the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第11章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



I：　　〃Later　on　I　will　be　glad　to　see　the　chef…d'oeuvre；　but　let　us　first　talk　about　the　business　which　brings　me　here。〃

His　little　quick　bright　eyes　watched　my　face　curiously；　and　I　perceived；　with　anguish；　that　he　had　not　the　least　suspicion　of　the　purpose　of　my　visit。

A　cold　sweat　broke　out　over　my　forehead；　and　in　the　bewilderment　of　my　anxiety　I　stammered　out　something　to　this　effect：

〃I　have　come　from　Paris　expressly　to　look　at　a　manuscript　of　the　Legende　Doree；　which　you　informed　me　was　in　your　possession。〃

At　these　words　he　threw　up　his　arms；　opened　his　mouth　and　eyes　to　the　widest　possible　extent；　and　betrayed　every　sign　of　extreme　nervousness。

〃Oh！　the　manuscript　of　the　'Golden　Legend！'　　A　pearl；　Excellence！　a　ruby；　a　diamond！　　Two　miniatures　so　perfect　that　they　give　one　the　feeling　of　glimpses　of　Paradise！　　What　suavity！　　Those　colours　ravished　from　the　corollas　of　flowers　make　a　honey　for　the　eyes！　Even　a　Sicilian　could　have　done　no　better！〃

〃Let　me　see　it；　then；〃　I　asked；　unable　to　conceal　either　my　anxiety　or　my　hope。

〃Let　you　see　it！〃　cried　Polizzi。　　〃But　how　can　I；　Excellence？　　I　have　not　got　it　any　longer！　　I　have　not　got　it！〃

And　he　seemed　determined　to　tear　out　his　hair。　　He　might　indeed　have　pulled　every　hair　in　his　head　out　of　his　hide　before　I　should　have　tried　to　prevent　him。　　But　he　stopped　of　his　own　accord；　before　he　had　done　himself　any　grievous　harm。

〃What！〃　I　cried　out　in　anger〃what！　you　make　me　come　all　the　way　from　Paris　to　Girgenti；　by　promising　to　show　me　a　manuscript；　and　now；　when　I　come；　you　tell　me　you　have　not　got　it！　　It　is　simply　infamous；　Monsieur！　　I　shall　leave　your　conduct　to　be　judged　by　all　honest　men！〃

Anybody　who　could　have　seen　me　at　that　moment　would　have　been　able　to　form　a　good　idea　of　the　aspect　of　a　furious　sheep。

〃It　is　infamous！　it　is　infamous！〃　I　repeated；　waving　my　arms；　which　trembled　from　anger。

Then　Michel…Angelo　Polizzi　let　himself　fall　into　a　chair　in　the　attitude　of　a　dying　hero。　　I　saw　his　eyes　fill　with　tears；　and　his　hairuntil　then　flamboyant　and　erect　upon　his　headfall　down　in　limp　disorder　over　his　brow。

〃I　am　a　father；　Excellence！　　I　am　a　father！〃　he　groaned；　wringing　his　hands。

He　continued；　sobbing：

〃My　son　Rafaelthe　son　of　my　poor　wife；　for　whose　death　I　have　been　mourning　fifteen　yearsRafael；　Excellence；　wanted　to　settle　at　Paris；　he　hired　a　shop　in　the　Rue　Lafitte　for　the　sale　of　curiosities。　　I　gave　him　everything　precious　which　I　hadI　gave　him　my　finest　majolicas；　my　most　beautiful　Urbino　ware；　my　masterpieces　of　art；　what　paintings；　Signor！　　Even　now　they　dazzle　me　with　I　see　them　only　in　imagination！　　And　all　of　them　signed！　　Finally；　I　gave　him　the　manuscript　of　the　'Golden　Legend'！　　I　would　have　given　him　my　flesh　and　my　blood！　　An　only　son；　Signor！　the　son　of　my　poor　saintly　wife！〃

〃So；〃　I　said；　〃while　Irelying　on　your　written　word；　Monsieurwas　travelling　to　the　very　heart　of　Sicily　to　find　the　manuscript　of　the　Clerk　Alexander；　the　same　manuscript　was　actually　exposed　for　sale　in　a　window　in　the　Rue　Lafitte；　only　fifteen　hundred　yards　from　my　house？〃

〃Yes；　it　was　there！　that　is　positively　true！〃　exclaimed　Signor　Polizzi；　suddenly　growing　calm　again；　〃and　it　is　there　stillat　least　I　hope　it　is；　Excellence。〃

He　took　a　card　from　a　shelf　as　he　spoke；　and　offered　it　to　me；　saying；

〃Here　is　the　address　of　my　son。　　Make　it　known　to　your　friends；　and　you　will　oblige　me。　　Faience　and　enameled　wares；　hangings；　pictures。　He　has　a　complete　stock　of　objects　of　artall　at　the　fairest　possible　pricesand　everything　authentic；　I　can　vouch　for　it；　upon　my　honour！　Go　and　see　him。　　He　will　show　you　the　manuscript　of　the　'Golden　Legend。'　　Two　miniatures　miraculously　fresh　in　colour！〃

I　was　feeble　enough　to　take　the　card　he　held　out　to　me。

The　fellow　was　taking　further　advantage　of　my　weakness　to　make　me　circulate　the　name　of　Rafael　Polizzi　among　the　Societies　of　the　learned！

My　hand　was　already　on　the　door…knob；　when　the　Sicilian　caught　me　by　the　arm；　he　had　a　look　as　of　sudden　inspiration。

〃Ah！　　Excellence！〃　he　cried；　〃what　a　city　is　this　city　of　ours！　　It　gave　birth　to　Empedocles！　　Empedocles！　　What　a　great　man　what　a　great　citizen！　　What　audacity　of　thought！　what　virtue！　what　soul！　At　the　port　over　there　is　a　statue　of　Empedocles；　before　which　I　bare　my　head　each　time　that　I　pass　by！　　When　Rafael；　my　son；　was　going　away　to　found　an　establishment　of　antiquities　in　the　Rue　Lafitte；　at　Paris；　I　took　him　to　the　port；　and　there；　at　the　foot　of　that　statue　of　Empedocles；　I　bestowed　upon　him　my　paternal　benediction！　　'Always　remember　Empedocles！'　I　said　to　him。　　Ah！　Signor；　what　our　unhappy　country　needs　to…day　is　a　new　Empedocles！　Would　you　not　like　me　to　show　you　the　way　to　his　statue；　Excellence？　I　will　be　your　guide　among　the　ruins　here。　　I　will　show　you　the　temple　of　Castor　and　Pollux；　the　temple　of　the　Olympian　Jupiter；　the　temple　of　the　Lucinian　Juno；　the　antique　well；　the　tomb　of　Theron；　and　the　Gate　of　Gold！　　All　the　professional　guides　are　asses；　but　wewe　shall　make　excavations；　if　you　are　willingand　we　shall　discover　treasures！　　I　know　the　science　of　discovering　hidden　treasuresthe　secret　art　of　finding　their　whereaboutsa　gift　from　Heaven！〃

I　succeeded　in　tearing　myself　away　from　his　grasp。　　But　he　ran　after　me　again；　stopped　me　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　and　said　in　my　ear；

〃Listen；　Excellence。　　I　will　conduct　you　about　the　city；　I　will　introduce　you　to　some　Girgentines！　　What　a　race！　what　types！　what　forms！　　Sicilian　girls；　Signor！the　antique　beauty　itself！〃

〃Go　to　the　devil！〃　I　cried　at　last；　in　anger；　and　rushed　into　the　street；　leaving　him　still　writhing　in　the　loftiness　of　his　enthusiasm。

When　I　had　got　out　of　his　sight；　I　sank　down　upon　a　stone；　and　began　to　think；　with　my　face　in　my　hands。

〃And　it　was　for　this；〃　I　said　to　myself〃it　was　to　hear　such　propositions　as　this　that　I　came　to　Sicily！　　That　Polizzi　is　simply　a　scoundrel；　and　his　son　another；　and　they　made　a　plan　together　to　ruin　me。〃　　But　what　was　their　scheme？　　I　could　not　unravel　it。　　Meanwhile；　it　may　be　imagined　how　discouraged　and　humiliated　I　felt。

A　merry　burst　of　laughter　caused　me　to　turn　my　head；　and　I　saw　Madame　Trepof　running　in　advance　of　her　husband；　and　holding　up　something　which　I　could　not　distinguish　clearly。

She　sat　down　beside　me；　and　showed　melaughing　more　merrily　all　the　whilean　abominable　little　paste…board　box；　on　which　was　printed　a　red　and　blue　face；　which　the　inscription　declared　to　be　the　face　of　Empedocles。

〃Yes；　Madame；〃　I　said；　〃but　that　abominable　Polizzi；　to　whom　I　advise　you　not　to　send　Monsieur　Trepof；　has　made　me　fall　out　for　ever　with　Empedocles；　and　this　portrait　is　not　at　all　of　a　nature　to　make　me　feel　more　kindly　to　the　ancient　philosopher。〃

〃Oh！〃　declared　Madame　Trepof；　〃it　is　ugly；　but　it　is　rare！　　These　boxes　are　not　exported　at　all；　you　can　buy　them　only　where　they　are　made。　　Dimitri　has　six　others　just　like　this　in　his　pocket。　　We　got　them　so　as　to　exchange　with　other　collectors。　　You　understand？　At　none　o'clock　this　morning　we　were　at　the　factory。　　You　see　we　did　not　waste　our　time。〃

〃So　I　certainly　perceive；　Madame；〃　I　replied；　bitterly；　〃but　I　have　lost　mine。〃

I　then　saw　that　she　was　a　naturally　good…hearted　woman。　　All　her　merriment　vanished。

〃Poor　Monsieur　Bonnard！　poor　Monsieur　Bonnard！〃　she　murmured。

And；　taking　my　hand　in　hers；　she　added：

〃Tell　me　about　your　troubles。〃

I　told　her　about　them。　　My　story　was　long；　but　she　was　evidently　touched　by　it；　for　she　asked　me　quite　a　number　of　circumstantial　questions；　which　I　took　for　proof　of　her　friendly　interest。　　She　wanted　to　know　the　exact　title　of　the　manuscript；　its　shape；　its　appearance；　and　its　age；　she　asked　me　for　the　address　of　Signor　Rafael　Polizzi。

And　I　gave　it　to　her；　thus　doing　（O　destiny！）　precisely　what　the　abominable　Polizzi　had　told　me　to　do。

It　is　sometimes　difficult　to　check　oneself。　　I　recommenced　my　plaints　and　my　imprecations。　　But　this　time　Madame　Trepof　only　burst　out　laughing。

〃Why　do　you　laugh？〃　I　asked　her。

〃Because　I　am　a　wicked　woman；〃　she　answered。

And　she　fled　away；　leaving　me　all　disheartened　on　my　stone。



Paris；　December　8；　1859。


My　un