the love affairs of a bibliomaniac-第12部分

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were　Francois　Villon　and　Francois　Villon　I！

If　I　were　Francois　Villon　and　Francois　Villon　I；　We　both　would　mock　the　gibbet　which　the　law　has　lifted　high；　　　HE　in　his　meagre；　shabby　home；　_I_　in　my　roaring　den　　　HE　with　his　babes　around　him；　_I_　with　my　hunted　men！　　　His　virtue　be　his　bulwarkmy　genius　should　be　mine！　　　‘‘Go；　fetch　my　pen；　sweet　Margot；　and　a　jorum　of　your　wine！

　　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。　　　　。

So　would　one　vainly　plod；　and　one　win　immortality　　If　I　were　Francois　Villon　and　Francois　Villon　I！



My　acquaintance　with　Master　Villon　was　made　in　Paris　during　my　second　visit　to　that　　fascinating　capital；　and　for　a　while　I　was　under　his　spell　to　that　extent　that　I　would　read　no　book　but　his；　and　I　made　journeys　to　Rouen；　Tours；　Bordeaux；　and　Poitiers　for　the　purpose　of　familiarizing　myself　with　the　spots　where　he　had　lived；　and　always　under　the　surveillance　of　the　police。　　In　fact；　I　became　so　infatuated　of　Villonism　that　at　one　time　I　seriously　thought　of　abandoning　myself　to　a　life　of　crime　in　order　to　emulate　in　certain　particulars　at　least　the　example　of　my　hero。

There　were；　however；　hindrances　to　this　scheme；　first　of　which　was　my　inability　to　find　associates　whom　I　wished　to　attach　to　my　cause　in　the　capacity　in　which　Colin　de　Cayeulx　and　the　Baron　de　Grigny　served　Master　Francois。　　I　sought　the　companionship　of　several　low…browed；　ill…favored　fellows　whom　I　believed　suited　to　my　purposes；　but　almost　immediately　I　wearied　of　them；　for　they　had　never　looked　into　a　book　and　were　so　profoundly　ignorant　as　to　be　unable　to　distinguish　between　a　folio　and　a　thirty…twomo。

Then　again　it　befell　that；　while　the　Villon　　fever　was　raging　within　and　I　was　contemplating　a　career　of　vice；　I　had　a　letter　from　my　uncle　Cephas；　apprising　me　that　Captivity　Waite　（she　was　now　Mrs。　Eliphalet　Parker）　had　named　her　first…born　after　me！　　This　intelligence　had　the　effect　of　cooling　and　sobering　me；　I　began　to　realize　that；　with　the　responsibility　the　coming　and　the　christening　of　Captivity's　first…　born　had　imposed　upon　me；　it　behooved　me　to　guard　with　exceeding　jealousy　the　honor　of　the　name　which　my　namesake　bore。

While　I　was　thus　tempest…tossed；　Fanchonette　came　across　my　pathway；　and　with　the　appearance　of　Fanchonette　every　ambition　to　figure　in　the　annals　of　bravado　left　me。　　Fanchonette　was　the　niece　of　my　landlady；　her　father　was　a　perfumer；　she　lived　with　the　old　people　in　the　Rue　des　Capucins。　　She　was　of　middling　stature　and　had　blue　eyes　and　black　hair。　　Had　she　not　been　French；　she　would　have　been　Irish；　or；　perhaps；　a　Grecian。　　Her　manner　had　an　indefinable　charm。

It　was　she　who　acquainted　me　with　Beranger；　that　is　why　I　never　take　up　that　precious　volume　that　I　do　not　think；　sweetly　and　tenderly；　of　Fanchonette。　　The　book　is　bound；　as　you　see；　in　a　dainty　blue；　and　the　border　toolings　are　delicate　tracings　of　white　all　for　a　purpose；　I　can　assure　you。　　She　used　to　wear　a　dainty　blue　gown；　from　behind　the　nether　hem　of　which　the　most　immaculate　of　petticoats　peeped　out。

If　we　were　never　boys；　how　barren　and　lonely　our　age　would　be。　　Next　to　the　ineffably　blessed　period　of　youth　there　is　no　time　of　life　pleasanter　than　that　in　which　serene　old　age　reviews　the　exploits　and　the　prodigies　of　boyhood。　　Ah；　my　gay　fellows；　harvest　your　crops　diligently；　that　your　barns　and　granaries　be　full　when　your　arms　are　no　longer　able　to　wield　the　sickle！

Haec　meminisseto　recall　the　old　time　to　see　her　rise　out　of　the　dear　pastto　hear　Fanchonette's　voice　againto　feel　the　grace　of　springtimehow　gloriously　sweet　this　is！　　The　little　quarrels；　the　reconciliations；　the　coquetries；　the　jealousies；　the　reproaches；　the　forgivenessesall　the　characteristic　and　endearing　haps　of　the　Maytime　　of　lifeprecious　indeed　are　these　retrospections　to　the　hungry　eyes　of　age！

She　wed　with　the　perfumer's　apprentice；　but　that　was　so　very　long　ago　that　I　can　pardon；　if　not　forget；　the　indiscretion。　　Who　knows　where　she　is　to…day？　　Perhaps　a　granny　beldame　in　a　Parisian　alley；　perhaps　for　years　asleep　in　Pere　la　Chaise。　　Come　forth；　beloved　Beranger；　and　sing　me　the　old　song　to　make　me　young　and　strong　and　brave　again！

　　　　　Let　them　be　served　on　gold　　　　　　　　　　　　The　wealthy　and　the　great；　　　　　　　Two　lovers　only　want　　　　　　　　　　　　A　single　glass　and　plate！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ring　ding；　ring　ding；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ring　ding　ding　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Old　wine；　young　lassie；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Sing；　boys；　sing！　




XI

DIAGNOSIS　OF　THE　BACILLUS　LIBRORUM

For　a　good　many　years　I　was　deeply　interested　in　British　politics。　　I　was　converted　to　Liberalism；　so…called；　by　an　incident　which　I　deem　well　worth　relating。　　One　afternoon　I　entered　a　book…shop　in　High　Holborn；　and　found　that　the　Hon。　William　E。　Gladstone　had　preceded　me　thither。　　I　had　never　seen　Mr。　Gladstone　before。　　I　recognized　him　now　by　his　resemblance　to　the　caricatures；　and　by　his　unlikeness　to　the　portraits　which　the　newspapers　had　printed。

As　I　entered　the　shop　I　heard　the　bookseller　ask：　　‘‘What　books　shall　I　send？''

To　this；　with　a　very　magnificent　sweep　of　his　arms　indicating　every　point　of　the　compass；　Gladstone　made　answer：　　‘‘Send　me　THOSE！''　

With　these　words　he　left　the　place；　and　I　stepped　forward　to　claim　a　volume　which　had　attracted　my　favorable　attention　several　days　previous。

‘‘I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；''　said　the　bookseller；　politely；　‘‘but　that　book　is　sold。''

‘‘Sold？''　I　cried。

‘‘Yes；　sir；''　replied　the　bookseller；　smiling　with　evident　pride；　‘‘Mr。　Gladstone　just　bought　it；　I　haven't　a　book　for　saleMr。　Gladstone　just　bought　them　ALL！''

The　bookseller　then　proceeded　to　tell　me　that　whenever　Gladstone　entered　a　bookshop　he　made　a　practice　of　buying　everything　in　sight。　　That　magnificent；　sweeping　gesture　of　his　comprehended　everythingtheology；　history；　social　science；　folk…lore；　medicine；　travel；　biographyeverything　that　came　to　his　net　was　fish！

‘‘This　is　the　third　time　Mr。　Gladstone　has　visited　me；''　said　the　bookseller；　‘‘and　this　is　the　third　time　he　has　cleaned　me　out。''

‘‘This　man　is　a　good　man；''　says　I　to　myself。　　‘‘So　notable　a　lover　of　books　surely　cannot　err。　　The　cause　of　home　rule　must　be　a　just　one　after　all。''　

From　others　intimately　acquainted　with　him　I　learned　that　Gladstone　was　an　omnivorous　reader；　that　he　ordered　his　books　by　the　cart…load；　and　that　his　home　in　Hawarden　literally　overflowed　with　books。　　He　made　a　practice；　I　was　told；　of　overhauling　his　library　once　in　so　often　and　of　weeding　out　such　volumes　as　he　did　not　care　to　keep。　　These　discarded　books　were　sent　to　the　second…hand　dealers；　and　it　is　said　that　the　dealers　not　unfrequently　took　advantage　of　Gladstone　by　reselling　him　over　and　over　again　（and　at　advanced　prices；　too）　the　very　lots　of　books　he　had　culled　out　and　rejected。

Every　book…lover　has　his　own　way　of　buying；　so　there　are　as　many　ways　of　buying　as　there　are　purchasers。　　However；　Judge　Methuen　and　I　have　agreed　that　all　buyers　may　be　classed　in　these　following　specified　grand　divisions：

The　reckless　buyer。

The　shrewd　buyer。

The　timid　buyer。

Of　these　three　classes　the　third　is　least　worthy　of　our　consideration；　although　it　includes　very　many　lovers　of　books；　and　consequently　very　many　friends　of　mine。　　I　have　actually　known　men　to　hesitate；　to　ponder；　to　dodder　for　weeks；　nay；　months　over　the　purchase　of　a　book；　not　because　they　did　not　want　it；　nor　because　they　deemed　the　price　exorbitant；　nor　yet　because　they　were　not　abundantly　able　to　pay　that　price。　　Their　hesitancy　was　due　to　an　innate；　congenital　lack　of　determinationthat　same　hideous　curse　of　vacillation　which　is　responsible　for　so　much　misery　in　human　life。

I　have　made　a　study　of　these　people；　and　I　find　that　most　of　them　are　bachelors　whose　state　of　singleness　is　due　to　the　fact　that　the　same　hesitancy　which　has　deprived　them　of　many　a　coveted　volume　has　operated　to　their　discomfiture　in　the　matrimonial　sphere。　　While　they　deliberated；　another　bolder　than　they　came　along　and　walked　off　with　the　prize。

One　of　the　gamest　buyers　I　know　of　was　the　late　John　A。　Rice　of　Chicago。　　As　a　competitor　at　the　great　auction　sales　he　was　invincible；　and　why？　　Because；　having　determined　to　buy　a　book；　he　put　no　limit　to　the　amount　of　his　bid。　　His　instructions　to　　his　agent　were　in　these　words：　　‘‘I　must　have　those　books；　no　matter　what　they　cost。''

An　English　collector　found　in　Rice's　library　a　set　of　rare　volumes　he　had　been　searching　for　for　years。

‘‘How　did　you　happen　to　get　them？''　he　asked。　　‘‘You　bought　them　at　the　Spencer　sale　and　against　my　bid。　　Do　you　know；　I　told　my　buyer　to　bid　a　thousand　pounds　for　them；　if　necessary！''

‘‘That　was　where　I　had　the　advantage　of　you；''　said　Rice；　quietly。　　‘‘I　specified　no　limit；　I　simply　told　my　man　to　buy　the　books。''

The　spirit　of　the　collector　cropped　out　early　in　Rice。　　I　remember　to　have　heard　him　tell　how　one　time；　when　he　was　a　young　man；　he　was　shuffling　over　a　lot　of　tracts　in　a　bin　in　front　of　a　Boston　bookstall。　　His　eye　suddenly　fell　upon　a　little　pamphlet　entitled　‘‘The　Cow…Chace。''　　He　picked　it　up　and　read　it。　　It　was　a　poem　founded　upon　the　defeat　of　Generals　Wayne；　Irving；　and　Proctor。　　The　last　stanza　ran　in　this　wise：　

And　now　I've　closed　my　epic　strain；　　　　　　　I　tremble　as　I　show　it；　　　Lest　this　same　warrior…drover；　Wayne；　　　　　　　Should　ever　catch　the　poet。


Rice　noticed　that　the　pamphlet　bore　the　imprint　of　James　Rivington；　New　York；　1780。　　It　occurred　to　him　that　some　time　this　modest　tract　of　eighteen　pages　might　be　valuable；　at　any　rate；　he　paid　the　fifteen　cents　demanded　for　it；　and　at　the　same　time　he　purchased　for　ten　cents　another　pamphlet　entitled　‘‘The　American　Tories；　a　Satire。''

Twenty　years　later；　having　learned　the　value　of　these　exceedingly　rare　tracts；　Mr。　Rice　sent　them　to　London　and　had　them　bound　in　Francis　Bedford's　best　style　‘‘crimson　crushed　levant　morocco；　finished　to　a　Grolier　pattern。''　　Bedford's　charges　amounted　to　seventy…five　dollars；　which　with　the　original　cost　of　the　pamphlets　represented　an　expenditure　of　seventy…five　dollars　and　twenty…five　cents　upon　Mr。　Rice's　part。　　At　the　sale　of　the　Rice　library　in　1870；　however；　this　curious；　rare；　and　beautiful　little　book　brought　the　extraordinary　sum　of　seven　hundred