two poets- 第6部分

One　day　early　in　May；　1821；　David　and　Lucien　were　standing　together　by　the　window　that　looked　into　the　yard。　It　was　nearly　two　o'clock；　and　the　four　or　five　men　were　going　out　to　dinner。　David　waited　until　the　apprentice　had　shut　the　street　door　with　the　bell　fastened　to　it；　then　he　drew　Lucien　out　into　the　yard　as　if　the　smell　of　paper；　ink；　and　presses　and　old　woodwork　had　grown　intolerable　to　him；　and　together　they　sat　down　under　the　vines；　keeping　the　office　and　the　door　in　view。　The　sunbeams；　playing　among　the　trellised　vine…shoots；　hovered　over　the　two　poets；　making；　as　it　were；　an　aureole　about　their　heads；　bringing　the　contrast　between　their　faces　and　their　characters　into　a　vigorous　relief　that　would　have　tempted　the　brush　of　some　great　painter。

David's　physique　was　of　the　kind　that　Nature　gives　to　the　fighter；　the　man　born　to　struggle　in　obscurity；　or　with　the　eyes　of　all　men　turned　upon　him。　The　strong　shoulders；　rising　above　the　broad　chest；　were　in　keeping　with　the　full　development　of　his　whole　frame。　With　his　thick　crop　of　black　hair；　his　fleshy；　high…colored；　swarthy　face；　supported　by　a　thick　neck；　he　looked　at　first　sight　like　one　of　Boileau's　canons：　but　on　a　second　glance　there　was　that　in　the　lines　about　the　thick　lips；　in　the　dimple　of　the　chin；　in　the　turn　of　the　square　nostrils；　with　the　broad　irregular　line　of　central　cleavage；　and；　above　all；　in　the　eyes；　with　the　steady　light　of　an　all…absorbing　love　that　burned　in　them；　which　revealed　the　real　character　of　the　manthe　wisdom　of　the　thinker；　the　strenuous　melancholy　of　a　spirit　that　discerns　the　horizon　on　either　side；　and　sees　clearly　to　the　end　of　winding　ways；　turning　the　clear　light　of　analysis　upon　the　joys　of　fruition；　known　as　yet　in　idea　alone；　and　quick　to　turn　from　them　in　disgust。　You　might　look　for　the　flash　of　genius　from　such　a　face；　you　could　not　miss　the　ashes　of　the　volcano；　hopes　extinguished　beneath　a　profound　sense　of　the　social　annihilation　to　which　lowly　birth　and　lack　of　fortune　condemns　so　many　a　loftier　mind。　And　by　the　side　of　the　poor　printer；　who　loathed　a　handicraft　so　closely　allied　to　intellectual　work；　close　to　this　Silenus；　joyless；　self…sustained；　drinking　deep　draughts　from　the　cup　of　knowledge　and　of　poetry　that　he　might　forget　the　cares　of　his　narrow　lot　in　the　intoxication　of　soul　and　brain；　stood　Lucien；　graceful　as　some　sculptured　Indian　Bacchus。

For　in　Lucien's　face　there　was　the　distinction　of　line　which　stamps　the　beauty　of　the　antique；　the　Greek　profile；　with　the　velvet　whiteness　of　women's　faces；　and　eyes　full　of　love；　eyes　so　blue　that　they　looked　dark　against　a　pearly　setting；　and　dewy　and　fresh　as　those　of　a　child。　Those　beautiful　eyes　looked　out　from　under　their　long　chestnut　lashes；　beneath　eyebrows　that　might　have　been　traced　by　a　Chinese　pencil。　The　silken　down　on　his　cheeks；　like　his　bright　curling　hair；　shone　golden　in　the　sunlight。　A　divine　graciousness　transfused　the　white　temples　that　caught　that　golden　gleam；　a　matchless　nobleness　had　set　its　seal　in　the　short　chin　raised；　but　not　abruptly。　The　smile　that　hovered　about　the　coral　lips；　yet　redder　as　they　seemed　by　force　of　contrast　with　the　even　teeth；　was　the　smile　of　some　sorrowing　angel。　Lucien's　hands　denoted　race；　they　were　shapely　hands；　hands　that　men　obey　at　a　sign；　and　women　love　to　kiss。　Lucien　was　slender　and　of　middle　height。　From　a　glance　at　his　feet；　he　might　have　been　taken　for　a　girl　in　disguise；　and　this　so　much　the　more　easily　from　the　feminine　contour　of　the　hips；　a　characteristic　of　keen…witted；　not　to　say；　astute；　men。　This　is　a　trait　which　seldom　misleads；　and　in　Lucien　it　was　a　true　indication　of　character；　for　when　he　analyzed　the　society　of　to…day；　his　restless　mind　was　apt　to　take　its　stand　on　the　lower　ground　of　those　diplomatists　who　hold　that　success　justifies　the　use　of　any　means　however　base。　It　is　one　of　the　misfortunes　attendant　upon　great　intellects　that　perforce　they　comprehend　all　things；　both　good　and　evil。

The　two　young　men　judged　society　by　the　more　lofty　standard　because　their　social　position　was　at　the　lowest　end　of　the　scale；　for　unrecognized　power　is　apt　to　avenge　itself　for　lowly　station　by　viewing　the　world　from　a　lofty　standpoint。　Yet　it　is；　nevertheless；　true　that　they　grew　but　the　more　bitter　and　hopeless　after　these　swift　soaring　flights　to　the　upper　regions　of　thought；　their　world　by　right。　Lucien　had　read　much　and　compared；　David　had　thought　much　and　deeply。　In　spite　of　the　young　printer's　look　of　robust；　country…bred　health；　his　turn　of　mind　was　melancholy　and　somewhat　morbidhe　lacked　confidence　in　himself；　but　Lucien；　on　the　other　hand；　with　a　boldness　little　to　be　expected　from　his　feminine；　almost　effeminate；　figure；　graceful　though　it　was；　Lucien　possessed　the　Gascon　temperament　to　the　highest　degreerash；　brave；　and　adventurous；　prone　to　make　the　most　of　the　bright　side；　and　as　little　as　possible　of　the　dark；　his　was　the　nature　that　sticks　at　no　crime　if　there　is　anything　to　be　gained　by　it；　and　laughs　at　the　vice　which　serves　as　a　stepping…stone。　Just　now　these　tendencies　of　ambition　were　held　in　check；　partly　by　the　fair　illusions　of　youth；　partly　by　the　enthusiasm　which　led　him　to　prefer　the　nobler　methods；　which　every　man　in　love　with　glory　tries　first　of　all。　Lucien　was　struggling　as　yet　with　himself　and　his　own　desires；　and　not　with　the　difficulties　of　life；　at　strife　with　his　own　power；　and　not　with　the　baseness　of　other　men；　that　fatal　exemplar　for　impressionable　minds。　The　brilliancy　of　his　intellect　had　a　keen　attraction　for　David。　David　admired　his　friend；　while　he　kept　him　out　of　the　scrapes　into　which　he　was　led　by　the　furie　francaise。

David；　with　his　well…balanced　mind　and　timid　nature　at　variance　with　a　strong　constitution；　was　by　no　means　wanting　in　the　persistence　of　the　Northern　temper；　and　if　he　saw　all　the　difficulties　before　him；　none　the　less　he　vowed　to　himself　to　conquer；　never　to　give　way。　In　him　the　unswerving　virtue　of　an　apostle　was　softened　by　pity　that　sprang　from　inexhaustible　indulgence。　In　the　friendship　grown　old　already；　one　was　the　worshiper；　and　that　one　was　David；　Lucien　ruled　him　like　a　woman　sure　of　love；　and　David　loved　to　give　way。　He　felt　that　his　friend's　physical　beauty　implied　a　real　superiority；　which　he　accepted；　looking　upon　himself　as　one　made　of　coarser　and　commoner　human　clay。

〃The　ox　for　patient　labor　in　the　fields；　the　free　life　for　the　bird；〃　he　thought　to　himself。　〃I　will　be　the　ox；　and　Lucien　shall　be　the　eagle。〃

So　for　three　years　these　friends　had　mingled　the　destinies　bright　with　such　glorious　promise。　Together　they　read　the　great　works　that　appeared　above　the　horizon　of　literature　and　science　since　the　Peace　the　poems　of　Schiller；　Goethe；　and　Byron；　the　prose　writings　of　Scott；　Jean…Paul；　Berzelius；　Davy；　Cuvier；　Lamartine；　and　many　more。　They　warmed　themselves　beside　these　great　hearthfires；　they　tried　their　powers　in　abortive　creations；　in　work　laid　aside　and　taken　up　again　with　new　glow　of　enthusiasm。　Incessantly　they　worked　with　the　unwearied　vitality　of　youth；　comrades　in　poverty；　comrades　in　the　consuming　love　of　art　and　science；　till　they　forgot　the　hard　life　of　the　present；　for　their　minds　were　wholly　bent　on　laying　the　foundations　of　future　fame。

〃Lucien；〃　said　David；　〃do　you　know　what　I　have　just　received　from　Paris？〃　He　drew　a　tiny　volume　from　his　pocket。　〃Listen！〃

And　David　read；　as　a　poet　can　read；　first　Andre　de　Chenier's　Idyll　Neerc；　then　Le　Malade；　following　on　with　the　Elegy　on　a　Suicide；　another　elegy　in　the　classic　taste；　and　the　last　two　Iambes。

〃So　that　is　Andre　de　Chenier！〃　Lucien　exclaimed　again　and　again。　〃It　fills　one　with　despair！〃　he　cried　for　the　third　time；　when　David　surrendered　the　book　to　him；　unable　to　read　further　for　emotion。〃A　poet　rediscovered　by　a　poet！〃　said　Lucien；　reading　the　signature　of　the　preface。

〃After　Chenier　had　written　those　poems；　he　thought　that　he　had　written　nothing　worth　publishing；〃　added　David。

Then　Lucien　in　his　turn　read　aloud　the　fragment　of　an　epic　called　L'Aveugle　and　two　or　three　of　the　Elegies；　till；　when　he　came　upon　the　line

　　If　they　know　not　bliss；　is　there　happiness　on　earth？

He　pressed　the　book　to　his　lips；　and　tears　came　to　the　eyes　of　either；　for　the　two　friends　were　lovers　and　fellow…worshipers。

The　vine…stems　were　changing　color　with　the　spring；　covering　the　rifted；　battered　walls　of　the　old　house　where　squalid　cracks　were　spreading　in　every　direction；　with　fluted　columns　and　knots　and　bas…　reliefs　and　uncounted　masterpieces　of　I　know　not　what　order　of　architecture；　erected　by　fairy　hands。　Fancy　had　scattered　flowers　and　crimson　gems　over　the　gloomy　little　yard；　and　Chenier's　Camille　became　for　David　the　Eve　whom　he　worshiped；　for　Lucien　a　great　lady　to　whom　he　paid　his　homage。　Poetry　had　shaken　out　her　starry　robe　above　the　workshop　where　the　〃monkeys〃　and　〃bears〃　were　grotesquely　busy　among　types　and　presses。　Five　o'clock　struck；　but　the　friends　felt　neither　hunger　nor　thirst；　life　had　turned　to　a　golden　dream；　and　all　the　treasures　of　the　world　lay　at　their　feet。　Far　away　on　the　horizon　lay　the　blue　streak　to　which　Hope　points　a　finger　in　storm　and　stress；　and　a　siren　voice　sounded　in　their　ears；　calling；　〃Come；　spread　your　wings；　through　that　streak　of　gold　or　silver　or　azure　lies　the　sure　way　of　escape　from　evil　fortune！〃

Just　at　that　moment　the　low　glass　door　of　the　workshop　was　opened；　and　out　came　Cerizet；　an　apprentice　（David　had　brought　the　urchin　from　Paris）。　This　youth　introduced　a　stranger；　who　saluted　the　friends　politely；　and　spoke　to　David。

〃This；　sir；　is　a　monograph　which　I　am　desirous　of　printing；〃　said　he；　drawing　a　huge　package　of　manuscript　from　his　pocket。　〃Will　you　oblige　me　with　an　estimate？〃

〃We　do　not　undertake　work　on　such　a　scale；　sir；〃　David　answered；　without　looking　at　the　manuscript。　〃You　had　better　see　the　Messieurs　Cointet　about　it。〃

〃Still　we　have　a　very　pretty　type　which　might　suit　it；〃　put　in　Lucien；　taking　up　the　roll。　〃We　must　ask　you　to　be　kind　enough；　sir；　to　leave　your　commission　with　us　and　call　again　to…morrow；　and　we　will　give　you　an　estimate。〃

〃Have　I　the　pleasure　of　addressing　M。　Lucien　Chardon？〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　foreman。

〃I　am　fortunate　in　this　opportunity　of　m