selected writings-第5节

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keep　themselves　warmhe　went　to　the　window。　The　rain　was

descending　in　torrents；　a　regular　Normandy　rain；　which　looked　as

if　it　were　being　poured　out　by　some　furious　hand；　a　slanting

rain；　which　was　as　thick　as　a　curtain；　and　which　formed　a　kind　of

wall　with　oblique　stripes；　and　which　deluged　everything；　a

regular　rain；　such　as　one　frequently　experiences　in　the

neighborhood　of　Rouen；　which　is　the　watering…pot　of　France。



For　a　long　time　the　officer　looked　at　the　sodden　turf；　and　at　the

swollen　Andelle　beyond　it；　which　was　overflowing　its　banks；　and

he　was　drumming　a　waltz　from　the　Rhine　on　the　window…panes；　with

his　fingers；　when　a　noise　made　him　turn　round；　it　was　his　second

in　command；　Captain　Baron　von　Kelweinstein。



The　major　was　a　giant；　with　broad　shoulders；　and　a　long；　fair

beard；　which　hung　like　a　cloth　on　to　his　chest。　His　whole；　solemn

person　suggested　the　idea　of　a　military　peacock；　a　peacock　who

was　carrying　his　tail　spread　out　on　to　his　breast。　He　had　cold；

gentle；　blue　eyes；　and　the　scar　from　a　sword…cut；　which　he　had

received　in　the　war　with　Austria；　he　was　said　to　be　an　honorable

man；　as　well　as　a　brave　officer。



The　captain；　a　short；　red…faced　man；　who　was　tightly　girthed　in

at　the　waist；　had　his　red　hair　cropped　quite　close　to　his　head；

and　in　certain　lights　almost　looked　as　if　he　had　been　rubbed　over

with　phosphorus。　He　had　lost　two　front　teeth　one　night；　though　he

could　not　quite　remember　how。　This　defect　made　him　speak　so　that

he　could　not　always　be　understood；　and　he　had　a　bald　patch　on　the

top　of　his　head；　which　made　him　look　rather　like　a　monk；　with　a

fringe　of　curly；　bright；　golden　hair　round　the　circle　of　bare

skin。



The　commandant　shook　hands　with　him；　and　drank　his　cup　of　coffee

（the　sixth　that　morning）　at　a　draught；　while　he　listened　to　his

subordinate's　report　of　what　had　occurred；　and　then　they　both

went　to　the　window；　and　declared　that　it　was　a　very　unpleasant

outlook。　The　major；　who　was　a　quiet　man；　with　a　wife　at　home；

could　accommodate　himself　to　everything；　but　the　captain；　who　was

rather　fast；　being　in　the　habit　of　frequenting　low　resorts；　and

much　given　to　women；　was　mad　at　having　been　shut　up　for　three

months　in　the　compulsory　chastity　of　that　wretched　hole。



There　was　a　knock　at　the　door；　and　when　the　commandant　said；

〃Come　in；〃　one　of　their　automatic　soldiers　appeared；　and　by　his

mere　presence　announced　that　breakfast　was　ready。　In　the　dining…

room；　they　met　three　other　officers　of　lower　rank：　a　lieutenant；

Otto　von　Grossling；　and　two　sub…lieutenants；　Fritz　Scheunebarg；

and　Count　von　Eyrick　a　very　short；　fair…haired　man；　who　was　proud

and　brutal　toward　men；　harsh　toward　prisoners；　and　very　violent。



Since　he　had　been　in　France；　his　comrades　had　called　him　nothing

but　〃Mademoiselle　Fifi。〃　They　had　given　him　that　nickname　on

account　of　his　dandified　style　and　small　waist；　which　looked　as

if　he　wore　stays；　from　his　pale　face；　on　which　his　budding

mustache　scarcely　showed；　and　on　account　of　the　habit　he　had

acquired　of　employing　the　French　expression；　fi；　fi　donc；　which

he　pronounced　with　a　slight　whistle；　when　he　wished　to　express

his　sovereign　contempt　for　persons　or　things。



The　dining…room　of　the　chateau　was　a　magnificent　long　room；　whose

fine　old　mirrors；　now　cracked　by　pistol　bullets；　and　Flemish

tapestry；　now　cut　to　ribbons　and　hanging　in　rags　in　places；　from

sword…cuts；　told　too　well　what　Mademoiselle　Fifi's　occupation　was

during　his　spare　time。



There　were　three　family　portraits　on　the　walls；　a　steel…clad

knight；　a　cardinal；　and　a　judge；　who　were　all　smoking　long

porcelain　pipes；　which　had　been　inserted　into　holes　in　the

canvas；　while　a　lady　in　a　long；　pointed　waist　proudly　exhibited

an　enormous　pair　of　mustaches；　drawn　with　a　piece　of　charcoal。



The　officers　ate　their　breakfast　almost　in　silence　in　that

mutilated　room；　which　looked　dull　in　the　rain；　and　melancholy

under　its　vanquished　appearance；　although　its　old；　oak　floor　had

become　as　solid　as　the　stone　floor　of　a　public…house。



When　they　had　finished　eating；　and　were　smoking　and　drinking；

they　began；　as　usual；　to　talk　about　the　dull　life　they　were

leading。　The　bottles　of　brandy　and　of　liquors　passed　from　hand　to

hand；　and　all　sat　back　in　their　chairs；　taking　repeated　sips　from

their　glasses；　and　scarcely　removing　the　long；　bent　stems；　which

terminated　in　china　bowls　painted　in　a　manner　to　delight　a

Hottentot；　from　their　mouths。



As　soon　as　their　glasses　were　empty；　they　filled　them　again；　with

a　gesture　of　resigned　weariness；　but　Mademoiselle　Fifi　emptied

his　every　minute；　and　a　soldier　immediately　gave　him　another。

They　were　enveloped　in　a　cloud　of　strong　tobacco　smoke；　they

seemed　to　be　sunk　in　a　state　of　drowsy；　stupid　intoxication；　in

that　dull　state　of　drunkenness　of　men　who　have　nothing　to　do；

when　suddenly；　the　baron　sat　up；　and　said：　〃By　heavens！　This

cannot　go　on；　we　must　think　of　something　to　do。〃　And　on　hearing

this；　Lieutenant　Otto　and　Sub…lieutenant　Fritz；　who　pre…eminently

possessed　the　grave；　heavy　German　countenance；　said：　〃What；

Captain？〃



He　thought　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　replied　〃What？　Well；　we

must　get　up　some　entertainment；　if　the　commandant　will　allow　us。〃



〃What　sort　of　an　entertainment；　captain？〃　the　major　asked；　taking

his　pipe　out　of　his　mouth。



〃I　will　arrange　all　that；　commandant；〃　the　baron　said。　〃I　will

send　Le　Devoir　to　Rouen；　who　will　bring　us　some　ladies。　I　know

where　they　can　be　found。　We　will　have　supper　here；　as　all　the

materials　are　at　hand；　and；　at　least；　we　shall　have　a　jolly

evening。〃



Graf　von　Farlsberg　shrugged　his　shoulders　with　a　smile：　〃You　must

surely　be　mad；　my　friend。〃



But　all　the　other　officers　got　up；　surrounded　their　chief；　and

said：　〃Let　the　captain　have　his　own　way；　commandant；　it　is

terribly　dull　here。〃



And　the　major　ended　by　yielding。　〃Very　well；〃　he　replied；　and　the

baron　immediately　sent　for　Le　Devoir。



The　latter　was　an　old　corporal　who　had　never　been　seen　to　smile；

but　who　carried　out　all　the　orders　of　his　superiors　to　the

letter；　no　matter　what　they　might　be。　He　stood　there；　with　an

impassive　face　while　he　received　the　baron's　instructions；　and

then　went　out；　five　minutes　later　a　large　wagon　belonging　to　the

military　train；　covered　with　a　miller's　tilt；　galloped　off　as

fast　as　four　horses　could　take　it；　under　the　pouring　rain；　and

the　officers　all　seemed　to　awaken　from　their　lethargy；　their

looks　brightened；　and　they　began　to　talk。



Although　it　was　raining　as　hard　as　ever；　the　major　declared　that

it　was　not　so　dull；　and　Lieutenant　von　Grossling　said　with

conviction；　that　the　sky　was　clearing　up；　while　Mademoiselle　Fifi

did　not　seem　to　be　able　to　keep　in　his　place。　He　got　up；　and　sat

down　again；　and　his　bright　eyes　seemed　to　be　looking　for

something　to　destroy。　Suddenly；　looking　at　the　lady　with　the

mustaches；　the　young　fellow　pulled　out　his　revolver；　and　said：

〃You　shall　not　see　it。〃　And　without　leaving　his　seat　he　aimed；

and　with　two　successive　bullets　cut　out　both　the　eyes　of　the

portrait。



〃Let　us　make　a　mine！〃　he　then　exclaimed；　and　the　conversation　was

suddenly　interrupted；　as　if　they　had　found　some　fresh　and

powerful　subject　of　interest。　The　mine　was　his　invention；　his

method　of　destruction；　and　his　favorite　amusement。



When　he　left　the　chateau；　the　lawful　owner；　Count　Fernand　d'Amoys

d'Urville；　had　not　had　time　to　carry　away　or　to　hide　anything；

except　the　plate；　which　had　been　stowed　away　in　a　hole　made　in

one　of　the　walls；　so　that；　as　he　was　very　rich　and　had　good

taste；　the　large　drawing…room；　which　opened　into　the　dining…room；

had　looked　like　the　gallery　in　a　museum；　before　his　precipitate

flight。



Expensive　oil…paintings；　water…colors；　and　drawings　hung　upon　the

walls；　while　on　the　tables；　on　the　hanging　shelves；　and　in

elegant　glass　cupboards；　there　were　a　thousand　knickknacks：　small

vases；　statuettes；　groups　in　Dresden　china；　grotesque　Chinese

figures；　old　ivory；　and　Venetian　glass；　which　filled　the　large

room　with　their　precious　and　fantastical　array。



Scarcely　anything　was　left　now；　not　that　the　things　had　been

stolen；　for　the　major　would　not　have　allowed　that；　but

Mademoiselle　Fifi　WOULD　HAVE　A　MINE；　and　on　that　occasion　all　the

officers　thoroughly　enjoyed　themselves　for　five　minutes。　The

little　marquis　went　into　the　drawing…room　to　get　what　he　wanted；

and　he　brought　back　a　small；　delicate　china　teapot；　which　he

filled　with　gunpowder；　and　carefully　introduced　a　piece　of　German

tinder　into　it；　through　the　spout。　Then　he　lighted　it；　and　took

this　infernal　machine　into　the　next　room；　but　he　came　back

immediately　and　shut　the　door。　The　Germans　all　stood　expectantly；

their　faces　full　of　childish；　smiling　curiosity；　and　as　soon　as

the　explosion　had　shaken　the　chateau；　they　all　rushed　in　at　once。



Mademoiselle　Fifi；　who　got　in　first；　clapped　his　hands　in　d