the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第20章
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nd it is this which terrifies me。 Am I sure that I have not myself already suffered this great loss？ I should surely have felt it； but for the happy meeting which has rejuvenated me。 Poets speak of the Fountain of Youth； it does exist； it gushes up from the earth at every step we take。 And one passes by without drinking of it！
The young girl I loved； married of her own choice to a rival； passed； all grey…haired； into the eternal rest。 I have found her daughter so that my life； which before seemed to me without utility； now once more finds a purpose and a reason for being。
To…day I 〃take the sun；〃 as they say in Provence； I take it on the terrace of the Luxembourg； at the foot of the statue of Marguerite de Navarre。 It is a spring sun； intoxicating as young wine。 I sit and dream。 My thoughts escape from my head like the foam from a bottle of beer。 They are light； and their fizzing amuses me。 I dream； such a pastime is certainly permissible to an old fellow who has published thirty volumes of texts； and contributed to the 'Journal des Savants' for twenty…six years。 I have the satisfaction of feeling that I performed my task as well as it was possible for me to do； and that I utilised to their fullest extent those mediocre faculties with which Nature endowed me。 My efforts were not all in vain； and I have contributed； in my own modest way； to that renaissance of historical labours which will remain the honour of this restless century。 I shall certainly be counted among those ten or twelve who revealed to France her own literary antiquities。 My publication of the poetical works of Gautier de Coincy inaugurated a judicious system and fixed a date。 It is in the austere calm of old age that I decree to myself this deserved credit； and God； who sees my heart； knows whether pride or vanity have aught to do with this self…award of justice。
But I am tired； my eyes are dim； my hand trembles； and I see an image of myself in those old me of Homer； whose weakness excluded them from the battle； and who； seated upon the ramparts； lifted up their voices like crickets among the leaves。
So my thoughts were wandering when three young men seated themselves near me。 I do not know whether each one of them had come in three boats； like the monkey of Lafontaine； but the three certainly displayed themselves over the space of twelve chairs。 I took pleasure in watching them； not because they had anything very extraordinary about them； but because I discerned in them that brave joyous manner which is natural to youth。 They were from the schools。 I was less assured of it by the books they were carrying than by the character of their physiognomy。 For all who busy themselves with the things of the mind can be at once recognised by an indescribably something which is common to all of them。 I am very fond of young people； and these pleased me； in spite of a certain provoking wild manner which recalled to me my own college days with marvellous vividness。 But they did not wear velvet doublets and long hair； as we used to do； they did not walk about； as we used to do； 〃Hell and malediction！〃 They were quite properly dressed； and neither their costume nor their language had anything suggestive of the Middle Ages。 I must also add that they paid considerable attention to the women passing on the terrace； and expressed their admiration of some of them in very animated language。 But their reflections； even on this subject； were not of a character to oblige me to flee from my seat。 Besides； so long as youth is studious； I think it has a right to its gaieties。
One of them； having made some gallant pleasantry which I forget； the smallest and darkest of the three exclaimed； with a slight Gascon accent；
〃What a thing to say！ Only physiologists like us have any right to occupy ourselves about living matter。 As for you； Gelis； who only live in the pastlike all your fellow archivists and paleographers you will do better to confine yourself to those stone women over there； who are your contemporaries。〃
And he pointed to the statues of the Ladies of Ancient France which towered up； all white； in a half…circle under the trees of the terrace。 This joke； though in itself trifling； enabled me to know that the young man called Gelis was a student at the Ecole des Chartes。 From the conversation which followed I was able to learn that his neighbor； blond and wan almost to diaphaneity； taciturn and sarcastic was Boulmier； a fellow student。 Gelis and the future doctor （I hope he will become one some day） discoursed together with much fantasy and spirit。 In the midst of the loftiest speculations they would play upon words； and make jokes after the peculiar fashion of really witty personsthat is to say； in a style of enormous absurdity。 I need hardly say； I suppose； that they only deigned to maintain the most monstrous kind of paradoxes。 They employed all their powers of imagination to make themselves as ludicrous as possible； and all their powers of reasoning to assert the contrary of common sense。 All the better for them！ I do not like to see young folks too rational。
The student of medicine； after glancing at the title of the book that Boulmier held in his hand； exclaimed；
〃What！you read Micheletyou？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Boulmier； very gravely。 〃I like novels。〃
Gelis； who dominated both by his fine stature； imperious gestures； and ready wit； took the book； turned over a few pages rapidly； and said；
〃Michelet always had a great propensity to emotional tenderness。 He wept sweet tears over Maillard； that nice little man introduced la paperasserie into the September massacres。 But as emotional tenderness leads to fury； he becomes all at once furious against the victims。 There was no help for it。 It is the sentimentality of the age。 The assassin is pitied； but the victim is considered quite unpardonable。 In his later manner Michelet is more Michelet than ever before。 There is no common sense in it； it is simply wonderful！ Neither art nor science； neither criticism nor narrative； only furies and fainting…spells and epileptic fits over matters which he never deigns to explain。 Childish outcriesenvies de femme grosse！and a style； my friends！not a single finished phrase！ It is astounding！〃
And he handed the book back to his comrade。 〃This is amusing madness；〃 I thought to myself； 〃and not quite so devoid of common sense as it appears。 This young man； though only playing has sharply touched the defect in the cuirass。〃
But the Provencal student declared that history was a thoroughly despicable exercise of rhetoric。 According to him； the only true history was the natural history of man。 Michelet was in the right path when he came in contact with the fistula of Louis XIV。； but he fell back into the old rut almost immediately afterwards。
After this judicious expression of opinion； the young physiologist went to join a party of passing friends。 The two archivists； less well acquainted in the neighbourhood of a garden so far from the Rue Paradis…au…Marais； remained together； and began to chat about their studies。 Gelis； who had completed his third class…year； was preparing a thesis on the subject of which he expatiated with youthful enthusiasm。 Indeed； I thought the subject a very good one； particularly because I had recently thought myself called upon to treat a notable part of it。 It was the Monasticon Gallicanum。 The young erudite （I give him the name as a presage） wanted to describe all the engravings made about 1690 for the work which Dom Michel Germain would have had printed but for the one irremediable hindrance which is rarely foreseen and never avoided。 Dom Michel Germain would have had printed but for the one irremediable hindrance which is rarely foreseen and never avoided。 Dom Michel Germain left his manuscript complete； however； and in good order when he died。 Shall I be able to do as much with mine？but that is not the present question。 So far as I am able to understand； Monsieur Gelis intends to devote a brief archaeological notice to each of the abbeys pictured by the humble engravers of Dom Michel Germain。
His friend asked him whether he was acquainted with all the manuscripts and printed document
