爱爱小说网 > 其他电子书 > the crime of sylvestre bonnard(西维斯特·博拉德的罪行) >

第11章

the crime of sylvestre bonnard(西维斯特·博拉德的罪行)-第11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!




fraternity     of   genius;     had    it  not   still   more     forcibly    suggested      the 

professional tricks of Polizzi senior。 Enriched by these doubtful works of 

art; the  shop was   further  rendered attractive  by various petty  curiosities: 

poniards;       drinking…vessels;       goblets;     figulines;     brass    guadrons;      and 

Hispano…Arabian wares of metallic lustre。 

     Upon   a   Portuguese   arm…chair;   decorated   with   an   escutcheon;   lay   a 

copy   of   the   〃Heures〃   of   Simon   Vostre;   open   at   the   page   which   has   an 

astrological figure on it; and an old Vitruvius; placed upon a quaint chest; 

displayed      its  masterly     engravings      of   caryatides     and   telamones。      This 

apparent disorder which only masked cunning arrangement; this factitious 

hazard   which   had   placed   the   best   objects   in   the   most   favourable   light; 



                                                 43 


… Page 44…

                                 The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard 



would have increased my distrust of the place; but that the distrust which 

the    mere    name     of   Polizzi   had    already    inspired     could    not   have    been 

increased by any circumstancesbeing already infinite。 

     Signor Rafael; who sat there as the presiding genius of all these vague 

and incongruous shapes; impressed me as a phlegmatic young man; with a 

sort    of   English      character。     he   betrayed     no    sign    whatever      of   those 

transcendent   faculties   displayed   by   his   father   in   the   arts   of   mimcry   and 

declamation。 

     I told him what I had come for; he opened a cabinet and drew from it a 

manuscript;   which   he   placed   on   a   table   that   I   might   examine   it   at   my 

leisure。 

     Never   in   my   life   did   I   experience   such   an   emotionexcept;   indeed; 

during   some   few   brief   months   of   my   youth;   months   whose   memories; 

though   I   should   live   a   hundred   years;   would   remain   as   fresh   at   my   last 

hour as in the first day they came to me。 

     It   was;   indeed;   the   very   manuscript   described   by  the   librarian   of   Sir 

Thomas   Raleigh;   it   was;   indeed;   the   manuscript   of   the   Clerk Alexander 

which   I   saw;   which   I   touched!   The   work   of   Voragine   himself   had   been 

perceptibly       abridged;     but   that   made     little  difference     to   me。    All   the 

inestimable additions of the monk of Saint…Germain… des…Pres were there。 

That was the main point! I tried to read the Legend of Saint Droctoveus; 

but   I   could   notall   the   lines   of   the   page   quivered   before   my   eyes;   and 

there was a sound in my ears like the noise of a windmill in the country at 

night。   Nevertheless;   I   was   able   to   see   that   the   manuscript   offered   every 

evidence of indubitable authenticity。 The two drawings of the Purification 

of the Virgin and the Coronationof Proserpine were meagre in design and 

vulgar in violence of colouring。 Considerably damaged in 1824; as attested 

by  the   catalogue of   Sir Thomas;  they  had   obtained during the   interval   a 

new aspect of freshness。 But this miracle did not surprise me at all。 And; 

besides;   what   did   I   care   about   the   two   miniatures?   The   legends   and   the 

poem   of Alexanderthose   alone   formed   the   treasure   I   desired。   My   eyes 

devoured as much of it as they had the power to absorb。 

     I   affected   indifference   while   asking   Signor   Polizzi   the   price   of   the 

manuscript; and; while awaiting his reply; I offered up a secret prayer that 



                                                  44 


… Page 45…

                               The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard 



the price might not exceed the amount of ready  money at   my  disposal 

already   much   diminished   by   the   cost   of   my   expensive   voyage。   Signor 

Polizzi; however; informed me that he was not at liberty to dispose of the 

article; inasmuch as it did not belong to him; and was to be sold at auction 

shortly; at the Hotel des Ventes; with a number of other MSS。 and several 

incunabula。 

     This   was    a  severe    blow   to  me。   It  tried  to  preserve    my   calmness; 

notwithstanding; and replied somewhat to this effect: 

     〃You surprise me; Monsieur! Your father; whom I talked with recently 

at Girgenti; told me positively that the manuscript was yours。 You cannot 

now attempt to make me discredit your father's word。〃 

     〃I   DID   own   the   manuscript;   indeed;〃   answered   Signor   Rafael   with 

absolute frankness; 〃but I do not own it any longer。 I sold that manuscript… 

…the  remarkable   interest of   which   you have   not   failed   to   perceiveto   an 

amateur whom I am forbidden to name; and who; for reasons which I am 

not at liberty to mention; finds himself obliged to sell his collection。 I am 

honoured with the confidence of my customer; and was commissioned by 

him to draw up the catalogue and manage the sale; which takes place the 

24th   of   December。   Now;   if   you   will   be   kind   enough   to   give   me   your 

address; I shall have the pleasure of sending you the catalogue; which is 

already in the press。 you fill find the 'Legende Doree' described in it as 'No。 

42。'〃 

     I gave my address; and left the shop。 

     The polite gravity of the son impressed me quite as disagreeably as the 

impudent buffoonery of the father。 I hated; from the bottom of my heart; 

the tricks of the vile hagglers! It was perfectly evident that the two rascals 

had   a   secret understanding;   and had   only  devised   this   auction…sale;   with 

the aid of a professional appraiser; to force the bidding on the manuscript I 

wanted   so   much   up   to   an   outrageous   figure。   I   was   completely   at   their 

mercy。 There is one evil in all passionate desires; even the noblestnamely; 

that they  leave   us   subject to the   will   of others; and in so   far   dependent。 

This reflection made me suffer cruelly; but it did not conquer my longing 

to won the work of Clerk Alexander。 While I was thus meditating; I heard 

a coachman swear。 And I discovered it   was I   whom he   was swearing   at 



                                               45 


… Page 46…

                                 The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard 



only when I felt the pole of a carriage poke me in the ribs。 I started aside; 

barely   in    time   to  save    myself   from   being   run   over;      and   whom   did      I 

perceive through the windows of the coupe? Madame Trepof; being taken 

by   two   beautiful   horses;   and   a   coachman   all   wrapped   up   in   furs   like   a 

Russian Boyard; into the very street I had just left。 She did not notice me; 

she was laughing to herself with that artless grace of expression which still 

preserved for her; at thirty years; all the charm of her early youth。 

     〃Well;   well!〃   I   said   to   myself;   〃she   is   laughing!   I   suppose   she   must 

have just found another match…box。〃 

     And I made my way back to the Ponts; feeling very miserable。 

     Nature; eternally indifferent; neither hastened nor hurried the twenty… 

fourth day of December。 I went to the Hotel Bullion; and took my place in 

Salle   No。   4;   immediately   below   the   high   desk   at   which   the   auctioneer 

Boulouze and the expert Polizzi were to sit。 I saw the hall gradually fill 

with   familiar   faces。   I   shook   hands   with   several   old   booksellers   of   the 

quays; but that prudence which any large interest inspires in even the most 

self…assured   caused   me   to   keep   silence   in   regard   to   the   reason   of   my 

unaccustomed   presence   in   the   halls   of   the   Hotel   Bullion。   On   the   other 

hand;   I   questioned   those   gentlemen   at   the   auction   sale;   and   I   had   teh 

satisfaction of finding them all interested about matters in no wise related 

to my affair。 

     Little   by   little   the   hall   became   thronged   with   interested   or   merely 

curious spectators; and; after half an hour's delay; the auctioneer with his 

ivory hammer; the clerk with his bundle of memorandum…papers; and the 

crier; carrying his collection…box fixed to the end of a pole; all took their 

places on the platform in the most solemn business manner。 The attendants 

ranged   themselves   at   the   foot   of   the   desk。   The   presiding   officer   having 

declared the sale open; a partial hush followed。 

     A commonplace series of Preces dia; with miniatures; were first sold 

off at mediocre prices。 Needless to say; the illuminations of these  books 

were in perfect condition! 

     The lowness of the bids gave courage to the gathering of second…hand 

booksellers      present;    who    began     to  mingle     with   us;  and    become     more 

familiar。 The dealers in old brass and bric…a…brac pressed forward in their 



                                                  46 


… Page 47…

                               The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard 



tun;   waiting   for   the   doors   of   an   adjoining   room   to   be   opened;   and   the 

voice of the auctioneer was drowned by the jests of the Auvergnats。 

     A magnificent codex of the 〃Guerre des Juifs〃 revived attention。 It was 

long disputed for。 〃Five thousand francs! five thousand!〃 called the crier; 

while the bric…a…brac dealers remained silent with admiration。 Then seven 

or   eight   antiphonaries   brought   us   back   again   to   low   prices。   A   fat   old 

woman;   in   a   loose   gown;   bareheadeda   dealer   in   second…hand   goods 

encouraged by the size of the books and the low prices bidden; had one of 

the antiphonaries knocked down to her for thirty francs。 

     At   last   the   expert   Polizzi   announced   No。   42:   〃The   'Golden   Legend'; 

French   MS。;   unpublished;   two   superb   miniatures;   with   a   starting   bid   of 

three thousand francs。〃 

     〃Three thousand! three thousand bid!〃 yelled the crier。 

     〃Three thousand!〃 dryly repeated the auctioneer。 

     There was a buzzing in my head; and; as through a cloud; I saw a host 

of   curious   faces   all   turning   towards   the   manuscript;   which   a   boy   was 

carrying open through the audience。 

     〃Three thousand and fifty!〃 I said。 

     I was frightened by the sound of my own voice; and further confused 

by seeing; or thinking that I saw; all eyes turned on me。 

     〃Three thousand and fifty on the right!〃 called the crier; taking up my 

bid。 

     〃Three thousand one hundred!〃 responded Signor Polizzi。 

     Then began a heroic duel between the expert and myself。 

     〃Three thousand five h

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 2

你可能喜欢的