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屋顶间的哲学家_梭维斯特-第6部分
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thatwastwoyearsago。iwaswalkingatthetimebythesideoftheseine;towhichthelightsonthequaysandbridgesgavetheaspectofalakesurroundedbyagarlandofstars;andihadreachedthelouvre;wheniwasstoppedbyacrowdcollectedneartheparapettheyhadgatheredroundachildofaboutsix;whowascrying;andiaskedthecauseofhistears。
〃itseemsthathewassenttowalkinthetuileries;〃saidamason;whowasreturningfromhisworkwithhistrowelinhishand;〃theservantwhotookcareofhimmetwithsomefriendsthere;andtoldthechildtowaitforhimwhilehewenttogetadrink;butisupposethedrinkmadehimmorethirsty;forhehasnoteback;andthechildcannotfindhiswayhome。〃
〃whydotheynotaskhimhisname;andwherehelives?〃
〃theyhavebeendoingitforthelasthour;butallhecansayis;thatheiscalledcharles;andthathisfatherismonsieurduval鈥斺�攖herearetwelvehundredduvalsinparis。〃
〃thenhedoesnotknowinwhatpartofthetownhelives?〃
〃ishouldnotthink;indeed!dontyouseethatheisagentlemanschild?hehasnevergoneoutexceptinacarriageorwithaservant;hedoesnotknowwhattodobyhimself。〃
herethemasonwasinterruptedbysomeofthevoicesrisingabovetheothers。
〃wecannotleavehiminthestreet;〃saidsome。
〃thechild…stealerswouldcarryhimoff;〃continuedothers。
〃wemusttakehimtotheoverseer。〃
〃ortothepolice…office。〃
〃thatsthethinge;littleone!〃
butthechild;frightenedbythesesuggestionsofdanger;andatthenamesofpoliceandoverseer;criedlouder;anddrewbacktowardtheparapet。invaintheytriedtopersuadehim;hisfearsmadehimresistthemore;andthemosteagerbegantogetweary;whenthevoiceofalittleboywasheardthroughtheconfusion。
〃iknowhimwell鈥斺�攊do;〃saidhe;lookingatthelostchild;〃hebelongsinourpartofthetown。〃
〃whatpartisit?〃
〃yonder;ontheothersideoftheboulevards鈥斺�攔uedesmagasins。〃
〃andyouhaveseenhimbefore?〃
〃yes;yes!hebelongstothegreathouseattheendofthestreet;wherethereisanirongatewithgiltpoints。〃
thechildquicklyraisedhishead;andstoppedcrying。thelittleboyansweredallthequestionsthatwereputtohim;andgavesuchdetailsasleftnoroomfordoubt。theotherchildunderstoodhim;forhewentuptohimasiftoputhimselfunderhisprotection。
〃thenyoucantakehimtohisparents?〃askedthemason;whohadlistenedwithrealinteresttothelittleboysaccount。
〃idontcareifido;〃repliedhe;〃itsthewayimgoing。〃
〃thenyouwilltakechargeofhim?〃
〃hehasonlytoewithme。〃
and;takingupthebaskethehadputdownonthepavement;hesetofftowardthepostern…gateofthelouvre。
thelostchildfollowedhim。
〃ihopehewilltakehimright;〃saidi;whenisawthemgoaway。
〃neverfear;〃repliedthemason;〃thelittleoneintheblouseisthesameageastheother;but;asthesayingis;heknowsblackfromwhite;poverty;yousee;isafamousschoolmistress!〃
thecrowddispersed。formypart;iwenttowardthelouvre;thethoughtcameintomyheadtofollowthetwochildren;soastoguardagainstanymistake。
iwasnotlonginovertakingthem;theywerewalkingsidebyside;talking;andalreadyquitefamiliarwitheachother。thecontrastintheirdressthenstruckme。littleduvalworeoneofthosefancifulchildrensdresseswhichareexpensiveaswellasingoodtaste;hiscoatwasskilfullyfittedtohisfigure;histrouserscamedowninplaitsfromhiswaisttohisbootsofpolishedleatherwithmother…of…pearlbuttons;andhisringletswerehalfhidbyavelvetcap。theappearanceofhisguide;onthecontrary;wasthatoftheclasswhodwellontheextremebordersofpoverty;butwhotheremaintaintheirgroundwithnosurrender。hisoldblouse;patchedwithpiecesofdifferentshades;indicatedtheperseveranceofanindustriousmotherstrugglingagainstthewearandtearoftime;histrouserswerebeetooshort;andshowedhisstockingsdarnedoverandoveragain;anditwasevidentthathisshoeswerenotmadeforhim。
thecountenancesofthetwochildrenwerenotlessdifferentthantheirdress。thatofthefirstwasdelicateandrefined;hisclearblueeye;hisfairskin;andhissmilingmouthgavehimacharminglookofinnocenceandhappiness。thefeaturesoftheother;onthecontrary;hadsomethingroughinthem;hiseyewasquickandlively;hisplexiondark;hissmilelessmerrythanshrewd;allshowedamindsharpenedbytooearlyexperience;hewalkedboldlythroughthemiddleofthestreetsthrongedbycarriages;andfollowedtheircountlessturningswithouthesitation。
ifound;onaskinghim;thateverydayhecarrieddinnertohisfather;whowasthenworkingontheleftbankoftheseine;andthisresponsibledutyhadmadehimcarefulandprudent。hehadlearnedthosehardbutforciblelessonsofnecessitywhichnothingcanequalorsupplytheplaceof。unfortunately;thewantsofhispoorfamilyhadkepthimfromschool;andheseemedtofeeltheloss;forheoftenstoppedbeforetheprintshops;andaskedhispaniontoreadhimthenamesoftheengravings。inthiswaywereachedtheboulevardbonnenouvelle;whichthelittlewandererseemedtoknowagain。notwithstandinghisfatigue;hehurriedon;hewasagitatedbymixedfeelings;atthesightofhishouseheutteredacry;andrantowardtheirongatewiththegiltpoints;aladywhowasstandingattheentrancereceivedhiminherarms;andfromtheexclamationsofjoy;andthesoundofkisses;isoonperceivedshewashismother。
notseeingeithertheservantorchildreturn;shehadsentinsearchofthemineverydirection;andwaswaitingfortheminintenseanxiety。
iexplainedtoherinafewwordswhathadhappened。shethankedmewarmly;andlookedroundforthelittleboywhohadrecognizedandbroughtbackherson;butwhileweweretalking;hehaddisappeared。
itwasforthefirsttimesincethenthatihadeintothispartofparis。didthemothercontinuegrateful?hadthechildrenmetagain;andhadthehappychanceoftheirfirstmeetingloweredbetweenthemthatbarrierwhichmaymarkthedifferentranksofmen;butshouldnotdividethem?
whileputtingthesequestionstomyself;islackenedmypace;andfixedmyeyesonthegreatgate;whichijustperceived。suddenlyisawitopen;andtwochildrenappearedattheentrance。althoughmuchgrown;irecognizedthematfirstsight;theywerethechildwhowasfoundneartheparapetofthelouvre;andhisyoungguide。butthedressofthelatterwasgreatlychanged:hisblouseofgrayclothwasneat;andevenspruce;andwasfastenedroundthewaistbyapolishedleatherbelt;heworestrongshoes;butmadeforhisfeet;andhadonanewclothcap。
justatthemomentisawhim;heheldinhistwohandsanenormousbunchoflilacs;towhichhispanionwastryingtoaddnarcissusesandprimroses;thetwochildrenlaughed;andpartedwithafriendlygood…by。
m。duvalssondidnotgointillhehadseentheotherturnthecornerofthestreet。
theniaccostedthelatter;andremindedhimofourformermeeting;helookedatmeforamoment;andthenseemedtorecollectme。
〃forgivemeifidonotmakeyouabow;〃saidhe;merrily;〃butiwantbothmyhandsforthenosegaymonsieurcharleshasgivenme。〃
〃youare;then;beegreatfriends?〃saidi。
〃oh!ishouldthinkso;〃saidthechild;〃andnowmyfatherisrichtoo!〃
〃howsthat?〃
〃monsieurduvallenthimsomemoney;hehastakenashop;whereheworksonhisownaccount;and;asforme;igotoschool。〃
〃yes;〃repliedi;remarkingforthefirsttimethecrossthatdecoratedhislittlecoat;〃andiseethatyouarehead…boy!〃
〃monsieurcharleshelpsmetolearn;andsoiametobethefirstintheclass。〃
〃areyounowgoingtoyourlessons?〃
〃yes;andhehasgivenmesomelilacs;forhehasagardenwhereweplaytogether;andwheremymothercanalwayshaveflowers。〃
〃thenitisthesameasifitwerepartlyyourown。〃
〃soitis!ah!theyaregoodneighborsindeed。buthereiam;good…by;sir。〃
henoddedtomewithasmile;anddisappeared。
iwentonwithmywalk;stillpensive;butwithafeelingofrelief。
ifihadelsewherewitnessedthepainfulcontrastbetweenaffluenceandwant;hereihadfoundthetrueunionofrichesandpoverty。heartygood…willhadsmootheddownthemoreruggedinequalitiesonbothsides;andhadopenedaroadoftrueneighborhoodandfellowshipbetweenthehumbleworkshopandthestatelymansion。insteadofhearkeningtothevoiceofinterest;theyhadbothlistenedtothatofself…sacrifice;andtherewasnoplaceleftforcontemptorenvy。thus;insteadofthebeggarinrags;thatihadseenattheotherdoorcursingtherichman;ihadfoundherethehappychildofthelaborerloadedwithflowersandblessinghim!theproblem;sodifficultandsodangeroustoexamineintowithnoregardbutfortherightsofit;ihadjustseensolvedbylove。
CHAPTER V
pensation
sunday;may27th
capitalcitieshaveonethingpeculiartothem:theirdaysofrestseemtobethesignalforageneraldispersionandflight。likebirdsthatarejustrestoredtoliberty;thepeopleeoutoftheirstonecages;andjoyfullyflytowardthecountry。itiswhoshallfindagreenhillockforaseat;ortheshadeofawoodforashelter;theygathermayflowers;theyrunaboutthefields;thetownisforgottenuntiltheevening;whentheyreturnwithsprigsofbloominghawthornintheirhats;andtheirheartsgladdenedbypleasantthoughtsandrecollectionsofthepastday;thenextdaytheyreturnagaintotheirharnessandtowork。
theseruraladventuresaremostremarkableatparis。whenthefineweatheres;clerks;shopkeepers;andworkingmenlookforwardimpatientlyforthesundayasthedayfortryingafewhoursofthispastorallife;theywalkthroughsixmilesofgrocersshopsandpublic…housesinthefaubourgs;inthesolehopeoffindingarealturnip…field。
thefatherofafamilybeginsthepracticaleducationofhissonbyshowinghimwheatwhichhasnottakentheformofaloaf;andcabbage〃initswildstate。〃heavenonlyknowstheencounters;thediscoveries;theadventuresthataremetwith!whatparisianhasnothadhisodysseyinanexcursionthroughthesuburbs;andwouldnotbeabletowriteapaniontothefamoustravelsbylandandbyseafromparistost。
cloud?
wedonotnowspeakofthatfloatingpopulationfromallparts;forwhomourfrenchbabylonisthecaravansaryofeurope:aphalanxofthinkers;artists;menofbusiness;andtravellers;who;likehomershero;havearrivedintheirintellectualcountryafterbeholding〃manypeoplesandcities;〃butofthesettledparisian;whokeepshisappointedplace;andlivesonhisownfloorliketheoysteronhisrock;acuriousvestigeofthecredulity;theslowness;andthesimplicityofbygoneages。
foroneofthesingularitiesofparisis;thatitunitestwentypopulationspletelydifferentincharacterandmanners。bythesideofthegypsiesofmerceandofart;whowanderthroughalltheseveralstagesoffortuneorfancy;liveaquietraceofpeoplewithanindependence;orwithregularwork;whoseexistenceresemblesthedialofaclock;onwhichthesamehandpointsbyturnstothesamehours。
ifnoothercitycanshowmorebrilliantandmorestirringformsoflife;noothercontainsmoreobscureandmoretranquilones。greatcitiesarelikethesea:stormsagitateonlythesurface;ifyougotothebottom;youfindaregioninaccessibletothetumultandthenoise。
formypart;ihavesettledonthevergeofthisregion;butdonotactuallyliveinit。iamremovedfromtheturmoiloftheworld;andliveintheshelterofsolitude;butwithoutbeingabletodisconnectmythoughtsfromthestrugglegoingon。ifollowatadistanceallitseventsofhappinessorgrief;ijointhefeastsandthefunerals;forhowcanhewholookson;andknows
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