the memoirs of victor hugo-第7部分

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th　bayonet　fixed。

A　few　whites；　stark　naked；　ran　about　miserably　in　the　midst　of　this　pandemonium。　　On　a　litter　was　being　borne　the　nude　body　of　a　stout　man；　in　whose　breast　a　dagger　was　sticking　as　a　cross　is　stuck　in　the　ground。

On　every　hand　were　gnomes　bronze…coloured；　red；　black；　kneeling；　sitting；　squatting；　heaped　together；　opening　trunks；　forcing　locks；　trying　on　bracelets；　clasping　necklaces　about　their　necks；　donning　coats　or　dresses；　breaking；　ripping；　tearing。　　Two　blacks　were　trying　to　get　into　the　same　coat；　each　had　got　an　arm　on；　and　they　were　belabouring　each　other　with　their　disengaged　fists。　　It　was　the　second　stage　of　a　sacked　town。　　Robbery　and　joy　had　succeeded　rage。　　In　a　few　corners　some　were　still　engaged　in　killing；　but　the　great　majority　were　pillaging。　　All　were　carrying　off　their　booty；　some　in　their　arms；　some　in　baskets　on　their　backs；　some　in　wheelbarrows。

The　strangest　thing　about　it　all　was　that　in　the　midst　of　the　incredible；　tumultuous　mob；　an　interminable　file　of　pillagers　who　were　rich　and　fortunate　enough　to　possess　horses　and　vehicles；　marched　and　deployed；　in　order　and　with　the　solemn　gravity　of　a　procession。　　This　was　quite　a　different　kind　of　a　medley！

Imagine　carts　of　all　kinds　with　loads　of　every　description：　a　four…horse　carriage　full　of　broken　crockery　and　kitchen　utensils；　with　two　or　three　dressed…up　and　beplumed　negroes　on　each　horse；　a　big　wagon　drawn　by　oxen　and　loaded　with　bales　carefully　corded　and　packed；　damask　armchairs；　frying　pans　and　pitchforks；　and　on　top　of　this　pyramid　a　negress　wearing　a　necklace　and　with　a　feather　stuck　in　her　hair；　an　old　country　coach　drawn　by　a　single　mule　and　with　a　load　of　ten　trunks　and；　ten　negroes；　three　of　whom　were　upon　the　animal's　back。　　Mingle　with　all　this　bath　chairs；　litters　and　sedan　chairs　piled　high　with　loot　of　all　kinds；　precious　articles　of　furniture　with　the　most　sordid　objects。　　It　was　the　hut　and　the　drawing…room　pitched　together　pell…mell　into　a　cart；　an　immense　removal　by　madmen　defiling　through　the　town。

What　was　incomprehensible　was　the　equanimity　with　which　the　petty　robbers　regarded　the　wholesale　robbers。　The　pillagers　afoot　stepped　aside　to　let　the　pillagers　in　carriages　pass。

There　were；　it　is　true；　a　few　patrols；　if　a　squad　of　five　or　six　monkeys　disguised　as　soldiers　and　each　beating　at　his　own　sweet　will　on　a　drum　can　be　called　a　patrol。

Near　the　gate　of　the　town；　through　which　this　immense　stream　of　vehicles　was　issuing；　pranced　a　mulatto；　a　tall；　lean；　yellow　rascal；　rigged　out　in　a　judge's　gown　and　white　tie；　with　his　sleeves　rolled　up；　a　sword　in　his　hand；　and　his　legs　bare。　　He　was　digging　his　heels　into　a　fat…bellied　horse　that　pawed　about　in　the　crowd。　　He　was　the　magistrate　charged　with　the　duty　of　preserving　order　at　the　gate。

A　little　further　on　galloped　another　group。　　A　negro　in　a　red　coat　with　a　blue　sash；　a　general's　epaulettes　and　an　immense　hat　surcharged　with　tri…colour　feathers；　was　forcing　his　way　through　the　rabble。　　He　was　preceded　by　a　horrible；　helmetted　negro　boy　beating　upon　a　drum；　and　followed　by　two　mulattoes；　one　in　a　colonel's　coat；　the　other　dressed　as　a　Turk　with　a　hideous　Mardi　Gras　turban　on　his　ugly　Chinese…like　head。

Out　on　the　plain　I　could　see　battalions　of　ragged　soldiers　drawn　up　round　a　big　house；　on　which　was　a　crowded　balcony　draped　with　a　tri…colour　flag。　　It　had　all　the　appearance　of　a　balcony　from　which　a　speech　was　being　delivered。

Beyond　these　battalions；　this　balcony；　this　flag　and　this　speech　was　a　calm；　magnificent　prospect…trees　green　and　charming；　mountains　of　superb　shape；　a　cloudless　sky；　the　ocean　without　a　ripple。

Strange　and　sad　it　is　to　see　the　grimace　of　man　made　with　such　effrontery　in　presence　of　the　face　of　God！




III。　　A　DREAM。

September　6；　1847。



Last　night　I　dreamed　thiswe　had　been　talking　all　the　evening　about　riots；　a　propos　of　the　troubles　in　the　Rue　Saint　Honoré：

I　entered　an　obscure　passage　way。　　Men　passed　and　elbowed　me　in　the　shadow。　　I　issued　from　the　passage。　　I　was　in　a　large　square；　which　was　longer　than　it　was　wide；　and　surrounded　by　a　sort　of　vast　wall；　or　high　edifice　that　resembled　a　wall；　which　enclosed　it　on　all　four　sides。　　There　were　neither　doors　nor　windows　in　this　wall；　just　a　few　holes　here　and　there。　　At　certain　spots　it　appeared　to　have　been　riddled　with　shot；　at　others　it　was　cracked　and　hanging　over　as　though　it　had　been　shaken　by　an　earthquake。　It　had　the　bare；　crumbling　and　desolate　aspect　of　places　in　Oriental　cities。

No　one　was　in　sight。　　Day　was　breaking。　　The　stone　was　grey；　the　sky　also。　　At　the　extremity　of　the　place　I　perceived　four　obscure　objects　that　looked　liked　cannon　levelled　ready　for　firing。

A　great　crowd　of　ragged　men　and　children　rushed　by　me　with　gestures　of　terror。

〃Save　us！〃　cried　one　of　them。　　〃The　grape　shot　is　coming！〃

〃Where　are　we？〃　I　asked。　　〃What　is　this　place？〃'

〃What！　do　you　not　belong　to　Paris？〃　responded　the　man。　　〃This　is　the　Palais…Royal。〃

I　gazed　about　me　and；　in　effect；　recognised　in　this　frightful；　devastated　square　in　ruins　a　sort　of　spectre　of　the　Palais…Royal。

The　fleeing　men　had　vanished；　I　knew　not　whither。

I　also　would　have　fled。　　I　could　not。　　In　the　twilight　I　saw　a　light　moving　about　the　cannon。

The　square　was　deserted。　　I　could　hear　cries　of：　〃Run！　they　are　going　to　shoot！〃　but　I　could　not　see　those　who　uttered　them。

A　woman　passed　by。　　She　was　in　tatters　and　carried　a　child　on　her　back。　　She　did　not　run。　　She　walked　slowly。　She　was　young；　cold；　pale；　terrible。

As　she　passed　me　she　said：　〃It　is　hard　lines！　Bread　is　at　thirty…four　sous；　and　even　at　that　the　cheating　bakers　do　not　give　full　weight。〃

I　saw　the　light　at　the　end　of　the　square　flare　up　and　heard　the　roar　of　the　cannon。　　I　awoke。

Somebody　had　just　slammed　the　front　door。




IV。　　THE　PANEL　WITH　THE　COAT　OF　ARMS。



The　panel　which　was　opposite　the　bed　had　been　so　blackened　by　time　and　effaced　by　dust　that　at　first　he　could　distinguish　only　confused　lines　and　undecipherable　contours；　but　the　while　he　was　thinking　of　other　things　his　eyes　continually　wandered　back　to　it　with　that　mysterious　and　mechanical　persistence　which　the　gaze　sometimes　has。　　Singular　details　began　to　detach　themselves　from　the　confused　and　obscure　whole。　　His　curiosity　was　roused。　　When　the　attention　becomes　fixed　it　is　like　a　light；　and　the　tapestry　growing　gradually　less　cloudy　finally　appeared　to　him　in　its　entirety；　and　stood　out　distinctly　against　the　sombre　wall；　as　though　vaguely　illumined。

It　was　only　a　panel　with　a　coat　of　arms　upon　it；　the　blazon；　no　doubt；　of　former　owners　of　the　chateau；　but　this　blazon　was　a　strange　one。

The　escutcheon　was　at　the　foot　of　the　panel；　and　it　was　not　this　that　first　attracted　attention。　　It　was　of　the　bizarre　shape　of　German　escutcheons　of　the　fifteenth　century。　　It　was　perpendicular　and　rested；　although　rounded　at　the　base；　upon　a　worn；　moss　covered　stone。　　Of　the　two　upper　angles；　one　bent　to　the　left　and　curled　back　upon　itself　like　the　turned　down　corner　of　a　page　of　an　old　book；　the　other；　which　curled　upward；　bore　at　its　extremity　an　immense　and　magnificent　morion　in　profile；　the　chinpiece　of　which　protruded　further　than　the　visor；　making　the　helm　look　like　a　horrible　head　of　a　fish。　　The　crest　was　formed　of　two　great　spreading　wings　of　an　eagle；　one　black；　the　other　red；　and　amid　the　feathers　of　these　wings　were　the　membranous；　twisted　and　almost　living　branches　of　a　huge　seaweed　which　bore　more　resemblance　to　a　polypus　than　to　a　plume。　　From　the　middle　of　the　plume　rose　a　buckled　strap；　which　reached　to　the　angle　of　a　rough　wooden　pitchfork；　the　handle　of　which　was　stuck　in　the　ground；　and　from　there　descended　to　a　hand；　which　held　it。

To　the　left　of　the　escutcheon　was　the　figure　of　a　woman；　standing。　　It　was　an　enchanting　vision。　　She　was　tall　and　slim；　and　wore　a　robe　of　brocade　which　fell　in　ample　folds　about　her　feet；　a　ruff　of　many　pleats　and　a　necklace　of　large　gems。　　On　her　head　was　an　enormous　and　superb　turban　of　blond　hair　on　which　rested　a　crown　of　filigree　that　was　not　round；　and　that　followed　all　the　undulations　of　the　hair。　　The　face；　although　somewhat　too　round　and　large；　was　exquisite。　　The　eyes　were　those　of　an　angel；　the　mouth　was　that　of　a　virgin；　but　in　those　heavenly　eyes　there　was　a　terrestrial　look　and　on　that　virginal　mouth　was　the　smile　of　a　woman。　　In　that　place；　at　that　hour；　on　that　tapestry；　this　mingling　of　divine　ecstasy　and　human　voluptuousness　had　something　at　once　charming　and　awful　about　it。

Behind　the　woman；　bending　towards　her　as　though　whispering　in　her　ear；　appeared　a　man。

Was　he　a　man？　　All　that　could　be　seen　of　his　bodylegs；　arms　and　chestwas　as　hairy　as　the　skin　of　an　ape；　his　hands　and　feet　were　crooked；　like　the　claws　of　a　tiger。　As　to　his　visage；　nothing　more　fantastic　and　frightful　could　be　imagined。　　Amid　a　thick；　bristling　beard；　a　nose　like　an　owl's　beak　and　a　mouth　whose　corners　were　drawn　by　a　wild…beast…like　rictus　were　just　discernible。　　The　eyes　were　half　hidden　by　his　thick；　bushy；　curly　hair。　　Each　curl　ended　in　a　spiral；　pointed　and　twisted　like　a　gimlet；　and　on　peering　at　them　closely　it　could　be　seen　that　each　of　these　gimlets　was　a　little　viper。

The　man　was　smiling　at　the　woman。　　It　was　disquieting　and　sinister；　the　contact　of　these　two　equally　chimerical　beings；　the　one　almost　an　angel；　the　other　almost　a　monster；　a　revolting　clash　of　the　two　extremes　of　the　ideal。　　The　man　held　the　pitchfork；　the　woman　grasped　the　strap　with　her　delicate　pink　fingers。

As　to　the　escutcheon　itself；　it　was　sable；　that　is　to　say；　black；　and　in　the　middle　of　it　appeared；　with　the　vague　whiteness　of　silver；　a　fleshless；　deformed　thing；　which；　like　the　rest；　at　length　became　distinct。　　It　was　a　death's　head。　The　nose　was　lacking；　the　orbits　of　the　eyes　were　hollow　and　deep；　the　cavity　of　the　ear　could　be　seen　on　the　right　side；　all　the　seams　of　the　cranium　could　be　traced；　and　there　only　remained　two　teeth　in　the　jaws。

But　this　black　escutcheon；　this　livid　death's　head；　designed　with　such　minuteness　of　detail　that　it　seemed　to　stand　out　from　the　tapestry；　was　less　lugubrious　than　the　two　personages　who　held　up　the　hideous　blazon　and　who　seemed　to