the crime of sylvestre bonnard(西维斯特·博拉德的罪行)-第42章
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these facts one to another？ And in saying this； Monsieur Bonnard； I am
supposing that the historian has positive evidence before him； whereas in
reality he feels confidence only in such or such a witness for sympathetic
reasons。 History is not a science； it is an art； and one can succeed in that
art only through the exercise of his faculty of imagination。〃
Monsieur Gelis reminds me very much at this moment of a certain
young fool whom I heard talking wildly one day in the garden of the
Luxembourg； under the statue of Marguerite of Navarre。 But at another
turn of the conversation we find ourselves face to face with Walter Scott；
whose work my disdainful young friend pleases to term 〃rococo；
troubadourish； and only fit to inspire somebody engaged in making
designs for cheap bronze clocks。〃 Those are his very words！
〃Why！〃 I exclaim； zealous to defend the magnificent creator of 'The
Bride of Lammermoor' and 'The Fair Maid of Perth；' 〃the whole past lives
in those admirable novels of his；that is history； that is epic！〃
〃It is frippery；〃 Gelis answers me。
And；will you believe it？this crazy boy actually tells me that no
matter how learned one may be； one cannot possibly know just how men
used to live five or ten centuries ago； because it is only with the very
greatest difficulty that one can picture them to oneself even as they were
only ten or fifteen years ago。 In his opinion； the historical poem； the
historical novel； the historical painting； are all； according to their kind；
abominably false as branches of art。
〃In all the arts；〃 he adds； 〃the artist can only reflect his own soul。 His
work； no matter how it may be dressed up； is of necessity contemporary
with himself； being the reflection of his own mind。 What do we admire in
the 'Divine Comedy' unless it be the great soul of Dante？ And the marbles
of Michael Angelo； what do they represent to us that is at all extraordinary
unless it be Michael Angelo himself？ The artist either communicates his
own life to his creations； or else merely whittles out puppets and dresses
up dolls。〃
What a torrent of paradoxes and irreverences！ But boldness in a young
man is not displeasing to me。 Gelis gets up from his chair and sits down
again。 I know perfectly well what is worrying him； and whom he is
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waiting for。 And now he begins to talk to me about his being able to make
fifteen hundred francs a year； to which he can add the revenue he derives
from a little property that he has inheritedtwo thousand francs a year
more。 And I am not in the least deceived as to the purpose of these
confidences on his part。 I know perfectly well that he is only making his
little financial statements in order to persuade me that he is comfortably
circumstanced； steady； fond of home； comparatively independentor； to
put the matter in the fewest words possible； able to marry。 Quod erat
demonstrandum；as the geometricians say。
He has got up and sat down just twenty times。 He now rises for the
twenty…first time； and； as he has not been able to see Jeanne； he goes away
feeling as unhappy as possible。
The moment he has gone； Jeanne comes into the City of Books； under
the pretext of looking for Hannibal。 She is also quite unhappy； and her
voice becomes singularly plaintive as she calls her pet to give him some
milk。 Look at that sad little face； Bonnard！ Tyrant； gaze upon thy work！
Thou hast been able to keep them from seeing each other； but they have
now both of them the same expression of countenance； and thou mayest
discern from that similarity of expression that in spite of thee they are
united in thought。 Cassandra； be happy！ Bartholo； rejoice！ This is what it
means to be a guardian！ Just see her kneeling down there on the carpet
with Hannibal's head between her hands！
Yes； caress the stupid animal！pity him！moan over him！we know
very well； you little rogue； the real cause of all these sighs and plaints！
Nevertheless； it makes a very pretty picture。 I look at it for a long time；
then； throwing a glance around my library； I exclaim；
〃Jeanne； I am tired of all those books； we must sell them。〃
September 20。
It is done！they are betrothed。 Gelis； who is an orphan； as Jeanne is；
did not make his proposal to me in person。 He got one of his professors； an
old colleague of mine； highly esteemed for his learning and character； to
come to me on his behalf。 But what a love messenger！ Great Heavens！ A
bearneat a bear of the Pyrenees； but a literary bear； and this latter variety
of bear is much more ferocious than the former。
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〃Right or wrong （in my opinion wrong） Gelis says that he does not
want any dowry； he takes your ward with nothing but her chemise。 Say
yes； and the thing is settled！ Make haste about it！ I want to show you two
or three very curious old tokens from Lorraine which I am sure you never
saw before。〃
That is literally what he said to me。 I answered him that I would
consult Jeanne； and I found no small pleasure in telling him that my ward
had a dowry。
Her dowrythere it is in front of me！ It is my library。 Henri and Jeanne
have not even the faintest suspicion about it； and the fact is I am
commonly believed to be much richer than I am。 I have the face of an old
miser。 It is certainly a lying face； but its untruthfulness has often won for
me a great deal of consideration。 There is nobody so much respected in
this world as a stingy rich man。
I have consulted Jeanne；but what was the need of listening for her
answer？ It is done！ They are betrothed。
It would ill become my character as well as my face to watch these
young people any longer for the mere purpose of noting down their words
and gestures。 Noli me tangere：that is the maxim for all charming love
affairs。 I know my duty。 It is to respect all the little secrets of that innocent
soul intrusted to me。 Let these children love each other all they can！ Never
a word of their fervent outpouring of mutual confidences； never a hint of
their artless self…betrayals； will be set down in this diary by the old
guardian whose authority was so gentle and so brief。 At all events； I am
not going to remain with my arms folded； and if they have their business
to attend to； I have mine also。 I am preparing a catalogue of my books；
with a view to having them all sold at auction。 It is a task which saddens
and amuses me at the same time。 I linger over it； perhaps a good deal
longer than I ought to do； turning the leaves of all those works which have
become so familiar to my thought； to my touch； to my sighteven out of
all necessity and reason。 But it is a farewell； and it has ever been in the
nature of man to prolong a farewell。
This ponderous volume here； which has served me so much for thirty
long years； how can I leave it without according it every kindness that a
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faithful servant deserves？ And this one again； which has so often consoled
me by its wholesome doctrines； must I not bow down before it for the last
time； as to a Master？ But each time that I meet with a volume which led
me into error； which ever afflicted me with false dates； omissions； lies； and
other plagues of the archaeologist； I say to it with bitter joy： 〃Go！ imposter；
traitor； false…witness！ flee thou far away from me for ever；vade retro！ all
absurdly covered with gold as thou art！ and I pray it may befall thee
thanks to thy usurped reputation and thy comely morocco attire to take
thy place in the cabinet of some banker…bibliomaniac； whom thou wilt
never be able to seduce as thou has seduced me； because he will never
read one single line of thee。〃
I laid aside some books I must always keepthose books which were
given to me as souvenirs。 As I placed among them the manuscript of the
〃Golden Legend；〃 I could not but kiss it in memory of Madame Trepof；
who remained grateful to me in spite of her high position and all her
wealth； and who became my benefactress merely to prove to me that she
felt I had once done her a kindness。。。。 Thus I had made a reserve。 It was
then that； for the first time； I felt myself inclined to commit a deliberate
crime。 All through that night I was strongly tempted； by morning the
temptation had become irresistible。 Everybody else in the house was still
asleep。 I got out of bed and stole softly from my room。
Ye powers of darkness！ ye phantoms of the night！ if while lingering
within my home after the crowing of the cock； you saw me stealing about
on tiptoe in the City of Books； you certainly never cried out； as Madame
Trepof did at Naples； 〃That old man has a good…natured round back！〃 I
entered the library； Hannibal； with his tail perpendicularly erected； came
to rub himself against my legs and purr。 I seized a volume from its shelf；
some venerable Gothic text or some noble poet of the Renaissancethe
jewel； the treasure which I had been dreaming about all night； I seized it
and slipped it away into the very bottom of the closet which I had reserved
for those books I intended to retain； and which soon became full almost to
bursting。 It is horrible to relate： I was stealing from the dowry of Jeanne！
And when the crime had been consummated I set myself again sturdily to
the task of cataloguing； until Jeanne came to consult me in regard to
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something about a dress or a trousseau。 I could not pos
