the crime of sylvestre bonnard(西维斯特·博拉德的罪行)-第37节
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paper trimmings and shades for the lamps。 It is economical luxury； but it is
luxury all the same。〃
Having returned to the subject of Venice； we were just about to make
the acquaintance of a certain patrician lady attired in an embroidered
dalmatic； when I heard the bell ring。 I thought it was some peddler with
his basket； but the gate of the City of Books opened； and。。。Well； Master
Sylvestre Bonnard； you were wishing awhile ago that the grace of your
protegee might be observed by some other eyes than old withered ones
behind spectacles。 Your wishes have been fulfilled in a most unexpected
manner； and a voice cries out to you as to the imprudent Theseus；
〃Craignez； Seigneur； craignez que le Ciel rigoureux Ne vous Haisse
assez pour exaucer vos voeux！ Souvent dans sa colere il recoit nos
victimes； Ses presents sont souvent la peine de nos crimes。〃
＇〃Beware my lord！ Beware lest stern Heaven hate you enough to hear
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your prayers！ Often 'tis in wrath that Heaven receives our sacrifices： its
gifts are often the punishment of our crimes。〃＇
The gate of the City of Books had opened； and a handsome young man
made his appearance； ushered in by Therese。 That good old soul only
knows how to open the door for people and to shut it behind them； she has
no idea whatever of the tact requisite for the waiting… room and for the
parlour。 It is not in her nature either to make any announcements or to
make anybody wait。 She either throws people out on the lobby； or simply
pitches them at your head。
And here is this handsome young man already inside； and I cannot
really take the girl at once and hide her like a secret treasure in the next
room。 I wait for him to explain himself； he does it without the least
embarrassment； but it seems to me that he has already observed the young
girl who is still bending over the table looking at Vecellio。 As I observe the
young man it occurs to me that I have seen him somewhere before； or else
I must be very much mistaken。 His name is Gelis。 That is a name which I
have heard somewhere；I can't remember where。 At all events； Monsieur
Gelis （since there is a Gelis） is a fine…looking young fellow。 He tells me
that this is his third class…year at the Ecole des Chartes； and that he has
been working for the past fifteen or eighteen months upon his graduation
thesis； the subject of which is the Condition of the Benedictine Abbeys in
1700。 He has just read my works upon the 〃Monasticon〃； and he is
convinced that he cannot terminate this thesis successfully without my
advice； to begin with； and in the second place without a certain manuscript
which I possess； and which is nothing less than the 〃Register of the
Accounts of the Abbey of Citeaux from 1683 to 1704。〃
Having thus explained himself； he hands me a letter of introduction
bearing the signature of one of the most illustrious of my colleagues。
Good！ Now I know who he is！ Monsieur Gelis is the very same young
man who last year under the chestnut…trees called me an idiot！ And while
unfolding his letter of introduction I think to myself：
〃Aha！ my unlucky youth； you are very far from suspecting that I
overheard what you said； and that I know what you think of meor； at
least； what you did think of me that day； for these young minds are so
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fickle？ I have got you now； my friend！ You have fallen into the lion's den；
and so unexpectedly； in good sooth； that the astonished old lion does not
know what to do with his prey。 But come now； old lion！ do not act like an
idiot！ Is it not possible that you were an idiot？ If you are not one now； you
certainly were one！ You were a fool to have been listening to Monsieur
Gelis at the foot of the statue of Marguerite de Valois； you were doubly a
fool to have heard what he said； and you were trebly a fool not to have
forgotten what it would have been much better never to have heard。〃
Having thus scolded the old lion； I exhorted him to show clemency。 He
did not appear to require much coaxing； and gradually became so good…
natured that he had some difficulty in restraining himself from bursting
out into joyous roarings。 From the way in which I had read my colleague's
letter one might have supposed me a man who did not know his alphabet。 I
took a long while to read it； and Monsieur Gelis might have become very
tired under different circumstances； but he was watching Jeanne； and
endured the trial with exemplary patience。 Jeanne occasionally turned her
face in our direction。 Well you could not expect a person to remain
perfectly motionless； could you？ Mademoiselle Prefere was arranging her
curls； and her bosom occasionally swelled with little sighs。 It may be
observed that I have myself often been honoured with those little sighs。
〃Monsieur；〃 I said； as I folded up the letter； 〃I shall be very happy to
be of any service to you。 You are occupied with researches in which I
myself have always felt a very lively interest。 I have done all that lay in
my power。 I know； as you doand still better than you can knowhow
much there remains to do。 The manuscript you asked for is at your
disposal； you may take it home with you； but it is not a manuscript of the
smallest kind； and I am afraid…〃
〃Oh； Monsieur；〃 said Gelis； 〃big books have never been able to make
me afraid of them。〃
I begged the young man to wait for me； and I went into the next room
to get the Register； which I could not find at first； and which I almost
despaired of finding； as I discerned； from certain familiar signs； that
Therese had been setting the room in order。 But the Register was so big
and so heavy that； luckily for me； Therese had not been able to put it in
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order as she had doubtless wished to do。 I could scarcely lift it up myself；
and I had the pleasure of finding it quite as heavy as I could have hoped。
〃Wait； my boy；〃 I said； with a smile which must have been very
sarcastic〃wait！ I am going to give you something to do which will break
your arms first； and afterwards your head。 That will be the first vengeance
of Sylvestre Bonnard。 Later on we shall see what else there is to be done。〃
When I returned to the City of Books I heard Monsieur Gelis and
Mademoiselle Jeanne chattingchatting together； if you please！ as if they
were the best friends in the world。 Mademoiselle Prefere； being full of
decorum； did not say anything； but the other two were chatting like birds。
And what about？ About the blond tint used by Venetian painters！ Yes；
about the 〃Venetian blond。〃 That little serpent of a Gelis was telling
Jeanne the secret of the dye with which； according to the best authorities；
the women of Titian and of Veronese tinted their hair。 And Mademoiselle
Jeanne was expressing her opinion very prettily about the honey tint and
the golden tint。 I understood that that scamp of a Vecellio was responsible…
…that they had been bending over the book together； and that they had been
admiring either that Doge's wife we had been looking at awhile before； or
some other patrician woman of Venice。
Never mind！ I appeared with my enormous old book； thinking that
Gelis was going to make a grimace。 It was as much as one could have
asked a porter to carry； and my arms were stiff merely with lifting it。 But
the young man caught it up like a feather； and slipped it under his arm
with a smile。 Then he thanked me with that sort of brevity which I like；
reminded me that he had need of my advice； and； having made an
appointment to meet me another day； took his departure after bowing to us
with the most
