original short stories-8-第12章

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〃I　have　come　to　pay　you　a　visit；　as　I　want　to　make　a　little　search；〃　he
said；　and　he　looked　about　him。　　On　the　table　there　was　a　plate；　a　jug　of
cider　and　a　glass　half　full；　which　proved　that　a　meal　was　in　progress。
Two　knives　were　lying　side　by　side；　and　the　shrewd　gendarme　winked　at　his
superior　officer。

〃It　smells　good；〃　the　latter　said。

〃One　might　swear　that　it　was　stewed　rabbit；〃　Lenient　added；　much　amused。

〃Will　you　have　a　glass　of　brandy？〃　the　peasant　woman　asked。

〃No；　thank　you；　I　only　want　the　skin　of　the　rabbit　that　you　are　eating。〃

She　pretended　not　to　understand；　but　she　was　trembling。

〃What　rabbit？〃

The　brigadier　had　taken　a　seat；　and　was　calmly　wiping　his　forehead。

〃Come；　come；　you　are　not　going　to　try　and　make　us　believe　that　you　live
on　couch　grass。　　What　were　you　eating　there　all　by　yourself　for　your
dinner？〃

〃I？　　Nothing　whatever；　I　swear　to　you。　　A　mite　of　butter　on　my　bread。〃

〃You　are　a　novice；　my　good　woman。　　A　mite　of　butter　on　your　bread。
You　are　mistaken；　you　ought　to　have　said：　a　mite　of　butter　on　the　rabbit。
By　G；your　butter　smells　good！　　It　is　special　butter；　extra　good　butter；
butter　fit　for　a　wedding；　certainly；　not　household　butter！〃

The　gendarme　was　shaking　with　laughter；　and　repeated：

〃Not　household　butter　certainly。〃

As　Brigadier　Senateur　was　a　joker；　all　the　gendarmes　had　grown　facetious；
and　the　officer　continued：

〃Where　is　your　butter？〃

〃My　butter？〃

〃Yes；　your　butter。〃

〃In　the　jar。〃

〃Then　where　is　the　butter　jar？〃

〃Here　it　is。〃

She　brought　out　an　old　cup；　at　the　bottom　of　which　there　was　a　layer　of
rancid　salt　butter；　and　the　brigadier　smelled　of　it；　and　said；　with　a
shake　of　his　head：

〃It　is　not　the　same。　　I　want　the　butter　that　smells　of　the　rabbit。　　Come；
Lenient；　open　your　eyes；　look　under　the　sideboard；　my　good　fellow；　and　I
will　look　under　the　bed。〃

Having　shut　the　door；　he　went　up　to　the　bed　and　tried　to　move　it；　but　it
was　fixed　to　the　wall；　and　had　not　been　moved　for　more　than　half　a
century；　apparently。　　Then　the　brigadier　stooped；　and　made　his　uniform
crack。　　A　button　had　flown　off。

〃Lenient；〃　he　said。

〃Yes；　brigadier？〃

〃Come　here；　my　lad；　and　look　under　the　bed；　I　am　too　tall。　　I　will　look
after　the　sideboard。〃

He　got　up　and　waited　while　his　man　executed　his　orders。

Lenient；　who　was　short　and　stout；　took　off　his　kepi；　laid　himself　on　his
stomach；　and；　putting　his　face　on　the　floor；　looked　at　the　black　cavity
under　the　bed；　and　then；　suddenly；　he　exclaimed：

〃All　right；　here　we　are！〃

〃What　have　you　got？　　The　rabbit？〃

〃No；　the　thief。〃

〃The　thief！　　Pull　him　out；　pull　him　out！〃

The　gendarme　had　put　his　arms　under　the　bed　and　laid　hold　of　something；
and　he　was　pulling　with　all　his　might；　and　at　last　a　foot；　shod　in　a
thick　boot；　appeared；　which　he　was　holding　in　his　right　hand。　　The
brigadier　took　it；　crying：

〃Pull！　　Pull！〃

And　Lenient；　who　was　on　his　knees　by　that　time；　was　pulling　at　the　other
leg。　　But　it　was　a　hard　job；　for　the　prisoner　kicked　out　hard；　and　arched
up　his　back　under　the　bed。

〃Courage！　　courage！　　pull！　　pull！〃　Senateur　cried；　and　they　pulled　him
with　all　their　strength；　so　that　the　wooden　slat　gave　way；　and　he　came
out　as　far　as　his　head；　but　at　last　they　got　that　out　also；　and　they　saw
the　terrified　and　furious　face　of　Polyte；　whose　arms　remained　stretched
out　under　the　bed。

〃Pull　away！〃　the　brigadier　kept　on　exclaiming。　　Then　they　heard　a　strange
noise；　and　as　the　arms　followed　the　shoulders；　and　the　hands　the　arms；
they　saw　in　the　hands　the　handle　of　a　saucepan；　and　at　the　end　of　the
handle　the　saucepan　itself；　which　contained　stewed　rabbit。

〃Good　Lord！　　good　Lord！〃　the　brigadier　shouted　in　his　delight；　while
Lenient　took　charge　of　the　man；　the　rabbit's　skin；　an　overwhelming　proof；
was　discovered　under　the　mattress；　and　then　the　gendarmes　returned　in
triumph　to　the　village　with　their　prisoner　and　their　booty。

A　week　later；　as　the　affair　had　made　much　stir；　Lecacheur；　on　going　into
the　mairie　to　consult　the　schoolmaster；　was　told　that　the　shepherd
Severin　had　been　waiting　for　him　for　more　than　an　hour；　and　he　found　him
sitting　on　a　chair　in　a　corner；　with　his　stick　between　his　legs。　　When　he
saw　the　mayor；　he　got　up；　took　off　his　cap；　and　said：

〃Good…morning；　Maitre　Cacheux〃；　and　then　he　remained　standing；　timid　and
embarrassed。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　the　former　said。

〃This　is　it；　monsieur。　　Is　it　true　that　somebody　stole　one　of　your
rabbits　last　week？〃

〃Yes；　it　is　quite　true；　Severin。〃

〃Who　stole　the　rabbit？〃

〃Polyte　Ancas；　the　laborer。〃

〃Right！　right！　　And　is　it　also　true　that　it　was　found　under　my　bed？〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　the　rabbit？〃

〃The　rabbit　and　then　Polyte。〃

〃Yes；　my　poor　Severin；　quite　true；　but　who　told　you？〃

〃Pretty　well　everybody。　　I　understand！　　And　I　suppose　you　know　all　about
marriages；　as　you　marry　people？〃

〃What　about　marriage？〃

〃With　regard　to　one's　rights。〃

〃What　rights？〃

〃The　husband's　rights　and　then　the　wife's　rights。〃

〃Of　course　I　do。〃

〃Oh！　　Then　just　tell　me；　M'sieu　Cacheux；　has　my　wife　the　right　to　go　to
bed　with　Polyte？〃

〃What；　to　go　to　bed　with　Polyte？〃

〃Yes；　has　she　any　right　before　the　law；　and；　seeing　that　she　is　my　wife；
to　go　to　bed　with　Polyte？〃

〃Why；　of　course　not；　of　course　not。〃

〃If　I　catch　him　there　again；　shall　I　have　the　right　to　thrash　him　and　her
also？〃

〃Whywhywhy；　yes。〃

〃Very　well；　then；　I　will　tell　you　why　I　want　to　know。　　One　night　last
week；　as　I　had　my　suspicions；　I　came　in　suddenly；　and　they　were　not
behaving　properly。　　I　chucked　Polyte　out；　to　go　and　sleep　somewhere　else；
but　that　was　all；　as　I　did　not　know　what　my　rights　were。　　This　time　I　did
not　see　them；　I　only　heard　of　it　from　others。　　That　is　over；　and　we　will
not　say　any　more　about　it；　but　if　I　catch　them　againby　G；　if　I　catch
them　again；　I　will　make　them　lose　all　taste　for　such　nonsense；　Maitre
Cacheux；　as　sure　as　my　name　is　Severin。〃






HIS　AVENGER

When　M。　Antoine　Leuillet　married　the　widow；　Madame　Mathilde　Souris；　he
had　already　been　in　love　with　her　for　ten　years。

M。　Souris　has　been　his　friend；　his　old　college　chum。　　Leuillet　was　very
much　attached　to　him；　but　thought　he　was　somewhat　of　a　simpleton。　　He
would　often　remark：　〃That　poor　Souris　who　will　never　set　the　world　on
fire。〃

When　Souris　married　Miss　Mathilde　Duval；　Leuillet　was　astonished　and
somewhat　annoyed；　as　he　was　slightly　devoted　to　her；　himself。　　She　was
the　daughter　of　a　neighbor；　a　former　proprietor　of　a　draper's
establishment　who　had　retired　with　quite　a　small　fortune。　　She　married
Souris　for　his　money。

Then　Leuillet　thought　he　would　start　a　flirtation　with　his　friend's　wife。
He　was　a　good…looking　man；　intelligent　and　also　rich。　　He　thought　it
would　be　all　plain　sailing；　but　he　was　mistaken。　　Then　he　really　began　to
admire　her　with　an　admiration　that　his　friendship　for　the　husband　obliged
him　to　keep　within　the　bounds　of　discretion；　making　him　timid　and
embarrassed。　　Madame　Souris　believing　that　his　presumptions　had　received
a　wholesome　check　now　treated　him　as　a　good　friend。　　This　went　on　for
nine　years。

One　morning　a　messenger　brought　Leuillet　a　distracted　note　from　the　poor
woman。　　Souris　had　just　died　suddenly　from　the　rupture　of　an　aneurism。
He　was　dreadfully　shocked；　for　they　were　just　the　same　age。　　But　almost
immediately　a　feeling　of　profound　joy；　of　intense　relief；　of　emancipation
filled　his　being。　　Madame　Souris　was　free。

He　managed；　however；　to　assume　the　sad；　sympathetic　expression　that　was
appropriate；　waited　the　required　time；　observed　all　social　appearances。
At　the　end　of　fifteen　months　he　married　the　widow。

This　was　considered　to　be　a　very　natural；　and　even　a　generous　action。　　It
was　the　act　of　a　good　friend　of　an　upright　man。

He　was　happy　at　last；　perfectly　happy。

They　lived　in　the　most　cordial　intimacy；　having　understood　and
appreciated　each　other　from　the　first。　　They　had　no　secrets　from　one
another　and　even　confided　to　each　other　their　most　secret　thoughts。
Leuillet　loved　his　wife　now　with　a　quiet　and　trustful　affection；　he　loved
her　as　a　tender；　devoted　companion　who　is　an　equal　and　a　co