original short stories-8-第25节

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the　slightest　pretext。　　The　least　thing　was　sufficient　to　make　him　raise
his　hand；　and　when　he　had　once　begun　he　did　not　stop；　but　he　would　throw
into　her　face　the　true　motive　for　his　anger。　　At　each　blow　he　would　roar：
〃There；　you　beggar！　　There；　you　wretch！　　There；　you　pauper！　　What　a
bright　thing　I　did　when　I　rinsed　my　mouth　with　your　rascal　of　a　father's
apology　for　brandy。

The　poor　woman　lived　in　continual　fear；　in　a　ceaseless　trembling　of　body
and　soul；　in　everlasting　expectation　of　outrageous　thrashings。

This　lasted　ten　years。　　She　was　so　timorous　that　she　would　grow　pale
whenever　she　spoke　to　any　one；　and　she　thought　of　nothing　but　the　blows
with　which　she　was　threatened；　and　she　became　thinner；　more　yellow　and
drier　than　a　smoked　fish。


II

One　night；　when　her　husband　was　at　sea；　she　was　suddenly　awakened　by　the
wild　roaring　of　the　wind！

She　sat　up　in　her　bed；　trembling；　but；　as　she　hear　nothing　more；　she　lay
down　again；　almost　immediately　there　was　a　roar　in　the　chimney　which
shook　the　entire　house；　it　seemed　to　cross　the　heavens　like　a　pack　of
furious　animals　snorting　and　roaring。

Then　she　arose　and　rushed　to　the　harbor。　　Other　women　were　arriving　from
all　sides；　carrying　lanterns。　　The　men　also　were　gathering；　and　all　were
watching　the　foaming　crests　of　the　breaking　wave。

The　storm　lasted　fifteen　hours。　　Eleven　sailors　never　returned；　Patin　was
among　them。

In　the　neighborhood　of　Dieppe　the　wreck　of　his　bark；　the　Jeune…Amelie；
was　found。　　The　bodies　of　his　sailors　were　found　near　Saint…Valery；　but
his　body　was　never　recovered。　　As　his　vessel　seemed　to　have　been　cut　in
two；　his　wife　expected　and　feared　his　return　for　a　long　time；　for　if
there　had　been　a　collision　he　alone　might　have　been　picked　up　and　carried
afar　off。

Little　by　little　she　grew　accustomed　to　the　thought　that　she　was　rid　of
him；　although　she　would　start　every　time　that　a　neighbor；　a　beggar　or　a
peddler　would　enter　suddenly。

One　afternoon；　about　four　years　after　the　disappearance　of　her　husband；
while　she　was　walking　along　the　Rue　aux　Juifs；　she　stopped　before　the
house　of　an　old　sea　captain　who　had　recently　died　and　whose　furniture　was
for　sale。　　Just　at　that　moment　a　parrot　was　at　auction。　　He　had　green
feathers　and　a　blue　head　and　was　watching　everybody　with　a　displeased
look。　　〃Three　francs！〃　cried　the　auctioneer。　　〃A　bird　that　can　talk　like
a　lawyer；　three　francs！〃

A　friend　of　the　Patin　woman　nudged　her　and　said：

〃You　ought　to　buy　that；　you　who　are　rich。　　It　would　be　good　company　for
you。　　That　bird　is　worth　more　than　thirty　francs。　　Anyhow；　you　can　always
sell　it　for　twenty　or　twenty…five！〃

Patin's　widow　added　fifty　centimes；　and　the　bird　was　given　her　in　a
little　cage；　which　she　carried　away。　　She　took　it　home；　and；　as　she　was
opening　the　wire　door　in　order　to　give　it　something　to　drink；　he　bit　her
finger　and　drew　blood。

〃Oh；　how　naughty　he　is！〃　she　said。

Nevertheless　she　gave　it　some　hemp…seed　and　corn　and　watched　it　pruning
its　feathers　as　it　glanced　warily　at　its　new　home　and　its　new　mistress。
On　the　following　morning；　just　as　day　was　breaking；　the　Patin　woman
distinctly　heard　a　loud；　deep；　roaring　voice　calling：　〃Are　you　going　to
get　up；　carrion？〃

Her　fear　was　so　great　that　she　hid　her　head　under　the　sheets；　for　when
Patin　was　with　her　as　soon　as　he　would　open　his　eyes　he　would　shout　those
well…known　words　into　her　ears。

Trembling；　rolled　into　a　ball；　her　back　prepared　for　the　thrashing　which
she　already　expected；　her　face　buried　in　the　pillows；　she　murmured：　〃Good
Lord！　　he　is　here！　　Good　Lord！　　he　is　here！　　Good　Lord！　　he　has　come
back！〃

Minutes　passed；　no　noise　disturbed　the　quiet　room。　　Then；　trembling；　she
stuck　her　head　out　of　the　bed；　sure　that　he　was　there；　watching；　ready　to
beat　her。　　Except　for　a　ray　of　sun　shining　through　the　window；　she　saw
nothing；　and　she　said　to　her　self：　〃He　must　be　hidden。〃

She　waited　a　long　time　and　then；　gaining　courage；　she　said　to　herself：　〃I
must　have　dreamed　it；　seeing　there　is　nobody　here。〃

A　little　reassured；　she　closed。　　her　eyes；　when　from　quite　near　a　furious
voice；　the　thunderous　voice　of　the　drowned　man；　could　be　heard　crying：
〃Say！　when　in　the　name　of　all　that's　holy　are　you　going　to　get　up；　you
b？〃

She　jumped　out　of　bed；　moved　by　obedience；　by　the　passive　obedience　of　a
woman　accustomed　to　blows　and　who　still　remembers　and　always　will
remember　that　voice！　　She　said：　〃Here　I　am；　Patin；　what　do　you　want？〃

Put　Patin　did　not　answer。　　Then；　at　a　complete　loss；　she　looked　around
her；　then　in　the　chimney　and　under　the　bed　and　finally　sank　into　a　chair；
wild　with　anxiety；　convinced　that　Patin's　soul　alone　was　there；　near　her；
and　that　he　had　returned　in　order　to　torture　her。

Suddenly　she　remembered　the　loft；　in　order　to　reach　which　one　had　to　take
a　ladder。　　Surely　he　must　have　hidden　there　in　order　to　surprise　her。　　He
must　have　been　held　by　savages　on　some　distant　shore；　unable　to　escape
until　now；　and　he　had　returned；　worse　that　ever。　　There　was　no　doubting
the　quality　of　that　voice。　　She　raised　her　head　and　asked：　〃Are　you　up
there；　Patin？〃

Patin　did　not　answer。　　Then；　with　a　terrible　fear　which　made　her　heart
tremble；　she　climbed　the　ladder；　opened　the　skylight；　looked；　saw
nothing；　entered；　looked　about　and　found　nothing。　　Sitting　on　some　straw；
she　began　to　cry；　but　while　she　was　weeping；　overcome　by　a　poignant　and
supernatural　terror；　she　heard　Patin　talking　in　the　room　below。

He　seemed　less　angry　and　he　was　saying：　〃Nasty　weather！　　Fierce　wind！
Nasty　weather！　　I　haven't　eaten；　damn　it！〃

She　cried　through　the　ceiling：　〃Here　I　am；　Patin；　I　am　getting　your　meal
ready。　　Don't　get　angry。〃

She　ran　down　again。　　There　was　no　one　in　the　room。　　She　felt　herself
growing　weak；　as　if　death　were　touching　her；　and　she　tried　to　run　and　get
help　from　the　neighbors；　when　a　voice　near　her　cried　out：　〃I　haven't　had
my　breakfast；　by　G！〃

And　the　parrot　in　his　cage　watched　her　with　his　round；　knowing；　wicked
eye。　　She；　too；　looked　at　him　wildly；　murmuring：　〃Ah！　so　it's　you！〃

He　shook　his　head　and　continued：　〃Just　you　wait！　　I'll　teach　you　how　to
loaf。〃

What　happened　within　her？　　She　felt；　she　understood　that　it　was　he；　the
dead　man；　who　had　come　back；　who　had　disguised　himself　in　the　feathers　of
this　bird　in　order　to　continue　to　torment　her；　that　he　would　curse；　as
formerly；　all　day　long；　and　bite　her；　and　swear　at　her；　in　order　to
attract　the　neighbors　and　make　them　laugh。　　Then　she　rushed　for　the　cage
and　seized　the　bird；　which　scratched　and　tore　her　flesh　with　its　claws
and　beak。　　But　she　held　it　with　all　her　strength　between　her　hands。　　She
threw　it　on　the　ground　and　rolled　over　it　with　the　frenzy　of　one
possessed。　　She　crushed　it　and　finally　made　of　it　nothing　but　a　little
green；　flabby　lump　which　no　longer　moved　or　spoke。　　Then　she　wrapped　it
in　a　cloth；　as　in　a　shroud；　and　she　went　out　in　her　nightgown；　barefoot；
she　crossed　the　dock；　against　which　the　choppy　waves　of　the　sea　were
beating；　and　she　shook　the　cloth　and　let　drop　this　little；　dead　thing；
which　looked　like　so　much　grass。　　Then　she　returned；　threw　herself　on　her
knees　before　the　empty　cage；　and；　overcome　by　what　she　had　done；　kneeled
and　prayed　for　forgiveness；　as　if　she　had　committed　some　heinous　crime。






THE　PIECE　OF　STRING

It　was　market…day；　and　from　all　the　country　round　Goderville　the　peasants
and　their　wives　were　coming　toward　the　town。　　The　men　walked　slowly；
throwing　the　whole　body　forward　at　every　step　of　their　long；　crooked
legs。　　They　were　deformed　from　pushing　the　plough　which　makes　the　left…
shoulder　higher；　and　bends　their　figures　side…ways；　from　reaping　the
grain；　when　they　have　to　spread　their　legs　so　as　to　keep　on　their　feet。
Their　starched　blue　blouses；　glossy　as　though　varnished；　ornamented　at
collar　and　cuffs　with　a　little　embroidered　design　and　blown　out　around
their　bony　bodies；　looked　very　much　like　balloons　about　to　soar；　whence
issued　two　arms　and　two　feet。

Some　of　these　fellows　dragged　a　cow　or　a　calf　at　the　end　of　a　rope。　　And
just　behind　the　animal　followed　their　wives　beating　it　over　the　back　with
a　leaf…covered　branch　to　hasten　its　pace；　and　carrying　large　baskets　out
of　which　protruded　the　heads　of　chickens　or　ducks。　　These　women　walked
more　quickly　and　energetically　than　the　men；　with　their　erect；　dried…up
figures；　adorned　with　scanty　little　shawls　pinned　over　their　flat　bosoms；
and　their　heads　wrapped　round　with　a　white　cloth；　enclosing　the　hair　and
surmounted　by　a　cap。

Now　a　char…a…banc　passed　by；　jogging　along　behind　a　nag　and　shaking　up
strangely　the　two　men　on　the　seat；　and　the　woman　at　the　bottom　of　the
cart　who　held　fast　to　its　sides　to　lessen　the　hard　jolting。

In　the　market…place　at　Goderville　was　a　great　crowd；　a　mingled　multitude
of　men　and　beasts。　　The　horns　of　cattle；　the　high；　long…napped　hats　of
wealthy　peasants；　the　headdresses　of　the　women　came　to　the　surface　of
that　sea。　　And　the　sharp；　shrill；　barking　voices　made　a　continuous；　wild
din；　while　above　it　occasionally　rose　a　huge　burst　of　laughter　from　the
sturdy　lungs　of　a　merry　peasant　or　a　prolonged　bellow　from　a　cow　tied
fast　to　the　wall　of