the ways of men(人们的手段)-第7节
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love his works when you are older； and it will be a satisfaction to
remember that you saw and spoke with him in the flesh！ 〃
When I returned later to Paris the little house had changed hands； and
a marble tablet stating that Sainte…Beuve had lived and died there adorned
its facade。 My student footsteps took me many times through that quiet
street； but never without a vision of the poet…critic flashing back； as I
glanced up at the window where he had stood and talked with us； as my
friend predicted； Sainte…Beuve's writings had become a precious part of
my small library； the memory of his genial face adding a vivid interest to
their perusal。
I made a little Pilgrimage recently to the quiet old garden where； after
many years' delay； a bust of this writer has been unveiled； with the same
companion； now very old； who thirty years ago presented me to the
original。
There is； perhaps； in all Paris no more exquisite corner than the
Garden of the Luxembourg。 At every season it is beautiful。 The winter
sunlight seems to linger on its stately Italian terraces after it has ceased to
shine elsewhere。 The first lilacs bloom here in the spring； and when
midsummer has turned all the rest of Paris into a blazing； white wilderness；
these gardens remain cool and tranquil in the heart of turbulent
〃Bohemia；〃 a bit of fragrant nature filled with the song of birds and the
voices of children。 Surely it was a gracious inspiration that selected this
shady park as the 〃Poets' Corner〃 of great； new Paris。 Henri Murger；
Leconte de Lisle； Theodore de Banville； Paul Verlaine； are here； and now
Sainte…Beuve has come back to his favorite haunt。 Like Francois Coppee
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and Victor Hugo； he loved these historic ALLEES； and knew the stone in
them as he knew the 〃Latin Quater；〃 for his life was passed between the
bookstalls of the quays and the outlying street where he lived。
As we sat resting in the shade； my companion； who had been one of
Sainte…Beuve's pupils； fell to talking of his master； his memory refreshed
by the familiar surroundings。 〃Can anything be sadder；〃 he said； 〃than
finding a face one has loved turned into stone； or names that were the
watch…words of one's youth serving as signs at street corners … la rue
Flaubert or Theodore de Banville？ How far away they make the past seem！
Poor Sainte…Beuve； that bust yonder is but a poor reward for a life of toil；
a modest tribute to his encyclopaedic brain！ His works； however； are his
best monument； he would be the last to repine or cavil。
〃The literary world of my day had two poles； between which it
vibrated。 The little house in the rue Montparnasse was one； the rock of
Guernsey the other。 We spoke with awe of ‘Father Hugo' and mentioned
‘Uncle Beuve' with tenderness。 The Goncourt brothers accepted Sainte…
Beuve's judgment on their work as the verdict of a ‘Supreme Court。' Not a
poet or author of that day but climbed with a beating heart the narrow
staircase that led to the great writer's library。 Paul Verlaine regarded as his
literary diploma a letter from this ‘Balzac de la critique。' 〃
〃At the entrance of the quaint Passage du Commerce； under the arch
that leads into the rue Saint…Andre…des…Arts； stands a hotel； where for
years Sainte…Beuve came daily to work （away from the importunate who
besieged his dwelling） in a room hired under the assumed name of
Delorme。 It was there that we sent him a basket of fruit one morning
addressed to Mr。 Delorme； NE Sainte…Beuve。 It was there that most of his
enormous labor was accomplished。
〃A curious corner of old Paris that Cour du Commerce！ Just opposite
his window was the apartment where Danton lived。 If one chose to seek
for them it would not be hard to discover on the pavement of this same
passage the marks made by a young doctor in decapitating sheep with his
newly invented machine。 The doctor's name was Guillotin。
〃The great critic loved these old quarters filled with history。 He was
fond of explaining that Montparnasse had been a hill where the students of
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the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries came to amuse themselves。 In
1761 the slope was levelled and the boulevard laid out； but the name was
predestined； he would declare； for the habitation of the ‘Parnassiens。'
〃His enemies pretended that you had but to mention Michelet； Balzac；
and Victor Hugo to see Sainte…Beuve in three degrees of rage。 He had； it is
true； distinct expressions on hearing those authors discussed。 The phrase
then much used in speaking of an original personality； ‘He is like a
character out of Balzac；' always threw my master into a temper。 I cannot
remember； however； having seen him in one of those famous rages which
made Barbey d'Aurevilly say that ‘Sainte… Beuve was a clever man with
the temper of a turkey！' The former was much nearer the truth when he
called the author of LES LUNDIS a French Wordsworth； or compared him
to a lay BENEDICTIN。 He had a way of reading a newly acquired volume
as he walked through the streets that was typical of his life。 My master
was always studying and always advancing。
〃He never entirely recovered from his mortification at being hissed by
the students on the occasion of his first lecture at the College de France。
Returning home he loaded two pistols； one for the first student who should
again insult him； and the other to blow out his own brains。 It was no idle
threat。 The man Guizot had nicknamed ‘Werther' was capable of executing
his plan； for this causeless unpopularity was anguish to him。 After his
death； I found those two pistols loaded in his bedroom； but justice had
been done another way。 All opposition had vanished。 Every student in the
‘Quarter' followed the modest funeral of their Senator； who had become
the champion of literary liberty in an epoch when poetry was held in
chains。
〃The Empire which made him Senator gained； however； but an
indocile recruit。 On his one visit to Compiegne in 1863； the Emperor；
wishing to be particularly gracious； said to him； ‘I always read the
MONITEUR on Monday； when your article appears。' Unfortunately for
this compliment； it was the CONSTITUTIONNEL that had been
publishing the NOUVEAUX LUNDIS for more than four years。 In spite
of the united efforts of his friends； Sainte…Beuve could not be brought to
the point of complimenting Napoleon III。 on his LIFE OF CAESAR。
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The author of LES CONSOLATIONS remained through life the
proudest and most independent of men； a bourgeois； enemy of all tyranny；
asking protection of no one。 And what a worker！ Reading； sifting； studying；
analyzing his subject before composing one of his famous LUNDIS； a
literary portrait which he aimed at making complete and final。 One of
these articles cost him as much labor as other authors give to the
composition of a volume。
〃By way of amusement on Sunday evenings； when work was
temporarily laid aside； he loved the theatre； delighting in every kind of
play； from the broad farces of the Palais Royal to the tragedies of Racine；
and entertaining comedians in order； as he said； ‘to keep young'！ One
evening Theophile Gautier brought a pretty actress to dinner。 Sainte…Beuve；
who was past…master in the difficult art of conversation； and on whom a
fair woman acted as an inspiration； surpassed himself on this occasion；
surprising even the Goncourts with his knowledge of the Eighteenth
century and the women of that time； Mme。 de Boufflers； Mlle。 de
Lespinasse； la Marechale de Luxembourg。 The hours fl
