selected writings-第43节

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weaker；　and　he　delayed　his　departure　from　week　to　week；　and

waited；　without　knowing　why；　until；　at　last；　worn　out　with　the

struggle；　watching　her　wherever　she　went；　more　in　love　with　her

than　he　had　ever　been　before；　he　wrote　her　long；　mad；　ardent

letters　in　which　his　passion　overflowed　like　a　stream　of　lava。



He　altered　his　handwriting；　as　he　remembered　her　restless　brain；

and　her　many　whims。　He　sent　her　the　flowers　which　he　knew　she

liked　best；　and　told　her　that　she　was　his　life；　that　he　was　dying

of　waiting　for　her；　of　longing　for　her；　for　her　his　idol。



At　last；　very　much　puzzled　and　surprised；　guessingwho

knows？from　the　instinctive　beating　of　her　heart；　and　her

general　emotion；　that　it　must　be　he　this　time；　he　whose　soul　she

had　tortured　with　such　cold　cruelty；　and　knowing　that　she　could

make　amends　for　the　past　and　bring　back　their　former　love；　she

replied　to　him；　and　granted　him　the　meeting　that　he　asked　for。

She　fell　into　his　arms；　and　they　both　sobbed　with　joy　and

ecstasy。　Their　kisses　were　those　which　lips　give　only　when　they

have　lost　each　other　and　found　each　other　again　at　last；　when

they　meet　and　exhaust　themselves　in　each　other's　looks；　thirsting

for　tenderness；　love；　and　enjoyment。



　*　*　*　*　*　*　*



Last　week　Count　de　Baudemont　carried　off　Marie　Anne　quietly　and

coolly；　just　like　one　resumes　possession　of　one's　house　on

returning　from　a　journey；　and　drives　out　the　intruders。　And　when

Maitre　Garrulier　was　told　of　this　unheard　of　scandal；　he　rubbed

his　handsthe　long；　delicate　hands　of　a　sensual　prelateand

exclaimed：



〃That　is　absolutely　logical；　and　I　should　like　to　be　in　their

place。〃







THE　MAD　WOMAN



〃I　can　tell　you　a　terrible　story　about　the　Franco…Prussian　war；〃

Monsieur　d'Endolin　said　to　some　friends　assembled　in　the

smoking…room　of　Baron　de　Ravot's　chateau。　〃You　know　my　house　in

the　Faubourg　de　Cormeil；　I　was　living　there　when　the　Prussians

came；　and　I　had　for　a　neighbor　a　kind　of　mad　woman；　who　had　lost

her　senses　in　consequence　of　a　series　of　misfortunes。　At　the　age

of　seven　and　twenty　she　had　lost　her　father；　her　husband；　and　her

newly　born　child；　all　in　the　space　of　a　month。



〃When　death　has　once　entered　into　a　house；　it　almost　invariably

returns　immediately；　as　if　it　knew　the　way；　and　the　young　woman；

overwhelmed　with　grief；　took　to　her　bed　and　was　delirious　for　six

weeks。　Then　a　species　of　calm　lassitude　succeeded　that　violent

crisis；　and　she　remained　motionless；　eating　next　to　nothing；　and

only　moving　her　eyes。　Every　time　they　tried　to　make　her　get　up；

she　screamed　as　if　they　were　about　to　kill　her；　and　so　they　ended

by　leaving　her　continually　in　bed；　and　only　taking　her　out　to

wash　her；　to　change　her　linen；　and　to　turn　her　mattress。



〃An　old　servant　remained　with　her；　to　give　her　something　to

drink；　or　a　little　cold　meat；　from　time　to　time。　What　passed　in

that　despairing　mind？　No　one　ever　knew；　for　she　did　not　speak　at

all　now。　Was　she　thinking　of　the　dead？　Was　she　dreaming　sadly；

without　any　precise　recollection　of　anything　that　had　happened？

Or　was　her　memory　as　stagnant　as　water　without　any　current？　But

however　this　may　have　been；　for　fifteen　years　she　remained　thus

inert　and　secluded。



〃The　war　broke　out；　and　in　the　beginning　of　December　the　Germans

came　to　Cormeil。　I　can　remember　it　as　if　it　were　but　yesterday。

It　was　freezing　hard　enough　to　split　the　stones；　and　I　myself　was

lying　back　in　an　armchair；　being　unable　to　move　on　account　of　the

gout；　when　I　heard　their　heavy　and　regular　tread；　and　could　see

them　pass　from　my　window。



〃They　defiled　past　interminably；　with　that　peculiar　motion　of　a

puppet　on　wires；　which　belongs　to　them。　Then　the　officers

billeted　their　men　on　the　inhabitants；　and　I　had　seventeen　of

them。　My　neighbor；　the　crazy　woman；　had　a　dozen；　one　of　whom　was

the　Commandant；　a　regular　violent；　surly　swashbuckler。



〃During　the　first　few　days；　everything　went　on　as　usual。　The

officers　next　door　had　been　told　that　the　lady　was　ill；　and　they

did　not　trouble　themselves　about　that　in　the　least；　but　soon　that

woman　whom　they　never　saw　irritated　them。　They　asked　what　

her　illness　was；　and　were　told　that　she　had　been　in　bed　for

fifteen　years；　in　consequence　of　terrible　grief。　No　doubt　they

did　not　believe　it；　and　thought　that　the　poor　mad　creature　would

not　leave　her　bed　out　of　pride；　so　that　she　might　not　come　near

the　Prussians；　or　speak　to　them　or　even　see　them。



〃The　Commandant　insisted　upon　her　receiving　him。　He　was　shown

into　the　room　and　said　to　her　roughly：　'I　must　beg　you　to　get　up；

Madame；　and　to　come　downstairs　so　that　we　may　all　see　you。'　But

she　merely　turned　her　vague　eyes　on　him；　without　replying；　and　so

he　continued：　'I　do　not　intend　to　tolerate　any　insolence；　and　if

you　do　not　get　up　of　your　own　accord；　I　can　easily　find　means　to

make　you　walk　without　any　assistance。'



〃But　she　did　not　give　any　signs　of　having　heard　him；　and　remained

quite　motionless。　Then　he　got　furious；　taking　that　calm　silence

for　a　mark　of　supreme　contempt；　so　he　added：　'If　you　do　not　come

downstairs　to…morrow'　And　then　he　left　the　room。



〃The　next　day　the　terrified　old　servant　wished　to　dress　her；　but

the　mad　woman　began　to　scream　violently；　and　resisted　with　all

her　might。　The　officer　ran　upstairs　quickly；　and　the　servant

threw　herself　at　his　feet　and　cried：　'She　will　not　come　down；

Monsieur；　she　will　not。　Forgive　her；　for　she　is　so　unhappy。'



〃The　soldier　was　embarrassed；　as　in　spite　of　his　anger；　he　did

not　venture　to　order　his　soldiers　to　drag　her　out。　But　suddenly

he　began　to　laugh；　and　gave　some　orders　in　German；　and　soon　a

party　of　soldiers　was　seen　coming　out　supporting　a　mattress　as　if

they　were　carrying　a　wounded　man。　On　that　bed；　which　had　not　been

unmade；　the　mad　woman；　who　was　still　silent；　was　lying　quite

quietly；　for　she　was　quite　indifferent　to　anything　that　went　on；

as　long　as　they　let　her　lie。　Behind　her；　a　soldier　was　carrying　a

parcel　of　feminine　attire；　and　the　officer　said；　rubbing　his

hands：　'We　will　just　see　whether　you　cannot　dress　yourself　alone；

and　take　a　little　walk。'



〃And　then　the　procession　went　off　in　the　direction　of　the　forest

of　Imauville；　in　two　hours　the　soldiers　came　back　alone；　and

nothing　more　was　seen　of　the　mad　woman。　What　had　they　done　with

her？　Where　had　they　taken　her　to？　No　one　knew。



〃The　snow　was　falling　day　and　night；　and　enveloped　the　plain　and

the　woods　in　a　shroud　of　frozen　foam；　and　the　wolves　came　and

howled　at　our　very　doors。



〃The　thought　of　that　poor　lost　woman　haunted　me；　and　I　made

several　applications　to　the　Prussian　authorities　in　order　to

obtain　some　information；　and　was　nearly　shot　for　doing　so。　When

spring　returned；　the　army　of　occupation　withdrew；　but　my

neighbor's　house　remained　closed；　and　the　grass　grew　thick　in　the

garden　walks。　The　old　servant　had　died　during　the　winter；　and

nobody　troubled　any　longer　about　the　occurrence；　I　alone　thought

about　it　constantly。　What　had　they　done　with　the　woman？　Had　she

escaped　through　the　forest？　Had　somebody　found　her；　and　taken　her

to　a　hospital；　without　being　able　to　obtain　any　information　from

her？　Nothing　happened　to　relieve　my　doubts；　but　by　degrees；　time

assuaged　my　fears。



〃Well；　in　the　following　autumn　the　woodcock　were　very　plentiful；

and　as　my　gout　had　left　me　for　a　time；　I　dragged　myself　as　far　as

the　forest。　I　had　already　killed　four　or　five　of　the　long…billed

birds；　when　I　knocked　over　one　which　fell　into　a　ditch　full　of

branches；　and　I　was　obliged　to　get　into　it；　in　order　to　pick　it

up；　and　I　found　that　it　had　fallen　close　to　a　dead；　human　body。

Immediately　the　recollection　of　the　mad　woman　struck　me　like　a

blow　in　the　chest。　Many　other　people　had　perhaps　died　in　the　wood

during　that　disastrous　year；　but　though　I　do　not　know　why；　I　was

sure；　sure；　I　tell　you；　that　I　should　see　the　head　of　that

wretched　maniac。



〃And　suddenly　I　understood；　I　guessed　everything。　They　had

abandoned　her　on　that　mattress　in　the　cold；　deserted　wood；　and；

faithful　to　her　fixed　idea；　she　had　allowed　herself　to　perish

under　that　thick　and　light　counterpane　of　snow；　without　moving

either　arms　or　legs。



〃Then　the　wolves　had　devoured　her；　and　the　birds　had　built　their

nests　with　the　wool　from　her　torn　bed；　and　I　took　charge　of　her

bones。　I　only　pray　that　our　sons　may　never　see　any　wars　again。〃







IN　VARIOUS　ROLES



In　the　following　reminiscences　will　frequently　be　mentioned　a

lady　who　played　a　great　part　in　the　annals　of　the　police　from

1848　to　1866。　We　will　call　her　〃Wanda　von　Chabert。〃　Born　in

Galicia　of　German　parents；　and　carefully　brought　up　in　every　way；

when　only　sixteen　she　married；　from　love；　a　rich　and　handsome

officer　of　noble　birth。　The　young　couple；　however；　lived　beyond

their　means；　and　when　the　husband　died　suddenly；　two　years　after

they　were　married；　she　was　left　anything　but　well　off。