original short stories-8-第16章

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incomprehensible；　foolish　resolutions　which　overthrow　our　arguments；　our
customary　poise　and　all　our　selfish　plans。　　The　unforeseenness　and
suddenness　of　their　determinations　will　always　render　them　undecipherable
enigmas　as　far　as　we　are　concerned。　　We　continually　ask　ourselves：

'Are　they　sincere？　　Are　they　pretending？'

〃But；　my　friend；　they　are　sincere　and　insincere　at　one　and　the　same　time；
because　it　is　their　nature　to　be　extremists　in　both　and　to　be　neither　one
nor　the　other。

〃See　the　methods　that　even　the　best　of　them　employ　to　get　what　they
desire。　　They　are　complex　and　simple；　these　methods。　　So　complex　that　we
can　never　guess　at　them　beforehand；　and　so　simple　that　after　having　been
victimized　we　cannot　help　being　astonished　and　exclaiming：　'What！　　Did
she　make　a　fool　of　me　so　easily　as　that？'

〃And　they　always　succeed；　old　man；　especially　when　it　is　a　question　of
getting　married。

〃But　this　is　Sumner's　story：

〃The　little　woman　was　a　model；　of　course。　　She　posed　for　him。　　She　was
pretty；　very　stylish…looking；　and　had　a　divine　figure；　it　seems。　　He
fancied　that　he　loved　her　with　his　whole　soul。　　That　is　another　strange
thing。　　As　soon　as　one　likes　a　woman　one　sincerely　believes　that　they
could　not　get　along　without　her　for　the　rest　of　their　life。　　One　knows
that　one　has　felt　the　same　way　before　and　that　disgust　invariably
succeeded　gratification；　that　in　order　to　pass　one's　existence　side　by
side　with　another　there　must　be　not　a　brutal；　physical　passion　which　soon
dies　out；　but　a　sympathy　of　soul；　temperament　and　temper。　　One　should
know　how　to　determine　in　the　enchantment　to　which　one　is　subjected
whether　it　proceeds　from　the　physical；　from　a　certain　sensuous
intoxication；　or　from　a　deep　spiritual　charm。

〃Well；　he　believed　himself　in　love；　he　made　her　no　end　of　promises　of
fidelity；　and　was　devoted　to　her。

〃She　was　really　attractive；　gifted　with　that　fashionable　flippancy　that
little　Parisians　so　readily　affect。　　She　chattered；　babbled；　made　foolish
remarks　that　sounded　witty　from　the　manner　in　which　they　were　uttered。
She　used　graceful　gesture's　which　were　calculated　to　attract　a　painter's
eye。　　When　she　raised　her　arms；　when　she　bent　over；　when　she　got　into　a
carriage；　when　she　held　out　her　hand　to　you；　her　gestures　were　perfect
and　appropriate。

〃For　three　months　Jean　never　noticed　that；　in　reality；　she　was　like　all
other　models。

〃He　rented　a　little　house　for　her　for　the　summer　at　Andresy。

〃I　was　there　one　evening　when　for　the　first　time　doubts　came　into　my
friend's　mind。

〃As　it　was　a　beautiful　evening　we　thought　we　would　take　a　stroll　along
the　bank　of　the　river。　　The　moon　poured　a　flood　of　light　on　the　trembling
water；　scattering　yellow　gleams　along　its　ripples　in　the　currents　and　all
along　the　course　of　the　wide；　slow　river。

〃We　strolled　along　the　bank；　a　little　enthused　by　that　vague　exaltation
that　these　dreamy　evenings　produce　in　us。　　We　would　have　liked　to
undertake　some　wonderful　task；　to　love　some　unknown；　deliciously　poetic
being。　　We　felt　ourselves　vibrating　with　raptures；　longings；　strange
aspirations。　　And　we　were　silent；　our　beings　pervaded　by　the　serene　and
living　coolness　of　the　beautiful　night；　the　coolness　of　the　moonlight；
which　seemed　to　penetrate　one's　body；　permeate　it；　soothe　one's　spirit；
fill　it　with　fragrance　and　steep　it　in　happiness。

〃Suddenly　Josephine　（that　is　her　name）　uttered　an　exclamation：

〃'Oh；　did　you　see　the　big　fish　that　jumped；　over　there？'

〃He　replied　without　looking；　without　thinking：

〃'Yes；　dear。'

〃She　was　angry。

〃'No；　you　did　not　see　it；　for　your　back　was　turned。'

〃He　smiled。

〃'Yes；　that's　true。　　It　is　so　delightful　that　I　am　not　thinking　of
anything。'

〃She　was　silent；　but　at　the　end　of　a　minute　she　felt　as　if　she　must　say
something　and　asked：

〃'Are　you　going　to　Paris　to…morrow？'

〃'I　do　not　know；'　he　replied。

〃She　was　annoyed　again。

〃'Do　you　think　it　is　very　amusing　to　walk　along　without　speaking？　　People
talk　when　they　are　not　stupid。'

〃He　did　not　reply。　　Then；　feeling　with　her　woman's　instinct　that　she　was
going　to　make　him　angry；　she　began　to　sing　a　popular　air　that　had
harassed　our　ears　and　our　minds　for　two　years：

〃'Je　regardais　en　fair。'

〃He　murmured：

〃'Please　keep　quiet。'

〃She　replied　angrily：

〃'Why　do　you　wish　me　to　keep　quiet？'

〃'You　spoil　the　landscape　for　us！'　he　said。

〃Then　followed　a　scene；　a　hateful；　idiotic　scene；　with　unexpected
reproaches；　unsuitable　recriminations；　then　tears。　　Nothing　was　left
unsaid。　　They　went　back　to　the　house。　　He　had　allowed　her　to　talk　without
replying；　enervated　by　the　beauty　of　the　scene　and　dumfounded　by　this
storm　of　abuse。

〃Three　months　later　he　strove　wildly　to　free　himself　from　those
invincible　and　invisible　bonds　with　which　such　a　friendship　chains　our
lives。　　She　kept　him　under　her　influence；　tyrannizing　over　him；　making
his　life　a　burden　to　him。　　They　quarreled　continually；　vituperating　and
finally　fighting　each　other。

〃He　wanted　to　break　with　her　at　any　cost。　　He　sold　all　his　canvases；
borrowed　money　from　his　friends；　realizing　twenty　thousand　francs　（he　was
not　well　known　then）；　and　left　them　for　her　one　morning　with　a　note　of
farewell。

〃He　came　and　took　refuge　with　me。

〃About　three　o'clock　that　afternoon　there　was　a　ring　at　the　bell。　　I　went
to　the　door。　　A　woman　sprang　toward　me；　pushed　me　aside；　came　in　and　went
into　my　atelier。　　It　was　she！

〃He　had　risen　when　he　saw　her　coming。'

〃She　threw　the　envelope　containing　the　banknotes　at　his　feet　with　a　truly
noble　gesture　and　said　in　a　quick　tone：

〃'There's　your　money。　　I　don't　want　it！'

〃She　was　very　pale；　trembling　and　ready　undoubtedly　to　commit　any　folly。
As　for　him；　I　saw　him　grow　pale　also；　pale　with　rage　and　exasperation；
ready　also　perhaps　to　commit　any　violence。

〃He　asked：

〃'What　do　you　want？'

〃She　replied：

〃'I　do　not　choose　to　be　treated　like　a　common　woman。　　You　implored　me　to
accept　you。　　I　asked　you　for　nothing。　　Keep　me　with　you！'

〃He　stamped　his　foot。

〃'No；　that's　a　little　too　much！　　If　you　think　you　are　going'

〃I　had　seized　his　arm。

〃'Keep　still；　Jean。　　。　　。　　Let　me　settle　it。'

〃I　went　toward　her　and　quietly；　little　by　little；　I　began　to　reason　with
her；　exhausting　all　the　arguments　that　are　used　under　similar
circumstances。　　She　listened　to　me；　motionless；　with　a　fixed　gaze；
obstinate　and　silent。

〃Finally；　not　knowing　what　more　to　say；　and　seeing　that　there　would　be　a
scene；　I　thought　of　a　last　resort　and　said：

〃'He　loves　you　still；　my　dear；　but　his　family　want　him　to　marry　some　one；
and　you　understand'

〃She　gave　a　start　and　exclaimed：

〃'Ah！　Ah！　　Now　I　understand：

〃And　turning　toward　him；　she　said：

〃'You　areyou　are　going　to　get　married？'

〃He　replied　decidedly〃　'Yes。'

〃She　took　a　step　forward。

〃'If　you　marry；　I　will　kill　myself！　　Do　you　hear？'

〃He　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　replied：

〃'Well；　then　kill　yourself！'

〃She　stammered　out；　almost　choking　with　her　violent　emotion：

〃'What　do　you　say？　　What　do　you　say？　　What　do　you　say？　　Say　it　again！'

〃He　repeated：

〃'Well；　then　kill　yourself　if　you　like！'

〃With　her　face　almost　livid；　she　replied：

〃'Do　not　dare　me！　　I　will　throw　myself　from　the　window！'

〃He　began　to　laugh；　walked　toward　the　window；　opened　it；　and　bowing　with
the　gesture　of　one　who　desires　to　let　some　one　else　precede　him；　he　said：

〃'This　is　the　way。　　After　you！'

〃She　looked　at　him　for　a　second　with　terrible；　wild；　staring　eyes。　　Then；
taking　a　run　as　if　she　were　going　to　jump　a　hedge　in　the　country；　she
rushed　past　me　and　past　him；　jumped　over　the　sill　and　disappeared。

〃I　shall　never　forget　the　impression　made　on　me　by　that　open　window　after
I　had　seen　that　body　pass　through　it　to　fall　to　the　ground。　　It　appeared
to　me　in　a　second　to　be　as　large　as　the　heavens　and　as　hollow　as　space。
And　I　drew　back　instinctively；　not　daring　to　look　at　it；　as　though　I
feared　I　might　fall　out　myself。

〃Jean；　dumfounded；　stood　motionless。

〃They　brought　the　poor　girl　in　with　both　legs　broken。　　She　will　never
walk　again。

〃Jean；　wild　with　remorse　and　also　possibly　touched　with　gratitude；　made