sarrasine-第4节

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daughter's　solicitude；　the　spectre　in　human　attire；　who　had　driven　us
from　the　music…room；　as　she　led　him；　she　watched　with　some　anxiety　the
slow　movement　of　his　feeble　feet。　They　walked　painfully　across　the
boudoir　to　a　door　hidden　in　the　hangings。　Marianina　knocked　softly。
Instantly　a　tall；　thin　man；　a　sort　of　familiar　spirit；　appeared　as　if
by　magic。　Before　entrusting　the　old　man　to　this　mysterious　guardian；
the　lovely　child；　with　deep　veneration；　kissed　the　ambulatory　corpse；
and　her　chaste　caress　was　not　without　a　touch　of　that　graceful
playfulness；　the　secret　of　which　only　a　few　privileged　women　possess。

〃/Addio；　addio！/〃　she　said；　with　the　sweetest　inflection　of　her　young
voice。

She　added　to　the　last　syllable　a　wonderfully　executed　trill；　in　a　very
low　tone；　as　if　to　depict　the　overflowing　affection　of　her　heart　by　a
poetic　expression。　The　old　man；　suddenly　arrested　by　some　memory；
remained　on　the　threshold　of　that　secret　retreat。　In　the　profound
silence　we　heard　the　sigh　that　came　forth　form　his　breast；　he　removed
the　most　beautiful　of　the　rings　with　which　his　skeleton　fingers　were
laden；　and　placed　it　in　Marianina's　bosom。　The　young　madcap　laughed；
plucked　out　the　ring；　slipped　it　on　one　of　her　fingers　over　her　glove；
and　ran　hastily　back　toward　the　salon；　where　the　orchestra　were；　at
that　moment；　beginning　the　prelude　of　a　contra…dance。

She　spied　us。

〃Ah！　were　you　here？〃　she　said；　blushing。

After　a　searching　glance　at　us　as　if　to　question　us；　she　ran　away　to
her　partner　with　the　careless　petulance　of　her　years。

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　queried　my　young　partner。　〃Is　he　her　husband？　I
believe　I　am　dreaming。　Where　am　I？〃

〃You！〃　I　retorted；　〃you；　madame；　who　are　easily　excited；　and　who；
understanding　so　well　the　most　imperceptible　emotions；　are　able　to
cultivate　in　a　man's　heart　the　most　delicate　of　sentiments；　without
crushing　it；　without　shattering　it　at　the　very　outset；　you　who　have
compassion　for　the　tortures　of　the　heart；　and　who；　with　the　wit　of　the
Parisian；　combine　a　passionate　temperament　worthy　of　Spain　or
Italy〃

She　realized　that　my　words　were　heavily　charged　with　bitter　irony；
and；　thereupon；　without　seeming　to　notice　it；　she　interrupted　me　to
say：

〃Oh！　you　describe　me　to　suit　your　own　taste。　A　strange　kind　of
tyranny！　You　wish　me　not　to　be　/myself/！〃

〃Oh！　I　wish　nothing；〃　I　cried；　alarmed　by　the　severity　of　her　manner。
〃At　all　events；　it　is　true；　is　it　not；　that　you　like　to　hear　stories
of　the　fierce　passions；　kindled　in　our　heart　by　the　enchanting　women
of　the　South？〃

〃Yes。　And　then？〃

〃Why；　I　will　come　to　your　house　about　nine　o'clock　to…morrow　evening；
and　elucidate　this　mystery　for　you。〃

〃No；〃　she　replied；　with　a　pout；　〃I　wish　it　done　now。〃

〃You　have　not　yet　given　me　the　right　to　obey　you　when　you　say；　'I　wish
it。'　〃

〃At　this　moment；〃　she　said；　with　an　exhibition　of　coquetry　of　the　sort
that　drives　men　to　despair；　〃I　have　a　most　violent　desire　to　know　this
secret。　To…morrow　it　may　be　that　I　will　not　listen　to　you。〃

She　smiled　and　we　parted；　she　still　as　proud　and　as　cruel；　I　as
ridiculous；　as　ever。　She　had　the　audacity　to　waltz　with　a　young　aide…
de…camp；　and　I　was　by　turns　angry；　sulky；　admiring；　loving；　and
jealous。

〃Until　to…morrow；〃　she　said　to　me；　as　she　left　the　ball　about　two
o'clock　in　the　morning。

〃I　won't　go；〃　I　thought。　〃I　give　up。　You　are　a　thousand　times　more
capricious；　more　fanciful；　thanmy　imagination。〃

The　next　evening　we　were　seated　in　front　of　a　bright　fire　in　a　dainty
little　salon；　she　on　a　couch；　I　on　cushions　almost　at　her　feet；
looking　up　into　her　face。　The　street　was　silent。　The　lamp　shed　a　soft
light。　It　was　one　of　those　evenings　which　delight　the　soul；　one　of
those　moments　which　are　never　forgotten；　one　of　those　hours　passed　in
peace　and　longing；　whose　charm　is　always　in　later　years　a　source　of
regret；　even　when　we　are　happier。　What　can　efface　the　deep　imprint　of
the　first　solicitations　of　love？

〃Go　on；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　listening。〃

〃But　I　dare　not　begin。　There　are　passages　in　the　story　which　are
dangerous　to　the　narrator。　If　I　become　excited；　you　will　make　me　hold
my　peace。〃

〃Speak。〃

〃I　obey。

〃Ernest…Jean　Sarrasine　was　the　only　son　of　a　prosecuting　attorney　of
Franche…Comte；〃　I　began　after　a　pause。　〃His　father　had；　by　faithful
work；　amassed　a　fortune　which　yielded　an　income　of　six　to　eight
thousand　francs；　then　considered　a　colossal　fortune　for　an　attorney　in
the　provinces。　Old　Maitre　Sarrasine；　having　but　one　child；　determined
to　give　him　a　thorough　education；　he　hoped　to　make　a　magistrate　of
him；　and　to　live　long　enough　to　see；　in　his　old　age；　the　grandson　of
Mathieu　Sarrasine；　a　ploughman　in　the　Saint…Die　country；　seated　on　the
lilies；　and　dozing　through　the　sessions　for　the　greater　glory　of　the
Parliament；　but　Heaven　had　not　that　joy　in　store　for　the　attorney。
Young　Sarrasine；　entrusted　to　the　care　of　the　Jesuits　at　an　early　age；
gave　indications　of　an　extraordinarily　unruly　disposition。　His　was　the
childhood　of　a　man　of　talent。　He　would　not　study　except　as　his
inclination　led　him；　often　rebelled；　and　sometimes　remained　for　whole
hours　at　a　time　buried　in　tangled　meditations；　engaged　now　in　watching
his　comrades　at　play；　now　in　forming　mental　pictures　of　Homer's
heroes。　And；　when　he　did　choose　to　amuse　himself；　he　displayed
extraordinary　ardor　in　his　games。　Whenever　there　was　a　contest　of　any
sort　between　a　comrade　and　himself；　it　rarely　ended　without　bloodshed。
If　he　were　the　weaker；　he　would　use　his　teeth。　Active　and　passive　by
turns；　either　lacking　in　aptitude；　or　too　intelligent；　his　abnormal
temperament　caused　him　to　distrust　his　masters　as　much　as　his
schoolmates。　Instead　of　learning　the　elements　of　the　Greek　language；
he　drew　a　picture　of　the　reverend　father　who　was　interpreting　a
passage　of　Thucydides；　sketched　the　teacher　of　mathematics；　the
prefect；　the　assistants；　the　man　who　administered　punishment；　and
smeared　all　the　walls　with　shapeless　figures。　Instead　of　singing　the
praises　of　the　Lord　in　the　chapel；　he　amused　himself；　during　the
services；　by　notching　a　bench；　or；　when　he　had　stolen　a　piece　of　wood；
he　would　carve　the　figure　of　some　saint。　If　he　had　no　wood　or　stone　or
pencil；　he　worked　out　his　ideas　with　bread。　Whether　he　copied　the
figures　in　the　pictures　which　adorned　the　choir；　or　improvised；　he
always　left　at　this　seat　rough　sketches；　whose　obscene　character　drove
the　young　fathers　to　despair；　and　the　evil…tongued　alleged　that　the
Jesuits　smiled　at　them。　At　last；　if　we　are　to　believe　college
traditions；　he　was　expelled　because；　while　awaiting　his　turn　to　go　to
the　confessional　one　Good　Friday；　he　carved　a　figure　of　the　Christ
from　a　stick　of　wood。　The　impiety　evidenced　by　that　figure　was　too
flagrant　not　to　draw　down　chastisement　on　the　artist。　He　had　actually
had　the　hardihood　to　place　that　decidedly　cynical　image　on　the　top　of
the　tabernacle！

〃Sarrasine　came　to　Paris　to　seek　a　refuge　against　the　threats　of　a
father's　malediction。　Having　one　of　those　strong　wills　which　know　no
obstacles；　he　obeyed　the　behests　of　his　genius　and　entered
Bouchardon's　studio。　He　worked　all　day　and　went　about　at　night　begging
for　subsistence。　Bouchardon；　marveling　at　the　young　artist's
intelligence　and　rapid　progress；　soon　divined　his　pupil's　destitute
condition；　he　assisted　him；　became　attached　to　him；　and　treated　him
like　his　own　child。　Then；　when　Sarrasine's　genius　stood　revealed　in
one　of　those　works　wherein　future　talent　contends　with　the
effervescence　of　youth；　the　generous　Bouchardon　tried　to　restore　him
to　the　old　attorney's　good　graces。　The　paternal　wrath　subsided　in　face
of　the　famous　sculptor's　authority。　All　Besancon　congratulated　itself
on　having　brought　forth　a　future　great　man。　In　the　first　outburst　of
delight　due　to　his　flattered　vanity；　the　miserly　attorney　supplied　his
son　with　the　means　to　appear　to　advantage　in　society。　The　long　and
laborious　study　demanded　by　the　sculptor's　profession　subdued　for　a
long　time　Sarrasine's　impetuous　temperament　and　unruly　genius。
Bouchardon；　foreseeing　how　violently　the　passions　would　some　day　rage
in　that　youthful　heart；　as　highly　tempered　perhaps　as　Michelangelo's；
smothered　its　vehemence　with　constant　toil。　He　succeeded　in
restraining　within　reasonable　bounds　Sarrasine's　extraordinary
impetuosity；　by　forbidding　him　to　work；　by　proposing　diversions　when
he　saw　that　he　was　on　the　point　of　plunging　into　dissipation。　But　with
that　passionate　nature；　gentleness　was　always　the　most　powerful　of　all
weapons；　and　the　master　did　not　acquire　great　influence　over　his　pupil
until　he　had　aroused　his　gratitude　by　fatherly　kindness。

〃At　the　age　of　twenty…two　Sarrasine　was　forcibly　removed　from　the
salutary　influence　which　Bouchardon　exercised　over　his　morals　and　his
habits。　He　paid　the　penalty　of　his　genius　by　winning　the　prize　for
sculpture　founded　by　the　Marquis　de　Marigny；　Madame　de　Pompadour's
brother；　who　did　so　much　for　art。　Diderot　praised　Bouchardon's　pupil's
statue　as　a　masterpiece。　Not　without　profound　sorrow　did　the　king's
sculptor　witness　the　departure　for　Italy　of　a　young　man　whose　profound
ignorance　of　the　things　of　life　he　had；　as　a　matter