louis lambert-第19章

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language　would；　no　doubt；　seem　the　stranger　because　he　so　rarely
spoke。　He　would　say；　〃That　man　does　not　dwell　in　heaven；〃　where　any
one　else　would　have　said；　〃We　are　not　made　on　the　same　pattern。〃　Every
clever　man　has　his　own　quirks　of　speech。　The　broader　his　genius；　the
more　conspicuous　are　the　singularities　which　constitute　the　various
degrees　of　eccentricity。　In　the　country　an　eccentric　man　is　at　once
set　down　as　half　mad。

Hence　Monsieur　Lefebvre's　first　sentences　left　me　doubtful　of　my
schoolmate's　insanity。　I　listened　to　the　old　man；　but　I　criticised　his
statements。

The　most　serious　symptom　had　supervened　a　day　or　two　before　the
marriage。　Louis　had　had　some　well…marked　attacks　of　catalepsy。　He　had
once　remained　motionless　for　fifty…nine　hours；　his　eyes　staring；
neither　speaking　nor　eating；　a　purely　nervous　affection；　to　which
persons　under　the　influence　of　violent　passion　are　liable；　a　rare
malady；　but　perfectly　well　known　to　the　medical　faculty。　What　was
really　extraordinary　was　that　Louis　should　not　have　had　several
previous　attacks；　since　his　habits　of　rapt　thought　and　the　character
of　his　mind　would　predispose　him　to　them。　But　his　temperament；
physical　and　mental；　was　so　admirably　balanced；　that　it　had　no　doubt
been　able　to　resist　the　demands　on　his　strength。　The　excitement　to
which　he　had　been　wound　up　by　the　anticipation　of　acute　physical
enjoyment；　enhanced　by　a　chaste　life　and　a　highly…strung　soul；　had　no
doubt　led　to　these　attacks；　of　which　the　results　are　as　little　known
as　the　cause。

The　letters　that　have　by　chance　escaped　destruction　show　very　plainly
a　transition　from　pure　idealism　to　the　most　intense　sensualism。

Time　was　when　Lambert　and　I　had　admired　this　phenomenon　of　the　human
mind；　in　which　he　saw　the　fortuitous　separation　of　our　two　natures；
and　the　signs　of　a　total　removal　of　the　inner　man；　using　its　unknown
faculties　under　the　operation　of　an　unknown　cause。　This　disorder；　a
mystery　as　deep　as　that　of　sleep；　was　connected　with　the　scheme　of
evidence　which　Lambert　had　set　forth　in　his　/Treatise　on　the　Will/。
And　when　Monsieur　Lefebvre　spoke　to　me　of　Louis'　first　attack；　I
suddenly　remembered　a　conversation　we　had　had　on　the　subject　after
reading　a　medical　book。

〃Deep　meditation　and　rapt　ecstasy　are　perhaps　the　undeveloped　germs　of
catalepsy；〃　he　said　in　conclusion。

On　the　occasion　when　he　so　concisely　formulated　this　idea；　he　had　been
trying　to　link　mental　phenomena　together　by　a　series　of　results；
following　the　processes　of　the　intellect　step　by　step；　from　their
beginnings　as　those　simple；　purely　animal　impulses　of　instinct；　which
are　all…sufficient　to　many　human　beings；　particularly　to　those　men
whose　energies　are　wholly　spent　in　mere　mechanical　labor；　then；　going
on　to　the　aggregation　of　ideas　and　rising　to　comparison；　reflection；
meditation；　and　finally　ecstasy　and　catalepsy。　Lambert；　of　course；　in
the　artlessness　of　youth；　imagined　that　he　had　laid　down　the　lines　of
a　great　work　when　he　thus　built　up　a　scale　of　the　various　degrees　of
man's　mental　powers。

I　remember　that；　by　one　of　those　chances　which　seems　like
predestination；　we　got　hold　of　a　great　Martyrology；　in　which　the　most
curious　narratives　are　given　of　the　total　abeyance　of　physical　life
which　a　man　can　attain　to　under　the　paroxysms　of　the　inner　life。　By
reflecting　on　the　effects　of　fanaticism；　Lambert　was　led　to　believe
that　the　collected　ideas　to　which　we　give　the　name　of　feelings　may
very　possibly　be　the　material　outcome　of　some　fluid　which　is　generated
in　all　men；　more　or　less　abundantly；　according　to　the　way　in　which
their　organs　absorb；　from　the　medium　in　which　they　live；　the
elementary　atoms　that　produce　it。　We　went　crazy　over　catalepsy；　and
with　the　eagerness　that　boys　throw　into　every　pursuit；　we　endeavored
to　endure　pain　by　thinking　of　something　else。　We　exhausted　ourselves
by　making　experiments　not　unlike　those　of　the　epileptic　fanatics　of
the　last　century；　a　religious　mania　which　will　some　day　be　of　service
to　the　science　of　humanity。　I　would　stand　on　Lambert's　chest；
remaining　there　for　several　minutes　without　giving　him　the　slightest
pain；　but　notwithstanding　these　crazy　attempts；　we　did　not　achieve　an
attack　of　catalepsy。

This　digression　seemed　necessary　to　account　for　my　first　doubts；　which
were；　however；　completely　dispelled　by　Monsieur　Lefebvre。

〃When　this　attack　had　passed　off；〃　said　he；　〃my　nephew　sank　into　a
state　of　extreme　terror；　a　dejection　that　nothing　could　overcome。　He
thought　himself　unfit　for　marriage。　I　watched　him　with　the　care　of　a
mother　for　her　child；　and　found　him　preparing　to　perform　on　himself
the　operation　to　which　Origen　believed　he　owed　his　talents。　I　at　once
carried　him　off　to　Paris；　and　placed　him　under　the　care　of　Monsieur
Esquirol。　All　through　our　journey　Louis　sat　sunk　in　almost　unbroken
torpor；　and　did　not　recognize　me。　The　Paris　physicians　pronounced　him
incurable；　and　unanimously　advised　his　being　left　in　perfect　solitude；
with　nothing　to　break　the　silence　that　was　needful　for　his　very
improbable　recovery；　and　that　he　should　live　always　in　a　cool　room
with　a　subdued　light。Mademoiselle　de　Villenoix；　whom　I　had　been
careful　not　to　apprise　of　Louis'　state；〃　he　went　on；　blinking　his
eyes；　〃but　who　was　supposed　to　have　broken　off　the　match；　went　to
Paris　and　heard　what　the　doctors　had　pronounced。　She　immediately
begged　to　see　my　nephew；　who　hardly　recognized　her；　then；　like　the
noble　soul　she　is；　she　insisted　on　devoting　herself　to　giving　him　such
care　as　might　tend　to　his　recovery。　She　would　have　been　obliged　to　do
so　if　he　had　been　her　husband；　she　said；　and　could　she　do　less　for　him
as　her　lover？

〃She　removed　Louis　to　Villenoix；　where　they　have　been　living　for　two
years。〃

So；　instead　of　continuing　my　journey；　I　stopped　at　Blois　to　go　to　see
Louis。　Good　Monsieur　Lefebvre　would　not　hear　of　my　lodging　anywhere
but　at　his　house；　where　he　showed　me　his　nephew's　room　with　the　books
and　all　else　that　had　belonged　to　him。　At　every　turn　the　old　man　could
not　suppress　some　mournful　exclamation；　showing　what　hopes　Louis'
precocious　genius　had　raised；　and　the　terrible　grief　into　which　this
irreparable　ruin　had　plunged　him。

〃That　young　fellow　knew　everything；　my　dear　sir！〃　said　he；　laying　on
the　table　a　volume　containing　Spinoza's　works。　〃How　could　so　well
organized　a　brain　go　astray？〃

〃Indeed；　monsieur；〃　said　I；　〃was　it　not　perhaps　the　result　of　its
being　so　highly　organized？　If　he　really　is　a　victim　to　the　malady　as
yet　unstudied　in　all　its　aspects；　which　is　known　simply　as　madness；　I
am　inclined　to　attribute　it　to　his　passion。　His　studies　and　his　mode
of　life　had　strung　his　powers　and　faculties　to　a　degree　of　energy
beyond　which　the　least　further　strain　was　too　much　for　nature；　Love
was　enough　to　crack　them；　or　to　raise　them　to　a　new　form　of　expression
which　we　are　maligning　perhaps；　by　ticketing　it　without　due　knowledge。
In　fact；　he　may　perhaps　have　regarded　the　joys　of　marriage　as　an
obstacle　to　the　perfection　of　his　inner　man　and　his　flight　towards
spiritual　spheres。〃

〃My　dear　sir；〃　said　the　old　man；　after　listening　to　me　with　attention；
〃your　reasoning　is；　no　doubt；　very　sound；　but　even　if　I　could　follow
it；　would　this　melancholy　logic　comfort　me　for　the　loss　of　my　nephew？〃

Lambert's　uncle　was　one　of　those　men　who　live　only　by　their
affections。



I　went　to　Villenoix　on　the　following　day。　The　kind　old　man　accompanied
me　to　the　gates　of　Blois。　When　we　were　out　on　the　road　to　Villenoix；
he　stopped　me　and　said：

〃As　you　may　suppose；　I　do　not　go　there。　But　do　not　forget　what　I　have
said；　and　in　Mademoiselle　de　Villenoix's　presence　affect　not　to
perceive　that　Louis　is　mad。〃

He　remained　standing　on　the　spot　where　I　left　him；　watching　me　till　I
was　out　of　sight。

I　made　my　way　to　the　chateau　of　Villenoix；　not　without　deep　agitation。
My　thoughts　were　many　at　each　step　on　this　road；　which　Louis　had　so
often　trodden　with　a　heart　full　of　hopes；　a　soul　spurred　on　by　the
myriad　darts　of　love。　The　shrubs；　the　trees；　the　turns　of　the　winding
road　where　little　gullies　broke　the　banks　on　each　side；　were　to　me
full　of　strange　interest。　I　tried　to　enter　into　the　impressions　and
thoughts　of　my　unhappy　friend。　Those　evening　meetings　on　the　edge　of
the　coombe；　where　his　lady…love　had　been　wont　to　find　him；　had；　no
doubt；　initiated　Mademoiselle　de　Villenoix　into　the　secrets　of　that
vast　and　lofty　spirit；　as　I　had　learned　them　all　some　years　before。

But　the　thing　that　most　occupied　my　mind；　and　gave　to　my　pilgrimage
the　interest　of　intense　curiosity；　in　addition　to　the　almost　pious
feelings　that　led　me　onwards；　was　that　glorious　faith　of　Mademoiselle
de　Villenoix's　which　the　good　priest　had　told　me　of。　Had　she　in　the
course　of　time　been　infected　with　her　lover's　madness；　or　had　she　so
completely　entered　into　his　soul　that　she　could　understand　all　its
thoughts；　even　the　most　perplexed？　I　lost　myself　in　the　wonderful
problem　of　feeling；　passing　the　highest　inspirations　of　passion　and
the　most　beautiful　instances　of　self…sacrifice。　That　one　should　die
for　the　other　is　an　almost　vulgar　form　of　devotion。　To　live　faithful
to　one　love　is　a　form　of　heroism　that　immortalized　Mademoiselle
Dupuis。　When　the　great　Napoleon　and　Lord　Byron　could　find　successors
in　the　hearts　of　women　they　had　loved；　we　may　well　admire
Bolingbroke's　widow；　but　Mademoiselle　Dupuis　could　feed　on　the
memories　of　many　years　of　happiness；　whereas　Mademoiselle　de
Villenoix；　having　known　nothing　of　love　but　its　first　excitement；
seemed　to　me　to　typify　love　in　its　highest　expression。　If　she　were
herself　almost　crazy；　it　was　splendid；　but　if　she　had　understood　and
entered　into　his　madness；　she　combined　with　the　beauty　of　a　noble
heart　a　crowning　effort　of　passion　worthy　to　be　studied　and　honored。

When　I　saw　the　tall　turrets　of　the　chateau；　remembering　how　often　poor
Lambert　must　have　thrilled　at　the　sight　of　them；　my　heart　beat
anxiously。　As　I　recalled　the　events　of　our　boyhood；　I　was　almost　a
sharer　in　his　present　life　and　situation。　At　last　I　reached　a　wide；
deserted　courtyard；　and　I　went　into　the　hall　of　the　house　without
meeting　a　soul。　There　the　sound　of　my　steps　brought　out　an　old　woman；
to　whom　I　gave　a　letter　written　to　Mademoiselle　de　Villenoix　by
Monsieur　Lefebvre。　In　a　few　minutes　this　woman　returned　to　bid　me
enter；　and　led　me　to　a　low　room；　floored　with　black…and…white　marble；
the　Venetian　shutters　were　closed；　and　at　the　end　of　the　room　I　dimly
saw　Louis　Lambert。

〃Be　seated；　monsieur；〃　said　a　gentle　voice　that　went　to　my　heart。

Mademoiselle　de　Villenoix　was　at　my　side　before　I　was　aware　of　her
presence；　and　noiselessly　brought　me　a　chair；　which　at　first　I　would
not　accept。　It　was　so　dark　that　at　first　I　saw　Mademoiselle　de
Villenoix　and　Lambert　only　as　two　black　masses　perceived　against　the
gloomy　background。　I　presently　sat　down　under　the　influence　of　the
feeling　that　comes　over　us；　almost　in　spite　of　ourselves；　under　the
obscure　vault　of　a　church。　My　eyes；　full　of　the　bright　sunshine；
accustomed　themselves　gradually　to　this　artificial　night。

〃Monsieur　is　your　old　school…friend；〃　she　said　to　Louis。

He　made　no　reply。　At　last　I　could　see　him；　and　it