the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第41章

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〃Yes。〃

〃Can　you　open　the　street…door　from　the　inside　yourself？〃

〃Yes；if　there　is　nobody　in　the　porter's　lodge。〃

〃Go　and　see　if　there　is　any　one　there；　and　be　careful　that　nobody　observes　you。〃

Then　I　waited；　keeping　a　watch　on　the　door　and　window。

In　six　or　seven　seconds　Jeanne　reappeared　behind　the　bars；　and　said；

〃The　servant　is　in　the　porter's　lodge。〃

〃Very　well；〃　I　said；　〃have　you　a　pen　and　ink？〃

〃No。〃

〃A　pencil？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Pass　it　out　here。〃

I　took　an　old　newspaper　out　of　my　pocket；　andin　a　wind　which　blew　almost　hard　enough　to　put　the　street…lamps　out；　in　a　downpour　of　snow　which　almost　blinded　meI　managed　to　wrap　up　and　address　that　paper　to　Mademoiselle　Prefere。

While　I　was　writing　I　asked　Jeanne；

〃When　the　postman　passes　he　puts　the　papers　and　letters　in　the　box；　doesn't　he？　　He　rings　the　bell　and　goes　away？　　Then　the　servant　opens　the　letter…box　and　takes　whatever　she　finds　there　to　Mademoiselle　Prefere　immediately；　is　not　that　about　the　way　the　thing　is　managed　whenever　anything　comes　by　post？〃

Jeanne　thought　it　was。

〃Then　we　shall　soon　see。　　Jeanne；　go　and　watch　again；　and；　as　soon　as　the　servant　leaves　the　lodge；　open　the　door　and　come　out　here　to　me。〃

Having　said　this；　I　put　my　newspaper　in　the　box；　gave　the　bell　a　tremendous　pull；　and　then　hid　myself　in　the　embrasure　of　a　neighbouring　door。

I　might　have　been　there　several　minutes；　when　the　little　door　quivered；　then　opened；　and　a　young　girl's　head　made　its　appearance　through　the　opening。　　I　took　hold　of　it；　I　pulled　it　towards　me。

〃Come；　Jeanne！　come！〃

She　stared　at　me　uneasily。　　Certainly　she　must　have　been　afraid　that　I　had　gone　mad；　but；　on　the　contrary；　I　was　very　rational　indeed。

〃Come；　my　child！　come！〃

〃Where？〃

〃To　Madame　de　Gabry's。〃

Then　she　took　my　arm。　　For　some　time　we　ran　like　a　couple　of　thieves。　But　running　is　an　exercise　ill…suited　to　one　as　corpulent　as　I　am；　and；　finding　myself　out　of　breath　at　last；　I　stopped　and　leaned　upon　something　which　turned　out　to　be　the　stove　of　a　dealer　in　roasted　chestnuts；　who　was　doing　business　at　the　corner　of　a　wine…　seller's　shop；　where　a　number　of　cabmen　were　drinking。　　One　of　them　asked　us　if　we　did　not　want　a　cab。　　Most　assuredly　we　wanted　a　cab！　The　driver；　after　setting　down　his　glass　on　the　zinc　counter；　climbed　upon　his　seat　and　urged　his　horse　forward。　　We　were　saved。

〃Phew！〃　I　panted；　wiping　my　forehead。　　For；　in　spite　of　the　cold；　I　was　perspiring　profusely。

What　seemed　very　odd　was　that　Jeanne　appeared　to　be　much　more　conscious　than　I　was　of　the　enormity　which　we　had　committed。　　She　looked　very　serious　indeed；　and　was　visibly　uneasy。

〃In　the　kitchen！〃　I　cried　out；　with　indignation。

She　shook　her　head；　as　if　to　say；　〃Well；　there　or　anywhere　else；　what　does　it　matter　to　me？〃　　And　by　the　light　of　the　street…lamps；　I　observed　with　pain　that　her　face　was　very　thin　and　her　features　all　pinched。　　I　did　not　find　in　her　any　of　that　vivacity；　any　of　those　bright　impulses；　any　of　that　quickness　of　expression；　which　used　to　please　me　so　much。　　Her　gaze　had　become　timid；　her　gestures　constrained；　her　whole　attitude　melancholy。　　I　took　her　handa　little　cold　hand；　which　had　become　all　hardened　and　bruised。　　The　poor　child　must　have　suffered　very　much。　　I　questioned　her。　　She　told　me　very　quietly　that　Mademoiselle　Prefere　had　summoned　her　one　day；　and　called　her　a　little　monster　and　a　little　viper；　for　some　reason　which　she　had　never　been　able　to　learn。

She　had　added；　〃You　shall　not　see　Monsieur　Bonnard　any　more；　for　he　has　been　giving　you　bad　advice；　and　he　has　conducted　himself　in　a　most　shameful　manner　towards　me。〃　　〃I　then　said　to　her；　'That；　Mademoiselle；　you　will　never　be　able　to　make　me　believe。'　　Then　Mademoiselle　slapped　my　face　and　sent　me　back　to　the　school…room。　The　announcement　that　I　should　never　be　allowed　to　see　you　again　made　me　feel　as　if　night　had　come　down　upon　me。　　Don't　you　know　those　evenings　when　one　feels　so　sad　to　see　the　darkness　come？well；　just　imagine　such　a　moment　stretched　out　into　weeksinto　whole　months！　　Don't　you　remember　my　little　Saint…George？　　Up　to　that　time　I　had　worked　at　it　as　well　as　I　couldjust　simply　to　work　at　itjust　to　amuse　myself。　　But　when　I　lost　all　hope　of　ever　seeing　you　again　I　took　my　little　wax　figure；　and　I　began　to　work　at　it　in　quite　another　way。　　I　did　not　try　to　model　it　with　wooden　matches　any　more；　as　I　had　been　doing；　but　with　hair　pins。　　I　even　made　use　of　epingles　a　la　neige。　　But　perhaps　you　do　not　know　what　epingles　a　la　neige　are？　　Well；　I　became　more　particular　about　than　you　can　possibly　imagine。　　I　put　a　dragon　on　Saint…George's　helmet；　and　I　passed　hours　and　hours　in　making　a　head　and　eyes　and　tail　for　the　dragon。　　Oh　the　eyes！　the　eyes；　above　all！　　I　never　stopped　working　at　them　till　I　got　them　so　that　they　had　red　pupils　and　white　eye…　lids　and　eye…brows　and　everything！　　I　know　I　am　very　silly；　I　had　an　idea　that　I　was　going　to　die　as　soon　as　my　little　Saint…George　would　be　finished。　　I　worked　at　it　during　recreation…hours；　and　Mademoiselle　Prefere　used　to　let　me　alone。　　One　day　I　learned　that　you　were　in　the　parlour　with　the　schoolmistress；　I　watched　for　you；　we　said　'Au　revoir！'　that　day　to　each　other。　　I　was　a　little　consoled　by　seeing　you。　　But；　some　time　after　that；　my　guardian　came　and　wanted　to　make　me　go　to　his　house；but　please　don't　ask　me　why；　Monsieur。　　He　answered　me；　quite　gently；　that　I　was　a　very　whimsical　little　girl。　　And　then　he　left　me　alone。　　But　the　next　day　Mademoiselle　Prefere　came　to　me　with　such　a　wicked　look　on　her　face　that　I　was　really　afraid。　　She　had　a　letter　in　her　hand。　　'Mademoiselle；'　she　said　to　me；　'I　am　informed　by　your　guardian　that　he　has　spent　all　the　money　which　belonged　to　you。　　Don't　be　afraid！　　I　do　not　intend　to　abandon　you；　but；　you　must　acknowledge　yourself；　it　is　only　right　that　you　should　earn　your　own　livelihood。'　Then　she　put　me　to　work　house…cleaning；　and　whenever　I　made　a　mistake　she　would　lock　me　up　in　the　garet　for　days　together。　　And　that　is　what　has　happened　to　me　since　I　saw　you　last。　　Even　if　I　had　been　able　to　write　to　you　I　do　not　know　whether　I　should　have　done　it；　because　I　did　not　think　you　could　possibly　take　me　away　from　the　school；　and；　as　Maitre　Mouche　did　not　come　back　to　see　me；　there　was　no　hurry。　　I　thought　I　could　wait　for　awhile　in　the　garret　and　the　kitchen。

〃Jeanne；〃　I　cried；　〃even　if　we　should　have　to　flee　to　Oceania；　the　abominable　Prefere　shall　never　get　hold　of　you　again。　　I　will　take　a　great　oath　on　that！　　And　why　should　we　not　go　to　Oceania？　　The　climate　is　very　healthy；　and　I　read　in　a　newspaper　the　other　day　that　they　have　pianos　there。　　But；　in　the　meantime；　let　us　go　to　the　house　of　Madame　de　Gabry；　who　returned　to　Paris；　as　luck　would　have　it；　some　three　or　four　days　ago；　for　you　and　I　are　two　innocent　fools；　and　we　have　great　need　of　some　one　to　help　us。〃

Even　as　I　was　speaking　Jeanne's　features　suddenly　became　pale；　and　seemed　to　shrink　into　lifelessness；　her　eyes　became　all　dim；　her　lips；　half　open；　contracted　with　an　expression　of　pain。　　Then　her　head　sank　sideways　on　her　shoulder；she　had　fainted。

I　lifter　her　in　my　arms；　and　carried　her　up　Madame　de　Gabry's　staircase　like　a　little　baby　asleep。　　But　I　was　myself　on　　the　point　of　fainting　from　emotional　excitement　and　fatigue　together；　when　she　came　to　herself　again。

〃Ah！　it　is　you。〃　she　said：　　〃so　much　the　better！〃

Such　was　our　condition　when　we　rang　our　friend's　door…bell。


Same　day。


It　was　eight　o'clock。　　Madame　de　Gabry；　as　might　be　supposed；　was　very　much　surprised　by　our　unexpected　appearance。　　But　she　welcomed　the　old　man　and　the　child　with　that　glad　kindness　which　always　expresses　itself　in　her　beautiful　gestures。　　It　seems　to　me；if　I　might　use　the　language　of　devotion　so　familiar　to　her；it　seems　to　me　as　though　some　heavenly　grace　streams　from　her　hands　when　ever　she　opens　them；　and　even　the　perfume　which　impregnates　her　robes　seems　to　inspire　the　sweet　calm　zeal　of　charity　and　good　works。　　Surprised　she　certainly　was；　but　she　asked　us　no　question；and　that　silence　seemed　to　me　admirable。

〃Madame；〃　I　said　to　her；　〃we　have　both　come　to　place　ourselves　under　your　protection。　　And；　first　of　all；　w