original short stories-13-第14章

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ghosts；　all　the　mysterious　beings　of　darkness；　and　he　waited　a　long　time
without　daring　to　move。　　But　when　he　found　out　that　nothing　else　was
moving；　a　little　reason　returned　to　him；　the　reason　of　a　drunkard。

Gently　he　sat　up。　　Again　he　waited　a　long　time；　and　at　last；　growing
bolder；　he　called：

〃Melina！〃

His　wife　did　not　answer。

Then；　suddenly；　a　suspicion　crossed　his　darkened　mind；　an　indistinct；
vague　suspicion。　　He　was　not　moving；　he　was　sitting　there　in　the　dark；
trying　to　gather　together　his　scattered　wits；　his　mind　stumbling　over
incomplete　ideas；　just　as　his　feet　stumbled　along。

Once　more　he　asked：

〃Who　was　it；　Melina？　　Tell　me　who　it　was。　　I　won't　hurt　you！〃

He　waited；　no　voice　was　raised　in　the　darkness。　　He　was　now　reasoning
with　himself　out　loud。

〃I'm　drunk；　all　right！　　I'm　drunk！　　And　he　filled　me　up；　the　dog；　he　did
it；　to　stop　my　goin'　home。　　I'm　drunk！〃

And　he　would　continue：

〃Tell　me　who　it　was；　Melina；　or　somethin'll　happen　to　you。〃

After　having　waited　again；　he　went　on　with　the　slow　and　obstinate　logic
of　a　drunkard：

〃He's　been　keeping　me　at　that　loafer　Paumelle's　place　every　night；　so　as
to　stop　my　going　home。　　It's　some　trick。　　Oh；　you　damned　carrion！〃

Slowly　he　got　on　his　knees。　　A　blind　fury　was　gaining　possession　of　him；
mingling　with　the　fumes　of　alcohol。

He　continued：

〃Tell　me　who　it　was；　Melina；　or　you'll　get　a　lickingI　warn　you！〃

He　was　now　standing；　trembling　with　a　wild　fury；　as　though　the　alcohol
had　set　his　blood　on　fire。　　He　took　a　step；　knocked　against　a　chair；
seized　it；　went　on；　reached　the　bed；　ran　his　hands　over　it　and　felt　the
warm　body　of　his　wife。

Then；　maddened；　he　roared：

〃So！　　You　were　there；　you　piece　of　dirt；　and　you　wouldn't　answer！〃

And；　lifting　the　chair；　which　he　was　holding　in　his　strong　sailor's　grip；
he　swung　it　down　before　him　with　an　exasperated　fury。　　A　cry　burst　from
the　bed；　an　agonizing；　piercing　cry。　　Then　he　began　to　thrash　around　like
a　thresher　in　a　barn。　　And　soon　nothing　more　moved。　　The　chair　was　broken
to　pieces；　but　he　still　held　one　leg　and　beat　away　with　it；　panting。

At　last　he　stopped　to　ask：

〃Well；　are　you　ready　to　tell　me　who　it　was？〃

Melina　did　not　answer。

Then　tired　out；　stupefied　from　his　exertion；　he　stretched　himself　out　on
the　ground　and　slept。

When　day　came　a　neighbor；　seeing　the　door　open；　entered。　　He　saw　Jeremie
snoring　on　the　floor；　amid　the　broken　pieces　of　a　chair；　and　on　the　bed　a
pulp　of　flesh　and　blood。






THE　WARDROBE

As　we　sat　chatting　after　dinner；　a　party　of　men；　the　conversation　turned
on　women；　for　lack　of　something　else。

One　of　us　said：

〃Here's　a　funny　thing　that　happened　to　me　on；　that　very　subject。〃　　And　he
told　us　the　following　story：

One　evening　last　winter　I　suddenly　felt　overcome　by　that　overpowering
sense　of　misery　and　languor　that　takes　possession　of　one　from　time　to
time。　　I　was　in　my　own　apartment；　all　alone；　and　I　was　convinced　that　if
I　gave　in　to　my　feelings　I　should　have　a　terrible　attack　of　melancholia；
one　of　those　attacks　that　lead　to　suicide　when　they　recur　too　often。

I　put　on　my　overcoat　and　went　out　without　the　slightest　idea　of　what　I
was　going　to　do。　　Having　gone　as　far　as　the　boulevards；　I　began　to　wander
along　by　the　almost　empty　cafes。　　It　was　raining；　a　fine　rain　that
affects　your　mind　as　it　does　your　clothing；　not　one　of　those　good
downpours　which　come　down　in　torrents；　driving　breathless　passers…by　into
doorways；　but　a　rain　without　drops　that　deposits　on　your　clothing　an
imperceptible　spray　and　soon　covers　you　with　a　sort　of　iced　foam　that
chills　you　through。

What　should　I　do？　　I　walked　in　one　direction　and　then　came　back；　looking
for　some　place　where　I　could　spend　two　hours；　and　discovering　for　the
first　time　that　there　is　no　place　of　amusement　in　Paris　in　the　evening。
At　last　I　decided　to　go　to　the　Folies…Bergere；　that　entertaining　resort
for　gay　women。

There　were　very　few　people　in　the　main　hall。　　In　the　long　horseshoe　curve
there　were　only　a　few　ordinary　looking　people；　whose　plebeian　origin　was
apparent　in　their　manners；　their　clothes；　the　cut　of　their　hair　and
beard；　their　hats；　their　complexion。　　It　was　rarely　that　one　saw　from
time　to　time　a　man　whom　you　suspected　of　having　washed　himself
thoroughly；　and　his　whole　make…up　seemed　to　match。　　As　for　the　women；
they　were　always　the　same；　those　frightful　women　you　all　know；　ugly；
tired　looking；　drooping；　and　walking　along　in　their　lackadaisical　manner；
with　that　air　of　foolish　superciliousness　which　they　assume；　I　do　not
know　why。

I　thought　to　myself　that；　in　truth；　not　one　of　those　languid　creatures；
greasy　rather　than　fat；　puffed　out　here　and　thin　there；　with　the　contour
of　a　monk　and　the　lower　extremities　of　a　bow…legged　snipe；　was　worth　the
louis　that　they　would　get　with　great　difficulty　after　asking　five。

But　all　at　once　I　saw　a　little　creature　whom　I　thought　attractive；　not　in
her　first　youth；　but　fresh；　comical　and　tantalizing。　　I　stopped　her；　and
stupidly；　without　thinking；　I　made　an　appointment　with　her　for　that
night。　　I　did　not　want　to　go　back　to　my　own　home　alone；　all　alone；
I　preferred　the　company　and　the　caresses　of　this　hussy。

And　I　followed　her。　　She　lived　in　a　great　big　house　in　the　Rue　des
Martyrs。　　The　gas　was　already　extinguished　on　the　stairway。　　I　ascended
the　steps　slowly；　lighting　a　candle　match　every　few　seconds；　stubbing　my
foot　against　the　steps；　stumbling　and　angry　as　I　followed　the　rustle　of
the　skirt　ahead　of　me。

She　stopped　on　the　fourth　floor；　and　having　closed　the　outer　door　she
said：

〃Then　you　will　stay　till　to…morrow？〃

〃Why；　yes。　　You　know　that　that　was　the　agreement。〃

〃All　right；　my　dear；　I　just　wanted　to　know。　　Wait　for　me　here　a　minute；　I
will　be　right　back。〃

And　she　left　me　in　the　darkness。　　I　heard　her　shutting　two　doors　and　then
I　thought　I　heard　her　talking。　　I　was　surprised　and　uneasy。　　The　thought
that　she　had　a　protector　staggered　me。　　But　I　have　good　fists　and　a　solid
back。　　〃We　shall　see；〃　I　said　to　myself。

I　listened　attentively　with　ear　and　mind。　　Some　one　was　stirring　about；
walking　quietly　and　very　carefully。　　Then　another　door　was　opened　and　I
thought　I　again　heard　some　one　talking；　but　in　a　very　low　tone。

She　came　back　carrying　a　lighted　candle。

〃You　may　come　in；〃　she　said。

She　said　〃thou〃　in　speaking　to　me；　which　was　an　indication　of　possession。
I　went　in　and　after　passing　through　a　dining　room　in　which　it　was　very
evident　that　no　one　ever　ate；　I　entered　a　typical　room　of　all　these
women；　a　furnished　room　with　red　curtains　and　a　soiled　eiderdown　bed
covering。

〃Make　yourself　at　home；　'mon　chat'；〃　she　said。

I　gave　a　suspicious　glance　at　the　room；　but　there　seemed　no　reason　for
uneasiness。

As　she　took　off　her　wraps　she　began　to　laugh。

〃Well；　what　ails　you？　　Are　you　changed　into　a　pillar　of　salt？　　Come；
hurry　up。〃

I　did　as　she　suggested。

Five　minutes　later　I　longed　to　put　on　my　things　and　get　away。　　But　this
terrible　languor　that　had　overcome　me　at　home　took　possession　of　me
again；　and　deprived　me　of　energy　enough　to　move　and　I　stayed　in　spite　of
the　disgust　that　I　felt　for　this　association。　　The　unusual　attractiveness
that　I　supposed　I　had　discovered　in　this　creature　over　there　under　the
chandeliers　of　the　theater　had　altogether　vanished　on　closer
acquaintance；　and　she　was　nothing　more　to　me　now　than　a　common　woman；
like　all　the　others；　whose　indifferent　and　complaisant　kiss　smacked　of
garlic。

I　thought　I　would　say　something。

〃Have　you　lived　here　long？〃　I　asked。

〃Over　six　months　on　the　fifteenth　of　January。〃

〃Where　were　you　before　that？〃

〃In　the　Rue　Clauzel。　　But　the　janitor　made　me　very　uncomfortable　and　I
left。〃

And　she　began　to　tell　me　an　interminable　story　of　a　janitor　who　had
talked　scandal　about　her。

But；　suddenly；　I　heard　something　moving　quite　close　to　us。　　First　there
was　a　sigh；　then　a　slight；　but　distinct；　sound　as　if　some　one　had　turned
round　on　a　chair。

I　sat　up　abruptly　and　asked。

〃What　was　that　noise？〃

She　answered　quietly　and　confidently：

〃Do　not　be　uneasy；　my　dear　boy；　it　is　my　neighbor。　　The　partition　is　so
thin　that　one　ca