the country doctor-第41章

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the　candles　by　which　the　women　were　working；　although　each　candle　was　surrounded　by　a　glass　globe　filled　with　water；　in　order　to　concentrate　the　light。　The　thick　darkness　and　shadow　that　filled　the　roof　and　all　the　upper　part　of　the　barn　seemed　still　further　to　diminish　the　light　that　fell　here　and　there　upon　the　workers'　heads　with　such　picturesque　effects　of　light　and　shade。　Here；　it　shone　full　upon　the　bright　wondering　eyes　and　brown　forehead　of　a　little　peasant　maiden；　and　there　the　straggling　beams　brought　out　the　outlines　of　the　rugged　brows　of　some　of　the　older　men；　throwing　up　their　figures　in　sharp　relief　against　the　dark　background；　and　giving　a　fantastic　appearance　to　their　worn　and　weather…stained　garb。　The　attentive　attitude　of　all　these　people　and　the　expression　on　all　their　faces　showed　that　they　had　given　themselves　up　entirely　to　the　pleasure　of　listening；　and　that　the　narrator's　sway　was　absolute。　It　was　a　curious　scene。　The　immense　influence　that　poetry　exerts　over　every　mind　was　plainly　to　be　seen。　For　is　not　the　peasant　who　demands　that　the　tale　of　wonder　should　be　simple；　and　that　the　impossible　should　be　well…nigh　credible；　a　lover　of　poetry　of　the　purest　kind？

〃She　did　not　like　the　look　of　the　house　at　all；〃　the　peasant　was　saying　as　the　two　newcomers　took　their　places　where　they　could　overhear　him；　〃but　the　poor　little　hunchback　was　so　tired　out　with　carrying　her　bundle　of　hemp　to　market；　that　she　went　in；　besides；　the　night　had　come；　and　she　could　go　no　further。　She　only　asked　to　be　allowed　to　sleep　there；　and　ate　nothing　but　a　crust　of　bread　that　she　took　from　her　wallet。　And　inasmuch　as　the　woman　who　kept　house　for　the　brigands　knew　nothing　about　what　they　had　planned　to　do　that　night；　she　let　the　old　woman　into　the　house；　and　sent　her　upstairs　without　a　light。　Our　hunchback　throws　herself　down　on　a　rickety　truckle　bed；　says　her　prayers；　thinks　about　her　hemp；　and　is　dropping　off　to　sleep。　But　before　she　is　fairly　asleep；　she　hears　a　noise；　and　in　walk　two　men　carrying　a　lantern；　and　each　man　had　a　knife　in　his　hand。　Then　fear　came　upon　her；　for　in　those　times；　look　you；　they　used　to　make　pates　of　human　flesh　for　the　seigneurs；　who　were　very　fond　of　them。　But　the　old　woman　plucked　up　heart　again；　for　she　was　so　thoroughly　shriveled　and　wrinkled　that　she　thought　they　would　think　her　a　poorish　sort　of　diet。　The　two　men　went　past　the　hunchback　and　walked　up　to　a　bed　that　there　was　in　the　great　room；　and　in　which　they　had　put　the　gentleman　with　the　big　portmanteau；　the　one　that　passed　for　a　negromancer。　The　taller　man　holds　up　the　lantern　and　takes　the　gentleman　by　the　feet；　and　the　short　one；　that　had　pretended　to　be　drunk；　clutches　hold　of　his　head　and　cuts　his　throat；　clean；　with　one　stroke；　swish！　Then　they　leave　the　head　and　body　lying　in　its　own　blood　up　there；　steal　the　portmanteau；　and　go　downstairs　with　it。　Here　is　our　woman　in　a　nice　fix！　First　of　all　she　thinks　of　slipping　out；　before　any　one　can　suspect　it；　not　knowing　that　Providence　had　brought　her　there　to　glorify　God　and　to　bring　down　punishment　on　the　murderers。　She　was　in　a　great　fright；　and　when　one　is　frightened　one　thinks　of　nothing　else。　But　the　woman　of　the　house　had　asked　the　two　brigands　about　the　hunchback；　and　that　had　alarmed　them。　So　back　they　came；　creeping　softly　up　the　wooden　staircase。　The　poor　hunchback　curls　up　in　a　ball　with　fright；　and　she　hears　them　talking　about　her　in　whispers。

〃　'Kill　her；　I　tell　you。'

〃　'No　need　to　kill　her。'

〃　'Kill　her！'

〃　'No！'

〃Then　they　came　in。　The　woman；　who　was　no　fool；　shuts　her　eyes　and　pretends　to　be　asleep。　She　sets　to　work　to　sleep　like　a　child；　with　her　hand　on　her　heart；　and　takes　to　breathing　like　a　cherub。　The　man　opens　the　lantern　and　shines　the　light　straight　into　the　eyes　of　the　sleeping　old　womanshe　does　not　move　an　eyelash；　she　is　in　such　terror　for　her　neck。

〃　'She　is　sleeping　like　a　log；　you　can　see　that　quite　well；'　so　says　the　tall　one。

〃　'Old　women　are　so　cunning！'　answers　the　short　man。　'I　will　kill　her。　We　shall　feel　easier　in　our　minds。　Besides；　we　will　salt　her　down　to　feed　the　pigs。'

〃The　old　woman　hears　all　this　talk；　but　she　does　not　stir。

〃　'Oh！　it　is　all　right；　she　is　asleep；'　says　the　short　ruffian；　when　he　saw　that　the　hunchback　had　not　stirred。

〃That　is　how　the　old　woman　saved　her　life。　And　she　may　be　fairly　called　courageous；　for　it　is　a　fact　that　there　are　not　many　girls　here　who　could　have　breathed　like　cherubs　while　they　heard　that　talk　going　on　about　the　pigs。　Well；　the　two　brigands　set　to　work　to　lift　up　the　dead　man；　they　wrap　him　round　in　the　sheets　and　chuck　him　out　into　the　little　yard；　and　the　old　woman　hears　the　pigs　scampering　up　to　eat　him；　and　grunting；　HON！　hon！

〃So　when　morning　comes；〃　the　narrator　resumed　after　a　pause；　〃the　woman　gets　up　and　goes　down；　paying　a　couple　of　sous　for　her　bed。　She　takes　up　her　wallet；　goes　on　just　as　if　nothing　had　happened；　asks　for　the　news　of　the　countryside；　and　gets　away　in　peace。　She　wants　to　run。　Running　is　quite　out　of　the　question；　her　legs　fail　her　for　fright；　and　lucky　it　was　for　her　that　she　could　not　run；　for　this　reason。　She　had　barely　gone　half　a　quarter　of　a　league　before　she　sees　one　of　the　brigands　coming　after　her；　just　out　of　craftiness　to　make　quite　sure　that　she　had　seen　nothing。　She　guesses　this；　and　sits　herself　down　on　a　boulder。

〃　'What　is　the　matter；　good　woman？'　asks　the　short　one；　for　it　was　the　shorter　one　and　the　wickeder　of　the　two　who　was　dogging　her。

〃　'Oh！　master；'　says　she；　'my　wallet　is　so　heavy；　and　I　am　so　tired；　that　I　badly　want　some　good　man　to　give　me　his　arm'　（sly　thing；　only　listen　to　her！）　'if　I　am　to　get　back　to　my　poor　home。'

〃Thereupon　the　brigand　offers　to　go　along　with　her；　and　she　accepts　his　offer。　The　fellow　takes　hold　of　her　arm　to　see　if　she　is　afraid。　Not　she！　She　does　not　tremble　a　bit；　and　walks　quietly　along。　So　there　they　are；　chatting　away　as　nicely　as　possible；　all　about　farming；　and　the　way　to　grow　hemp；　till　they　come　to　the　outskirts　of　the　town；　where　the　hunchback　lived；　and　the　brigand　made　off　for　fear　of　meeting　some　of　the　sheriff's　people。　The　woman　reached　her　house　at　mid…day；　and　waited　there　till　her　husband　came　home；　she　thought　and　thought　over　all　that　had　happened　on　her　journey　and　during　the　night。　The　hemp…grower　came　home　in　the　evening。　He　was　hungry；　something　must　be　got　ready　for　him　to　eat。　So　while　she　greases　her　frying…pan；　and　gets　ready　to　fry　something　for　him；　she　tells　him　how　she　sold　her　hemp；　and　gabbles　away　as　females　do；　but　not　a　word　does　she　say　about　the　pigs；　nor　about　the　gentleman　who　was　murdered　and　robbed　and　eaten。　She　holds　her　frying…pan　in　the　flames　so　as　to　clean　it；　draws　it　out　again　to　give　it　a　wipe；　and　finds　it　full　of　blood。

〃　'What　have　you　been　putting　into　it？'　says　she　to　her　man。

〃　'Nothing；'　says　he。

〃She　thinks　it　must　have　been　a　nonsensical　piece　of　woman's　fancy；　and　puts　her　frying…pan　into　the　fire　again。　。　。　。　Pouf！　A　head　comes　tumbling　down　the　chimney！

〃　'Oh！　look！　It　is　nothing　more　nor　less　than　the　dead　man's　head；'　says　the　old　woman。　'How　he　stares　at　me！　What　does　he　want！'

〃　'YOU　MUST　AVENGE　ME！'　says　a　voice。

〃　'What　an　idiot　you　are！'　said　the　hemp…grower。　'Always　seeing　something　or　other　that　has　no　sort　of　sense　about　it！　Just　you　all　over。'

〃He　takes　up　the　head；　which　snaps　at　his　finger；　and　pitches　it　out　into　the　yard。

〃　'Get　on　with　my　omelette；'　he　says；　'and　do　not　bother　yourself　about　that。　'Tis　a　cat。'

〃　'A　cat！　says　she；　'it　was　as　round　as　a　ball。'

〃She　puts　back　her　frying…pan　on　the　fire。　。　。　。　Pouf！　Down　comes　a　leg　this　time；　and　they　go　through　the　whole　story　again。　The　man　was　no　more　astonished　at　the　foot　than　he　had　been　at　the　head；　he　snatched　up　the　leg　and　threw　it　out　at　the　door。　Before　they　had　finished；　the　other　leg；　both　arms；　the　body；　the　whole　murdered　traveler；　in　fact；　came　down　piecemeal。　No　omelette　all　this　time！　The　old　hemp…seller　grew　very　hungry　indeed。

〃　'By　my　salvation！'　said　he；　'when　once　my　omelette　is　made　we　will　see　about　satisfying　that　man　yonder。'

〃　'So　you　admit；　now；　that　it　was　a　man？'　said　the　hunchback　wife。　'What　made　you　s