the crime of sylvestre bonnard(西维斯特·博拉德的罪行)-第18节
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may call； in old…fashioned phrase； 〃the book…room；〃 and started to work by
the light of a lamp。
After having read fifteen pages； evidently written by some ignorant
and careless scribe； for I could scarcely discern their meaning； I plunged
my hand into the pocket of my coat to get my snuff…box； but this
movement； usually so natural and almost instinctive； this time cost me
some effort and even fatigue。 Nevertheless； I got out the silver box； and
took from it a pinch of the odorous powder； which； somehow or other； I
managed to spill all over my shirt…bosom under my baffled nose。 I am sure
my nose must have expressed its disappointment； for it is a very
expressive nose。 More than once it has betrayed my secret thoughts； and
especially upon a certain occasion at the public library of Coutances；
where I discovered； right in front of my colleague Brioux； the 〃Cartulary
of Notre… Dame…des…Anges。〃
What a delight！ My little eyes remained as dull and expressionless as
ever behind my spectacles。 But at the mere sight of my thick pug… nose；
which quivered with joy and pride； Brioux knew that I had found
something。 He noted the volume I was looking at； observed the place
where I put it back； pounced upon it as soon as I turned my heel； copied it
secretly； and published in haste； for the sake of playing me a trick。 But his
edition swarms with errors； and I had the satisfaction of afterwards
criticising some of the gross blunders he made。
But to come back to the point at which I left off： I began to suspect
that I was getting very sleepy indeed。 I was looking at a chart of which the
interest may be divined from the fact that it contained mention of a hutch
sold to Jehan d'Estonville； priest； in 1312。 But although； even then； I could
recognise the importance of the document； I did not give it that attention it
so strongly invited。 My eyes would keep turning； against my will； towards
a certain corner of the table where there was nothing whatever interesting
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to a learned mind。 There was only a big German book there； bound in
pigskin； with brass studs on the sides； and very thick cording upon the
back。 It was a find copy of a compilation which has little to recommend it
except the wood engravings it contains； and which is known as the
〃Cosmography of Munster。〃 This volume； with its covers slightly open；
was placed upon edge with the back upwards。
I could not say for how long I had been staring causelessly at the
sixteenth…century folio； when my eyes were captivated by a sight so
extraordinary that even a person as devoid of imagination as I could not
but have been greatly astonished by it。
I perceived； all of a sudden； without having noticed her coming into
the room； a little creature seated on the back of the book； with one knee
bent and one leg hanging downsomewhat in the attitude of the amazons
of Hyde Park or the Bois de Boulogne on horseback。 She was so small that
her swinging foot did not reach the table； over which the trail of her dress
extended in a serpentine line。 But her face and figure were those of an
adult。 The fulness of her corsage and the roundness of her waist could
leave no doubt of that； even for an old savant like myself。 I will venture to
add that she was very handsome； with a proud mien； for my iconographic
studies have long accustomed me to recognise at once the perfection of a
type and the character of a physiognomy。 The countenance of this lady
who had seated herself inopportunely on the back of 〃Cosmography of
Munster〃 expressed a mingling of haughtiness and mischievousness。 She
had the air of a queen； but a capricious queen； and I judged； from the mere
expression of her eyes； that she was accustomed to wield great authority
somewhere； in a very whimsical manner。 Her mouth was imperious and
mocking； and those blue eyes of hers seemed to laugh in a disquieting way
under her finely arched black eyebrows。 I have always heard that black
eyebrows are very becoming to blondes； but this lady was very blonde。 On
the whole； the impression she gave me was one of greatness。
It may seem odd to say that a person who was no taller than a wine…
bottle； and who might have been hidden in my coat pocketbut that it
would have been very disrespectful to put her in itgave me precisely an
idea of greatness。 But in the fine proportions of the lady seated upon the
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〃Cosmography of Munster〃 there was such a proud elegance； such a
harmonious majesty； and she maintained an attitude at once so easy and so
noble； that she really seemed to me a very great person。 Although my ink…
bottle； which she examined with an expression of such mockery as
appeared to indicate that she knew in advance every word that would
come out of it at the end of my pen； was for her a deep basin in which she
would have blackened her gold… clocked pink stockings up to the garter； I
can assure you that she was great； and imposing even in her sprightliness。
Her costume； worthy of her face； was extremely magnificent； it
consisted of a robe of gold…and…silver brocade； and a mantle of nacarat
velvet； lined with vair。 Her head…dress was a sort of hennin； with two high
points； and pearls of splendid lustre made it bright and luminous as a
crescent moon。 Her little white hand held a wand。 That wand drew my
attention very strongly； because my archaeological studies had taught me
to recognise with certainty every sign by which the notable personages of
legend and of history are distinguished。 This knowledge came to my aid
during various very queer conjectures with which I was labouring。 I
examined the wand； and saw that it appeared to have been cut from a
branch of hazel。
〃Then its a fairy's wand；〃 I said to myself； 〃consequently the lady who
carries it is a fairy。〃
Happy at thus discovering what sort of a person was before me； I tried
to collect my mind sufficiently to make her a graceful compliment。 It
would have given me much satisfaction； I confess； if I could have talked to
her about the part taken by her people； not less in the life of the Saxon and
Germanic races； than in that of the Latin Occident。 Such a dissertation； it
appeared to me； would have been an ingenious method of thanking the
lady for having thus appeared to an old scholar； contrary to the invariable
custom of her kindred； who never show themselves but to innocent
children or ignorant village…folk。
Because one happens to be a fairy； one is none the less a woman； I said
to myself； and since Madame Recamier； according to what I heard J。 J。
Ampere say； used to blush with pleasure when the little chimney… sweeps
opened their eyes as wide as they could to look at her； surely the
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supernatural lady seated upon the 〃Cosmography of Munster〃 might feel
flattered to hear an erudite man discourse learnedly about her； as about a
medal； a seal； a fibula； or a token。 But such an undertaking； which would
have cost my timidity a great deal； became totally out of the question
when I observed the Lady of the Cosmography suddenly take from an
alms purse hanging at her girdle the very smallest of nuts I had ever seen；
crack the shells between her teeth； and throw them at my nose； while she
nibbled the kernels with the gravity of a sucking child。
At this conjuncture； I did what the dignity of science demanded of me…
…I remained silent。 But the nut…shells caused such a painful tickling that I
put up my hand to my nose； and found； to my great surprise； that my
spectacles were straddling the very end of it
