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proved for her and dower her！ No！ the daughter of Clementine must not
have her dowry from any one but me。〃
And； approaching Madame de Gabry as she rose from her chair； I took
her right hand； I kissed that hand； and placed it on my arm； and said：
〃You will conduct me to the grave of the widow of Noel Alexandre。〃
And I heard Madame de Gabry asking me：
〃Why are you crying？〃
Chapter IV The Little Saint…George
April 16。
Saint Drocoveus and the early abbots of Saint…Germain…des…Pres
have been occupying me for the past forty years； but I do not know if I
shall be able to write their history before I go to join them。 It is already
quite a long time since I became an old man。 One day last year； on the
Pont des Arts； one of my fellow members at the Institute was lamenting
before me over the ennui of becoming old。
〃Still；〃 Saint…Beuve replied to him； 〃it is the only way that has yet
been found of living a long time。〃
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I have tried this way； and I know just what it is worth。 The trouble of it
is not that one lasts too long； but that one sees all about him pass away
mother； wife； friends； children。 Nature makes and unmakes all these divine
treasures with gloomy indifference； and at last we find that we have not
loved； we have only been embracing shadows。 But how sweet some
shadows are！ If ever creature glided like a shadow through the life of a
man； it was certainly that young girl whom I fell in love with when
incredible though it now seemsI was myself a youth。
A Christian sarcophagus from the catacombs of Rome bears a formula
of imprecation； the whole terrible meaning of which I only learned with
time。 It says： 〃Whatsoever impious man violates this sepulchre； may he
die the last of his own people！〃 In my capacity of archaeologist； I have
opened tombs and disturbed ashes in order to collect the shreds of apparel；
metal ornaments； or gems that were mingled with those ashes。 But I did it
only through that scientific curiosity which does not exclude feelings of
reverence and of piety。 May that malediction graven by some one of the
first followers of the apostles upon a martyr's tomb never fall upon me！ I
ought not to fear to survive my own people so long as there are men in the
world； for there are always some whom one can love。
But the power of love itself weakens and gradually becomes lost with
age； like all the other energies of man。 Example proves it； and it is this
which terrifies me。 Am I sure that I have not myself already suffered this
great loss？ I should surely have felt it； but for the happy meeting which
has rejuvenated me。 Poets speak of the Fountain of Youth； it does exist； it
gushes up from the earth at every step we take。 And one passes by without
drinking of it！
The young girl I loved； married of her own choice to a rival； passed；
all grey…haired； into the eternal rest。 I have found her daughter so that my
life； which before seemed to me without utility； now once more finds a
purpose and a reason for being。
To…day I 〃take the sun；〃 as they say in Provence； I take it on the terrace
of the Luxembourg； at the foot of the statue of Marguerite de Navarre。 It is
a spring sun； intoxicating as young wine。 I sit and dream。 My thoughts
escape from my head like the foam from a bottle of beer。 They are light；
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and their fizzing amuses me。 I dream； such a pastime is certainly
permissible to an old fellow who has published thirty volumes of texts；
and contributed to the 'Journal des Savants' for twenty…six years。 I have the
satisfaction of feeling that I performed my task as well as it was possible
for me to do； and that I utilised to their fullest extent those mediocre
faculties with which Nature endowed me。 My efforts were not all in vain；
and I have contributed； in my own modest way； to that renaissance of
historical labours which will remain the honour of this restless century。 I
shall certainly be counted among those ten or twelve who revealed to
France her own literary antiquities。 My publication of the poetical works
of Gautier de Coincy inaugurated a judicious system and fixed a date。 It is
in the austere calm of old age that I decree to myself this deserved credit；
and God； who sees my heart； knows whether pride or vanity have aught to
do with this self…award of justice。
But I am tired； my eyes are dim； my hand trembles； and I see an image
of myself in those old me of Homer； whose weakness excluded them from
the battle； and who； seated upon the ramparts； lifted up their voices like
crickets among the leaves。
So my thoughts were wandering when three young men seated
themselves near me。 I do not know whether each one of them had come in
three boats； like the monkey of Lafontaine； but the three certainly
displayed themselves over the space of twelve chairs。 I took pleasure in
watching them； not because they had anything very extraordinary about
them； but because I discerned in them that brave joyous manner which is
natural to youth。 They were from the schools。 I was less assured of it by
the books they were carrying than by the character of their physiognomy。
For all who busy themselves with the things of the mind can be at once
recognised by an indescribably something which is common to all of them。
I am very fond of young people； and these pleased me； in spite of a certain
provoking wild manner which recalled to me my own college days with
marvellous vividness。 But they did not wear velvet doublets and long hair；
as we used to do； they did not walk about； as we used to do； 〃Hell and
malediction！〃 They were quite properly dressed； and neither their costume
nor their language had anything suggestive of the Middle Ages。 I must
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also add that they paid considerable attention to the women passing on the
terrace； and expressed their admiration of some of them in very animated
language。 But their reflections； even on this subject； were not of a
character to oblige me to flee from my seat。 Besides； so long as youth is
studious； I think it has a right to its gaieties。
One of them； having made some gallant pleasantry which I forget； the
smallest and darkest of the three exclaimed； with a slight Gascon accent；
〃What a thing to say！ Only physiologists like us have any right to
occupy ourselves about living matter。 As for you； Gelis； who only live in
the pastlike all your fellow archivists and paleographers you will do
better to confine yourself to those stone women over there； who are your
contemporaries。〃
And he pointed to the statues of the Ladies of Ancient France which
towered up； all white； in a half…circle under the trees of the terrace。 This
joke； though in itself trifling； enabled me to know that the young man
called Gelis was a student at the Ecole des Chartes。 From the conversation
which followed I was able to