original short stories-13-第2章

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〃Nothing　to　complain　of；　considering；　thank　you。　　And　how　are　you；
Monsieur　Chicot？〃

〃Oh；　pretty　well；　thank　you；　except　a　few　rheumatic　pains　occasionally；
otherwise　I　have　nothing　to　complain　of。〃

〃So　much　the　better。〃

And　she　said　no　more；　while　Chicot　watched　her　going　on　with　her　work。
Her　crooked；　knotted　fingers；　hard　as　a　lobster's　claws；　seized　the
tubers；　which　were　lying　in　a　pail；　as　if　they　had　been　a　pair　of
pincers；　and　she　peeled　them　rapidly；　cutting　off　long　strips　of　skin
with　an　old　knife　which　she　held　in　the　other　hand；　throwing　the　potatoes
into　the　water　as　they　were　done。　　Three　daring　fowls　jumped　one　after
the　other　into　her　lap；　seized　a　bit　of　peel　and　then　ran　away　as　fast　as
their　legs　would　carry　them　with　it　in　their　beak。

Chicot　seemed　embarrassed；　anxious；　with　something　on　the　tip　of　his
tongue　which　he　could　not　say。　　At　last　he　said　hurriedly：

〃Listen；　Mother　Magloire〃

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃

〃You　are　quite　sure　that　you　do　not　want　to　sell　your　land？〃

〃Certainly　not；　you　may　make　up　your　mind　to　that。　　What　I　have　said　I
have　said；　so　don't　refer　to　it　again。〃

〃Very　well；　only　I　think　I　know　of　an　arrangement　that　might　suit　us　both
very　well。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃Just　this。　　You　shall　sell　it　to　me　and　keep　it　all　the　same。　　You　don't
understand？　　Very　well；　then　follow　me　in　what　I　am　going　to　say。〃

The　old　woman　left　off　peeling　potatoes　and　looked　at　the　innkeeper
attentively　from　under　her　heavy　eyebrows；　and　he　went　on：

〃Let　me　explain　myself。　　Every　month　I　will　give　you　a　hundred　and　fifty
francs。　　You　understand　me！　suppose！　　Every　month　I　will　come　and　bring
you　thirty　crowns；　　and　it　will　not　make　the　slightest　difference　in　your
lifenot　the　very　slightest。　　You　will　have　your　own　home　just　as　you
have　now；　need　not　trouble　yourself　about　me；　and　will　owe　me　nothing；
all　you　will　have　to　do　will　be　to　take　my　money。　　Will　that　arrangement
suit　you？〃

He　looked　at　her　good…humoredly；　one　might　almost　have　said　benevolently；
and　the　old　woman　returned　his　looks　distrustfully；　as　if　she　suspected　a
trap；　and　said：

〃It　seems　all　right　as　far　as　I　am　concerned；　but　it　will　not　give　you
the　farm。〃

〃Never　mind　about　that；〃　he　said；　〃you　may　remain　here　as　long　as　it
pleases　God　Almighty　to　let　you　live；　it　will　be　your　home。　　Only　you
will　sign　a　deed　before　a　lawyer　making　it　over　to　me；　after　your　death。
You　have　no　children；　only　nephews　and　nieces　for　whom　you　don't　care　a
straw。　　Will　that　suit　you？　　You　will　keep　everything　during　your　life；
and　I　will　give　you　the　thirty　crowns　a　month。　　It　is　pure　gain　as　far　as
you　are　concerned。〃

The　old　woman　was　surprised；　rather　uneasy；　but；　nevertheless；　very　much
tempted　to　agree；　and　answered：

〃I　don't　say　that　I　will　not　agree　to　it；　but　I　must　think　about　it。
Come　back　in　a　week；　and　we　will　talk　it　over　again；　and　I　will　then　give
you　my　definite　answer。〃

And　Chicot　went　off　as　happy　as　a　king　who　had　conquered　an　empire。

Mother　Magloire　was　thoughtful；　and　did　not　sleep　at　all　that　night；　in
fact；　for　four　days　she　was　in　a　fever　of　hesitation。　　She　suspected　that
there　was　something　underneath　the　offer　which　was　not　to　her　advantage；
but　then　the　thought　of　thirty　crowns　a　month；　of　all　those　coins
clinking　in　her　apron；　falling　to　her；　as　it　were；　from　the　skies；
without　her　doing　anything　for　it；　aroused　her　covetousness。

She　went　to　the　notary　and　told　him　about　it。　　He　advised　her　to　accept
Chicot's　offer；　but　said　she　ought　to　ask　for　an　annuity　of　fifty　instead
of　thirty；　as　her　farm　was　worth　sixty　thousand　francs　at　the　lowest
calculation。

〃If　you　live　for　fifteen　years　longer；〃　he　said；　〃even　then　he　will　only
have　paid　forty…five　thousand　francs　for　it。〃

The　old　woman　trembled　with　joy　at　this　prospect　of　getting　fifty　crowns
a　month；　but　she　was　still　suspicious；　fearing　some　trick；　and　she
remained　a　long　time　with　the　lawyer　asking　questions　without　being　able
to　make　up　her　mind　to　go。　　At　last　she　gave　him　instructions　to　draw　up
the　deed　and　returned　home　with　her　head　in　a　whirl；　just　as　if　she　had
drunk　four　jugs　of　new　cider。

When　Chicot　came　again　to　receive　her　answer　she　declared；　after　a　lot　of
persuading；　that　she　could　not　make　up　her　mind　to　agree　to　his　proposal；
though　she　was　all　the　time　trembling　lest　he　should　not　consent　to　give
the　fifty　crowns；　but　at　last；　when　he　grew　urgent；　she　told　him　what　she
expected　for　her　farm。

He　looked　surprised　and　disappointed　and　refused。

Then；　in　order　to　convince　him；　she　began　to　talk　about　the　probable
duration　of　her　life。

〃I　am　certainly　not　likely　to　live　more　than　five　or　six　years　longer。
I　am　nearly　seventy…three；　and　far　from　strong；　even　considering　my　age。
The　other　evening　I　thought　I　was　going　to　die；　and　could　hardly　manage
to　crawl　into　bed。〃

But　Chicot　was　not　going　to　be　taken　in。

〃Come；　come；　old　lady；　you　are　as　strong　as　the　church　tower；　and　will
live　till　you　are　a　hundred　at　least；　you　will　no　doubt　see　me　put　under
ground　first。〃

The　whole　day　was　spent　in　discussing　the　money；　and　as　the　old　woman
would　not　give　in；　the　innkeeper　consented　to　give　the　fifty　crowns；　and
she　insisted　upon　having　ten　crowns　over　and　above　to　strike　the　bargain。

Three　years　passed　and　the　old　dame　did　not　seem　to　have　grown　a　day
older。　　Chicot　was　in　despair；　and　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　he　had　been
paying　that　annuity　for　fifty　years；　that　he　had　been　taken　in；　done；
ruined。　　From　time　to　time　he　went　to　see　the　old　lady；　just　as　one　goes
in　July　to　see　when　the　harvest　is　likely　to　begin。　　She　always　met　him
with　a　cunning　look；　and　one　might　have　supposed　that　she　was
congratulating　herself　on　the　trick　she　had　played　him。　　Seeing　how　well
and　hearty　she　seemed　he　very　soon　got　into　his　buggy　again；　growling　to
himself：

〃Will　you　never　die；　you　old　hag？〃

He　did　not　know　what　to　do；　and　he　felt　inclined　to　strangle　her　when　he
saw　her。　　He　hated　her　with　a　ferocious；　cunning　hatred；　the　hatred　of　a
peasant　who　has　been　robbed；　and　began　to　cast　about　for　some　means　of
getting　rid　of　her。

One　day　he　came　to　see　her　again；　rubbing　his　hands　as　he　did　the　first
time　he　proposed　the　bargain；　and；　after　having　chatted　for　a　few
minutes；　he　said：

〃Why　do　you　never　come　and　have　a　bit　of　dinner　at　my　place　when　you　are
in　Spreville？　　The　people　are　talking　about　it；　and　saying　we　are　not　on
friendly　terms；　and　that　pains　me。　　You　know　it　will　cost　you　nothing　if
you　come；　for　I　don't　look　at　the　price　of　a　dinner。　　Come　whenever　you
feel　inclined；　I　shall　be　very　glad　to　see　you。〃

Old　Mother　Magloire　did　not　need　to　be　asked　twice；　and　the　next　day　but
one；　as　she　had　to　go　to　the　town　in　any　case；　it　being　market　day；　she
let　her　man　drive　her　to　Chicot's　place；　where　the　buggy　was　put　in　the
barn　while　she　went　into　the　house　to　get　her　dinner。

The　innkeeper　was　delighted　and　treated　her　like　a　lady；　giving　her　roast
fowl；　black　pudding；　leg　of　mutton　and　bacon　and　cabbage。　　But　she　ate
next　to　nothing。　　She　had　always　been　a　small　eater；　and　had　generally
lived　on　a　little　soup　and　a　crust　of　bread　and　butter。

Chicot　was　disappointed　and　pressed　her　to　eat　more；　but　she　refused；　and
she　would　drink　little；　and　declined　coffee；　so　he　asked　her：

〃But　surely　you　will　take　a　little　drop　of　brandy　or　liqueur？〃

〃Well；　as　to　that；　I　don't　know　that　I　will　refuse。〃　　Whereupon　he
shouted　out：

〃Rosalie；　bring　the　superfine　brandythe　specialyou　know。〃

The　servant　appeared；　carrying　a　long　bottle　ornamented　with　a　paper
vine…leaf；　and　he　filled　two　liqueur　glasses。

〃Just　try　that；　you　will　find　it　first　rate。〃

The　good　woman　drank　it　slowly　in　sips；　so　as　to　make　the　pleasure　last
all　the　longer；　and　when　she　had　finished　her　glass；　she　said：

〃Yes；　that　is　first　rate！〃

Almost　before　she　had　said　it　Chicot　had　poured　her　out　another　glassful。
She　wished　to　refuse；　but　it　was　too　late；　and　she　drank　it　very　slowly；
as　she　had　done　the　first；　and　he　asked　her　to　have　a　third。　　She
objected；　but　he　persisted。

〃It　is　as　mild　as　milk；　you　know；　I　can　drink　ten　or　a　doz