selected writings-第29部分

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noise　of　shutting　of　doors。　They　were　being　slammed　from　top　to

bottom　of　my　dwelling；　even　the　door　which　I　had　just　opened

myself　unconsciously；　and　which　had　closed　of　itself；　when　the

last　thing　had　taken　its　departure。　I　took　flight　also；　running

toward　the　city；　and　only　regained　my　self…composure；　on　reaching

the　boulevards；　where　I　met　belated　people。　I　rang　the　bell　of　a

hotel　were　I　was　known。　I　had　knocked　the　dust　off　my　clothes

with　my　hands；　and　I　told　the　porter　that　I　had　lost　my　bunch　of

keys；　which　included　also　that　to　the　kitchen　garden；　where　my

servants　slept　in　a　house　standing　by　itself；　on　the　other　side

of　the　wall　of　the　inclosure　which　protected　my　fruits　and

vegetables　from　the　raids　of　marauders。



I　covered　myself　up　to　the　eyes　in　the　bed　which　was　assigned　to

me；　but　could　not　sleep；　and　I　waited　for　the　dawn　listening　to

the　throbbing　of　my　heart。　I　had　given　orders　that　my　servants

were　to　be　summoned　to　the　hotel　at　daybreak；　and　my　valet　de

chambre　knocked　at　my　door　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning。



His　countenance　bore　a　woeful　look。



〃A　great　misfortune　has　happened　during　the　night；　Monsieur；〃

said　he。



〃What　is　it？〃



〃Somebody　has　stolen　the　whole　of　Monsieur's　furniture；　all；

everything；　even　to　the　smallest　articles。〃



This　news　pleased　me。　Why？　Who　knows？　I　was　complete　master　of

myself；　bent　on　dissimulating；　on　telling　no　one　of　anything　I

had　seen；　determined　on　concealing　and　in　burying　in　my　heart　of

hearts　a　terrible　secret。　I　responded：



〃They　must　then　be　the　same　people　who　have　stolen　my　keys。　The

police　must　be　informed　immediately。　I　am　going　to　get　up；　and　I

will　join　you　in　a　few　moments。〃



The　investigation　into　the　circumstances　under　which　the　robbery

might　have　been　committed　lasted　for　five　months。　Nothing　was

found；　not　even　the　smallest　of　my　knickknacks；　nor　the　least

trace　of　the　thieves。　Good　gracious！　If　I　had　only　told　them　what

I　knewIf　I　had　saidI　should　have　been　locked　upI；　not　the

thievesfor　I　was　the　only　person　who　had　seen　everything　from

the　first。



Yes！　but　I　knew　how　to　keep　silence。　I　shall　never　refurnish　my

house。　That　were　indeed　useless。　The　same　thing　would　happen

again。　I　had　no　desire　even　to　re…enter　the　house；　and　I　did　not

re…enter　it；　I　never　visited　it　again。　I　moved　to　Paris；　to　the

hotel；　and　consulted　doctors　in　regard　to　the　condition　of　my

nerves；　which　had　disquieted　me　a　good　deal　ever　since　that　awful

night。



They　advised　me　to　travel；　and　I　followed　their　counsel。



II。



I　began　by　making　an　excursion　into　Italy。　The　sunshine　did　me

much　good。　For　six　months　I　wandered　about　from　Genoa　to　Venice；

from　Venice　to　Florence；　from　Florence　to　Rome；　from　Rome　to

Naples。　Then　I　traveled　over　Sicily；　a　country　celebrated　for　its

scenery　and　its　monuments；　relics　left　by　the　Greeks　and　the

Normans。　Passing　over　into　Africa；　I　traversed　at　my　ease　that

immense　desert；　yellow　and　tranquil；　in　which　camels；　gazelles；

and　Arab　vagabonds　roam　aboutwhere；　in　the　rare　and　transparent

atmosphere；　there　hover　no　vague　hauntings；　where　there　is　never

any　night；　but　always　day。



I　returned　to　France　by　Marseilles；　and　in　spite　of　all　its

Provencal　gaiety；　the　diminished　clearness　of　the　sky　made　me

sad。　I　experienced；　in　returning　to　the　Continent；　the　peculiar

sensation　of　an　illness　which　I　believed　had　been　cured；　and　a

dull　pain　which　predicted　that　the　seeds　of　the　disease　had　not

been　eradicated。



I　then　returned　to　Paris。　At　the　end　of　a　month　I　was　very

dejected。　It　was　in　the　autumn；　and　I　determined　to　make；　before

winter　came；　an　excursion　through　Normandy；　a　country　with　which

I　was　unacquainted。



I　began　my　journey；　in　the　best　of　spirits；　at　Rouen；　and　for

eight　days　I　wandered　about；　passive；　ravished；　and　enthusiastic；

in　that　ancient　city；　that　astonishing　museum　of　extraordinary

Gothic　monuments。



But　one　afternoon；　about　four　o'clock；　as　I　was　sauntering　slowly

through　a　seemingly　unattractive　street；　by　which　there　ran　a

stream　as　black　as　the　ink　called　〃Eau　de　Robec；〃　my　attention；

fixed　for　the　moment　on　the　quaint；　antique　appearance　of　some　of

the　houses；　was　suddenly　attracted　by　the　view　of　a　series　of

second…hand　furniture　shops；　which　followed　one　another；　door

after　door。



Ah！　they　had　carefully　chosen　their　locality；　these　sordid

traffickers　in　antiquities；　in　that　quaint　little　street；

overlooking　the　sinister　stream　of　water；　under　those　tile　and

slate…pointed　roofs　on　which　still　grinned　the　vanes　of　bygone

days。



At　the　end　of　these　grim　storehouses　you　saw　piled　up　sculptured

chests；　Rouen；　Sevres；　and　Moustier's　pottery；　painted　statues；

others　of　oak；　Christs；　Virgins；　Saints；　church　ornaments；

chasubles；　capes；　even　sacred　vases；　and　an　old　gilded　wooden

tabernacle；　where　a　god　had　hidden　himself　away。　What　singular

caverns　there　are　in　those　lofty　houses；　crowded　with　objects　of

every　description；　where　the　existence　of　things　seems　to　be

ended；　things　which　have　survived　their　original　possessors；

their　century；　their　times；　their　fashions；　in　order　to　be　bought

as　curiosities　by　new　generations。



My　affection　for　antiques　was　awakened　in　that　city　of

antiquaries。　I　went　from　shop　to　shop；　crossing　in　two　strides

the　rotten　four　plank　bridges　thrown　over　the　nauseous　current

of　the　〃Eau　de　Robec。〃



Heaven　protect　me！　What　a　shock！　At　the　end　of　a　vault；　which　was

crowded　with　articles　of　every　description　and　which　seemed　to　be

the　entrance　to　the　catacombs　of　a　cemetery　of　ancient　furniture；

I　suddenly　descried　one　of　my　most　beautiful　wardrobes。　I

approached　it；　trembling　in　every　limb；　trembling　to　such　an

extent　that　I　dared　not　touch　it；　I　put　forth　my　hand；　I

hesitated。　Nevertheless　it　was　indeed　my　wardrobe；　a　unique

wardrobe　of　the　time　of　Louis　XIII。；　recognizable　by　anyone　who

had　seen　it　only　once。　Casting　my　eyes　suddenly　a　little　farther；

toward　the　more　somber　depths　of　the　gallery；　I　perceived　three

of　my　tapestry　covered　chairs；　and　farther　on　still；　my　two　Henry

II。　tables；　such　rare　treasures　that　people　came　all　the　way　from

Paris　to　see　them。



Think！　only　think　in　what　a　state　of　mind　I　now　was！　I　advanced；

haltingly；　quivering　with　emotion；　but　I　advanced；　for　I　am

braveI　advanced　like　a　knight　of　the　dark　ages。



At　every　step　I　found　something　that　belonged　to　me；　my　brushes；

my　books；　my　tables；　my　silks；　my　arms；　everything；　except　the

bureau　full　of　my　letters；　and　that　I　could　not　discover。



I　walked　on；　descending　to　the　dark　galleries；　in　order　to　ascend

next　to　the　floors　above。　I　was　alone；　I　called　out；　nobody

answered；　I　was　alone；　there　was　no　one　in　that　housea　house　as

vast　and　tortuous　as　a　labyrinth。



Night　came　on；　and　I　was　compelled　to　sit　down　in　the　darkness　on

one　of　my　own　chairs；　for　I　had　no　desire　to　go　away。　From　time

to　time　I　shouted；　〃Hallo；　hallo；　somebody。〃



I　had　sat　there；　certainly；　for　more　than　an　hour　when　I　heard

steps；　steps　soft　and　slow；　I　knew　not　where。　I　was　unable　to

locate　them；　but　bracing　myself　up；　I　called　out　anew；　whereupon

I　perceived　a　glimmer　of　light　in　the　next　chamber。



〃Who　is　there？〃　said　a　voice。



〃A　buyer；〃　I　responded。



〃It　is　too　late　to　enter　thus　into　a　shop。〃



〃I　have　been　waiting　for　you　for　more　than　an　hour；〃　I　answered。



〃You　can　come　back　to…morrow。〃



〃To…morrow　I　must　quit　Rouen。〃



I　dared　not　advance；　and　he　did　not　come　to　me。　I　saw　always　the

glimmer　of　his　light；　which　was　shining　on　a　tapestry　on　which

were　two　angels　flying　over　the　dead　on　a　field　of　battle。　It

belonged　to　me　also。　I　said：



〃Well；　come　here。〃



〃I　am　at　your　service；〃　he　answered。



I　got　up　and　went　toward　him。



Standing　in　the　center　of　a　large　room；　was　a　little　man；　very

short；　and　very　fat；　phenomenally　fat；　a　hideous　phenomenon。



He　had　a　singular　straggling　beard；　white　and　yellow；　and　not　a

hair　on　his　headnot　a　hair！



As　he　held　his　candle　aloft　at　arm's　length　in　order　to　see　me；

his　cranium　appeared　to　me　to　resemble　a　little　moon；　in　that

vast　chamber　encumbered　with　old　furniture。　His　features　were

wrinkled　and　blown；　and　his　eyes　could　not　be　seen。



I　bought　three　chairs　which　belonged　to　myself；　and　paid　at　once

a　large　sum　for　them；　giving　him　merely　the　number　of　my　room　at

the　hotel。　They　were　to　be　delivered　the　next　day　before　nine

o'clock。



I　then　started　off。　He　conducted　me；　with　much　politeness；　as　far

as　the　door。



I　immediately　repaired　to　the　commissaire's　office　at　the　central

police　depot；　and　told　the　commissaire　of　the　robbery　which　had

been　perpetrated　and　of　the　discovery　I　had　just　made。　He

required　time　to　communicate　by　telegraph　with　the　authorities

who　had　originally　charge　of　the　case；　for　information；　and　he

begged　me　to　wait　in　his　office　until　an　answer　came　back。　An

hour　later；　an　answer　came　back；　which　was　in　accord　with　my

statements。



〃I　am　going　to　arrest　and　interrogate　this　man；　at　once；〃　he　said

to　me；　〃for　he　may　have　conceived　some　sort　of　suspicion；　and

smuggled　away　out　of　sight　what　belongs　to　you。　Will　you　go　and

dine　and　return　in　two　hours：　I　shall　then　have　the　man　here；　and

I　shall　subject　him　to　a　fresh　interrogation　in　your　presence。〃



〃Most　gladly；　Monsieur。　I　thank　you　with　my　whole　heart。〃



I　went　to　dine　at　my　hotel　and　I　ate　better　than　I　could　have

believed。　I　was　quite　happy　now；　thinking　that　man　was　in　the

hands　of　the　police。



Two　hours　later　I　returned　to　the　office　of　the　police

functionary；　who　was　waiting　for　me。



〃Well；　Monsieur；〃　said　he；　on　perceiving　me；　〃we　have　not　been

able　to　find　your　man。　My　agents　cannot　put　their　hands　on　him。〃



Ah！　I　felt　my　heart　sinking。



〃But　you　have　at　least　found　his　house？〃　I　asked。