the crime of sylvestre bonnard(西维斯特·博拉德的罪行)-第46节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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；
154
… Page 155…
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
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
155
… Page 156…
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
qui auront participe audit rapt； et 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
156
… Page 157…
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
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 promi
