selected writings-第6节

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

at　the　sight　of　a　terra…cotta　Venus；　whose　head　had　been　blown

off；　and　each　picked　up　pieces　of　porcelain；　and　wondered　at　the

strange　shape　of　the　fragments；　while　the　major　was　looking　with

a　paternal　eye　at　the　large　drawing…room　which　had　been　wrecked

in　such　a　Neronic　fashion；　and　which　was　strewn　with　the

fragments　of　works　of　art。　He　went　out　first；　and　said；　with　a

smile：　〃He　managed　that　very　well！〃



But　there　was　such　a　cloud　of　smoke　in　the　dining…room；　mingled

with　the　tobacco　smoke；　that　they　could　not　breathe；　so　the

commandant　opened　the　window；　and　all　the　officers；　who　had　gone

into　the　room　for　a　glass　of　cognac；　went　up　to　it。



The　moist　air　blew　into　the　room；　and　brought　a　sort　of　spray

with　it；　which　powdered　their　beards。　They　looked　at　the　tall

trees　which　were　dripping　with　the　rain；　at　the　broad　valley

which　was　covered　with　mist；　and　at　the　church　spire　in　the

distance；　which　rose　up　like　a　gray　point　in　the　beating　rain。



The　bells　had　not　rung　since　their　arrival。　That　was　the　only

resistance　which　the　invaders　had　met　with　in　the　neighborhood。

The　parish　priest　had　not　refused　to　take　in　and　to　feed　the

Prussian　soldiers；　he　had　several　times　even　drunk　a　bottle　of

beer　or　claret　with　the　hostile　commandant；　who　often　employed

him　as　a　benevolent　intermediary；　but　it　was　no　use　to　ask　him

for　a　single　stroke　of　the　bells；　he　would　sooner　have　allowed

himself　to　be　shot。　That　was　his　way　of　protesting　against　the

invasion；　a　peaceful　and　silent　protest；　the　only　one；　he　said；

which　was　suitable　to　a　priest；　who　was　a　man　of　mildness；　and

not　of　blood；　and　everyone；　for　twenty…five　miles　round；　praised

Abbe　Chantavoine's　firmness　and　heroism；　in　venturing　to　proclaim

the　public　mourning　by　the　obstinate　silence　of　his　church　bells。



The　whole　village　grew　enthusiastic　over　his　resistance；　and　was

ready　to　back　up　their　pastor　and　to　risk　anything；　as　they

looked　upon　that　silent　protest　as　the　safeguard　of　the　national

honor。　It　seemed　to　the　peasants　that　thus　they　had　deserved

better　of　their　country　than　Belfort　and　Strassburg；　that　they

had　set　an　equally　valuable　example；　and　that　the　name　of　their

little　village　would　become　immortalized　by　that；　but　with　that

exception；　they　refused　their　Prussian　conquerors　nothing。



The　commandant　and　his　officers　laughed　among　themselves　at　that

inoffensive　courage；　and　as　the　people　in　the　whole　country　round

showed　themselves　obliging　and　compliant　toward　them；　they

willingly　tolerated　their　silent　patriotism。　Only　little　Count

Wilhelm　would　have　liked　to　have　forced　them　to　ring　the　bells。

He　was　very　angry　at　his　superior's　politic　compliance　with　the

priest's　scruples；　and　every　day　he　begged　the　commandant　to

allow　him　to　sound　〃ding…dong；　ding…dong；〃　just　once；　only　just

once；　just　by　way　of　a　joke。　And　he　asked　it　like　a　wheedling

woman；　in　the　tender　voice　of　some　mistress　who　wishes　to　obtain

something；　but　the　commandant　would　not　yield；　and　to　console

HERSELF；　Mademoiselle　Fifi　made　A　MINE　in　the　chateau。



The　five　men　stood　there　together　for　some　minutes；　inhaling　the

moist　air；　and　at　last；　Lieutenant　Fritz　said；　with　a　laugh：　〃The

ladies　will　certainly　not　have　fine　weather　for　their　drive。〃

Then　they　separated；　each　to　his　own　duties；　while　the　captain

had　plenty　to　do　in　seeing　about　the　dinner。



When　they　met　again；　as　it　was　growing　dark；　they　began　to　laugh

at　seeing　each　other　as　dandified　and　smart　as　on　the　day　of　a

grand　review。　The　commandant's　hair　did　not　look　as　gray　as　it

did　in　the　morning；　and　the　captain　had　shavedhad　only　kept　his

mustache　on；　which　made　him　look　as　if　he　had　a　streak　of　fire

under　his　nose。



In　spite　of　the　rain；　they　left　the　window　open；　and　one　of　them

went　to　listen　from　time　to　time。　At　a　quarter　past　six　the　baron

said　he　heard　a　rumbling　in　the　distance。　They　all　rushed　down；

and　soon　the　wagon　drove　up　at　a　gallop　with　its　four　horses；

splashed　up　to　their　backs；　steaming　and　panting。　Five　women　got

out　at　the　bottom　of　the　steps；　five　handsome　girls　whom　a

comrade　of　the　captain；　to　whom　Le　Dervoir　had　taken　his　card；

had　selected　with　care。



They　had　not　required　much　pressing；　as　they　were　sure　of　being

well　treated；　for　they　had　got　to　know　the　Prussians　in　the　three

months　during　which　they　had　had　to　do　with　them。　So　they

resigned　themselves　to　the　men　as　they　did　to　the　state　of

affairs。　〃It　is　part　of　our　business；　so　it　must　be　done；〃　they

said　as　they　drove　along；　no　doubt　to　allay　some　slight；　secret

scruples　of　conscience。



They　went　into　the　dining…room　immediately；　which　looked　still

more　dismal　in　its　dilapidated　state；　when　it　was　lighted　up；

while　the　table　covered　with　choice　dishes；　the　beautiful　china

and　glass；　and　the　plate；　which　had　been　found　in　the　hole　in　the

wall　where　its　owner　had　hidden　it；　gave　to　the　place　the　look　of

a　bandits'　resort；　where　they　were　supping　after　committing　a

robbery。　The　captain　was　radiant；　he　took　hold　of　the　women　as　if

he　were　familiar　with　them；　appraising　them；　kissing　them；

valuing　them　for　what　they　were　worth　as　LADIES　OF　PLEASURE；　and

when　the　three　young　men　wanted　to　appropriate　one　each；　he

opposed　them　authoritatively；　reserving　to　himself　the　right　to

apportion　them　justly；　according　to　their　several　ranks；　so　as

not　to　wound　the　hierarchy。　Therefore；　so　as　to　avoid　all

discussion；　jarring；　and　suspicion　of　partiality；　he　placed　them

all　in　a　line　according　to　height；　and　addressing　the　tallest；　he

said　in　a　voice　of　command：



〃What　is　your　name？〃



〃Pamela；〃　she　replied；　raising　her　voice。



Then　he　said：　〃Number　One；　called　Pamela；　is　adjudged　to　the

commandant。〃



Then；　having　kissed　Blondina；　the　second；　as　a　sign　of

proprietorship；　he　proffered　stout　Amanda　to　Lieutenant　Otto！

Eva；　〃the　Tomato；〃　to　Sub…lieutenant　Fritz；　and　Rachel；　the

shortest　of　them　all；　a　very　young；　dark　girl；　with　eyes　as　black

as　ink；　a　Jewess；　whose　snub　nose　confirmed　by　exception　the　rule

which　allots　hooked　noses　to　all　her　race；　to　the　youngest

officer；　frail　Count　Wilhelm　von　Eyrick。



They　were　all　pretty　and　plump；　without　any　distinctive　features；

and　all　were　very　much　alike　in　look　and　person；　from　their　daily

dissipation；　and　the　life　common　to　houses　of　public

accommodation。



The　three　younger　men　wished　to　carry　off　their　women

immediately；　under　the　pretext　of　finding　them　brushes　and　soap；

but　the　captain　wisely　opposed　this；　for　he　said　they　were　quite

fit　to　sit　down　to　dinner；　and　that　those　who　went　up　would　wish

for　a　change　when　they　came　down；　and　so　would　disturb　the　other

couples；　and　his　experience　in　such　matters　carried　the　day。

There　were　only　many　kisses；　expectant　kisses。



Suddenly　Rachel　choked；　and　began　to　cough　until　the　tears　came

into　her　eyes；　while　smoke　came　through　her　nostrils。　Under

pretense　of　kissing　her；　the　count　had　blown　a　whiff　of　tobacco

into　her　mouth。　She　did　not　fly　into　a　rage；　and　did　not　say　a

word；　but　she　looked　at　her　possessor　with　latent　hatred　in　her

dark　eyes。



They　sat　down　to　dinner。　The　commandant　seemed　delighted；　he　made

Pamela　sit　on　his　right；　and　Blondina　on　his　left；　and　said；　as

he　unfolded　his　table　napkin：　〃That　was　a　delightful　idea　of

yours；　captain。〃



Lieutenants　Otto　and　Fritz；　who　were　as　polite　as　if　they　had

been　with　fashionable　ladies；　rather　intimidated　their　neighbors；

but　Baron　von　Kelweinstein　gave　the　reins　to　all　his　vicious

propensities；　beamed；　made　doubtful　remarks；　and　seemed　on　fire

with　his　crown　of　red　hair。　He　paid　them　compliments　in　French

from　the　other　side　of　the　Rhine；　and　sputtered　out　gallant

remarks；　only　fit　for　a　low　pot…house；　from　between　his　two

broken　teeth。



They　did　not　understand　him；　however；　and　their　intelligence　did

not　seem　to　be　awakened　until　he　uttered　nasty　words　and　broad

expressions；　which　were　mangled　by　his　accent。　Then　all　began　to

laugh　at　once；　like　mad　women；　and　fell　against　each　other；

repeating　the　words；　which　the　baron　then　began　to　say　all　wrong；

in　order　that　he　might　have　the　pleasure　of　hearing　them　say

doubtful　things。　They　gave　him　as　much　of　that　stuff　as　he

wanted；　for　they　were　drunk　after　the　first　bottle　of　wine；　and；

becoming　themselves　once　more；　and　opening　the　door　to　their

usual　habits；　they　kissed　the　mustaches　on　the　right　and　left　of

them；　pinched　their　arms；　uttered　furious　cries；　drank　out　of

every　glass；　and　sang　French　couplets；　and　bits　of　German　songs；

which　they　had　picked　up　in　their　daily　intercourse　with　the

enemy。



Soon　the　men　themselves；　intoxicated　by　that　which　was　displayed

to　their　sight　and　touch；　grew　very　amorous；　shouted　and　broke

the　plates　and　dishes；　while　the　soldiers　behind　them　waited　on

them　stolidly。　The　command