the crime of sylvestre bonnard(西维斯特·博拉德的罪行)-第2章
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〃I don't really know what she is；〃 answered Therese； 〃but every
morning I see her trailing a silk dress covered with grease…spots over the
stairs。 She makes soft eyes at people。 And； in the name of common sense！
does it become a woman that has been received here out of charity to
make eyes and to wear dresses like that？ For they allowed the couple to
occupy the attic during the time the roof was being repaired； in
consideration of the fact that the husband is sick and the wife in an
interesting condition。 The concierge even says that the pain came on her
this morning； and that she is now confined。 They must have been very
badly off for a child！〃
〃Therese；〃 I replied； 〃they had no need of a child； doubtless。 But
Nature had decided that they should bring one into the world； Nature made
them fall into her snare。 One must have exceptional prudence to defeat
Nature's schemes。 Let us be sorry for them and not blame them！ As for silk
dresses； there is no young woman who does not like them。 The daughters
of Eve adore adornment。 You yourself； Therese who are so serious and
sensiblewhat a fuss you make when you have no white apron to wait at
table in！ But； tell me； have they got everything necessary in their attic？〃
〃How could they have it； Monsieur？〃 my housekeeper made answer。
〃The husband； whom you have just seen； used to be a jewellery…peddler
at least； so the concierge tells meand nobody knows why he stopped
selling watches。 you have just seen that his is now selling almanacs。 That
is no way to make an honest living； and I never will believe that God's
blessing can come to an almanac…peddler。 Between ourselves； the wife
looks to me for all the world like a good…for…nothing a Marie…couche toi…
la。 I think she would be just as capable of bringing up a child as I should
be of playing the guitar。 Nobody seems to know where they came from；
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The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
but I am sure they must have come by Misery's coach from the country of
Sans…souci。〃
〃Wherever they have come from； Therese； they are unfortunate； and
their attic is cold。〃
〃Pardi！the roof is broken in several places and the rain comes
through in streams。 They have neither furniture nor clothing。 I don't think
cabinet…makers and weavers work much for Christians of that sect！〃
〃That is very sad； Therese； a Christian woman much less well
provided for than this pagan； Hamilcar here！what does she have to say？〃
〃Monsieur； I never speak to those people； I don't know what she says
or what she sings。 But she sings all day long； I hear her from the stairway
whenever I am going out or coming in。〃
〃Well！ the heir of the Coccoz family will be able to say； like the Egg in
the village riddle： Ma mere me fit en chantant。 ＇〃My mother sang when
she brought me into the world。〃＇ The like happened in the case of Henry
IV。 When Jeanne d'Albret felt herself about to be confined she began to
sing an old Bearnaise canticle：
〃Notre…Dame du bout du pont； Venez a mon aide en cette heure！ Priez
le Dieu du ciel Qu'il me delivre vite； Qu'il me donne un garcon！
〃It is certainly unreasonable to bring little unfortunates into the world。
But the thing is done every day； my dear Therese and all the philosophers
on earth will never be able to reform the silly custom。 Madame Coccoz
has followed it； and she sings。 This is creditable at all events！ But； tell me；
Therese； have you not put the soup to boil to…day？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur； and it is time for me to go and skim it。〃
〃Good！ but don't forget； Therese； to take a good bowl of soup out of
the pot and carry it to Madame Coccoz； our attic neighbor。〃
My housekeeper was on the point of leaving the room when I added；
just in time：
〃Therese； before you do anything else； please call your friend the
porter； and tell him to take a good bundle of wood out of our stock and
carry it up to the attic of those Coccoz folks。 See； above all； that he puts a
first…class log in the lota real Christmas log。 As for the homunculus； if he
comes back again； do not allow either himself or any of his yellow books
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The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
to come in here。〃
Having taken all these little precautions with the refined egotism of an
old bachelor； I returned to my catalogue again。
With what surprise； with what emotion； with what anxiety did I therein
discover the following mention； which I cannot even now copy without
feeling my hand tremble：
〃LA LEGENDE DOREE DE JACQUES DE GENES （Jacques de
Voragine）； traduction francaise； petit in…4。
〃This MS。 of the fourteenth century contains； besides the tolerably
complete translation of the celebrated work of Jacques de Voragine； 1。 The
Legends of Saints Ferreol； Ferrution； Germain； Vincent； and Droctoveus； 2。
A poem 'On the Miraculous Burial of Monsieur Saint…Germain of
Auxerre。' This translation； as well as the legends and the poem； are due to
the Clerk Alexander。
〃This MS。 is written upon vellum。 It contains a great number of
illuminated letters； and two finely executed miniatures； in a rather
imperfect state of preservation：one represents the Purification of the
Virgin； and the other the Coronation of Proserpine。〃
What a discovery！ Perspiration moistened my forehead； and a veil
seemed to come before my eyes。 I trembled； I flushed； and； without being
able to speak； I felt a sudden impulse to cry out at the top of my voice。
What a treasure！ For more than forty years I had been making a special
study of the history of Christian Gaul； and particularly of that glorious
Abbey of Saint…Germain…des…Pres； whence issued forth those King…Monks
who founded our national dynasty。 Now； despite the culpable insufficiency
of the description given； it was evident to me that the MS。 of the Clerk
Alexander must have come from the great Abbey。 Everything proved this
fact。 All the legends added by the translator related to the pious foundation
of the Abbey by King Childebert。 Then the legend of Saint…Droctoveus
was particularly significant； being the legend of the first abbot of my dear
Abbey。 The poem in French verse on the burial of Saint…Germain led me
actually into the nave of that venerable basilica which was the umbilicus
of Christian Gaul。
The 〃Golden Legend〃 is in itself a vast and gracious work。 Jacques de
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Voragine； Definitor of the Order of Saint…Dominic； and Archbishop of
Genoa； collected in the thirteenth century the various legends of Catholic
saints； and formed so rich a compilation that from all the monasteries and
castles of the time there arouse the cry： 〃This is the 'Golden Legend。'〃 The
〃Legende Doree〃 was especially opulent in Roman hagiography。 Edited by
an Italian monk； it reveals its best merits in the treatment of matters
relating to the terrestrial domains of Saint Peter。 Voragine can only
perceive the greater saints of the Occident as through a cold mist。 For this
reason the Aquitanian and Saxon translators of the good legend…writer
were careful to add to his recital the lives of their own national saints。
I have read and collated a great many manuscripts of the 〃Golden
Legend。〃 I know all those described by my learned colleague； M。 Paulin
Paris； in his handsome catalogue of the MSS。 of the Biblotheque du Roi。
There were two among them which especially drew my attention。 One is
of the fourteenth century and contains a translation by Jean Belet； the
other； younger by a century； presents the version of Jacques Vignay。 Both
come from the Colbert collection； and were placed on the shelves of that
glorious Colbertine library by the Librarian Baluzewhose name I can
never pronounce without uncovering my head； for even in the century of
the giants of erudition； Baluze astounds by his greatness。 I know also a
very curious codex in the Bigot collection； I know seventy…four printed
editions of the work； commencing with the venerable ancestor of allthe
Gothic of Strasburg； begun in 1471； and finished in 1475。 But no one of
those MSS。； no one of those editions； contains the legends of Saints
Ferreol； Ferrution； Germain； Vincent； and Droctoveus； no one bears the
name of the Clerk Alexander； no one； in find； came from the Abbey of
Saint…Germain…des…Pres。 Compared with the MS。 described by Mr。
Thompson； they are only as straw to gold。 I have seen with my eyes； I
have touched with my fingers； an incontrovertible testimony to the
existence of this document。 But the document itselfwhat has become of it？
Sir Thomas Raleigh went to end his days by the shores of the Lake of
Como； whither he carried with him a part of his literary wealth。 Where did
the books go after the death of that aristocratic collector？ Where could the
manuscript of the Clerk Alexander have gone？
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〃And why；〃 I asked myself； 〃why should I have learned that this
precious book exists； if I am never to possess itnever even to see it？ I
would go to seek it in the burning heart of Africa； or in the icy regions of
the Pole if I knew it were there。 But I do not know where it is。 I do not
know if it be guarded in a triple… locked iron case by some jealous
biblomaniac。 I do not know if it be growing mouldy in the attic of some
ignoramus。 I shudder at the thought that perhaps its tore…out leaves may
have been used to cover the pickle…jars of some
