original short stories-8-第6章

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had　disappeared。　　But　how　would　Madame　Bondel　act？　　What　a　scene　there
would　be！　　What　anger！　　what　scandal！　　What　of　it？that　would　be
revenge！　　When　she　should　come　face　to　face　with　him；　unexpectedly；　he
certainly　ought　to　be　able　to　read　the　truth　in　their　expressions。

He　immediately　went　to　the　station；　bought　his　ticket；　got　into　the　car；
and　as　soon　as　he　felt　him　self　being　carried　away　by　the　train；　he　felt
a　fear；　a　kind　of　dizziness；　at　what　he　was　going　to　do。　　In　order　not　to
weaken；　back　down；　and　return　alone；　he　tried　not　to　think　of　the　matter
any　longer；　to　bring　his　mind　to　bear　on　other　affairs；　to　do　what　he　had
decided　to　do　with　a　blind　resolution；　and　he　began　to　hum　tunes　from
operettas　and　music　halls　until　he　reached　Paris。

As　soon　as　he　found　himself　walking　along　the　streets　that　led　to
Tancret's；　he　felt　like　stopping；　He　paused　in　front　of　several　shops；
noticed　the　prices　of　certain　objects；　was　interested　in　new　things；　felt
like　taking　a　glass　of　beer；　which　was　not　his　usual　custom；　and　as　he
approached　his　friend's　dwelling　he　ardently　hoped　not　meet　him。　　But
Tancret　was　at　home；　alone；　reading。　　He　jumped　up　in　surprise；　crying：
〃Ah！　Bondel！　what　luck！〃

Bondel；　embarrassed；　answered：　〃Yes；　my　dear　fellow；　I　happened　to　be　in
Paris；　and　I　thought　I'd　drop　in　and　shake　hands　with　you。〃

〃That's　very　nice；　very　nice！　　The　more　so　that　for　some　time　you　have
not　favored　me　with　your　presence　very　often。〃

〃Well；　you　seeeven　against　one's　will；　one　is　often　influenced　by
surrounding　conditions；　and　as　my　wife　seemed　to　bear　you　some　ill…will〃

〃Jove！　'seemed'she　did　better　than　that；　since　she　showed　me　the　door。〃

〃What　was　the　reason？　　I　never　heard　it。〃

〃Oh！　nothing　at　alla　bit　of　foolishnessa　discussion　in　which　we　did
not　both　agree。〃

〃But　what　was　the　subject　of　this　discussion？〃

〃A　lady　of　my　acquaintance；　whom　you　may　perhaps　know　by　name；　Madame
Boutin。〃

〃Ah！　really。　　Well；　I　think　that　my　wife　has　forgotten　her　grudge；　for
this　very　morning　she　spoke　to　me　of　you　in　very　pleasant　terms。〃

Tancret　started　and　seemed　so　dumfounded　that　for　a　few　minutes　he　could
find　nothing　to　say。　　Then　he　asked：　〃She　spoke　of　mein　pleasant
terms？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃You　are　sure？〃

〃Of　course　I　am。　　I　am　not　dreaming。〃

〃And　then？〃

〃And　thenas　I　was　coming　to　Paris　I　thought　that　I　would　please　you　by
coming　to　tell　you　the　good　news。〃

〃Why；　yeswhy；　yes〃

Bondel　appeared　to　hesitate；　then；　after　a　short　pause；　he　added：　〃I　even
had　an　idea。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃To　take　you　back　home　with　me　to　dinner。〃

Tancret；　who　was　naturally　prudent；　seemed　a　little　worried　by　this
proposition；　and　he　asked：　〃Oh！　reallyis　it　possible？　　Are　we　not
exposing　ourselves　totoa　scene？〃

〃No；　no；　indeed！〃

〃Because；　you　know；　Madame　Bendel　bears　malice　for　a　long　time。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　can　assure　you　that　she　no　longer　bears　you　any　illwill。
I　am　even　convinced　that　it　will　be　a　great　pleasure　for　her　to　see　you
thus；　unexpectedly。〃

〃Really？〃

〃Yes；　really！〃

〃Well；　then！　let　us　go　along。　　I　am　delighted。　　You　see；　this
misunderstanding　was　very　unpleasant　for　me。〃

They　set　out　together　toward　the　Saint…Lazare　station；　arm　in　arm。　　They
made　the　trip　in　silence。　　Both　seemed　absorbed　in　deep　meditation。
Seated　in　the　car；　one　opposite　the　other；　they　looked　at　each　other
without　speaking；　each　observing　that　the　other　was　pale。

Then　they　left　the　train　and　once　more　linked　arms　as　if　to　unite　against
some　common　danger。　　After　a　walk　of　a　few　minutes　they　stopped；　a　little
out　of　breath；　before　Bondel's　house。　　Bondel　ushered　his　friend　into　the
parlor；　called　the　servant；　and　asked：　〃Is　madame　at　home？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃Please　ask　her　to　come　down　at　once。〃

They　dropped　into　two　armchairs　and　waited。　　Both　were　filled　with　the
same　longing　to　escape　before　the　appearance　of　the　much…feared　person。

A　well…known；　heavy　tread　could　be　heard　descending　the　stairs。　　A　hand
moved　the　knob；　and　both　men　watched　the　brass　handle　turn。　　Then　the
door　opened　wide；　and　Madame　Bondel　stopped　and　looked　to　see　who　was
there　before　she　entered。　　She　looked；　blushed；　trembled；　retreated　a
step；　then　stood　motionless；　her　cheeks　aflame　and　her　hands　resting
against　the　sides　of　the　door　frame。

Tancret；　as　pale　as　if　about　to　faint；　had　arisen；　letting　fall　his　hat；
which　rolled　along　the　floor。　　He　stammered　out：　〃Mon　Dieumadameit　is
II　thoughtI　venturedI　was　so　sorry〃

As　she　did　not　answer；　he　continued：　〃Will　you　forgive　me？〃

Then；　quickly；　carried　away　by　some　impulse；　she　walked　toward　him　with
her　hands　outstretched；　and　when　he　had　taken；　pressed；　and　held　these
two　hands；　she　said；　in　a　trembling；　weak　little　voice；　which　was　new　to
her　husband：

〃Ah！　my　dear　friendhow　happy　I　am！〃

And　Bondel；　who　was　watching　them；　felt　an　icy　chill　run　over　him；　as　if
he　had　been　dipped　in　a　cold　bath。






FOUND　ON　A　DROWNED　MAN

Madame；　you　ask　me　whether　I　am　laughing　at　you？　　You　cannot　believe　that
a　man　has　never　been　in　love。　　Well；　then；　no；　no；　I　have　never　loved；
never！

Why　is　this？　　I　really　cannot　tell。　　I　have　never　experienced　that
intoxication　of　the　heart　which　we　call　love！　　Never　have　I　lived　in　that
dream；　in　that　exaltation；　in　that　state　of　madness　into　which　the　image
of　a　woman　casts　us。　　I　have　never　been　pursued；　haunted；　roused　to　fever
heat；　lifted　up　to　Paradise　by　the　thought　of　meeting；　or　by　the
possession　of；　a　being　who　had　suddenly　become　for　me　more　desirable　than
any　good　fortune；　more　beautiful　than　any　other　creature；　of　more
consequence　than　the　whole　world！　　I　have　never　wept；　I　have　never
suffered　on　account　of　any　of　you。　　I　have　not　passed　my　nights
sleepless；　while　thinking　of　her。　　I　have　no　experience　of　waking
thoughts　bright　with　thought　and　memories　of　her。　　I　have　never　known　the
wild　rapture　of　hope　before　her　arrival；　or　the　divine　sadness　of　regret
when　she　went　from　me；　leaving　behind　her　a　delicate　odor　of　violet
powder。

I　have　never　been　in　love。

I　have　also　often　asked　myself　why　this　is。　　And　truly　I　can　scarcely
tell。　　Nevertheless　I　have　found　some　reasons　for　it；　but　they　are　of　a
metaphysical　character；　and　perhaps　you　will　not　be　able　to　appreciate
them。

I　suppose　I　am　too　critical　of　women　to　submit　to　their　fascination。　　I
ask　you　to　forgive　me　for　this　remark。　　I　will　explain　what　I　mean。　　In
every　creature　there　is　a　moral　being　and　a　physical　being。　　In　order　to
love；　it　would　be　necessary　for　me　to　find　a　harmony　between　these　two
beings　which　I　have　never　found。　　One　always　predominates；　sometimes　the
moral；　sometimes　the　physical。

The　intellect　which　we　have　a　right　to　require　in　a　woman；　in　order　to
love　her；　is　not　the　same　as　the　virile　intellect。　　It　is　more；　and　it　is
less。　　A　woman　must　be　frank；　delicate；　sensitive；　refined；
impressionable。　　She　has　no　need　of　either　power　or　initiative　in
thought；　but　she　must　have　kindness；　elegance；　tenderness；　coquetry　and
that　faculty　of　assimilation　which；　in　a　little　while；　raises　her　to　an
equality　with　him　who　shares　her　life。　　Her　greatest　quality　must　be
tact；　that　subtle　sense　which　is　to　the　mind　what　touch　is　to　the　body。
It　reveals　to　her　a　thousand　little　things；　contours；　angles　and　forms　on
the　plane　of　the　intellectual。

Very　frequently　pretty　women　have　not　intellect　to　correspond　with　their
personal　charms。　　Now；　the　slightest　lack　of　harmony　strikes　me　and　pains
me　at　the　first　glance。　　In　friendship　this　is　not　of　importance。
Friendship　is　a　compact　in　which　one　fairly　shares　defects　and　merits。
We　may　judge　of　friends；　whether　man　or　woman；　giving　them　credit　for
what　is　good；　and　overlooking　what　is　bad　in　them；　appreciating　them　at
their　just　value；　while　giving　ourselves　up　to　an　intimate；　intense　and
charming　sympathy。

In　order　to　love；　one　must　be　blind；　surrender　one's　self　absolutely；　see
nothing；　question　nothing；　understand　nothing。　　One　must　adore　the
weakness　as　well　as　the　beauty　of　the　beloved　object；　renounce　all
judgment；　all　reflection；　all　perspicacity。

I　am　incapable　of　such　blindness　and　rebel　at