original short stories-8-第5章

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heard　about　these　neighbors；　allowing　things　to　be　understood　without
saying　exactly　what　they　were。　　Bendel　would　shrug　his　shoulders；　grin；
and　exasperate　his　wife。　　She　finally　cried　out：　〃Well！　that　gentleman　is
deceived　by　his　wife；　there！〃

The　husband　answered　quietly：　〃I　can't　see　how　that　affects　the　honor　of
a　man。〃

She　seemed　dumfounded：　〃What！　you　don't　see？　you　don't　see？　well；
that's　too　much！　　You　don't　see！　why；　it's　a　public　scandal！　he　is
disgraced！〃

He　answered：　〃Ah！　by　no　means！　　Should　a　man　be　considered　disgraced
because　he　is　deceived；　because　he　is　betrayed；　robbed？　　No；　indeed！
I'll　grant　you　that　that　may　be　the　case　for　the　wife；　but　as　for　him〃

She　became　furious；　exclaiming：　〃For　him　as　well　as　for　her。　　They　are
both　in　disgrace；　it's　a　public　shame。〃

Bondel；　very　calm；　asked：　〃First　of　all；　is　it　true？　　Who　can　assert　such
a　thing　as　long　as　no　one　has　been　caught　in　the　act？〃

Madame　Bondel　was　growing　uneasy；　she　snapped：　〃What？　　Who　can　assert　it？
Why；　everybody！　　everybody！　　it's　as　clear　as　the　nose　on　your　face。
Everybody　knows　it　and　is　talking　about　it。　　There　is　not　the　slightest
doubt。〃

He　was　grinning：　〃For　a　long　time　people　thought　that　the　sun　revolved
around　the　earth。　　This　man　loves　his　wife　and　speaks　of　her　tenderly　and
reverently。　　This　whole　business　is　nothing　but　lies！〃

Stamping　her　foot；　she　stammered：　〃Do　you　think　that　that　fool；　that
idiot；　knows　anything　about　it？〃

Bondel　did　not　grow　angry；　he　was　reasoning　clearly：　〃Excuse　me。　　This
gentleman　is　no　fool。　　He　seemed　to　me；　on　the　contrary；　to　be　very
intelligent　and　shrewd；　and　you　can't　make　me　believe　that　a　man　with
brains　doesn't　notice　such　a　thing　in　his　own　house；　when　the　neighbors；
who　are　not　there；　are　ignorant　of　no　detail　of　this　liaisonfor　I'll
warrant　that　they　know　everything。〃

Madame　Bondel　had　a　fit　of　angry　mirth；　which　irritated　her　husband's
nerves。　　She　laughed：　〃Ha！　ha！　ha！　they're　all　the　same！　　There's　not　a
man　alive　who　could　discover　a　thing　like　that　unless　his　nose　was　stuck
into　it！〃

The　discussion　was　wandering　to　other　topics　now。　　She　was　exclaiming
over　the　blindness　of　deceived　husbands；　a　thing　which　he　doubted　and
which　she　affirmed　with　such　airs　of　personal　contempt　that　he　finally
grew　angry。　　Then　the　discussion　became　an　angry　quarrel；　where　she　took
the　side　of　the　women　and　he　defended　the　men。　　He　had　the　conceit　to
declare：　〃Well；　I　swear　that　if　I　had　ever　been　deceived；　I　should　have
noticed　it；　and　immediately；　too。　　And　I　should　have　taken　away　your
desire　for　such　things　in　such　a　manner　that　it　would　have　taken　more
than　one　doctor　to　set　you　on　foot　again！〃

Boiling　with　anger；　she　cried　out　to　him：　〃You！　you！　why；　you're　as　big　a
fool　as　the　others；　do　you　hear！〃

He　still　maintained：　〃I　can　swear　to　you　that　I　am　not！〃

She　laughed　so　impertinently　that　he　felt　his　heart　beat　and　a　chill　run
down　his　back。　　For　the　third　time　he　said：

〃I　should　have　seen　it！〃

She　rose；　still　laughing　in　the　same　manner。　　She　slammed　the　door　and
left　the　room；　saying：　〃Well！　if　that　isn't　too　much！〃

Bondel　remained　alone；　ill　at　ease。　　That　insolent；　provoking　laugh　had
touched　him　to　the　quick。　　He　went　outside；　walked；　dreamed。　　The
realization　of　the　loneliness　of　his　new　life　made　him　sad　and　morbid。
The　neighbor；　whom　he　had　met　that　morning；　came　to　him　with　outstretched
hands。　　They　continued　their　walk　together。　　After　touching　on　various
subjects　they　came　to　talk　of　their　wives。　　Both　seemed　to　have　something
to　confide；　something　inexpressible；　vague；　about　these　beings　associated
with　their　lives；　their　wives。　　The　neighbor　was　saying：

〃Really；　at　times；　one　might　think　that　they　bear　some　particular　ill…
will　toward　their　husband；　just　because　he　is　a　husband。　　I　love　my　wife
I　love　her　very　much；　I　appreciate　and　respect　her；　well！　there　are
times　when　she　seems　to　have　more　confidence　and　faith　in　our　friends
than　in　me。〃

Bondel　immediately　thought：　〃There　is　no　doubt；　my　wife　was　right！〃

When　he　left　this　man　he　began　to　think　things　over　again。　　He　felt　in
his　soul　a　strange　confusion　of　contradictory　ideas；　a　sort　of　interior
burning；　that　mocking；　impertinent　laugh　kept　ringing　in　his　ears　and
seemed　to　say：　〃Why；　you　are　just　the　same　as　the　others；　you　fool！〃　That
was　indeed　bravado；　one　of　those　pieces　of　impudence　of　which　a　woman
makes　use　when　she　dares　everything；　risks　everything；　to　wound　and
humiliate　the　man　who　has　aroused　her　ire。　　This　poor　man　must　also　be
one　of　those　deceived　husbands；　like　so　many　others。　　He　had　said　sadly：
〃There　are　times　when　she　seems　to　have　more　confidence　and　faith　in　our
friends　than　in　me。〃　　That　is　how　a　husband　formulated　his　observations
on　the　particular　attentions　of　his　wife　for　another　man。　　That　was　all。
He　had　seen　nothing　more。　　He　was　like　the　restall　the　rest！

And　how　strangely　Bondel's　own　wife　had　laughed　as　she　said：　〃You；　too
you；　too。〃　　How　wild　and　imprudent　these　creatures　are　who　can　arouse
such　suspicions　in　the　heart　for　the　sole　purpose　of　revenge！

He　ran　over　their　whole　life　since　their　marriage；　reviewed　his　mental
list　of　their　acquaintances；　to　see　whether　she　had　ever　appeared　to　show
more　confidence　in　any　one　else　than　in　himself。　　He　never　had　suspected
any　one；　he　was　so　calm；　so　sure　of　her；　so　confident。

But；　now　he　thought　of　it；　she　had　had　a　friend；　an　intimate　friend；　who
for　almost　a　year　had　dined　with　them　three　times　a　week。　　Tancret；　good
old　Tancret；　whom　he；　Bendel；　loved　as　a　brother　and　whom　he　continued　to
see　on　the　sly；　since　his　wife；　he　did　not　know　why；　had　grown　angry　at
the　charming　fellow。

He　stopped　to　think；　looking　over　the　past　with　anxious　eyes。　　Then　he
grew　angry　at　himself　for　harboring　this　shameful　insinuation　of　the
defiant；　jealous；　bad　ego　which　lives　in　all　of　us。　　He　blamed　and
accused　himself　when　he　remembered　the　visits　and　the　demeanor　of　this
friend　whom　his　wife　had　dismissed　for　no　apparent　reason。　　But；
suddenly；　other　memories　returned　to　him；　similar　ruptures　due　to　the
vindictive　character　of　Madame　Bondel；　who　never　pardoned　a　slight。　　Then
he　laughed　frankly　at　himself　for　the　doubts　which　he　had　nursed；　and　he
remembered　the　angry　looks　of　his　wife　as　he　would　tell　her；　when　he
returned　at　night：　〃I　saw　good　old　Tancret；　and　he　wished　to　be
remembered　to　you；〃　and　he　reassured　himself。

She　would　invariably　answer：　〃When　you　see　that　gentleman　you　can　tell
him　that　I　can　very　well　dispense　with　his　remembrances。〃　　With　what　an
irritated；　angry　look　she　would　say　these　words！　　How　well　one　could　feel
that　she　did　not　and　would　not　forgiveand　he　had　suspected　her　even　for
a　second？　　Such　foolishness！

But　why　did　she　grow　so　angry？　　She　never　had　given　the　exact　reason　for
this　quarrel。　　She　still　bore　him　that　grudge！　　Was　it？　But　nonoand
Bondel　declared　that　he　was　lowering　himself　by　even　thinking　of　such
things。

Yes；　he　was　undoubtedly　lowering　himself；　but　he　could　not　help　thinking
of　it；　and　he　asked　himself　with　terror　if　this　thought　which　had　entered
into　his　mind　had　not　come　to　stop；　if　he　did　not　carry　in　his　heart　the
seed　of　fearful　torment。　　He　knew　himself；　he　was　a　man　to　think　over　his
doubts；　as　formerly　he　would　ruminate　over　his　commercial　operations；　for
days　and　nights；　endlessly　weighing　the　pros　and　the　cons。

He　was　already　becoming　excited；　he　was　walking　fast　and　losing　his
calmness。　　A　thought　cannot　be　downed。　　It　is　intangible；　cannot　be
caught；　cannot　be　killed。

Suddenly　a　plan　occurred　to　him；　it　was　bold；　so　bold　that　at　first　he
doubted　whether　he　would　carry　it　out。

Each　time　that　he　met　Tancret；　his　friend　would　ask　for　news　of　Madame
Bondel；　and　Bondel　would　answer：　〃She　is　still　a　little　angry。〃　　Nothing
more。　　Good　Lord！　　What　a　fool　he　had　been！　　Perhaps！

Well；　he　would　take　the　train　to　Paris；　go　to　Tancret；　and　bring　him　back
with　him　that　very　evening；　assuring　him　that　his　wife's　mysterious　anger
had　disappeared。　　But　how　would　Madame　Bondel　act？　　What　a　scene　there
would　be！　　What　anger！　　what　scandal！　　What　of　it？tha