the crime of sylvestre bonnard(西维斯特·博拉德的罪行)-第38部分
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But Therese stopped me：
〃How red you are； Monsieur！〃 she exclaimed； in a tone of reproach。
〃It must be the spring；〃 I answered。
She cried out；
〃The spring！in the month of December？〃
That is a fact！ this is December。 Ah！ what is the matter with my head？
what a fine help I am going to be to poor Jeanne！
〃Therese； take my cane； and put it； if you possibly can； in some place
where I shall be able to find it again。
〃Good…day； Monsieur Gelis。 How are you？〃
Undated。
Next morning the old boy wanted to get up； but the old boy could not
get up。 A merciless invisible hand kept him down upon his bed。 Finding
himself immovably riveted there； the old boy resigned himself to remain
motionless； but his thoughts kept running in all directions。
He must have had a very violent fever； for Mademoiselle Prefere； the
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Abbots of Saint…Germain…des…Pres； and the servant of Madame de Gabry
appeared to him in divers fantastic shapes。 The figure of the servant in
particular lengthened weirdly over his head； grimacing like some gargoyle
of a cathedral。 Then it seemed to me that there were a great many people；
much too many people； in my bedroom。
This bedroom of mine is furnished after the antiquated fashion。 The
portrait of my father in full uniform； and the portrait of my mother in her
cashmere dress； are suspended on the wall。 The wall…paper is covered with
green foliage designs。 I am aware of all this； and I am even conscious that
everything is faded； very much faded。 But an old man's room does not
require to be pretty； it is enough that it should be clean； and Therese sees
to that。 At all events my room is sufficiently decorated to please a mind
like mine； which has always remained somewhat childish and dreamy。
There are things hanging on the wall or scattered over the tables and
shelves which usually please my fancy and amuse me。 But to…day it would
seem as if all those objects had suddenly conceived some kind of ill…will
against me。 They have all become garish； grimacing； menacing。 That
statuette； modelled after one of the Theological Virtues of Notre… Dame de
Brou； always so ingenuously graceful in its natural condition； is now
making contortions and putting out its tongue at me。 And that beautiful
miniaturein which one of the most skilful pupils of Jehan Fouquet
depicted himself； girdled with the cord…girdle of the Sons of St。 Francis；
offering his book； on bended knee； to the good Duc d'Angoulemewho
has taken it out of its frame and put in its place a great ugly cat's head；
which stares at me with phosphorescent eyes。 And the designs on the wall…
paper have also turned into headshideous green heads。。。。 But noI am
sure that wall…paper must have foliage…designs upon it at this moment just
as it had twenty years ago； and nothing else。。。。 But no； againI was right
beforethey are heads； with eyes； noses； mouthsthey are heads！。。。 Ah！
now I understand！ they are both heads and foliage… designs at the same
time。 I wish I could not see them at all。
And there； on my right； the pretty miniature of the Franciscan has
come back again； but it seems to me as if I can only keep it in its frame by
a tremendous effort of will； and that the moment I get tired the ugly cat…
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head will appear in its place。 Certainly I am not delirious； I can see
Therese very plainly； standing at the foot of my bed； I can hear her
speaking to me perfectly well； and I should be able to answer her quite
satisfactorily if I were not kept so busy in trying to compel the various
objects about me to maintain their natural aspect。
Here is the doctor coming。 I never sent for him； but it gives me
pleasure to see him。 He is an old neighbor of mine； I have never been of
much service to him； but I like him very much。 Even if I do not say much
to him； I have at least full possession of all my faculties； and I even find
myself extraordinarily crafty and observant to…day； for I note all his
gestures； his every look； the least wrinkling of his face。 But the doctor is
very cunning； too； and I cannot really tell what he thinks about me。 The
deep thought of Goethe suddenly comes to my mind and I exclaim；
〃Doctor； the old man has consented to allow himself to become sick；
but he does not intend； this time at least； to make any further concessions
to nature。〃
Neither the doctor nor Therese laughs at my little joke。 I suppose they
cannot have understood it。
The doctor goes away； evening comes； and all sorts of strange
shadows begin to shape themselves about my bed…curtains； forming and
dissolving by turns。 And other shadowsghoststhrong by before me； and
through them I can see distinctively the impassive face of my faithful
servant。 And suddenly a cry； a shrill cry； a great cry of distress； rends my
ears。 Was it you who called me Jeanne？
The day is over； and the shadows take their places at my bedside to
remain with me all through the long night。
Then morning comesI feel a peace； a vast peace； wrapping me all
about。
Art Thou about to take me into Thy rest； my dear Lord God？
February 186…。
The doctor is quite jovial。 It seems that I am doing him a great deal of
credit by being able to get out of bed。 If I must believe him； innumerable
disorders must have pounced down upon my poor old body all at the same
time。
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These disorders； which are the terror of ordinary mankind； have names
which are the terror of philologists。 They are hybrid names； half Greek；
half Latin； with terminations in 〃itis；〃 indicating the inflammatory
condition； and in 〃algia；〃 indicating pain。 The doctor gives me all their
names； together with a corresponding number of adjectives ending in 〃ic；〃
which serve to characterise their detestable qualities。 In short； they
represent a good half of that most perfect copy of the Dictionary of
Medicine contained in the too… authentic box of Pandora。
〃Doctor； what an excellent common…sense story the story of Pandora
is！if I were a poet I would put it into French verse。 Shake hands； doctor！
You have brought me back to life； I forgive you for it。 You have given me
back to my friends； I thank you for it。 You say I am quite strong。 That may
be； that may be； but I have lasted a very long time。 I am a very old article
of furniture； I might be very satisfactorily compared to my father's arm…
chair。 It was an arm… chair which the good man had inherited； and in which
he used to lounge from morning until evening。 Twenty times a day； when I
was quite a baby； I used to climb up and seat myself on one of the arms of
that old…fashioned chair。 So long as the chair remained intact； nobody paid
any particular attention to it。 But it began to limp on one foot and then
folks began to say that it was a very good chair。 Afterwards it became
lame in three legs； squeaked with the fourth leg； and lost nearly half of
both arms。 Then everybody would exclaim； 'What a strong chair！' They
wondered how it was that after its arms had been worn off and all its legs
knocked out of perpendicular； it could yet preserve the recognisable shape
of a chair； remains nearly erect； and still be of some service。 The horse…
hair came out of its body at last； and it gave up the ghost。 And when
Cyprien； our servant； sawed up its mutilated members for fire…wood；
everybody redoubled their cries of admiration。 Oh！ what an excellent
what a marvellous chair！ It was the chair of Pierre Sylvestre Bonnard； the
cloth merchantof Epimenide Bonnard； his sonof Jean…Baptiste Bonnard；
the Pyrrhonian philosopher and Chief of the Third Maritime Division。 Oh！
what a robust and venerable chair！' In reality it was a dead chair。 Well；
doctor； I am that chair。 You think I am solid because I have been able to
resist an attack which would have killed many people； and which only
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three… fourths killed me。 Much obliged！ I feel none the less that I am
something which has been irremediably damaged。〃
The doctor tries to prove to me； with the help of enormous Greek and
Latin words； that I am really in a very good condition。 It would； of course；
be useless to attempt any demonstration of this kind in so lucid a language
as French。 However； I allow him to persuade me at last； and I see him to
the door。
〃Good！ good！〃 exclaimed Therese； 〃that is the way to put the doctor
out of the house！ Just do the
