the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第30部分

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e　in　the　City　of　Books；　during　the　time　that　my　housekeeper　was　sick　in　bed。　　Her　admiration　for　a　Member　of　the　Institute；　her　terror　lest　I　should　be　taken　ill　while　unattended；　and　the　certainty　she　felt　that　any　intelligent　woman　would　be　proud　and　happy　to　share　my　existenceshe　concealed　nothing；　but；　on　the　contrary；　added　many　fresh　follies　to　the　recital。　　Maitre　Mouche　kept　nodding　his　head　in　approval　while　cracking　nuts。　　Then；　after　all　this　verbiage；　he　demanded；　with　an　agreeable　smile；　what　my　answer　had　been。

Mademoiselle　Prefere；　pressing　her　hand　upon　her　heart　and　extending　the　other　towards　me；　cried　out；

〃He　is　so　affectionate；　so　superior；　so　good；　and　so　great！　　He　answered。。。　　But　I　could　never；　because　I　am　only　a　humble　womanI　could　never　repeat　the　words　of　a　Member　of　the　Institute。　　I　can　only　utter　the　substance　of　them。　　He　answered；　'Yes；　I　understand　youyes。'〃

And　with　these　words　she　reached　out　and　seized　one　of　my　hands。　Then　Maitre　Mouche；　also　overwhelmed　with　emotion；　arose　and　seized　my　other　hand。

〃Monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃permit　me　to　offer　my　congratulations。〃

Several　times　in　my　life　I　have　known　fear；　but　never　before　had　I　experienced　any　fright　of　so　nauseating　a　character。　　A　sickening　terror　came　upon　me。

I　disengaged　by　two　hands；　and；　rising　to　my　feet；　so　as　to　give　all　possible　seriousness　to　my　words；　I　said；

〃Madame；　either　I　explained　myself　very　badly　when　you　were　at　my　house；　or　I　have　totally　misunderstood　you　here　in　your　own。　　In　either　case；　a　positive　declaration　is　absolutely　necessary。　　Permit　me；　Madame；　to　make　it　now；　very　plainly。　　NoI　never　did　understand　you；　I　am　totally　ignorant　of　the　nature　of　this　marriage　project　that　you　have　been　planning　for　meif　you　really　have　been　planning　one。　　In　any　event；　I　should　not　think　of　marrying。　　It　would　be　unpardonable　folly　at　my　age；　and　even　now；　at　this　moment；　I　cannot　conceive　how　a　sensible　person　like　you　could　ever　have　advised　me　to　marry。　　Indeed；　I　am　strongly　inclined　to　believe　that　I　must　have　been　mistaken；　and　that　you　never　said　anything　of　the　kind　before。　　In　the　latter　case；　please　excuse　an　old　man　totally　unfamiliar　with　the　usages　of　society；　unaccustomed　to　the　conversation　of　ladies；　and　very　contrite　for　his　mistake。〃

Maitre　Mouche　went　back　very　softly　to　his　place；　where；　not　finding　any　more　nuts　to　crack；　he　began　to　whittle　a　cork。

Mademoiselle　Prefere；　after　staring　at　me　for　a　few　moments　with　an　expression　in　her　little　round　dry　eyes　which　I　had　never　seen　there　before；　suddenly　resumed　her　customary　sweetness　and　graciousness。　Then　she　cried　out　in　honeyed　tones；

〃Oh！　these　learned　men！these　studious　men！　　They　are　like　children。　Yes；　Monsieur　Bonnard；　you　are　a　real　child！〃

Then；　turning　to　the　notary；　who　still　sat　very　quietly　in　his　corner；　with　his　nose　over　his　cork；　she　exclaimed；　in　beseeching　tones；

〃Oh；　do　not　accuse　him！　　Do　not　accuse　him！　　Do　not　think　any　evil　of　him；　I　beg　of　you！　　Do　not　think　it　at　all！　　Must　I　ask　you　upon　my　knees？〃

Maitre　Mouche　continued　to　examine　all　the　various　aspects　and　surfaces　of　his　cork　without　making　any　further　manifestation。

I　was　very　indignant；　and　I　know　that　my　cheeks　must　have　been　extremely　red；　if　I　could　judge　by　the　flush　of　heat　which　I　felt　rise　to　my　face。　　This　would　enable　me　to　explain　the　words　I　heard　through　all　the　buzzing　in　my　ears：

〃I　am　frightened　about　him！　our　poor　friend！。。。　Monsieur　Mouche；　be　kind　enough　to　open　a　window！　　It　seems　to　me　that　a　compress　of　arnica　would　do　him　some　good。〃

I　rushed　out　into　the　street　with　an　unspeakable　feeling　of　shame。

〃My　poor　Jeanne！〃


December　20。


I　passed　eight　days　without　hearing　anything　further　in　regard　to　the　Prefere　establishment。　　Then；　feeling　myself　unable　to　remain　any　longer　without　some　news　of　Clementine's　daughter；　and　feeling　furthermore　that　I　owed　it　as　a　duty　to　myself　not　to　cease　my　visits　with　the　school　without　more　serious　cause；　I　took　my　way　to　Les　Ternes。

the　parlour　seemed　to　me　more　cold；　more　damp；　more　inhospitable；　and　more　insidious　than　ever　before；　and　the　servant　much　more　silent　and　much　more　scared。　　I　asked　to　see　Mademoiselle　Jeanne；　but；　after　a　very　considerable　time；　it　was　Mademoiselle　Prefere　who　made　her　appearance　insteadsevere　and　pale；　with　lips　compressed　and　a　hard　look　in　her　eyes。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　folding　her　arms　over　her　pelerine；　I　regret　very　much　that　I　cannot　allow　you　to　see　Mademoiselle　Alexandre　to…　day；　but　I　cannot　possibly　do　it。〃

〃Why　not？〃　I　asked　in　astonishment。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　replied；　〃the　reasons　which　compel　me　to　request　that　your　visits　shall　be　less　frequent　hereafter　are　of　an　excessively　delicate　nature；　and　I　must　beg　you　to　spare　me　the　unpleasantness　of　mentioning　them。〃

〃Madame；〃　I　replied；　〃I　have　been　authorized　by　Jeanne's　guardian　to　see　his　ward　every　day。　　Will　you　please　to　inform　me　of　your　reasons　for　opposing　the　will　of　Monsieur　Mouche？〃

〃The　guardian　of　Mademoiselle　Alexandre；〃　she　replied　（and　she　dwelt　upon　that　word　〃guardian〃　as　upon　a　solid　support）；　〃desires；　quite　as　strongly　as　I　myself　do；　that　your　assiduities　may　come　to　an　end　as　soon　as　possible。〃

〃Then；　if　that　be　the　case；〃　I　said；　〃be　kind　enough　to　let　me　know　his　reasons　and　your　own。〃

She　looked　up　at　the　little　spiral　of　paper　on　the　ceiling；　and　then　replied；　with　stern　composure；

〃You　insist　upon　it？　　Well；　although　such　explanations　are　very　painful　for　a　woman　to　make；　I　will　yield　to　your　exaction。　　This　house；　Monsieur　is　an　honourable　house。　　I　have　my　responsibility。　I　have　to　watch　like　a　mother　over　each　one　of　my　pupils。　　Your　assiduities　in　regard　to　Mademoiselle　Alexandre　could　not　possibly　be　continued　without　serious　injury　to　the　young　girl　herself；　and　it　is　my　duty　to　insist　that　they　shall　cease。〃

〃I　do　not　really　understand　you；〃　I　repliedand　I　was　telling　the　plain　truth。　　Then　she　deliberately　resumed：

〃Your　assiduities　in　this　house　are　being　interpreted；　by　the　most　respectable　and　the　least　suspicious　persons；　in　such　a　manner　that　I　find　myself　obliged；　both　in　the　interest　of　my　establishment　and　in　the　interest　of　Mademoiselle　Alexandre；　to　see　that　they　end　at　once。〃

〃Madame；〃　I　cried；　〃I　have　heard　a　great　many　silly　things　in　my　life；　but　never　anything　so　silly　as　what　you　have　just　said！〃

She　answered　me　quietly；

〃Your　words　of　abuse　will　not　affect　me　in　the　slightest。　　When　one　has　a　duty　to　accomplish；　one　is　strong　enough　to　endure　all。〃

And　she　pressed　her　pelerine　over　her　heart　once　morenot　perhaps　on　this　occasion　to　restrain；　but　doubtless　only　to　caress　that　generous　heart。

〃Madame；〃　I　said；　shaking　my　finger　at　her；　〃you　have　wantonly　aroused　the　indignation　of　an　aged　man。　　Be　good　enough　to　act　in　such　a　fashion　that　the　old　man　may　be　able　at　least　to　forget　your　existence；　and　do　not　add　fresh　insults　to　those　which　I　have　already　sustained　from　your　lips。　　I　give　you　fair　warning　that　I　shall　never　cease　to　look　after　Mademoiselle　Alexandre；　and　that　should　you　attempt　to　do　her　any　harm；　in　any　manner　whatsoever；　you　will　have　serious　reason　to　regret　it！〃

The　more　I　became　excited；　the　more　she　became　cool；　and　she　answered　in　a　tone　of　superb　indifference：

〃Monsieur；　I　am　much　too　well　informed　in　regard　to　the　nature　of　the　interest　which　you　take　in　this　young　girl；　not　to　withdraw　her　immediately　from　that　very　surveillance　with　which　you　threaten　me。　After　observing　the　more　than　equivocal　intimacy　in　which　you　are　living　with　your　housekeeper；　I　ought　to　have　taken　measures　at　once　to　render　it　impossible　for　you　ever　to　come　into　contact　with　an　innocent　child。　　In　the　future　I　shall　certainly　do　it。　　If　up　to　this　time　I　have　been　too　trustful；　it　is　for　Mademoiselle　Alexandre；　and　not　for　you；　to　reproach　me　with　it。　　But　she　is　too　artless　and　too　purethanks　to　me！ever　to　have　suspected　the　nature　of　that　danger　into　which　you　were　trying　to　lead　her。　　I　scarecly　suppose　that　you　will　place　me　under　the　necessity　of　enlightening　her　upon　the　subject。〃

〃Come；　my　poor　old　Bonnard；〃　I　said　to　myself；　as　I　shrugged　my　shoulders〃so　you　had　to　live　as　long　as　this　in　order　to　learn　for　the　first　time　exactly　what　a　wicked　woman　is。　　And　now　your　knowledge　of　the　subject　is　complete。〃

I　went　out　without　replying；　and　I　had　the　pleasure　of　observing；　from　the　sudden　flush　which　overspread　the　face　of　the　schoolmistress；　that　my　silence　had　wounded　her　far　more　than　my　words。

As　I　passed　through　the　court　I　looked　about　me　in　every　direction　for　Jeanne。　　She　was　watching　for　me；　and　she　ran　to　me。

〃If　anybody　touches　one　little　hair　of　your　head；　Jeanne；　write　to　me！　　Good…bye！〃

〃No；　not　good…bye。〃

I　replied；

〃Well；　nonot　good…bye！　　Write　to　me！〃


I　went　straight　to　Madame　de　Gabry's　residence。

〃Madame　is　at　Rome　with　Monsieur。　　Did　not　Monsieur　know　it？〃

〃Why；　yes；〃　I　replied。　　〃Madame　wrote　to　me。〃。。。

She　had　indeed　written　to　me　in　regard　to　her　leaving　home；　but　my　head　must　have　become　very　much　confused；　so　that　I　had　forgotten　all　about　it。　　The　servant　seemed　to　be　of　the　same　opinion；　for　he　looked　at　me　in　a　way　that　seemed　to　signify；　〃Monsieur　Bonnard　is　doting〃and　he　leaned　down　over　the　balustrade　of　the　stairway　to　see　if　I　was　not　going　to　do　something　extraordinary　before　I　got　to　the　bottom。　　But　I　descended　the　stairs　rationally　enough；　and　then　he　drew　back　his　head　in　disappointment。

On　returning　home　I　was　informed　that　Monsieur　Gelis　was　waiting　for　me　in　the　parlour。　　（This　young　man　has　become　a　constant　visitor。　His　judgement　is　at　fault　at　times；　but　his　mind　is　not　at　all　commonplace。）　　On　this　occasion；　however；　his　usually　welcome　visit　only　embarrassed　me。　　〃Alas！〃　I　thought　to　myself；　〃I　shall　be　sure　to　say　something　very　stupid　to　my　young　friend　to…day；　and　he　also　will　think　that　my　facilities　are　becoming　impaired。　　But　still　I　cannot　really　explain　to　him　that　I　had　first　been　demanded　in　wedlock；　and　subsequently　traduced　as　a　man　wholly　devoid　of　morals　that　even　Therese　had　become　an　object　of　suspicionand　that　Jeanne　remains　in　the　power　of　the　most　rascally　woman　on　the　fac