the crime of sylvestre bonnard(西维斯特·博拉德的罪行)-第24章
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apt to have very false ideas on these subjects。 I am certain they express
their opinions with the best intentions in the world； but they would do
better； a great deal better； to leave all such questions to competent people。〃
I did not attempt to argue further； and simply asked her whether I
could see Mademoiselle Alexandre at once。
She looked at her pelerine； as if trying to read in the entanglements of
its fringes； as in a conjuring book； what sort of answer she ought to make；
then said；
〃Mademoiselle Alexandre has a penance to perform； and a class…lesson
to give； but I should be very sorry to let you put yourself to the trouble of
coming here all to no purpose。 I am going to send for her。 Only first allow
me； Monsieuras is our customto put your name on the visitors'
register。〃
She sat down at the table； opened a large copybook； and； taking out
Maitre Mouche's letter again from under her pelerine； where she had
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placed it； looked at it； and began to write。
〃'Bonnard'with a 'd；' is it not？〃 she asked。 〃Excuse me for being so
particular； but my opinion is that proper names have an orthography。 We
have dictation…lessons in proper names； Monsieur； at this school
historical proper names； of course！〃
After I had written down my name in a running hand； she inquired
whether she should not put down after it my profession； title； qualitysuch
as 〃retired merchant；〃 〃employe；〃 〃independent gentleman；〃 or something
else。 There was a column in her register expressly for that purpose。
〃My goodness； Madame！〃 I said； 〃if you must absolutely fill that
column of yours； put down 'Member of the Institute。'〃
It was still Mademoiselle Prefere's pelerine I saw before me； but it was
not Mademoiselle Prefere who wore it； it was a totally different person；
obliging； gracious； caressing； radiant； happy。 Her eyes； smiled； the little
wrinkles of her face （there were a vast number of them！） also smiled； her
mouth smiled likewise； but only on one side。 I discovered afterwards that
was her best side。 She spoke： her voice had also changed with her manner；
it was now sweet as honey。
〃You said； Monsieur； that our dear Jeanne was very intelligent。 I
discovered the same thing myself； and I am proud of being able to agree
with you。 This young girl has really made me feel a great deal of interest
in her。 She has what I call a happy disposition。。。。 But excuse me for thus
drawing upon your valuable time。〃
She summoned the servant…girl； who looked much more hurried and
scared than before； and who vanished with the order to go and tell
Mademoiselle Alexandre that Monsieur Sylvestre Bonnard； Member of the
Institute； was waiting to see her in the parlour。
Mademoiselle Prefere had barely time to confide in me that she had
the most profound respect for all decisions of the Institutewhatever they
might bewhen Jeanne appeared； out of breath； red as a poppy； with her
eyes very wide open； and her arms dangling helplessly at her sides
charming in her artless awkwardness。
〃What a state you are in； my dear child！〃 murmured Mademoiselle
Prefere； with maternal sweetness； as she arranged the girl's collar。
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Jeanne certainly did present an odd aspect。 Her hair combed back； and
imperfectly held by a net from which loose curls were escaping； her
slender arms； sheathed down to the elbows in lustring sleeves； her hands；
which she did not seem to know what to do with； all red with chillblains；
her dress； much too short； revealing that she had on stockings much too
large for her； and shoes worn down at the heel； and a skipping…rope tied
round her waist in lieu of a belt；all combined to lend Mademoiselle
Jeanne an appearance the reverse of presentable。
〃Oh； you crazy girl！〃 sighed Mademoiselle Prefere； who now seemed
no longer like a mother； but rather like an elder sister。
Then she suddenly left the room； gliding like a shadow over the
polished floor。
I said to Jeanne；
〃Sit down； Jeanne； and talk to me as you would to a friend。 Are you
not better satisfied here now than you were last year？〃
She hesitated； then answered with a good…natured smile of resignation；
〃Not much better。〃
I asked her to tell me about her school life。 She began at once to
enumerate all her different studiespiano； style； chronology of the Kings
of France； sewing； drawing； catechism； deportment。。。 I could never
remember them all！ She still held in her hands； all unconsciously； the two
ends of her skipping…rope； and she raised and lowered them regularly
while making her enumeration。 Then all at once she became conscious of
what she was doing； blushed； stammered； and became so confused that I
had to renounce my desire to know the full programme of study adopted in
the Prefere Institution。
After having questioned Jeanne on various matters； and obtained only
the vaguest of answers； I perceived that her young mind was totally
absorbed by the skipping…rope； and I entered bravely into that grave
subject。
〃So you have been skipping？〃 I said。 〃It is a very nice amusement； but
one that you must not exert yourself too much at； for any excessive
exercise of that kind might seriously injure your health； and I should be
very much grieved about it JeanneI should be very much grieved；
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indeed！〃
〃You are very kind； Monsieur；〃 the young girl said； 〃to have come to
see me and talk to me like this。 I did not think about thanking you when I
came in； because I was too much surprised。 Have you seen Madame de
Gabry？ Please tell me something about her； Monsieur。〃
〃Madame de Gabry；〃 I answered； 〃is very well。 I can only tell you
about her； Jeanne； what an old gardener once said of the lady of the castle；
his mistress； when somebody anxiously inquired about her： 'Madame is in
her road。' Yes； Madame de Gabry is in her own road； and you know；
Jeanne； what a good road it is； and how steadily she can walk upon it。 I
went out with her the other day； very； very far away from the house； and
we talked about you。 We talked about you； my child； at your mother's
grave。〃
〃I am very glad；〃 said Jeanne。
And then； all at once； she began to cry。
I felt too much reverence for those generous tears to attempt in any
way to check the emotion that had evoked them。 But in a little while； as
the girl wiped her eyes； I asked her；
〃Will you not tell me； Jeanne； why you were thinking so much about
that skipping…rope a little while ago？〃
〃Why； indeed I will； Monsieur。 It was only because I had no right to
come into the parlour with a skipping…rope。 You know； of course； that I am
past the age for playing at skipping。 But when the servant said there was
an old gentleman。。。oh！。。。I mean。。。that a gentleman was waiting for me in
the parlour； I was making the little girls jump。 Then I tied the rope round
my waist in a hurry； so that it might not get lost。 It was wrong。 But I have
not been in the habit of having many people come to see me。 And
Mademoiselle Prefere never lets us off if we commit any breach of
deportment： so I know she is going to punish me； and I am very sorry
about it。〃。。。
〃That is too bad； Jeanne！〃
She became very grave； and said；
〃Yes； Monsieur； it is too bad； because when I am punished myself； I
have no more authority over the little girls。〃
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I did not at once fully understand the nature of this unpleasantness； but
Jeanne explained to me that； as she was charged by Mademoiselle Prefere
with the duties of taking care of the youngest class； of washing and
dressing the children； of teaching them how to behave； how to sew； how to
say the alphabet； of showing them how to play； and； finally； of putting
them to bed at the close of the day； she could not make herself obeyed by
those turbulent little folks on the days she was condemned to wear a night…
cap in the class…room； or to eat her meals standing up； from a plate turned
upside down。
Having secretly admired the punishments devised by the Lady of the
Enchanted Pelerine； I responded：
〃Then； if I understand you rightly； Jeanne； you are at once a pupil here
and a mistress？ It is a condition of existence very common in the world。
You are punished； and you punish？〃
〃Oh； Monsieur！〃 she exclaimed。 〃No！ I never punish！〃
〃Then； I suspect；〃 said I； 〃that your indulgence gets you many
scoldings from Mademoiselle Prefere？〃
She smiled； and blinked。
Then I said to her that the troubles in which we often involve ourselves；
by trying to act according to our conscience and to do the best we can； are
never of the sort that totally dishearten and weary us； but are； on the
contrary； wholesome trials。 This sort of philosophy touched her very little。
She even appeared totally unmoved by my moral exhortations。 But was
not this quite natural on her part？and ought I not to have remembered
that it is only those no longer innocent who can find pleasure in the
systems of moralists？。。。 I had at least good sense enough to cut short my
sermonising。
〃Jeanne；〃 I said； 〃you were asking a moment ago about Madame de
Gabry。 Let us talk about that Fairy of yours She was very prettily made。
Do you do any modelling in wax now？〃
〃I have not a bit of wax；〃 she exclaimed；
