selected writings-第55节

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Argenteuil　church；　above　it　rose　the　hills　of　Sannois　and　the

mill　of　Orgemont；　while　on　the　left；　the　aqueduct　of　Marly　stood

out　against　the　clear　morning　sky。　In　the　distance　they　could　see

the　terrace　of　Saint…Germain；　and　opposite　to　them；　at　the　end　of

a　low　chain　of　hills；　the　new　fort　of　Cormeilles。　Afara　very

long　way　off；　beyond　the　plains　and　villagesone　could　see　the

somber　green　of　the　forests。



The　sun　was　beginning　to　shine　in　their　faces；　the　dust　got　into

their　eyes；　and　on　either　side　of　the　road　there　stretched　an

interminable　tract　of　bare；　ugly　country；　which　smelled

unpleasantly。　You　would　have　thought　that　it　had　been　ravaged　by

a　pestilence　which　had　even　attacked　the　buildings；　for　skeletons

of　dilapidated　and　deserted　houses；　or　small　cottages　left　in　an

unfinished　state；　as　if　the　contractors　had　not　been　paid；　reared

their　four　roofless　walls　on　each　side。



Here　and　there　tall　factory…chimneys　rose　up　from　the　barren

soil；　the　only　vegetation　on　that　putrid　land；　where　the　spring

breezes　wafted　an　odor　of　petroleum　and　soot；　mingled　with

another　smell　that　was　even　still　less　agreeable。　At　last；

however；　they　crossed　the　Seine　a　second　time。　It　was　delightful

on　the　bridge；　the　river　sparkled　in　the　sun；　and　they　had　a

feeling　of　quiet　satisfaction　and　enjoyment　in　drinking　in　purer

air；　not　impregnated　by　the　black　smoke　of　factories；　nor　by　the

miasma　from　the　deposits　of　night…soil。　A　man　whom　they　met　told

them　that　the　name　of　the　place　was　Bezons；　so　Monsieur　Dufour

pulled　up；　and　read　the　attractive　announcement　outside　an

eating…house：



〃Restaurant　Poulin；　stews　and　fried　fish；　private　rooms；　arbors；

and　swings。〃



〃Well！　Madame　Dufour；　will　this　suit　you？　Will　you　make　up　your

mind　at　last？〃



She　read　the　announcement　in　her　turn；　and　then　looked　at　the

house　for　a　time。



It　was　a　white　country　inn；　built　by　the　road…side；　and　through

the　open　door　she　could　see　the　bright　zinc　of　the　counter；　at

which　two　workmen　out　for　the　day　were　sitting。　At　last　she　made

up　her　mind；　and　said：



〃Yes；　this　will　do；　and；　besides；　there　is　a　view。〃



So　they　drove　into　a　large　yard　studded　with　trees；　behind　the

inn；　which　was　only　separated　from　the　river　by　the　towing…path；

and　got　out。　The　husband　sprang　out　first；　and　held　out　his　arms

for　his　wife。　As　the　step　was　very　high；　Madame　Dufour；　in　order

to　reach　him；　had　to　show　the　lower　part　of　her　limbs；　whose

former　slenderness　had　disappeared　in　fat。　Monsieur　Dufour；　who

was　already　getting　excited　by　the　country　air；　pinched　her　calf；

and　then；　taking　her　in　his　arms；　set　her　on　to　the　ground；　as　if

she　had　been　some　enormous　bundle。　She　shook　the　dust　out　of　the

silk　dress；　and　then　looked　round；　to　see　in　what　sort　of　a　place

she　was。



She　was　a　stout　woman；　of　about　thirty…six；　full…blown　and

delightful　to　look　at。　She　could　hardly　breathe；　as　she　was　laced

too　tightly；　which　forced　the　heaving　mass　of　her　superabundant

bosom　up　to　her　double　chin。　Next；　the　girl　put　her　hand　on　to

her　father's　shoulder；　and　jumped　lightly　down。　The　youth　with

the　yellow　hair　had　got　down　by　stepping　on　the　wheel；　and　he

helped　Monsieur　Dufour　to　get　the　grandmother　out。　Then　they

unharnessed　the　horse；　which　they　tied　up　to　a　tree；　and　the

carriage　fell　back；　with　both　shafts　in　the　air。　The　man　and　boy

took　off　their　coats；　washed　their　hands　in　a　pail　of　water；　and

then　joined　the　ladies；　who　had　already　taken　possession　of　the

swings。



Mademoiselle　Dufour　was　trying　to　swing　herself　standing　up；　but

she　could　not　succeed　in　getting　a　start。　She　was　a　pretty　girl

of　about　eighteen；　one　of　those　women　who　suddenly　excite　your

desire　when　you　meet　them　in　the　street；　and　who　leave　you　with　a

vague　feeling　of　uneasiness　and　of　excited　senses。　She　was　tall；

had　a　small　waist　and　large　hips；　with　a　dark　skin；　very　large

eyes；　and　very　black　hair。　Her　dress　clearly　marked　the　outlines

of　her　firm；　full　figure；　which　was　accentuated　by　the　motion　of

her　hips　as　she　tried　to　swing　herself　higher。　Her　arms　were

stretched　over　her　head　to　hold　the　rope；　so　that　her　bosom　rose

at　every　movement　she　made。　Her　hat；　which　a　gust　of　wind　had

blown　off；　was　hanging　behind　her；　and　as　the　swing　gradually

rose　higher　and　higher；　she　showed　her　delicate　limbs　up　to　the

knees　each　time；　and　the　wind　from　the　perfumed　petticoats；　more

heady　than　the　fumes　of　wine；　blew　into　the　faces　of　her　father

and　friend；　who　were　looking　at　her　in　admiration。



Sitting　in　the　other　swing；　Madame　Dufour　kept　saying　in　a

monotonous　voice：



〃Cyprian；　come　and　swing　me；　do　come　and　swing　me；　Cyprian！〃



At　last　he　complied；　and　turning　up　his　shirt…sleeves；　

as　if　he　intended　to　work　very　hard；　with　much　difficulty　he　set

his　wife　in　motion。　She　clutched　the　two　ropes；　and　held　her　legs

out　straight；　so　as　not　to　touch　the　ground。　She　enjoyed　feeling

giddy　from　the　motion　of　the　swing；　and　her　whole　figure　shook

like　a　jelly　on　a　dish；　but　as　she　went　higher　and　higher；　she

grew　too　giddy　and　got　frightened。　Every　time　she　was　coming

back；　she　uttered　a　shriek；　which　made　all　the　little　urchins

come　round；　and；　down　below；　beneath　the　garden　hedge；　she

vaguely　saw　a　row　of　mischievous　heads；　making　various　grimaces

as　they　laughed。



When　a　servant　girl　came　out；　they　ordered　lunch。



〃Some　fried　fish；　a　stewed　rabbit；　salad；　and　dessert；〃　Madame

Dufour　said；　with　an　important　air。



〃Bring　two　quarts　of　beer　and　a　bottle　of　claret；〃　her　husband

said。



〃We　will　have　lunch　on　the　grass；〃　the　girl　added。



The　grandmother；　who　had　an　affection　for　cats；　had　been　petting

one　that　belonged　to　the　house；　and　had　been　bestowing　the　most

affectionate　words　on　it；　for　the　last　ten　minutes。　The　animal；

no　doubt　secretly　pleased　by　her　attentions；　kept　close　to　the

good　woman；　but　just　out　of　reach　of　her　hand；　and　quietly　walked

round　the　trees；　against　which　she　rubbed　herself；　with　her　tail

up；　purring　with　pleasure。



〃Hallo！〃　exclaimed　the　youth　with　the　yellow　hair；　who　was

ferreting　about；　〃here　are　two　swell　boats！〃　They　all　went　to

look　at　them；　and　saw　two　beautiful　skiffs　in　a　wooden　boathouse；

which　were　as　beautifully　finished　as　if　they　had　been　objects　of

luxury。　They　were　moored　side　by　side；　like　two　tall；　slender

girls；　in　their　narrow　shining　length；　and　aroused　in　one　a　wish

to　float　in　them　on　warm　summer　mornings　and　evenings；　along

flower…covered　banks　of　the　river；　where　the　trees　dip　their

branches　into　the　water；　where　the　rushes　are　continually

rustling　in　the　breeze；　and　where　the　swift　kingfishers　dart

about　like　flashes　of　blue　lightning。



The　whole　family　looked　at　them　with　great　respect。



〃They　are　indeed　two　swell　boats；〃　Monsieur　Dufour　repeated

gravely；　and　he　examined　them　closely；　commenting　on　them　like　a

connoisseur。　He　had　been　in　the　habit　of　rowing　in　his　younger

days；　he　said；　and　when　he　had　that　in　his　handsand　he　went

through　the　action　of　pulling　the　oarshe　did　not　care　a　fig　for

anybody。　He　had　beaten　more　than　one　Englishman　formerly　at　the

Joinville　regattas。　He　grew　quite　excited　at　last；　and　offered　to

make　a　bet　that　in　a　boat　like　that　he　could　row　six　miles　an

hour；　without　exerting　himself。



〃Lunch　is　ready；〃　said　the　waitress；　appearing　at　the　entrance　to

the　boathouse。　They　all　hurried　off；　but　two　young　men　were

already　lunching　at　the　best　place；　which　Madame　Dufour　had

chosen　in　her　mind　as　her　seat。　No　doubt　they　were　the　owners　of

the　skiffs；　for　they　were　dressed　in　boating　costume。　They　were

stretched　out；　almost　lying　on　chairs；　and　were　sunburned；　and

had　on　flannel　trousers　and　thin　cotton　jerseys；　with　short

sleeves；　which　showed　their　bare　arms；　which　were　as　strong　as

blacksmiths'。　They　were　two　strong　young　fellows；　who　thought　a

great　deal　of　their　vigor；　and　who　showed　in　all　their　movements

that　elasticity　and　grace　of　limb　which　can　only　be　acquired　by

exercise；　and　which　is　so　different　to　the　awkwardness　with　which

the　same　continual　work　stamps　the　mechanic。



They　exchanged　a　rapid　smile　when　they　saw　the　mother；　and　then　a

look　on　seeing　the　daughter。



〃Let　us　give　up　our　place；〃　one　of　them　said；　〃it　will　make　us

acquainted　with　them。〃



The　other　got　up　immediately；　and　holding　his　black　and　red

boating…cap　in　his　hand；　he　politely　offered　the　ladies　the　only

shady　place　in　the　garden。　With　many　excuses　they　accepted；　and

so　that　it　might　be　more　rural；　they　sat　on　the　grass；　without

either　tables　or　chairs。



The　two　young　men　took　their　plates；　knives；　forks；　etc。；　to　a

table　a　little　way　off；　and　began　to　eat　again。　Their　bare　arms；

which　they　showed　continually；　rather　embarrassed　the　young　girl；

who　even　pretended　to　turn　her　head　aside；　and　not　to　see　them。

But　Madame　Dufour；　who　was　rather　bolder；　tempted　by　feminine