the crime of sylvestre bonnard(西维斯特·博拉德的罪行)-第18章
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which terrifies me。 Am I sure that I have not myself already suffered this
great loss？ I should surely have felt it； but for the happy meeting which
has rejuvenated me。 Poets speak of the Fountain of Youth； it does exist； it
gushes up from the earth at every step we take。 And one passes by without
drinking of it！
The young girl I loved； married of her own choice to a rival； passed；
all grey…haired； into the eternal rest。 I have found her daughter so that my
life； which before seemed to me without utility； now once more finds a
purpose and a reason for being。
To…day I 〃take the sun；〃 as they say in Provence； I take it on the terrace
of the Luxembourg； at the foot of the statue of Marguerite de Navarre。 It is
a spring sun； intoxicating as young wine。 I sit and dream。 My thoughts
escape from my head like the foam from a bottle of beer。 They are light；
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and their fizzing amuses me。 I dream； such a pastime is certainly
permissible to an old fellow who has published thirty volumes of texts；
and contributed to the 'Journal des Savants' for twenty…six years。 I have the
satisfaction of feeling that I performed my task as well as it was possible
for me to do； and that I utilised to their fullest extent those mediocre
faculties with which Nature endowed me。 My efforts were not all in vain；
and I have contributed； in my own modest way； to that renaissance of
historical labours which will remain the honour of this restless century。 I
shall certainly be counted among those ten or twelve who revealed to
France her own literary antiquities。 My publication of the poetical works
of Gautier de Coincy inaugurated a judicious system and fixed a date。 It is
in the austere calm of old age that I decree to myself this deserved credit；
and God； who sees my heart； knows whether pride or vanity have aught to
do with this self…award of justice。
But I am tired； my eyes are dim； my hand trembles； and I see an image
of myself in those old me of Homer； whose weakness excluded them from
the battle； and who； seated upon the ramparts； lifted up their voices like
crickets among the leaves。
So my thoughts were wandering when three young men seated
themselves near me。 I do not know whether each one of them had come in
three boats； like the monkey of Lafontaine； but the three certainly
displayed themselves over the space of twelve chairs。 I took pleasure in
watching them； not because they had anything very extraordinary about
them； but because I discerned in them that brave joyous manner which is
natural to youth。 They were from the schools。 I was less assured of it by
the books they were carrying than by the character of their physiognomy。
For all who busy themselves with the things of the mind can be at once
recognised by an indescribably something which is common to all of them。
I am very fond of young people； and these pleased me； in spite of a certain
provoking wild manner which recalled to me my own college days with
marvellous vividness。 But they did not wear velvet doublets and long hair；
as we used to do； they did not walk about； as we used to do； 〃Hell and
malediction！〃 They were quite properly dressed； and neither their costume
nor their language had anything suggestive of the Middle Ages。 I must
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also add that they paid considerable attention to the women passing on the
terrace； and expressed their admiration of some of them in very animated
language。 But their reflections； even on this subject； were not of a
character to oblige me to flee from my seat。 Besides； so long as youth is
studious； I think it has a right to its gaieties。
One of them； having made some gallant pleasantry which I forget； the
smallest and darkest of the three exclaimed； with a slight Gascon accent；
〃What a thing to say！ Only physiologists like us have any right to
occupy ourselves about living matter。 As for you； Gelis； who only live in
the pastlike all your fellow archivists and paleographers you will do
better to confine yourself to those stone women over there； who are your
contemporaries。〃
And he pointed to the statues of the Ladies of Ancient France which
towered up； all white； in a half…circle under the trees of the terrace。 This
joke； though in itself trifling； enabled me to know that the young man
called Gelis was a student at the Ecole des Chartes。 From the conversation
which followed I was able to learn that his neighbor； blond and wan
almost to diaphaneity； taciturn and sarcastic was Boulmier； a fellow
student。 Gelis and the future doctor （I hope he will become one some day）
discoursed together with much fantasy and spirit。 In the midst of the
loftiest speculations they would play upon words； and make jokes after the
peculiar fashion of really witty personsthat is to say； in a style of
enormous absurdity。 I need hardly say； I suppose； that they only deigned to
maintain the most monstrous kind of paradoxes。 They employed all their
powers of imagination to make themselves as ludicrous as possible； and all
their powers of reasoning to assert the contrary of common sense。 All the
better for them！ I do not like to see young folks too rational。
The student of medicine； after glancing at the title of the book that
Boulmier held in his hand； exclaimed；
〃What！you read Micheletyou？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Boulmier； very gravely。 〃I like novels。〃
Gelis； who dominated both by his fine stature； imperious gestures； and
ready wit； took the book； turned over a few pages rapidly； and said；
〃Michelet always had a great propensity to emotional tenderness。 He
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wept sweet tears over Maillard； that nice little man introduced la
paperasserie into the September massacres。 But as emotional tenderness
leads to fury； he becomes all at once furious against the victims。 There was
no help for it。 It is the sentimentality of the age。 The assassin is pitied； but
the victim is considered quite unpardonable。 In his later manner Michelet
is more Michelet than ever before。 There is no common sense in it； it is
simply wonderful！ Neither art nor science； neither criticism nor narrative；
only furies and fainting…spells and epileptic fits over matters which he
never deigns to explain。 Childish outcriesenvies de femme grosse！and a
style； my friends！not a single finished phrase！ It is astounding！〃
And he handed the book back to his comrade。 〃This is amusing
madness；〃 I thought to myself； 〃and not quite so devoid of common sense
as it appears。 This young man； though only playing has sharply touched
the defect in the cuirass。〃
But the Provencal student declared that history was a thoroughly
despicable exercise of rhetoric。 According to him； the only true history
was the natural history of man。 Michelet was in the right path when he
came in contact with the fistula of Louis XIV。； but he fell back into the old
rut almost immediately afterwards。
After this judicious expression of opinion； the young physiologist went
to join a party of passing friends。 The two archivists； less well acquainted
in the neighbourhood of a garden so far from the Rue Paradis…au…Marais；
remained together； and began to chat about their studies。 Gelis； who had
completed his third class…year； was preparing a thesis on the subject of
which he expatiated with youthful enthusiasm。 Indeed； I thought the
subject a very good one； particularly because I had recently thought
myself called upon to treat a notable part of it。 It was the Monasticon
Gallicanum。 The young erudite （I give him the name as a presage） wanted
to describe all the engravings made about 1690 for the work which Dom
Michel Germain would have had printed but for the one irremediable
hindrance which is rarely foreseen and never avoided。 Dom Michel
Germain would have had printed but for the one irremediable hindrance
which is rarely foreseen and never avoided。 Dom Michel Germain left his
manuscript complete； however； and in good order when he died。 Shall I be
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able to do as much with mine？but that is not the present question。 So far
as I am able to understand； Monsieur Gelis intends to devote a brief
archaeological notice to each of the abbeys pictured by the humble
engravers of Dom Michel Germain。
His friend asked him whether he was acquainted with all the
manuscripts and printed documents relating to the subject。 It was then that
I pricked up my ears。 They spoke at first of original sources； and I must
confess they did so in a satisfactory manner； despite their innumerable and
detestable puns。 Then they began to speak about contemporary studies on
the subject。
〃Have you read；〃 asked Boulmier； 〃the notice of Courajod？〃
〃Good！〃 I thought to myself。
〃Yes；〃 replied Gelis； 〃it is accurate。〃
〃Have you read；〃 said Boulmier； 〃the article of Tamisey de Larroque in
the 'Revue des Questions Historiques'？〃
〃Good！〃 I thought to myself； for the second time。
〃Yes；〃 replied Gelis； 〃it is full of things。〃。。。
〃Have you read；〃 said Boulmier； 〃the 'Tableau des Abbayes
Benedictines en 1600；' by Sylvestre Bonnard？〃
〃Good！〃 I said to myself； for the third time。
〃Mai foi！ no！〃 replied Gelis。 〃Bonnard is an idiot！〃 Turning my head； I
perceived that the shadow had reached the place where I was sitting。 It
was growing chilly； and I thought to myself w
