the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第14章

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〃Parbleu！Madame　Trepof；〃　I　exclaimed。

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　any　Madame　Trepof；〃　answered　my　housekeeper。　　〃The　woman　I　saw　just　now　was　dressed　like　a　duchess；　and　had　a　little　boy　with　her；　with　lace…frills　all　along　the　seams　of　his　clothes。　　And　it　was　that　same　little　Madame　Coccoz　you　once　sent　a　log　to；　when　she　was　lying…in　here　about　eleven　years　ago。　　I　recognized　her　at　once。〃

〃What！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃you　mean　to　say　it　was　Madame　Coccoz；　the　widow　of　the　almanac…peddler？〃

〃Herself；　Monsieur！　　The　carriage…door　was　open　for　a　minute　to　let　her　little　boy；　who　had　just　come　from　I　don't　know　where；　get　in。　She　hasn't　changed　scarcely　at　all。　　Well；　why　should　those　women　change？they　never　worry　themselves　about　anything。　　Only　the　Coccoz　woman　looks　a　little　fatter　than　she　used　to　be。　　And　the　idea　of　a　woman　that　was　taken　in　here　out　of　pure　charity　coming　to　show　off　her　velvets　and　diamonds　in　a　carriage　with　a　crest　painted　on　it！　Isn't　it　shameful！〃

〃Therese！〃　I　cried；　in　a　terrible　voice；　〃if　you　ever　speak　to　me　again　about　that　lady　except　in　terms　of　the　deepest　respect；　you　and　I　will　fall　out！　　。。。Bring　me　the　Sevres　vases　to　put　those　violets　in；　which　now　give　the　City　of　Books　a　charm　it　never　had　before。〃

While　Therese　went　off　with　a　sigh　to　get　the　Sevres　vases；　I　continued　to　contemplate　those　beautiful　scattered　violets；　whose　odour　spread　all　about　me　like　the　perfume　of　some　sweet　presence；　some　charming　soul；　and　I　asked　myself　how　it　had　been　possible　for　me　never　to　recognise　Madame　Coccoz　in　the　person　of　the　Princess　Trepof。　　But　that　vision　of　the　young　widow；　showing　me　her　little　child　on　the　stairs；　had　been　a　very　rapid　one。　　I　had　much　more　reason　to　reproach　myself　for　having　passed　by　a　gracious　and　lovely　soul　without　knowing　it。

〃Bonnard；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃thou　knowest　how　to　decipher　old　texts；　but　thou　dost　not　know　how　to　read　in　the　Book　of　Life。　　That　giddy　little　Madame　Trepof；　whom　thou　once　believed　to　possess　no　more　soul　than　a　bird；　has　expended；　in　pure　gratitude；　more　zeal　and　finer　tact　than　thou　didst　ever　show　for　anybody's　sake。　　Right　royally　hath　she　repaid　thee　for　the　log…fire　of　her　churching…day！

〃Therese！　　Awhile　ago　you　were　a　magpie；　now　you　are　becoming　a　tortoise！　　Come　and　give　some　water　to　these　Parmese　violets。〃




Part　II　　The　Daughter　of　Clementine





Chapter　I　　The　Fairy


When　I　left　the　train　at　the　Melun　station；　night　had　already　spread　its　peace　over　the　silent　country。　　The　soil；　heated　through　all　the　long　day　by　a　strong　sunby　a　〃gros　soleil；〃　as　the　harvesters　of　the　Val　de　Vire　saystill　exhaled　a　warm　heavy　smell。　　Lush　dense　odours　of　grass　passed　over　the　level　of　the　fields。　　I　brushed　away　the　dust　of　the　railway　carriage；　and　joyfully　inhaled　the　pure　air。　　My　travelling…bagfilled　by　my　housekeeper　wit　linen　and　various　small　toilet　articles；　munditiis；　seemed　so　light　in　my　hand　that　I　swung　it　about　just　as　a　schoolboy　swings　his　strapped　package　of　rudimentary　books　when　the　class　is　let　out。

Would　to　Heaven　that　I　were　again　a　little　urchin　at　school！　　But　it　is　fully　fifty　years　since　my　good　dead　mother　made　me　some　tartines　of　bread　and　preserves；　and　placed　them　in　a　basket　of　which　she　slipped　the　handle　over　my　arm；　and　then　led　me；　thus　prepared；　to　the　school　kept　by　Monsieur　Douloir；　at　a　corner　of　the　Passage　du　Commerce　well　known　to　the　sparrows；　between　a　court　and　a　garden。　The　enormous　Monsieur　Douloir　smiled　upon　us　genially；　and　patted　my　cheek　to　show；　no　doubt；　the　affectionate　interest　which　my　first　appearance　had　inspired。　　But　when　my　mother　had　passed　out　of　the　court；　startling　the　sparrows　as　she　went；　Monsieur　Douloir　ceased　to　smilehe　showed　no　more　affectionate　interest；　he　appeared；　on　the　contrary；　to　consider　me　as　a　very　troublesome　little　fellow。　I　discovered；　later　on；　that　he　entertained　the　same　feelings　towards　all　his　pupils。　　He　distributed　whacks　of　his　ferule　with　an　agility　no　one　could　have　expected　on　the　part　of　so　corpulent　a　person。　　But　his　first　aspect　of　tender　interest　invariably　reappeared　when　he　spoke　to　any　of　our　mothers　in　our　presence；　and　always　at　such　times；　while　warmly　praising　our　remarkable　aptitudes；　he　would　cast　down　upon　us　a　look　of　intense　affection。　　Still；　those　were　happy　days　which　I　passed　on　the　benches　of　the　Monsieur　Couloir　with　my　little　playfellows；　who；　like　myself；　cried　and　laughed　by　turns　with　all　their　might；　from　morning　till　evening。

After　a　whole　half…century　these　souvenirs　float　up　again；　fresh　and　bright　as　ever；　to　the　surface　of　memory；　under　this　starry　sky；　whose　face　has　in　no　wise　changed　since　then；　and　whose　serene　and　immutable　lights　will　doubtless　see　many　other　schoolboys　such　as　I　was　slowly　turn　into　grey…headed　servants；　afflicted　with　catarrh。

Stars；　who　have　shown　down　upon　each　wise　or　foolish　head　among　all　my　forgotten　ancestors；　it　is　under　your　soft　light　that　I　now　feel　stir　within　me　a　certain　poignant　regret！　　I　would　that　I　could　have　a　son　who　might　be　able　to　see　you　when　I　shall　see　you　no　more。　How　I　should　love　him！　　Ah！　such　a　son　wouldwhat　am　I　saying？　why；　he　would　be　no　just　twenty　years　old　if　you　had　only　been　willing；　Clementineyou　whose　cheeks　used　to　look　so　ruddy　under　your　pink　hood！　　But　you　are　married　to　that　young　bank　clerk；　Noel　Alexandre；　who　made　so　many　millions　afterwards！　　I　never　met　you　again　after　your　marriage；　Clementine；　but　I　can　see　you　now；　with　your　bright　curls　and　your　pink　hood。

A　looking…glass！　a　looking…glass！　a　looking…glass！　　Really；　it　would　be　curious　to　see　what　I　look　like　now；　with　my　white　hair；　sighing　Clementine's　name　to　the　stars！　　Still；　it　is　not　right　to　end　with　sterile　irony　the　thought　begun　in　the　spirit　of　faith　and　love。　　No；　Clementine；　if　your　name　came　to　my　lips　by　chance　this　beautiful　night；　be　it　for　ever　blessed；　your　dear　name！　and　may　you　ever；　as　a　happy　mother；　a　happy　grandmother；　enjoy　to　the　very　end　of　life　with　your　rich　husband　the　utmost　degree　of　that　happiness　which　you　had　the　right　to　believe　you　could　not　win　with　the　poor　young　scholar　who　loved　you！　　Ifthough　I　cannot　even　now　imagine　itif　your　beautiful　hair　has　become　white；　Clementine；　bear　worthily　the　bundle　of　keys　confided　to　you　by　Noel　Alexandre；　and　impart　to　your　grandchildren　the　knowledge　of　all　domestic　virtues！

Ah！　beautiful　Night！　　She　rules；　with　such　noble　repose；　over　men　and　animals　alike；　kindly　loosed　by　her　from　the　yoke　of　daily　toil；　and　even　I　feel　her　beneficent　influence；　although　my　habits　of　sixty　years　have　so　changed　me　that　I　can　feel　most　things　only　through　the　signs　which　represent　them。　　My　world　is　wholly　formed　of　wordsso　much　of　a　philologist　I　have　become！　　Each　one　dreams　the　dream　of　life　in　his　own　way。　　I　have　dreamed　it　in　my　library；　and　when　the　hour　shall　come　in　which　I　must　leave　this　world；　may　it　please　God　to　take　me　from　my　ladderfrom　before　my　shelves　of　books！。。。

〃Well；　well！　it　is　really　himself；　pardieu！　　How　are　you；　Monsieur　Sylvestre　Bonnard？　　And　where　have　you　been　travelling　to　all　this　time；　over　the　country；　while　I　was　waiting　for　you　at　the　station　with　my　cabriolet？　　You　missed　me　when　the　train　came　in；　and　I　was　driving　back；　quite　disappointed；　to　Lusance。　　Give　me　your　valise；　and　get　up　here　beside　me　in　the　carriage。　　Why；　do　you　know　it　is　fully　seven　kilometres　from　here　to　the　chateau？〃

Who　addresses　me　thus；　at　the　very　top　of　his　voice　from　the　height　of　his　cabriolet？　　Monsieur　Paul　de　Gabry；　nephew　and　heir　of　Monsieur　Honore　de　Gabry；　peer　of　France　in　1842；　who　recently　died　at　Monaco。　　And　it　was　precisely　to　Monsieur　Paul　de　Gabry's　house　that　I　was　going　with　that　valise　of　mine；　so　carefully　strapped　by　my　housekeeper。　　This　excellent　young　man　has　just　inherited；　conjointly　with　his　two　brothers…in…law；　the　property　of　his　uncle；　who；　belonging　to　a　very　ancient　family　of　distinguished　lawyers；　had　accumulated　in　his　chateau　at　Lusance　a　library　rich　in　MSS。；　some　dating　back　to　the　fourteenth　century。　　It　was　for　the　purpose　of　making　an　inventory　and　catalogue　of　these　MSS。　that　I　had　come　to　Lusance　at　the　urgent　requ