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第48章

sons of the soil-第48章

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hair; of a bluish black; long and fine and abundant; crowned a brow

moulded like that of the Farnese Juno。 That magnificent diadem of

hair; those grand Armenian eyes; that celestial brow eclipsed the rest

of the face。 The nose; though pure in form as it left the brow; and

graceful in curve; ended in flattened and flaring nostrils。 Anger

increased this effect at times; and then the face wore an absolutely

furious expression。 All the lower part of the face; like the lower

part of the nose; seemed unfinished; as if the clay in the hands of

the divine sculptor had proved insufficient。 Between the lower lip and

the chin the space was so short that any one taking La Pechina by the

chin would have rubbed the lip; but the teeth prevented all notice of

this defect。 One might almost believe those little bones had souls; so

brilliant were they; so polished; so transparent; so exquisitely

shaped; disclosed as they were by too wide a mouth; curved in lines

that bore resemblance to the fantastic shapes of coral。 The shells of

the ears were so transparent to the light that in the sunshine they

were rose…colored。 The complexion; though sun…burned; showed a

marvellous delicacy in the texture of the skin。 If; as Buffon

declared; love lies in touch; the softness of the girl's skin must

have had the penetrating and inciting influence of the fragrance of

daturas。 The chest and indeed the whole body was alarmingly thin; but

the feet and hands; of alluring delicacy; showed remarkable nervous

power; and a vigorous organism。



This mixture of diabolical imperfections and divine beauties;

harmonious in spite of discords; for they blended in a species of

savage dignity; also this triumph of a powerful soul over a feeble

body; as written in those eyes; made the child; when once seen;

unforgettable。 Nature had wished to make that frail young being a

woman; the circumstances of her conception moulded her with the face

and body of a boy。 A poet observing the strange creature would have

declared her native clime to be Arabia the Blest; she belonged to the

Afrite and Genii of Arabian tales。 Her face told no lies。 She had the

soul of that glance of fire; the intellect of those lips made

brilliant by the bewitching teeth; the thought enshrined within that

glorious brow; the passion of those nostrils ready at all moments to

snort flame。 Therefore love; such as we imagine it on burning sands;

in lonely deserts; filled that heart of twenty in the breast of a

child; doomed; like the snowy heights of Montenegro; to wear no

flowers of the spring。



Observers ought now to understand how it was that La Pechina; from

whom passion issued by every pore; awakened in perverted natures the

feelings deadened by abuse; just as water fills the mouth at sight of

those twisted; blotched; and speckled fruits which gourmands know by

experience; and beneath whose skin nature has put the rarest flavors

and perfumes。 Why did Nicolas; that vulgar laborer; pursue this being

who was worthy of a poet; while the eyes of the country…folk pitied

her as a sickly deformity? Why did Rigou; the old man; feel the

passion of a young one for this girl? Which of the two men was young;

and which was old? Was the young peasant as blase as the old usurer?

Why did these two extremes of life meet in one common and devilish

caprice? Does the vigor that draws to its close resemble the vigor

that is only dawning? The moral perversities of men are gulfs guarded

by sphinxes; they begin and end in questions to which there is no

answer。



The exclamation; formerly quoted; of the countess; 〃Piccina!〃 when she

first saw Genevieve by the roadside; open…mouthed at sight of the

carriage and the elegantly dressed woman within it; will be

understood。 This girl; almost a dwarf; of Montenegrin vigor; loved the

handsome; noble bailiff; as children of her age love; when they do

love; that is to say; with childlike passion; with the strength of

youth; with the devotion which in truly virgin souls gives birth to

divinest poesy。 Catherine had just swept her coarse hands across the

sensitive strings of that choice harp; strung to the breaking…point。

To dance before Michaud; to shine at the Soulanges ball and inscribe

herself on the memory of that adored master! What glorious thoughts!

To fling them into that volcanic head was like casting live coals upon

straw dried in the August sun。



〃No; Catherine;〃 replied La Pechina; 〃I am ugly and puny; my lot is to

sit in a corner and never to be married; but live alone in the world。〃



〃Men like weaklings;〃 said Catherine。 〃You see me; don't you?〃 she

added; showing her handsome; strong arms。 〃I please Godain; who is a

poor stick; I please that little Charles; the count's groom; but

Lupin's son is afraid of me。 I tell you it is the small kind of men

who love me; and who say when they see me go by at Ville…aux…Fayes and

at Soulanges; 'Ha! what a fine girl!' Now YOU; that's another thing;

you'll please the fine men。〃



〃Ah! Catherine; if it were truethat!〃 cried the bewitched child。



〃It is true; it is so true that Nicolas; the handsomest man in the

canton; is mad about you; he dreams of you; he is losing his mind; and

yet all the other girls are in love with him。 He is a fine lad! If

you'll put on a white dress and yellow ribbons; and come to Socquard's

for the midsummer ball; you'll be the handsomest girl there; and all

the fine people from Ville…aux…Fayes will see you。 Come; won't you?

See here; I've been cutting grass for the cows; and I brought some

boiled wine in my gourd; Socquard gave it me this morning;〃 she added

quickly; seeing the half…delirious expression in La Pechina's eyes

which women understand so well。 〃We'll share it together; and you'll

fancy the men are in love with you。〃



During this conversation Nicolas; choosing the grassy spots to step

on; had noiselessly slipped behind the trunk of an old oak near which

his sister had seated La Pechina。 Catherine; who had now and then cast

her eyes behind her; saw her brother as she turned to get the boiled

wine。



〃Here; take some;〃 she said; offering it。



〃It burns me!〃 cried Genevieve; giving back the gourd; after taking

two or three swallows from it。



〃Silly child!〃 replied Catherine; 〃see here!〃 and she emptied the

rustic bottle without taking breath。 〃See how it slips down; it goes

like a sunbeam into the stomach。〃



〃But I ought to be carrying the milk to Mademoiselle Gaillard;〃 cried

Genevieve; 〃and it is all spilt! Nicolas frightened me so!〃



〃Don't you like Nicolas?〃



〃No;〃 answered Genevieve。 〃Why does he persecute me? He can get plenty

other girls; who are willing。〃



〃But if he likes you better than all the other girls in the valley〃



〃So much the worse for him。〃



〃I see you don't know him;〃 answered Catherine; as she seized the girl

rapidly by the waist and flung her on the grass; holding her down in

that position with her strong arms。 At this moment Nicolas appeared。

Seeing her odious persecutor; the child screamed with all her might;

and drove him five feet away with a violent kick in the stomach; then

she twisted herself like an acrobat; with a dexterity for which

Catherine was not prepared; and rose to run away。 Catherine; still on

the ground; caught her by one foot and threw her headlong on her face。

This frightful fall stopped the brave child's cries for a moment。

Nicolas attempted; furiously; to seize his victim; but she; though

giddy from the wine and the fall; caught him by the throat in a grip

of iron。



〃Help! she's strangling me; Catherine;〃 cried Nicolas; in a stifled

voice。



La Pechina uttered piercing screams; which Catherine tried to choke by

putting her hands over the girl's mouth; but she bit them and drew

blood。 It was at this moment that Blondet; the countess; and the abbe

appeared at the edge of the wood。



〃Here are those Aigues people!〃 exclaimed Catherine; helping Genevieve

to rise

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