the brotherhood of consolation-第35章

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〃Why？〃　asked　Godefroid。

〃Because　my　grandson；　who　is　sixteen　years　old；　is　even　more　shabbily
dressed　than　I　am。　Would　you　believe　it；　monsieur？　I　/dare/　not　go　to
that　doctor；　my　clothes　are　so　out　of　keeping　with　a　man　of　my　age　and
dignity。　If　he　saw　the　father　as　shabby　as　I　am；　and　the　boy　even
worse；　he　might　not　give　my　daughter　the　needful　attention；　he　would
treat　us　as　doctors　treat　the　poor。　And　think；　my　dear　monsieur；　that
I　love　my　daughter　for　all　the　suffering　she　has　caused　me；　just　as　I
used　to　love　her　for　the　joys　I　had　in　her。　She　has　become　angelic。
Alas！　she　is　nothing　now　but　a　soul；　a　soul　which　beams　upon　her　son
and　me；　the　body　no　longer　exists；　she　has　conquered　suffering。　Think
what　a　spectacle　for　a　father！　The　whole　world；　to　my　daughter；　is
within　the　walls　of　her　room。　I　keep　it　filled　with　flowers；　for　she
loves　them。　She　reads　a　great　deal；　and　when　she　has　the　use　of　her
hands　she　works　like　a　fairy。　She　has　no　conception　of　the　horrible
poverty　to　which　we　are　reduced。　This　makes　our　household　way　of　life
so　strange；　so　eccentric；　that　we　cannot　admit　visitors。　Do　you　now
understand　me；　monsieur？　Can　you　not　see　how　impossible　a　neighbor　is？
I　should　have　to　ask　for　so　much　forbearance　from　him　that　the
obligation　would　be　too　heavy。　Besides；　I　have　no　time　for　friends；　I
educate　my　grandson；　and　I　have　so　much　other　work　to　do　that　I　only
sleep　three；　or　at　most　four　hours　at　night。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Godefroid；　who　had　listened　patiently；　observing　the
old　man　with　sorrowful　attention；　〃I　will　be　your　neighbor；　and　I　will
help　you。〃

A　scornful　gesture；　even　an　impatient　one；　escaped　the　old　man；　for　he
was　one　who　believed　in　nothing　good　in　human　nature。

〃I　will　help　you；〃　pursued　Godefroid；　taking　his　hand；　〃but　in　my　own
way。　Listen　to　me。　What　do　you　mean　to　make　of　your　grandson？〃

〃He　is　soon　to　enter　the　Law　school。　I　am　bringing　him　up　to　the　bar。〃

〃Then　he　will　cost　you　six　hundred　francs　a　year。〃

The　old　man　made　no　reply。

〃I　myself；〃　continued　Godefroid　after　a　pause；　〃have　nothing；　but　I
may　be　able　to　do　much。　I　will　obtain　the　Polish　doctor　for　you。　And
if　your　daughter　is　curable　she　shall　be　cured。　We　will　find　some　way
of　paying　Halpersohn。〃

〃Oh！　if　my　daughter　be　cured　I　will　make　a　sacrifice　I　can　make　but
once；〃　cried　the　old　man。　〃I　will　sell　the　pear　I　have　kept　for　a
thirsty　day。〃

〃You　shall　keep　the　pair〃

〃Oh；　youth！　youth！〃　exclaimed　Monsieur　Bernard；　shaking　his　head。
〃Adieu；　monsieur；　or　rather；　au　revoir。　This　is　the　hour　for　the
Library；　and　as　my　books　are　all　sold　I　am　obliged　to　go　there　every
day　to　do　my　work。　I　shall　bear　in　mind　the　kindness　you　express；　but
I　must　wait　and　see　whether　you　will　grant　us　the　consideration　I　must
ask　from　my　neighbor。　That　is　all　I　expect　of　you。〃

〃Yes；　monsieur；　let　me　be　your　neighbor；　for；　I　assure　you；　Barbet　is
not　a　man　to　allow　the　rooms　to　be　long　unrented；　and　you　might　have
far　worse　neighbors　than　I。　I　do　not　ask　you　to　believe　in　me；　only　to
let　me　be　useful　to　you。〃

〃What　object　have　you？〃　said　the　old　man；　preparing　to　go　down　the
steps　from　the　cloister　of　the　Chartreux　which　leads　from　the　great
alley　of　the　Luxembourg　to　the　rue　d'Enfer。

〃Did　you　never；　in　your　public　functions；　oblige　any　one？〃

The　old　man　looked　at　Godefroid　with　frowning　brows；　his　eyes　were
full　of　memories；　like　a　man　who　turns　the　leaves　of　his　book　of　life；
seeking　for　the　action　to　which　he　owed　this　gratitude；　then　he　turned
away　coldly；　with　a　bow；　full　of　doubt。

〃Well；　for　a　first　investigation　I　did　not　frighten　him　too　much；〃
thought　Godefroid。



XIII

FURTHER　INVESTIGATIONS

Godefroid　now　went　to　the　rue　d'Enfer；　the　address　given　him　by
Monsieur　Alain；　and　there　found　Dr。　Berton；　a　cold；　grave　man；　who
astonished　him　much　by　confirming　all　the　details　given　by　Monsieur
Bernard　about　his　daughter's　illness。　From　him　Godefroid　obtained　the
address　of　Halpersohn。

This　Polish　doctor；　since　so　celebrated；　then　lived　in　Chaillot；　rue
Marbeuf；　in　an　isolated　house　where　he　occupied　the　first　floor。
General　Romanus　Zarnowski　lived　on　the　second　floor；　and　the　servants
of　the　two　refugees　inhabited　the　garret　of　this　little　house；　which
had　but　two　stories。　Godefroid　did　not　find　Halpersohn；　and　was　told
that　he　had　gone　into　the　provinces；　sent　for　by　a　rich　patient；　he
was　almost　glad　not　to　meet　him；　for　in　his　hurry　he　had　forgotten　to
supply　himself　with　money；　and　he　now　went　back　to　the　hotel　de　la
Chanterie　to　get　some。

These　various　trips　and　the　time　consumed　in　dining　at　a　restaurant　in
the　rue　de　l'Odeon　brought　Godefroid　to　the　hour　when　he　said　he　would
return　and　take　possession　of　his　lodging　on　the　boulevard　du　Mont…
Parnasse。　Nothing　could　be　more　forlorn　than　the　manner　in　which
Madame　Vauthier　had　furnished　the　two　rooms。　It　seemed　as　though　the
woman　let　rooms　with　the　express　purpose　that　no　one　should　stay　in
them。　Evidently　the　bed；　chairs；　tables；　bureau；　secretary；　curtains；
came　from　forced　sales　at　auction；　articles　massed　together　in　lots　as
having　no　separate　intrinsic　value。

Madame　Vauthier；　with　her　hands　on　her　hips；　stood　waiting　for　thanks；
she　took　Godefroid's　smile　for　one　of　surprise。

〃There！　I　picked　out　for　you　the　very　best　we　have；　my　dear　Monsieur
Godefroid；〃　she　said　with　a　triumphant　air。　〃See　those　pretty　silk
curtains；　and　the　mahogany　bedstead　which　hasn't　got　a　worm…hole　in
it！　It　formerly　belonged　to　the　Prince　of　Wissembourg。　When　he　left
his　house；　rue　Louis…le…Grand；　in　1809；　I　was　the　kitchen…girl。　From
there；　I　went　to　live　as　cook　with　the　present　owner　of　this　house。〃

Godefroid　stopped　the　flux　of　confidences　by　paying　a　month's　rent　in
advance；　and　he　also　gave；　in　advance；　the　six　francs　he　was　to　pay
Madame　Vauthier　for　the　care　of　his　rooms。　At　that　moment　he　heard
barking；　and　if　he　had　not　been　duly　warned　by　Monsieur　Bernard；　he
would　certainly　have　supposed　that　his　neighbor　kept　a　dog。

〃Does　that　dog　bark　at　night？〃　he　asked。

〃Oh！　don't　be　uneasy；　monsieur；　you'll　only　have　one　week　to　stand
those　persons。　Monsieur　Bernard　can't　pay　his　rent　and　we　are　going　to
put　him　out。　They　are　queer　people；　I　tell　you！　I　have　never　seen
their　dog。　That　animal　is　sometimes　months；　yes；　six　months　at　a　time
without　making　a　sound；　you　might　think　they　hadn't　a　dog。　The　beast
never　leaves　the　lady's　room。　There's　a　sick　lady　in　there；　and　very
sick；　too；　she's　never　been　out　of　her　room　since　she　came。　Old
Monsieur　Bernard　works　hard；　and　the　son；　too；　the　lad　is　a　day…
scholar　at　the　school　of　Louis…le…Grand；　where　he　is　nearly　through
his　philosophy　course；　and　only　sixteen；　too；　that's　something　to
boast　of！　but　the　little　scamp　has　to　work　like　one　possessed。
Presently　you'll　hear　them　bring　out　the　plants　they　keep　in　the
lady's　room　and　carry　in　fresh　ones。　They　themselves；　the　grandfather
and　the　boy；　only　eat　bread；　though　they　buy　flowers　and　all　sorts　of
dainties　for　the　lady。　She　must　be　very　ill；　not　to　leave　her　room
once　since　entering　it；　and　if　one's　to　believe　Monsieur　Berton；　the
doctor；　she'll　never　come　out　except　feet　foremost。〃

〃What　does　this　Monsieur　Bernard　do？〃

〃It　seems　he's　a　learned　man；　he　writes　and　goes　about　to　libraries。
Monsieur　lends　him　money　on　his　compositions。〃

〃Monsieur？　who　is　he？〃

〃The　proprietor　of　the　house；　Monsieur　Barbet；　the　old　bookseller。　He
is　a　Norman　who　used　to　sell　green　stuff　in　the　streets；　and
afterwards　set　up　a　bookstall；　in　1818；　on　the　quay。　Then　he　got　a
little　shop；　and　now　he　is　very　rich。　He　is　a　kind　of　a　Jew；　with　a
score　of　trades；　he　was　even　a　partner　with　the　Italian　who　built　this
barrack　to　lodge　silk…worms。〃

〃So　this　house　is　a　refuge　for　unfortunate　authors？〃　said　Godefroid。

〃Is　monsieur　unluckily　one　himself？〃　asked　the　widow　Vauthier。

〃I　am　only　just　starting；〃　replied　Godefroid。

〃Oh！　my　dear　monsieur；　take　my　advice　and　don't　go　on；　journalist？
well；I　won't　say　anything　against　that。〃

Godefroid　could　not　help　laughing　as　he　bade　good…night　to　the
portress；　who　thus；　all　unconsciously；　represented　the　bourgeoisie