the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第37章

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and　of　that　alarming　person。　　The　table　had　been　set　in　a　little　parlour；　and　I　could　observe　from　the　poor　way　in　which　it　was　set　out　that　the　schoolmistress　was　one　of　those　ethereal　souls　who　soar　above　terrestrial　things。　　Chipped　plates；　unmatched　glasses；　knives　with　loose　handles；　forks　with　yellow　prongsthere　was　absolutely　nothing　wanting　to　spoil　the　appetite　of　an　honest　man。

I　was　assured　that　the　dinner　had　been　cooked　for　mefor　me　alone　although　Maitre　Mouche　had　also　been　invited。　　Mademoiselle　Prefere　must　have　imagined　that　I　had　Sarmatian　tastes　on　the　subject　of　butter；　for　that　which　she　offered　me；　served　up　in　little　thin　pats；　was　excessively　rancid。

The　roast　very　nearly　poisoned　me。　　But　I　had　the　pleasure　of　hearing　Maitre　Mouche　and　Mademoiselle　Prefere　discourse　upon　virtue。　　I　said　the　pleasureI　ought　to　have　said　the　shame；　for　the　sentiments　to　which　they　gave　expression　soared　far　beyond　the　range　of　my　vulgar　nature。

What　they　said　proved　to　me　as　clear　as　day　that　devotedness　was　their　daily　bread；　and　that　self…sacrifice　was　not　less　necessary　to　their　existence　than　air　and　water。　　Observing　that　I　was　not　eating；　Mademoiselle　Prefere　made　a　thousand　efforts　to　overcome　that　which　she　was　good　enough　to　term　my　〃discretion。〃　　Jeanne　was　not　of　the　party；　because；　I　was　told；　her　presence　at　it　would　have　been　contrary　to　the　rules；　and　would　have　wounded　the　feelings　of　the　other　school…children；　among　whom　it　was　necessary　to　maintian　a　certain　equality。　　I　secretly　congratulated　her　upon　having　escaped　from　the　Merovingian　butter；　from　the　huge　radishes；　empty　as　funeral…　urns；　form　the　leathery　roast；　and　from　various　other　curiosities　of　diet　to　which　I　had　exposed　myself　for　the　love　of　her。

The　extremely　disconsolate…looking　servant　served　up　some　liquid　to　which　they　gave　the　name　of　creamI　do　not　know　whyand　vanished　away　like　a　ghost。

Then　Mademoiselle　Prefere　related　to　Maitre　Mouche；　with　extraordinary　transports　of　emotion；　all　that　she　had　said　to　me　in　the　City　of　Books；　during　the　time　that　my　housekeeper　was　sick　in　bed。　　Her　admiration　for　a　Member　of　the　Institute；　her　terror　lest　I　should　be　taken　ill　while　unattended；　and　the　certainty　she　felt　that　any　intelligent　woman　would　be　proud　and　happy　to　share　my　existenceshe　concealed　nothing；　but；　on　the　contrary；　added　many　fresh　follies　to　the　recital。　　Maitre　Mouche　kept　nodding　his　head　in　approval　while　cracking　nuts。　　Then；　after　all　this　verbiage；　he　demanded；　with　an　agreeable　smile；　what　my　answer　had　been。

Mademoiselle　Prefere；　pressing　her　hand　upon　her　heart　and　extending　the　other　towards　me；　cried　out；

〃He　is　so　affectionate；　so　superior；　so　good；　and　so　great！　　He　answered。。。　　But　I　could　never；　because　I　am　only　a　humble　womanI　could　never　repeat　the　words　of　a　Member　of　the　Institute。　　I　can　only　utter　the　substance　of　them。　　He　answered；　'Yes；　I　understand　youyes。'〃

And　with　these　words　she　reached　out　and　seized　one　of　my　hands。　Then　Maitre　Mouche；　also　overwhelmed　with　emotion；　arose　and　seized　my　other　hand。

〃Monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃permit　me　to　offer　my　congratulations。〃

Several　times　in　my　life　I　have　known　fear；　but　never　before　had　I　experienced　any　fright　of　so　nauseating　a　character。　　A　sickening　terror　came　upon　me。

I　disengaged　by　two　hands；　and；　rising　to　my　feet；　so　as　to　give　all　possible　seriousness　to　my　words；　I　said；

〃Madame；　either　I　explained　myself　very　badly　when　you　were　at　my　house；　or　I　have　totally　misunderstood　you　here　in　your　own。　　In　either　case；　a　positive　declaration　is　absolutely　necessary。　　Permit　me；　Madame；　to　make　it　now；　very　plainly。　　NoI　never　did　understand　you；　I　am　totally　ignorant　of　the　nature　of　this　marriage　project　that　you　have　been　planning　for　meif　you　really　have　been　planning　one。　　In　any　event；　I　should　not　think　of　marrying。　　It　would　be　unpardonable　folly　at　my　age；　and　even　now；　at　this　moment；　I　cannot　conceive　how　a　sensible　person　like　you　could　ever　have　advised　me　to　marry。　　Indeed；　I　am　strongly　inclined　to　believe　that　I　must　have　been　mistaken；　and　that　you　never　said　anything　of　the　kind　before。　　In　the　latter　case；　please　excuse　an　old　man　totally　unfamiliar　with　the　usages　of　society；　unaccustomed　to　the　conversation　of　ladies；　and　very　contrite　for　his　mistake。〃

Maitre　Mouche　went　back　very　softly　to　his　place；　where；　not　finding　any　more　nuts　to　crack；　he　began　to　whittle　a　cork。

Mademoiselle　Prefere；　after　staring　at　me　for　a　few　moments　with　an　expression　in　her　little　round　dry　eyes　which　I　had　never　seen　there　before；　suddenly　resumed　her　customary　sweetness　and　graciousness。　Then　she　cried　out　in　honeyed　tones；

〃Oh！　these　learned　men！these　studious　men！　　They　are　like　children。　Yes；　Monsieur　Bonnard；　you　are　a　real　child！〃

Then；　turning　to　the　notary；　who　still　sat　very　quietly　in　his　corner；　with　his　nose　over　his　cork；　she　exclaimed；　in　beseeching　tones；

〃Oh；　do　not　accuse　him！　　Do　not　accuse　him！　　Do　not　think　any　evil　of　him；　I　beg　of　you！　　Do　not　think　it　at　all！　　Must　I　ask　you　upon　my　knees？〃

Maitre　Mouche　continued　to　examine　all　the　various　aspects　and　surfaces　of　his　cork　without　making　any　further　manifestation。

I　was　very　indignant；　and　I　know　that　my　cheeks　must　have　been　extremely　red；　if　I　could　judge　by　the　flush　of　heat　which　I　felt　rise　to　my　face。　　This　would　enable　me　to　explain　the　words　I　heard　through　all　the　buzzing　in　my　ears：

〃I　am　frightened　about　him！　our　poor　friend！。。。　Monsieur　Mouche；　be　kind　enough　to　open　a　window！　　It　seems　to　me　that　a　compress　of　arnica　would　do　him　some　good。〃

I　rushed　out　into　the　street　with　an　unspeakable　feeling　of　shame。

〃My　poor　Jeanne！〃


December　20。


I　passed　eight　days　without　hearing　anything　further　in　regard　to　the　Prefere　establishment。　　Then；　feeling　myself　unable　to　remain　any　longer　without　some　news　of　Clementine's　daughter；　and　feeling　furthermore　that　I　owed　it　as　a　duty　to　myself　not　to　cease　my　visits　with　the　school　without　more　serious　cause；　I　took　my　way　to　Les　Ternes。

the　parlour　seemed　to　me　more　cold；　more　damp；　more　inhospitable；　and　more　insidious　than　ever　before；　and　the　servant　much　more　silent　and　much　more　scared。　　I　asked　to　see　Mademoiselle　Jeanne；　but；　after　a　very　considerable　time；　it　was　Mademoiselle　Prefere　who　made　her　appearance　insteadsevere　and　pale；　with　lips　compressed　and　a　hard　look　in　her　eyes。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　folding　her　arms　over　her　pelerine；　I　regret　very　much　that　I　cannot　allow　you　to　see　Mademoiselle　Alexandre　to…　day；　but　I　cannot　possibly　do　it。〃

〃Why　not？〃　I　asked　in　astonishment。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　replied；　〃the　reasons　which　compel　me　to　request　that　your　visits　shall　be　less　frequent　hereafter　are　of　an　excessively　delicate　nature；　and　I　must　beg　you　to　spare　me　the　unpleasantness　of　mentioning　them。〃

〃Madame；〃　I　replied；　〃I　have　been　authorized　by　Jeanne's　guardian　to　see　his　ward　every　day。　　Will　you　please　to　inform　me　of　your　reasons　for　opposing　the　will　of　Monsieur　Mouche？〃

〃The　guardian　of　Mademoiselle　Alexandre；〃　she　replied　（and　she　dwelt　upon　that　word　〃guardian〃　as　upon　a　solid　support）；　〃desires；　quite　as　strongly　as　I　myself　do；　that　your　assiduities　may　come　to　an　end　as　soon　as　possible。〃

〃Then；　if　that　be　the　case；〃　I　said；　〃be　kind　enough　to　let　me　know　his　reasons　and　your　own。〃

She　looked　up　at　the　little　spiral　of　paper　on　the　ceiling；　and　then　replied；　with　stern　composure；

〃You　insist　upon　it？　　Well；　although　such　explanations　are　very　painful　for　a　woman　to　make；　I　will　yield　to　your　exaction。　　This　house；　Monsieur　is　an　honourable　house。　　I　have　my　responsibility。　I　have　to　watch　like　a　mother　over　each　one　of　my　pupils。　　Your　assiduities　in　regard　to　Mademoiselle　Alexandre　could　not　possibly　be　continued　without　serious　injury　to　the　young　girl　herself；　and　it　is　my　duty　to　insist　that　they　shall　cease。〃

〃I　do　not　really　understand　you；〃　I　repliedand　I　was　telling　the　plain　truth。　　Then　she　deliberately　resumed：

〃Your　assiduities　in　this　house　are　being　interpreted；　by　the　most　respectable　and　the　least　suspicious　persons；　in　such　a　manner　that　I　find　myself　obliged；　both　in　the　interest　of　my　es