original short stories-8-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


come　to　it；〃　etc。；　etc。

His　essays　attracted　no　attention；　but　he　sent　in　his　application；　and　he
got　the　usual　formal　official　reply。　　He　thought　himself　sure　of　success；
but　nothing　came　of　it。

Then　he　made　up　his　mind　to　apply　personally。　　He　begged　for　an　interview
with　the　Minister　of　Public　Instruction；　and　he　was　received　by　a　young
subordinate；　who　was　very　grave　and　important；　and　kept　touching　the
knobs　of　electric　bells　to　summon　ushers；　and　footmen；　and　officials
inferior　to　himself。　　He　declared　to　M。　Caillard　that　his　matter　was
going　on　quite　favorably；　and　advised　him　to　continue　his　remarkable
labors；　and　M。　Caillard　set　at　it　again。

M。　Rosselin；　the　deputy；　seemed　now　to　take　a　great　interest　in　his
success；　and　gave　him　a　lot　of　excellent；　practical　advice。　　He；　himself；
was　decorated；　although　nobody　knew　exactly　what　he　had　done　to　deserve
such　a　distinction。

He　told　Caillard　what　new　studies　he　ought　to　undertake；　he　introduced
him　to　learned　societies　which　took　up　particularly　obscure　points　of
science；　in　the　hope　of　gaining　credit　and　honors　thereby；　and　he　even
took　him　under　his　wing　at　the　ministry。

One　day；　when　he　came　to　lunch　with　his　friendfor　several　months　past
he　had　constantly　taken　his　meals　therehe　said　to　him　in　a　whisper　as
he　shook　hands：　〃I　have　just　obtained　a　great　favor　for　you。　　The
Committee　of　Historical　Works　is　going　to　intrust　you　with　a　commission。
There　are　some　researches　to　be　made　in　various　libraries　in　France。〃

Caillard　was　so　delighted　that　he　could　scarcely　eat　or　drink；　and　a　week
later　he　set　out。　　He　went　from　town　to　town；　studying　catalogues；
rummaging　in　lofts　full　of　dusty　volumes；　and　was　hated　by　all　the
librarians。

One　day；　happening　to　be　at　Rouen；　he　thought　he　should　like　to　go　and
visit　his　wife；　whom　he　had　not　seen　for　more　than　a　week；　so　he　took　the
nine　o'clock　train；　which　would　land　him　at　home　by　twelve　at　night。

He　had　his　latchkey；　so　he　went　in　without　making　any　noise；　delighted　at
the　idea　of　the　surprise　he　was　going　to　give　her。　　She　had　locked
herself　in。　　How　tiresome！　　However；　he　cried　out　through　the　door：

〃Jeanne；　it　is　I！〃

She　must　have　been　very　frightened；　for　he　heard　her　jump　out　of　her　bed
and　speak　to　herself；　as　if　she　were　in　a　dream。　　Then　she　went　to　her
dressing　room；　opened　and　closed　the　door；　and　went　quickly　up　and　down
her　room　barefoot　two　or　three　times；　shaking　the　furniture　till　the
vases　and　glasses　sounded。　　Then　at　last　she　asked：

〃Is　it　you；　Alexander？〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　replied；　〃make　haste　and　open　the　door。〃

As　soon　as　she　had　done　so；　she　threw　herself　into　his　arms；　exclaiming：

〃Oh；　what　a　fright！　　What　a　surprise！　　What　a　pleasure！〃

He　began　to　undress　himself　methodically；　as　he　did　everything；　and　took
from　a　chair　his　overcoat；　which　he　was　in　the　habit　of　hanging　up　in　the
hall。　　But　suddenly　he　remained　motionless；　struck　dumb　with
astonishmentthere　was　a　red　ribbon　in　the　buttonhole：

〃Why；〃　he　stammered；　〃thisthisthis　overcoat　has　got　the　ribbon　in
it！〃

In　a　second；　his　wife　threw　herself　on　him；　and；　taking　it　from　his
hands；　she　said：

〃No！　you　have　made　a　mistakegive　it　to　me。〃

But　he　still　held　it　by　one　of　the　sleeves；　without　letting　it　go；
repeating　in　a　half…dazed　manner：

〃Oh！　　Why？　　Just　explain　Whose　overcoat　is　it？　　It　is　not　mine；　as　it
has　the　Legion　of　Honor　on　it。〃

She　tried　to　take　it　from　him；　terrified　and　hardly　able　to　say：

〃Listenlisten！　　Give　it　to　me！　　I　must　not　tell　you！　　It　is　a　secret。
Listen　to　me！〃

But　he　grew　angry　and　turned　pale。

〃I　want　to　know　how　this　overcoat　comes　to　be　here？　　It　does　not　belong
to　me。〃

Then　she　almost　screamed　at　him：

〃Yes；　it　does；　listen！　　Swear　to　mewellyou　are　decorated！〃

She　did　not　intend　to　joke　at　his　expense。

He　was　so　overcome　that　he　let　the　overcoat　fall　and　dropped　into　an
armchair。

〃I　amyou　say　I　amdecorated？〃

〃Yes；　but　it　is　a　secret；　a　great　secret。〃

She　had　put　the　glorious　garment　into　a　cupboard；　and　came　to　her　husband
pale　and　trembling。

〃Yes；〃　she　continued；　〃it　is　a　new　overcoat　that　I　have　had　made　for　you。
But　I　swore　that　I　would　not　tell　you　anything　about　it；　as　it　will　not
be　officially　announced　for　a　month　or　six　weeks；　and　you　were　not　to
have　known　till　your　return　from　your　business　journey。　　M。　Rosselin
managed　it　for　you。〃

〃Rosselin！〃　he　contrived　to　utter　in　his　joy。　　〃He　has　obtained　the
decoration　for　me？　　HeOh！〃

And　he　was　obliged　to　drink　a　glass　of　water。

A　little　piece　of　white　paper　fell　to　the　floor　out　of　the　pocket　of　the
overcoat。　　Caillard　picked　it　up；　it　was　a　visiting　card；　and　he　read
out：

〃Rosselin…Deputy。〃

〃You　see　how　it　is；〃　said　his　wife。

He　almost　cried　with　joy；　and；　a　week　later；　it　was　announced　in　the
Journal　Officiel　that　M。　Caillard　had　been　awarded　the　Legion　of　Honor　on
account　of　his　exceptional　services。






THE　TEST

The　Bondels　were　a　happy　family；　and　although　they　frequently　quarrelled
about　trifles；　they　soon　became　friends　again。

Bondel　was　a　merchant　who　had　retired　from　active　business　after　saving
enough　to　allow　him　to　live　quietly；　he　had　rented　a　little　house　at
Saint…Germain　and　lived　there　with　his　wife。　　He　was　a　quiet　man　with
very　decided　opinions；　he　had　a　certain　degree　of　education　and　read
serious　newspapers；　nevertheless；　he　appreciated　the　gaulois　wit。
Endowed　with　a　logical　mind；　and　that　practical　common　sense　which　is　the
master　quality　of　the　industrial　French　bourgeois；　he　thought　little；　but
clearly；　and　reached　a　decision　only　after　careful　consideration　of　the
matter　in　hand。　　He　was　of　medium　size；　with　a　distinguished　look；　and
was　beginning　to　turn　gray。

His　wife；　who　was　full　of　serious　qualities；　had　also　several　faults。
She　had　a　quick　temper　and　a　frankness　that　bordered　upon　violence。　　She
bore　a　grudge　a　long　time。　　She　had　once　been　pretty；　but　had　now　become
too　stout　and　too　red；　but　in　her　neighborhood　at　Saint…Germain　she　still
passed　for　a　very　beautiful　woman；　who　exemplified　health　and　an
uncertain　temper。

Their　dissensions　almost　always　began　at　breakfast；　over　some　trivial
matter；　and　they　often　continued　all　day　and　even　until　the　following
day。　　Their　simple；　common；　limited　life　imparted　seriousness　to　the　most
unimportant　matters；　and　every　topic　of　conversation　became　a　subject　of
dispute。　　This　had　not　been　so　in　the　days　when　business　occupied　their
minds；　drew　their　hearts　together；　and　gave　them　common　interests　and
occupation。

But　at　Saint…Germain　they　saw　fewer　people。　　It　had　been　necessary　to
make　new　acquaintances；　to　create　for　themselves　a　new　world　among
strangers；　a　new　existence　devoid　of　occupations。　　Then　the　monotony　of
loneliness　had　soured　each　of　them　a　little；　and　the　quiet　happiness
which　they　had　hoped　and　waited　for　with　the　coming　of　riches　did　not
appear。

One　June　morning；　just　as　they　were　sitting　down　to　breakfast；　Bondel
asked：

〃Do　you　know　the　people　who　live　in　the　little　red　cottage　at　the　end　of
the　Rue　du　Berceau？〃

Madame　Bondel　was　out　of　sorts。　　She　answered：

〃Yes　and　no；　I　am　acquainted　with　them；　but　I　do　not　care　to　know　them。〃

〃Why　not？　　They　seem　to　be　very　nice。〃

〃Because〃

〃This　morning　I　met　the　husband　on　the　terrace　and　we　took　a　little　walk
together。〃

Seeing　that　there　was　danger　in　the　air；　Bendel　added：　〃It　was　he　who
spoke　to　me　first。〃

His　wife　looked　at　him　in　a　displeased　manner。　　She　continued：　〃You　would
have　done　just　as　well　to　avoid　him。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　there　are　rumors　about　them。〃

〃What　kind？〃

〃Oh！　rumors　such　as　one　often　hears！〃

M。　Bondel　was；　unfortunately；　a　little　hasty。　　He　exclaimed：

〃My　dear；　you　know　that　I　abhor　gossip。　　As　for　those　people；　I　find　them
very　pleasant。〃

She　asked　testily：　〃The　wife　also？〃

〃Why；　yes；　although　I　have　barely　seen　her。〃

The　discussion　gradually　grew　more　heated；　always　on　the　same　subject　for
lack　of　others。　　Madame　Bondel　obstinately　refused　to　say　what　she　had
heard　about　these　neighbors；　allowing　things　to　be　understood　without
saying　exactly　what　they　were。　　Be