original short stories-8-第13章

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her　as　a　tender；　devoted　companion　who　is　an　equal　and　a　confidante。
But　there　lingered　in　his　mind　a　strange　and　inexplicable　bitterness
towards　the　defunct　Souris；　who　had　first　been　the　husband　of　this　woman；
who　had　had　the　flower　of　her　youth　and　of　her　soul；　and　had　even　robbed
her　of　some　of　her　poetry。　　The　memory　of　the　dead　husband　marred　the
happiness　of　the　living　husband；　and　this　posthumous　jealousy　tormented
his　heart　by　day　and　by　night。

The　consequence　was　he　talked　incessantly　of　Souris；　asked　about　a
thousand　personal　and　secret　minutia；　wanted　to　know　all　about　his　habits
and　his　person。　　And　he　sneered　at　him　even　in　his　grave；　recalling　with
self…satisfaction　his　whims；　ridiculing　his　absurdities；　dwelling　on　his
faults。

He　would　call　to　his　wife　all　over　the　house：

〃Hallo；　Mathilde！〃

〃Here　I　am；　dear。〃

〃Come　here　a　moment。〃

She　would　come；　always　smiling；　knowing　well　that　he　would　say　something
about　Souris　and　ready　to　flatter　her　new　husband's　inoffensive　mania。

〃Tell　me；　do　you　remember　one　day　how　Souris　insisted　on　explaining　to　me
that　little　men　always　commanded　more　affection　than　big　men？〃

And　he　made　some　remarks　that　were　disparaging　to　the　deceased；　who　was　a
small　man；　and　decidedly　flattering　to　himself；　Leuillet；　who　was　a　tall
man。

Mme。　Leuillet　allowed　him　to　think　he　was　right；　quite　right；　and　she
laughed　heartily；　gently　ridiculing　her　former　husband　for　the　sake　of
pleasing　the　present　one；　who　always　ended　by　saying：

〃All　the　same；　what　a　ninny　that　Souris　was！〃

They　were　happy；　quite　happy；　and　Leuillet　never　ceased　to　show　his
devotion　to　his　wife。

One　night；　however；　as　they　lay　awake；　Leuillet　said　as　he　kissed　his
wife：

〃See　here；　dearie。〃

〃Well？〃

〃Was　SourisI　don't　exactly　know　how　to　say　itwas　Souris　very　loving？〃

She　gave　him　a　kiss　for　reply　and　murmured　〃Not　as　loving　as　you　are；　mon
chat。〃

He　was　flattered　in　his　self…love　and　continued：

〃He　must　have　beena　ninnywas　he　not？〃

She　did　not　reply。　　She　only　smiled　slyly　and　hid　her　face　in　her
husband's　neck。

〃He　must　have　been　a　ninny　and　notnotnot　smart？〃

She　shook　her　head　slightly　to　imply；　〃Nonot　at　all　smart。〃

He　continued：

〃He　must　have　been　an　awful　nuisance；　eh？〃

This　time　she　was　frank　and　replied：

〃Oh　yes！〃

He　kissed　her　again　for　this　avowal　and　said：

〃What　a　brute　he　was！　　You　were　not　happy　with　him？〃

〃No；〃　she　replied。　　〃It　was　not　always　pleasant。〃

Leuillet　was　delighted；　forming　in　his　mind　a　comparison；　much　in　his　own
favor；　between　his　wife's　former　and　present　position。　　He　was　silent　for
a　time；　and　then　with　a　burst　of　laughter　he　asked：

〃Tell　me？〃

〃What？〃

〃Will　you　be　frank；　very　frank　with　me？〃

〃Why　yes；　my　dear。〃

〃Well　then；　tell　me　truly　did　you　never　feel　tempted　tototo　deceive
that　imbecile　Souris？〃

Mme。　Leuillet　said：　〃Oh！〃　pretending　to　be　shocked　and　hid　her　face　again
on　her　husband's　shoulder。　　But　he　saw　that　she　was　laughing。

〃Come　now；　own　up；〃　he　persisted。　　〃He　looked　like　a　ninny；　that
creature！　　It　would　be　funny；　so　funny！　　Good　old　Souris！　　Come；　come；
dearie；　you　do　not　mind　telling　me；　me；　of　all　people。〃

He　insisted　on　the　〃me〃　thinking　that　if　she　had　wished　to　deceive　Souris
she　would　have　chosen　him；　and　he　was　trembling　in　anticipation　of　her
avowal；　sure　that　if　she　had　not　been　a　virtuous　woman　she　would　have
encouraged　his　own　attentions。

But　she　did　not　answer；　laughing　still；　as　at　the　recollection　of
something　exceedingly　comical。

Leuillet；　in　his　turn　began　to　laugh；　thinking　he　might　have　been　the
lucky　man；　and　he　muttered　amid　his　mirth：　〃That　poor　Souris；　that　poor
Souris；　oh；　yes；　he　looked　like　a　fool！〃

Mme。　Leuillet　was　almost　in　spasms　of　laughter。

〃Come；　confess；　be　frank。　　You　know　I　will　not　mind。〃

Then　she　stammered　out；　almost　choking　with　laughter：　〃Yes；　yes。〃

〃Yes；　what？〃　insisted　her　husband。　　〃Come；　tell　all。〃

She　was　quieter　now　and　putting　her　mouth　to　her　husband's　ear；　she
whispered：　〃Yes；　I　did　deceive　him。〃

He　felt　a　chill　run　down　his　back　and　to　his　very　bones；　and　he　stammered
out；　dumfounded：　〃Youyoudeceived　himcriminally？〃

She　still　thought　he　was　amused　and　replied：　〃Yesyes；　absolutely。〃

He　was　obliged　to　sit　up　to　recover　his　breath；　he　was　so　shocked　and
upset　at　what　he　had　heard。

She　had　become　serious；　understanding　too　late　what　she　had　done。

〃With　whom？〃　said　Leuillet　at　length。

She　was　silent　seeking　some　excuse。

〃A　young　man；〃　she　replied　at　length。

He　turned　suddenly　toward　her　and　said　drily：

〃I　did　not　suppose　it　was　the　cook。　　I　want　to　know　what　young　man；　do
you　hear？〃

She　did　not　answer。

He　snatched　the　covers　from　her　face；　repeating：

〃I　want　to　know　what　young　man；　do　you　hear？〃

Then　she　said　sorrowfully：　〃I　was　only　in　fun。〃　　But　he　was　trembling
with　rage。　　〃What？　　How？　　You　were　only　in　fun？　　You　were　making　fun　of
me；　then？　　But　I　am　not　satisfied；　do　you　hear？　　I　want　the　name　of　the
young　man！〃

She　did　not　reply；　but　lay　there　motionless。

He　took　her　by　the　arm　and　squeezed　it；　saying：　〃Do　you　understand　me；
finally？　　I　wish　you　to　reply　when　I　speak　to　you。〃

〃I　think　you　are　going　crazy；〃　she　said　nervously；　〃let　me　alone！〃

He　was　wild　with　rage；　not　knowing　what　to　say；　exasperated；　and　he　shook
her　with　all　his　might；　repeating：

〃Do　you　hear　me；　do　you　hear　me？〃

She　made　an　abrupt　effort　to　disengage　herself　and　the　tips　of　her
fingers　touched　her　husband's　nose。　　He　was　furious；　thinking　she　had
tried　to　hit　him；　and　he　sprang　upon　her　holding　her　down；　and　boxing　her
ears　with　all　his　might；　he　cried：　〃Take　that；　and　that；　there；　there；
wretch！〃

When　he　was　out　of　breath　and　exhausted；　he　rose　and　went　toward　the
dressing　table　to　prepare　a　glass　of　eau　sucree　with　orange　flower；　for
he　felt　as　if　he　should　faint。

She　was　weeping　in　bed；　sobbing　bitterly；　for　she　felt　as　if　her
happiness　was　over；　through　her　own　fault。

Then；　amidst　her　tears；　she　stammered　out：

〃Listen；　Antoine；　come　here；　I　told　you　a　lie；　you　will　understand；
listen。〃

And　prepared　to　defend　herself　now；　armed　with　excuses　and　artifice；　she
raised　her　disheveled　head　with　its　nightcap　all　awry。

Turning　toward　her；　he　approached；　ashamed　of　having　struck　her；　but
feeling　in　the　bottom　of　his　heart　as　a　husband；　a　relentless　hatred
toward　this　woman　who　had　deceived　the　former　husband；　Souris。






MY　UNCLE　JULES

A　white…haired　old　man　begged　us　for　alms。　　My　companion；　Joseph
Davranche；　gave　him　five　francs。　　Noticing　my　surprised　look；　he　said：

〃That　poor　unfortunate　reminds　me　of　a　story　which　I　shall　tell　you；　the
memory　of　which　continually　pursues　me。　　Here　it　is：

〃My　family；　which　came　originally　from　Havre；　was　not　rich。　　We　just
managed　to　make　both　ends　meet。　　My　father　worked　hard；　came　home　late
from　the　office；　and　earned　very　little。　　I　had　two　sisters。

〃My　mother　suffered　a　good　deal　from　our　reduced　circumstances；　and　she
often　had　harsh　words　for　her　husband；　veiled　and　sly　reproaches。　　The
poor　man　then　made　a　gesture　which　used　to　distress　me。　　He　would　pass
his　open　hand　over　his　forehead；　as　if　to　wipe　away　perspiration　which
did　not　exist；　and　he　would　answer　nothing。　　I　felt　his　helpless
suffering。　　We　economized　on　everything；　and　never　would　accept　an
invitation　to　dinner；　so　as　not　to　have　to　return　the　courtesy。　　All　our
provisions　were　bought　at　bargain　sales。　　My　sisters　made　their　own
gowns；　and　long　discussions　would　arise　on　the　price　of　a　piece　of　braid
worth　fifteen　centimes　a　yard。　　Our　meals　usually　consisted　cf　soup　and
beef；　prepared　with　every　kind　of　sauce。

They　say　it　is　wholesome　and　nourishing；　but　I　should　have　preferred　a
change。

〃I　used　to　go　through　terrible　scenes　on　account　of　lost　buttons　and　torn
trousers。

〃Every　Sunday；　dressed　in　our　best；　we　would　take　our　walk　along　the
breakwater。　　My　father；　in　a　frock　coat；　high　hat　and　kid　gloves；　would
offer　his　arm　to　my　mother；　decked　out　and　beribboned　like　a　ship　on　a
holiday。　　My　sisters；　who　were　always　ready　first；　would　await　the　signal
for　leaving；　b