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第22章

the crime of sylvestre bonnard(西维斯特·博拉德的罪行)-第22章


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uncle     had   become     absolutely     unsufferable     now     that  his  sister   was   no 

longer there to calm him down。 The harp of David was broken; and Saul 

was wholly delivered over to the spirit of madness。 The fall of Charles X。 

had increased the audacity of the old Napoleonic veteran; who uttered all 

imaginable   bravadoes。   He   no   longer   frequented   our   house;   which   had 

become too silent for him。 But sometimes; at the dinner…hour; we would 

see   him   suddenly   make   his   appearance;   all   covered   with   flowers;   like   a 

mausoleum。 Ordinarily he would sit down to table with an oath; growled 

out    from   the   very   bottom   of    his   chest;   and   brag;   between     every   two 

mouthfuls;   of   his   good   fortune   with   the   ladies   as   a   vieux   brave。   Then; 

when the dinner was over; he would fold up his napkin in the shape of a 

bishop's mitre; gulp down half a decanter of brandy; and rush away with 

the   hurried   air   of   a   man   terrified   at   the   mere   idea   of   remaining   for   any 

length of time; without drinking; in conversation with an old philosopher 

and a young scholar。 I felt perfectly sure that; if ever he and Monsieur de 

Lessay      should    come    together;    all  would     be   lost。  But   that   day   came; 

Madame! 



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     〃The   captain   was   almost   hidden by  flowers   that   day;  and   seemed   so 

much like a monument commemorating the glories of the Empire that one 

would have liked to pass a garland of immortelles over each of his arms。 

He was in an extraordinarily good humour; and the first person to profit by 

that good humour was our cookfor he put his arm around her waist while 

she was placing the roast on the table。 

     〃After dinner he pushed away the decanter presented to him; observing 

that he was going to burn some brandy in his coffee later on。 I asked him 

tremblingly  whether   he   would   not   prefer   to   have   his   coffee   at   once。   He 

was   very   suspicious;   and      not   at   all   dull   of   comprehensionmy     Uncle 

Victor。 My precipitation seemed to him in very bad taste; for he looked at 

me in a peculiar way; and said; 

     〃'Patience! my nephew。 It isn't the business of the baby of the regiment 

to sound the retreat! Devil take it! You must be in a great hurry; Master 

Pedant; to see if I've got spurs on my boots!' 

     〃It was evident the captain had divined that I wanted him to go。 And I 

knew him well enough to be sure that he was going to stay。 He stayed。 The 

least circumstances of that evening remain impressed on my memory。 My 

uncle   was   extremely   jovial。   The   mere   idea   of   being   in   somebody's   way 

was enough to keep him in good humour。 He told us; in regular barrack 

style; ma foi! a certain story about a monk; a trumpet; and five bottles of 

Chambertin; which must have been much enjoyed in the garrison society; 

but which I would not venture to repeat to you; Madame; even if I could 

remember it。 When we passed into the parlour; the captain called attention 

to   the   bad   condition   of   our   andirons;   and   learnedly   discoursed   on   the 

merits   of   rotten…stone   as   a   brass…polisher。   Not   a   word   on   the   subject   of 

politics。   He   was   husbanding   his   forces。   Eight   o'clock   sounded   from   the 

ruins of Carthage on the mantlepiece。 It was Monsieur de Lessay's hour。 A 

few moments later he entered the parlour with his daughter。 The ordinary 

evening   chat   began。   Clementine   sat   down   and   began   to   work   on   some 

embroidery   beside   the   lamp;   whose   shade   left   her   pretty   head   in   a   soft 

shadow; and threw down upon her fingers a radiance that made them seem 

almost self… luminous。 Monsieur de Lessay spoke of a comet announced 

by the astronomers; and developed some theories in relation to the subject; 



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which; however audacious; betrayed at least a certain degree of intellectual 

culture。   My   father;   who   knew   a   good   deal   about   astronomy;   advanced 

some   sound   ideas   of   his   own;   which   he   ended   up   with   his   eternal;   'But 

what do we know about it; after all?' In my turn I cited the opinion of our 

neighbour of the Observatory the great Arago。 My Uncle Victor declared 

that comets had a peculiar influence on the quality of wines; and related in 

support of this view a jolly tavern…story。 I was so delighted with the turn 

the conversation had taken that I did all in my power to maintain it in the 

same groove; with the help of my most recent studies; by a long exposition 

of   the   chemical   composition   of   those   nebulous   bodies   which;   although 

extending   over   a   length   of   billions   of   leagues;   could   be   contained   in   a 

small     bottle。   My    father;   a   little  surprised    at  my    unusual     eloquence; 

watched      me    with   his   peculiar;   placid;    ironical   smile。    But   one   cannot 

always remain in heaven。 I spoke; as I looked at Clementine; of a certain 

comete   of   diamonds;  which   I had   been   admiring   in   a   jeweller's   window 

the evening before。 It was a most unfortunate inspiration of mine。 

     〃'Ah!   my   nephew;'   cried   Uncle   Victor;   that   〃comete〃   of   yours   was 

nothing to the one which the Empress Josephine wore in her hair when she 

came to Strasburg to distribute crosses to the army。' 

     〃'That little Josephine was very fond of finery and display;' observed 

Monsieur de Lessay; between two sips of coffee。 'I do not blame her for it; 

she   had   good   qualities;   though   rather   frivolous   in   character。   She   was   a 

Tascher; and she conferred a great honour on Bonaparte by marrying him。 

To   say   a   Tascher   does   not;   of   course;   mean   a   great   deal;   but   to   say   a 

Bonaparte simply means nothing at all。' 

     〃'What      do   you   mean     by   that;   Monsieur      the  Marquis?'      demanded 

Captain Victor。 

     〃'I   am   not   a   marquis;'   dryly   responded   Monsieur   de   Lessay;   'and   I 

mean   simply   that   Bonaparte   would   have   been   very   well   suited   had   he 

married one of those cannibal women   described by Captain   Cook in   his 

voyagesnaked; tattooed; with a ring in her nosedevouring with delight 

putrefied human flesh。' 

     〃I had foreseen it; and in my anguish (O pitiful human heart!) my first 

idea was about the remarkable exactness of my anticipations。 I must say 



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that   the   captain's   reply   belonged   to   the   sublime   order。   He   put   his   arms 

akimbo; eyed Monsieur de Lessay contemptuously from head to food; and 

said; 

     〃'Napoleon;       Monsieur      the   Vidame;      had    another     spouse     besides 

Josephine;      another    spouse    besides    Marie…Louise。       that  companion       you 

know nothing of; but I have seen her; close to me。 She wears a mantle of 

azure     gemmed      with   stars;  she   is  crowned     with    laurels;  the   Cross…of… 

Honour flames upon her breast。 Her name is GLORY!' 

     〃Monsieur       de   Lessay    set  his   cup   on   the  mantlepiece      and   quietly 

observed; 

     〃'Your Bonaparte was a blackguard!' 

     〃My father rose up calmly; extended his arm; and said very softly to 

Monsieur de Lessay; 

     〃Whatever the man was who died at St。 Helena; I worked for ten years 

in his government; and my brother…in…law was three times wounded under 

his eagles。 I beg of you; dear sir and friend; never to forget these facts in 

future。' 

     〃What the sublime and burlesque insolence of the captain could not do; 

the courteous   remonstrance   of   my   father   effected   immediately;   throwing 

Monsieur de Lessay into a furious passion。 

     〃'I   did   forget;'   he   exclaimed;  between   his   set   teeth; livid   in   his   rage; 

and fairly foaming at the mouth; 'the herring…cask always smells of herring 

and when one has been in the service of rascals…' 

     〃As he uttered the word; the Captain sprang at his throat; I am sure he 

would have strangled him upon the spot but for his daughter and me。 

     〃My   father;   a   little   paler   than   his   wont;   stood   there   with   his   arms 

folded;   and   watched   the   scene   with   a   look   of   inexpressible   pity。   What 

followed was still more lamentablebut why dwell further upon the folly 

of   two   old   men。   Finally   I   succeeded   in   separating   them。   Monsieur   de 

Lessay     made     a  sign   to  his  daughter     and   left  the   room。    As   she   was 

following him; I ran out into the stairway after her。 

     〃'Mademoiselle;'   I   said   to   her;   wildly;   taking   her   hand   as   I   spoke;   'I 

love you! I love you!' 

     〃For a moment she pressed my hand; her lips opened。 What was it that 



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she   was   going   to   say   to   me?   But   suddenly;   lifting   her   eyes   towards   her 

father   ascending   the   stairs;   she   drew   her   hand   away;   and        made     me   a 

gesture of farewell。 

     〃I never saw her again。 Her father went to live in the neighbourhood of 

the   Pantheon;   in   an   apartment   which   he   had   rented   for   the   sale   of   his 

historical atlas。 He died in a few months afterward of an apoplectic stroke。 

His daughter; I was told; retired to Caen to live with some aged relative。 It 

was     there    that;  later   on;   she    married     a  bank…clerk;      the   same    Noel 

Alexandre who became so rich and died so poor。 

     〃As   for   me;   Madame;   I   have   lived   alone;   at   peace   with   myself;   my 

existence;      equally    exempt     from    great    pains   and    great   joys;   has   been 

tolerably   happy。   But   for   many   years   I   could   never   see   an   empty   chair 

beside   my   own   of   a   winter's   evening   without   feeling   a   sudden   painful 

sinking at my heart。 Last year I learned from you; who had known her; the 

story of her old age and death。 I saw her daughter at your house。 I have 

seen her; but I cannot yet say like the aged mad of Scripture; 'And now; O 

Lord; let thy servant depart in peace!' For if an old fellow like me can be 

of   any  use   to   anybody;  I   would   wish;  with   your   help;  to  

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