the pension beaurepas-第1章

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The　Pension　Beaurepas

by　Henry　James






CHAPTER　I。



I　was　not　richon　the　contrary；　and　I　had　been　told　the　Pension
Beaurepas　was　cheap。　　I　had；　moreover；　been　told　that　a　boarding…
house　is　a　capital　place　for　the　study　of　human　nature。　　I　had　a
fancy　for　a　literary　career；　and　a　friend　of　mine　had　said　to　me；　〃If
you　mean　to　write　you　ought　to　go　and　live　in　a　boarding…house；　there
is　no　other　such　place　to　pick　up　material。〃　　I　had　read　something　of
this　kind　in　a　letter　addressed　by　Stendhal　to　his　sister：　　〃I　have　a
passionate　desire　to　know　human　nature；　and　have　a　great　mind　to　live
in　a　boarding…house；　where　people　cannot　conceal　their　real
characters。〃　　I　was　an　admirer　of　La　Chartreuse　de　Parme；　and　it
appeared　to　me　that　one　could　not　do　better　than　follow　in　the
footsteps　of　its　author。　　I　remembered；　too；　the　magnificent
boarding…house　in　Balzac's　Pere　Goriot；the　〃pension　bourgeoise　des
deux　sexes　et　autres；〃　kept　by　Madame　Vauquer；　nee　De　Conflans。
Magnificent；　I　mean；　as　a　piece　of　portraiture；　the　establishment；　as
an　establishment；　was　certainly　sordid　enough；　and　I　hoped　for　better
things　from　the　Pension　Beaurepas。　　This　institution　was　one　of　the
most　esteemed　in　Geneva；　and；　standing　in　a　little　garden　of　its　own；
not　far　from　the　lake；　had　a　very　homely；　comfortable；　sociable
aspect。　　The　regular　entrance　was；　as　one　might　say；　at　the　back；
which　looked　upon　the　street；　or　rather　upon　a　little　place；　adorned
like　every　place　in　Geneva；　great　or　small；　with　a　fountain。　　This
fact　was　not　prepossessing；　for　on　crossing　the　threshold　you　found
yourself　more　or　less　in　the　kitchen；　encompassed　with　culinary
odours。　　This；　however；　was　no　great　matter；　for　at　the　Pension
Beaurepas　there　was　no　attempt　at　gentility　or　at　concealment　of　the
domestic　machinery。　　The　latter　was　of　a　very　simple　sort。　　Madame
Beaurepas　was　an　excellent　little　old　womanshe　was　very　far
advanced　in　life；　and　had　been　keeping　a　pension　for　forty　years
whose　only　faults　were　that　she　was　slightly　deaf；　that　she　was　fond
of　a　surreptitious　pinch　of　snuff；　and　that；　at　the　age　of　seventy…
three；　she　wore　flowers　in　her　cap。　　There　was　a　tradition　in　the
house　that　she　was　not　so　deaf　as　she　pretended；　that　she　feigned
this　infirmity　in　order　to　possess　herself　of　the　secrets　of　her
lodgers。　　But　I　never　subscribed　to　this　theory；　I　am　convinced　that
Madame　Beaurepas　had　outlived　the　period　of　indiscreet　curiosity。
She　was　a　philosopher；　on　a　matter…of…fact　basis；　she　had　been　having
lodgers　for　forty　years；　and　all　that　she　asked　of　them　was　that　they
should　pay　their　bills；　make　use　of　the　door…mat；　and　fold　their
napkins。　　She　cared　very　little　for　their　secrets。　　〃J'en　ai　vus　de
toutes　les　couleurs；〃　she　said　to　me。　　She　had　quite　ceased　to　care
for　individuals；　she　cared　only　for　types；　for　categories。　　Her　large
observation　had　made　her　acquainted　with　a　great　number；　and　her　mind
was　a　complete　collection　of　〃heads。〃　　She　flattered　herself　that　she
knew　at　a　glance　where　to　pigeon…hole　a　new…comer；　and　if　she　made
any　mistakes　her　deportment　never　betrayed　them。　　I　think　that；　as
regards　individuals；　she　had　neither　likes　nor　dislikes；　but　she　was
capable　of　expressing　esteem　or　contempt　for　a　species。　　She　had　her
own　ways；　I　suppose；　of　manifesting　her　approval；　but　her　manner　of
indicating　the　reverse　was　simple　and　unvarying。　　〃Je　trouve　que
c'est　deplace〃this　exhausted　her　view　of　the　matter。　　If　one　of　her
inmates　had　put　arsenic　into　the　pot…au…feu；　I　believe　Madame
Beaurepas　would　have　contented　herself　with　remarking　that　the
proceeding　was　out　of　place。　　The　line　of　misconduct　to　which　she
most　objected　was　an　undue　assumption　of　gentility；　she　had　no
patience　with　boarders　who　gave　themselves　airs。　　〃When　people　come
chez　moi；　it　is　not　to　cut　a　figure　in　the　world；　I　have　never　had
that　illusion；〃　I　remember　hearing　her　say；　〃and　when　you　pay　seven
francs　a　day；　tout　compris；　it　comprises　everything　but　the　right　to
look　down　upon　the　others。　　But　there　are　people　who；　the　less　they
pay；　the　more　they　take　themselves　au　serieux。　　My　most　difficult
boarders　have　always　been　those　who　have　had　the　little　rooms。〃

Madame　Beaurepas　had　a　niece；　a　young　woman　of　some　forty　odd　years；
and　the　two　ladies；　with　the　assistance　of　a　couple　of　thick…waisted；
red…armed　peasant　women；　kept　the　house　going。　　If　on　your　exits　and
entrances　you　peeped　into　the　kitchen；　it　made　very　little
difference；　for　Celestine；　the　cook；　had　no　pretension　to　be　an
invisible　functionary　or　to　deal　in　occult　methods。　　She　was　always
at　your　service；　with　a　grateful　grin　she　blacked　your　boots；　she
trudged　off　to　fetch　a　cab；　she　would　have　carried　your　baggage；　if
you　had　allowed　her；　on　her　broad　little　back。　　She　was　always
tramping　in　and　out；　between　her　kitchen　and　the　fountain　in　the
place；　where　it　often　seemed　to　me　that　a　large　part　of　the
preparation　for　our　dinner　went　forwardthe　wringing　out　of　towels
and　table…cloths；　the　washing　of　potatoes　and　cabbages；　the　scouring
of　saucepans　and　cleansing　of　waterbottles。　　You　enjoyed；　from　the
doorstep；　a　perpetual　back…view　of　Celestine　and　of　her　large；　loose；
woollen　ankles；　as　she　craned；　from　the　waist；　over　into　the　fountain
and　dabbled　in　her　various　utensils。　　This　sounds　as　if　life　went　on
in　a　very　make…shift　fashion　at　the　Pension　Beaurepasas　if　the　tone
of　the　establishment　were　sordid。　　But　such　was　not　at　all　the　case。
We　were　simply　very　bourgeois；　we　practised　the　good　old　Genevese
principle　of　not　sacrificing　to　appearances。　　This　is　an　excellent
principlewhen　you　have　the　reality。　　We　had　the　reality　at　the
Pension　Beaurepas：　　we　had　it　in　the　shape　of　soft　short　beds；
equipped　with　fluffy　duvets；　of　admirable　coffee；　served　to　us　in　the
morning　by　Celestine　in　person；　as　we　lay　recumbent　on　these　downy
couches；　of　copious；　wholesome；　succulent　dinners；　conformable　to　the
best　provincial　traditions。　　For　myself；　I　thought　the　Pension
Beaurepas　picturesque；　and　this；　with　me；　at　that　time　was　a　great
word。　　I　was　young　and　ingenuous：　　I　had　just　come　from　America。　　I
wished　to　perfect　myself　in　the　French　tongue；　and　I　innocently
believed　that　it　flourished　by　Lake　Leman。　　I　used　to　go　to　lectures
at　the　Academy；　and　come　home　with　a　violent　appetite。　　I　always
enjoyed　my　morning　walk　across　the　long　bridge　（there　was　only　one；
just　there；　in　those　days）　which　spans　the　deep　blue　out…gush　of　the
lake；　and　up　the　dark　steep　streets　of　the　old　Calvinistic　city。　　The
garden　faced　this　way；　toward　the　lake　and　the　old　town；　and　this　was
the　pleasantest　approach　to　the　house。　　There　was　a　high　wall；　with　a
double　gate　in　the　middle；　flanked　by　a　couple　of　ancient　massive
posts；　the　big　rusty　grille　contained　some　old…fashioned　iron…work。
The　garden　was　rather　mouldy　and　weedy；　tangled　and　untended；　but　it
contained　a　little　thinflowing　fountain；　several　green　benches；　a
rickety　little　table　of　the　same　complexion；　and　three　orange…trees；
in　tubs；　which　were　deposited　as　effectively　as　possible　in　front　of
the　windows　of　the　salon。



CHAPTER　II。



As　commonly　happens　in　boarding…houses；　the　rustle　of　petticoats　was；
at　the　Pension　Beaurepas；　the　most　familiar　form　of　the　human　tread。
There　was　the　usual　allotment　of　economical　widows　and　old　maids；　and
to　maintain　the　balance　of　the　sexes　there　were　only　an　old　Frenchman
and　a　young　American。　　It　hardly　made　the　matter　easier　that　the　old
Frenchman　came　from　Lausanne。　　He　was　a　native　of　that　estimable
town；　but　he　had　once　spent　six　months　in　Paris；　he　had　tasted　of　the
tree　of　knowledge；　he　had　got　beyond　Lausanne；　whose　resources　he
pronounced　inadequate。　　Lausanne；　as　he　said；　〃manquait　d'agrements。〃
When　obliged；　for　reasons　which　he　never　specified；　to　bring　his
residence　in　Paris　to　a　close；　he　had　fallen　back　on　Geneva；　he　had
broken　his　fall　at　the　Pension　Beaurepas。　　Geneva　was；　after　all；
more　like　Paris；　and　at　a　Genevese　boarding…house　there　was　sure　to
be　plenty　of　Americans　with　whom　one　could　talk　about　the　French
metropolis。　　M。　Pigeonneau　was　a　little　lean　man；　with　a　large　narrow
nose；　who　sat　a　great　deal　in　the　garden；　reading　with　the　aid　of　a
large　magnifying　glass　a　volume　from　the　cabinet　de　lecture。

One　day；　a　fortnight　after　my　arrival　at　the　Pension　Beaurepas；　I
came　back；　rather　earlier　than　usual　from　my　academic　session；　it
wanted　half　an　hour　of　the　midday　breakfast。　　I　went　into　the　salon
with　the　design　of　possessing　myself　of　the　day's　Galignani　before
one　of　the　little　English　old　maids　should　have　removed　it　to　her
virginal　bowera　privilege　to　which　Madame　Beaurepas　frequently
alluded　as　one　of　the　attractions　of　the　establishment。　　In　the　salon
I　found　a　new…comer；　a　tall　gentleman　in　a　high　black　hat；　whom　I
immediately　recognised　as　a　compatriot。　　I　had　often　seen　him；　or　his
equivalent；　in　the　hotel　parlours　of　my　native　land。　　He　apparently
supposed　himself　to　be　at　the　present　moment　in　a　hotel　parlour；　his
hat　was　on　his　head；　or；　rather；　half　off　itpushed　back　from　his
forehead；　and　rather　suspended　than　poised。　　He　stood　before　a　table
on　which　old　newspapers　were　scattered；　one　of　which　he　had　taken　up
and；　with　his　eye…glass　on　his　nose；　was　holding　out　at　arm's…length。
It　was　that　honourable　but　extremely　diminutive　sheet；　the　Journal　de
Geneve；　a　newspaper　of　about　the　size　of　a　pocket…handkerchief。　　As　I
drew　near；　looking　for　my　Galignani；　the　tall　gentleman　gave　me；　over
the　top　of　his　eye…glass；　a　somewhat　solemn　stare。　　Presently；
however；　before　I　had　time　to　lay　my　hand　on　the　object　of　my　search；
he　silently　offered　me　the　Journal　de　Geneve。

〃It　appears；〃　he　said；　〃to　be　the　paper　of　the　country。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃I　believe　it's　the　best。〃

He　gazed　at　it　again；　still　holding　it　at　arm's…length；　as　if　it　had
been　a　looking…glass。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I　suppose　it's　natural　a
small　country　should　have　small　papers。　　You　could　wrap　it　up；
mountains　and　all；　in　one　of　our　dailies！〃

I　found　my　Galignani；　and　went　off　with　it　into　the　garden；　where　I
seated　myself　on　a　bench　in　the　shade。　　Presently　I　saw　the　tall
gentleman　in　the　hat　appear　in　one　of　the　open　windows　of　the　salon；
and　stand　there　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　his　legs　a　little
apart。　　He　looked　very　much　bored；　andI　don't　know　whyI
immediately　began　to　feel　sorry　for　him。　　He　was　not　at　all　a
picturesque　personage；　he　looked　like　a　jaded；　faded　man　of　business。
But　after　a　little　he　came　into　the　garden　and　began　to　stroll　about；
and　then　his　restless；　unoccupied　carriage；　and　the　vague；
unacquainted　manner　in　which　his　eyes　wandered　over　the　place；　seemed
to　make　it　proper　that；　as　an　older　resident；　I　should　exercise　a
certain　hospitality。　　I　said　something　to　him；　and　he　came　and　sat
down　beside　me　on　my　bench；　clasping　one　of　his　long　knees　in　his
hands。

〃When　is　it　this　big　breakfast　of　theirs　comes　off？〃　he　inquired。
〃That's　what　I　call　itthe　little　breakfast　and　the　big　breakfast。
I　never　thought　I　should　live　to　see　the　time　when　I　should　care　to
eat　two　breakfasts。　　But　a　man's　glad　to　do　anything　over　here。〃