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presented me。 The Moissonneurs and the Pecheurs of Leopold Robert are
painted upon those porcelain vases； which Gelis nevertheless dares to call
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frightfully ugly； with the warm approval of Jeanne； whom he has
absolutely bewitched。
〃My dear lad； excuse me for having kept you waiting so long。 I had a
little bit of work to finish。〃
I am telling the truth。 Meditation is work； but of course Gelis does not
know what I mean； he thinks I am referring to something archaeological；
and； his question in regard to the health of Mademoiselle Jeanne having
been answered by a 〃Very well indeed；〃 uttered in that extremely dry tone
which reveals my moral authority as guardian； we begin to converse about
historical subjects。 We first enter upon generalities。 Generalities are
sometimes extremely serviceable。 I try to inculcate into Monsieur Gelis
some respect for that generation of historians to which I belong。 I say to
him；
〃History； which was formerly an art； and which afforded place for the
fullest exercise of the imagination； has in our time become a science； the
study of which demands absolute exactness of knowledge。〃
Gelis asks leave to differ from me on this subject。 He tells me he does
not believe that history is a science； or that it could possibly ever become a
science。
〃In the first place；〃 he says to me； 〃what is history？ The written
representation of past events。 But what is an event？ Is it merely a
commonplace fact？ It is any fact？ No！ You say yourself it is a noteworthy
fact。 Now； how is the historian to tell whether a fact is noteworthy or not？
He judges it arbitrarily； according to his tastes and his caprices and his
ideasin short； as an artist？ For facts cannot by reason of their own
intrinsic character be divided into historical facts and non…historical facts。
But any fact is something exceedingly complex。 Will the historian
represent facts in all their complexity？ No； that is impossible。 Then he will
represent them stripped of the greater part of the peculiarities which
constituted them； and consequently lopped； mutilated； different from what
they really were。 As for the inter…relation of facts； needless to speak of it！
If a so…called historical fact be brought into noticeas is very possibleby
one or more facts which are not historical at all； and are for that very
reason unknown； how is the historian going to establish the relation of
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these facts one to another？ And in saying this； Monsieur Bonnard； I am
supposing that the historian has positive evidence before him； whereas in
reality he feels confidence only in such or such a witness for sympathetic
reasons。 History is not a science； it is an art； and one can succeed in that
art only through the exercise of his faculty of imagination。〃
Monsieur Gelis reminds me very much at this moment of a certain
young fool whom I heard talking wildly one day in the garden of the
Luxembourg； under the statue of Marguerite of Navarre。 But at another
turn of the conversation we find ourselves face to face with Walter Scott；
whose work my disdainful young friend pleases to term 〃rococo；
troubadourish； and only fit to inspire somebody engaged in making
designs for cheap bronze clocks。〃 Those are his very words！
〃Why！〃 I exclaim； zealous to defend the magnificent creator of 'The
Bride of Lammermoor' and 'The Fair Maid of Perth；' 〃the whole past lives
in those admirable novels of his；that is history； that is epic！〃
〃It is frippery；〃 Gelis answers me。
And；will you believe it？this crazy boy actually tells me that no
matter how learned one may be； one cannot possibly know just how men
used to live five or ten centuries ago； because it is only with the very
greatest difficulty that one can picture them to oneself even as they were
only ten or fifteen years ago。 In his opinion； the historical poem； the
historical novel； the historical painting； are all； according to their kind；
abominably false as branches of art。
〃In all the arts；〃 he adds； 〃the artist can only reflect his own soul。 His
work； no matter how it may be dressed up； is of necessity contemporary
with himself； being the reflection of his own mind。 What do we admire in
the 'Divine Comedy' unless it be the great soul of Dante？ And the marbles
of Michael Angelo； what do they represent to us that is at all extraordinary
unless it be Michael Angelo himself？ The artist either communicates his
own life to his creations； or else merely whittles out puppets and dresses
up dolls。〃
What a torrent of paradoxes and irreverences！ But boldness in a young
man is not displeasing to me。 Gelis gets up from his chair and sits down
again。 I know perfectly well what is worrying him； and whom he is
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waiting for。 And now he begins to talk to me about his being able to make
fifteen hundred francs a year； to which he can add the revenue he derives
from a little property that he has inheritedtwo thousand francs a year
more。 And I am not in the least deceived as to the purpose of these
confidences on his part。 I know perfectly well that he is only making his
little financial statements in order to persuade me that he is comfortably
circumstanced； steady； fond of home； comparatively independentor； to
put the matter in the fewest words possible； able to marry。 Quod erat
demonstrandum；as the geometricians say。
He has got up and sat down just twenty times。 He now rises for the
twenty…first time； and； as he has not been able to see Jeanne； he goes away
feeling as unhappy as possible。
The moment he has gone； Jeanne comes into the City of Books； under
the pretext of looking for Hannibal。 She is also quite unhappy； and her
voice becomes singularly plaintive as she calls her pet to give him some
milk。 Look at that sad little face； Bonnard！ Tyrant； gaze upon thy work！
Thou hast been able to keep them from seeing each other； but they have
now both of them the same expression of countenance； and thou mayest
discern from that similarity of expression that in spite of thee they are
united in thought。 Cassandra； be happy！ Bartholo； rejoice！ This is what it
means to be a guardian！ Just see her kneeling down there on the carpet
with Hannibal's head between her hands！
Yes； caress the stupid animal！pity him！moan over him！we know
very well； you little rogue； the real cause of all these sighs and plaints！
Nevertheless； it makes a very pretty picture。 I look at it for a long time；
then； throwing a glance around my library； I exclaim；
〃Jeanne； I am tired of all those books； we must sell them。〃
September 20。
It is done！they are betrothed。 Gelis； who is an orphan； as Jeanne is；
did not make his proposal to me in person。 He got one of his profes