a daughter of eve-第23节

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bowing　to　you　right　across　the　house。〃



〃Look；〃　said　Mme。　du　Tillet　to　her　sister；　〃they　told　us　wrong。　See

how　my　husband　fawns　on　M。　Nathan；　and　it　is　he　who　they　declared　was

trying　to　get　him　put　in　prison！〃



〃And　men　call　us　slanderers！〃　cried　the　Countess。　〃I　will　give　him　a

warning。〃



She　rose；　took　the　arm　of　Vandenesse；　who　was　waiting　in　the　passage；

and　returned　jubilant　to　her　box；　by　and　by　she　left　the　Opera　and

ordered　her　carriage　for　the　next　morning　before　eight　o'clock。



The　next　morning；　by　half…past　eight；　Marie　had　driven　to　the　quai

Conti；　stopping　at　the　hotel　du　Mail　on　her　way。　The　carriage　could

not　enter　the　narrow　rue　de　Nevers；　but　as　Schmucke　lived　in　a　house

at　the　corner　of　the　quai　she　was　not　obliged　to　walk　up　its　muddy

pavement；　but　could　jump　from　the　step　of　her　carriage　to　the　broken

step　of　the　dismal　old　house；　mended　like　porter's　crockery；　with　iron

rivets；　and　bulging　out　over　the　street　in　a　way　that　was　quite

alarming　to　pedestrians。　The　old　chapel…master　lived　on　the　fourth

floor；　and　enjoyed　a　fine　view　of　the　Seine　from　the　pont　Neuf　to　the

heights　of　Chaillot。



The　good　soul　was　so　surprised　when　the　countess's　footman　announced

the　visit　of　his　former　scholar　that　in　his　stupefaction　he　let　her

enter　without　going　down　to　receive　her。　Never　did　the　countess

suspect　or　imagine　such　an　existence　as　that　which　suddenly　revealed

itself　to　her　eyes；　though　she　had　long　known　Schmucke's　contempt　for

dress；　and　the　little　interest　he　held　in　the　affairs　of　this　world。

But　who　could　have　believed　in　such　complete　indifference；　in　the

utter　laisser…aller　of　such　a　life？　Schmucke　was　a　musical　Diogenes；

and　he　felt　no　shame　whatever　in　his　untidiness；　in　fact；　he　was　so

accustomed　to　it　that　he　would　probably　have　denied　its　existence。　The

incessant　smoking　of　a　stout　German　pipe　had　spread　upon　the　ceiling

and　over　a　wretched　wall…paper；　scratched　and　defaced　by　the　cat；　a

yellowish　tinge。　The　cat；　a　magnificently　long…furred；　fluffy　animal；

the　envy　of　all　portresses；　presided　there　like　the　mistress　of　the

house；　grave　and　sedate；　and　without　anxieties。　On　the　top　of　an

excellent　Viennese　piano　he　sat　majestically；　and　cast　upon　the

countess；　as　she　entered；　that　coldly　gracious　look　which　a　woman；

surprised　by　the　beauty　of　another　woman；　might　have　given。　He　did　not

move；　and　merely　waved　the　two　silver　threads　of　his　right　whisker　as

he　turned　his　golden　eyes　on　Schmucke。



The　piano；　decrepit　on　its　legs；　though　made　of　good　wood　painted

black　and　gilded；　was　dirty；　defaced；　and　scratched；　and　its　keys；

worn　like　the　teeth　of　old　horses；　were　yellowed　with　the　fuliginous

colors　of　the　pipe。　On　the　desk；　a　little　heap　of　ashes　showed　that

the　night　before　Schmucke　had　bestrode　the　old　instrument　to　some

musical　Walhalla。　The　floor；　covered　with　dried　mud；　torn　papers；

tobacco…dust；　fragments　indescribable；　was　like　that　of　a　boy's

school…room；　unswept　for　a　week；　on　which　a　mound　of　things

accumulate；　half　rags；　half　filth。



A　more　practised　eye　than　that　of　the　countess　would　have　seen　certain

other　revelations　of　Schmucke's　mode　of　life；chestnut…peels；　apple…

parings；　egg…shells　dyed　red　in　broken　dishes　smeared　with　sauer…

kraut。　This　German　detritus　formed　a　carpet　of　dusty　filth　which

crackled　under　foot；　joining　company　near　the　hearth　with　a　mass　of

cinders　and　ashes　descending　majestically　from　the　fireplace；　where

lay　a　block　of　coal；　before　which　two　slender　twigs　made　a　show　of

burning。　On　the　chimney…piece　was　a　mirror　in　a　painted　frame；　adorned

with　figures　dancing　a　saraband；　on　one　side　hung　the　glorious　pipe；

on　the　other　was　a　Chinese　jar　in　which　the　musician　kept　his　tobacco。

Two　arm…chairs　bought　at　auction；　a　thin　and　rickety　cot；　a　worm…eaten

bureau　without　a　top；　a　maimed　table　on　which　lay　the　remains　of　a

frugal　breakfast；　made　up　a　set　of　household　belongings　as　plain　as

those　of　an　Indian　wigwam。　A　shaving…glass；　suspended　to　the　fastening

of　a　curtainless　window；　and　surmounted　by　a　rag　striped　by　many

wipings　of　a　razor；　indicated　the　only　sacrifices　paid　by　Schmucke　to

the　Graces　and　society。　The　cat；　being　the　feebler　and　protected

partner；　had　rather　the　best　of　the　establishment；　he　enjoyed　the

comforts　of　an　old　sofa…cushion；　near　which　could　be　seen　a　white

china　cup　and　plate。　But　what　no　pen　can　describe　was　the　state　into

which　Schmucke；　the　cat；　and　the　pipe；　that　existing　trinity；　had

reduced　these　articles。　The　pipe　had　burned　the　table。　The　cat　and

Schmucke's　head　had　greased　the　green　Utrecht　velvet　of　the　two　arm…

chairs　and　reduced　it　to　a　slimy　texture。　If　it　had　not　been　for　the

cat's　magnificent　tail；　which　played　a　useful　part　in　the　household；

the　uncovered　places　on　the　bureau　and　the　piano　would　never　have　been

dusted。　In　one　corner　of　the　room　were　a　pile　of　shoes　which　need　an

epic　to　describe　them。　The　top　of　the　bureau　and　that　of　the　piano

were　encumbered　by　music…books　with　ragged　backs　and　whitened　corners；

through　which　the　pasteboard　showed　its　many　layers。　Along　the　walls

the　names　and　addresses　of　pupils　written　on　scraps　of　paper　were

stuck　on　by　wafers；the　number　of　wafers　without　paper　indicating　the

number　of　pupils　no　longer　taught。　On　the　wall…papers　were　many

calculations　written　with　chalk。　The　bureau　was　decorated　with　beer…

mugs　used　the　night　before；　their　newness　appearing　very　brilliant　in

the　midst　of　this　rubbish　of　dirt　and　age。　Hygiene　was　represented　by

a　jug　of　water　with　a　towel　laid　upon　it；　and　a　bit　of　common　soap。

Two　ancient　hats　hung　to　their　respective　nails；　near　which　also　hung

the　self…same　blue　box…coat　with　three　capes；　in　which　the　countess

had　always　seen　Schmucke　when　he　came　to　give　his　lessons。　On　the

window…sill　were　three　pots　of　flowers；　German　flowers；　no　doubt；　and

near　them　a　stout　holly…wood　stick。



Though　Marie's　sight　and　smell　were　disagreeably　affected；　Schmucke's

smile　and　glance　disguised　these　abject　miseries　by　rays　of　celestial

light　which　actually　illuminated　their　smoky　tones　and　vivified　the

chaos。　The　soul　of　this　dear　man；　which　saw　and　revealed　so　many

things　divine；　shone　like　the　sun。　His　laugh；　so　frank；　so　guileless

at　seeing　one　of　his　Saint…Cecilias；　shed　sparkles　of　youth　and　gaiety

and　innocence　about　him。　The　treasures　he　poured　from　the　inner　to　the

outer　were　like　a　mantle　with　which　he　covered　his　squalid　life。　The

most　supercilious　parvenu　would　have　felt　it　ignoble　to　care　for　the

frame　in　which　this　glorious　old　apostle　of　the　musical　religion　lived

and　moved　and　had　his　being。



〃Hey！　by　what　good　luck　do　I　see　you　here；　dear　Madame　la　comtesse？〃

he　said。　〃Must　I　sing　the　canticle　of　Simeon　at　my　age？〃　（This　idea　so

tickled　him　that　he　laughed　immoderately。）　〃Truly　I'm　'en　bonne

fortune。'〃　（And　again　he　laughed　like　a　merry　child。）　〃But；　ah！〃　he

said；　changing　to　melancholy；　〃you　come　for　the　music；　and　not　for　a

poor　old　man　like　me。　Yes；　I　know　that；　but　come　for　what　you　will；　I

am　yours；　you　know；　body　and　soul　and　all　I　have！〃



This　was　said　in　his　unspeakable　German　accent；　a　rendition　of　which

we　spare　the　reader。



He　took　the　countess's　hand；　kissed　it　and　left　a　tear　there；　for　the

worthy　soul　was　always　on　the　morrow　of　her　benefit。　Then　he　seized　a

bit　of　chalk；　jumped　on　a　chair　in　front　of　the　piano；　and　wrote　upon

the　wall　in　big　letters；　with　the　rapidity　of　a　young　man；　〃February

17th；　1835。〃　This　pretty；　artless　action；　done　in　such　a　passion　of

gratitude；　touched　the　countess　to　tears。



〃My　sister　will　come　too；〃　she　said。



〃The　other；　too！　When？　when？　God　grant　it　be　before　I　die！〃



〃She　will　come　to　thank　you　for　a　great　service　I　am　now　here　to　ask

of　you。〃



〃Quick！　quick！　tell　me　what　it　is；〃　cried　Schmucke。　〃What　must　I　do？

go　to　the　devil？〃



〃Nothing　more　than　write　the　words　'Accepted　for　ten　thousand　francs；'

and　sign　your　name　on　each　of　these　papers；〃　she　said；　taking　from　her

muff　four　notes　prepared　for　her　by　Nathan。



〃Hey！　that's　soon　done；〃　replied　the　German；　with　the　docility　of　a

lamb；　〃only　I'm　sure　I　don't　know　where　my　pens　and　ink　are　Get　away

from　there；　Meinherr　Mirr！〃　he　cried　to　the　cat；　which　looked

composedly　at　him。　〃That's　my　cat；〃　he　said；　showing　him　to　the

countess。　〃That's　the　poor　animal　that　lives　with　poor　Schmucke。

Hasn't　he　fine　fur？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　countess。



〃Will　you　have　him？〃　he　cried。



〃How　can　you　think　of　such　a　thing？〃　she　answered。　〃Why；　he's　your

friend！〃



The　cat；　who　hid　the　inkstand　behind　him；　divined　that　Schmucke　wanted

it；　and　jumped　to　the　bed。



〃He's　as　mischievous　as　a　monkey；〃　said　Schmucke。　〃I　call　him　Mirr　in

honor　of　our　great　Hoffman　of　Berlin；　whom　I　knew　well。〃



The　good　man　signed　the　papers　with　the　innocence　of　a　child　who　does

what　his　mother　orders　without　question；　so　sure　is　he　that