original short stories-8-第10节

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frightened　girl；　who　was　standing　stupidly　before　her　master：

〃Go　and　fetch　the　gendarmes；　say　I　expect　them　as　soon　as　possible。〃

Lecacheur　was　mayor　of　the　village；　Pavigny…le…Gras；　and　ruled　it　like　a
master；　on　account　of　his　money　and　position；　and　as　soon　as　the　servant
had　disappeared　in　the　direction　of　the　village；　which　was　only　about
five　hundred　yards　off；　he　went　into　the　house　to　have　his　morning　coffee
and　to　discuss　the　matter　with　his　wife；　whom　he　found　on　her　knees　in
front　of　the　fire；　trying　to　make　it　burn　quickly；　and　as　soon　as　he　got
to　the　door；　he　said：

〃Somebody　has　stolen　the　gray　rabbit。〃

She　turned　round　so　suddenly　that　she　found　herself　sitting　on　the　floor；
and　looking　at　her　husband　with　distressed　eyes；　she　said：

〃What　is　it；　Cacheux？　　Somebody　has　stolen　a　rabbit？〃

〃The　big　gray　one。〃

She　sighed。

〃What　a　shame！　　Who　can　have　done　it？〃

She　was　a　little；　thin；　active；　neat　woman；　who　knew　all　about　farming。
Lecacheur　had　his　own　ideas　about　the　matter。

〃It　must　be　that　fellow；　Polyte。〃

His　wife　got　up　suddenly　and　said　in　a　furious　voice：

〃He　did　it！　he　did　it！　　You　need　not　look　for　any　one　else。　　He　did　it！
You　have　said　it；　Cacheux！〃

All　her　peasant's　fury；　all　her　avarice；　all　her　rage　of　a　saving　woman
against　the　man　of　whom　she　had　always　been　suspicious；　and　against　the
girl　whom　she　had　always　suspected；　showed　themselves　in　the　contraction
of　her　mouth；　and　the　wrinkles　in　the　cheeks　and　forehead　of　her　thin；
exasperated　face。

〃And　what　have　you　done？〃　she　asked。

〃I　have　sent　for　the　gendarmes。〃

This　Polyte　was　a　laborer；　who　had　been　employed　on　the　farm　for　a　few
days；　and　who　had　been　dismissed　by　Lecacheur　for　an　insolent　answer。　　He
was　an　old　soldier；　and　was　supposed　to　have　retained　his　habits　of
marauding　and　debauchery　front　his　campaigns　in　Africa。　　He　did　anything
for　a　livelihood；　but　whether　he　were　a　mason；　a　navvy；　a　reaper；　whether
he　broke　stones　or　lopped　trees；　he　was　always　lazy；　and　so　he　remained
nowhere　for　long；　and　had；　at　times；　to　change　his　neighborhood　to　obtain
work。

From　the　first　day　that　he　came　to　the　farm；　Lecacheur's　wife　had
detested　him；　and　now　she　was　sure　that　he　had　committed　the　theft。

In　about　half　an　hour　the　two　gendarmes　arrived。　　Brigadier　Senateur　was
very　tall　and　thin；　and　Gendarme　Lenient　short　and　fat。　　Lecacheur　made
them　sit　down；　and　told　them　the　affair；　and　then　they　went　and　saw　the
scene　of　the　theft；　in　order　to　verify　the　fact　that　the　hutch　had　been
broken　open；　and　to　collect　all　the　proofs　they　could。　　When　they　got
back　to　the　kitchen；　the　mistress　brought　in　some　wine；　filled　their
glasses；　and　asked　with　a　distrustful　look：

〃Shall　you　catch　him？〃

The　brigadier；　who　had　his　sword　between　his　legs；　appeared　thoughtful。
Certainly；　he　was　sure　of　taking　him；　if　he　was　pointed　out　to　him；　but
if　not；　he　could　not　answer　for　being　able　to　discover　him；　himself；　and
after　reflecting　for　a　long　time；　he　put　this　simple　question：

〃Do　you　know　the　thief？〃

And　Lecacheur　replied；　with　a　look　of　Normandy　slyness　in　his　eyes：

〃As　for　knowing　him；　I　do　not；　as　I　did　not　see　him　commit　the　theft。
If　I　had　seen　him；　I　should　have　made　him　eat　it　raw；　skin　and　flesh；
without　a　drop　of　cider　to　wash　it　down。　　But　as　for　saying　who　it　is；
I　cannot；　although　I　believe　it　is　that　good…for…nothing　Polyte。〃

Then　he　related　at　length　his　troubles　with　Polyte；　his　leaving　his
service；　his　bad　reputation；　things　which　had　been　told　him；　accumulating
insignificant　and　minute　proofs；　and　then；　the　brigadier；　who　had　been
listening　very　attentively　while　he　emptied　his　glass　and　filled　it　again
with　an　indifferent　air；　turned　to　his　gendarme　and　said：

〃We　must　go　and　look　in　the　cottage　of　Severin's　wife。〃　　At　which　the
gendarme　smiled　and　nodded　three　times。

Then　Madame　Lecacheur　came　to　them；　and　very　quietly；　with　all　a
peasant's　cunning；　questioned　the　brigadier　in　her　turn。　　That　shepherd
Severin；　a　simpleton；　a　sort　of　brute　who　had　been　brought　up　and　had
grown　up　among　his　bleating　flocks；　and　who　knew　scarcely　anything
besides　them　in　the　world；　had　nevertheless　preserved　the　peasant's
instinct　for　saving；　at　the　bottom　of　his　heart。　　For　years　and　years　he
must　have　hidden　in　hollow　trees　and　crevices　in　the　rocks　all　that　he
earned；　either　as　a　shepherd　or　by　curing　animals'　sprainsfor　the
bonesetter's　secret　had　been　handed　down　to　him　by　the　old　shepherd　whose
place　he　took…by　touch　or　word；　and　one　day　he　bought　a　small　property；
consisting　of　a　cottage　and　a　field；　for　three　thousand　francs。

A　few　months　later　it　became　known　that　he　was　going　to　marry　a　servant；
notorious　for　her　bad　morals；　the　innkeeper's　servant。　　The　young　fellows
said　that　the　girl；　knowing　that　he　was　pretty　well　off；　had　been　to　his
cottage　every　night；　and　had　taken　him；　captured　him；　led　him　on　to
matrimony；　little　by　little　night　by　night。

And　then；　having　been　to　the　mayor's　office　and　to　church；　she　now　lived
in　the　house　which　her　man　had　bought；　while　he　continued　to　tend　his
flocks；　day　and　night；　on　the　plains。

And　the　brigadier　added：

〃Polyte　has　been　sleeping　there　for　three　weeks；　for　the　thief　has　no
place　of　his　own　to　go　to！〃

The　gendarme　made　a　little　joke：

〃He　takes　the　shepherd's　blankets。〃

Madame　Lecacheur；　who　was　seized　by　a　fresh　access　of　rage；　of　rage
increased　by　a　married　woman's　anger　against　debauchery；　exclaimed：

〃It　is　she；　I　am　sure。　　Go　there。　　Ah；　the　blackguard　thieves！

But　the　brigadier　was　quite　unmoved。

〃One　minute；〃　he　said。　　〃Let　us　wait　until　twelve　o'clock；　as　he　goes　and
dines　there　every　day。　　I　shall　catch　them　with　it　under　their　noses。〃

The　gendarme　smiled；　pleased　at　his　chief's　idea；　and　Lecacheur　also
smiled　now；　for　the　affair　of　the　shepherd　struck　him　as　very　funny；
deceived　husbands　are　always　a　joke。

Twelve　o'clock　had　just　struck　when　the　brigadier；　followed　by　his　man；
knocked　gently　three　times　at　the　door　of　a　little　lonely　house；　situated
at　the　corner　of　a　wood；　five　hundred　yards　from　the　village。

They　had　been　standing　close　against　the　wall；　so　as　not　to　be　seen　from
within；　and　they　waited。　　As　nobody　answered；　the　brigadier　knocked　again
in　a　minute　or　two。　　It　was　so　quiet　that　the　house　seemed　uninhabited；
but　Lenient；　the　gendarme；　who　had　very　quick　ears；　said　that　he　heard
somebody　moving　about　inside；　and　then　Senateur　got　angry。　　He　would　not
allow　any　one　to　resist　the　authority　of　the　law　for　a　moment；　and；
knocking　at　the　door　with　the　hilt　of　his　sword；　he　cried　out：

〃Open　the　door；　in　the　name　of　the　law。〃

As　this　order　had　no　effect；　he　roared　out：

〃If　you　do　not　obey；　I　shall　smash　the　lock。　　I　am　the　brigadier　of　the
gendarmerie；　by　G！　　Here；　Lenient。〃

He　had　not　finished　speaking　when　the　door　opened　and　Senateur　saw　before
him　a　fat　girl；　with　a　very　red；　blowzy　face；　with　drooping　breasts；　a
big　stomach　and　broad　hips；　a　sort　of　animal；　the　wife　of　the　shepherd
Severin；　and　he　went　into　the　cottage。

〃I　have　come　to　pay　you　a　visit；　as　I　want　to　make　a　little　search；〃　he
said；　and　he　looked　about　him。　　On　the　table　there　was　a　plate；　a　jug　of
cider　and　a　glass　half　full；　which　proved　that　a　meal　was　in　progress。
Two　knives　were　lying　side　by　side；　and　the　shrewd　gendarme　winked　at　his
superior　officer。

〃It　smells　good；〃　the　latter　said。

〃One　might　swear　that　it　was　stewed　rabbit；〃　Lenient　added；　much　amused。

〃Will　you　have　a　glass　of　brandy？〃　the　peasant　woman　asked。

〃No；　thank　you；　I　only　want　the　skin　of　the　rabbit　that　you　are　eating。〃

She　pretended　not　to　understand；　but　she　was　trembling。

〃What　rabbit？〃

The　brigadier　had　taken　a　seat；　and　was　calmly　wiping　his　forehead。

〃Come；　come；　you　are　not　going　to　try　and　make　us　believe　that　you　live
on　couch　grass。　　What　were　you　eating　there　all　by　yourself　for　your
dinner？〃

〃I？　　Nothing　whatever；　I　swear　to　you。　　A　mite　of　butter　on　my　bread。〃

〃You　are　a　novice；　my　good　woman。　　A　mite　of　butter　on　your　bread。
You　are　mistaken；　you　ought　to　have　said：　a　mite　of　butter　on　the　rabbit。
By　G；your　butter　smells　good！　　It　is　special　butter；　extra　good　butter；
butter　fit　for　a　wedding；　certainly；　not　household　butter！〃

The　gendarme　was　shaking　with　laughter；　and　repeated：

〃Not　household　butter　certainly。〃

As　Brigadier　Senateur　was　a　joker；　all　the　gendarmes　had　grown　facetious；
and　the　officer　continued：

〃Where　is　your　butter？〃

〃My　butter？〃

〃Yes；　your　butter。〃

〃In　the　jar。〃

〃Then　where　is　the　butter　jar？〃

〃Here　it　is。〃

She　brought　out　an　old　cup；　at　the　bottom　of　which　there　was　a　layer　of
rancid　salt　butter；　and　the　brigadier　smelled　of　it；　and　said；　with　a
shake　of　his　head：

〃It　is　not　the　same。　　I　want　the　butter　that　smells　of　the　rabbit。　　Come；
Lenient；　open　your　eyes；　look　under　the　sideboard；　my　good　fellow；　and　I
will　look　under　the　bed。〃

Having　shut　the　door；　he　went　up　to　the　bed　and　tried　to　move　it；　but　it
was　fixed　to　the　wall；　and　had　not　been　moved　for　more　than　half　a
century；　apparently。　　Then　the　brigadier　stooped；　and　made　his　uniform
crack。　　A　bu