the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第7节

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sound　of　a　French　voice　has　given　me　such　pleasure　that　I　must　thank　you。〃

I　bowed　again；　and　turned　to　go　away；　but　my　foot　slipped　upon　a　melon…rind；　and　I　should　certainly　have　embraced　the　Parthenopean　soil　had　not　the　young　lady　put　out　her　hand　and　caught　me。

There　is　a　force　in　circumstanceseven　in　the　very　smallest　circumstancesagainst　which　resistance　is　vain。　　I　resigned　myself　to　remain　the　protege　of　the　fair　unknown。

〃It　is　late；〃　she　said；　〃do　you　not　wish　to　go　back　to　your　hotel；　which　must　be　quite　close　to　oursunless　it　be　the　same　one？〃

〃Madame；〃　I　replied；　〃I　do　not　know　what　time　it　is；　because　somebody　has　stolen　my　watch；　but　I　think；　as　you　say；　that　it　must　be　time　to　retire；　and　I　shall　be　very　glad　to　regain　my　hotel　in　the　company　of　such　courteous　compatriots。〃

So　saying；　I　bowed　once　more　to　the　young　lady；　and　also　saluted　her　companion；　a　silent　colossus　with　a　gentle　and　melancholy　face。

After　having　gone　a　little　way　with　them；　I　learned；　among　other　matters；　that　my　new　acquaintances　were　the　Prince　and　Princess　Trepof；　and　that　they　were　making　a　trip　round　the　world　for　the　purpose　of　finding　match…boxes；　of　which　they　were　making　a　collection。

We　proceeded　along　a　narrow；　tortuous　vicoletto；　lighted　only　by　a　single　lamp　burning　in　the　niche　of　a　Madonna。　　The　purity　and　transparency　of　the　air　gave　a　celestial　softness　and　clearness　to　the　very　darkness　itself；　and　one　could　find　one's　way　without　difficulty　under　such　a　limpid　night。　　But　in　a　little　while　we　began　to　pass　through　a　〃venella；〃　or；　in　Neopolitan　parlance；　a　sottoportico；　which　led　under　so　many　archways　and　so　many　far…　projecting　balconies　that　no　gleam　of　light　from　the　sky　could　reach　us。　　My　young　guide　had　made　us　take　this　route　as　a　short　cut；　she　assured　us；　but　I　think　she　did　so　quite　as　much　simply　in　order　to　show　that　she　felt　at　home　in　Naples；　and　knew　the　city　thoroughly。　　Indeed；　she　needed　to　know　it　very　thoroughly　to　venture　by　night　into　that　labyrinth　of　subterranean　alleys　and　flights　of　steps。　　If　ever　any　many　showed　absolute　docility　in　allowing　himself　to　be　guided；　that　man　was　myself。　　Dante　never　followed　the　steps　of　Beatrice　with　more　confidence　than　I　felt　in　following　those　of　Princess　Trepof。

The　lady　appeared　to　find　some　pleasure　in　my　conversation；　for　she　invited　me　to　take　a　carriage…drive　with　her　on　the　morrow　to　visit　the　grotto　of　Posilippo　and　the　tomb　of　Virgil。　　She　declared　she　had　seen　me　somewhere　before；　but　she　could　not　remember　if　it　had　been　a　Stockholm　or　at　Canton。　　In　the　former　event　I　was　a　very　celebrated　professor　of　geology；　in　the　latter；　a　provision…　merchant　whose　courtesy　and　kindness　had　been　much　appreciated。　One　thing　certain　was　that　she　had　seen　my　back　somewhere　before。

〃Excuse　me；〃　she　added；　〃we　are　continually　travelling；　my　husband　and　I；　to　collect　match…boxes　and　to　change　our　ennui　by　changing　country。　　Perhaps　it　would　be　more　reasonable　to　content　ourselves　with　a　single　variety　of　ennui。　　But　we　have　made　all　our　preparations　and　arrangements　for　travelling：　　all　our　plans　have　been　laid　out　in　advance；　and　it　gives　us　no　trouble；　whereas　it　would　be　very　troublesome　for　us　to　stop　anywhere　in　particular。　I　tell　you　all　this　so　that　you　many　not　be　surprised　if　my　recollections　have　become　a　little　mixed　up。　　But　from　the　moment　I　first　saw　you　at　a　distance　this　evening；　I　feltin　fact　I　knew　that　I　had　seen　you　before。　　Now　the　question　is；　'Where　was　it　that　I　saw　you？'　　You　are　not　then；　either　the　geologist　or　the　provision…merchant？〃

〃No；　Madame；〃　I　replied；　〃I　am　neither　the　one　nor　the　other；　and　I　am　sorry　for　itsince　you　have　had　reason　to　esteem　them。　　There　is　really　nothing　about　me　worthy　of　your　interest。　　I　have　spent　all　my　life　poring　over　books；　and　I　have　never　traveled：　　you　might　have　known　that　from　my　bewilderment；　which　excited　your　compassion。　　I　am　a　member　of　the　Institute。〃

〃You　are　a　member　of　the　Institute！　　How　nice！　　Will　you　not　write　something　for　me　in　my　album？　　Do　you　know　Chinese？　　I　would　like　so　much　to　have　you　write　something　in　Chinese　or　Persian　in　my　album。　　I　will　introduce　you　to　my　friend；　Miss　Fergusson；　who　travels　everywhere　to　see　all　the　famous　people　in　the　world。　　She　will　be　delighted。。。。　　Dimitri；　did　you　hear　that？this　gentleman　is　a　member　of　the　Institute；　and　he　has　passed　all　his　life　over　books。〃

The　prince　nodded　approval。

〃Monsieur；〃　I　said；　trying　to　engage　him　in　our　conversation；　〃it　is　true　that　something　can　be　learned　from　books；　but　a　great　deal　more　can　be　learned　by　travelling；　and　I　regret　that　I　have　not　been　able　to　go　round　the　world　like　you。　　I　have　lived　in　the　same　house　for　thirty　years　and　I　scarcely　every　go　out。〃

〃Lived　in　the　same　house　for　thirty　years！〃　cried　Madame　Trepof；　〃is　it　possible？〃

〃Yes；　Madame；〃　I　answered。　　〃But　you　must　know　the　house　is　situated　on　the　bank　of　the　Seine；　and　in　the　very　handsomest　and　most　famous　part　of　the　world。　　From　my　window　I　can　see　the　Tuileries　and　the　Louvre；　the　Pont…Neuf；　the　towers　of　Notre…Dame；　the　turrets　of　the　Palais　de　Justice；　and　the　spire　of　the　Sainte…Chapelle。　　All　those　stones　speak　to　me；　they　tell　me　stories　about　the　days　of　Saint…Louis；　of　the　Valois；　of　Henri　IV。；　and　of　Louus　XIV。　　I　understand　them；　and　I　love　them　all。　　It　is　only　a　very　small　corner　of　the　world；　but　honestly；　Madame；　where　is　there　a　more　glorious　spot？〃

At　this　moment　we　found　ourselves　upon　a　public　squarea　largo　steeped　in　the　soft　glow　of　the　night。　　Madame　Trepof　looked　at　me　in　an　uneasy　manner；　her　lifted　eyebrows　almost　touched　the　black　curls　about　her　forehead。

〃Where　do　you　live　then？〃　she　demanded　brusquely。

〃On　the　Quai　Malaquais；　Madame；　and　my　name　is　Bonnard。　　It　is　not　a　name　very　widely　known；　but　I　am　contented　if　my　friends　do　not　forget　it。〃

This　revelation；　unimportant　as　it　was；　produced　an　extraordinary　effect　upon　Madame　Trepof。　　She　immediately　turned　her　back　upon　me　and　caught　her　husband's　arm。

〃Come；　Dimitri！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃do　walk　a　little　faster。　　I　am　horribly　tired；　and　you　will　not　hurry　yourself　in　the　least。　　We　shall　never　get　home。。。。　　As　for　you；　monsieur；　your　way　lies　over　there！〃

She　made　a　vague　gesture　in　the　direction　of　some　dark　vicolo；　pushed　her　husband　the　opposite　way；　and　called　to　me；　without　even　turning　her　head。

〃Adieu；　Monsieur！　　We　shall　not　go　to　Posilippo　to…morrow；　nor　the　day　after；　either。　　I　have　a　frightful　headache！。。。　　Dimitri；　you　are　unendurable！　will　you　not　walk　faster？〃

I　remained　for　the　moment　stupefied；　vainly　trying　to　think　what　I　could　have　done　to　offend　Madame　Trepof。　　I　had　also　lost　my　way；　and　seemed　doomed　to　wander　about　all　night。　　In　order　to　ask　my　way；　I　would　have　to　see　somebody；　and　it　did　not　seem　likely　that　I　should　find　a　single　human　being　who　could　understand　me。　　In　my　despair　I　entered　a　street　at　randoma　street；　or　rather　a　horrible　alley　that　had　the　look　of　a　murderous　place。　　It　proved　so　in　fact；　for　I　had　not　been　two　minutes　in　it　before　I　saw　two　men　fighting　with　knives。　　They　were　attacking　each　other　more　fiercely　with　their　tongues　than　with　their　weapons；　and　I　concluded　from　the　nature　of　the　abuse　they　were　showering　upon　each　other　that　it　was　a　love　affair。　　I　prudently　made　my　way　into　a　side　alley　while　those　two　good　fellows　were　still　much　too　busy　with　their　own　affairs　to　think　about　mine。　　I　wandered　hopelessly　about　for　a　while；　and　at　last　sat　down；　completely　discouraged；　on　a　stone　bench；　inwardly　cursing　the　strange　caprices　of　Madame　Trepof。

〃How　are　you；　Signor？　　Are　you　back　from　San　Carlo？　　Did　you　hear　the　diva　sing？　　It　is　only　at　Naples　you　can　hear　singing　like　hers。〃

I　looked　up；　and　recognised　my　host。　　I　had　seated　myself　with　my　back　to　the　facade　of　my　hotel；　under　the　window　of　my　own　room。




Monte…Allegro；　November　30；　1859。


We　were　all　restingmyself；　my　guides；　and　their　muleson　a　road　from　Sciacca　to　Girgenti；　at　a　tavern　in　the　miserable　village　of　Monte…Allegro；　whose　inhabitants；　consumed　by　the　mal　aria；　continually　shiver　in　the　sun。　　But　nevertheless　they　are　Greeks；　and　their　gaiety　triumphs　over　all　circumstances。　　A　few　gather　about　the　tavern；　full　of　smiling　curiosity。　　One　good　story　would　have　sufficed；　had　I　known　how　to　tell　it　to　them；　to　make　them　forget　all　the　woes　of　life。　　They　had　all　a　look　of　intelligence！　and　their　women；　although　tanned　and　faded；　wore　their　long　black　cloaks　with　much　grace。

Before　me　I　could　see　old　ruins　whitened　by　the　sea…windruins　about　which　no　grass　ever　grows。　　The　dismal　melancholy　of　deserts　prevails　over　this　arid　land；　whose　cracked　surface　can　barely　nourish　a　few　shriveled　mimosas；　cacti；　and　dwarf　palms。　　Twenty　yards　away；　along　the　course　of　a　ravine；　stones　were　gleaming　whitely　like　a　long　line　of　scattered　bones。　　They　told　me　that　was　the　bed　of　a　stream。

I　had　been　fifteen　days　in　Sicily。　　On　coming　into　the　Bay　of　Palermowhich　opens　between　the　two　mighty　naked　masses　of　the　Pelligrino　and　the　Catalfano；　and　extends　inward　along　the　〃Golden　Conch〃the　view　inspired　me　with　such　admiration　that　I　resolved　to　travel　a　little　in　this