the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第13章

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no　wise　related　to　my　affair。

Little　by　little　the　hall　became　thronged　with　interested　or　merely　curious　spectators；　and；　after　half　an　hour's　delay；　the　auctioneer　with　his　ivory　hammer；　the　clerk　with　his　bundle　of　memorandum…papers；　and　the　crier；　carrying　his　collection…box　fixed　to　the　end　of　a　pole；　all　took　their　places　on　the　platform　in　the　most　solemn　business　manner。　　The　attendants　ranged　themselves　at　the　foot　of　the　desk。　　The　presiding　officer　having　declared　the　sale　open；　a　partial　hush　followed。

A　commonplace　series　of　Preces　dia；　with　miniatures；　were　first　sold　off　at　mediocre　prices。　　Needless　to　say；　the　illuminations　of　these　books　were　in　perfect　condition！

The　lowness　of　the　bids　gave　courage　to　the　gathering　of　second…hand　booksellers　present；　who　began　to　mingle　with　us；　and　become　more　familiar。　　The　dealers　in　old　brass　and　bric…a…brac　pressed　forward　in　their　tun；　waiting　for　the　doors　of　an　adjoining　room　to　be　opened；　and　the　voice　of　the　auctioneer　was　drowned　by　the　jests　of　the　Auvergnats。

A　magnificent　codex　of　the　〃Guerre　des　Juifs〃　revived　attention。　　It　was　long　disputed　for。　　〃Five　thousand　francs！　five　thousand！〃　called　the　crier；　while　the　bric…a…brac　dealers　remained　silent　with　admiration。　　Then　seven　or　eight　antiphonaries　brought　us　back　again　to　low　prices。　　A　fat　old　woman；　in　a　loose　gown；　bareheadeda　dealer　in　second…hand　goodsencouraged　by　the　size　of　the　books　and　the　low　prices　bidden；　had　one　of　the　antiphonaries　knocked　down　to　her　for　thirty　francs。

At　last　the　expert　Polizzi　announced　No。　42：　〃The　'Golden　Legend'；　French　MS。；　unpublished；　two　superb　miniatures；　with　a　starting　bid　of　three　thousand　francs。〃

〃Three　thousand！　three　thousand　bid！〃　yelled　the　crier。

〃Three　thousand！〃　dryly　repeated　the　auctioneer。

There　was　a　buzzing　in　my　head；　and；　as　through　a　cloud；　I　saw　a　host　of　curious　faces　all　turning　towards　the　manuscript；　which　a　boy　was　carrying　open　through　the　audience。

〃Three　thousand　and　fifty！〃　I　said。

I　was　frightened　by　the　sound　of　my　own　voice；　and　further　confused　by　seeing；　or　thinking　that　I　saw；　all　eyes　turned　on　me。

〃Three　thousand　and　fifty　on　the　right！〃　called　the　crier；　taking　up　my　bid。

〃Three　thousand　one　hundred！〃　responded　Signor　Polizzi。

Then　began　a　heroic　duel　between　the　expert　and　myself。

〃Three　thousand　five　hundred！〃

〃Six　hundred！〃

〃Seven　hundred！〃

〃Four　thousand！〃

〃Four　thousand　five　hundred。〃

Then　by　a　sudden　bold　stroke；　Signor　Polizzi　raised　the　bid　at　once　to　six　thousand。

Six　thousand　francs　was　all　the　money　I　could　dispose　of。　　It　represented　the　possible。　　I　risked　the　impossible。

〃Six　thousand　one　hundred！〃

Alas！　even　the　impossible　did　not　suffice。

〃Six　thousand　five　hundred！〃　replied　Signor　Polizzi；　with　calm。

I　bowed　my　head　and　sat　there　stupefied；　unable　to　answer　either　yes　or　no　to　the　crier；　who　called　to　me：

〃Six　thousand　five　hundred；　by　menot　by　you　on　the　right　there！it　is　my　bidno　mistake！　　Six　thousand　five　hundred！〃

〃Perfectly　understood！〃　declared　the　auctioneer。　　〃Six　thousand　five　hundred。　　Perfectly　clear；　perfectly　plain。。。。　　Any　more　bids？　　The　last　bid　is　six　thousand　five　hundred　francs。〃

A　solemn　silence　prevailed。　　Suddenly　I　felt　as　if　my　head　had　burst　open。　　It　was　the　hammer　of　the　officiant；　who；　with　a　loud　blow　on　the　platform；　adjudged　No。　42　irrevocably　to　Signor　Polizzi。　　Forthwith　the　pen　of　the　clerk；　coursing　over　the　papier…timbre；　registered　that　great　fact　in　a　single　line。

I　was　absolutely　prostrated；　and　I　felt　the　utmost　need　of　rest　and　quiet。　　Nevertheless；　I　did　not　leave　my　seat。　　My　powers　of　reflection　slowly　returned。　　Hope　is　tenacious。　　I　had　one　more　hope。　It　occurred　to　me　that　the　new　owner　of　the　〃Legende　Doree〃　might　be　some　intelligent　and　liberal　bibliophile　who　would　allow　me　to　examine　the　MS。；　and　perhaps　even　to　publish　the　more　important　parts。　　And；　with　this　idea；　as　soon　as　the　sale　was　over　I　approached　the　expert　as　he　was　leaving　the　platform。

〃Monsieur；〃　I　asked　him；　〃did　you　buy　in　No。　42　on　your　own　account；　or　on　commission？〃

〃On　commission。　　I　was　instructed　not　to　let　it　go　at　any　price。〃

〃Can　you　tell　me　the　name　of　the　purchaser？〃

〃Monsieur；　I　regret　that　I　cannot　serve　you　in　that　respect。　　I　have　been　strictly　forbidden　to　mention　the　name。〃

I　went　home　in　despair。



December　30；　1859。


〃Therese！　don't　you　hear　the　bell？　　Somebody　has　been　ringing　at　the　door　for　the　last　quarter　of　an　hour？〃

Therese　does　not　answer。　　She　is　chattering　downstairs　with　the　concierge；　for　sure。　　So　that　is　the　way　you　observe　your　old　master's　birthday？　　You　desert　me　even　on　the　eve　of　Saint…Sylvestre！　　Alas！　if　I　am　to　hear　any　kind　wishes　to…day；　they　must　come　up　from　the　ground；　for　all　who　love　me　have　long　been　buried。　　I　really　don't　know　what　I　am　still　living　for。　　There　is　the　bell　again！。。。　　I　get　up　slowly　from　my　seat　at　the　fire；　with　my　shoulders　still　bent　from　stooping　over　it；　and　go　to　the　door　myself。　　Whom　do　I　see　at　the　threshold？　　It　is　not　a　dripping　love；　and　I　am　not　an　old　Anacreon；　but　it　is　a　very　pretty　little　boy　of　about　ten　years　old。　He　is　alone；　he　raises　his　face　to　look　at　me。　　His　cheeks　are　blushing；　but　his　little　pert　nose　gives　one　an　idea　of　mischievous　pleasantry。　　He　has　feathers　in　his　cap；　and　a　great　lace…ruff　on　his　jacket。　　The　pretty　little　fellow！　　He　holds　in　both　arms　a　bundle　as　big　as　himself；　and　asks　me　if　I　am　Monsieur　Sylvestre　Bonnard。　　I　tell　him　yes；　he　gives　me　the　bundle；　tells　me　his　mamma　sent　it　to　me；　and　then　he　runs　downstairs。

I　go　down　a　few　steps；　I　lean　over　the　balustrade；　and　see　the　little　cap　whirling　down　the　spiral　of　the　stairway　like　a　feather　in　the　wind。　　〃Good…bye；　my　little　boy！〃　　I　should　have　liked　so　much　to　question　him。　　But　what；　after　all；　could　I　have　asked？　　It　is　not　polite　to　question　children。　　Besides；　the　package　itself　will　probably　give　me　more　information　than　the　messenger　could。

It　is　a　very　big　bundle；　but　not　very　heavy。　　I　take　it　into　my　library；　and　there　untie　the　ribbons　and　unfasten　the　paper　wrappings；　and　I　seewhat？　a　log！　a　first…class　log！　a　real　Christmas　log；　but　so　light　that　I　know　it　must　be　hollow。　　Then　I　find　that　it　is　indeed　composed　of　two　separate　pieces；　opening　on　hinges；　and　fastened　with　hooks。　　I　slip　the　hooks　back；　and　find　myself　inundated　with　violets！　　Violets！　they　pour　over　my　table；　over　my　knees；　over　the　carpet。　　They　tumble　into　my　vest；　into　my　sleeves。　　I　am　all　perfumed　with　them。

〃Therese！　　Therese！　fill　me　some　vases　with　water；　and　bring　them　here；　quick！　　Here　are　violets　sent　to　us　I　know　not　from　what　country　nor　by　what　hand；　but　it　must　be　from　a　perfumed　country；　and　by　a　very　gracious　hand。。。。　　Do　you　hear　me；　old　crow？〃

I　have　put　all　the　violets　on　my　tablenow　completely　covered　by　the　odorous　mass。　　But　there　is　still　something　in　the　log。。。a　booka　manuscript。　　It　is。。。I　cannot　believe　it；　and　yet　I　cannot　doubt　it。。。。　　It　is　the　〃Legende　Doree〃！It　is　the　manuscript　of　the　Clerk　Alexander！　　Here　is　the　〃Purification　of　the　Virgin〃　and　the　〃Coronation　of　Proserpine〃；here　is　the　legend　of　Saint　Droctoveus。　I　contemplate　this　violet…perfumed　relic。　　I　turn　the　leaves　of　it　between　which　the　dark　rich　blossoms　have　slipped　in　here　and　there；　and；　right　opposite　the　legend　of　Saint…Cecilia；　I　find　a　card　bearing　this　name：

〃Princess　Trepof。〃

Princess　Trepof！you　who　laughed　and　wept　by　turns　so　sweetly　under　the　fair　sky　of　Agrigentum！you；　whom　a　cross　old　man　believed　to　be　only　a　foolish　little　woman！to…day　I　am　convinced　of　your　rare　and　beautiful　folly；　and　the　old　fellow　whom　you　now　overwhelm　with　happiness　will　go　to　kiss　your　hand；　and　give　you　back；　in　another　form；　this　precious　manuscript；　of　which　both　he　and　science　owe　you　an　exact　and　sumptuous　publication！

Therese　entered　my　study　just　at　that　moment；　she　seemed　to　be　very　much　excited。

〃Monsieur！〃　she　cried；　〃guess　whom　I　saw　just　now　in　a　carriage；　with　a　coat…of…arms　painted　on　it；　that　was　stopping　before　the　door？〃

〃Parbleu！Madame　Trepof；〃　I　exclaimed。

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　any　Madame　Trepof；〃　ans