the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第9章

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　sipping　a　glass　of　heavy；　fiery　wine；　when　I　saw　two　persons　enter　the　waiting…room；　whom；　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　I　recognised　as　the　Prince　and　Princess　Trepof。

This　time　I　saw　the　princess　in　the　lightand　what　a　light！　　He　who　has　known　that　of　Sicily　can　better　comprehend　the　words　of　Sophocles：　〃Oh　holy　light！。。。　　Eye　of　the　Golden　Day！〃　　Madame　Trepof；　dressed　in　a　brown…holland　and　wearing　a　broad…brimmed　straw　hat；　appeared　to　me　a　very　pretty　woman　of　about　twenty…eight。　Her　eyes　were　luminous　as　a　child's；　but　her　slightly　plump　chin　indicated　the　age　of　plenitude。　　She　is；　I　must　confess　it；　quite　an　attractive　person。　　She　is　supple　and　changeful；　her　mood　is　like　water　itselfand；　thank　Heaven！　I　am　no　navigator。　　I　thought　I　discerned　in　her　manner　a　sort　of　ill…humour；　which　I　attributed　presently；　by　reason　of　some　observations　she　uttered　at　random；　to　the　fact　that　she　had　met　no　brigands　upon　her　route。

〃Such　things　only　happen　to　us！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　a　gesture　of　discouragement。

She　called　for　a　glass　of　iced　water；　which　the　landlord　presented　to　her　with　a　gesture　that　recalled　to　me　those　scenes　of　funeral　offerings　painted　upon　Greek　vases。

I　was　in　no　hurry　to　introduce　myself　to　a　lady　who　had　so　abruptly　dropped　my　acquaintance　in　the　public　square　at　Naples；　but　she　perceived　me　in　my　corner；　and　her　frown　notified　me　very　plainly　that　our　accidental　meeting　was　disagreeable　to　her。

After　she　had　sipper　her　ice…water　for　a　few　momentswhether　because　her　whim　had　suddenly　changed；　or　because　my　loneliness　aroused　her　pity；　I　did　not　knowshe　walked　directly　to　me。

〃Good…day；　Monsieur　Bonnard；〃　she　said。　　〃How　do　you　do？　　What　strange　chance　enables　us　to　meet　again　in　this　frightful　country？〃

〃This　country　is　not　frightful；　Madame；〃　I　replied。　　〃Beauty　is　so　great　and　so　august　a　quality　that　centuries　of　barbarism　cannot　efface　it　so　completely　that　adorable　vestiges　of　it　will　not　always　remain。　　The　majesty　of　the　antique　Ceres　still　overshadows　these　arid　valleys；　and　that　Greek　Muse　who　made　Arethusa　and　Maenalus　ring　with　her　divine　accents；　still　sings　for　my　ears　upon　the　barren　mountain　and　in　the　place　of　the　dried…up　spring。　　Yes；　Madame；　when　our　globe；　no　longer　inhabited；　shall；　like　the　moon；　roll　a　wan　corpse　through　space；　the　soil　which　bears　the　ruins　of　Selinonte　will　still　keep　the　seal　of　beauty　in　the　midst　of　universal　death；　and　then；　then；　at　least　there　will　be　no　frivolous　mouth　to　blaspheme　the　grandeur　of　these　solitudes。〃

I　knew　well　enough　that　my　words　were　beyond　the　comprehension　of　the　pretty　little　empty…head　which　heard　them。　　But　an　old　fellow　like　myself　who　has　worn　out　his　life　over　books　does　not　know　how　to　adapt　his　tone　to　circumstances。　　Besides　I　wished　to　give　Madame　Trepof　a　lesson　in　politeness。　　She　received　it　with　so　much　submission；　and　with　such　an　air　of　comprehension；　that　I　hastened　to　add；　as　good…naturedly　as　possible；

〃As　to　whether　the　chance　which　has　enabled　me　to　meet　you　again　be　lucky　or　unlucky；　I　cannot　decide　the　question　until　I　am　sure　that　my　presence　be　not　disagreeable　to　you。　　You　appeared　to　become　weary　of　my　company　very　suddenly　at　Naples　the　other　day。　　I　can　only　attribute　that　misfortune　to　my　naturally　unpleasant　mannersince；　on　that　occasion；　I　had　had　the　honour　of　meeting　you　for　the　first　time　in　my　life。〃

These　words　seem　to　cause　her　inexplicable　joy。　　She　smiled　upon　me　in　the　most　gracious；　mischievous　way；　and　said　very　earnestly；　holding　out　her　hand；　which　I　touched　with　my　lips；

〃Monsieur　Bonnard；　do　not　refuse　to　accept　a　seat　in　my　carriage。　You　can　chat　with　me　on　the　way　about　antiquity；　and　that　will　amuse　me　ever　so　much。〃

〃My　dear；〃　exclaimed　the　prince；　〃you　can　do　just　as　you　please；　but　you　ought　to　remember　that　one　is　horribly　cramped　in　that　carriage　of　yours；　and　I　fear　that　you　are　only　offering　Monsieur　Bonnard　the　chance　of　getting　a　frightful　attack　of　lumbago。〃

Madame　Trepof　simply　shook　her　head　by　way　of　explaining　that　such　considerations　had　no　weight　with　her　whatever；　then　she　untied　her　hat。　　The　darkness　of　her　black　curls　descended　over　her　eyes；　and　bathed　them　in　velvety　shadow。　　She　remained　a　little　while　quite　motionless；　and　her　face　assumed　a　surprising　expression　of　reverie。　But　all　of　a　sudden　she　darted　at　some　oranges　which　the　tavern…keeper　had　brought　in　a　basket；　and　began　to　throw　them；　one　by　one；　into　a　fold　of　her　dress。

〃These　will　be　nice　on　the　road；〃　she　said。　　〃We　are　going　just　where　you　are　goingto　Girgenti。　　I　must　tell　you　all　about　it。　　you　know　that　my　husband　is　making　a　collection　of　match…boxes。　　We　bought　thirteen　hundred　match…boxes　at　Marseilles。　　But　we　heard　there　was　a　factory　of　them　at　Girgenti。　　According　to　what　we　were　told；　it　is　a　very　small　factory；　and　its　productswhich　are　very　uglynever　go　outside　the　city　and　its　suburbs。　　So　we　are　going　to　Girgenti　just　to　buy　match…boxes。　　Dimitri　has　been　a　collector　of　all　sorts　of　things；　but　the　only　kind　of　collection　which　can　now　interest　him　is　a　collection　of　match…boxes。　　He　has　already　got　five　thousand　two　hundred　and　fourteen　different　kinds。　　Some　of　them　gave　us　frightful　trouble　to　find。　　For　instance；　we　knew　that　at　Naples　boxes　were　once　made　with　the　portraits　of　Mazzini　and　Garibaldi　on　them；　and　that　the　police　had　seized　the　plates　from　which　the　portraits　were　printed；　and　put　the　manufacturer　in　gaol。　　Well；　by　dint　of　searching　and　inquiring　for　ever　so　long　a　while；　we　found　one　of　those　boxes　at　last　for　sale　at　one　hundred　francs；　instead　of　two　sous。　　It　was　not　really　too　dear　at　that　price；　but　we　were　denounced　for　buying　it。　　We　were　taken　for　conspirators。　　All　our　baggage　was　searched；　they　could　not　find　the　box；　because　I　had　hidden　it　so　well；　but　they　found　my　jewels；　and　carried　them　off。　They　have　them　still。　　The　incident　made　quite　a　sensation；　and　we　were　going　to　get　arrested。　　But　the　king　was　displeased　about　it；　and　he　ordered　them　to　leave　us　alone。　　Up　to　that　time；　I　used　to　think　it　was　very　stupid　to　collect　match…boxes；　but　when　I　found　that　there　were　risks　of　losing　liberty；　and　perhaps　even　life；　by　doing　it；　I　began　to　feel　a　taste　for　it。　　Now　I　am　an　absolute　fanatic　on　the　subject。　　We　are　going　to　Sweden　next　summer　to　complete　our　series。。。。　　Are　we　not；　Dimitri？〃

I　feltmust　I　confess　it？a　thorough　sympathy　with　these　intrepid　collectors。　　No　doubt　I　would　rather　have　found　Monsieur　and　Madame　Trepof　engaged　in　collecting　antique　marbles　or　painted　vases　in　Sicily。　　I　should　have　like　to　have　found　them　interested　in　the　ruins　of　Syracuse；　or　the　poetical　traditions　of　the　Eryx。　　But　at　all　events；　they　were　making　some　sort　of　a　collectionthey　belonged　to　the　great　confraternityand　I　could　not　possibly　make　fun　of　them　without　making　fun　of　myself。　　Besides；　Madame　Trepof　had　spoken　of　her　collection　with　such　an　odd　mingling　of　irony　and　enthusiasm　that　I　could　not　help　finding　the　idea　a　very　good　one。

We　were　getting　ready　to　leave　the　tavern；　when　we　noticed　some　people　coming　downstairs　from　the　upper　room；　carrying　carbines　under　their　dark　cloaks。　　to　me　they　had　the　look　of　thorough　bandits；　and　after　they　were　gone　I　told　Monsieur　Trepof　my　opinion　of　them。　　He　answered　me；　very　quietly；　that　he　also　thought　they　were　regular　bandits；　and　the　guides　begged　us　to　apply　for　an　escort　of　gendarmes；　but　Madame　Trepof　besought　us　not　to　do　anything　of　the　kind。　　She　declared　that　we　must　not　〃spoil　her　journey。〃

Then；　turning　her　persuasive　eyes　upon　me；　she　asked；

〃Do　you　not　believe；　Monsieur　Bonnard；　that　there　is　nothing　in　life　worth　having　except　sensations？〃

〃Why；　certainly；　Madame；〃　I　answered；　〃but　then　we　must　take　into　consideration　the　nature　of　the　sensations　themselves。　　Those　which　a　noble　memory　or　a　grand　spectacle　creates　within　us　certainly　represent　what　is　best　in　human　life；　but　those　merely　resulting　from　the　menace　of　danger　seem　to　me　sensations　which　one　should　be　very　careful　to　avoid　as　much　as　possible。　　For　example；　would　you　think　it　a　very　pleasant　thing；　Madame；　while　travelling　over　the　mountains　at　midnight；　to　find　the　muzzle　of　a　ca