。　　But　I　was　positively　forbidden　to　show　myself　at　the　house　before　midday。　Jeanne；　as　she　kissed　me　good…bye；　begged　me　not　to　take　her　back　to　the　school　any　more。　　We　felt　much　affected　at　parting；　and　very　anxious。

I　found　Therese　waiting　for　me　on　the　landing；　in　such　a　condition　of　worry　about　me　that　it　had　made　her　furious。　　She　talked　of　nothing　less　than　keeping　me　under　lock　and　key　in　the　future。

What　a　night　I　passed！　　I　never　closed　my　eyes　for　one　single　instant。　From　time　to　time　I　could　not　help　laughing　like　a　boy　at　the　success　of　my　prank；　and　then　again；　an　inexpressible　feeling　of　horror　would　come　upon　me　at　the　thought　of　being　dragged　before　some　magistrate；　and　having　to　take　my　place　upon　the　prisoner's　bench；　to　answer　for　the　crime　which　I　had　so　naturally　committed。　　I　was　very　much　afraid；　and　nevertheless　I　felt　no　remorse　or　regret　whatever。　　The　sun；　coming　into　my　room　at　last；　merrily　lighted　upon　the　foot　of　my　bed；　and　then　I　made　this　prayer：

〃My　God；　Thou　who　didst　make　the　sky　and　the　dew；　as　it　is　said　in　'Tristan；'　judge　me　in　Thine　equity；　not　indeed　according　unto　my　acts；　but　according　only　to　my　motives；　which　Thou　knowest　have　been　upright　and　pure；　and　I　will　say：　　Glory　to　Thee　in　heaven；　and　peace　on　earth　to　men　of　good…will。　　I　give　into　Thy　hands　the　child　I　stole　away。　　Do　that　for　her　which　I　have　not　known　how　to　do；　guard　for　her　from　all　her　enemies；and　blessed　for　ever　be　Thy　name！〃


December　29。


When　I　arrived　at　Madame　de　Gabry's；　I　found　Jeanne　completely　transfigured。

Had　she　also；　like　myself；　at　the　very　first　light　of　dawn；　called　upon　Him　who　made　the　sky　and　the　dew？　　She　smiled　with　such　a　sweet　calm　smile！

Madame　de　Gabry　called　her　away　to　arrange　her　hair　for　the　amiable　lady　had　insisted　upon　combing　and　plaiting；　with　her　own　hands；　the　hair　of　the　child　confided　to　her　care。　　As　I　had　come　a　little　before　the　hour　agreed　upon；　I　had　interrupted　this　charming　toilet。　By　way　of　punishment　I　was　told　to　go　and　wait　in　the　parlour　all　by　myself。　　Monsieur　de　Gabry　joined　me　there　in　a　little　while。　He　had　evidently　just　come　in；　for　I　could　see　on　his　forehead　the　mark　left　my　the　lining　of　his　hat。　　His　frank　face　wore　an　expression　of　joyful　excitement。　　I　thought　I　had　better　not　ask　him　any　questions；　and　we　all　went　to　lunch。　　When　the　servants　had　finished　waiting　at　table；　Monsieur　Paul；　who　had　been　keeping　his　good　story　for　the　dessert；　said　to　us；

〃Well！　　I　went　to　Levallois。〃

〃Did　you　see　Maitre　Mouche？〃　excitedly　inquired　Madame　de　Gabry。

〃No；〃　he　replied；　curiously　watching　the　expression　of　disappointment　upon　our　faces。

After　having　amused　himself　with　our　anxiety　for　a　reasonable　time；　the　good　fellow　added：

〃Maitre　Mouche　is　no　longer　at　Levallois。　　Maitre　Mouche　has　gone　away　from　France。　　The　day　after　to…morrow　will　make　just　eight　days　since　he　decamped；　taking　with　him　all　the　money　of　his　clientsa　tolerably　large　sum。　　I　found　the　office　closed。　　A　woman　who　lived　close　by　told　me　all　about　it　with　an　abundance　of　curses　and　imprecations。　　The　notary　did　not　take　the　7：55　train　all　by　himself；　he　took　with　him　the　daughter　of　the　hairdresser　of　Levallois；　a　young　person　quite　famous　in　that　part　of　the　country　for　her　beauty　and　her　accomplishments；they　say　she　could　shave　better　than　her　father。　　Well；　anyhow　Mouche　has　run　away　with　her；　the　Commissaire　de　Police　confirmed　the　fact　for　me。　　Now；　really；　could　it　have　been　possible　for　Maitre　Mouche　to　have　left　the　country　at　a　more　opportune　moment？　　If　he　had　only　deferred　his　escapade　one　week　longer；　he　would　have　been　still　the　representative　of　society；　and　would　have　had　you　dragged　off　to　gaol；　Monsieur　Bonnard；　like　a　criminal。　　At　present　we　have　nothing　whatever　to　fear　from　him。　Here　is　to　the　health　of　Maitre　Mouche！〃　he　cried；　pouring　out　a　glass　of　white　wine。

I　would　like　to　live　a　long　time　if　it　were　only　to　remember　that　delightful　morning。　　We　four　were　all　assembled　in　the　big　white　dining…room　around　the　waxed　oak　table。　　Monsieur　Paul's　mirth　was'　of　the　hearty　kind；even　perhaps　a　little　riotous；　and　the　good　man　quaffed　deeply。　　Madame　de　Gabry　smiled　at　me；　with　a　smile　so　sweet；　so　perfect；　and　so　noble；　that　I　thought　such　a　woman　ought　to　keep　smiles　like　that　simply　as　a　reward　for　good　actions；　and　thus　make　everybody　who　knew　her　do　all　the　good　of　which　they　were　capable。　　Then；　to　reward　us　for　our　pains；　Jeanne；　who　had　regained　something　of　her　former　vivacity；　asked　us　in　less　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour　one　dozen　questions；　to　answer　which　would　have　required　an　exhaustive　exposition　on