selected writings-第28节

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But　the　person　outside　now　uttered　long；　plaintive；　mournful

groans；　to　which　the　young　man　replied　by　similar　groans；　and

thus　days　and　nights　passed　without　their　ceasing　to　howl　at　each

other。　The　one　was　continually　walking　round　the　house　and

scraped　the　walls　with　his　nails　so　vigorously　that　it　seemed　as

if　he　wished　to　destroy　them；　while　the　other；　inside；　followed

all　his　movements；　stooping　down；　and　holding　his　ear　to　the

walls；　and　replying　to　all　his　appeals　with　terrible　cries。　One

evening；　however；　Ulrich　heard　nothing　more；　and　he　sat　down；　so

overcome　by　fatigue　that　he　went　to　sleep　immediately；　and　awoke

in　the　morning　without　a　thought；　without　any　recollection　of

what　had　happened；　just　as　if　his　head　had　been　emptied　during

his　heavy　sleep。　But　he　felt　hungry；　and　he　ate。



The　winter　was　over；　and　the　Gemmi　pass　was　practicable　again；　so

the　Hauser　family　started　off　to　return　to　their　inn。　As　soon　as

they　had　reached　the　top　of　the　ascent；　the　women　mounted　their

mule；　and　spoke　about　the　two　men　who　they　would　meet　again

shortly。　They　were；　indeed；　rather　surprised　that　neither　of　them

had　come　down　a　few　days　before；　as　soon　as　the　road　became

passable；　in　order　to　tell　them　all　about　their　long　winter

sojourn。　At　last；　however；　they　saw　the　inn；　still　covered　with

snow；　like　a　quilt。　The　door　and　the　windows　were　closed；　but　a

little　smoke　was　coming　out　of　the　chimney；　which　reassured　old

Hauser；　on　going　up　to　the　door；　however；　he　saw　the　skeleton　of

an　animal　which　had　been　torn　to　pieces　by　the　eagles；　a　large

skeleton　lying　on　its　side。



They　all　looked　closely　at　it；　and　the　mother　said：　〃That　must　be

Sam。〃　Then　she　shouted：　〃Hi！　Gaspard！〃　A　cry　from　the　interior　of

the　house　answered　her；　so　sharp　a　cry　that　one　might　have

thought　some　animal　uttered　it。　Old　Hauser　repeated：　〃Hi！

Gaspard！〃　and　they　heard　another　cry；　similar　to　the　first。



Then　the　three　men；　the　father　and　the　two　sons；　tried　to　open

the　door；　but　it　resisted　their　efforts。　From　the　empty　cow…stall

they　took　a　beam　to　serve　as　a　battering…ram；　and　hurled　it

against　the　door　with　all　their　might。　The　wood　gave　way；　and　the

boards　flew　into　splinters；　then　the　house　was　shaken　by　a　loud

voice；　and　inside；　behind　the　sideboard　which　was　overturned；

they　saw　a　man　standing　upright；　his　hair　falling　on　to　his

shoulders　and　a　beard　descending　to　his　breast；　with　shining　eyes

and　nothing　but　rags　to　cover　him。　They　did　not　recognize　him；

but　Louise　Hauser　exclaimed：　〃It　is　Ulrich；　mother。〃　And　her

mother　declared　that　it　was　Ulrich；　although　his　hair　was　white。



He　allowed　them　to　go　up　to　him；　and　to　touch　him；　but　he　did　not

reply　to　any　of　their　questions；　and　they　were　obliged　to　take

him　to　Loeche；　where　the　doctors　found　that　he　was　mad。　Nobody

ever　knew　what　had　become　of　his　companion。



Little　Louise　Hauser　nearly　died　that　summer　of　decline；　which

the　medical　men　attributed　to　the　cold　air　of　the　mountains。







A　FAMILY



I　was　going　to　see　my　friend　Simon　Radevin　once　more；　for　I　had

not　seen　him　for　fifteen　years。　Formerly　he　was　my　most　intimate

friend；　and　I　used　to　spend　long；　quiet；　and　happy　evenings　with

him。　He　was　one　of　those　men　to　whom　one　tells　the　most　intimate

affairs　of　the　heart；　and　in　whom　one　finds；　when　quietly

talking；　rare；　clever；　ingenious；　and　refined　thoughtsthoughts

which　stimulate　and　capture　the　mind。



For　years　we　had　scarcely　been　separated：　we　had　lived；　traveled；

thought；　and　dreamed　together；　had　liked　the　same　things　with　the

same　liking；　admired　the　same　books；　comprehended　the　same　works；

shivered　with　the　same　sensations；　and　very　often　laughed　at　the

same　individuals；　whom　we　understood　completely；　by　merely

exchanging　a　glance。



Then　he　marriedquite　unexpectedly　married　a　little　girl　from

the　provinces；　who　had　come　to　Paris　in　search　of　a　husband。　How

ever　could　that　little；　thin；　insipidly　fair　girl；　with　her　weak

hands；　her　light；　vacant　eyes；　and　her　clear；　silly　voice；　who　was

exactly　like　a　hundred　thousand　marriageable　dolls；　have　picked　up

that　intelligent；　clever　young　fellow？　Can　anyone　understand　these

things？　No　doubt　he　had　hoped　for　happiness；　simple；　quiet；　and

long…enduring　happiness；　in　the　arms　of　a　good；　tender；　and

faithful　woman；　he　had　seen　all　that　in　the　transparent　looks　of

that　schoolgirl　with　light　hair。



He　had　not　dreamed　of　the　fact　that　an　active；　living；　and

vibrating　man　grows　tired　as　soon　as　he　has　comprehended　the

stupid　reality　of　a　common…place　life；　unless　indeed；　he　becomes

so　brutalized　as　to　be　callous　to　externals。



What　would　he　be　like　when　I　met　him　again？　Still　lively；　witty；

light…hearted；　and　enthusiastic；　or　in　a　state　of　mental　torpor

through　provincial　life？　A　man　can　change　a　great　deal　in　the

course　of　fifteen　years！



The　train　stopped　at　a　small　station；　and　as　I　got　out　of　the

carriage；　a　stout；　a　very　stout　man　with　red　cheeks　and　a　big

stomach　rushed　up　to　me　with　open　arms；　exclaiming：　〃George！〃



I　embraced　him；　but　I　had　not　recognized　him；　and　then　I　said；　in

astonishment：　〃By　Jove！　You　have　not　grown　thin！〃



And　he　replied　with　a　laugh：　〃What　did　you　expect？　Good　living；　a

good　table；　and　good　nights！　Eating　and　sleeping；　that　is　my

existence！〃



I　looked　at　him　closely；　trying　to　find　the　features　I　held　so

dear　in　that　broad　face。　His　eyes　alone　had　not　altered；　but　I　no

longer　saw　the　same　looks　in　them；　and　I　said　to　myself：　〃If

looks　be　the　reflection　of　the　mind；　the　thoughts　in　that　head

are　not　what　they　used　to　bethose　thoughts　which　I　knew　so

well。〃



Yet　his　eyes　were　bright；　full　of　pleasure　and　friendship；　but

they　had　not　that　clear；　intelligent　expression　which　tells

better　than　do　words　the　value　of　the　mind。　Suddenly　he　said　to

me：



〃Here　are　my　two　eldest　children。〃　A　girl　of　fourteen；　who　was

almost　a　woman；　and　a　boy　of　thirteen；　in　the　dress　of　a　pupil

from　a　lycee；　came　forward　in　a　hesitating　and　awkward　manner；

and　I　said　in　a　low　voice：　〃Are　they　yours？〃



〃Of　course　they　are；〃　he　replied　laughing。



〃How　many　have　you？〃



〃Five！　There　are　three　more　indoors。〃



He　said　that　in　a　proud；　self…satisfied；　almost　triumphant

manner；　and　I　felt　profound　pity；　mingled　with　a　feeling　of　vague

contempt　for　this　vainglorious　and　simple　reproducer　of　his

species；　who　spent　his　nights　in　his　country　house　in　uxorious

pleasures。



I　got　into　a　carriage；　which　he　drove　himself；　and　we　set　off

through　the　town；　a　dull；　sleepy；　gloomy　town　where　nothing　was

moving　in　the　streets　save　a　few　dogs　and　two　or　three

maidservants。　Here　and　there　a　shopkeeper　standing　at　his　door

took　off　his　hat；　and　Simon　returned　the　salute　and　told　me　the

man's　nameno　doubt　to　show　me　that　he　knew　all　the　inhabitants

personally。　The　thought　struck　me　that　he　was　thinking　of

becoming　a　candidate　for　the　Chamber　of　Deputies；　that　dream　of

all　who　have　buried　themselves　in　the　provinces。



We　were　soon　out　of　the　town；　the　carriage　turned　into　a　garden

which　had　some　pretensions　to　a　park；　and　stopped　in　front　of　a

turreted　house；　which　tried　to　pass　for　a　chateau。



〃That　is　my　den；〃　Simon　said；　so　that　he　might　be　complimented　on

it；　and　I　replied　that　it　was　delightful。



A　lady　appeared　on　the　steps；　dressed　up　for　a　visitor；　her　hair

done　for　a　visitor；　and　with　phrases　ready　prepared　for　a

visitor。　She　was　no　longer　the　light…haired；　insipid　girl　I　had

seen　in　church　fifteen　years　previously；　but　a　stout　lady　in

curls　and　flounces；　one　of　those　ladies　of　uncertain　age；　without

intellect；　without　any　of　those　things　which　constitute　a　woman。

In　short　she　was　a　mother；　a　stout；　commonplace　mother；　a　human

layer　and　brood　mare；　a　machine　of　flesh　which　procreates；

without　mental　care　save　for　her　children　and　her　housekeeping

book。



She　welcomed　me；　and　I　went　into　the　hall；　where　three　children；

ranged　according　to　their　height；　were　ranked　for　review；　like

firemen　before　a　mayor。　〃Ah！　ah！　so　there　are　the　others？〃　said

I。　And　Simon；　who　was　radiant　with　pleasure；　named　them：　〃Jean；

Sophie；　and　Gontran。〃



The　door　of　the　drawing…room　was　open。　I　went　in；　and　in　the

depths　of　an　easy…chair　I　saw　something　trembling；　a　man；　an　old；

paralyzed　man。　Madame　Radevin　came　forward　and　said：　〃This　is　my

grandfather；　Monsieur；　he　is　eighty…seven。〃　And　then　she　shouted

into　the　shaking　old　man's　ears：　〃This　is　a　friend　of　Simon's；

grandpapa。〃



The　old　gentleman　tried　to　say　〃Good　day〃　to　me；　and　he　muttered：

〃Oua；　oua；　oua；〃　and　waved　his　hand。



I　took　a　seat　saying：　〃You　are　very　kind；　Monsieur。〃



Simon　had　just　come　in；　and　he　said　with　a　laugh：　〃So！　You　have

made　grandpapa's　acquaintance。　He　is　priceless；　is　that　old　man。

He　is　the　delight　of　the　children；　and　he　is　so　greedy　that　he

almost　kills　himself　at　every　meal。