original short stories-8-第23章

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He　was　silent。

The　night　had　fallen；　casting　its　shadows　over　the　desolate；　mournful
vale；　and　a　sort　of　mysterious　fear　possessed　me　at　finding　myself　by　the
side　of　those　strange　beings；　of　this　young　girl　who　had　come　back　from
the　tomb；　and　this　father　with　his　uncanny　spasm。

I　found　it　impossible　to　make　any　comment　on　this　dreadful　story。　　I　only
murmured：

〃What　a　horrible　thing！〃

Then；　after　a　minute's　silence；　I　added：

〃Let　us　go　indoors。　　I　think　it　is　growing　cool。〃

And　we　made　our　way　back　to　the　hotel。






IN　THE　WOOD

As　the　mayor　was　about　to　sit　down　to　breakfast；　word　was　brought　to　him
that　the　rural　policeman；　with　two　prisoners；　was　awaiting　him　at　the
Hotel　de　Ville。　　He　went　there　at　once　and　found　old　Hochedur　standing
guard　before　a　middle…class　couple　whom　he　was　regarding　with　a　severe
expression　on　his　face。

The　man；　a　fat　old　fellow　with　a　red　nose　and　white　hair；　seemed　utterly
dejected；　while　the　woman；　a　little　roundabout　individual　with　shining
cheeks；　looked　at　the　official　who　had　arrested　them；　with　defiant　eyes。

〃What　is　it？　　What　is　it；　Hochedur？〃

The　rural　policeman　made　his　deposition：　He　had　gone　out　that　morning　at
his　usual　time；　in　order　to　patrol　his　beat　from　the　forest　of　Champioux
as　far　as　the　boundaries　of　Argenteuil。　　He　had　not　noticed　anything
unusual　in　the　country　except　that　it　was　a　fine　day；　and　that　the　wheat
was　doing　well；　when　the　son　of　old　Bredel；　who　was　going　over　his　vines；
called　out　to　him：　〃Here；　Daddy　Hochedur；　go　and　have　a　look　at　the
outskirts　of　the　wood。　　In　the　first　thicket　you　will　find　a　pair　of
pigeons　who　must　be　a　hundred　and　thirty　years　old　between　them！〃

He　went　in　the　direction　indicated；　entered　the　thicket；　and　there　he
heard　words　which　made　him　suspect　a　flagrant　breach　of　morality。
Advancing；　therefore；　on　his　hands　and　knees　as　if　to　surprise　a　poacher；
he　had　arrested　the　couple　whom　he　found　there。

The　mayor　looked　at　the　culprits　in　astonishment；　for　the　man　was
certainly　sixty；　and　the　woman　fifty…five　at　least；　and　he　began　to
question　them；　beginning　with　the　man；　who　replied　in　such　a　weak　voice
that　he　could　scarcely　be　heard。

〃What　is　your　name？〃

〃Nicholas　Beaurain。〃

〃Your　occupation？〃

〃Haberdasher；　in　the　Rue　des　Martyrs；　in　Paris。〃

〃What　were　you　doing　in　the　wood？〃

The　haberdasher　remained　silent；　with　his　eyes　on　his　fat　paunch；　and　his
hands　hanging　at　his　sides；　and　the　mayor　continued：

〃Do　you　deny　what　the　officer　of　the　municipal　authorities　states？〃

〃No；　monsieur。〃

〃So　you　confess　it？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃What　have　you　to　say　in　your　defence？〃

〃Nothing；　monsieur。〃

〃Where　did　you　meet　the　partner　in　your　misdemeanor？〃

〃She　is　my　wife；　monsieur。〃

〃Your　wife？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃Thenthenyou　do　not　live　together…in　Paris？〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　monsieur；　but　we　are　living　together！〃

〃But　in　that　caseyou　must　be　mad；　altogether　mad；　my　dear　sir；　to　get
caught　playing　lovers　in　the　country　at　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning。〃

The　haberdasher　seemed　ready　to　cry　with　shame；　and　he　muttered：　〃It　was
she　who　enticed　me！　　I　told　her　it　was　very　stupid；　but　when　a　woman　once
gets　a　thing　into　her　headyou　knowyou　cannot　get　it　out。〃

The　mayor；　who　liked　a　joke；　smiled　and　replied：　〃In　your　case；　the
contrary　ought　to　have　happened。　　You　would　not　be　here；　if　she　had　had
the　idea　only　in　her　head。〃

Then　Monsieur　Beauain　was　seized　with　rage　and　turning　to　his　wife；　he
said：　〃Do　you　see　to　what　you　have　brought　us　with　your　poetry？　　And　now
we　shall　have　to　go　before　the　courts　at　our　age；　for　a　breach　of　morals！
And　we　shall　have　to　shut　up　the　shop；　sell　our　good　will；　and　go　to　some
other　neighborhood！　　That's　what　it　has　come　to。〃

Madame　Beaurain　got　up；　and　without　looking　at　her　husband；　she　explained
herself　without　embarrassment；　without　useless　modesty；　and　almost
without　hesitation。

〃Of　course；　monsieur；　I　know　that　we　have　made　ourselves　ridiculous。
Will　you　allow　me　to　plead　my　cause　like　an　advocate；　or　rather　like　a
poor　woman？　　And　I　hope　that　you　will　be　kind　enough　to　send　us　home；　and
to　spare　us　the　disgrace　of　a　prosecution。

〃Years　ago；　when　I　was　young；　I　made　Monsieur　Beaurain's　acquaintance　one
Sunday　in　this　neighborhood。　　He　was　employed　in　a　draper's　shop；　and　I
was　a　saleswoman　in　a　ready…made　clothing　establishment。　　I　remember　it
as　if　it　were　yesterday。　　I　used　to　come　and　spend　Sundays　here
occasionally　with　a　friend　of　mine；　Rose　Leveque；　with　whom　I　lived　in
the　Rue　Pigalle；　and　Rose　had　a　sweetheart；　while　I　had　none。　　He　used　to
bring　us　here；　and　one　Saturday　he　told　me　laughing　that　he　should　bring
a　friend　with　him　the　next　day。　　I　quite　understood　what　he　meant；　but　I
replied　that　it　would　be　no　good；　for　I　was　virtuous；　monsieur。

〃The　next　day　we　met　Monsieur　Beaurain　at　the　railway　station；　and　in
those　days　he　was　good…looking；　but　I　had　made　up　my　mind　not　to
encourage　him；　and　I　did　not。　　Well；　we　arrived　at　Bezons。　　It　was　a
lovely　day；　the　sort　of　day　that　touches　your　heart。　　When　it　is　fine
even　now；　just　as　it　used　to　be　formerly；　I　grow　quite　foolish；　and　when
I　am　in　the　country　I　utterly　lose　my　head。　　The　green　grass；　the
swallows　flying　so　swiftly；　the　smell　of　the　grass；　the　scarlet　poppies；
the　daisies；　all　that　makes　me　crazy。　　It　is　like　champagne　when　one　is
not　accustomed　to　it！

〃Well；　it　was　lovely　weather；　warm　and　bright；　and　it　seemed　to　penetrate
your　body　through　your　eyes　when　you　looked　and　through　your　mouth　when
you　breathed。　　Rose　and　Simon　hugged　and　kissed　each　other　every　minute；
and　that　gave　me　a　queer　feeling！　　Monsieur　Beaurain　and　I　walked　behind
them；　without　speaking　much；　for　when　people　do　not　know　each　other；　they
do　not　find　anything　to　talk　about。　　He　looked　timid；　and　I　liked　to　see
his　embarrassment。　　At　last　we　got　to　the　little　wood；　it　was　as　cool　as
in　a　bath　there；　and　we　four　sat　down。　　Rose　and　her　lover　teased　me
because　I　looked　rather　stern；　but　you　will　understand　that　I　could　not
be　otherwise。　　And　then　they　began　to　kiss　and　hug　again；　without　putting
any　more　restraint　upon　themselves　than　if　we　had　not　been　there；　and
then　they　whispered　together；　and　got　up　and　went　off　among　the　trees；
without　saying　a　word。　　You　may　fancy　what　I　looked　like；　alone　with　this
young　fellow　whom　I　saw　for　the　first　time。　　I　felt　so　confused　at　seeing
them　go　that　it　gave　me　courage；　and　I　began　to　talk。　　I　asked　him　what
his　business　was；　and　he　said　he　was　a　linen　draper's　assistant；　as　I
told　you　just　now。　　We　talked　for　a　few　minutes；　and　that　made　him　bold；
and　he　wanted　to　take　liberties　with　me；　but　I　told　him　sharply　to　keep
his　place。　　Is　not　that　true；　Monsieur　Beaurain？〃

Monsieur　Beaurain；　who　was　looking　at　his　feet　in　confusion；　did　not
reply；　and　she　continued：　〃Then　he　saw　that　I　was　virtuous；　and　he　began
to　make　love　to　me　nicely；　like　an　honorable　man；　and　from　that　time　he
came　every　Sunday；　for　he　was　very　much　in　love　with　me。　　I　was　very　fond
of　him　also；　very　fond　of　him！　　He　was　a　good…looking　fellow；　formerly；
and　in　short　he　married　me　the　next　September；　and　we　started　in　business
in　the　Rue　des　Martyrs。

〃It　was　a　hard　struggle　for　some　years；　monsieur。　　Business　did　not
prosper；　and　we　could　not　afford　many　country　excursions；　and；　besides；
we　had　got　out　of　the　way　of　them。　　One　has　other　things　in　one's　head；
and　thinks　more　of　the　cash　box　than　of　pretty　speeches；　when　one　is　in
business。　　We　were　growing　old　by　degrees　without　perceiving　it；　like
quiet　people　who　do　not　think　much　about　love。　　One　does　not　regret
anything　as　long　as　one　does　not　notice　what　one　has　lost。

〃And　then；　monsieur；　business　became　better；　and　we　were　tranquil　as　to
the　future！　　Then；　you　see；　I　do　not　exactly　know　what　went　on　in　my
mind；　no；　I　really　do　not　know；　but　I　began　to　dream　like　a　little
boarding…school　girl。　　The　sight　of　the　little　carts　full　of　flowers
which　are　drawn　about　the　streets　made　me　cry；　the　smell　of　violets
sought　me　out　in　my　easy…chair；　behind　my　cash　box；　and　made　my　heart
beat！　　Then　I　would　get　up　and　go　out　o