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第28章

the crime of sylvestre bonnard(西维斯特·博拉德的罪行)-第28章


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                                The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard 



be conducted with a great deal of circumspection; and with a view to that 

future state of dependence they must occupy in society。 Perhaps you are 

not   aware   that   the   late  Noel   Alexandre   died      a   bankrupt;    and   that   his 

daughter is being educated almost by charity?〃 

     〃Oh! Monsieur!〃 I exclaimed; 〃do not say it! To say it is to pay oneself 

back; and then the statement ceases to be true。〃 

     〃The   liabilities    of   the  estate;〃   continued    the   notary;   〃exceeded     the 

assets。 But I was able to effect a settlement with the creditors in favour of 

the minor。〃 

     He undertook to explain matters in detail。 I declined to listen to these 

explanations;       being    incapable     of  understanding       business     methods     in 

general; and those of Maitre Mouche in particular。 The notary then took it 

upon   himself   to   justify   Mademoiselle   Prefere's   educational   system;   and 

observed by way of conclusion; 

     〃It is not by amusing oneself that one can learn。〃 

     〃It   is   only   by   amusing   oneself   that   one   can   learn;〃   I   replied。   〃The 

whole art of teaching is only the art of awakening the natural curiosity of 

young minds for the purpose of satisfying it afterwards; and curiosity itself 

can be vivid and wholesome only in proportion as the mind is contented 

and    happy。    Those     acquirements      crammed      by   force   into   the  minds    of 

children   simply   clog   and   stifle   intelligence。   In   order   that   knowledge   be 

properly   digested;   it   must   have   been   swallowed   with   a   good   appetite。   I 

know Jeanne! If that child were intrusted to my care; I should make of her… 

…not a learned woman; for I would look to her future happiness onlybut a 

child    full  of  bright    intelligence    and   full  of  life;  in  whom     everything 

beautiful   in   art   or   nature   would   awaken   some   gentle   responsive   thrill。   I 

would   teach   her   to   live   in   sympathy   with   all   that   is   beautifulcomely 

landscapes; the ideal scenes of poetry and history; the emotional charm of 

noble music。 I would make lovable to her everything I would wish her to 

love。 Even her needlework I would make pleasurable to her; by a proper 

choice of fabrics; the style of embroideries; the designs of lace。 I would 

give her a beautiful dog; and a pony to teach her how to manage animals; I 

would give her birds to take care of; so that she could learn the value of 

even a drop of water and a crumb of bread。 And in order that she should 



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have a still higher pleasure; I would train her to find delight in exercising 

charity。 And inasmuch as none of us may escape pain; I should teach her 

that Christian wisdom which elevates us above all suffering; and gives a 

beauty even to grief itself。 That is my idea of the right way to educate a 

young girl。〃 

     〃I yield; Monsieur;〃 replied Maitre Mouche; joining his black…gloved 

hands together。 

     And he rose。 

     〃Of   course   you   understand;〃   I   remarked;   as   I   went   to   the   door   with 

him; 〃that I do not pretend for a moment to impose my educational system 

upon     Mademoiselle       Prefere;    it  is  necessarily   a  private   one;   and    quite 

incompatible   with   the   organisation   of   even   the   best…managed   boarding 

schools。 I only ask you to persuade her to give Jeanne less work and more 

play; and not to punish her except in case of absolute necessity; and to let 

her   have   as   much   freedom   of   mind   and   body   as   the   regulations   of   the 

institution permit。〃 

     It was with a pale and mysterious smile that Maitre Mouche informed 

me that my observations would be taken in good part; and should receive 

all possible consideration。 

     Therewith he made me a little bow; and took his departure; leaving me 

with a peculiar   feeling of discomfort   and uneasiness。 I   have met a   great 

many strange characters in my time; but never any at all resembling either 

this notary or this schoolmistress。 

       July 6。 

       Maitre Mouche has so much delayed me by his visit that I gave up 

going to see Jeanne that day。 Professional duties kept me very busy for the 

rest   of   the   week。  Although   at   the   age   when   most   men   retire   altogether 

from   active   life;   I   am   still   attached   by   a   thousand   ties   to   the   society   in 

which I have lived。 I have to reside at meetings of academies;  scientific 

congresses; assemblies of various learned bodies。 I am overburdened with 

honorary functions; I have seven of these in one governmental department 

alone。  The   bureaux   would   be   very   glad   to   get   rid   of   them。   But   habit   is 

stronger than both of us together; and I continue to hobble up the stairs of 

various government buildings。 Old clerks point me out to each other as I 



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go by like a ghost wandering through the corridors。 When one has become 

very  old   one   finds   it   extremely   difficult   to   disappear。   Nevertheless;   it   is 

time; as the old song says; 'de prendre ma retraite et de songer a faire un 

fin〃to retire on my pension and prepare myself to die a good death。 

     An old marchioness; who used to be a friend of Hevetius in her youth; 

and whom I once met at my father's house when a very old woman; was 

visited during her last sickness by the priest of her parish; who wanted to 

prepare her to die。 

     〃Is that really necessary?〃 she asked。 〃I see everybody else manage it 

perfectly well the first time。〃 

     My     father   went    to  see   her   very   soon    afterwards     and    found    her 

extremely ill。 

     〃Good…evening; my friend!〃 she said; pressing his hand。 〃I am going to 

see whether God improves upon acquaintance。〃 

     So were wont to die the belles amies of the philosophers。 Such an end 

is certainly not vulgar nor impertinent; and such levities are not of the sort 

that emanate   from  dull minds。  Nevertheless;  they shock   me。   Neither   my 

fears   nor   my   hopes   could   accommodate   themselves   to   such   a   mode   of 

departure。 I would like to make mine with a perfectly collected mind; and 

that   is   why  I   must   begin   to   think;   in   a   year   or   two;   about   some   way   of 

belonging   to   myself;   otherwise;   I   should   certainly   risk。。。。   But;   hush!   let 

Him not hear His name and turn to look as He passes by! I can still lift my 

fagot without His aid。 

     。。。I found Jeanne very happy indeed。 She told me that; on the Thursday 

previous; after the visit of her guardian; Mademoiselle Prefere had set her 

free from the ordinary regulations and lightened her tasks in several ways。 

Since     that  lucky   Thursday   she      could   walk    in  the   gardenwhich      only 

lacked leaves and flowersas much as she liked; and she had been given 

facilities to work at her unfortunate little figure of Saint…George。 

     She said to me; with a smile; 

     〃I know very well that I owe all of this to you。〃 I tried to talk with her 

about other matters; but I remarked that she could not attend to what I was 

saying; in spite of her effort to do so。 

     〃I   see   you   are   thinking about   something   else;〃   I  said。  〃Well;   tell   me 



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what it is; for; if you do not; we shall not be able to talk to each other at all; 

which would be very unworthy of both of us。〃 

     She answered; 

     〃Oh! I was really listening to you; Monsieur; but it is true that I was 

thinking about something else。 You will excuse me; won't you? I could not 

help   thinking   that   Mademoiselle   Prefere   must   like   you   very;   very   much 

indeed; to have become so good to me all of a sudden。〃 

     Then she looked at me in an odd; smiling; frightened way; which made 

me laugh。 

     〃Does that surprise you?〃 I asked。 〃Very much;〃 she replied。 

     〃Please tell me why?〃 

     〃Because I can see no reason; no reason at all。。。but there!。。。no reason at 

all why you should please Mademoiselle Prefere so much。〃 

     〃So; then; you think I am very displeasing; Jeanne?〃 

     She bit her lips; as if to punish them for having made a mistake; and 

then;   in   a   coaxing   way;   looking   at   me   with   great   soft   eyes;   gentle   and 

beautiful as a spaniel's; she said; 

     〃I know I said a foolish think; but; still; I do not see any reason why 

you   should   be   so   pleasing   to   Mademoiselle   Prefere。   And;   nevertheless; 

you seem to please her a great deala very great deal。 She called me one 

day; and asked me all sorts of questions about you。〃 

     〃Really?〃 

     〃Yes; she wanted to find out all about your house。 Just think! she even 

asked me how old your servant was!〃 

     And Jeanne burst out laughing。 

     〃Well; what do you think about it?〃 I asked。 

     She remained a long while with her eyes fixed on the worn…out cloth 

of her shoes; and seemed to be thinking very deeply。 Finally; looking up 

again; she answered; 

     〃I   am   distrustful。   Isn't   it   very   natural   to   feel   uneasy   about   what   one 

cannot understand; I know I am foolish; but you won't be offended with 

me; will you?〃 

     〃Why; certainly not; Jeanne。 I am not a bit offended with you。〃 

     I must acknowledge that I was beginning to share her surprise; and I 



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began to turn over in my old head the singular thought of this young girl 

〃One is uneasy about what one cannot understand。〃 

     But; with a fresh burst of merriment; she cried out; 

     〃She asked me。。。guess! I will give you a hundred guessesa thousand 

guesses。 You give it up?。。。 She asked me if you liked good eating。〃 

     〃And how did you receive this shower of interrogations; Jeanne?〃 

     〃I replied; 'I don't know; Mademoiselle。' And Mademoiselle then said 

to me; 'You are a little fool。 The least details of the life of an eminent man 

ought     to  be   observed。    Please    to  know;     Mademoiselle;       that  Monsieur 

Sylvestre Bonnard is one of the glories of France!'〃 

     〃Stuff!〃     I   exclaimed。      〃And      what    did    YOU       think    about    it; 

Mademoiselle?〃 

     〃I   thought   that   Mademoi

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