the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第25章

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ch；　although　extending　over　a　length　of　billions　of　leagues；　could　be　contained　in　a　small　bottle。　　My　father；　a　little　surprised　at　my　unusual　eloquence；　watched　me　with　his　peculiar；　placid；　ironical　smile。　　But　one　cannot　always　remain　in　heaven。　　I　spoke；　as　I　looked　at　Clementine；　of　a　certain　comete　of　diamonds；　which　I　had　been　admiring　in　a　jeweller's　window　the　evening　before。　　It　was　a　most　unfortunate　inspiration　of　mine。

〃'Ah！　my　nephew；'　cried　Uncle　Victor；　that　〃comete〃　of　yours　was　nothing　to　the　one　which　the　Empress　Josephine　wore　in　her　hair　when　she　came　to　Strasburg　to　distribute　crosses　to　the　army。'

〃'That　little　Josephine　was　very　fond　of　finery　and　display；'　observed　Monsieur　de　Lessay；　between　two　sips　of　coffee。　　'I　do　not　blame　her　for　it；　she　had　good　qualities；　though　rather　frivolous　in　character。　　She　was　a　Tascher；　and　she　conferred　a　great　honour　on　Bonaparte　by　marrying　him。　　To　say　a　Tascher　does　not；　of　course；　mean　a　great　deal；　but　to　say　a　Bonaparte　simply　means　nothing　at　all。'

〃'What　do　you　mean　by　that；　Monsieur　the　Marquis？'　demanded　Captain　Victor。

〃'I　am　not　a　marquis；'　dryly　responded　Monsieur　de　Lessay；　'and　I　mean　simply　that　Bonaparte　would　have　been　very　well　suited　had　he　married　one　of　those　cannibal　women　described　by　Captain　Cook　in　his　voyagesnaked；　tattooed；　with　a　ring　in　her　nosedevouring　with　delight　putrefied　human　flesh。'

〃I　had　foreseen　it；　and　in　my　anguish　（O　pitiful　human　heart！）　my　first　idea　was　about　the　remarkable　exactness　of　my　anticipations。　I　must　say　that　the　captain's　reply　belonged　to　the　sublime　order。　He　put　his　arms　akimbo；　eyed　Monsieur　de　Lessay　contemptuously　from　head　to　food；　and　said；

〃'Napoleon；　Monsieur　the　Vidame；　had　another　spouse　besides　Josephine；　another　spouse　besides　Marie…Louise。　　that　companion　you　know　nothing　of；　but　I　have　seen　her；　close　to　me。　　She　wears　a　mantle　of　azure　gemmed　with　stars；　she　is　crowned　with　laurels；　the　Cross…of…Honour　flames　upon　her　breast。　　Her　name　is　GLORY！'

〃Monsieur　de　Lessay　set　his　cup　on　the　mantlepiece　and　quietly　observed；

〃'Your　Bonaparte　was　a　blackguard！'

〃My　father　rose　up　calmly；　extended　his　arm；　and　said　very　softly　to　Monsieur　de　Lessay；

〃Whatever　the　man　was　who　died　at　St。　Helena；　I　worked　for　ten　years　in　his　government；　and　my　brother…in…law　was　three　times　wounded　under　his　eagles。　　I　beg　of　you；　dear　sir　and　friend；　never　to　forget　these　facts　in　future。'

〃What　the　sublime　and　burlesque　insolence　of　the　captain　could　not　do；　the　courteous　remonstrance　of　my　father　effected　immediately；　throwing　Monsieur　de　Lessay　into　a　furious　passion。

〃'I　did　forget；'　he　exclaimed；　between　his　set　teeth；　livid　in　his　rage；　and　fairly　foaming　at　the　mouth；　'the　herring…cask　always　smells　of　herring　and　when　one　has　been　in　the　service　of　rascals…'

〃As　he　uttered　the　word；　the　Captain　sprang　at　his　throat；　I　am　sure　he　would　have　strangled　him　upon　the　spot　but　for　his　daughter　and　me。

〃My　father；　a　little　paler　than　his　wont；　stood　there　with　his　arms　folded；　and　watched　the　scene　with　a　look　of　inexpressible　pity。　What　followed　was　still　more　lamentablebut　why　dwell　further　upon　the　folly　of　two　old　men。　　Finally　I　succeeded　in　separating　them。　Monsieur　de　Lessay　made　a　sign　to　his　daughter　and　left　the　room。　As　she　was　following　him；　I　ran　out　into　the　stairway　after　her。

〃'Mademoiselle；'　I　said　to　her；　wildly；　taking　her　hand　as　I　spoke；　'I　love　you！　I　love　you！'

〃For　a　moment　she　pressed　my　hand；　her　lips　opened。　　What　was　it　that　she　was　going　to　say　to　me？　　But　suddenly；　lifting　her　eyes　towards　her　father　ascending　the　stairs；　she　drew　her　hand　away；　and　made　me　a　gesture　of　farewell。

〃I　never　saw　her　again。　　Her　father　went　to　live　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　Pantheon；　in　an　apartment　which　he　had　rented　for　the　sale　of　his　historical　atlas。　　He　died　in　a　few　months　afterward　of　an　apoplectic　stroke。　　His　daughter；　I　was　told；　retired　to　Caen　to　live　with　some　aged　relative。　　It　was　there　that；　later　on；　she　married　a　bank…clerk；　the　same　Noel　Alexandre　who　became　so　rich　and　died　so　poor。

〃As　for　me；　Madame；　I　have　lived　alone；　at　peace　with　myself；　my　existence；　equally　exempt　from　great　pains　and　great　joys；　has　been　tolerably　happy。　　But　for　many　years　I　could　never　see　an　empty　chair　beside　my　own　of　a　winter's　evening　without　feeling　a　sudden　painful　sinking　at　my　heart。　　Last　year　I　learned　from　you；　who　had　known　her；　the　story　of　her　old　age　and　death。　　I　saw　her　daughter　at　your　house。　　I　have　seen　her；　but　I　cannot　yet　say　like　the　aged　mad　of　Scripture；　'And　now；　O　Lord；　let　thy　servant　depart　in　peace！'　　For　if　an　old　fellow　like　me　can　be　of　any　use　to　anybody；　I　would　wish；　with　your　help；　to　devote　my　last　energies　and　abilities　to　the　care　of　this　orphan。〃

I　had　uttered　these　last　words　in　Madame　de　Gabry's　own　vestibule；　and　I　was　about　to　take　leave　of　my　kind　guide　when　she　said　to　me；

〃My　dear　Monsieur；　I　cannot　help　you　in　this　matter　as　much　as　I　would　like　to　do。　　Jeanne　is　an　orphan　and　a　minor。　　You　cannot　do　anything　for　her　without　the　authorisation　of　her　guardian。〃

〃Ah！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃I　had　not　the　least　idea　in　the　wold　that　Jeanne　had　a　guardian！〃

Madame　de　Gabry　looked　at　me　with　visible　surprise。　　She　had　not　expected　to　find　the　old　man　quite　so　simple。

She　resumed：

〃The　guardian　of　Jeanne　Alexandre　is　Maitre　Mouche；　notary　at　Levallois…Perret。　　I　am　afraid　you　will　not　be　able　to　come　to　any　understanding　with　him；　for　he　is　a　very　serious　person。〃

〃Why！　good　God！〃　I　cried；　〃with　what　kind　of　people　can　you　expect　me　to　have　any　sort　of　understanding　at　my　age；　except　serious　persons。〃

She　smiled　with　a　sweet　mischievousnessjust　as　my　father　used　to　smileand　answered：

〃With　those　who　are　like　youthe　innocent　folks　who　wear　their　hearts　on　their　sleeves。　　Monsieur　Mouche　is　not　exactly　that　kind。　He　is　cunning　and　light…fingered。　　But　although　I　have　very　little　liking　for　him；　we　will　go　together　and　see　him；　if　you　wish；　and　ask　his　permission　to　visit　Jeanne；　whom　he　has　sent　to　a　boarding…　school　at　Les　Ternes；　where　she　is　very　unhappy。〃

We　agreed　at　once　upon　a　day；　I　kissed　Madame　de　Gabry's　hands；　and　we　bade　each　other　good…bye。


From　May　2　to　May　5。


I　have　seen　him　in　his　office；　Maitre　Mouche；　the　guardian　of　Jeanne。　Small；　thin；　and　dry；　his　complexion　looks　as　if　it　was　made　out　of　the　dust　of　his　pigeon…holes。　　He　is　a　spectacled　animal；　for　to　imagine　him　without　his　spectacles　would　be　impossible。　　I　have　heard　him　speak；　this　Maitre　Mouche；　he　has　a　voice　like　a　tin　rattle；　and　he　uses　choice　phrases；　but　I　should　have　been　better　pleased　if　he　had　not　chosen　his　phrases　so　carefully。　　I　have　observed　him；　this　Maitre　Mouche；　he　is　very　ceremonious；　and　watches　his　visitors　slyly　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。

Maitre　Mouche　is　quite　pleased；　he　informs　us；　he　is　delighted　to　find　we　have　taken　such　an　interest　in　his　ward。　　But　he　does　not　think　we　are　placed　in　this　world　just　to　amuse　ourselves。　　No：　　he　does　not　believe　it；　and　I　am　free　to　acknowledge　that　anybody　in　his　company　is　likely　to　reach　the　same　conclusion；　so　little　is　he　capable　of　inspiring　joyfulness。　　He　fears　that　it　would　be　giving　his　dear　ward　a　false　and　pernicious　idea　of　life　to　allow　her　too　much　enjoyment。　　It　is　for　this　reason　that　he　requests　Madame　de　Gabry　not　to　invite　the　young　girl　to　her　house　except　at　very　long　intervals。

We　left　the　dusty　notary　and　his　dusty　study　with　a　permit　in　due　form　（everything　which　issues　from　the　office　of　Maitre　Mouche　is　in　due　form）　to　visit　Mademoiselle　Jeanne　Alexandre　on　the　first　Thursday　of　each　month　at　Mademoiselle　Prefere's　private　school；　Rue　Demours；　Aux　Ternes。

The　first　Thursday　in　May　I　set　out　to　pay　a　visit　to　Mademoiselle　Prefere；　whose　establishment　I　discerned　from　afar　off　by　a　big　sign；　painted　with　blue　letters。　　That　blue　tint　was　the　first　indication　I　received　of　Mademoiselle　Prefere's　character；　which　I　was　able　to　see　more　of　later　on。　　A　scared…looking　servant　took　my　card；　and　abandoned　me　without　one　word　of　hope　at　the　door　of　a　chilly　parlour　full　of　that　stale　odour　peculiar　to　the　dining…　rooms