ESIROUS of embracing the whole circle of human knowledge, and anxious to bequeath to the world a concrete symbol of his encyclop?dic genius and a display in keeping with his pecuniary1 resources, Baron2 Alexandre d'Esparvieu had formed a library of three hundred and sixty thousand volumes, both printed and in manuscript, whereof the greater part emanated3 from the Benedictines of Ligugé.
By a special clause in his will he enjoined4 his heirs to add to his library, after his death, whatever they might deem worthy5 of note in natural, moral, political, philosophical6, and religious science.
He had indicated the sums which might be drawn7 from his estate for the fulfilment of this object, and charged his eldest8 son, Fulgence-Adolphe, to proceed with these additions. Fulgence-Adolphe accomplished9 with filial respect the wishes expressed by his illustrious father.
After him, this huge library, which represented[16] more than one child's share of the estate, remained undivided between the Senator's three sons and two daughters; and René d'Esparvieu, on whom devolved the house in the Rue10 Garancière, became the guardian11 of the valuable collection. His two sisters, Madame Paulet de Saint-Fain and Madame Cuissart, repeatedly demanded that such a large but unremunerative piece of property should be turned into money. But René and Gaétan bought in the shares of their two co-legatees, and the library was saved. René d'Esparvieu even busied himself in adding to it, thus fulfilling the intentions of its founder12. But from year to year he lessened13 the number and importance of the acquisitions, opining that the intellectual output in Europe was on the wane14.
Nevertheless, Gaétan enriched it, out of his funds, with works published both in France and abroad which he thought good, and he was not lacking in judgment15, though his brothers would never allow that he had a particle. Thanks to this man of leisurely16 and inquiring mind, Baron Alexandre's collection was kept practically up to date. Even at the present day the d'Esparvieu library, in the departments of theology, jurisprudence, and history is one of the finest private libraries in all Europe. Here you may study physical science, or to put it better, physical sciences in all their branches, and for that matter meta[17]physic or metaphysics, that is to say, all that is connected with physics and has no other name, so impossible is it to designate by a substantive17 that which has no substance, and is but a dream and an illusion. Here you may contemplate18 with admiration19 philosophers addressing themselves to the solution, dissolution, and resolution of the Absolute, to the determination of the Indeterminate and to the definition of the Infinite.
Amid this pile of books and booklets, both sacred and profane20, you may find everything down to the latest and most fashionable pragmatism.
Other libraries there are, more richly abounding21 in bindings of venerable antiquity22 and illustrious origin, whose smooth and soft-hued texture23 render them delicious to the touch; bindings which the gilder's art has enriched with gossamer24, lace-work, foliage25, flowers, emblematic26 devices, and coats of arms; bindings that charm the studious eye with their tender radiance. Other libraries perhaps harbour a greater array of manuscripts illuminated27 with delicate and brilliant miniatures by artists of Venice, Flanders, or Touraine. But in handsome, sound editions of ancient and modern writers, both sacred and profane, the d'Esparvieu library is second to none. Here one finds all that has come down to us from antiquity; all the Fathers of the Church, the Apologists and the Decretalists, all the Humanists of the Renaissance28, all the En[18]cylop?dists, the whole world of philosophy and science. Therefore it was that Cardinal29 Merlin, when he deigned30 to visit it, remarked:
"There is no man whose brain is equal to containing all the knowledge which is piled upon these shelves. Happily it doesn't matter."
Monseigneur Cachepot, who worked there often when a curate in Paris, was in the habit of saying:
"I see here the stuff to make many a Thomas Aquinas and many an Arius, if only the modern mind had not lost its ancient ardour for good and evil."
There was no gainsaying31 that the manuscripts formed the more valuable portion of this immense collection. Noteworthy indeed was the unpublished correspondence of Gassendi, of Father Mersenne, and of Pascal, which threw a new light on the spirit of the seventeenth century. Nor must we forget the Hebrew Bibles, the Talmuds, the Rabbinical treatises32, printed and in manuscript, the Aramaic and Samaritan texts, on sheepskin and on tablets of sycamore; in fine, all these antique and valuable copies collected in Egypt and in Syria by the celebrated33 Mo?se de Dina, and acquired at a small cost by Alexandre d'Esparvieu in 1836, when the learned Hebraist died of old age and poverty in Paris.
The Esparvienne library occupied the whole of[19] the second floor of the old house. The works thought to be of but mediocre34 interest, such as books of Protestant exegesis35 of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the gift of Monsieur Gaétan, were relegated36 unbound to the limbo37 of the upper regions. The catalogue, with its various supplements, ran into no less than eighteen folio volumes. It was quite up to date, and the library was in perfect order. Monsieur Julien Sariette, archivist and pal38?ographer, who, being poor and retiring, used to make his living by teaching, became, in 1895, tutor to young Maurice on the recommendation of the Bishop39 of Agra, and with scarcely an interval40 found himself curator of the Bibliothèque Esparvienne. Endowed with business-like energy and dogged patience, Monsieur Sariette himself classified all the members of this vast body. The system he invented and put into practice was so complicated, the labels he put on the books were made up of so many capital letters and small letters, both Latin and Greek, so many Arabic and Roman numerals, asterisks41, double asterisks, triple asterisks, and those signs which in arithmetic express powers and roots, that the mere42 study of it would have involved more time and labour than would have been required for the complete mastery of algebra43, and as no one could be found who would give the hours, that might be more profitably employed in discovering the law of numbers, to the solving of[20] these cryptic44 symbols, Monsieur Sariette remained the only one capable of finding his way among the intricacies of his system, and without his help it had become an utter impossibility to discover, among the three hundred and sixty thousand volumes confided45 to his care, the particular volume one happened to require. Such was the result of his labours. Far from complaining about it, he experienced on the contrary a lively satisfaction.
Monsieur Sariette loved his library. He loved it with a jealous love. He was there every day at seven o'clock in the morning busy cataloguing at a huge mahogany desk. The slips in his handwriting filled an enormous case standing46 by his side surmounted47 by a plaster bust48 of Alexandre d'Esparvieu. Alexandre wore his hair brushed straight back, and had a sublime49 look on his face. Like Chateaubriand, he affected50 little feathery side whiskers. His lips were pursed, his bosom51 bare. Punctually at midday Monsieur Sariette used to sally forth52 to lunch at a crèmerie in the narrow gloomy Rue des Canettes. It was known as the Crèmerie des Quatre évêques, and had once been the haunt of Baudelaire, Theodore de Banville, Charles Asselineau, and a certain grandee53 of Spain who had translated the "Mysteries of Paris" into the language of the conquistadores. And the ducks that paddled so nicely on the old stone sign which gave its name to the street used to recognize Monsieur Sariette.[21] At a quarter to one, to the very minute, he went back to his library, where he remained until seven o'clock. He then again betook himself to the Quatre évêques, and sat down to his frugal54 dinner, with its crowning glory of stewed55 prunes56. Every evening, after dinner, his crony, Monsieur Guinardon, universally known as Père Guinardon, a scene-painter and picture-restorer, who used to do work for churches, would come from his garret in the Rue Princesse to have his coffee and liqueur at the Quatre évêques, and the two friends would play their game of dominoes.
Old Guinardon, who was like some rugged57 old tree still full of sap, was older than he could bring himself to believe. He had known Chenavard. His chastity was positively58 ferocious59, and he was for ever denouncing the impurities60 of neo-paganism in language of alarming obscenity. He loved talking. Monsieur Sariette was a ready listener. Old Guinardon's favourite subject was the Chapelle des Anges in St. Sulpice, in which the paintings were peeling off the walls, and which he was one day to restore; when, that is, it should please God, for, since the Separation, the churches belonged solely61 to God, and no one would undertake the responsibility of even the most urgent repairs. But old Guinardon demanded no salary.
"Michael is my patron saint," he said. "And I have a special devotion for the Holy Angels."[22]
After they had had their game of dominoes, Monsieur Sariette, very thin and small, and old Guinardon, sturdy as an oak, hirsute62 as a lion, and tall as a Saint Christopher, went off chatting away side by side across the Place Saint Sulpice, heedless of whether the night were fine or stormy. Monsieur Sariette always went straight home, much to the regret of the painter, who was a gossip and a nightbird.
The following day, as the clock struck seven, Monsieur Sariette would take up his place in the library, and resume his cataloguing. As he sat at his desk, however, he would dart63 a Medusa-like look at anyone who entered, fearing lest he should prove to be a book-borrower. It was not merely the magistrates64, politicians, and prelates whom he would have liked to turn to stone when they came to ask for the loan of a book with an air of authority bred of their familiarity with the master of the house. He would have done as much to Monsieur Gaétan, the library's benefactor65, when he wanted some gay or scandalous old volume wherewith to beguile66 a wet day in the country. He would have meted67 out similar treatment to Madame René d'Esparvieu, when she came to look for a book to read to her sick poor in hospital, and even to Monsieur René d'Esparvieu himself, who generally contented68 himself with the Civil Code and a volume of Dalloz. The borrowing of the smallest book[23] seemed like dragging his heart out. To refuse a volume even to such as had the most incontestable right to it, Monsieur Sariette would invent countless69 far-fetched or clumsy fibs, and did not even shrink from slandering70 himself as curator or from casting doubts on his own vigilance by saying that such and such a book was mislaid or lost, when a moment ago he had been gloating over that very volume or pressing it to his bosom. And when ultimately forced to part with a volume he would take it back a score of times from the borrower before he finally relinquished71 it.
He was always in agony lest one of the objects confided to his care should escape him. As the guardian of three hundred and sixty thousand volumes, he had three hundred and sixty thousand reasons for alarm. Sometimes he woke at night bathed in sweat, and uttering a cry of fear, because he had dreamed he had seen a gap on one of the shelves of his bookcases. It seemed to him a monstrous72, unheard-of, and most grievous thing that a volume should leave its habitat. This noble rapacity73 exasperated74 Monsieur René d'Esparvieu, who, failing to understand the good qualities of his paragon75 of a librarian, called him an old maniac76. Monsieur Sariette knew nought77 of this injustice78, but he would have braved the cruellest misfortune and endured opprobrium79 and insult to safeguard the integrity of his trust. Thanks to his[24] assiduity, his vigilance and zeal80, or, in a word, to his love, the Esparvienne library had not lost so much as a single leaflet under his supervision81 during the sixteen years which had now rolled by, this ninth of September, 1912.
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1
pecuniary
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| adj.金钱的；金钱上的 | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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emanated
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| v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的过去式和过去分词 )；产生，表现，显示 | |
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enjoined
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| v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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Founder
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| n.创始者，缔造者 | |
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lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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wane
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| n.衰微，亏缺，变弱；v.变小，亏缺，呈下弦 | |
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15
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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substantive
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| adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体 | |
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contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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19
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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profane
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| adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污 | |
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abounding
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| adj.丰富的，大量的v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的现在分词 ) | |
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antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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texture
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| n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理 | |
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gossamer
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| n.薄纱，游丝 | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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emblematic
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| adj.象征的，可当标志的；象征性 | |
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illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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renaissance
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| n.复活，复兴，文艺复兴 | |
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cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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30
deigned
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| v.屈尊，俯就( deign的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gainsaying
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| v.否认，反驳( gainsay的现在分词 ) | |
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32
treatises
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| n.专题著作，专题论文，专著( treatise的名词复数 ) | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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mediocre
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| adj.平常的，普通的 | |
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exegesis
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| n.注释，解释 | |
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36
relegated
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| v.使降级( relegate的过去式和过去分词 )；使降职；转移；把…归类 | |
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limbo
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| n.地狱的边缘；监狱 | |
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38
pal
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| n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友 | |
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bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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40
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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41
asterisks
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| n.星号，星状物( asterisk的名词复数 )v.加星号于( asterisk的第三人称单数 ) | |
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42
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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43
algebra
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| n.代数学 | |
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cryptic
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| adj.秘密的，神秘的，含义模糊的 | |
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confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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48
bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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50
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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51
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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52
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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53
grandee
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| n.贵族；大公 | |
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54
frugal
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| adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的 | |
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55
stewed
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| adj.焦虑不安的，烂醉的v.炖( stew的过去式和过去分词 )；煨；思考；担忧 | |
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56
prunes
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| n.西梅脯，西梅干( prune的名词复数 )v.修剪（树木等）( prune的第三人称单数 )；精简某事物，除去某事物多余的部分 | |
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57
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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58
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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59
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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impurities
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| 不纯( impurity的名词复数 )； 不洁； 淫秽； 杂质 | |
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solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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hirsute
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| adj.多毛的 | |
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63
dart
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| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
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64
magistrates
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| 地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 ) | |
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benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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66
beguile
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| vt.欺骗，消遣 | |
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67
meted
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| v.（对某人）施以，给予（处罚等）( mete的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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69
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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70
slandering
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| [法]口头诽谤行为 | |
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71
relinquished
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃 | |
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72
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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73
rapacity
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| n.贪婪，贪心，劫掠的欲望 | |
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74
exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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75
paragon
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| n.模范，典型 | |
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76
maniac
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| n.精神癫狂的人；疯子 | |
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77
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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78
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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opprobrium
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| n.耻辱，责难 | |
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80
zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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81
supervision
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| n.监督，管理 | |
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