original short stories-13-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


there　were　only　a　few　ordinary　looking　people；　whose　plebeian　origin　was
apparent　in　their　manners；　their　clothes；　the　cut　of　their　hair　and
beard；　their　hats；　their　complexion。　　It　was　rarely　that　one　saw　from
time　to　time　a　man　whom　you　suspected　of　having　washed　himself
thoroughly；　and　his　whole　make…up　seemed　to　match。　　As　for　the　women；
they　were　always　the　same；　those　frightful　women　you　all　know；　ugly；
tired　looking；　drooping；　and　walking　along　in　their　lackadaisical　manner；
with　that　air　of　foolish　superciliousness　which　they　assume；　I　do　not
know　why。

I　thought　to　myself　that；　in　truth；　not　one　of　those　languid　creatures；
greasy　rather　than　fat；　puffed　out　here　and　thin　there；　with　the　contour
of　a　monk　and　the　lower　extremities　of　a　bow…legged　snipe；　was　worth　the
louis　that　they　would　get　with　great　difficulty　after　asking　five。

But　all　at　once　I　saw　a　little　creature　whom　I　thought　attractive；　not　in
her　first　youth；　but　fresh；　comical　and　tantalizing。　　I　stopped　her；　and
stupidly；　without　thinking；　I　made　an　appointment　with　her　for　that
night。　　I　did　not　want　to　go　back　to　my　own　home　alone；　all　alone；
I　preferred　the　company　and　the　caresses　of　this　hussy。

And　I　followed　her。　　She　lived　in　a　great　big　house　in　the　Rue　des
Martyrs。　　The　gas　was　already　extinguished　on　the　stairway。　　I　ascended
the　steps　slowly；　lighting　a　candle　match　every　few　seconds；　stubbing　my
foot　against　the　steps；　stumbling　and　angry　as　I　followed　the　rustle　of
the　skirt　ahead　of　me。

She　stopped　on　the　fourth　floor；　and　having　closed　the　outer　door　she
said：

〃Then　you　will　stay　till　to…morrow？〃

〃Why；　yes。　　You　know　that　that　was　the　agreement。〃

〃All　right；　my　dear；　I　just　wanted　to　know。　　Wait　for　me　here　a　minute；　I
will　be　right　back。〃

And　she　left　me　in　the　darkness。　　I　heard　her　shutting　two　doors　and　then
I　thought　I　heard　her　talking。　　I　was　surprised　and　uneasy。　　The　thought
that　she　had　a　protector　staggered　me。　　But　I　have　good　fists　and　a　solid
back。　　〃We　shall　see；〃　I　said　to　myself。

I　listened　attentively　with　ear　and　mind。　　Some　one　was　stirring　about；
walking　quietly　and　very　carefully。　　Then　another　door　was　opened　and　I
thought　I　again　heard　some　one　talking；　but　in　a　very　low　tone。

She　came　back　carrying　a　lighted　candle。

〃You　may　come　in；〃　she　said。

She　said　〃thou〃　in　speaking　to　me；　which　was　an　indication　of　possession。
I　went　in　and　after　passing　through　a　dining　room　in　which　it　was　very
evident　that　no　one　ever　ate；　I　entered　a　typical　room　of　all　these
women；　a　furnished　room　with　red　curtains　and　a　soiled　eiderdown　bed
covering。

〃Make　yourself　at　home；　'mon　chat'；〃　she　said。

I　gave　a　suspicious　glance　at　the　room；　but　there　seemed　no　reason　for
uneasiness。

As　she　took　off　her　wraps　she　began　to　laugh。

〃Well；　what　ails　you？　　Are　you　changed　into　a　pillar　of　salt？　　Come；
hurry　up。〃

I　did　as　she　suggested。

Five　minutes　later　I　longed　to　put　on　my　things　and　get　away。　　But　this
terrible　languor　that　had　overcome　me　at　home　took　possession　of　me
again；　and　deprived　me　of　energy　enough　to　move　and　I　stayed　in　spite　of
the　disgust　that　I　felt　for　this　association。　　The　unusual　attractiveness
that　I　supposed　I　had　discovered　in　this　creature　over　there　under　the
chandeliers　of　the　theater　had　altogether　vanished　on　closer
acquaintance；　and　she　was　nothing　more　to　me　now　than　a　common　woman；
like　all　the　others；　whose　indifferent　and　complaisant　kiss　smacked　of
garlic。

I　thought　I　would　say　something。

〃Have　you　lived　here　long？〃　I　asked。

〃Over　six　months　on　the　fifteenth　of　January。〃

〃Where　were　you　before　that？〃

〃In　the　Rue　Clauzel。　　But　the　janitor　made　me　very　uncomfortable　and　I
left。〃

And　she　began　to　tell　me　an　interminable　story　of　a　janitor　who　had
talked　scandal　about　her。

But；　suddenly；　I　heard　something　moving　quite　close　to　us。　　First　there
was　a　sigh；　then　a　slight；　but　distinct；　sound　as　if　some　one　had　turned
round　on　a　chair。

I　sat　up　abruptly　and　asked。

〃What　was　that　noise？〃

She　answered　quietly　and　confidently：

〃Do　not　be　uneasy；　my　dear　boy；　it　is　my　neighbor。　　The　partition　is　so
thin　that　one　can　hear　everything　as　if　it　were　in　the　room。　　These　are
wretched　rooms；　just　like　pasteboard。〃

I　felt　so　lazy　that　I　paid　no　further　attention　to　it。　　We　resumed　our
conversation。　　Driven　by　the　stupid　curiosity　that　prompts　all　men　to
question　these　creatures　about　their　first　experiences；　to　attempt　to
lift　the　veil　of　their　first　folly；　as　though　to　find　in　them　a　trace　of
pristine　innocence；　to　love　them；　possibly；　in　a　fleeting　memory　of　their
candor　and　modesty　of　former　days；　evoked　by　a　word；　I　insistently　asked
her　about　her　earlier　lovers。

I　knew　she　was　telling　me　lies。　　What　did　it　matter？　　Among　all　these
lies　I　might；　perhaps；　discover　something　sincere　and　pathetic。

〃Come；〃　said　I；　〃tell　me　who　he　was。〃

〃He　was　a　boating　man；　my　dear。〃

〃Ah！　　Tell　me　about　it。　　Where　were　you？〃

〃I　was　at　Argenteuil。〃

〃What　were　you　doing？〃

〃I　was　waitress　in　a　restaurant。〃

〃What　restaurant？〃

〃'The　Freshwater　Sailor。'　Do　you　know　it？〃

〃I　should　say　so；　kept　by　Bonanfan。〃

〃Yes；　that's　it。〃

〃And　how　did　he　make　love　to　you；　this　boating　man？〃

〃While　I　was　doing　his　room。　　He　took　advantage　of　me。〃

But　I　suddenly　recalled　the　theory　of　a　friend　of　mine；　an　observant　and
philosophical　physician　whom　constant　attendance　in　hospitals　has　brought
into　daily　contact　with　girl…mothers　and　prostitutes；　with　all　the　shame
and　all　the　misery　of　women；　of　those　poor　women　who　have　become　the
frightful　prey　of　the　wandering　male　with　money　in　his　pocket。

〃A　woman；〃　he　said；　〃is　always　debauched　by　a　man　of　her　own　class　and
position。　　I　have　volumes　of　statistics　on　that　subject。　　We　accuse　the
rich　of　plucking　the　flower　of　innocence　among　the　girls　of　the　people。
This　is　not　correct。　　The　rich　pay　for　what　they　want。　　They　may　gather
some；　but　never　for　the　first　time。〃

Then；　turning　to　my　companion；　I　began　to　laugh。

〃You　know　that　I　am　aware　of　your　history。　　The　boating　man　was　not　the
first。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　my　dear；　I　swear　it：〃

〃You　are　lying；　my　dear。〃

〃Oh；　no；　I　assure　you。〃

〃You　are　lying；　come；　tell　me　all。〃

She　seemed　to　hesitate　in　astonishment。　　I　continued：

〃I　am　a　sorcerer；　my　dear　girl；　I　am　a　clairvoyant。　　If　you　do　not　tell
me　the　truth；　I　will　go　into　a　trance　sleep　and　then　I　can　find　out。〃

She　was　afraid；　being　as　stupid　as　all　her　kind。　　She　faltered：

〃How　did　you　guess？〃

〃Come；　go　on　telling　me；〃　I　said。

〃Oh；　the　first　time　didn't　amount　to　anything。

There　was　a　festival　in　the　country。　　They　had　sent　for　a　special　chef；
M。　Alexandre。　　As　soon　as　he　came　he　did　just　as　he　pleased　in　the　house。
He　bossed　every　one；　even　the　proprietor　and　his　wife；　as　if　he　had　been
a　king。　　He　was　a　big　handsome　man；　who　did　not　seem　fitted　to　stand
beside　a　kitchen　range。　　He　was　always　calling　out；　'Come；　some　butter…
some　eggssome　Madeira！'　　And　it　had　to　be　brought　to　him　at　once　in　a
hurry；　or　he　would　get　cross　and　say　things　that　would　make　us　blush　all
over。

〃When　the　day　was　over　he　would　smoke　a　pipe　outside　the　door。　　And　as　I
was　passing　by　him　with　a　pile　of　plates　he　said　to　me；　like　that：　'Come；
girlie；　come　down　to　the　water　with　me　and　show　me　the　country。'　　I　went
with　him　like　a　fool；　and　we　had　hardly　got　down　to　the　bank　of　the　river
when　he　took　advantage　of　me　so　suddenly　that　I　did　not　even　know　what　he
was　doing。　　And　then　he　went　away　on　the　nine　o'clock　train。　　I　never　saw
him　again。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃　I　asked。

She　hesitated。

〃Oh；　I　think　Florentin　belongs　to　him。〃

〃Who　is　Florentin？〃

〃My　little　boy。〃

〃Oh！　　Well；　then；　you　made　the　boating　man　believe　that　he　was　the
father；　did　you　not？〃

〃You　bet！〃

〃Did　he　have　any　money；　this　boating　man？〃

〃Yes；　he　left　me　an　income　of　three　hundred　francs；　settled　on
Florentin。〃

I　was　beginning　to　be　amused　and　resumed：

〃All　right；　my　girl；　all　right。　　You　are　all　of　you　less　stupid　than　one
would　imagine；　all　the　same。　　And　how　old　is　he　now；　Florentin？〃

She　replied：

〃He　is　now　twelve。　　He　will　make　his　first　communion　in　the　spring。〃

〃That　is　splendid。　　And　since　then　you　have　carried　on　your　business
conscientiously？〃

She　sighed　in　a　resigned　manner。

〃I　must　do　what　I　can。〃

But　a　loud　noise　just　then　coming　from　the　room　itself　made　me　start　up
with　a　bound。　　It　sounded　like　some　one　falling　and　picking　themselves　up
again　by　feeling　along　the　wall　with　their　hands。

I　had　seized　the　candle　and　was　looking　about　me；　terrified　and　furious。
She　had　risen　also　and　was　trying　to　hold　me　back　to　stop　me；　murmuring：

〃That's　nothing；　my　dear；　I　assure　you　it's　nothing。〃

But　I　had　discovered　what　direction　the　strange　noise　came　from。　　I
walked　straight　towards　a　door　hidden　at　the　head　of　the　bed　and　I　opened
it　abruptly　and　saw　before　me；　trembling；　his　bright；　terrified　eyes
opened　wide　at　sight　of　me；　a　little　pale；　thin　boy　seated　beside　a　large
wicker　chair　off　which　he　had　fallen。

As　soon　as　he　saw　me　he　began　to　cry。　　Stretching　out　his　arms　to　his
mother