The savory odor of a stew pervaded the whole courtyard, as Pons returned mechanically home. Mme. Cibot was dishing up Schmucke's dinner, which consisted of scraps of boiled beef from a little cook-shop not above doing a little trade of this kind. These morsels were fricasseed in brown butter, with thin slices of onion, until the meat and vegetables had absorbed the gravy and this true porter's dish was browned to the right degree. With that fricassee, prepared with loving care for Cibot and Schmucke, and accompanied by a bottle of beer and a piece of cheese, the old German music-master was quite content. Not King Solomon in all his glory, be sure, could dine better than Schmucke. A dish of boiled beef fricasseed with onions, scraps of saute chicken, or beef and parsley, or venison, or fish served with a sauce of La Cibot's own invention (a sauce with which a mother might unsuspectingly eat her child),—such was Schmucke's ordinary, varying with the quantity and quality of the remnants of food supplied by boulevard restaurants to the cook-shop in the Rue Boucherat. Schmucke took everything that "goot Montame Zipod" gave him, and was content, and so from day to day "goot Montame Zipod" cut down the cost of his dinner, until it could be served for twenty sous.
It won't be long afore I find out what is the matter with him, poor dear, said Mme. Cibot to her husband, "for here is M. Schmucke's dinner all ready for him."
As she spoke she covered the deep earthenware dish with a plate; and, notwithstanding her age, she climbed the stair and reached the door before Schmucke opened it to Pons.
Vat is de matter mit you, mein goot friend? asked the German, scared by the expression of Pons' face.
I will tell you all about it; but I have come home to have dinner with you—
Tinner! tinner! cried Schmucke in ecstasy; "but it is impossible!" the old German added, as he thought of his friend's gastronomical tastes; and at that very moment he caught sight of Mme. Cibot listening to the conversation, as she had a right to do as his lawful housewife. Struck with one of those happy inspirations which only enlighten a friend's heart, he marched up to the portress and drew her out to the stairhead.
Montame Zipod, he said, "der goot Pons is fond of goot dings; shoost go rount to der Catran Pleu und order a dainty liddle tinner, mit anjovies und maggaroni. Ein tinner for Lugullus, in vact."
What is that? inquired La Cibot.
Oh! ah! returned Schmucke, "it is veal a la pourcheoise (bourgeoise, he meant), a nice fisch, ein pottle off Porteaux, und nice dings, der fery best dey haf, like groquettes of rice und shmoked pacon! Bay for it, und say nodings; I vill gif you back de monny to-morrow morning."
Back went Schmucke, radiant and rubbing his hands; but his expression slowly changed to a look of bewildered astonishment as he heard Pons' story of the troubles that had but just now overwhelmed him in a moment. He tried to comfort Pons by giving him a sketch of the world from his own point of view. Paris, in his opinion, was a perpetual hurly-burly, the men and women in it were whirled away by a tempestuous waltz; it was no use expecting anything of the world, which only looked at the outsides of things, "und not at der inderior." For the hundredth time he related how that the only three pupils for whom he had really cared, for whom he was ready to die, the three who had been fond of him, and even allowed him a little pension of nine hundred francs, each contributing three hundred to the amount—his favorite pupils had quite forgotten to come to see him; and so swift was the current of Parisian life which swept them away, that if he called at their houses, he had not succeeded in seeing them once in three years—(it is a fact, however, that Schmucke had always thought fit to call on these great ladies at ten o'clock in the morning!)—still, his pension was paid quarterly through the medium of solicitors.
Und yet, dey are hearts of gold, he concluded. "Dey are my liddle Saint Cecilias, sharming vimmen, Montame de Bordentuere, Montame de Fantenesse, und Montame du Dilet. Gif I see dem at all, it is at die Jambs Elusees, und dey do not see me... yet dey are ver' fond of me, und I might go to dine mit dem, und dey vould be ver' bleased to see me; und I might go to deir country-houses, but I vould much rader be mit mine friend Bons, because I kann see him venefer I like, und efery tay."
Pons took Schmucke's hand and grasped it between his own. All that was passing in his inmost soul was communicated in that tight pressure. And so for awhile the friends sat like two lovers, meeting at last after a long absence.
Tine here, efery tay! broke out Schmucke, inwardly blessing Mme. de Marville for her hardness of heart. "Look here! Ve shall go a prick-a-pracking togeders, und der teufel shall nefer show his tail here."
Ve shall go prick-a-pracking togeders! for the full comprehension of those truly heroic words, it must be confessed that Schmucke's ignorance of bric-a-brac was something of the densest. It required all the strength of his friendship to keep him from doing heedless damage in the sitting-room and study which did duty as a museum for Pons. Schmucke, wholly absorbed in music, a composer for love of his art, took about as much interest in his friend's little trifles as a fish might take in a flower-show at the Luxembourg, supposing that it had received a ticket of admission. A certain awe which he certainly felt for the marvels was simply a reflection of the respect which Pons showed his treasures when he dusted them. To Pons' exclamations of admiration, he was wont to reply with a "Yes, it is ver' bretty," as a mother answers baby-gestures with meaningless baby-talk. Seven times since the friends had lived together, Pons had exchanged a good clock for a better one, till at last he possessed a timepiece in Boule's first and best manner, for Boule had two manners, as Raphael had three. In the first he combined ebony and copper; in the second—contrary to his convictions—he sacrificed to tortoise-shell inlaid work. In spite of Pons' learned dissertations, Schmucke never could see the slightest difference between the magnificent clock in Boule's first manner and its six predecessors; but, for Pons' sake, Schmucke was even more careful among the "chimcracks" than Pons himself. So it should not be surprising that Schmucke's sublime words comforted Pons in his despair; for "Ve shall go prick-a-pracking togeders," meant, being interpreted, "I will put money into bric-a-brac, if you will only dine here."
Dinner is ready, Mme. Cibot announced, with astonishing self-possession.
It is not difficult to imagine Pons' surprise when he saw and relished the dinner due to Schmucke's friendship. Sensations of this kind, that came so rarely in a lifetime, are never the outcome of the constant, close relationship by which friend daily says to friend, "You are a second self to me;" for this, too, becomes a matter of use and wont. It is only by contact with the barbarism of the world without that the happiness of that intimate life is revealed to us as a sudden glad surprise. It is the outer world which renews the bond between friend and friend, lover and lover, all their lives long, wherever two great souls are knit together by friendship or by love. Pons brushed away two big tears, Schmucke himself wiped his eyes; and though nothing was said, the two were closer friends than before. Little friendly nods and glances exchanged across the table were like balm to Pons, soothing the pain caused by the sand dropped in his heart by the President's wife. As for Schmucke, he rubbed his hands till they were sore; for a new idea had occurred to him, one of those great discoveries which cause a German no surprise, unless they sprout up suddenly in a Teuton brain frost-bound by the awe and reverence due to sovereign princes.
Mine goot Bons? began Schmucke.
I can guess what you mean; you would like us both to dine together here, every day—
Gif only I vas rich enof to lif like dis efery tay— began the good German in a melancholy voice. But here Mme. Cibot appeared upon the scene. Pons had given her an order for the theatre from time to time, and stood in consequence almost as high in her esteem and affection as her boarder Schmucke.
Lord love you, said she, "for three francs and wine extra I can give you both such a dinner every day that you will be ready to lick the plates as clean as if they were washed."
It is a fact, Schmucke remarked, "dat die dinners dat Montame Zipod cooks for me are better as de messes dey eat at der royal dable!"
In his eagerness, Schmucke, usually so full of respect for the powers that be, so far forgot himself as to imitate the irreverent newspapers which scoffed at the "fixed-price" dinners of Royalty.
Really? said Pons. "Very well, I will try to-morrow."
And at that promise Schmucke sprang from one end of the table to the other, sweeping off tablecloth, bottles, and dishes as he went, and hugged Pons to his heart. So might gas rush to combine with gas.
Vat happiness! cried he.
Mme. Cibot was quite touched. "Monsieur is going to dine here every day!" she cried proudly.
That excellent woman departed downstairs again in ignorance of the event which had brought about this result, entered her room like Josepha in William Tell, set down the plates and dishes on the table with a bang, and called aloud to her husband:
Cibot! run to the Cafe Turc for two small cups of coffee, and tell the man at the stove that it is for me.
Then she sat down and rested her hands on her massive knees, and gazed out of the window at the opposite wall.
I will go to-night and see what Ma'am Fontaine says, she thought.
Madame Fontaine told fortunes on the cards for all the servants in the quarter of the Marais.
邦斯木偶似的回家,西卜太太剛巧端整好許??说耐盹?。飯菜是整個院子都聞到味兒的一盤所謂紅燜牛肉。向一家熟貨店買來的零頭零尾的白煮牛肉,跟切成小薄片的洋蔥放在牛油里盡煎,煎到肉和洋蔥把油都吸干了,使看門女人的大菜看上去像炸魚。西卜太太預(yù)備給丈夫和許??似椒值倪@個菜,加上一瓶啤酒一塊乳酪,就能教德國老音樂家心滿意足。你們可以相信,便是全盛時期的所羅門王也沒有比許??顺缘酶?。今天是把白煮牛肉加上洋蔥煨一煨,明天是把殘余的仔雞紅燒一下,后天是什么冷牛肉和魚,澆上西卜女人自己發(fā)明的一種沙司,連做母親的也會糊里糊涂給孩子吃的沙司[2],過一天又是什么野味,都得看大街上的菜館賣給小熟貨店的是哪一類東西,有多少數(shù)量。這便是許??说娜粘2藛危凰麑τ诤梦鞑诽松蟻淼臇|西從來沒有一句話,總是滿意的。而好西卜太太把這個菜單逐漸克減,結(jié)果只要一法郎就能對付。
“可憐的好人有什么事,我馬上就能知道,”西卜太太對丈夫說,“瞧,許??讼壬囊癸堫A(yù)備好啦?!?/p>
西卜太太在陶器菜盤上蓋了一只粗瓷碟子,雖然上了年紀(jì),還能在許??私o邦斯開門的時候趕到。
“你怎么啦,好朋友?”德國人看見邦斯面無人色,不由得嚇了一跳。
“等會告訴你;現(xiàn)在我來跟你一塊兒吃夜飯……”
“怎么!和我一塊兒吃?”許模克高興得叫起來,但又想起了朋友講究吃喝的脾氣,“那怎么行呢?”這時,德國老頭發(fā)覺西卜太太以管家的資格有名有分地在那兒聽著。憑著一個真正的朋友所能有的靈感,他直奔女門房,把她拉到樓梯間:
“西卜太太,邦斯這好人是喜歡吃的;你上藍(lán)鐘飯店去叫點(diǎn)兒講究的菜:什么鰓魚呀,面條呀!總之要像羅古羅斯吃的一樣[3]!”
“什么羅古羅斯?”西卜太太問。
“得啦,你去要一個清燒小牛肉,一條新鮮的魚,一瓶波爾多,不管什么,只要挑最好的菜就行了:譬如糯米肉餅、熏臘肉等等!你先把賬給付了,一句話都別說,明兒我還你錢就是了?!?/p>
許模克搓著手,喜滋滋地回進(jìn)屋子;可是聽到朋友一剎那間遇到的傷心事,他臉上慢慢地又恢復(fù)了發(fā)呆的表情。他盡量安慰邦斯,搬出他那一套對社會的看法:巴黎的生活有如一場無休無歇的暴風(fēng)雨,男男女女仿佛都給瘋狂的華爾茲舞卷了去;我們不應(yīng)該有求于人,他們都只看表面,“不看內(nèi)心的?!彼f。他又提到講了上百次的老故事,說有三個女學(xué)生,是他生平最喜歡而為之不惜任何犧牲的;她們也對他挺好,還每年各出三百法郎,湊成九百法郎的津貼送他;可是她們哪,這些年來一次也沒來看過他,都身不由己地給巴黎生活的狂潮沖走了,甚至最近三年他上門去也沒能見到她們。(事實(shí)上許模克的拜訪那般闊太太,都是上午十點(diǎn)鐘去的?。┲劣诮蛸N,那是由公證人分季支給他的。
“可是她們心真好。對于我,她們簡直就是保護(hù)音樂的女神。包當(dāng)杜哀太太,王特奈斯太太,杜·蒂哀太太,個個都是怪可愛的。我看見她們的時候總是在天野大道,她們可看不見我……她們對我多好,我盡可上她們家吃飯,她們一定很歡迎;我也可以上她們的別墅去住,可是我寧愿和我的邦斯在一起,因?yàn)槲译S時可以看到他,天天看到他?!?/p>
邦斯抓起許??说氖志o緊握著,等于把心里的話都表白了。兩人相對無語,過了好幾分鐘,像一對久別重逢的情人似的。
“還是每天在家吃飯吧,”許模克這么說著,暗中反而在感謝庭長太太的狠心,“哎!咱們一塊兒去玩古董,那么魔鬼也不會上咱們家來搗亂了?!?/p>
要懂得“咱們一塊兒去玩古董”這句悲壯的話,先得知道許??藢哦桓[不通。他為了愛友心切,才不至于在讓給邦斯做美術(shù)館用的客廳和書房里打爛東西。許模克全神貫注在音樂里頭,一心一意在那兒替自己作曲,他瞧著朋友的小玩意兒,好似一條魚被請到盧森堡公園去看蒔花展覽。他對那些神妙的作品很尊敬,因?yàn)榘钏古踔膶毼飺刍业臅r候很尊敬。朋友在那里低回贊嘆,他就在旁湊上一句:“是呀,多好看!”好似母親看到一個還不會說話的孩子對她做手勢,就拿些沒有意義的話做回答。自從兩位朋友同住之后,許??搜劭窗钏拱褧r鐘換了七次,總是越換越好。換到最后,是布勒雕得最精美的一座,紫檀木上鑲著黃銅,有好幾個雕刻做裝飾,屬于布勒第一期的作風(fēng)[4]。布勒的作風(fēng)有兩期,正如拉斐爾的有三期。第一期,他把黃銅與紫檀融合得恰到好處;第二期,他違反自己的主張,改鑲螺鈿,為了要打倒發(fā)明貝殼嵌花的同業(yè),他在這方面有驚人的表現(xiàn)。邦斯盡量引經(jīng)據(jù)典地解釋給許??寺?,他始終看不出精美的布勒座鐘和其他的多少鐘有什么分別。但既然那些古董與邦斯的快樂有關(guān),他就格外地愛護(hù),連邦斯自己也不及他那樣無微不至。所以聽到許??恕霸蹅円粔K兒去玩古董”的話,難怪邦斯的氣都平下去了,因?yàn)榈聡四蔷湓挼囊馑际牵骸疤仁鼓阍诩页燥垼铱梢阅贸鲥X來陪你玩古董?!?/p>
“請兩位先生用飯吧?!蔽鞑诽b著儼然的神氣進(jìn)來說。
我們不難想象邦斯瞧著嘗著這一頓靠許??说挠亚閺埩_得來的晚飯,是怎樣的驚喜交集。這一類的感覺一生中是難得有的,彼此老說著“你就是我,我就是你”那樣的深情就沒有這感覺,因?yàn)闀r時刻刻的關(guān)切使受到的人變得麻木了;直要莫逆之交的真情洋溢,與世態(tài)炎涼的殘酷有了比較,一個人才會恍然大悟。兩顆偉大的心靈,一朝由感情或友情結(jié)合之后,全靠外界的刺激把他們的交誼不斷地加強(qiáng)。因此邦斯抹掉了兩滴眼淚,而許??艘膊荒懿荒ㄖ麧裢傅难劬?。他們一句話不說,可是更相愛了,他們只點(diǎn)首示意,而安神止痛的表情,使邦斯忘了庭長太太丟在他心中的小石子。許??似疵曛?,幾乎把表皮都擦破,因?yàn)樗难獊沓?,忽然有了個主意。德國人平時對諸侯們服從慣了,頭腦久已遲鈍,這一回許模克念頭轉(zhuǎn)得這么快,可以說是了不得的奇事。
“我的好邦斯?”許模克開始說。
“我猜著了,你要我每天跟你一塊兒吃晚飯……”
“我恨不得有錢,讓你天天過這樣的生活……”好心的德國人不勝悵惘地回答。西卜太太,因?yàn)椴粫r從邦斯手中得到些戲票,素來把他和包飯客人許模克同等看待的,這時提出了下面那樣的計劃:
“嗨,嗨,不供給酒,只要三法郎,我就能每天做一頓夜飯,包你們把盤子舔得精光,像洗過了似的。”
“對,”許模克接口道,“西卜太太給我做的菜,我吃得比那些吃王家燜肉的人還要好……”
循禮守法的德國人,為了急于要把邦斯留在家里,居然學(xué)著小報上的輕薄,對王上吃的定價菜也毀謗起來了。
“真的嗎?”邦斯說,“那么我明天試一試!”
一聽見朋友許了這個愿,許模克便從桌子這一頭撲到那一頭,把臺布、盤子、水瓶一齊拖著走,他拼命摟著邦斯的勁兒,好像一條火舌躥向另一條火舌。
“哎啊,我多快活!”他叫著。
西卜太太也受了感動,很得意地說:“好哇,先生天天在這兒吃飯了!”
她的美夢實(shí)現(xiàn)了,可是她并不知道促成美夢的內(nèi)幕。她奔下樓去,走進(jìn)門房,好似玉才華在《威廉·退爾》中出場時的神氣[5];她把盤子碟子往旁邊一扔,叫道:
“西卜,趕快上土耳其咖啡館要兩小杯咖啡,關(guān)照爐子上說是我要的!”
然后她坐下來,雙手按著肥大的膝蓋,從窗里望著對面的墻,自言自語地說:
“今晚上我得找封丹太太去起個課!……”
封丹太太是替瑪萊區(qū)所有的廚娘、女仆、男當(dāng)差、看門的……起課卜卦的。
注解:
[1] 《拉·封丹寓言》第九卷第二篇,題名《兩只鴿子》,描寫一對友情深厚的鴿子,一只喜歡家居,一只喜歡旅行。旅行鴿不顧居家鴿苦勸,仍欲出外游歷。途中先遇大風(fēng)雨,狼狽不堪,繼而墮入鳥網(wǎng),險被擒獲;又遭鷹隼追迫,幾乎喪命;終被兒童彈丸擊中,折足喪翼,幸得回巢,與舊侶團(tuán)聚,共慶更生。
[2] 沙司為西菜中澆在魚或肉類上面的醬汁,大概可分黑白兩種,以牛肉湯或雞湯為底,調(diào)以面粉,另加作料,做法各有巧妙不同。歐洲人對沙司之重視不亞于正菜本身。
[3] 羅古羅斯為公元前二世紀(jì)時羅馬帝國的名將,以飲食奢豪有名于世。
[4] 布勒(1642—1732)為法國有名的紫檀木雕刻家,在裝飾美術(shù)上極有貢獻(xiàn)。
[5] 玉才華系巴爾扎克另一小說《貝姨》中的角色,為有名的女歌唱家?!锻ね藸枴窞榱_西尼的歌劇。
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