the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第12章
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August 11。
All day long I have been classifying MSS。。。。 The sun came in through the loft uncurtained windows； and； during my reading； often very interesting； I could hear the languid bumblebees bump heavily against the windows； and the flies intoxicated with light and heat； making their wings hum in circles around my head。 So loud became their humming about three o'clock that I looked up from the document I was readinga document containing very precious materials for the history of Melun in the thirteenth centuryto watch the concentric movements of those tiny creatures。 〃Bestions；〃 Lafontaine calls them： he found this form of the word in the old popular speech； whence also the term； tapisserie…a…bestions； applied to figured tapestry。 I was compelled to confess that the effect of heat upon the wings of a fly is totally different from that it exerts upon the brain of a paleographical archivist； for I found it very difficult to think； and a rather pleasant languor weighing upon me； from which I could rouse myself only by a very determined effort。 The dinner…bell then startled me in the midst of my labours； and I had barely time to put on my new dress…coat； so as to make a respectable appearance before Madame de Gabry。
The repast； generously served； seemed to prolong itself for my benefit。 I am more than a fair judge of wine； and my hostess； who discovered my knowledge in this regard； was friendly enough to open a certain bottle of Chateau…Margaux in my honour。 With deep respect I drank of this famous and knightly old wine； which comes from the slopes of Bordeaux； and of which the flavour and exhilarating power are beyond praise。 The ardour of it spread gently through my veins； and filled me with an almost juvenile animation。 Seated beside Madame de Gabry on the terrace； in the gloaming which gave a charming melancholy to the park； and lent to every object an air of mystery； I took pleasure in communicating my impression of the scene to my hostess。 I discoursed with a vivacity quite remarkable on the part of a man so devoid of imagination as I am。 I described to her spontaneously； without quoting from an old texts； the caressing melancholy of the evening； and the beauty of that natal earth which feeds us； not only with bread and wine； but also with ideas； sentiments； and beliefs； and which will at last take us all back to her maternal breast again； like so many tired little children at the close of a long day。
〃Monsieur；〃 said the kind lady； 〃you see these old towers； those trees； that sky； is it not quite natural that the personage of the popular tales and folk…songs should have been evoked by such scenes？ Why； over there is the very path which Little Red Riding…hood followed when she went to the woods to pick nuts。 Across this changeful and always vapoury sky the fairy chariots used to roll； and the north tower might have sheltered under its pointed roof that same old spinning woman whose distaff picked the Sleeping Beauty in the Wood。〃
I continued to muse upon her pretty fancies； while Monsieur Paul related to me； as he puffed a very strong cigar； the history of some suit he had brought against the commune about a water…right。 Madame de Gabry； feeling the chill night air； began to shiver under the shawl her husband had wrapped about her； and left us to go to her room。 I then decided； instead of going to my own； to return to the library and continue my examination of the manuscripts。 In spite of the protests of Monsieur Paul； I entered what I may call； in old…fashioned phrase； 〃the book…room；〃 and started to work by the light of a lamp。
After having read fifteen pages； evidently written by some ignorant and careless scribe； for I could scarcely discern their meaning； I plunged my hand into the pocket of my coat to get my snuff…box； but this movement； usually so natural and almost instinctive； this time cost me some effort and even fatigue。 Nevertheless； I got out the silver box； and took from it a pinch of the odorous powder； which； somehow or other； I managed to spill all over my shirt…bosom under my baffled nose。 I am sure my nose must have expressed its disappointment； for it is a very expressive nose。 More than once it has betrayed my secret thoughts； and especially upon a certain occasion at the public library of Coutances； where I discovered； right in front of my colleague Brioux； the 〃Cartulary of Notre… Dame…des…Anges。〃
What a delight！ My little eyes remained as dull and expressionless as ever behind my spectacles。 But at the mere sight of my thick pug… nose； which quivered with joy and pride； Brioux knew that I had found something。 He noted the volume I was looking at； observed the place where I put it back； pounced upon it as soon as I turned my heel； copied it secretly； and published in haste； for the sake of playing me a trick。 But his edition swarms with errors； and I had the satisfaction of afterwards criticising some of the gross blunders he made。
But to come back to the point at which I left off： I began to suspect that I was getting very sleepy indeed。 I was looking at a chart of which the interest may be divined from the fact that it contained mention of a hutch sold to Jehan d'Estonville； priest； in 1312。 But although； even then； I could recognise the importance of the document； I did not give it that attention it so strongly invited。 My eyes would keep turning； against my will； towards a certain corner of the table where there was nothing whatever interesting to a learned mind。 There was only a big German book there； bound in pigskin； with brass studs on the sides； and very thick cording upon the back。 It was a find copy of a compilation which has little to recommend it except the wood engravings it contains； and which is known as the 〃Cosmography of Munster。〃 This volume； with its covers slightly open； was placed upon edge with the back upwards。
I could not say for how long I had been staring causelessly at the sixteenth…century folio； when my eyes were captivated by a sight so extraordinary that even a person as devoid of imagination as I could not but have been greatly astonished by it。
I perceived； all of a sudden； without having noticed her coming into the room； a little creature seated on the back of the book； with one knee bent and one leg hanging downsomewhat in the attitude of the amazons of Hyde Park or the Bois de Boulogne on horseback。 She was so small that her swinging foot did not reach the table； over which the trail of her dress extended in a serpentine line。 But her face and figure were those of an adult。 The fulness of her corsage and the roundness of her waist could leave no doubt of that； even for an old savant like myself。 I will venture to add that she was very handsome； with a proud mien； for my iconographic studies have long accustomed me to recognise at once the perfection of a type and the character of a physiognomy。 The countenance of this lady who had seated herself inopportunely on the back of 〃Cosmography of Munster〃 expressed a mingling of haughtiness and mischievousness。 She had the air of a queen； but a capricious queen； and I judged； from the mere expression of her eyes； that she was accustomed to wield great authority somewhere； in a very whimsical manner。 Her mouth was imperious and mocking； and those blue eyes of hers seemed to laugh in a disquieting way under her finely arched black eyebrows。 I have always heard that black eyebrows are very becoming to blondes； but this lady was very blonde。 On the whole； the impression she gave me was one of greatness。
It may seem odd to say that a person who was no taller than a wine… bottle； and who might have been hidden in my coat pocketbut that it would have been very disrespectful to put her in itgave me precisely an idea of greatness。 But in the fine proportions of the lady seated upon the 〃Cosmography of Munster〃 there was such a proud elegance； such a harmonious majesty； and she maintained an attitude at once so easy and so noble； that she really seemed to me a very great person。 Although my ink…bottle； which she examined with an expression of such mockery as appeared to indicate that she knew in advance every word that would come out of it at the end of my pen； was for her a deep basin in which she would have blackened her gold… clocked pink stockings up to the garter； I can assure you that she was great； and imposing even in her sprightliness。
Her costume； worthy of her face； was extremely magnificent； it consisted of a robe of gold…and…silver brocade； and a mantle of nacarat velvet； lined with vair。 Her head…dress was a sort of hennin； with two high points； and pearls of splendid lustre made it bright and luminous as a crescent moon。 Her little white hand held a wand。 That wand drew my attention very strongly； because my archaeological studies had taught me to recognise with certainty every sign by which the notable personages of legend and of history are distinguished。 This knowledge came to my aid during various very queer conjectures with which I was labouring。 I examined the wand； and saw that it appeared to have been cut from a branch of hazel。
〃Then its a fairy's wand；〃 I said to myself； 〃consequently the lady who carries it is a fairy。〃
Happy at thus discovering what sort of a person was before me； I tried to collect my mind sufficiently to make her a graceful compliment。 It would have given me much satisfaction； I confess； if I could have talked to her about the part taken by her people； not less in the life of the Saxon and Germanic races； than in that of the Latin Occident。 Such a dissertation； it appeared to me； would have been an ingenious method of thanking the lady for having thus appeared to an old scholar； contrary to the invariable custom of her kindred； who never show themselves but to innocent children or ignorant village…folk。
Because one happens to be a fairy； one is none the less a woman； I said to myself； and since Madame Recamier； according to what I heard J。 J。 Ampere say； used to blush with pleasure when the little chimney… sweeps opened their eyes as wide as they could to look at her； surely the supernatural lady seated upon the 〃Cosmography of Munster〃 might feel flattered to hear an erudite man discourse learnedly about her； as about a medal； a seal； a fibula； or a token。 But such an undertaking； which would have cost my timidity a great deal； became totally out of the question when I observed the Lady of the Cosmography suddenly take from an alms purse hanging at her girdle the very smallest of nuts I had ever seen； crack the shells between her teeth； and throw them at my nose； while she nibbled the kernels with the gravity of a sucking child。
At this conjuncture； I did what the dignity of science demanded of meI remained silent。 But the nut…shells caused such a painful tickling that I put up my hand to my nose； and found； to my great surprise； that my spectacles were straddling the very end of it so that I was actually looking at the lady； not through my spectacles； but over them。 This was incomprehensible； because my eyes； worn out over old texts； cannot ordinarily distinguish anything without glassescould not tell a melon from a decanter； though the two were placed close up to my nose。
That nose of mine； remarkable
