the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第6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！



In　the　sudden　joy　of　my　discovery；　I　need　a　confidant；　and　it　is　to　the　sceptic　Hamilcar　that　I　address　myself　with　all　the　effusion　of　a　happy　man。

〃No；　Hamilcar！　no；〃　I　said　to　him；　〃there　is　no　rest　in　this　world；　and　the　quietude　which　you　long　for　is　incompatible　with　the　duties　of　life。　　And　you　say　that　we　are　old；　indeed！　　Listen　to　what　I　read　in　this　catalogue；　and　then　tell　me　whether　this　is　a　time　to　be　reposing：

〃'LA　LEGENDE　DOREE　DE　JACQUES　DE　VORAGINE；trduction　francaise　du　　　quatorzieme　sicle；　par　le　Clerc　Alexandre。

〃'Superb　MS。；　ornamented　with　two　miniatures；　wonderfully　executed；　and　in　a　perfect　state　of　preservation：one　representing　the　Purification　of　the　Virgin；　the　other　the　Coronation　of　Proserpine。

〃'At　the　termination　of　the　〃Legende　Doree〃　are　the　Legends　of　Saints　Ferreol；　Ferrution；　Germain；　and　Droctoveus　（xxxviij　pp。）　and　the　Miraculous　Sepulture　of　Monsieur　Saint…Germain　d'Auxerre　（xij　pp。）。

〃'This　rare　manuscript；　which　formed　part　of　the　collection　of　Sir　Thomas　Raleigh；　is　now　in　the　private　study　of　Signor　Michel…Angelo　Polizzi；　of　Girgenti。'〃

〃You　hear　that；　Hamilcar？　　The　manuscript　of　the　Clerk　Alexander　is　in　Sicily；　at　the　house　of　Michel…Angelo　Polizzi。　　Heaven　grant　he　may　be　a　friend　of　learned　men！　　I　am　going　to　write　him！〃

Which　I　did　forthwith。　　In　my　letter　I　requested　Signor　Polizzi　to　allow　me　to　examine　the　manuscript　of　Clerk　Alexander；　stating　on　what　grounds　I　ventured　to　consider　myself　worthy　of　so　great　a　favour。　　I　offered　at　the　same　time　to　put　at　his　disposal　several　unpublished　texts　in　my　own　possession；　not　devoid　of　interest。　　I　begged　him　to　favour　me　with　a　prompt　reply；　and　below　my　signature　I　wrote　down　all　my　honorary　titles。

〃Monsieur！　Monsieur！　where　are　you　running　like　that？〃　cried　Therese；　quite　alarmed；　coming　down　the　stairs　in　pursuit　of　me；　four　steps　at　a　time；　with　my　hat　in　her　hand。

〃I　am　going　to　post　a　letter；　Therese。〃

〃Good　God！　is　that　a　way　to　run　out　in　the　street；　bareheaded；　like　a　crazy　man？〃

〃I　am　crazy；　I　know；　Therese。　　But　who　is　not？　　Give　me　my　hat；　quick！〃

〃And　your　gloves；　Monsieur！　and　your　umbrella！〃

I　had　reached　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　but　still　heard　her　protesting　and　lamenting。



October　10；　1859。


I　awaited　Signor　Polizzi's　reply　with　ill…contained　impatience。　　I　could　not　even　remain　quiet；　I　would　make　sudden　nervous　gestures　open　books　and　violently　close　them　again。　　One　day　I　happened　to　upset　a　book　with　my　elbowa　volume　of　Moreri。　　Hamilcar；　who　was　washing　himself；　suddenly　stopped；　and　looked　angrily　at　me；　with　his　paw　over　his　ear。　　Was　this　the　tumultuous　existence　he　must　expect　under　my　roof？　　Had　there　not　been　a　tacit　understanding　between　us　that　we　should　live　a　peaceful　life？　　I　had　broken　the　covenant。

〃My　poor　dear　comrade；〃　I　made　answer；　〃I　am　the　victim　of　a　violent　passion；　which　agitates　and　masters　me。　　The　passions　are　enemies　of　peace　and　quiet；　I　acknowledge；　but　without　them　there　would　be　no　arts　or　industries　in　the　world。　　Everybody　would　sleep　naked　on　a　dung…heap；　and　you　would　not　be　able；　Hamilcar；　to　repose　all　day　on　a　silken　cushion；　in　the　City　of　Books。〃

I　expatiated　no　further　to　Hamilcar　on　the　theory　of　the　passions；　however；　because　my　housekeeper　brought　me　a　letter。　　It　bore　the　postmark　of　Naples　and　read　as　follows：

〃Most　Illustrious　Sir；I　do　indeed　possess　that　incomparable　manuscript　of　the　'Golden　Legend'　which　could　not　escape　your　keen　observation。　　All…important　reasons；　however；　forbid　me；　imperiously；　tyrannically；　to　let　the　manuscript　go　out　of　my　possession　for　a　single　day；　for　even　a　single　minute。　　It　will　be　a　joy　and　pride　for　me　to　have　you　examine　it　in　my　humble　home　in　Girgenti；　which　will　be　embellished　and　illuminated　by　your　presence。　　It　is　with　the　most　anxious　expectation　of　your　visit　that　I　presume　to　sign　myself；　Seigneur　Academician；　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Your　humble　and　devoted　servant　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Michel…Angelo　Polizzi；　　　　　　〃Wine…merchant　and　Archaeologist　at　Girgenti；　Sicily。〃

Well；　then！　　I　will　go　to　Sicily：

〃Extremum　hunc；　Arethusa；　mihi　concede　laborem。〃



October　25；　1859。


My　resolve　had　been　taken　and　my　preparations　made；　it　only　remained　for　me　to　notify　my　housekeeper。　　I　must　acknowledge　it　was　a　long　time　before　I　could　make　up　my　mind　to　tell　her　I　was　going　away。　I　feared　her　remonstrances；　her　railleries；　her　objurgations；　her　tears。　　〃She　is　a　good；　kind　girl；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃she　is　attacked　to　me；　she　will　want　to　prevent　me　from　going；　and　the　Lord　knows　that　when　she　has　her　mind　set　upon　anything；　gestures　and　cries　cost　her　no　effort。　　In　this　instance　she　will　be　sure　to　call　the　concierge；　the　scrubber；　the　mattress…maker；　and　the　seven　sons　of　the　fruit…seller；　they　will　all　kneel　down　in　a　circle　around　me；　they　will　begin　to　cry；　and　then　they　will　look　so　ugly　that　I　shall　be　obliged　to　yield；　so　as　not　to　have　the　pain　of　seeing　them　any　more。〃

Such　were　the　awful　images；　the　sick　dreams；　which　fear　marshaled　before　my　imagination。　　Yes；　fear〃fecund　Fear；〃　as　the　poet　says　gave　birth　to　these　monstrosities　in　my　brain。　　ForI　may　as　well　make　the　confession　in　these　private　pagesI　am　afraid　of　my　housekeeper。　　I　am　aware　that　she　knows　I　am　weak；　and　this　fact　alone　is　sufficient　to　dispel　all　my　courage　in　any　contest　with　her。　Contests　are　of　frequent　occurrence；　and　I　invariably　succumb。

But　for　all　that；　I　had　to　announce　my　departure　to　Therese。　　She　came　into　the　library　with　an　armful　of　wood　to　make　a　little　fire　〃une　flambe；〃　she　said。　　For　the　mornings　are　chilly。　　I　watched　her　out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye　while　she　crouched　down　at　the　hearth；　with　her　head　in　the　opening　of　the　fireplace。　　I　do　not　know　how　I　then　found　the　courage　to　speak；　but　I　did　so　without　much　hesitation。　　I　got　up；　and；　walking　up　and　down　the　room；　observed　in　a　careless　tone；　with　that　swaggering　manner　characteristic　of　cowards；

〃By　the　way；　Therese；　I　am　going　to　Sicily。〃

Having　thus　spoken；　I　awaited　the　consequence　with　great　anxiety。　Therese　did　not　reply。　　Her　head　and　her　vast　cap　remained　buried　in　the　fireplace；　and　nothing　in　her　person；　which　I　closely　watched；　betrayed　the　least　emotion。　　She　poked　some　paper　under　the　wood；　and　blew　up　the　fire。　　That　was　all！

Finally　I　saw　her　face　again；it　was　calmso　calm　that　it　made　me　vexed。　　〃Surely；〃　I　thought　to　myself；　〃this　old　maid　has　no　heart。　She　lets　me　go　away　without　saying　so　much　as　AH！　　Can　the　absence　of　her　old　master　really　affect　her　so　little？〃

〃Well；　then　go；　Monsieur；〃　she　answered　at　last；　〃only　be　back　here　by　six　o'clock！　　There　is　a　dish　for　dinner　to…day　which　will　not　wait　for　anybody。〃



Naples；　November　10；　1859。


〃Co　tra　calle　vive；　magna；　e　lave　a　faccia。〃

I　understand；　my　friendfor　three　centimes　I　can　eat；　drink；　and　wash　my　face；　all　by　means　of　one　of　those　slices　of　watermelon　you　display　there　on　a　little　table。　　But　Occidental　prejudices　would　prevent　me　from　enjoying　that　simple　pleasure　freely　and　frankly。　　And　how　could　I　suck　a　watermelon？　　I　have　enough　to　do　mereley　to　keep　on　my　feet　in　this　crowd。　　What　a　luminous；　noisy　night　in　the　Strada　di　Porto！　　Mountains　of　fruit　tower　up　in　the　shops；　illuminated　by　multicoloured　lanterns。　　Upon　charcoal　furnaces　lighted　in　the　open　air　water　boils　and　steams；　and　ragouts　are　singing　in　frying…pans。　　The　smell　of　fried　fish　and　hot　meats　tickles　my　nose　and　makes　me　sneeze。　　At　this　moment　I　find　that　my　handkerchief　has　left　the　pocket　of　my　frock…coat。　　I　am　pushed；　lifted　up；　and　turned　about　in　every　direction　by　the　gayest；　the　most　talkative；　the　most　animated　and　the　most　adroit　populace　possible　to　imagine；　　and　suddenly　a　young　woman　of　the　people；　while　I　am　admiring　her　magnificent　hair；　with　a　single　shock　of　her　powerful　elastic　shoulder；　pushes　me　staggering　three　paces　back　at　least；　without　injury；　into　the　arms　of　a　maccaroni…eater；　who　receives　me　with　a　smile。

I　am　in　Naples。　　How　I　ever　managed　to　arrive　here；　with　a　few　mutilated　and　shapeless　remains　of　baggage；　I　cannot　tell；　because　I　am　no　longer　myself。　　I　have　been　travelling　in　a　condition　of　per