maitre cornelius-第5部分

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to　lock　up　his　sister　at　night　in　a　bedroom　with　iron…barred　windows。



As　he　grew　older；　Cornelius；　constantly　robbed；　and　always　fearful　of

being　duped　by　men；　came　to　hate　mankind；　with　the　one　exception　of

the　king；　whom　he　greatly　respected。　He　fell　into　extreme　misanthropy；

but；　like　most　misers；　his　passion　for　gold；　the　assimilation；　as　it

were；　of　that　metal　with　his　own　substance；　became　closer　and　closer；

and　age　intensified　it。　His　sister　herself　excited　his　suspicions；

though　she　was　perhaps　more　miserly；　more　rapacious　than　her　brother

whom　she　actually　surpassed　in　penurious　inventions。　Their　daily

existence　had　something　mysterious　and　problematical　about　it。　The　old

woman　rarely　took　bread　from　the　baker；　she　appeared　so　seldom　in　the

market；　that　the　least　credulous　of　the　townspeople　ended　by

attributing　to　these　strange　beings　the　knowledge　of　some　secret　for

the　maintenance　of　life。　Those　who　dabbled　in　alchemy　declared　that

Maitre　Cornelius　had　the　power　of　making　gold。　Men　of　science　averred

that　he　had　found　the　Universal　Panacea。　According　to　many　of　the

country…people　to　whom　the　townsfolk　talked　of　him；　Cornelius　was　a

chimerical　being；　and　many　of　them　came　into　the　town　to　look　at　his

house　out　of　mere　curiosity。



The　young　seigneur　whom　we　left　in　front　of　that　house　looked　about

him；　first　at　the　hotel　de　Poitiers；　the　home　of　his　mistress；　and

then　at　the　evil　house。　The　moonbeams　were　creeping　round　their

angles；　and　tinting　with　a　mixture　of　light　and　shade　the　hollows　and

reliefs　of　the　carvings。　The　caprices　of　this　white　light　gave　a

sinister　expression　to　both　edifices；　it　seemed　as　if　Nature　herself

encouraged　the　superstitions　that　hung　about　the　miser's　dwelling。　The

young　man　called　to　mind　the　many　traditions　which　made　Cornelius　a

personage　both　curious　and　formidable。　Though　quite　decided　through

the　violence　of　his　love　to　enter　that　house；　and　stay　there　long

enough　to　accomplish　his　design；　he　hesitated　to　take　the　final　step；

all　the　while　aware　that　he　should　certainly　take　it。　But　where　is　the

man　who；　in　a　crisis　of　his　life；　does　not　willingly　listen　to

presentiments　as　he　hangs　above　the　precipice？　A　lover　worthy　of　being

loved；　the　young　man　feared　to　die　before　he　had　been　received　for

love's　sake　by　the　countess。



This　mental　deliberation　was　so　painfully　interesting　that　he　did　not

feel　the　cold　wind　as　it　whistled　round　the　corner　of　the　building；

and　chilled　his　legs。　On　entering　that　house；　he　must　lay　aside　his

name；　as　already　he　had　laid　aside　the　handsome　garments　of　nobility。

In　case　of　mishap；　he　could　not　claim　the　privileges　of　his　rank　nor

the　protection　of　his　friends　without　bringing　hopeless　ruin　on　the

Comtesse　de　Saint…Vallier。　If　her　husband　suspected　the　nocturnal

visit　of　a　lover；　he　was　capable　of　roasting　her　alive　in　an　iron

cage；　or　of　killing　her　by　degrees　in　the　dungeons　of　a　fortified

castle。　Looking　down　at　the　shabby　clothing　in　which　he　had　disguised

himself；　the　young　nobleman　felt　ashamed。　His　black　leather　belt；　his

stout　shoes；　his　ribbed　socks；　his　linsey…woolsey　breeches；　and　his

gray　woollen　doublet　made　him　look　like　the　clerk　of　some　poverty…

stricken　justice。　To　a　noble　of　the　fifteenth　century　it　was　like

death　itself　to　play　the　part　of　a　beggarly　burgher；　and　renounce　the

privileges　of　his　rank。　Butto　climb　the　roof　of　the　house　where　his

mistress　wept；　to　descend　the　chimney；　or　creep　along　from　gutter　to

gutter　to　the　window　of　her　room；　to　risk　his　life　to　kneel　beside　her

on　a　silken　cushion　before　a　glowing　fire；　during　the　sleep　of　a

dangerous　husband；　whose　snores　would　double　their　joy；　to　defy　both

heaven　and　earth　in　snatching　the　boldest　of　all　kisses；　to　say　no

word　that　would　not　lead　to　death　or　at　least　to　sanguinary　combat　if

overheard；all　these　voluptuous　images　and　romantic　dangers　decided

the　young　man。　However　slight　might　be　the　guerdon　of　his　enterprise；

could　he　only　kiss　once　more　the　hand　of　his　lady；　he　still　resolved

to　venture　all；　impelled　by　the　chivalrous　and　passionate　spirit　of

those　days。　He　never　supposed　for　a　moment　that　the　countess　would

refuse　him　the　soft　happiness　of　love　in　the　midst　of　such　mortal

danger。　The　adventure　was　too　perilous；　too　impossible　not　to　be

attempted　and　carried　out。



Suddenly　all　the　bells　in　the　town　rang　out　the　curfew；a　custom

fallen　elsewhere　into　desuetude；　but　still　observed　in　the　provinces；

where　venerable　habits　are　abolished　slowly。　Though　the　lights　were

not　put　out；　the　watchmen　of　each　quarter　stretched　the　chains　across

the　streets。　Many　doors　were　locked；　the　steps　of　a　few　belated

burghers；　attended　by　their　servants；　armed　to　the　teeth　and　bearing

lanterns；　echoed　in　the　distance。　Soon　the　town；　garroted　as　it　were；

seemed　to　be　asleep；　and　safe　from　robbers　and　evil…doers；　except

through　the　roofs。　In　those　days　the　roofs　of　houses　were　much

frequented　after　dark。　The　streets　were　so　narrow　in　the　provincial

towns；　and　even　in　Paris；　that　robbers　could　jump　from　the　roofs　on

one　side　to　those　on　the　other。　This　perilous　occupation　was　long　the

amusement　of　King　Charles　IX。　in　his　youth；　if　we　may　believe　the

memoirs　of　his　day。



Fearing　to　present　himself　too　late　to　the　old　silversmith；　the　young

nobleman　now　went　up　to　the　door　of　the　Malemaison　intending　to　knock；

when；　on　looking　at　it；　his　attention　was　excited　by　a　sort　of　vision；

which　the　writers　of　those　days　would　have　called　〃cornue；〃perhaps

with　reference　to　horns　and　hoofs。　He　rubbed　his　eyes　to　clear　his

sight；　and　a　thousand　diverse　sentiments　passed　through　his　mind　at

the　spectacle　before　him。　On　each　side　of　the　door　was　a　face　framed

in　a　species　of　loophole。　At　first　he　took　these　two　faces　for

grotesque　masks　carved　in　stone；　so　angular；　distorted；　projecting；

motionless；　discolored　were　they；　but　the　cold　air　and　the　moonlight

presently　enabled　him　to　distinguish　the　faint　white　mist　which　living

breath　sent　from　two　purplish　noses；　then　he　saw　in　each　hollow　face；

beneath　the　shadow　of　the　eyebrows；　two　eyes　of　porcelain　blue　casting

clear　fire；　like　those　of　a　wolf　crouching　in　the　brushwood　as　it

hears　the　baying　of　the　hounds。　The　uneasy　gleam　of　those　eyes　was

turned　on　him　so　fixedly　that；　after　receiving　it　for　fully　a　minute；

during　which　he　examined　the　singular　sight；　he　felt　like　a　bird　at

which　a　setter　points；　a　feverish　tumult　rose　in　his　soul；　but　he

quickly　repressed　it。　The　two　faces；　strained　and　suspicious；　were

doubtless　those　of　Cornelius　and　his　sister。



The　young　man　feigned　to　be　looking　about　him　to　see　where　he　was；　and

whether　this　were　the　house　named　on　a　card　which　he　drew　from　his

pocket　and　pretended　to　read　in　the　moonlight；　then　he　walked　straight

to　the　door　and　struck　three　blows　upon　it；　which　echoed　within　the

house　as　if　it　were　the　entrance　to　a　cave。　A　faint　light　crept

beneath　the　threshold；　and　an　eye　appeared　at　a　small　and　very　strong

iron　grating。



〃Who　is　there？〃



〃A　friend；　sent　by　Oosterlinck；　of　Brussels。〃



〃What　do　you　want？〃



〃To　enter。〃



〃Your　name？〃



〃Philippe　Goulenoire。〃



〃Have　you　brought　credentials？〃



〃Here　they　are。〃



〃Pass　them　through　the　box。〃



〃Where　is　it？〃



〃To　your　left。〃



Philippe　Goulenoire　put　the　letter　through　the　slit　of　an　iron　box

above　which　was　a　loophole。



〃The　devil！〃　thought　he；　〃plainly　the　king　comes　here；　as　they　say　he

does；　he　couldn't　take　more　precautions　at　Plessis。〃



He　waited　for　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour　in　the　street。　After　that

lapse　of　time；　he　heard　Cornelius　saying　to　his　sister；　〃Close　the

traps　of　the　door。〃



A　clinking　of　chains　resounded　from　within。　Philippe　heard　the　bolts

run；　the　locks　creak；　and　presently　a　small　low　door；　iron…bound；

opened　to　the　slightest　distance　through　which　a　man　could　pass。　At

the　risk　of　tearing　off　his　clothing；　Philippe　squeezed　himself　rather

than　walked　into　La　Malemaison。　A　toothless　old　woman　with　a　hatchet

face；　the　eyebrows　projecting　like　the　handles　of　a　cauldron；　the　nose

and　chin　so　near　together　that　a　nut　could　scarcely　pass　between　them；

a　pallid；　haggard　creature；　her　hollow　temples　composed　apparently

of　only　bones　and　nerves；guided　the　〃soi…disant〃　foreigner　silently

into　a　lower　room；　while　Cornelius　followed　prudently　behind　him。



〃Sit　there；〃　she　said　to　Philippe；　showing　him　a　three…legged　stool

placed　at　the　corner　of　a　carved　stone　fireplace；　where　there　was　no

fire。



On　the　other　side　of　the　chimney…piece　was　a　walnut　table　with　twisted

legs；　on　which　was　an　egg　in　a　plate　and　ten　or　a　dozen　little　bread…

sops；　hard　and　dry　and　cut　with　studied　parsimony。　Two　stools　placed

beside　the　table；　on　one　of　which　the　old　woman　sat　down；　showed　that

the　miserly　pair　were　eating　their　suppers。　Cornelius　went　to　the　door

and　pushed　two　iron　shutters　into　their　place；　closing；　no　doubt；　the

loopholes　through　which　they　had　been　gazing　into　the　street；　then　he

returned　to　his　seat。　Philippe　Goulenoire　（so　called）　next　beheld　the

brother　and　sister　dipping　their　sops　into　the　egg　in　turn；　and　with

the　utmost　gravity　and　the　same　precision　with　which　soldiers　dip

their　spoons　in　regular　rotation　into　the　mess…pot。　This　performance

was　done　in　silence。　But　as　he　ate；　Cornelius　examined　the　false

apprentice　with　as　much　care　and　scrutiny　as　if　he　were　weighing　an

old　coin。



Philippe；　feeling　that　an　icy　mantle　had　descended　on　his　shoulders；

was　tempted　to　look　about　him；　but；　with　the　circumspection　dictated

by　all　amorous　enterprises；　he　was　careful　not　to　glance；　even

furtively；　at　the　walls；　for　he　fully　understood　that　if　Cornelius

detected　him；　he　would　not　allow　so　inquisitive　a　person　to　remain　in

his　house。　He　contented　himself；　therefore；　by　looking　first　at　the

egg　and　then　at　the　old　woman；　occasional