original short stories-8-第20章

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years；　my　fine　fellow！〃






THE　FISHING　HOLE

〃Cuts　and　wounds　which　caused　death。〃　　Such　was　the　charge　upon　which
Leopold　Renard；　upholsterer；　was　summoned　before　the　Court　of　Assizes。

Round　him　were　the　principal　witnesses；　Madame　Flameche；　widow　of　the
victim；　and　Louis　Ladureau；　cabinetmaker；　and　Jean　Durdent；　plumber。

Near　the　criminal　was　his　wife；　dressed　in　black；　an　ugly　little　woman；
who　looked　like　a　monkey　dressed　as　a　lady。

This　is　how　Renard　（Leopold）　recounted　the　drama。

〃Good　heavens；　it　is　a　misfortune　of　which　I　was　the　prime　victim　all　the
time；　and　with　which　my　will　has　nothing　to　do。　　The　facts　are　their　own
commentary；　Monsieur　le　President。　　I　am　an　honest　man；　a　hard…working
man；　an　upholsterer；　living　in　the　same　street　for　the　last　sixteen
years；　known；　liked；　respected　and　esteemed　by　all；　as　my　neighbors　can
testify；　even　the　porter's　wife；　who　is　not　amiable　every　day。　　I　am　fond
of　work；　I　am　fond　of　saving；　I　like　honest　men　and　respectable
amusements。　　That　is　what　has　ruined　me；　so　much　the　worse　for　me；　but　as
my　will　had　nothing　to　do　with　it；　I　continue　to　respect　myself。

〃Every　Sunday　for　the　last　five　years　my　wife　and　I　have　spent　the　day　at
Passy。　　We　get　fresh　air；　and；　besides；　we　are　fond　of　fishing。　　Oh！　we
are　as　fond　of　it　as　we　are　of　little　onions。　　Melie　inspired　me　with
that　enthusiasm；　the　jade；　and　she　is　more　enthusiastic　than　I　am；　the
scold；　seeing　that　all　the　mischief　in　this　business　is　her　fault；　as　you
will　see　immediately。

〃I　am　strong　and　mild　tempered；　without　a　pennyworth　of　malice　in　me。
But　she！　oh！　la！　la！　she　looks　like　nothing；　she　is　short　and　thin。
Very　well；　she　does　more　mischief　than　a　weasel。　　I　do　not　deny　that　she
has　some　good　qualities；　she　has　some；　and　very　important　ones　for　a　man
in　business。　　But　her　character！　　Just　ask　about　it　in　the　neighborhood；
and　even　the　porter's　wife；　who　has　just　sent　me　about　my　businessshe
will　tell　you　something　about　it。

〃Every　day　she　used　to　find　fault　with　my　mild　temper：　'I　would　not　put
up　with　this！　　I　would　not　put　up　with　that。'　　If　I　had　listened　to　her；
Monsieur　le　President；　I　should　have　had　at　least　three　hand…to…hand
fights　a　month　。　　。　　。　　。〃

Madame　Renard　interrupted　him：　〃And　for　good　reasons；　too；　they　laugh
best　who　laugh　last。〃

He　turned　toward　her　frankly：　〃Well；　I　can't　blame　you；　since　you　were
not　the　cause　of　it。〃

Then；　facing　the　President　again；　he　said：

〃I　will　continue。　　We　used　to　go　to　Passy　every　Saturday　evening；　so　as
to　begin　fishing　at　daybreak　the　next　morning。　　It　is　a　habit　which　has
become　second　nature　with　us；　as　the　saying　is。　　Three　years　ago　this
summer　I　discovered　a　place；　oh！　　such　a　spot。　　Oh；　dear；　dear！　　In　the
shade；　eight　feet　of　water　at　least　and　perhaps　ten；　a　hole　with　cavities
under　the　bank；　a　regular　nest　for　fish　and　a　paradise　for　the　fisherman。
I　might　look　upon　that　fishing　hole　as　my　property；　Monsieur　le
President；　as　I　was　its　Christopher　Columbus。　　Everybody　in　the
neighborhood　knew　it；　without　making　any　opposition。　　They　would　say：
'That　is　Renard's　place'；　and　nobody　would　have　gone　there；　not　even
Monsieur　Plumeau；　who　is　well　known；　be　it　said　without　any　offense；　for
poaching　on　other　people's　preserves。

〃Well；　I　returned　to　this　place　of　which　I　felt　certain；　just　as　if　I　had
owned　it。　　I　had　scarcely　got　there　on　Saturday；　when　I　got　into　Delila；
with　my　wife。　　Delila　is　my　Norwegian　boat；　which　I　had　built　by
Fournaire；　and　which　is　light　and　safe。　　Well；　as　I　said；　we　got　into　the
boat　and　we　were　going　to　set　bait；　and　for　setting　bait　there　is　none　to
be　compared　with　me；　and　they　all　know　it。　　You　want　to　know　with　what　I
bait？　　I　cannot　answer　that　question；　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　the
accident。　　I　cannot　answer；　that　is　my　secret。　　There　are　more　than　three
hundred　people　who　have　asked　me；　I　have　been　offered　glasses　of　brandy
and　liqueur；　fried　fish；　matelotes；　to　make　me　tell。　　But　just　go　and　try
whether　the　chub　will　come。　　Ah！　they　have　tempted　my　stomach　to　get　at
my　secret；　my　recipe。　　Only　my　wife　knows；　and　she　will　not　tell　it　any
more　than　I　will。　　Is　not　that　so；　Melie？〃

The　president　of　the　court　interrupted　him。

〃Just　get　to　the　facts　as　soon　as　you　can；〃　and　the　accused　continued：
〃I　am　getting　to　them；　I　am　getting　to　them。　　Well；　on　Saturday；　July　8；
we　left　by　the　twenty…five　past　five　train　and　before　dinner　we　went　to
set　bait　as　usual。　　The　weather　promised　to　keep　fine　and　I　said　to
Melie：　'All　right　for　tomorrow。'　　And　she　replied：　'If　looks　like　it；'
We　never　talk　more　than　that　together。

〃And　then　we　returned　to　dinner。　　I　was　happy　and　thirsty；　and　that　was
the　cause　of　everything。　　I　said　to　Melie：　'Look　here；　Melie；　it　is　fine
weather；　suppose　I　drink　a　bottle　of　'Casque　a　meche'。'　　That　is　a　weak
white　wine　which　we　have　christened　so；　because　if　you　drink　too　much　of
it　it　prevents　you　from　sleeping　and　takes　the　place　of　a　nightcap。　　Do
you　understand　me？

〃She　replied：　'You　can　do　as　you　please；　but　you　will　be　ill　again　and
will　not　be　able　to　get　up　tomorrow。'　　That　was　true；　sensible　and
prudent；　clearsighted；　I　must　confess。　　Nevertheless　I　could　not　resist；
and　I　drank　my　bottle。　　It　all　came　from　that。

〃Well；　I　could　not　sleep。　　By　Jove！　it　kept　me　awake　till　two　o'clock　in
the　morning；　and　then　I　went　to　sleep　so　soundly　that　I　should　not　have
heard　the　angel　sounding　his　trump　at　the　last　judgment。

〃In　short；　my　wife　woke　me　at　six　o'clock　and　I　jumped　out　of　bed；
hastily　put　on　my　trousers　and　jersey；　washed　my　face　and　jumped　on　board
Delila。　　But　it　was　too　late；　for　when　I　arrived　at　my　hole　it　was
already　occupied！　　Such　a　thing　had　never　happened　to　me　in　three　years；
and　it　made　me　feel　as　if　I　were　being　robbed　under　my　own　eyes。　　I　said
to　myself：　'Confound　it　all！　confound　it！'　And　then　my　wife　began　to　nag
at　me。　　'Eh！　what　about　your　'Casque　a　meche'？　　Get　along；　you　drunkard！
Are　you　satisfied；　you　great　fool？'　　I　could　say　nothing；　because　it　was
all　true；　but　I　landed　all　the　same　near　the　spot　and　tried　to　profit　by
what　was　left。　　Perhaps　after　all　the　fellow　might　catch　nothing　and　go
away。

〃He　was　a　little　thin　man　in　white　linen　coat　and　waistcoat　and　a　large
straw　hat；　and　his　wife；　a　fat　woman；　doing　embroidery；　sat　behind　him。

〃When　she　saw　us　take　up　our　position　close　to　them　she　murmured：　'Are
there　no　other　places　on　the　river？'　　My　wife；　who　was　furious；　replied：
'People　who　have　any　manners　make　inquiries　about　the　habits　of　the
neighborhood　before　occupying　reserved　spots。'

〃As　I　did　not　want　a　fuss；　I　said　to　her：　'Hold　your　tongue；　Melie。　　Let
them　alone；　let　them　alone；　we　shall　see。'

〃Well；　we　fastened　Delila　under　the　willows　and　had　landed　and　were
fishing　side　by　side；　Melie　and　I；　close　to　the　two　others。　　But　here；
monsieur；　I　must　enter　into　details。

〃We　had　only　been　there　about　five　minutes　when　our　neighbor's　line　began
to　jerk　twice；　thrice；　and　then　he　pulled　out　a　chub　as　thick　as　my
thigh；　rather　less；　perhaps；　but　nearly　as　big！　　My　heart　beat；　the
perspiration　stood　on　my　forehead　and　Melie　said　to　me：　'Well；　you　sot；
did　you　see　that？'

〃Just　then　Monsieur　Bru；　the　grocer　of　Poissy；　who　is　fond　of　gudgeon
fishing；　passed　in　a　boat　and　called　out　to　me：　'So　somebody　has　taken
your　usual　place；　Monsieur　Renard？'　　And　I　replied：　'Yes；　Monsieur　Bru；
there　are　some　people　in　this　world　who　do　not　know　the　rules　of　common
politeness。'

〃The　little　man　in　linen　pretended　not　to　hear；　nor　his　fat　lump　of　a
wife；　either。〃

Here　the　president　interrupted　him　a　second　time：　〃Take　care；　you　are
insulting　the　widow；　Madame　Flameche；　who　is　present。〃

Renard　made　his　excuses：　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　I　beg　your　pardon；　my　anger
carried　me　away。　　Well；　not　a　quarter　of　an　hour　had　passed　when　the
little　man　caught　another　chub；　and　another　almost　immediately；　and
another　five　minutes　later。

〃Tears　were　in　my　eyes；　and　I　knew　that　Madame　Renard　was　boiling　with
rage；　for　she　kept　on　nagging　at　me：　'Oh；　how　horrid！　　Don't　you　see　that
he　is　robbing　you　of　your　fish？　　Do　you　think　that