original short stories-13-第21章

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only　that　he　may　withdraw　it　almost　immediately？　　Did　she　pray　to　Him；
imploring　Him　to　do　for　her　what　He　has　never　yet　done　for　any　one；　to
let　her　retain　until　her　last　day　her　charm；　her　freshness　and　her
gracefulness？　　Then；　finding　that　she　was　imploring　in　vain　an　inflexible
Unknown　who　drives　on　the　years；　one　after　another；　did　she　roll　on　the
carpet　in　her　room；　knocking　her　head　against　the　furniture　and　stifling
in　her　throat　shrieks　of　despair？

Doubtless　she　suffered　these　tortures；　for　this　is　what　occurred：

One　day　（she　was　then　thirty…five）　her　son　aged　fifteen；　fell　ill。

He　took　to　his　bed　without　any　one　being　able　to　determine　the　cause　or
nature　of　his　illness。

His　tutor；　a　priest；　watched　beside　him　and　hardly　ever　left　him；　while
Mme。　Hermet　came　morning　and　evening　to　inquire　how　he　was。

She　would　come　into　the　room　in　the　morning　in　her　night　wrapper；
smiling；　all　powdered　and　perfumed；　and　would　ask　as　she　entered　the
door：

〃Well；　George；　are　you　better？〃

The　big　boy；　his　face　red；　swollen　and　showing　the　ravages　of　fever；
would　reply：

〃Yes；　little　mother；　a　little　better。〃

She　would　stay　in　the　room　a　few　seconds；　look　at　the　bottles　of
medicine；　and　purse　her　lips　as　if　she　were　saying　〃phew；〃　and　then　would
suddenly　exclaim：　〃Oh；　I　forgot　something　very　important；〃　and　would　run
out　of　the　room　leaving　behind　her　a　fragrance　of　choice　toilet　perfumes。

In　the　evening　she　would　appear　in　a　decollete　dress；　in　a　still　greater
hurry；　for　she　was　always　late；　and　she　had　just　time　to　inquire：

〃Well；　what　does　the　doctor　say？〃

The　priest　would　reply：

〃He　has　not　yet　given　an　opinion；　madame。〃

But　one　evening　the　abbe　replied：　〃Madame；　your　son　has　got　the　small…
pox。〃

She　uttered　a　scream　of　terror　and　fled　from　the　room。

When　her　maid　came　to　her　room　the　following　morning　she　noticed　at　once
a　strong　odor　of　burnt　sugar；　and　she　found　her　mistress；　with　wide…open
eyes；　her　face　pale　from　lack　of　sleep；　and　shivering　with　terror　in　her
bed。

As　soon　as　the　shutters　were　opened　Mme。　Herrnet　asked：

〃How　is　George？〃

〃Oh；　not　at　all　well　to…day；　madame。〃

She　did　not　rise　until　noon；　when　she　ate　two　eggs　with　a　cup　of　tea；　as
if　she　herself　had　been　ill；　and　then　she　went　out　to　a　druggist's　to
inquire　about　prophylactic　measures　against　the　contagion　of　small…pox。

She　did　not　come　home　until　dinner　time；　laden　with　medicine　bottles；　and
shut　herself　up　at　once　in　her　room；　where　she　saturated　herself　with
disinfectants。

The　priest　was　waiting　for　her　in　the　dining…room。　　As　soon　as　she　saw
him　she　exclaimed　in　a　voice　full　of　emotion：

〃Well？〃

〃No　improvement。　　The　doctor　is　very　anxious：〃

She　began　to　cry　and　could　eat　nothing；　she　was　so　worried。

The　next　day；　as　soon　as　it　was　light；　she　sent　to　inquire　for　her　son；
but　there　was　no　improvement　and　she　spent　the　whole　day　in　her　room；
where　little　braziers　were　giving　out　pungent　odors。　　Her　maid　said　also
that　you　could　hear　her　sighing　all　the　evening。

She　spent　a　whole　week　in　this　manner；　only　going　out　for　an　hour　or　two
during　the　afternoon　to　breathe　the　air。

She　now　sent　to　make　inquiries　every　hour；　and　would　sob　when　the　reports
were　unfavorable。

On　the　morning　of　the　eleventh　day　the　priest；　having　been　announced；
entered　her　room；　his　face　grave　and　pale；　and　said；　without　taking　the
chair　she　offered　him：

〃Madame；　your　son　is　very　ill　and　wishes　to　see　you。〃

She　fell　on　her　knees；　exclaiming：

〃Oh；　my　God！　　Oh；　my　God！　　I　would　never　dare！　　My　God！　　My　God！　　Help
me！〃

The　priest　continued：

〃The　doctor　holds　out　little　hope；　madame；　and　George　is　expecting　you！〃

And　he　left　the　room。

Two　hours　later　as　the　young　lad；　feeling　himself　dying；　again　asked　for
his　mother；　the　abbe　went　to　her　again　and　found　her　still　on　her　knees；
still　weeping　and　repeating：

〃I　will　not　。　　。　　。　　。　　I　will　not。　　。　　。　　。　　I　am　too　much　afraid　。　　。
。　　。　　I　will　not。　　。　　。　　。〃

He　tried　to　persuade　her；　to　strengthen　her；　to　lead　her。　　He　only
succeeded　in　bringing　on　an　attack　of　〃nerves〃　that　lasted　some　time　and
caused　her　to　shriek。

The　doctor　when　he　came　in　the　evening　was　told　of　this　cowardice　and
declared　that　he　would　bring　her　in　himself；　of　her　own　volition；　or　by
force。　　But　after　trying　all　manner　of　argument　and　just　as　he　seized　her
round　the　waist　to　carry　her　into　her　son's　room；　she　caught　hold　of　the
door　and　clung　to　it　so　firmly　that　they　could　not　drag　her　away。　　Then
when　they　let　go　of　her　she　fell　at　the　feet　of　the　doctor；　begging　his
forgiveness　and　acknowledging　that　she　was　a　wretched　creature。　　And　then
she　exclaimed：　〃Oh；　he　is　not　going　to　die；　tell　me　that　he　is　not　going
to　die；　I　beg　of　you；　tell　him　that　I　love　him；　that　I　worship　him。　。　。〃

The　young　lad　was　dying。　　Feeling　that　he　had　only　a　few　moments　more　to
live；　he　entreated　that　his　mother　be　persuaded　to　come　and　bid　him　a
last　farewell。　　With　that　sort　of　presentiment　that　the　dying　sometimes
have；　he　had　understood；　had　guessed　all；　and　he　said：　〃If　she　is　afraid
to　come　into　the　room；　beg　her　just　to　come　on　the　balcony　as　far　as　my
window　so　that　I　may　see　her；　at　least；　so　that　I　may　take　a　farewell
look　at　her；　as　I　cannot　kiss　her。〃

The　doctor　and　the　abbe；　once　more；　went　together　to　this　woman　and
assured　her：　〃You　will　run　no　risk；　for　there　will　be　a　pane　of　glass
between　you　and　him。〃

She　consented；　covered　up　her　head；　and　took　with　her　a　bottle　of
smelling　salts。　　She　took　three　steps　on　the　balcony；　then；　all　at　once；
hiding　her　face　in　her　hands；　she　moaned：　〃No　。　　。　　。　　no　。　　。　　。　　I
would　never　dare　to　look　at　him　。　　。　　。　　never。　　。　　。　　。　　I　am　too　much
ashamed　。　　。　　。　　too　much　afraid　。　　。　　。　　。　　No　。　　。　　。　　I　cannot。〃

They　endeavored　to　drag　her　along；　but　she　held　on　with　both　hands　to　the
railings　and　uttered　such　plaints　that　the　passers…by　in　the　street
raised　their　heads。　　And　the　dying　boy　waited；　his　eyes　turned　towards
that　window；　waited　to　die　until　he　could　see　for　the　last　time　the
sweet；　beloved　face；　the　worshiped　face　of　his　mother。

He　waited　long；　and　night　came　on。　　Then　he　turned　over　with　his　face　to
the　wall　and　was　silent。

When　day　broke　he　was　dead。　　The　day　following　she　was　crazy。






THE　MAGIC　COUCH

The　Seine　flowed　past　my　house；　without　a　ripple　on　its　surface；　and
gleaming　in　the　bright　morning　sunlight。　　It　was　a　beautiful；　broad；
indolent　silver　stream；　with　crimson　lights　here　and　there；　and　on　the
opposite　side　of　the　river　were　rows　of　tall　trees　that　covered　all　the
bank　with　an　immense　wall　of　verdure。

The　sensation　of　life　which　is　renewed　each　day；　of　fresh；　happy；　loving
life　trembled　in　the　leaves；　palpitated　in　the　air；　was　mirrored　in　the
water。

The　postman　had　just　brought　my　papers；　which　were　handed　to　me；　and　I
walked　slowly　to　the　river　bank　in　order　to　read　them。

In　the　first　paper　I　opened　I　noticed　this　headline；　〃Statistics　of
Suicides；〃　and　I　read　that　more　than　8；500　persons　had　killed　themselves
in　that　year。

In　a　moment　I　seemed　to　see　them！　　I　saw　this　voluntary　and　hideous
massacre　of　the　despairing　who　were　weary　of　life。　　I　saw　men　bleeding；
their　jaws　fractured；　their　skulls　cloven；　their　breasts　pierced　by　a
bullet；　slowly　dying；　alone　in　a　little　room　in　a　hotel；　giving　no
thought　to　their　wound；　but　thinking　only　of　their　misfortunes。

I　saw　others　seated　before　a　tumbler　in　which　some　matches　were　soaking；
or　before　a　little　bottle　with　a　red　label。

They　would　look　at　it　fixedly　without　moving；　then　they　would　drink　and
await　the　result；　then　a　spasm　would　convulse　their　cheeks　and　draw　their
lips　together；　their　eyes　would　grow　wild　with　terror；　for　they　did　not
know　that　the　end　would　be　preceded　by　so　much　suffering。

They　rose　to　their　feet；　paused；　fell　over　and　with　their　hands　pressed
to　their　stomachs　they　felt　their　internal　organs　on　fire；　their　entrails
devoured　by　the　fiery　liquid；　before　their　minds　began　to　grow　dim。

I　saw　others　hanging　from　a　nail　in　the　wall；　from　the　fastening　of　the
window；　from　a　hook　in　the　ceiling；　from　a　beam　in　the