按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Yes； Monsieur；〃 answered the homunculus； 〃the book is complete；
and it is not dearone franc twenty…five centimes； Monsieur。〃
I called my housekeeperfor there is no bell in my roomand said to
her：
〃Therese； Monsieur Coccozwhom I am going to ask you to show
outhas a book here which might interest you： the 'Key of Dreams。' I shall
be very glad to buy it for you。〃
My housekeeper responded：
〃Monsieur； when one has not even time to dream awake； one has still
less time to dream asleep。 Thank God； my days are just enough for my
work and my work for my days； and I am able to say every night； 'Lord；
bless Thou the rest which I am going to take。' I never dream； either on my
feet or in bed； and I never mistake my eider…down coverlet for a devil； as
my cousin did； and； if you will allow me to give my opinion about it； I
think you have books enough here now。 Monsieur has thousands and
thousands of books； which simply turn his head； and as for me； I have just
tow； which are quite enough for all my wants and purposesmy Catholic
prayer…book and my Cuisiniere Bourgeoise。〃
And with those words my housekeeper helped the little man to fasten
up his stock again within the green toilette。
The homunculus Coccoz had ceased to smile。 His relaxed features
took such an expression of suffering that I felt sorry to have made fun of
so unhappy a man。 I called him back； and told him that I had caught a
glimpse of a copy of the 〃Histoire d'Estelle et de Nemorin；〃 which he had
among his books； that I was very fond of shepherds and shepherdesses；
and that I would be quite willing to purchase； at a reasonable price； the
story of these two perfect lovers。
〃I will sell you that book for one franc twenty…five centimes；
Monsieur；〃 replied Coccoz； whose face at once beamed with joy。 〃It is
historical； and you will be pleased with it。 I know now just what suits you。
I see that you are a connoisseur。 To…morrow I will bring you the Crimes
des Papes。 It is a good book。 I will bring you the edition d'amateur； with
coloured plates。〃
I begged him not to do anything of the sort； and sent him away happy。
5
… Page 6…
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
When the green toilette and the agent had disappeared in the shadow of
the corridor I asked my housekeeper whence this little man had dropped
upon us。
〃Dropped is the word；〃 she answered； 〃he dropped on us from the roof；
Monsieur； where he lives with his wife。〃
〃You say he has a wife； Therese？ That is marvelous！ Women are very
strange creatures！ This one must be a very unfortunate little woman。〃
〃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；
6
… Page 7…
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
7
… Page 8…
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 me