the notch on the ax and on being found out- 第42部分

There　are　three　epochs　in　the　empire　of　a　Frenchwomanshe　is
coquette；　then　deist；　then　devote。　　The　empire　during　these　is
never　lostshe　only　changes　her　subjects。　　When　thirty…five　years
and　more　have　unpeopled　her　dominion　of　the　slaves　of　love　she
repeoples　it　with　slaves　of　infidelity；　and；　then　with　the　slaves
of　the　church。

Mme。　de　V　was　vibrating　between　the　first　of　these　epochs；　the
color　of　the　rose　was　fading　fast　away；　she　ought　to　have　been　a
deist　five　years　before　the　time　I　had　the　honor　to　pay　my　first
visit。

She　placed　me　upon　the　same　sofa　with　her　for　the　sake　of　disputing
the　point　of　religion　more　closely。　　In　short；　Mme。　de　V　told
me　she　believed　nothing。

I　told　Mme。　de　V　it　might　be　her　principle；　but　I　was　sure　it
could　not　be　her　interest；　to　level　the　outworks；　without　which　I
could　not　conceive　how　such　a　citadel　as　hers　could　be　defended；
that　there　was　not　a　more　dangerous　thing　in　the　world　than　for　a
beauty　to　be　a　deist；　that　it　was　a　debt　I　owed　my　creed　not　to
conceal　it　from　her；　that　I　had　not　been　five　minutes　upon　the　sofa
beside　her　before　I　had　begun　to　form　designs；　and　what　is　it　but
the　sentiments　of　religion；　and　the　persuasion　they　had　existed　in
her　breast；　which　could　have　checked　them　as　they　rose　up？

〃We　are　not　adamant；〃　said　I；　taking　hold　of　her　hand；　〃and　there
is　need　of　all　restraints　till　age　in　her　own　time　steals　in　and
lays　them　on　us；　but；　my　dear　lady；〃　said　I；　kissing　her　hand；　〃it
is　tootoo　soon。〃

I　declare　I　had　the　credit　all　over　Paris　of　unperverting　Mme。　de
V。　　She　affirmed　to　M。　D　and　the　Abbe　M　that　in　one
half　hour　I　had　said　more　for　revealed　religion　than　all　their
encyclopaedia　had　said　against　it。　　I　was　listed　directly　into　Mme。
de　Vo's　coterie；　and　she　put　off　the　epoch　of　deism　for　two
years。

I　remember　it　was　in　this　coterie；　in　the　middle　of　a　discourse；　in
which　I　was　showing　the　necessity　of　a　first　cause；　that　the　young
Count　de　Faineant　took　me　by　the　hand　to　the　farthest　corner　of　the
room；　to　tell　me　that　my　solitaire　was　pinned　too　strait　about　my
neck。　　〃It　should　be　plus　badinant；〃　said　the　count；　looking　down
upon　his　own；　〃but　a　word；　M。　Yorick；　to　the　wise〃

〃And　from　the　wise；　M。　le　Comte；〃　replied　I；　making　him　a　bow；　〃is
enough。〃

The　Count　de　Faineant　embraced　me　with　more　ardor　than　ever　I　was
embraced　by　mortal　man。

For　three　weeks　together　I　was　of　every　man's　opinion　I　met。
〃Pardi！　ce　M。　Yorick　a　autant　d'esprit　que　nous　autres。〃

〃Il　raisonne　bien；〃　said　another。

〃C'est　un　bon　enfant；〃　said　a　third。

And　at　this　price　I　could　have　eaten　and　drunk　and　been　merry　all
the　days　of　my　life　at　Paris；　but　it　was　a　dishonest　reckoning。　　I
grew　ashamed　of　it；　it　was　the　gain　of　a　slave；　every　sentiment　of
honor　revolted　against　it；　the　higher　I　got；　the　more　was　I　forced
upon　my　beggarly　system；　the　better　the　coterie；　the　more　children
of　Art；　I　languished　for　those　of　Nature。　　And　one　night；　after　a
most　vile　prostitution　of　myself　to　half　a　dozen　different　people；
I　grew　sick；　went　to　bed；　and　ordered　horses　in　the　morning　to　set
out　for　Italy。


CONTRAST


A　shoe　coming　loose　from　the　forefoot　of　the　thill　horse　at　the
beginning　of　the　ascent　of　Mount　Taurira；　the　postilion　dismounted；
twisted　the　shoe　off；　and　put　it　in　his　pocket；　as　the　ascent　was
of　five　or　six　miles；　and　that　horse　our　main　dependence　I　made　a
point　of　having　the　shoe　fastened　on　again　as　well　as　we　could；　but
the　postilion　had　thrown　away　the　nails；　and　the　hammer　in　the
chaise　box　being　of　no　great　use　without　them；　I　submitted　to　go
on。

He　had　not　mounted　half　a　mile　higher　when；　coming　to　a　flinty
piece　of　road；　the　poor　devil　lost　a　second　shoe；　and　from　off　his
other　forefoot。　　I　then　got　out　of　the　chaise　in　good　earnest；　and
seeing　a　house　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　to　the　left　hand；　with　a
great　deal　to　do　I　prevailed　upon　the　postilion　to　turn　up　to　it。
The　look　of　the　house；　and　of　everything　about　it；　as　we　drew
nearer；　soon　reconciled　me　to　the　disaster。　　It　was　a　little
farmhouse　surrounded　with　about　twenty　acres　of　vineyard；　about　as
much　corn；　and　close　to　the　house　on　one　side　was　a　potagerie　of　an
acre　and　a　half；　full　of　everything　which　could　make　plenty　in　a
French　peasant's　house；　and　on　the　other　side　was　a　little　wood
which　furnished　wherewithal　to　dress　it。　　It　was　about　eight　in　the
evening　when　I　got　to　the　house；　so　I　left　the　postilion　to　manage
his　point　as　he　could；　and　for　mine　I　walked　directly　into　the
house。

The　family　consisted　of　an　old　gray…headed　man　and　his　wife；　with
five　or　six　sons　and　sons…in…laws；　and　their　several　wives；　and　a
joyous　genealogy　out　of　them。

They　were　all　sitting　down　together　to　their　lentil　soup。　　A　large
wheaten　loaf　was　in　the　middle　of　the　table；　and　a　flagon　of　wine
at　each　end　of　it　promised　joy　through　the　stages　of　the　repast
'twas　a　feast　of　love。

The　old　man　rose　up　to　meet　me；　and　with　a　respectful　cordiality
would　have　me　sit　down　at　the　table。　　My　heart　was　sat　down　the
moment　I　entered　the　room；　so　I　sat　down　at　once　like　a　son　of　the
family；　and　to　invest　myself　in　the　character　as　speedily　as　I
could；　I　instantly　borrowed　the　old　man's　knife；　and　taking　up　the
loaf　cut　myself　a　hearty　luncheon；　and；　as　I　did　it；　I　saw　a
testimony　in　every　eye；　not　only　of　an　honest　welcome；　but　of　a
welcome　mixed　with　thanks　that　I　had　not　seemed　to　doubt　it。

Was　it　this；　or　tell　me；　Nature；　what　else　it　was　that　made　this
morsel　so　sweet；　and　to　what　magic　I　owe　it　that　the　draught　I　took
of　their　flagon　was　so　delicious　with　it　that　they　remain　upon　my
palate　to　this　hour？

If　the　supper　was　to　my　taste；　the　grace　which　followed　it　was　much
more　so。

When　supper　was　over；　the　old　man　gave　a　knock　upon　the　table　with
the　haft　of　his　knife　to　bid　them　prepare　for　the　dance。　　The
moment　the　signal　was　given；　the　women　and　girls　ran　all　together
into　a　back　apartment　to　tie　up　their　hair；　and　the　young　men　to
the　door　to　wash　their　faces　and　change　their　sabots；　and　in　three
minutes　every　soul　was　ready　upon　a　little　esplanade　before　the
house　to　begin。　　The　old　man　and　his　wife　came　out　last；　and；
placing　me　betwixt　them；　sat　down　upon　a　sofa　of　turf　by　the　door。

The　old　man　had　some　fifty　years　ago　been　no　mean　performer　upon
the　vielle；*　and　at　the　age　he　was　then　of；　touched　well　enough　for
the　purpose。　　His　wife　sung　now　and　then　a　little　to　the　tune；　then
intermitted；　and　joined　her　old　man　again；　as　their　children　and
grandchildren　danced　before　them。


*　A　small　violin；　such　as　was　used　by　the　wandering　jongleurs　of
the　Middle　Ages。EDITOR。


It　was　not　till　the　middle　of　the　second　dance　when；　from　some
pauses　in　the　movement　wherein　they　all　seemed　to　look　up；　I
fancied　I　could　distinguish　an　elevation　of　spirit　different　from
that　which　is　the　cause　or　the　effect　of　simple　jollity。　　In　a
word；　I　thought　I　beheld　RELIGION　mixing　in　the　dance；　but；　as　I
had　never　seen　her　so　engaged；　I　should　have　looked　upon　it　now　as
one　of　the　illusions　of　an　imagination；　which　is　eternally
misleading　me；　had　not　the　old　man；　as　soon　as　the　dance　ended；
said　that　this　was　their　constant　way；　and　that　all　his　life　long
he　had　made　it　a　rule；　after　supper　was　over；　to　call　out　his
family　to　dance　and　rejoice；　believing；　he　said；　that　a　cheerful
and　contented　mind　was　the　best　sort　of　thanks　to　heaven　that　an
illiterate　peasant　could　pay

〃Or　a　learned　prelate　either；〃　said　I。

When　you　have　gained　the　top　of　Mount　Taurira；　you　run　presently
down　to　Lyons。　　Adieu　then　to　all　rapid　movements！　　It　is　a　journey
of　caution；　and　it　fares　better　with　sentiments　not　to　be　in　a
hurry　with　them；　so　I　contracted　with　a　volturin　to　take　his　time
with　a　couple　of　mules　and　convey　me　in　my　own　chaise　safe　to　Turin
through　Savoy。

Poor；　patient；　quiet；　honest　people；　fear　not！　　Your　poverty；　the
treasury　of　your　simple　virtues；　will　not　be　envied　you　by　the
world；　nor　will　your　values　be　invaded　by　it。　　Nature；　in　the　midst
of　thy　disorders；　thou　art　still　friendly　to　the　scantiness　thou
hast　created；　with　all　thy　great　works　about　thee　little　hast　thou
left　to　give；　either　to　the　scythe　or　to　the　sickle；　but　to　that
little　thou　grantest　safety　and　protection；　and　sweet　are　the
dwellings　which　stand　so　sheltered！



William　Makepeace　Thackeray


On　Being　Found　Out


At　the　close　（let　us　say）　of　Queen　Anne's　reign；　when　I　was　a　boy
at　a　private　and　preparatory　school　for　young　gentlemen；　I　remember
the　wiseacre　of　a　master　ordering　us　all；　one　night；　to　march　into
a　little　garden　at　the　back　of　the　house；　and　thence　to　proceed　one
by　one　into　a　tool　or　hen　house　（I　was　but　a　tender　little　thing
just　put　into　short　clothes；　and　can't　exactly　say　whether　the
house　was　for　tools　or　hens）；　and　in　that　house　to　put　our　hands
into　a　sack　which　stood　on　a　bench；　a　candle　burning　beside　it。　　I
put　my　hand　into　the　sack。　　My　hand　came　out　quite　black。　　I　went
and　joined　the　other　boys　in　the　schoolroom；　and　all　their　hands
were　black　too。

By　reason　of　my　tender　age　（and　there　are　some　critics　who；　I　hope；
will　be　satisfied　by　my　acknowledging　that　I　am　a　hundred　and
fifty…six　next　birthday）　I　could　not　understand　what　was　the
meaning　of　this　night　excursionthis　candle；　this　tool　house；　this
bag　of　soot。　　I　think　we　little　boys　were　taken　out　of　our　sleep　to
be　brought　to　the　ordeal。　　We　came；　then；　and　showed　our　little
hands　to　the　master；　washed　them　or　notmost　probably；　I　should
say；　notand　so　went　bewildered　back　to　bed。

Something　had　been　stolen　in　the　school　that　day；　and　Mr。　Wiseacre
having　read　in　a　book　of　an　ingenious　method　of　finding　out　a　thief
by　making　him　put　his　hand　into　a　sack　（which；　if　guilty；　the　rogue
would　shirk　from　doing）；　all　we　boys　were　subjected　to　the　trial。
Goodness　knows　what　the　lost　object　was；　or　who　stole　it。　　We　all
had　black　hands　to　show　the　master。　　And　the　thief；　whoever　he　was；
was　not　Found　Out　that　time。

I　wonder　if　the　rascal　is　alivean　elderly　scoundrel　he　must　be　by
this　time；　and　a　hoary　old　hypocrite；　to　whom　an　old　schoolfellow
presents　his　kindest　regardsparenthetically