the love affairs of a bibliomaniac(藏书癖者的爱情)-第14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！
that at one time I seriously thought of abandoning myself to a life of crime
in order to emulate in certain particulars at least the example of my hero。
There were； however； hindrances to this scheme； first of which was my
inability to find associates whom I wished to attach to my cause in the
capacity in which Colin de Cayeulx and the Baron de Grigny served
Master Francois。 I sought the companionship of several low…browed； ill…
favored fellows whom I believed suited to my purposes； but almost
immediately I wearied of them； for they had never looked into a book and
were so profoundly ignorant as to be unable to distinguish between a folio
and a thirty…twomo。
Then again it befell that； while the Villon fever was raging within
and I was contemplating a career of vice； I had a letter from my uncle
Cephas； apprising me that Captivity Waite （she was now Mrs。 Eliphalet
Parker） had named her first…born after me！ This intelligence had the
effect of cooling and sobering me； I began to realize that； with the
responsibility the coming and the christening of Captivity's first… born had
imposed upon me； it behooved me to guard with exceeding jealousy the
honor of the name which my namesake bore。
58
… Page 59…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
While I was thus tempest…tossed； Fanchonette came across my
pathway； and with the appearance of Fanchonette every ambition to figure
in the annals of bravado left me。 Fanchonette was the niece of my
landlady； her father was a perfumer； she lived with the old people in the
Rue des Capucins。 She was of middling stature and had blue eyes and
black hair。 Had she not been French； she would have been Irish； or；
perhaps； a Grecian。 Her manner had an indefinable charm。
It was she who acquainted me with Beranger； that is why I never take
up that precious volume that I do not think； sweetly and tenderly； of
Fanchonette。 The book is bound； as you see； in a dainty blue； and the
border toolings are delicate tracings of white all for a purpose； I can
assure you。 She used to wear a dainty blue gown； from behind the nether
hem of which the most immaculate of petticoats peeped out。
If we were never boys； how barren and lonely our age would be。
Next to the ineffably blessed period of youth there is no time of life
pleasanter than that in which serene old age reviews the exploits and the
prodigies of boyhood。 Ah； my gay fellows； harvest your crops diligently；
that your barns and granaries be full when your arms are no longer able to
wield the sickle！
Haec meminisseto recall the old time to see her rise out of the dear
pastto hear Fanchonette's voice againto feel the grace of springtime
how gloriously sweet this is！ The little quarrels； the reconciliations； the
coquetries； the jealousies； the reproaches； the forgivenessesall the
characteristic and endearing haps of the Maytime of lifeprecious
indeed are these retrospections to the hungry eyes of age！
She wed with the perfumer's apprentice； but that was so very long ago
that I can pardon； if not forget； the indiscretion。 Who knows where she is
to…day？ Perhaps a granny beldame in a Parisian alley； perhaps for years
asleep in Pere la Chaise。 Come forth； beloved Beranger； and sing me the
old song to make me young and strong and brave again！
Let them be served on gold The wealthy and the
great； Two lovers only want A single glass and plate！
Ring ding； ring ding； Ring ding ding
Old wine； young lassie； Sing； boys； sing！
59
… Page 60…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
60
… Page 61…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
XI
DIAGNOSIS OF THE BACILLUS LIBRORUM
For a good many years I was deeply interested in British politics。 I
was converted to Liberalism； so…called； by an incident which I deem well
worth relating。 One afternoon I entered a book…shop in High Holborn；
and found that the Hon。 William E。 Gladstone had preceded me thither。 I
had never seen Mr。 Gladstone before。 I recognized him now by his
resemblance to the caricatures； and by his unlikeness to the portraits which
the newspapers had printed。
As I entered the shop I heard the bookseller ask： ‘‘What books shall
I send？''
To this； with a very magnificent sweep of his arms indicating every
point of the compass； Gladstone made answer： ‘‘Send me THOSE！''
With these words he left the place； and I stepped forward to claim a
volume which had attracted my favorable attention several days previous。
‘‘I beg your pardon； sir；'' said the bookseller； politely； ‘‘but that book is
sold。''
‘‘Sold？'' I cried。
‘‘Yes； sir；'' replied the bookseller； smiling with evident pride； ‘‘Mr。
Gladstone just bought it； I haven't a book for saleMr。 Gladstone just
bought them ALL！''
The bookseller then proceeded to tell me that whenever Gladstone
entered a bookshop he made a practice of buying everything in sight。
That magnificent； sweeping gesture of his comprehended everything
theology； history； social science； folk…lore； medicine； travel； biography
everything that came to his net was fish！
‘‘This is the third time Mr。 Gladstone has visited me；'' said the
bookseller； ‘‘and this is the third time he has cleaned me out。''
‘‘This man is a good man；'' says I to myself。 ‘‘So notable a lover of
books surely cannot err。 The cause of home rule must be a just one after
all。''
From others intimately acquainted with him I learned that Gladstone
was an omnivorous reader； that he ordered his books by the cart…load； and
61
… Page 62…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
that his home in Hawarden literally overflowed with books。 He made a
practice； I was told； of overhauling his library once in so often and of
weeding out such volumes as he did not care to keep。 These discarded
books were sent to the second…hand dealers； and it is said that the dealers
not unfrequently took advantage of Gladstone by reselling him over and
over again （and at advanced prices； too） the very lots of books he had
culled out and rejected。
Every book…lover has his own way of buying； so there are as many
ways of buying as there are purchasers。 However； Judge Methuen and I
have agreed that all buyers may be classed in these following specified
grand divisions：
The reckless buyer。
The shrewd buyer。
The timid buyer。
Of these three classes the third is least worthy of our consideration；
although it includes very many lovers of books； and consequently very
many friends of mine。 I have actually known men to hesitate； to ponder；
to dodder for weeks； nay； months over the purchase of a book； not because
they did not want it； nor because they deemed the price exorbitant； nor yet
because they were not abundantly able to pay that price。 Their hesitancy
was due to an innate； congenital lack of determinationthat same hideous
curse of vacillation which is responsible for so much misery in human life。
I have made a study of these people； and I find that most of them are
bachelors whose state of singleness is due to the fact that the same
hesitancy which has deprived them of many a coveted volume has
operated to their discomfiture in the matrimonial sphere。 While they
deliberated； another bolder than they came along and walked off with the
prize。
One of the gamest buyers I know of was the late John A。 Rice of
Chicago。 As a competitor at the great auction sales he was invincible；
and why？ Because； having determined to buy a book； he put no limit to
the amount of his bid。 His instructions to his agent were in these words：
‘‘I must have those books； no matter what they cost。''
An English collector found in Rice's library a set of rare volumes he
62
… Page 63…
THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIAC
had been searching for for years。
‘‘How did you happen to get them？'' he asked。 ‘‘You bought them at
the Spencer sale and against my bid。 Do you know； I told my buyer to
bid a thousand pounds for them； if necessary！''
‘‘That was where I had the advantage of you；'' said Rice； quietly。 ‘‘I
specified no limit； I simply told my man to buy the books。''
The spirit of the collector cropped out early in Rice。 I remember to
have heard him tell how one time； when he was a young man； he was
shuffling over a lot of tracts in a bin in front of a Boston bookstall。 His
eye suddenly fell upon a little pamphlet entitled ‘‘The Cow…Chace。'' He
picked it up and read it。 It was a poem founded upon the defeat of
Generals Wayne； Irving； and Proctor。 The last stanza ran in this wise：
And now I've closed my epic strain； I tremble as I show it；
Lest this same warrior…drover； Wayne； Should ever catch the poet。
Rice noticed that the pamphlet bore the imprint of James Rivington；
New York； 1780。 It occurred to him that some time this modest tr
