the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第15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！
ose of making an inventory and catalogue of these MSS。 that I had come to Lusance at the urgent request of Monsieur Paul de Gabry； whose father； a perfect gentleman and distinguished bibliophile； had maintained the most pleasant relations with me during his lifetime。 To tell the truth； Monsieur Paul has not inherited the fine tastes of his father。 Monsieur Paul likes sporting； he is a great authority on horses and dogs； and I much fear that of all the sciences capable of satisfying or of duping the inexhaustible curiosity of mankind； those of the stable and the dog…kennel are the only ones thoroughly mastered by him。
I cannot say I was surprised to meet him； since we had made a rendezvous； but I acknowledge that I had become so preoccupied with my own thoughts that I had forgotten all about the Chateau de Lusance and its inhabitants； and that the voice of the gentleman calling out to me as I started to follow the country road winding away before me〃un bon ruban de queue；〃 as they sayhad given me quite a start。
I fear my face must have betrayed my incongruous distraction by a certain stupid expression which it is apt to assume in most of my social transactions。 My valise was pulled up into the carriage； and I followed my valise。 My host pleased me by his straightforward simplicity。
〃I don't know anything myself about your old parchments；〃 he said； 〃but I think you will find some folks to talk to at the house。 Besides the cure； who writes books himself； and the doctor； who is a very good fellowalthough a radicalyou will meet somebody able to keep your company。 I mean my wife。 She is not a very learned woman； but there are few things which she can't divine pretty well。 Then I count upon being able to keep you with us long enough to make you acquainted with Mademoiselle Jeanne； who has the fingers of a magician and the soul of an angel。〃
〃And is this delightfully gifted young lady one of your family？〃 I asked。
〃Not at all；〃 replied Monsieur Paul。
〃Then she is just a friend of yours？〃 I persisted； rather stupidly。
〃She has lost both her father and mother；〃 answered Monsieur de Gabry； keeping his eyes fixed upon the ears of his horse； whose hoofs rang loudly over the road blue…tinted by the moonshine。 〃Her father managed to get us into some very serious trouble； and we did not get off with a fright either！〃
Then he shook his head； and changed the subject。 He gave me due warning of the ruinous condition in which I should find the chateau and the park； they had been absolutely deserted for thirty…two years。
I learned from him that Monsieur Honore de Gabry； his uncle； had been on very bad terms with some poachers； whom he used to shoot at like rabbits。 One of them； a vindictive peasant； who had received a whole charge of shot in his face； lay in wait for the Seigneur one evening behind the trees of the mall； and very nearly succeeded in killing him； for the ball took off the tip of his ear。
〃My uncle；〃 Monsieur Paul continued； 〃tried to discover who had fired the shot； but he could not see any one； and he walked back slowly to the house。 The day after he called his steward and ordered him to close up the manor and the park； and allow no living soul to enter。 He expressly forbade that anything should be touched； or looked after； or any repairs made on the estate during his absence。 He added； between his teeth； that he would return at Easter； or Trinity Sunday； as they say in the song； and； just as the song has it； Trinity Sunday passed without a sign of him。 He died last year at Monaco； my brother…in…law and myself were the first to enter the chateau after it had been abandoned for thirty…two years。 We found a chestnut…tree growing in the middle of the parlour。 As for the park； it was useless trying to visit it； because there were no longer any paths or alleys。〃
My companion ceased to speak； and only the regular hoof…beat of the trotting horse； and the chirping of insects in the grass； broke the silence。 On either hand； the sheaves standing in the fields took； in the vague moonlight； the appearance of tall white women kneeling down； and I abandoned myself awhile to those wonderful childish fancies which the charm of night always suggests。 After driving under the heavy shadows of the mall； we turned to the right and rolled up a lordly avenue at the end of which the chateau suddenly rose into viewa black mass； with turrets en poivriere。 We followed a sort of causeway； which gave access to the court…of…honor； and which； passing over a moat full of running water； doubtless replaced a long…vanished drawbridge。 The loss of that draw…bridge must have been； I think； the first of various humiliations to which the warlike manor had been subjected ere being reduced to that pacific aspect with which it received me。 The stars reflected themselves with marvelous clearness in the dark water。 Monsieur Paul； like a courteous host； escorted me to my chamber at the very top of the building； at the end of a long corridor； and then； excusing himself for not presenting me at once to his wife by reason of the lateness of the hour； bade me good…night。
My apartment； painted in white and hung with chintz； seemed to keep some traces of the elegant gallantry of the eighteenth century。 A heap of still…glowing asheswhich testified to the pains taken to dispel humidityfilled the fireplace； whose marble mantlepiece supported a bust of Marie Antoinette in bisuit。 Attached to the frame of the tarnished and discoloured mirror； two brass hooks； that had once doubtless served the ladies of old…fashioned days to hang their chatelaines on； seemed to offer a very opportune means of suspending my watch； which I took care to wind up beforehand； for； contrary to the opinion of the Thelemites； I hold that man is only master of time； which is Life itself； when he has divided it into hours； minutes and secondsthat is to say； into parts proportioned to the brevity of human existence。
And I thought to myself that life really seems short to us only because we measure it irrationally by our own mad hopes。 We have all of us； like the old man in the fable； a new wing to add to our building。 I want； for example； before I die； to finish my 〃History of the Abbots of Saint…Germain…de…Pres。〃 The time God allots to each one of us is like a precious tissue which we embroider as we best know how。 I had begun my woof with all sorts of philological illustrations。。。。 So my thoughts wandered on； and at last； as I bound my foulard about my head； the notion of Time led me back to the past； and for the second time within the same round of the dial I thought of you； Clementineto bless you again in your prosperity； if you have any； before blowing out my candle and falling asleep amid the chanting of the frogs。
Chapter II
During breakfast I had many opportunities to appreciate the good taste； tact； and intelligence of Madame de Gabry； who told me that the chateau had its ghosts； and was especially haunted by the 〃Lady… with…three…wrinkles…in…her…back；〃 a prisoner during her lifetime； and thereafter a Soul…in…pain。 I could never describe how much wit and animation she gave to this old nurse's tale。 We took out； coffee on the terrace； whose balusters； clasped and forcibly torn away from their stone coping by a vigorous growth of ivy； remained suspended in the grasp of the amorous plant like bewildered Athenian women in the arms of ravishing Centaurs。
The chateau； shaped something like a four…wheeled wagon； with a turret at each of the four angles； had lost all original character by reason of repeated remodellings。 It was merely a fine spacious building； nothing more。 It did not appear to me to have suffered much damage during its abandonment of thirty…two years。 But when Madame de Gabry conducted me into the great salon of the ground… floor； I saw that the planking was bulged in and out； the plinths rotten； the wainscotings split apart； the paintings of the piers turned black and hanging more than half out of their settings。 A chestnut…tree； after forcing up the planks of the floor； had grown tall under the ceiling； and was reaching out its large…leaved branches towards the glassless windows。
This spectacle was not devoid of c
