the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第7部分

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〃Come；　Dimitri！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃do　walk　a　little　faster。　　I　am　horribly　tired；　and　you　will　not　hurry　yourself　in　the　least。　　We　shall　never　get　home。。。。　　As　for　you；　monsieur；　your　way　lies　over　there！〃

She　made　a　vague　gesture　in　the　direction　of　some　dark　vicolo；　pushed　her　husband　the　opposite　way；　and　called　to　me；　without　even　turning　her　head。

〃Adieu；　Monsieur！　　We　shall　not　go　to　Posilippo　to…morrow；　nor　the　day　after；　either。　　I　have　a　frightful　headache！。。。　　Dimitri；　you　are　unendurable！　will　you　not　walk　faster？〃

I　remained　for　the　moment　stupefied；　vainly　trying　to　think　what　I　could　have　done　to　offend　Madame　Trepof。　　I　had　also　lost　my　way；　and　seemed　doomed　to　wander　about　all　night。　　In　order　to　ask　my　way；　I　would　have　to　see　somebody；　and　it　did　not　seem　likely　that　I　should　find　a　single　human　being　who　could　understand　me。　　In　my　despair　I　entered　a　street　at　randoma　street；　or　rather　a　horrible　alley　that　had　the　look　of　a　murderous　place。　　It　proved　so　in　fact；　for　I　had　not　been　two　minutes　in　it　before　I　saw　two　men　fighting　with　knives。　　They　were　attacking　each　other　more　fiercely　with　their　tongues　than　with　their　weapons；　and　I　concluded　from　the　nature　of　the　abuse　they　were　showering　upon　each　other　that　it　was　a　love　affair。　　I　prudently　made　my　way　into　a　side　alley　while　those　two　good　fellows　were　still　much　too　busy　with　their　own　affairs　to　think　about　mine。　　I　wandered　hopelessly　about　for　a　while；　and　at　last　sat　down；　completely　discouraged；　on　a　stone　bench；　inwardly　cursing　the　strange　caprices　of　Madame　Trepof。

〃How　are　you；　Signor？　　Are　you　back　from　San　Carlo？　　Did　you　hear　the　diva　sing？　　It　is　only　at　Naples　you　can　hear　singing　like　hers。〃

I　looked　up；　and　recognised　my　host。　　I　had　seated　myself　with　my　back　to　the　facade　of　my　hotel；　under　the　window　of　my　own　room。




Monte…Allegro；　November　30；　1859。


We　were　all　restingmyself；　my　guides；　and　their　muleson　a　road　from　Sciacca　to　Girgenti；　at　a　tavern　in　the　miserable　village　of　Monte…Allegro；　whose　inhabitants；　consumed　by　the　mal　aria；　continually　shiver　in　the　sun。　　But　nevertheless　they　are　Greeks；　and　their　gaiety　triumphs　over　all　circumstances。　　A　few　gather　about　the　tavern；　full　of　smiling　curiosity。　　One　good　story　would　have　sufficed；　had　I　known　how　to　tell　it　to　them；　to　make　them　forget　all　the　woes　of　life。　　They　had　all　a　look　of　intelligence！　and　their　women；　although　tanned　and　faded；　wore　their　long　black　cloaks　with　much　grace。

Before　me　I　could　see　old　ruins　whitened　by　the　sea…windruins　about　which　no　grass　ever　grows。　　The　dismal　melancholy　of　deserts　prevails　over　this　arid　land；　whose　cracked　surface　can　barely　nourish　a　few　shriveled　mimosas；　cacti；　and　dwarf　palms。　　Twenty　yards　away；　along　the　course　of　a　ravine；　stones　were　gleaming　whitely　like　a　long　line　of　scattered　bones。　　They　told　me　that　was　the　bed　of　a　stream。

I　had　been　fifteen　days　in　Sicily。　　On　coming　into　the　Bay　of　Palermowhich　opens　between　the　two　mighty　naked　masses　of　the　Pelligrino　and　the　Catalfano；　and　extends　inward　along　the　〃Golden　Conch〃the　view　inspired　me　with　such　admiration　that　I　resolved　to　travel　a　little　in　this　island；　so　ennobled　by　historic　memories；　and　rendered　so　beautiful　by　the　outlines　of　its　hills；　which　reveal　the　principles　of　Greek　art。　　Old　pilgrim　though　I　was；　grown　hoary　in　the　Gothic　OccidentI　dared　to　venture　upon　that　classic　soil；　and；　securing　a　guide；　I　went　from　Palermo　to　Trapani；　from　Trapani　to　Selinonte；　from　Selinonte　to　Sciaccawhich　I　left　this　morning　to　go　to　Girgenti；　where　I　am　to　find　the　MS。　of　Clerk　Alexander。　The　beautiful　things　I　have　seen　are　still　so　vivid　in　my　mind　that　I　feel　the　task　of　writing　them　would　be　a　useless　fatigue。　　Why　spoil　my　pleasure…trip　by　collecting　notes？　　Lovers　who　love　truly　do　not　write　down　their　happiness。

Wholly　absorbed　by　the　melancholy　of　the　present　and　the　poetry　of　the　past；　my　thoughts　people　with　beautiful　shapes；　and　my　eyes　ever　gratified　by　the　pure　and　harmonious　lines　of　the　landscape；　I　was　resting　in　the　tavern　at　Monte…Allegro；　sipping　a　glass　of　heavy；　fiery　wine；　when　I　saw　two　persons　enter　the　waiting…room；　whom；　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　I　recognised　as　the　Prince　and　Princess　Trepof。

This　time　I　saw　the　princess　in　the　lightand　what　a　light！　　He　who　has　known　that　of　Sicily　can　better　comprehend　the　words　of　Sophocles：　〃Oh　holy　light！。。。　　Eye　of　the　Golden　Day！〃　　Madame　Trepof；　dressed　in　a　brown…holland　and　wearing　a　broad…brimmed　straw　hat；　appeared　to　me　a　very　pretty　woman　of　about　twenty…eight。　Her　eyes　were　luminous　as　a　child's；　but　her　slightly　plump　chin　indicated　the　age　of　plenitude。　　She　is；　I　must　confess　it；　quite　an　attractive　person。　　She　is　supple　and　changeful；　her　mood　is　like　water　itselfand；　thank　Heaven！　I　am　no　navigator。　　I　thought　I　discerned　in　her　manner　a　sort　of　ill…humour；　which　I　attributed　presently；　by　reason　of　some　observations　she　uttered　at　random；　to　the　fact　that　she　had　met　no　brigands　upon　her　route。

〃Such　things　only　happen　to　us！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　a　gesture　of　discouragement。

She　called　for　a　glass　of　iced　water；　which　the　landlord　presented　to　her　with　a　gesture　that　recalled　to　me　those　scenes　of　funeral　offerings　painted　upon　Greek　vases。

I　was　in　no　hurry　to　introduce　myself　to　a　lady　who　had　so　abruptly　dropped　my　acquaintance　in　the　public　square　at　Naples；　but　she　perceived　me　in　my　corner；　and　her　frown　notified　me　very　plainly　that　our　accidental　meeting　was　disagreeable　to　her。

After　she　had　sipper　her　ice…water　for　a　few　momentswhether　because　her　whim　had　suddenly　changed；　or　because　my　loneliness　aroused　her　pity；　I　did　not　knowshe　walked　directly　to　me。

〃Good…day；　Monsieur　Bonnard；〃　she　said。　　〃How　do　you　do？　　What　strange　chance　enables　us　to　meet　again　in　this　frightful　country？〃

〃This　country　is　not　frightful；　Madame；〃　I　replied。　　〃Beauty　is　so　great　and　so　august　a　quality　that　centuries　of　barbarism　cannot　efface　it　so　completely　that　adorable　vestiges　of　it　will　not　always　remain。　　The　majesty　of　the　antique　Ceres　still　overshadows　these　arid　valleys；　and　that　Greek　Muse　who　made　Arethusa　and　Maenalus　ring　with　her　divine　accents；　still　sings　for　my　ears　upon　the　barren　mountain　and　in　the　place　of　the　dried…up　spring。　　Yes；　Madame；　when　our　globe；　no　longer　inhabited；　shall；　like　the　moon；　roll　a　wan　corpse　through　space；　the　soil　which　bears　the　ruins　of　Selinonte　will　still　keep　the　seal　of　beauty　in　the　midst　of　universal　death；　and　then；　then；　at　least　there　will　be　no　frivolous　mouth　to　blaspheme　the　grandeur　of　these　solitudes。〃

I　knew　well　enough　that　my　words　were　beyond　the　comprehension　of　the　pretty　little　empty…head　which　heard　them。　　But　an　old　fellow　like　myself　who　has　worn　out　his　life　over　books　does　not　know　how　to　adapt　his　tone　to　circumstances。　　Besides　I　wished　to　give　Madame　Trepof　a　lesson　in　politeness。　　She　received　it　with　so　much　submission；　and　with　such　an　air　of　comprehension；　that　I　hastened　to　add；　as　good…naturedly　as　possible；

〃As　to　whether　the　chance　which　has　enabled　me　to　meet　you　again　be　lucky　or　unlucky；　I　cannot　decide　the　question　until　I　am　sure　that　my　presence　be　not　disagreeable　to　you。　　You　appeared　to　become　weary　of　my　company　very　suddenly　at　Naples　the　other　day。　　I　can　only　attribute　that　misfortune　to　my　naturally　unpleasant　mannersince；　on　that　occasion；　I　had　had　the　honour　of　meeting　you　for　the　first　time　in　my　life。〃

These　words　seem　to　cause　her　inexplicable　joy。　　She　smiled　upon　me　in　the　most　gracious；　mischievous　way；　and　said　very　earnestly；　holding　out　her　hand；　which　I　touched　with　my　lips；

〃Monsieur　Bonnard；　do　not　refuse　to　accept　a　seat　in　my　carriage。　You　can　chat　with　me　on　the　way　about　antiquity；　and　that　will　amuse　me　ever　so　much。〃

〃My　dear；〃　exclaimed　the　prince；　〃you　can　do　just　as　you　please；　but　you　ought　to　remember　that　one　is　horribly　cramped　in　that　carriage　of　yours；　and　I　fear　that　you　are　only　offering　Monsieur　Bonnard　the　chance　of　getting　a　frightful　attack　of　lumbago。〃

Madame　Trepof　simply　shook　her　head　by　way　of　explaining　that　such　considerations　had　no　weight　with　her　whatever；　then　she　untied　her　hat。　　The　darkness　of　her　black　curls　descended　over　her　eyes；　and　bathed　them　in　velvety　shadow。　　She　remained　a　little　while　quite　motionless；　and　her　face　assumed　a　surprising　expression　of　reverie。　But　all　of　a　sudden　she　darted　at　some　oranges　which　the　tavern…keeper　had　brought　in　a　basket；　and　began　to　throw　them；　one　by　one；　into　a　fold　of　her　dress。

〃These　will　be　nice　on　the　road；〃　she　said。　　〃We　are　going　just　where　you　are　goingto　Girgenti。　　I　must　tell　you　all　about　it。　　you　know　that　my　husband　is　making　a　collection　of　match…boxes。　　We　bought　thirteen　hundred　match…boxes　at　Marseilles。　　But　we　heard　there　was　a　factory　of　them　at　Girgenti。　　According　to　what　we　were　told；　it　is　a　very　small　factory；　and　its　productswhich　are　very　uglynever　go　outside　the　city　and　its　suburbs。　　So　we　are　going　to　Girgenti　just　to　buy　match…boxes。　　Dimitri　has　been　a　collector　of　all　sorts　of　things；　but　the　only　kind　of　collection　which　can　now　interest　him　is　a　collection　of　match…boxes。　　He　has　already　got　five　thousand　two　hundred　and　fourteen　different　kinds。　　Some　of　them　gave　us　frightful　trouble　to　find。　　For　instance；　we　knew　that　at　Naples　boxes　were　once　made　with　the　portraits　of　Mazzini　and　Garibaldi　on　them；　and　that　the　police　had　seized　the　plates　from　which　the　portraits　were　printed；　and　put　the　manufacturer　in　gaol。　　Well；　by　dint　of　searching　and　inquiring　for　ever　so　long　a　while；　we　found　one　of　those　boxes　at　last　for　sale　at　one　hundred　francs；　instead　of　two　sous。　　It　was　not　really　too　dear　at　that　price；　but　we　were　denounced　for　buying　it。　　We　were　taken　for　conspirators。　　All　our　baggage　was　searched；　they　could　not　find　the　box；　because　I　had　hidden　it　so　well；　but　they　found　my　jewels；　and　carried　them　off。　They　have　them　still。　　The　incident　made　quite　a　sensation；　and　we　were　going　to　get　arrested。　　But　the　king　was　displeased　about　it；　and　he　ordered　them　to　leave　us　alone。　　Up　to　that　time；　I　used　to　think　it　was　very　stupid　to　collect　match…boxes；　but　when　I　found　that　there