original short stories-8-第21节

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poor　woman？　　And　I　hope　that　you　will　be　kind　enough　to　send　us　home；　and
to　spare　us　the　disgrace　of　a　prosecution。

〃Years　ago；　when　I　was　young；　I　made　Monsieur　Beaurain's　acquaintance　one
Sunday　in　this　neighborhood。　　He　was　employed　in　a　draper's　shop；　and　I
was　a　saleswoman　in　a　ready…made　clothing　establishment。　　I　remember　it
as　if　it　were　yesterday。　　I　used　to　come　and　spend　Sundays　here
occasionally　with　a　friend　of　mine；　Rose　Leveque；　with　whom　I　lived　in
the　Rue　Pigalle；　and　Rose　had　a　sweetheart；　while　I　had　none。　　He　used　to
bring　us　here；　and　one　Saturday　he　told　me　laughing　that　he　should　bring
a　friend　with　him　the　next　day。　　I　quite　understood　what　he　meant；　but　I
replied　that　it　would　be　no　good；　for　I　was　virtuous；　monsieur。

〃The　next　day　we　met　Monsieur　Beaurain　at　the　railway　station；　and　in
those　days　he　was　good…looking；　but　I　had　made　up　my　mind　not　to
encourage　him；　and　I　did　not。　　Well；　we　arrived　at　Bezons。　　It　was　a
lovely　day；　the　sort　of　day　that　touches　your　heart。　　When　it　is　fine
even　now；　just　as　it　used　to　be　formerly；　I　grow　quite　foolish；　and　when
I　am　in　the　country　I　utterly　lose　my　head。　　The　green　grass；　the
swallows　flying　so　swiftly；　the　smell　of　the　grass；　the　scarlet　poppies；
the　daisies；　all　that　makes　me　crazy。　　It　is　like　champagne　when　one　is
not　accustomed　to　it！

〃Well；　it　was　lovely　weather；　warm　and　bright；　and　it　seemed　to　penetrate
your　body　through　your　eyes　when　you　looked　and　through　your　mouth　when
you　breathed。　　Rose　and　Simon　hugged　and　kissed　each　other　every　minute；
and　that　gave　me　a　queer　feeling！　　Monsieur　Beaurain　and　I　walked　behind
them；　without　speaking　much；　for　when　people　do　not　know　each　other；　they
do　not　find　anything　to　talk　about。　　He　looked　timid；　and　I　liked　to　see
his　embarrassment。　　At　last　we　got　to　the　little　wood；　it　was　as　cool　as
in　a　bath　there；　and　we　four　sat　down。　　Rose　and　her　lover　teased　me
because　I　looked　rather　stern；　but　you　will　understand　that　I　could　not
be　otherwise。　　And　then　they　began　to　kiss　and　hug　again；　without　putting
any　more　restraint　upon　themselves　than　if　we　had　not　been　there；　and
then　they　whispered　together；　and　got　up　and　went　off　among　the　trees；
without　saying　a　word。　　You　may　fancy　what　I　looked　like；　alone　with　this
young　fellow　whom　I　saw　for　the　first　time。　　I　felt　so　confused　at　seeing
them　go　that　it　gave　me　courage；　and　I　began　to　talk。　　I　asked　him　what
his　business　was；　and　he　said　he　was　a　linen　draper's　assistant；　as　I
told　you　just　now。　　We　talked　for　a　few　minutes；　and　that　made　him　bold；
and　he　wanted　to　take　liberties　with　me；　but　I　told　him　sharply　to　keep
his　place。　　Is　not　that　true；　Monsieur　Beaurain？〃

Monsieur　Beaurain；　who　was　looking　at　his　feet　in　confusion；　did　not
reply；　and　she　continued：　〃Then　he　saw　that　I　was　virtuous；　and　he　began
to　make　love　to　me　nicely；　like　an　honorable　man；　and　from　that　time　he
came　every　Sunday；　for　he　was　very　much　in　love　with　me。　　I　was　very　fond
of　him　also；　very　fond　of　him！　　He　was　a　good…looking　fellow；　formerly；
and　in　short　he　married　me　the　next　September；　and　we　started　in　business
in　the　Rue　des　Martyrs。

〃It　was　a　hard　struggle　for　some　years；　monsieur。　　Business　did　not
prosper；　and　we　could　not　afford　many　country　excursions；　and；　besides；
we　had　got　out　of　the　way　of　them。　　One　has　other　things　in　one's　head；
and　thinks　more　of　the　cash　box　than　of　pretty　speeches；　when　one　is　in
business。　　We　were　growing　old　by　degrees　without　perceiving　it；　like
quiet　people　who　do　not　think　much　about　love。　　One　does　not　regret
anything　as　long　as　one　does　not　notice　what　one　has　lost。

〃And　then；　monsieur；　business　became　better；　and　we　were　tranquil　as　to
the　future！　　Then；　you　see；　I　do　not　exactly　know　what　went　on　in　my
mind；　no；　I　really　do　not　know；　but　I　began　to　dream　like　a　little
boarding…school　girl。　　The　sight　of　the　little　carts　full　of　flowers
which　are　drawn　about　the　streets　made　me　cry；　the　smell　of　violets
sought　me　out　in　my　easy…chair；　behind　my　cash　box；　and　made　my　heart
beat！　　Then　I　would　get　up　and　go　out　on　the　doorstep　to　look　at　the　blue
sky　between　the　roofs。　　When　one　looks　up　at　the　sky　from　the　street；　it
looks　like　a　river　which　is　descending　on　Paris；　winding　as　it　flows；　and
the　swallows　pass　to　and　fro　in　it　like　fish。　　These　ideas　are　very
stupid　at　my　age！　　But　how　can　one　help　it；　monsieur；　when　one　has　worked
all　one's　life？　　A　moment　comes　in　which　one　perceives　that　one　could
have　done　something　else；　and　that　one　regrets；　oh！　　yes；　one　feels
intense　regret！　　Just　think；　for　twenty　years　I　might　have　gone　and　had
kisses　in　the　woods；　like　other　women。　　I　used　to　think　how　delightful　it
would　be　to　lie　under　the　trees　and　be　in　love　with　some　one！　　And　I
thought　of　it　every　day　and　every　night！　　I　dreamed　of　the　moonlight　on
the　water；　until　I　felt　inclined　to　drown　myself。

〃I　did　not　venture　to　speak　to　Monsieur　Beaurain　about　this　at　first。
I　knew　that　he　would　make　fun　of　me；　and　send　me　back　to　sell　my　needles
and　cotton！　　And　then；　to　speak　the　truth；　Monsieur　Beaurain　never　said
much　to　me；　but　when　I　looked　in　the　glass；　I　also　understood　quite　well
that　I　no　longer　appealed　to　any　one！

〃Well；　I　made　up　my　mind；　and　I　proposed　to　him　an　excursion　into　the
country；　to　the　place　where　we　had　first　become　acquainted。　　He　agreed
without　mistrusting　anything；　and　we　arrived　here　this　morning；　about
nine　o'clock。

〃I　felt　quite　young　again　when　I　got　among　the　wheat；　for　a　woman's　heart
never　grows　old！　　And　really；　I　no　longer　saw　my　husband　as　he　is　at
present；　but　just　as　he　was　formerly！　　That　I　will　swear　to　you；
monsieur。　　As　true　as　I　am　standing　here　I　was　crazy。　　I　began　to　kiss
him；　and　he　was　more　surprised　than　if　I　had　tried　to　murder　him。
He　kept　saying　to　me：　'Why；　you　must　be　mad！　　You　are　mad　this　morning！
What　is　the　matter　with　you？'　I　did　not　listen　to　him；　I　only　listened　to
my　own　heart；　and　I　made　him　come　into　the　wood　with　me。　　That　is　all。
I　have　spoken　the　truth；　Monsieur　le　Maire；　the　whole　truth。〃

The　mayor　was　a　sensible　man。　　He　rose　from　his　chair；　smiled；　and　said：
〃Go　in　peace；　madame；　and　when　you　again　visit　our　forests；　be　more
discreet。〃






MARTINE

It　came　to　him　one　Sunday　after　mass。　　He　was　walking　home　from　church
along　the　by…road　that　led　to　his　house　when　he　saw　ahead　of　him　Martine；
who　was　also　going　home。

Her　father　walked　beside　his　daughter　with　the　important　gait　of　a　rich
farmer。　　Discarding　the　smock；　he　wore　a　short　coat　of　gray　cloth　and　on
his　head　a　round…topped　hat　with　wide　brim。

She；　laced　up　in　a　corset　which　she　wore　only　once　a　week；　walked　along
erect；　with　her　squeezed…in　waist；　her　broad　shoulders　and　prominent
hips；　swinging　herself　a　little。　　She　wore　a　hat　trimmed　with　flowers；
made　by　a　milliner　at　Yvetot；　and　displayed　the　back　of　her　full；　round；
supple　neck；　reddened　by　the　sun　and　air；　on　which　fluttered　little　stray
locks　of　hair。

Benoist　saw　only　her　back；　but　he　knew　well　the　face　he　loved；　without；
however；　having　ever　noticed　it　more　closely　than　he　did　now。

Suddenly　he　said：　〃Nom　d'un　nom；　she　is　a　fine　girl；　all　the　same；　that
Martine。〃　　He　watched　her　as　she　walked；　admiring　her　hastily；　feeling　a
desire　taking　possession　of　him。　　He　did　not　long　to　see　her　face　again；
no。　　He　kept　gazing　at　her　figure；　repeating　to　himself：　〃Nom　d'un　nom；
she　is　a　fine　girl。〃

Martine　turned　to　the　right　to　enter　〃La　Martiniere；〃　the　farm　of　her
father；　Jean　Martin；　and　she　cast　a　glance　behind　her　as　she　turned
round。　　She　saw　Benoist；　who　looked　to　her　very　comical。　　She　called　out：
〃Good…morning；　Benoist。〃　　He　replied：　〃Good…morning；　Martine；　good…
morning；　mait　Martin；〃　and　went　on　his　way。

When　he　reached　home　the　soup　was　on　the　table。　　He　sat　down　opposite　his
mother　beside　the　farm　hand　and　the　hired　man；　while　the　maid　servant
went　to　draw　some　cider。

He　ate　a　few　spoonfuls；　then　pushed　away　his　plate。　　His　mother　said：

〃Don't　you　feel　well？〃

〃No。　　I　feel　as　if　I　had　some　pap　in　my　stomach　and　that　takes　away　my
appetite。〃

He　watched　the　others　eating；　as　he　cut　himself　a　piece　of　bread　from
time　to　time　and　carried　it　lazily　to　his　mouth；　masticating　it　slowly。
He　thought　of　Martine。　　〃She　is　a　fine　girl；　all　the　same。〃　　And　to　think
that　he　had　not　noticed　it　before；　and　that　it　came　to　him；　just　like
that；　all　at　once；　and　with　such　force　that　he　could　not　eat。

He　did　not　touch　the　stew。　　His　mother　said：

〃Come；　Benoist；　try　and　eat　a　little；　it　is　loin　of　mutton；　it　will　do
you　good。　　When　one　has　no　appetite；　they　should　force　themselves　to
eat。〃

He　swallowed　a　few　morsels；　then；　pushing　away　his　plate；　said：

〃No。　　I　can't　go　that；　positively。〃

When　they　rose　from　table　he　walked　round　the　farm；　telling　the　farm　hand
he　might　go　home　and　that　he　would　drive　up　the　animals　as　he　passed　by
them。

The　country　was　deserted；　as　it　was　the　day　of　rest。　　Here　and　there　in　a
field　of　clover　cows　were　moving　along　heavily；　with　full　bellies；
chewing　their　cud　under　a　blazing　sun。　　Unharnessed　plows　were　standing
at　the　end　of　a　furrow；　and　the　upturned　eart