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！
〃Dimitri； that old man is certainly a Frenchman。 He looks so
bewildered that I really fell sorry for him。 Shall I speak to him？ 。。。He has
such a goo…natured look； with that round back of hisdo you not think so；
Dimitri？〃
It was said in French by a woman's voice。 For the moment it was
disagreeable to hear myself spoken of as an old man。 Is a man old at sixty…
two？ Only the other day； on the Pont des Arts； my colleague Perrot
d'Avrignac complimented me on my youthful appearance； and I should
think him a better authority about one's age than that young chatterbox
who has taken it on herself to make remarks about my back。 My back is
round； she says。 Ah！ ah！ I had some suspicion myself to that effect； but I
am not going now to believe it at all； since it is the opinion of a giddy…
headed young woman。 Certainly I will not turn my head round to see who
it was that spoke； but I am sure it was a pretty woman。 Why？ Because she
talks like a capricious person and like a spoiled child。 Ugly women may be
naturally quite as capricious as pretty ones； but as they are never petted
and spoiled； and as no allowances are made for them； they soon find
themselves obliged either to suppress their whims or to hide them。 On the
other hand； the pretty women can be just as fantastical as they please。 My
neighbour is evidently one of the latter。。。。 But； after all； coming to think it
over； she really did nothing worse than to express； in her own way； a
kindly thought about me； for which I ought to feel grateful。
These reflectionsinclude the last and decisive onepassed through
my mind in less than a second； and if I have taken a whole minute to tell
them； it is characteristic of most philologists。 In less than a second；
therefore； after the voice had ceased； I did turn round； and saw a pretty
little womana sprightly brunette。
〃Madame；〃 I said； with a bow； 〃excuse my involuntary indiscretion。 I
could not help overhearing what you have just said。 You would like to be
of service to a poor old man。 And the wish； Madame； has already been
fulfilledthe mere sound of a French voice has given me such pleasure
that I must thank you。〃
26
… Page 27…
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
I bowed again； and turned to go away； but my foot slipped upon a
melon…rind； and I should certainly have embraced the Parthenopean soil
had not the young lady put out her hand and caught me。
There is a force in circumstanceseven in the very smallest
circumstancesagainst which resistance is vain。 I resigned myself to
remain the protege of the fair unknown。
〃It is late；〃 she said； 〃do you not wish to go back to your hotel； which
must be quite close to oursunless it be the same one？〃
〃Madame；〃 I replied； 〃I do not know what time it is； because
somebody has stolen my watch； but I think； as you say； that it must be
time to retire； and I shall be very glad to regain my hotel in the company
of such courteous compatriots。〃
So saying； I bowed once more to the young lady； and also saluted her
companion； a silent colossus with a gentle and melancholy face。
After having gone a little way with them； I learned； among other
matters； that my new acquaintances were the Prince and Princess Trepof；
and that they were making a trip round the world for the purpose of
finding match…boxes； of which they were making a collection。
We proceeded along a narrow； tortuous vicoletto； lighted only by a
single lamp burning in the niche of a Madonna。 The purity and
transparency of the air gave a celestial softness and clearness to the very
darkness itself； and one could find one's way without difficulty under such
a limpid night。 But in a little while we began to pass through a 〃venella；〃
or； in Neopolitan parlance； a sottoportico； which led under so many
archways and so many far… projecting balconies that no gleam of light
from the sky could reach us。 My young guide had made us take this route
as a short cut； she assured us； but I think she did so quite as much simply
in order to show that she felt at home in Naples； and knew the city
thoroughly。 Indeed； she needed to know it very thoroughly to venture by
night into that labyrinth of subterranean alleys and flights of steps。 If ever
any many showed absolute docility in allowing himself to be guided； that
man was myself。 Dante never followed the steps of Beatrice with more
confidence than I felt in following those of Princess Trepof。
The lady appeared to find some pleasure in my conversation； for she
27
… Page 28…
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
invited me to take a carriage…drive with her on the morrow to visit the
grotto of Posilippo and the tomb of Virgil。 She declared she had seen me
somewhere before； but she could not remember if it had been a Stockholm
or at Canton。 In the former event I was a very celebrated professor of
geology； in the latter； a provision… merchant whose courtesy and kindness
had been much appreciated。 One thing certain was that she had seen my
back somewhere before。
〃Excuse me；〃 she added； 〃we are continually travelling； my husband
and I； to collect match…boxes and to change our ennui by changing country。
Perhaps it would be more reasonable to content ourselves with a single
variety of ennui。 But we have made all our preparations and arrangements
for travelling： all our plans have been laid out in advance； and it gives us
no trouble； whereas it would be very troublesome for us to stop anywhere
in particular。 I tell you all this so that you many not be surprised if my
recollections have become a little mixed up。 But from the moment I first
saw you at a distance this evening； I feltin fact I knew that I had seen
you before。 Now the question is； 'Where was it that I saw you？' You are
not then； either the geologist or the provision…merchant？〃
〃No； Madame；〃 I replied； 〃I am neither the one nor the other； and I am
sorry for itsince you have had reason to esteem them。 There is really
nothing about me worthy of your interest。 I have spent all my life poring
over books； and I have never traveled： you might have known that from
my bewilderment； which excited your compassion。 I am a member of the
Institute。〃
〃You are a member of the Institute！ How nice！ Will you not write
something for me in my album？ Do you know Chinese？ I would like so
much to have you write something in Chinese or Persian in my album。 I
will introduce you to my friend； Miss Fergusson； who travels everywhere
to see all the famous people in the world。 She will be delighted。。。。 Dimitri；
did you hear that？this gentleman is a member of the Institute； and he has
passed all his life over books。〃
The prince nodded approval。
〃Monsieur；〃 I said； trying to engage him in our conversation； 〃it is true
that something can be learned from books； but a great deal more can be
28
… Page 29…