original short stories-13-第4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！


it。〃

The　mother　asked：

〃It　doesn't　soil　the　underwear　more　than　other　skins；　this　black　skin？〃

〃Not　more　than　your　own；　as　it　is　her　proper　color。〃

Then；　after　many　other　questions；　it　was　agreed　that　the　parents　should
see　this　girl　before　coming；　to　any　decision；　and　that　the　young　fellow；
whose；　term　of　military　service　would　be　over　in　a　month；　should　bring
her　to　the　house　in　order　that　they　might　examine　her　and　decide　by
talking　the　matter　over　whether　or　not　she　was　too　dark　to　enter　the
Boitelle　family。

Antoine　accordingly　announced　that　on　Sunday；　the　22d　of　May；　the　day　of
his　discharge；　he　would　start　for　Tourteville　with　his　sweetheart。

She　had　put　on；　for　this　journey　to　the　house　of　her　lover's　parents；　her
most　beautiful　and　most　gaudy　clothes；　in　which　yellow；　red　and　blue　were
the　prevailing　colors；　so　that　she　looked　as　if　she　were　adorned　for　a
national　festival。

At　the　terminus；　as　they　were　leaving　Havre；　people　stared　at　her；　and
Boitelle　was　proud　of　giving　his　arm　to　a　person　who　commanded　so　much
attention。　　Then；　in　the　third…class　carriage；　in　which　she　took　a　seat
by　his　side；　she　aroused　so　much　astonishment　among　the　country　folks
that　the　people　in　the　adjoining　compartments　stood　up　on　their　benches
to　look　at　her　over　the　wooden　partition　which　divides　the　compartments。
A　child；　at　sight　of　her；　began　to　cry　with　terror；　another　concealed　his
face　in　his　mother's　apron。　　Everything　went　off　well；　however；　up　to
their　arrival　at　their　destination。　　But　when　the　train　slackened　its
rate　of　motion　as　they　drew　near　Yvetot；　Antoine　felt：　ill　at　ease；　as　he
would　have　done　at　a　review　when；　he　did　not　know　his　drill　practice。
Then；　as　he；　leaned　his　head　out；　he　recognized　in　the　distance：　his
father；　holding　the　bridle　of　the　horse　harnessed　to　a　carryall；　and　his
mother；　who　had　come　forward　to　the　grating；　behind　which　stood　those　who
were　expecting　friends。

He　alighted　first；　gave　his　hand　to　his　sweetheart；　and　holding　himself
erect；　as　if　he　were　escorting　a　general；　he　went　to　meet　his　family。

The　mother；　on　seeing　this　black　lady　in　variegated　costume　in　her　son's
company；　remained　so　stupefied　that　she　could　not　open　her　mouth；　and　the
father　found　it　hard　to　hold　the　horse；　which　the　engine　or　the　negress
caused　to　rear　continuously。　　But　Antoine；　suddenly　filled　with　unmixed
joy　at　seeing　once　more　the　old　people；　rushed　forward　with　open　arms；
embraced　his　mother；　embraced　his　father；　in　spite　of　the　nag's　fright；
and　then　turning　toward　his　companion；　at　whom　the　passengers　on　the
platform　stopped　to　stare　with　amazement；　he　proceeded　to　explain：

〃Here　she　is！　　I　told　you　that；　at　first　sight；　she　is　not　attractive；
but　as　soon　as　you　know　her；　I　can　assure　you　there's　not　a　better　sort
in　the　whole　world。　　Say　good…morning　to　her　so　that　she　may　not　feel
badly。〃

Thereupon　Mere　Boitelle；　almost　frightened　out　of　her　wits；　made　a　sort
of　curtsy；　while　the　father　took　off　his　cap；　murmuring：

〃I　wish　you　good　luck！〃

Then；　without　further　delay；　they　climbed　into　the　carryall；　the　two
women　at　the　back；　on　seats　which　made　them　jump　up　and　down　as　the
vehicle　went　jolting　along　the　road；　and　the　two　men　in　front　on　the
front　seat。

Nobody　spoke。　　Antoine；　ill　at　ease；　whistled　a　barrack…room　air；　his
father　whipped　the　nag；　and　his　mother；　from　where　she　sat　in　the　corner；
kept　casting　sly　glances　at　the　negress；　whose　forehead　and　cheekbones
shone　in　the　sunlight　like　well…polished　shoes。

Wishing　to　break　the　ice；　Antoine　turned　round。

〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃we　don't　seem　inclined　to　talk。〃

〃We　must　have　time；〃　replied　the　old　woman。

He　went　on：

〃Come！　　Tell　us　the　little　story　about　that　hen　of　yours　that　laid　eight
eggs。〃

It　was　a　funny　anecdote　of　long　standing　in　the　family。　　But；　as　his
mother　still　remained　silent；　paralyzed　by　her　emotion；　he　undertook
himself　to　tell　the　story；　laughing　as　he　did　so　at　the　memorable
incident。　　The　father；　who　knew　it　by　heart　brightened　at　the　opening
words　of　the　narrative；　his　wife　soon　followed　his　example；　and　the
negress　herself；　when　he　reached　the　drollest　part　of　it；　suddenly　gave
vent　to　a　laugh；　such　a　loud；　rolling　torrent　of　laughter　that　the　horse；
becoming　excited；　broke　into　a　gallop　for　a　while。

This　served　to　cement　their　acquaintance。　　They　all　began　to　chat。

They　had　scarcely　reached　the　house　and　had　all　alighted；　when　Antoine
conducted　his　sweetheart　to　a　room；　so　that　she　might　take　off　her　dress；
to　avoid　staining　it；　as　she　was　going　to　prepare　a　nice　dish；　intended
to　win　the　old　people's　affections　through　their　stomachs。　　He　drew　his
parents　outside　the　house；　and；　with　beating　heart；　asked：

〃Well；　what　do　you　say　now？〃

The　father　said　nothing。　　The　mother；　less　timid；　exclaimed：

〃She　is　too　black。　　No；　indeed；　this　is　too　much　for　me。　　It　turns　my
blood。〃

〃You　will　get　used　to　it；〃　said　Antoine。

〃Perhaps　so；　but　not　at　first。〃

They　went　into　the　house；　where　the　good　woman　was　somewhat　affected　at
the　spectacle　of　the　negress　engaged　in　cooking。　　She　at　once　proceeded
to　assist　her；　with　petticoats　tucked　up；　active　in　spite　of　her　age。

The　meal　was　an　excellent　one；　very　long；　very　enjoyable。　　When　they　were
taking　a　turn　after　dinner；　Antoine　took　his　father　aside。

〃Well；　dad；　what　do　you　say　about　it？〃

The　peasant　took　care　never　to　compromise　himself。

〃I　have　no　opinion　about　it。　　Ask　your　mother。〃

So　Antoine　went　back　to　his　mother；　and；　detaining　her　behind　the　rest；
said：

〃Well；　mother；　what　do　you　think　of　her？〃

〃My　poor　lad；　she　is　really　too　black。　　If　she　were　only　a　little　less
black；　I　would　not　go　against　you；　but　this　is　too　much。　　One　would　think
it　was　Satan！〃

He　did　not　press　her；　knowing　how　obstinate　the　old　woman　had　always
been；　but　he　felt　a　tempest　of　disappointment　sweeping　over　his　heart。
He　was　turning　over　in　his　mind　what　he　ought　to　do；　what　plan　he　could
devise；　surprised；　moreover；　that　she　had　not　conquered　them　already　as
she　had　captivated　himself。　　And　they；　all　four；　walked　along　through　the
wheat　fields；　having　gradually　relapsed　into　silence。　　Whenever　they
passed　a　fence　they　saw　a　countryman　sitting　on　the　stile；　and　a　group　of
brats　climbed　up　to　stare　at　them；　and　every　one　rushed　out　into　the　road
to　see　the　〃black〃　whore　young　Boitelle　had　brought　home　with　him。　　At　a
distance　they　noticed　people　scampering　across　the　fields　just　as　when
the　drum　beats　to　draw　public　attention　to　some　living　phenomenon。　　Pere
and　Mere　Boitelle；　alarmed　at　this　curiosity；　which　was　exhibited
everywhere　through　the　country　at　their　approach；　quickened　their　pace；
walking　side　by　side；　and　leaving　their　son　far　behind。　　His　dark
companion　asked　what　his　parents　thought　of　her。

He　hesitatingly　replied　that　they　had　not　yet　made　up　their　minds。

But　on　the　village　green　people　rushed　out　of　all　the　houses　in　a　flutter
of　excitement；　and；　at　the　sight　of　the　gathering　crowd；　old　Boitelle
took　to　his　heels；　and　regained　his　abode；　while　Antoine；　swelling　with
rage；　his　sweetheart　on　his　arm；　advanced　majestically　under　the　staring
eyes；　which　opened　wide　in　amazement。

He　understood　that　it　was　at　an　end；　and　there　was　no　hope　for　him；　that
he　could　not　marry　his　negress。　　She　also　understood　it；　and　as　they　drew
near　the　farmhouse　they　both　began　to　weep。　　As　soon　as　they　had　got　back
to　the　house；　she　once　more　took　off　her　dress　to　aid　the　mother　in　the
household　duties；　and　followed　her　everywhere；　to　the　dairy；　to　the
stable；　to　the　hen　house；　taking　on　herself　the　hardest　part　of　the　work；
repeating　always：　〃Let　me　do　it；　Madame　Boitelle；〃　so　that；　when　night
came　on；　the　old　woman；　touched　but　inexorable；　said　to　her　son：　〃She　is
a　good　girl；　all　the　same。　　It's　a　pity　she　is　so　black；　but　indeed　she
is　too　black。　　I　could　not　get　used　to　it。　　She　must　go　back　again。　　She
is　too；　too　black！〃

And　young　Boitelle　said　to　his　sweetheart：

〃She　will　not　consent。　　She　thinks　you　are　too　black。　　You　must　go　back
again。　　I　will　go　with　you　to　the　train。　　No　matterdon't　fret。　　I　am
going　to　talk　to　them　after　you　have　started。〃

He　then　took　her　to　the　railway　station；　still　cheering　her　with　hope；
and；　when　he　had　kissed　her；　he　put　her　into　the　train；　which　he　watched
as　it　passed　out　of　sight；　his　eyes　swollen　with　tears。

In　vain　did　he　appeal　to　the　old　people。　　They　would　never　give　their
consent。

And　when　he　had　told　this　story；　which　was　known　all　over　the　country；
Antoine　Boitelle　would　always　add：

〃From　that　time　forward　I　have　had　no　heart　for　anythingfor　anything　at
all。　　No　trade　suited　me　any　longer；　and　so　I　became　what　I　ama　night
scavenger。〃

People　would　say　to　him：

〃Yet　you　got　married。〃

〃Yes；　and　I　can't　say　that　my　wife　didn't　please　me；　seeing　that　I　have
fourteen　children；　but　she　is　not　the　other　one；　oh；　nocertainly　not！
The　other　one；　mark　you；　my　negress；　she　had　only　to　give　me　one　glance；
and　I　felt　as　if　I　were　in　Heaven。〃






A　WIDOW

This　story　was　told　during　the　hunting　season　at　the　Chateau　Baneville。
The　autumn　had　been　rainy　and　sad。　　The