the crime of sylvestre bonnard(西维斯特·博拉德的罪行)-第34章
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your visits shall be less frequent hereafter are of an excessively delicate
nature； and I must beg you to spare me the unpleasantness of mentioning
them。〃
〃Madame；〃 I replied； 〃I have been authorized by Jeanne's guardian to
see his ward every day。 Will you please to inform me of your reasons for
opposing the will of Monsieur Mouche？〃
〃The guardian of Mademoiselle Alexandre；〃 she replied （and she dwelt
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upon that word 〃guardian〃 as upon a solid support）； 〃desires； quite as
strongly as I myself do； that your assiduities may come to an end as soon
as possible。〃
〃Then； if that be the case；〃 I said； 〃be kind enough to let me know his
reasons and your own。〃
She looked up at the little spiral of paper on the ceiling； and then
replied； with stern composure；
〃You insist upon it？ Well； although such explanations are very painful
for a woman to make； I will yield to your exaction。 This house； Monsieur
is an honourable house。 I have my responsibility。 I have to watch like a
mother over each one of my pupils。 Your assiduities in regard to
Mademoiselle Alexandre could not possibly be continued without serious
injury to the young girl herself； and it is my duty to insist that they shall
cease。〃
〃I do not really understand you；〃 I repliedand I was telling the plain
truth。 Then she deliberately resumed：
〃Your assiduities in this house are being interpreted； by the most
respectable and the least suspicious persons； in such a manner that I find
myself obliged； both in the interest of my establishment and in the interest
of Mademoiselle Alexandre； to see that they end at once。〃
〃Madame；〃 I cried； 〃I have heard a great many silly things in my life；
but never anything so silly as what you have just said！〃
She answered me quietly；
〃Your words of abuse will not affect me in the slightest。 When one has
a duty to accomplish； one is strong enough to endure all。〃
And she pressed her pelerine over her heart once morenot perhaps on
this occasion to restrain； but doubtless only to caress that generous heart。
〃Madame；〃 I said； shaking my finger at her； 〃you have wantonly
aroused the indignation of an aged man。 Be good enough to act in such a
fashion that the old man may be able at least to forget your existence； and
do not add fresh insults to those which I have already sustained from your
lips。 I give you fair warning that I shall never cease to look after
Mademoiselle Alexandre； and that should you attempt to do her any harm；
in any manner whatsoever； you will have serious reason to regret it！〃
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The more I became excited； the more she became cool； and she
answered in a tone of superb indifference：
〃Monsieur； I am much too well informed in regard to the nature of the
interest which you take in this young girl； not to withdraw her
immediately from that very surveillance with which you threaten me。
After observing the more than equivocal intimacy in which you are living
with your housekeeper； I ought to have taken measures at once to render it
impossible for you ever to come into contact with an innocent child。 In the
future I shall certainly do it。 If up to this time I have been too trustful； it is
for Mademoiselle Alexandre； and not for you； to reproach me with it。 But
she is too artless and too purethanks to me！ever to have suspected the
nature of that danger into which you were trying to lead her。 I scarecly
suppose that you will place me under the necessity of enlightening her
upon the subject。〃
〃Come； my poor old Bonnard；〃 I said to myself； as I shrugged my
shoulders〃so you had to live as long as this in order to learn for the first
time exactly what a wicked woman is。 And now your knowledge of the
subject is complete。〃
I went out without replying； and I had the pleasure of observing； from
the sudden flush which overspread the face of the schoolmistress； that my
silence had wounded her far more than my words。
As I passed through the court I looked about me in every direction for
Jeanne。 She was watching for me； and she ran to me。
〃If anybody touches one little hair of your head； Jeanne； write to me！
Good…bye！〃
〃No； not good…bye。〃
I replied；
〃Well； nonot good…bye！ Write to me！〃
I went straight to Madame de Gabry's residence。
〃Madame is at Rome with Monsieur。 Did not Monsieur know it？〃
〃Why； yes；〃 I replied。 〃Madame wrote to me。〃。。。
She had indeed written to me in regard to her leaving home； but my
head must have become very much confused； so that I had forgotten all
about it。 The servant seemed to be of the same opinion； for he looked at
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me in a way that seemed to signify； 〃Monsieur Bonnard is doting〃and he
leaned down over the balustrade of the stairway to see if I was not going
to do something extraordinary before I got to the bottom。 But I descended
the stairs rationally enough； and then he drew back his head in
disappointment。
On returning home I was informed that Monsieur Gelis was waiting
for me in the parlour。 （This young man has become a constant visitor。 His
judgement is at fault at times； but his mind is not at all commonplace。） On
this occasion； however； his usually welcome visit only embarrassed me。
〃Alas！〃 I thought to myself； 〃I shall be sure to say something very stupid
to my young friend to…day； and he also will think that my facilities are
becoming impaired。 But still I cannot really explain to him that I had first
been demanded in wedlock； and subsequently traduced as a man wholly
devoid of morals that even Therese had become an object of suspicion
and that Jeanne remains in the power of the most rascally woman on the
face of the earth。 I am certainly in an admirable state of mind for
conversing about Cistercian abbeys with a young and mischievously
minded man。 Nevertheless； we shall seewe shall try。〃。。。
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 h
