original short stories-13-第8章

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seamen；　I　was　convinced　that　not　a　week　passed　without　one　of　them；　or
one　of　their　children　dreaming　and　declaring　when　they　woke　up　that　the
father　was　drowned。　　The　horrible　and　continual　fear　of　this　accident
makes　them　always　talk　about　it。　　Now；　if　one　of　these　frequent
predictions　coincides；　by　a　very　simple　chance；　with　the　death　of　the
person　referred　to；　people　at　once　declare　it　to　be　a　miracle；　for　they
suddenly　lose　sight　of　all　the　other　predictions　of　misfortune　that　have
remained　unfulfilled。　　I　have　myself　known　fifty　cases　where　the　persons
who　made　the　prediction　forgot　all　about　it　a　week　after　wards。　　But；　if；
then　one　happens　to　die；　then　the　recollection　of　the　thing　is
immediately　revived；　and　people　are　ready　to　believe　in　the　intervention
of　God；　according　to　some；　and　magnetism；　according　to　others。〃

One　of　the　smokers　remarked：

〃What　you　say　is　right　enough；　but　what　about　your　second　story？〃

〃Oh！　　my　second　story　is　a　very　delicate　matter　to　relate。　　It　happened
to　myself；　and　so　I　don't　place　any　great　value　on　my　own　view　of　the
matter。　　An　interested　party　can　never　give　an　impartial　opinion。
However；　here　it　is：

〃Among　my　acquaintances　was　a　young　woman　on　whom　I　had　never　bestowed　a
thought；　whom　I　had　never　even　looked　at　attentively；　never　taken　any
notice　of。

〃I　classed　her　among　the　women　of　no　importance；　though　she　was　not　bad…
looking；　she　appeared；　in　fact；　to　possess　eyes；　a　nose；　a　mouth；　some
sort　of　hairjust　a　colorless　type　of　countenance。　　She　was　one　of　those
beings　who　awaken　only　a　chance；　passing　thought；　but　no　special
interest；　no　desire。

〃Well；　one　night；　as　I　was　writing　some　letters　by　my　fireside　before
going　to　bed；　I　was　conscious；　in　the　midst　of　that　train　of　sensuous
visions　that　sometimes　pass　through　one's　brain　in　moments　of　idle
reverie；　of　a　kind　of　slight　influence；　passing　over　me；　a　little　flutter
of　the　heart；　and　immediately；　without　any　cause；　without　any　logical
connection　of　thought；　I　saw　distinctly；　as　if　I　were　touching　her；　saw
from　head　to　foot；　and　disrobed；　this　young　woman　to　whom　I　had　never
given　more　that　three　seconds'　thought　at　a　time。　　I　suddenly　discovered
in　her　a　number　of　qualities　which　I　had　never　before　observed；　a　sweet
charm；　a　languorous　fascination；　she　awakened　in　me　that　sort　of　restless
emotion　that　causes　one　to　pursue　a　woman。　　But　I　did　not　think　of　her
long。　　I　went　to　bed　and　was　soon　asleep。　　And　I　dreamed。

〃You　have　all　had　these　strange　dreams　which　make　you　overcome　the
impossible；　which　open　to　you　double…locked　doors；　unexpected　joys；
tightly　folded　arms？

〃Which　of　us　in　these　troubled；　excising；　breathless　slumbers；　has　not
held；　clasped；　embraced　with　rapture；　the　woman　who　occupied　his
thoughts？　　And　have　you　ever　noticed　what　superhuman　delight　these　happy
dreams　give　us？　　Into　what　mad　intoxication　they　cast　you！　with　what
passionate　spasms　they　shake　you！　and　with　what　infinite；　caressing；
penetrating　tenderness　they　fill　your　heart　for　her　whom　you　hold　clasped
in　your　arms　in　that　adorable　illusion　that　is　so　like　reality！

〃All　this　I　felt　with　unforgettable　violence。　　This　woman　was　mine；　so
much　mine　that　the　pleasant　warmth　of　her　skin　remained　in　my　fingers；
the　odor　of　her　skin；　in　my　brain；　the　taste　of　her　kisses；　on　my　lips；
the　sound　of　her　voice　lingered　in　my　ears；　the　touch　of　her　clasp　still
clung　to　me；　and　the　burning　charm　of　her　tenderness　still　gratified　my
senses　long　after　the　delight　but　disillusion　of　my　awakening。

〃And　three　times　that　night　I　had　the　same　dream。

〃When　the　day　dawned　she　haunted　me；　possessed　me；　filled　my　senses　to
such　an　extent　that　I　was　not　one　second　without　thinking　of　her。

〃At　last；　not　knowing　what　to　do；　I　dressed　myself　and　went　to　call　on
her。　　As　I　went　upstairs　to　her　apartment；　I　was　so　overcome　by　emotion
that　I　trembled；　and　my　heart　beat　rapidly。

〃I　entered　the　apartment。　　She　rose　the　moment　she　heard　my　name
mentioned；　and　suddenly　our　eyes　met　in　a　peculiar　fixed　gaze。

〃I　sat　down。　　I　stammered　out　some　commonplaces　which　she　seemed　not　to
hear。　　I　did　not　know　what　to　say　or　do。　　Then；　abruptly；　clasping　my
arms　round　her；　my　dream　was　realized　so　suddenly　that　I　began　to　doubt
whether　I　was　really　awake。　　We　were　friends　after　this　for　two　years。〃

〃What　conclusion　do　you　draw　from　it？〃　said　a　voice。

The　story…teller　seemed　to　hesitate。

〃The　conclusion　I　draw　from　itwell；　by　Jove；　the　conclusion　is　that　it
was　just　a　coincidence！　　And　thenwho　can　tell？　　Perhaps　it　was　some
glance　of　hers　which　I　had　not　noticed　and　which　came　back　that　night　to
me　through　one　of　those　mysterious　and　unconsciousrecollections　that
often　bring　before　us　things　ignored　by　our　own　consciousness；
unperceived　by　our　minds！〃

〃Call　it　whatever　you　like；〃　said　one　of　his　table　companions；　when　the
story　was　finished；　〃but　if　you　don't　believe　in　magnetism　after　that；　my
dear　boy；　you　are　an　ungrateful　fellow！〃






A　FATHER'S　CONFESSION

All　Veziers…le…Rethel　had　followed　the　funeral　procession　of　M。　Badon…
Leremince　to　the　grave；　and　the　last　words　of　the　funeral　oration
pronounced　by　the　delegate　of　the　district　remained　in　the　minds　of　all：
〃He　was　an　honest　man；　at　least！〃

An　honest　man　he　had　been　in　all　the　known　acts　of　his　life；　in　his
words；　in　his　examples；　his　attitude；　his　behavior；　his　enterprises；　in
the　cut　of　his　beard　and　the　shape　of　his　hats。　　He　never　had　said　a　word
that　did　not　set　an　example；　never　had　given　an　alms　without　adding　a
word　of　advice；　never　had　extended　his　hand　without　appearing　to　bestow　a
benediction。

He　left　two　children；　a　boy　and　a　girl。　　His　son　was　counselor　general；
and　his　daughter；　having　married　a　lawyer；　M。　Poirel　de　la　Voulte；　moved
in　the　best　society　of　Veziers。

They　were　inconsolable　at　the　death　of　their　father；　for　they　loved　him
sincerely。

As　soon　as　the　ceremony　was　over；　the　son；　daughter　and　son…in…law
returned　to　the　house　of　mourning；　and；　shutting　themselves　in　the
library；　they　opened　the　will；　the　seals　of　which　were　to　be　broken　by
them　alone　and　only　after　the　coffin　had　been　placed　in　the　ground。
This　wish　was　expressed　by　a　notice　on　the　envelope。

M。　Poirel　de　la　Voulte　tore　open　the　envelope；　in　his　character　of　a
lawyer　used　to　such　operations；　and　having　adjusted　his　spectacles；　he
read　in　a　monotonous　voice；　made　for　reading　the　details　of　contracts：

　　　　　My　children；　my　dear　children；　I　could　not　sleep　the　eternal　sleep
　　　　　in　peace　if　I　did　not　make　to　you　from　the　tomb　a　confession；　the
　　　　　confession　of　a　crime；　remorse　for　which　has　ruined　my　life。　　Yes；
　　　　　I　committed　a　crime；　a　frightful；　abominable　crime。

　　　　　I　was　twenty…six　years　old；　and　I　had　just　been　called　to　the　bar　in
　　　　　Paris；　and　was　living　the　life　off　young　men　from　the　provinces　who
　　　　　are　stranded　in　this　town　without　acquaintances；　relatives；　or
　　　　　friends。

　　　　　I　took　a　sweetheart。　　There　are　beings　who　cannot　live　alone。　　I　was
　　　　　one　of　those。　　Solitude　fills　me　with　horrible　anguish；　the　solitude
　　　　　of　my　room　beside　my　fire　in　the　evening。　　I　feel　then　as　if　I　were
　　　　　alone　on　earth；　alone；　but　surrounded　by　vague　dangers；　unknown　and
　　　　　terrible　things；　and　the　partition　that　separates　me　from　my
　　　　　neighbor；　my　neighbor　whom　I　do　not　know；　keeps　me　at　as　great　a
　　　　　distance　from　him　as　the　stars　that　I　see　through　my　window。　　A　sort
　　　　　of　fever　pervades　me；　a　fever　of　impatience　and　of　fear；　and　the
　　　　　silence　of　the　walls　terrifies　me。　　The　silence　of　a　room　where　one
　　　　　lives　alone　is　so　intense　and　so　melancholy　It　is　not　only　a　silence
　　　　　of　the　mind；　when　a　piece　of　furniture　cracks　a　shudder　goes　through
　　　　　you　for　you　expect　no　noise　in　this　melancholy　abode。

　　　　　How　many　times；　nervous　and　timid　from　this　motionless　silence；　I
　　　　　have　begun　to　talk；　to　repeat　words　without　rhyme　or　reason；　only　to
　　　　　make　some　sound。　　My　voice　at　those　times　sounds　so　strange　that　I
　　　　　am　afraid　of　that；　too。　　Is　there　anything　more　dreadful　than
　　　　　talking　to　one's　self　in　an　empty　house？　　One's　voice　sounds　l