the brotherhood of consolation-第33章

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speak　of　yourself。　Do　you　know　that　this　quarter　in　which　you　propose
to　live　is　deserted　by　eight　o'clock　at　night；　and　the　roads　are　full
of　dangers；　the　least　of　which　is　robbery？　Have　you　noticed　those　wide
spaces　not　yet　built　upon；　these　fields；　these　gardens？　You　may　tell
me　that　I　live　here；　but；　monsieur；　I　never　go　out　after　six　o'clock。
You　may　also　remind　me　of　the　two　young　men　on　the　second　floor；　above
the　apartment　you　are　going　to　take。　But；　monsieur；　those　two　poor　men
of　letters　are　pursued　by　creditors。　They　are　in　hiding；　they　are　away
in　the　daytime　and　only　return　at　night；　they　have　no　reason　to　fear
robbers　or　assassins；　besides；　they　always　go　together　and　are　armed。
I　myself　obtained　permission　from　the　prefecture　of　police　that　they
should　carry　arms。〃

＇Yes；　this　would　explain　why　there　are　no　windows　on　the　ground　floor
of　Barbet's　building。　I　would　not　like　to　stay　anywhere　that　was
easily　externally　accessible　in　a　city；　but　more　because　of　drunks
than　anything　else。JB。＇

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Godefroid；　〃I　am　not　afraid　of　robbers；　for　the　same
reasons　that　make　those　gentlemen　invulnerable；　and　I　despise　life　so
heartily　that　if　I　were　murdered　by　mistake　I　should　bless　the
murderer！〃

〃You　do　not　look　to　me　very　unhappy；〃　said　the　old　man；　examining
Godefroid。

〃I　have；　at　the　most；　enough　to　get　me　bread　to　live　on；　and　I　have
come　to　this　place；　monsieur；　because　of　its　silent　neighborhood。　May
I　ask　you　what　interest　you　have　in　driving　me　away？〃

The　old　man　hesitated；　he　saw　Madame　Vauthier　close　behind　them。
Godefroid；　who　examined　him　attentively；　was　astonished　at　the　degree
of　thinness　to　which　grief；　perhaps　hunger；　perhaps　toil；　had　reduced
him。　There　were　signs　of　all　those　causes　upon　that　face；　where　the
parched　skin　clung　to　the　bones　as　if　it　had　been　burned　by　the　sun　of
Africa。　The　dome　of　the　forehead；　high　and　threatening；　overshadowed　a
pair　of　steel…blue　eyes；two　cold；　hard；　sagacious；　penetrating　eyes；
like　those　of　savages；　surrounded　by　a　black　and　wrinkled　circle。　The
large　nose；　long　and　very　thin；　and　the　prominent　chin；　gave　the　old
man　a　strong　resemblance　to　the　well…known　mask　popularly　ascribed　to
Don　Quixote；　but　a　wicked　Don　Quixote；　without　illusions；a　terrible
Don　Quixote。

And　yet　the　old　man；　in　spite　of　this　general　aspect　of　severity；
betrayed　the　weakness　and　timidity　which　indigence　imparts　to　all
unfortunates。　These　two　emotions　seemed　to　have　made　crevices　in　that
solidly　constructed　face　which　the　pickaxe　of　poverty　was　daily
enlarging。　The　mouth　was　eloquent　and　grave；　in　that　feature　Don
Quixote　was　complicated　with　Montesquieu's　president。

His　clothing　was　entirely　of　black　cloth；　but　cloth　that　was　white　at
the　seams。　The　coat；　of　an　old…fashioned　cut；　and　the　trousers；　showed
various　clumsy　darns。　The　buttons　had　evidently　just　been　renewed。　The
coat；　buttoned　to　the　chin；　showed　no　linen；　and　the　cravat；　of　a
rusty　black；　hid　the　greater　part　of　a　false　collar。　These　clothes；
worn　for　many　years；　smelt　of　poverty。　And　yet　the　lofty　air　of　this
mysterious　old　man；　his　gait；　the　thought　that　dwelt　on　his　brow　and
was　manifest　in　his　eyes；　excluded　the　idea　of　pauperism。　An　observer
would　have　hesitated　how　to　class　him。

Monsieur　Bernard　seemed　so　absorbed　that　he　might　have　been　taken　for
a　teacher　employed　in　that　quarter　of　the　city；　or　for　some　learned
man　plunged　in　exacting　and　tyrannical　meditation。　Godefroid；　in　any
case；　would　have　felt　a　curiosity　which　his　present　mission　of
benevolence　sharpened　into　powerful　interest。

〃Monsieur；〃　continued　the　old　man；　〃if　I　were　sure　that　you　are　really
seeking　silence　and　seclusion；　I　should　say　take　those　rooms　near
mine。〃　He　raised　his　voice　so　that　Madame　Vauthier；　who　was　now
passing　them；　could　hear　him。　〃Take　those　rooms。　I　am　a　father；
monsieur。　I　have　only　a　daughter　and　a　grandson　to　enable　me　to　bear
the　miseries　of　life。　Now；　my　daughter　needs　silence　and　absolute
tranquillity。　All　those　persons　who；　so　far；　have　looked　at　the　rooms
you　are　now　considering；　have　listened　to　the　reasons　and　the
entreaties　of　a　despairing　father。　It　was　indifferent　to　them　whether
they　lived　in　one　house　or　another　of　a　quarter　so　deserted　that
plenty　of　lodgings　can　be　had　for　a　low　price。　But　I　see　in　you　a
fixed　determination；　and　I　beg　you；　monsieur；　not　to　deceive　me。　Do
you　really　desire　a　quiet　life？　If　not；　I　shall　be　forced　to　move　and
go　beyond　the　barrier；　and　the　removal　may　cost　me　my　daughter's
life。〃

If　the　man　could　have　wept；　the　tears　would　have　covered　his　cheeks
while　he　spoke；　as　it　was；　they　were；　to　use　an　expression　now　become
vulgar；　〃in　his　voice。〃　He　covered　his　forehead　with　his　hand；　which
was　nothing　but　bones　and　muscle。

〃What　is　your　daughter's　illness？〃　asked　Godefroid；　in　a　persuasive
and　sympathetic　voice。

〃A　terrible　disease　to　which　physicians　give　various　names；　but　it
has；　in　truth；　no　name。　My　fortune　is　lost；〃　he　added；　with　one　of
those　despairing　gestures　made　only　by　the　wretched。　〃The　little　money
that　I　had；for　in　1830　I　was　cast　from　a　high　position；in　fact；
all　that　I　possessed；　was　soon　used　by　on　my　daughter's　illness；　her
mother；　too；　was　ruined　by　it；　and　finally　her　husband。　To…day　the
pension　I　receive　from　the　government　barely　suffices　for　the　actual
necessities　of　my　poor；　dear；　saintly　child。　The　faculty　of　tears　has
left　me；　I　have　suffered　tortures。　Monsieur；　I　must　be　granite　not　to
have　died。　But　no；　God　had　kept　alive　the　father　that　the　child　might
have　a　nurse；　a　providence。　Her　poor　mother　died　of　the　strain。　Ah！
you　have　come；　young　man；　at　a　moment　when　the　old　tree　that　never　yet
has　bent　feels　the　axethe　axe　of　poverty；　sharpened　by　sorrowat
his　roots。　Yes；　here　am　I；　who　never　complain；　talking　to　you　of　this
illness　so　as　to　prevent　you　from　coming　to　the　house；　or；　if　you
still　persist；　to　implore　you　not　to　trouble　our　peace。　Monsieur；　at
this　moment　my　daughter　barks　like　a　dog；　day　and　night。〃

〃Is　she　insane？〃　asked　Godefroid。

〃Her　mind　is　sound；　she　is　a　saint；〃　replied　the　old　man。　〃You　will
presently　think　I　am　mad　when　I　tell　you　all。　Monsieur；　my　only　child；
my　daughter　was　born　of　a　mother　in　excellent　health。　I　never　in　my
life　loved　but　one　woman；　the　one　I　married。　I　married　the　daughter　of
one　of　the　bravest　colonels　of　the　Imperial　guard；　Tarlowski；　a　Pole；
formerly　on　the　staff　of　the　Emperor。　The　functions　that　I　exercised
in　my　high　position　demanded　the　utmost　purity　of　life　and　morals；　but
I　have　never　had　room　in　my　heart　for　many　feelings；　and　I　faithfully
loved　my　wife；　who　deserved　such　love。　I　am　a　father　in　like　manner　as
I　was　a　husband；　and　that　is　telling　you　all　in　one　word。　My　daughter
never　left　her　mother；　no　child　has　ever　lived　more　chastely；　more
truly　a　Christian　life　than　my　dear　daughter。　She　was　born　more　than
pretty；　she　was　born　most　beautiful；　and　her　husband；　a　young　man　of
whose　morals　I　was　absolutely　sure；he　was　the　son　of　a　friend　of
mine；　the　judge　of　one　of　the　Royal　courts；did　not　in　any　way
contribute　to　my　daughter's　illness。〃

Godefroid　and　Monsieur　Bernard　made　an　involuntary　pause；　and　looked
at　each　other。

〃Marriage；　as　you　know；　sometimes　changes　a　young　woman　greatly；〃
resumed　the　old　man。　〃The　first　pregnancy　passed　well　and　produced　a
son；　my　grandson；　who　now　lives　with　us；　the　last　scion　of　two
families。　The　second　pregnancy　was　accompanied　by　such　extraordinary
symptoms　that　the　physicians；　much　astonished；　attributed　them　to　the
caprice　of　phenomena　which　sometimes　manifest　themselves　in　this
state；　and　are　recorded　by　physicians　in　the　annals　of　science。　My
daughter　gave　birth　to　a　dead　child；　in　fact；　it　was　twisted　and
smothered　by　internal　movements。　The　disease　had　begun；　the　pregnancy
counted　for　nothing。　Perhaps　you　are　a　student　of　medicine？〃

Godefroid　made　a　sign　which　answered　as　well　for　affirmation　as　for
negation。

〃After　this　terrible　confinement；〃　resumed　Monsieur　Bernard；〃so
terrible　and　laborious　that　it　made　a　violent　impression　on　my　son…in…
law　and　began　the　mortal　melancholy　of　which　he　died；my　daughter；
two