the crime of sylvestre bonnard(西维斯特·博拉德的罪行)-第21章
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either ignored or despised； and this injury he never could forgive
Bonaparte； whom he called the Ogre of Corsica； and to whom he used to
say he would never have confided even the command of a regiment； so
pitiful a soldier he judged him to be。
〃In 1820； Monsieur de Lessay； who had then been a widower for many
years； married again； at the age of sixty； a very young woman； whom he
pitilessly kept at work preparing maps for him； and who gave him a
daughter some years after their marriage； and died in childbed。 My mother
had nursed her during her brief illness； and had taken care of the child。
The name of that child was Clementine。
〃It was from the time of that birth and that death that the relations
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between our family and Monsieur de Lessay began。 In the meanwhile I
had been growing dull as I began to leave my true childhood behind me。 I
had lost the charming power of being able to see and feel； and things no
longer caused me those delicious surprises which form the enchantment of
the more tender age。 For the same reason； perhaps； I have no distinct
remembrance of the period following the birth of Clementine； I only know
that a few months afterwards I had a misfortune； the mere thought of
which still wrings my heart。 I lost my mother。 A great silence； a great
coldness； and a great darkness seemed all at once to fill the house。
〃I fell into a sort of torpor。 My father sent me to the lycee； but I could
only arouse myself from my lethargy with the greatest of effort。
〃Still； I was not altogether a dullard； and my professors were able to
teach me almost everything they wanted； namely； a little Greek and a great
deal of Latin。 My acquaintances were confined to the ancients。 I learned to
esteem Miltiades； and to admire Themistocles。 I became familiar with
Quintus Fabius； as far； at least； as it was possible to become familiar with
so great a Consul。 Proud of these lofty acquaintances； I scarcely ever
condescended to notice little Clementine and her old father； who； in any
event； went away to Normandy one fine morning without my having
deigned to give a moment's thought to their possible return。
〃They came back； however； Madame； they came back！ Influences of
Heaven； forces of nature； all ye mysterious powers which vouchsafe to
man the ability to love； you know how I again beheld Clementine！ They
re…entered our melancholy home。 Monsieur de Lessay no longer wore a
wig。 Bald； with a few grey locks about his ruddy temples； he had all the
aspect of robust old age。 But that divine being whom I saw all resplendent；
as she leaned upon his armshe whose presence illuminated the old faded
parlourshe was not an apparition！ It was Clementine herself！ I am
speaking the simple truth： her violet eyes seemed to me in that moment
supernatural； and even to…day I cannot imagine how those two living
jewels could have endured the fatigues of life； or become subjected to the
corruption of death。
〃She betrayed a little shyness in greeting my father； whom she did not
remember。 Her complexion was slightly pink； and her half…open lips
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smiled with that smile which makes one think of the Infinite perhaps
because it betrays no particular thought； and expresses only the joy of
living and the bliss of being beautiful。 Under a pink hood her face shone
like a gem in an open casket； she wore a cashmere scarf over a robe of
white muslin plaited at the waist； from beneath which protruded the tip of
a little Morocco shoe。。。。 Oh！ you must not make fun of me； dear Madame；
that was the fashion of the time； and I do not know whether our new
fashions have nearly so much simplicity； brightness； and decorous grace。
〃Monsieur de Lessay informed us that； in consequence of having
undertaken the publication of a historical atlas； he had come back to live in
Paris； and that he would be pleased to occupy his former apartment； if it
was still vacant。 My father asked Mademoiselle de Lessay whether she
was pleased to visit the capital。 She appeared to be； for her smile
blossomed out in reply。 She smiled at the windows that looked out upon
the green and luminous garden； she smiled at the bronze Marius seated
among the ruins of Carthage above the dial of the clock； she smiled a the
old yellow…velveted arm… chairs； and at the poor student who was afraid to
lift his eyes to look at her。 From that dayhow I loved her！
〃But here we are already a the Rue de Severs； and in a little while we
shall be in sight of your windows。 I am a very bad story…teller； and if I
wereby some impossible chanceto take it into my head to compose a
novel； I know I should never succeed。 I have been drawing out to tiresome
length a narrative which I must finish briefly； for there is a certain
delicacy； a certain grace of soul； which an old man could not help
offending by an complacent expatiation upon the sentiments of even the
purest love。 Let us take a short turn on this boulevard； lined with convents；
and my recital will be easily finished within the distance separating us
from that little spire you see over there。。。。
〃Monsieur de Lessay； on finding that I had graduated at the Ecole des
Chartes； judged me worthy to assist him in preparing his historical atlas。
The plan was to illustrate； by a series of maps； what the old philosopher
termed the Vicissitudes of Empires from the time of Noah down to that of
Charlemagne。 Monsieur de Lessay had stored up in his head all the errors
of the eighteenth century in regard to antiquity。 I belonged； so far as my
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historical studies were concerned； to the new school； and I was just at that
age when one does not know how to dissemble。 The manner in which the
old man understood； or； rather； misunderstood； the epoch of the
Barbarians his obstinate determination to find in remote antiquity only
ambitious princes； hypocritical and avaricious prelates； virtuous citizens；
poet…philosophers； and other personages who never existed outside of the
novels of Marmontel；made me dreadfully unhappy； and at first used to
excite me into attempts at argument；rational enough； but perfectly
useless and sometimes dangerous； for Monsieur de Lessay was very
irascible； and Clementine was very beautiful。 Between her and him I
passed many hours of torment and of delight。 I was in love； I was a
coward； and I granted to him all that he demanded of me in regard to the
political and historical aspect which the Earththat was at a later day to
bear Clementinepresented in the time of Abraham； of Menes； and of
Deucalion。
〃As fast as we drew our maps； Mademoiselle de Lessay tinted them in
water…colours。 Bending over the table； she held the brush lightly between
two fingers； the shadow of her eyelashes descended upon her cheeks； and
bather her half…closed eyes in a delicious penumbra。 Sometimes she would
lift her head； and I would see her lips pout。 There was so much expression
in her beauty that she could not breathe without seeming to sigh； and her
most ordinary poses used to throw me into the deepest ecstasies of
admiration。 Whenever I gazed at her I fully agreed with Monsieur de
Lessay that Jupiter had once reigned as a despot…king over the
mountainous regions of Thessaly； and that Orpheus had committed the
imprudence of leaving the teaching of philosophy to the clergy。 I am not
now quite sure whether I was a coward or a hero when I accorded al this to
the obstinate old man。
〃Mademoiselle de Lessay； I must acknowledge； paid very little
attention to me。 But this indifference seemed to me so just and so natural
that I never even dreamed of thinking I had a right to complain about it； it
made me unhappy； but without my knowing that I was unhappy at the time。
I was hopeful；we had then only got as far as the First Assyrian Empire。
〃Monsieur de Lessay came every evening to take coffee with my
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father。 I do not know how they became such friends； for it would have
been difficult to find two characters more oppositely constituted。 My
father was a man who admired very few things； but was still capable of
excusing a great many。 Still； as he grew older； he evinced more and more
dislike of everything in the shape of exaggeration。 He clothed his ideas
with a thousand delicate shades of expression； and never pronounced an
opinion without all sorts of reservations。 These conversational habits；
natural to a finely trained mind； used greatly to irritate the dry； terse old
aristocrat； who was never in the least disarmed by the moderation of an
adversaryquite the contrary！ I always foresaw one danger。 That danger
was Bonaparte。 My father had not himself retained an particular affection
for his memory； but； having worked under his direction； he did not like to
hear him abused； especially in favour of the Bourbons； against whom he
had serious reason to feel resentment。 Monsieur de Lessay； more of a
Voltairean and a Legitimist than ever； now traced back to Bonaparte the
origin of every social； political； and religious evil。 Such being the situation；
the idea of Uncle Victor made me feel particularly uneasy。 This terrible
uncle had become absolutely unsufferable now
