the brotherhood of consolation-第23章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


can　enforce。　The　moment　an　association　is　formed　among　us；　each
member；　returning　to　his　own　home　from　an　assembly　where　noble
sentiments　have　been　proclaimed；　thinks　of　making　his　own　bed　out　of
that　collective　devotion；　that　union　of　forces；　and　of　milking　to　his
own　profit　the　common　cow；　which；　not　being　able　to　supply　so　many
individual　demands；　dies　exhausted。

Who　knows　how　many　generous　sentiments　were　blasted；　how　many　fruitful
germs　may　have　perished；　lost　to　the　nation　through　the　infamous
deceptions　of　the　French　Carbonari；　the　patriotic　subscriptions　to　the
Champ　d'Asile；　and　other　political　deceptions　which　ought　to　have　been
grand　and　noble　dramas；　and　proved　to　be　the　farces　and　the　melodramas
of　police　courts。　It　is　the　same　with　industrial　association　as　it　is
with　political　association。　Love　of　self　is　substituted　for　the　love
of　collective　bodies。　The　corporations　and　the　Hanse　leagues　of　the
middle…ages；　/to　which　we　shall　some　day　return/；　are　still
impossible。　Consequently；　the　only　societies　which　actually　exist　are
those　of　religious　bodies；　against　whom　a　heavy　war　is　being　made　at
this　moment；　for　the　natural　tendency　of　sick　persons　is　to　quarrel
with　remedies　and　often　with　physicians。　France　ignores　self…
abnegation。　Therefore；　no　association　can　live　except　through
religious　sentiment；　the　only　sentiment　that　quells　the　rebellions　of
mind；　the　calculations　of　ambition；　and　greeds　of　all　kinds。　The
seekers　of　better　worlds　ignore　the　fact　that　ASSOCIATION　has　such
worlds　to　offer。

As　he　walked　through　the　streets　Godefroid　felt　himself　another　man。
Whoever　could　have　looked　into　his　being　would　have　admired　the
curious　phenomenon　of　the　communication　of　collective　power。　He　was　no
longer　a　mere　man；　he　was　a　tenfold　force；　knowing　himself　the
representative　of　persons　whose　united　forces　upheld　his　actions　and
walked　beside　him。　Bearing　that　power　in　his　heart；　he　felt　within　him
a　plenitude　of　life；　a　noble　might；　which　uplifted　him。　It　was；　as　he
afterwards　said；　one　of　the　finest　moments　of　his　whole　existence；　he
was　conscious　of　a　new　sense；　an　omnipotence　more　sure　than　that　of
despots。　Moral　power　is；　like　thought；　limitless。

〃To　live　for　others；〃　he　thought；　〃to　act　with　others；　all　as　one；　and
act　alone　as　all　together；　to　have　for　leader　Charity；　the　noblest；
the　most　living　of　those　ideal　figures　Christianity　has　made　for　us；
this　is　indeed　to　live！Come；　come；　repress　that　petty　joy；　which
father　Alain　laughed　at。　And　yet；　how　singular　it　is　that　in　seeking
to　set　myself　aside　from　life　I　have　found　the　power　I　have　sought　so
long！　Yes；　the　world　of　misery　will　belong　to　me！〃



XII

A　CASE　TO　INVESTIGATE

Godefroid　walked　from　the　cloister　of　Notre…Dame　to　the　avenue　de
l'Observatoire　in　such　a　state　of　exaltation　that　he　never　noticed　the
length　of　the　way。

When　he　reached　the　rue　Notre…Dame　des　Champs　at　the　point　where　it
joins　the　rue　de　l'Ouest　he　was　amazed　to　find　（neither　of　these
streets　being　paved　at　the　time　of　which　we　write）　great　mud…holes　in
that　fine　open　quarter。　Persons　walked　on　planks　laid　down　beside　the
houses　and　along　the　marshy　gardens；　or　on　narrow　paths　flanked　on
each　side　by　stagnant　water　which　sometimes　turned　them　into　rivulets。

By　dint　of　searching　he　found　the　house　he　wanted；　but　he　did　not
reach　it　without　difficulty。　It　was　evidently　an　abandoned　factory。
The　building　was　narrow　and　the　side　of　it　was　a　long　wall　with　many
windows　and　no　architectural　decoration　whatever。　None　of　these
windows；　which　were　square；　were　on　the　lower　floor；　where　there　was
no　opening　but　a　very　miserable　entrance…door。

Godefroid　supposed　that　the　proprietor　had　turned　the　building　into　a
number　of　small　tenements　to　make　it　profitable；　for　a　written　placard
above　the　door　stated　that　there　were　〃Several　rooms　to　let。〃
Godefroid　rang；　but　no　one　came。　While　he　was　waiting；　a　person　who
went　by　pointed　out　to　him　that　the　house　had　another　entrance　on　the
boulevard　where　he　might　get　admittance。

Godefroid　followed　this　advice　and　saw　at　the　farther　end　of　a　little
garden　which　extended　along　the　boulevard　a　second　door　to　the　house。
The　garden；　rather　ill…kept；　sloped　downward；　for　there　was　enough
difference　in　level　between　the　boulevard　and　the　rue　Notre…Dame　des
Champs　to　make　it　a　sort　of　ditch。　Godefroid　therefore　walked　along
one　of　the　paths；　at　the　end　of　which　he　saw　an　old　woman　whose
dilapidated　garments　were　in　keeping　with　the　house。

〃Was　it　you　who　rang　at　the　other　door？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　madame。　Do　you　show　the　lodgings？〃

On　the　woman's　replying　that　she　did；　Godefroid　inquired　if　the　other
lodgers　were　quiet　persons；　his　occupations；　he　said；　were　such　that
he　needed　silence　and　peace；　he　was　a　bachelor　and　would　be　glad　to
arrange　with　the　portress　to　do　his　housekeeping。

On　this　suggestion　the　portress　assumed　a　gracious　manner。

〃Monsieur　has　fallen　on　his　feet　in　coming　here；　then；〃　she　said；
〃except　on　the　Chaumiere　days　the　boulevard　is　as　lonely　as　the
Pontine　marshes。〃

〃Ah！　you　know　the　Pontine　marshes？〃　said　Godefroid。

〃No；　monsieur；　I　don't；　but　I've　got　an　old　gentleman　upstairs　whose
daughter　seems　to　get　her　living　by　being　ill；　and　he　says　that；　I
only　repeat　it。　The　poor　old　man　will　be　glad　to　know　that　monsieur
likes　quiet；　for　a　noisy　neighbor；　he　thinks；　would　kill　his　daughter。
On　the　second　floor　we　have　two　writers；　they　don't　come　in　till
midnight；　and　are　off　before　eight　in　the　morning。　They　say　they　are
authors；　but　I　don't　know　where　or　when　they　write。〃

While　speaking；　the　portress　was　showing　Godefroid　up　one　of　those
horrible　stairways　of　brick　and　wood　so　ill　put　together　that　it　is
hard　to　tell　whether　the　wood　is　trying　to　get　rid　of　the　bricks　or
the　bricks　are　trying　to　get　away　from　the　wood；　the　gaps　between　them
were　partly　filled　up　by　what　was　dust　in　summer　and　mud　in　winter。
The　walls；　of　cracked　and　broken　plaster；　presented　to　the　eye　more
inscriptions　than　the　Academy　of　Belles…lettres　has　yet　composed。　The
portress　stopped　on　the　first　landing。

〃Here；　monsieur；　are　two　rooms　adjoining　each　other　and　every　clean；
which　open　opposite　to　those　of　Monsieur　Bernard；　that's　the　old
gentleman　I　told　you　of；quite　a　proper　person。　He　is　decorated；　but
it　seems　he　has　had　misfortunes；　for　he　never　wears　his　ribbon。　They
formerly　had　a　servant　from　the　provinces；　but　they　sent　him　away
about　three　years　ago；　and　now　the　young　son　of　the　lady　does
everything；　housework　and　all。〃

Godefroid　made　a　gesture。

〃Oh！〃　cried　the　Portress；　〃don't　you　be　afraid；　they　won't　say
anything　to　you；　they　never　speak　to　any　one。　They　came　here　after　the
Revolution　of　July；　in　1830。　I　think　they're　provincial　folk　ruined　by
the　change　of　government；　they　are　proud；　I　tell　you！　and　dumb　as
fishes。　For　three　years；　monsieur；　I　declare　they　have　not　let　me　do
the　smallest　thing　for　them　for　fear　they　should　have　to　pay　for　it。　A
hundred　sous　on　New　Year's　day；　that's　all　I　get　out　of　them。　Talk　to
me　of　authors；　indeed！〃

This　gossip　made　Godefroid　hope　he　should　get　some　assistance　out　of
the　woman；　who　presently　said；　while　praising　the　healthfulness　of　the
two　rooms　she　offered　him；　that　she　was　not　a　portress；　but　the
confidential　agent　of　the　proprietor；　for　whom　she　managed　many　of　the
affairs　of　the　house。

〃You　may　have　confidence　in　me；　monsieur；　that　you　may！　Madame
Vauthier；　it　is　well　known；　would　rather　have　nothing　than　a　single
penny　that　ought　to　go　to　others。〃

＇A　Vauthier　was　one　of　the　accomplices　of　Bryond　in　the　trial！JB。＇

Madame　Vauthier　soon　came　to　terms　with　Godefroid　who　would　not　take
the　rooms　unless　he　could　have　them　by　the　single　month　and　furnished。
These　miserable　rooms　of　students　and　unlucky　authors　were　rented
furnished　or　unfurnished　as　the　case　might　be。　The　vast　garret　which
extended　over　the　whole　building　was　filled　with　such　furniture。　But
Monsieur　Bernard；　she　said；　had　furnished　his　own　rooms。

In　making　Madame　Vauthier　talk；　Godefroid　discovered　she　had　intended
to　keep　boarders　in　the　building；　but　for　the　last　five　years　had　not
obtained　a　single　lodger　of　that　description。　She　lived　herself　on　the
ground…floor　facing　towards　the　boulevard；　and　looked　after　the　whole
house；　by　the　help　of　a　huge　mastiff；　a　stout　servant…girl；　and　a　lad
who　blacked　the　boots；　took　care　of　the　rooms；　and　did　the　errands。

These　two　servants　were；　like　herself；　in　keeping　with　the　poverty　of
the　house；　that　of　the　tenants；　and　the　wild　and　tangled　look　of　the
garden。　Both　were　children　abandoned　by　their　parents　to　whom　the
widow　gave　food　for　wages；and　what　food！　The　lad；　whom　Godefroid
caught　a　glimpse　of；　wore　a　ragged　blouse　and　list　slippers　instead　of
shoes；　and　sabots　when　he　went　out。　With　his　tousled　head；　looking
like　a　sparrow　when　it　takes　a　bath；　and　his　black　hands；　he　went　to
measure　wood　at　a　wood…yard　on　the　boulevard　as　soon　as　he　had
finished　the　morning　work　of　the　house；　and　after　his　day's　labor
（which　ends　in　wood…yards　at　half…past　four　in　the　afternoon）　he
returned　to　his　domestic　avocations。　He　went　to　the　fountain　of　the
Observatoire　for　the　water　used　in　the　house；　which　the　widow　supplied
to　the　tenants；　together　with　bundles　of　kindling；　sawed　and　tied　up
by　him。

Nepomucene；　such　was　the　name　of　the　widow　Vauthier's　slave；　brought
the　daily　journal　to　his　mistress。　In　summer　the　poor　forsaken　lad　was
a　waiter　in　the　wine…shops　at　the　barrier；　and　then　his　mistress
dressed　him　properly。

As　for　the　stout　girl；　she　cooked　under　direction　of　the　widow；　and
helped　her　in　another　department　of　industry　during　the　rest　of　the
day；　for　Madame　Vauthier　had　a　business；she　made　list　shoes；　which
were　bought　and　sold　by　pedlers。

Godefroid　learned　all　these　details　in　about　an　hour's　time；　for　the
widow　took　him　everywhere；　and　showed　him　the　whole　building；
explaining　its　transformation　into　a　dwelling。　Until　1828　it　had　been
a　nursery　for　silk…worms；　less　for　the　silk　than　to　obtain　what　they
call　the　eggs。　Eleven　acres　planted　with　mulberries　on　the　plain　of
Montrouge；　and　three　acres　on　the　rue　de　l'Ouest；　afterwards　built
over；　had　supplied　this　singular　establishment。

Just　as　the　widow　was　explaining　to　Godefroid　how　Monsieur　Barbet；
having　lent　money　to　an　Italian　named　Fresconi；　the　manager　of　the
business；　could　recover　his　money　only　by　foreclosing　a　mortgage　on
the　building　and　seizing　the　three　acres　on　the　rue　Notre…Dame　des
Champs；　a　tall；　spare　old　man　with　snow…white　hair　appeared　at　the　end
of　the　street　which　leads　into　the　square　of　the　rue　de　l'Ouest。

〃Ah！　here　he　comes；　just　in　time！〃　cried　the　Vauthier；　〃that's　your
neighbor　Monsieur　Bernard。　Monsieur　Bernard！〃　she　called　out　as　soon
as　the　old　man　was　within　hearing；　〃you　won't　be　alone　any　longer；
here　is　a　gentleman　who　has　hired　the　rooms　opposite　to　yours。〃

Monsieur　Bernard　turned　his　eyes　on　Godefroid　with　an　apprehension　it
was　easy　to　fathom；　the　look　seemed　to　say：　〃The　misfortune　I　feared
has　come　to　pass。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　he　said　aloud；　〃do　you　intend　to　live　here？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　said　Godefroid；　hones