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because it betrays no particular thought； and expresses only the joy of
living and the bliss of being beautiful。 Under a pink hood her face shone
like a gem in an open casket； she wore a cashmere scarf over a robe of
white muslin plaited at the waist； from beneath which protruded the tip of
a little Morocco shoe。。。。 Oh！ you must not make fun of me； dear Madame；
that was the fashion of the time； and I do not know whether our new
fashions have nearly so much simplicity； brightness； and decorous grace。
〃Monsieur de Lessay informed us that； in consequence of having
undertaken the publication of a historical atlas； he had come back to live in
Paris； and that he would be pleased to occupy his former apartment； if it
was still vacant。 My father asked Mademoiselle de Lessay whether she
was pleased to visit the capital。 She appeared to be； for her smile
blossomed out in reply。 She smiled at the windows that looked out upon
the green and luminous garden； she smiled at the bronze Marius seated
among the ruins of Carthage above the dial of the clock； she smiled a the
old yellow…velveted arm… chairs； and at the poor student who was afraid to
lift his eyes to look at her。 From that dayhow I loved her！
〃But here we are already a the Rue de Severs； and in a little while we
shall be in sight of your windows。 I am a very bad story…teller； and if I
wereby some impossible chanceto take it into my head to compose a
novel； I know I should never succeed。 I have been drawing out to tiresome
length a narrative which I must finish briefly； for there is a certain
delicacy； a certain grace of soul； which an old man could not help
offending by an complacent expatiation upon the sentiments of even the
purest love。 Let us take a short turn on this boulevard； lined with convents；
and my recital will be easily finished within the distance separating us
from that little spire you see over there。。。。
〃Monsieur de Lessay； on finding that I had graduated at the Ecole des
Chartes； judged me worthy to assist him in preparing his historical atlas。
The plan was to illustrate； by a series of maps； what the old philosopher
termed the Vicissitudes of Empires from the time of Noah down to that of
Charlemagne。 Monsieur de Lessay had stored up in his head all the errors
of the eighteenth century in regard to antiquity。 I belonged； so far as my
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historical studies were concerned； to the new school； and I was just at that
age when one does not know how to dissemble。 The manner in which the
old man understood； or； rather； misunderstood； the epoch of the
Barbarians his obstinate determination to find in remote antiquity only
ambitious princes； hypocritical and avaricious prelates； virtuous citizens；
poet…philosophers； and other personages who never existed outside of the
novels of Marmontel；made me dreadfully unhappy； and at first used to
excite me into attempts at argument；rational enough； but perfectly
useless and sometimes dangerous； for Monsieur de Lessay was very
irascible； and Clementine was very beautiful。 Between her and him I
passed many hours of torment and of delight。 I was in love； I was a
coward； and I granted to him all that he demanded of me in regard to the
political and historical aspect which the Earththat was at a later day to
bear Clementinepresented in the time of Abraham； of Menes； and of
Deucalion。
〃As fast as we drew our maps； Mademoiselle de Lessay tinted them in
water…colours。 Bending over the table； she held the brush lightly between
two fingers； the shadow of her eyelashes descended upon her cheeks； and
bather her half…closed eyes in a delicious penumbra。 Sometimes she would
lift her head； and I would see her lips pout。 There was so much expression
in her beauty that she could not breathe without seeming to sigh； and her
most ordinary poses used to throw me into the deepest ecstasies of
admiration。 Whenever I gazed at her I fully agreed with Monsieur de
Lessay that Jupiter had once reigned as a despot…king over the
mountainous regions of Thessaly； and that Orpheus had committed the
imprudence of leaving the teaching of philosophy to the clergy。 I am not
now quite sure whether I was a coward or a hero when I accorded al this to
the obstinate old man。
〃Mademoiselle de Lessay； I must acknowledge； paid very little
attention to me。 But this indifference seemed to me so just and so natural
that I never even dreamed of thinking I had a right to complain about it； it
made me unhappy； but without my knowing that I was unhappy at the time。
I was hopeful；we had then only got as far as the First Assyrian Empire。
〃Monsieur de Lessay came every evening to take coffee with my
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The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
father。 I do not know how they became such friends； for it would have
been difficult to find two characters more oppositely constituted。 My
father was a man who admired very few things； but was still capable of
excusing a great many。 Still； as he grew older； he evinced more and more
dislike of everything in the shape of exaggeration。 He clothed his ideas
with a thousand delicate shades of expression； and never pronounced an
opinion without all sorts of reservations。 These conversational habits；
natural to a finely trained mind； used greatly to irritate the dry； terse old
aristocrat； who was never in the least disarmed by the moderation of an
adversaryquite the contrary！ I always foresaw one danger。 That danger
was Bonaparte。 My father had not himself retained an particular affection
for his memory； but； having worked under his direction； he did not like to
hear him abused； especially in favour of the Bourbons； against whom he
had serious reason to feel resentment。 Monsieur de Lessay； more of a
Voltairean and a Legitimist than ever； now traced back to Bonaparte the
origin of every social； political； and religious evil。 Such being the situation；
the idea of Uncle Victor made me feel particularly uneasy。 This terrible
uncle had become absolutely unsufferable now that his sister was no
longer there to calm him down。 The harp of David was broken； and Saul
was wholly delivered over to the spirit of madness。 The fall of Charles X。
had increased the audacity of the old Napoleonic veteran； who uttered all
imaginable bravadoes。 He no longer frequented our house； which had
become too silent for him。 But sometimes； at the dinner…hour； we would
see him suddenly make his appearance； all covered with flowers； like a
mausoleum。 Ordinarily he would sit down to table with an oath； growled
out from the very bottom of his chest； and brag； between every two
mouthfuls； of his good fortune with the ladies as a vieux brave。 Then；
when the dinner was over； he would fold up his napkin in the shape of a
bishop's mitre； gulp down half a decanter of brandy； and rush away with
the hurried air of a man terrified