original short stories-8-第26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！


sturdy　lungs　of　a　merry　peasant　or　a　prolonged　bellow　from　a　cow　tied
fast　to　the　wall　of　a　house。

It　all　smelled　of　the　stable；　of　milk；　of　hay　and　of　perspiration；　giving
off　that　half…human；　half…animal　odor　which　is　peculiar　to　country　folks。

Maitre　Hauchecorne；　of　Breaute；　had　just　arrived　at　Goderville　and　was
making　his　way　toward　the　square　when　he　perceived　on　the　ground　a　little
piece　of　string。　　Maitre　Hauchecorne；　economical　as　are　all　true　Normans；
reflected　that　everything　was　worth　picking　up　which　could　be　of　any　use；
and　he　stooped　down；　but　painfully；　because　he　suffered　from　rheumatism。
He　took　the　bit　of　thin　string　from　the　ground　and　was　carefully
preparing　to　roll　it　up　when　he　saw　Maitre　Malandain；　the　harness　maker；
on　his　doorstep　staring　at　him。　　They　had　once　had　a　quarrel　about　a
halter；　and　they　had　borne　each　other　malice　ever　since。　　Maitre
Hauchecorne　was　overcome　with　a　sort　of　shame　at　being　seen　by　his　enemy
picking　up　a　bit　of　string　in　the　road。　　He　quickly　hid　it　beneath　his
blouse　and　then　slipped　it　into　his　breeches；　pocket；　then　pretended　to
be　still　looking　for　something　on　the　ground　which　he　did　not　discover
and　finally　went　off　toward　the　market…place；　his　head　bent　forward　and
his　body　almost　doubled　in　two　by　rheumatic　pains。

He　was　at　once　lost　in　the　crowd；　which　kept　moving　about　slowly　and
noisily　as　it　chaffered　and　bargained。　　The　peasants　examined　the　cows；
went　off；　came　back；　always　in　doubt　for　fear　of　being　cheated；　never
quite　daring　to　decide；　looking　the　seller　square　in　the　eye　in　the
effort　to　discover　the　tricks　of　the　man　and　the　defect　in　the　beast。

The　women；　having　placed　their　great　baskets　at　their　feet；　had　taken　out
the　poultry；　which　lay　upon　the　ground；　their　legs　tied　together；　with
terrified　eyes　and　scarlet　combs。

They　listened　to　propositions；　maintaining　their　prices　in　a　decided
manner　with　an　impassive　face　or　perhaps　deciding　to　accept　the　smaller
price　offered；　suddenly　calling　out　to　the　customer　who　was　starting　to
go　away：

〃All　right；　I'll　let　you　have　them；　Mait'　Anthime。〃

Then；　little　by　little；　the　square　became　empty；　and　when　the　Angelus
struck　midday　those　who　lived　at　a　distance　poured　into　the　inns。

At　Jourdain's　the　great　room　was　filled　with　eaters；　just　as　the　vast
court　was　filled　with　vehicles　of　every　sortwagons；　gigs；　chars…a…
bancs；　tilburies；　innumerable　vehicles　which　have　no　name；　yellow　with
mud；　misshapen；　pieced　together；　raising　their　shafts　to　heaven　like　two
arms；　or　it　may　be　with　their　nose　on　the　ground　and　their　rear　in　the
air。

Just　opposite　to　where　the　diners　were　at　table　the　huge　fireplace；　with
its　bright　flame；　gave　out　a　burning　heat　on　the　backs　of　those　who　sat
at　the　right。　　Three　spits　were　turning；　loaded　with　chickens；　with
pigeons　and　with　joints　of　mutton；　and　a　delectable　odor　of　roast　meat
and　of　gravy　flowing　over　crisp　brown　skin　arose　from　the　hearth；　kindled
merriment；　caused　mouths　to　water。

All　the　aristocracy　of　the　plough　were　eating　there　at　Mait'　Jourdain's；
the　innkeeper's；　a　dealer　in　horses　also　and　a　sharp　fellow　who　had　made
a　great　deal　of　money　in　his　day。

The　dishes　were　passed　round；　were　emptied；　as　were　the　jugs　of　yellow
cider。　　Every　one　told　of　his　affairs；　of　his　purchases　and　his　sales。
They　exchanged　news　about　the　crops。　　The　weather　was　good　for　greens；
but　too　wet　for　grain。

Suddenly　the　drum　began　to　beat　in　the　courtyard　before　the　house。　　Every
one；　except　some　of　the　most　indifferent；　was　on　their　feet　at　once　and
ran　to　the　door；　to　the　windows；　their　mouths　full　and　napkins　in　their
hand。

When　the　public　crier　had　finished　his　tattoo　he　called　forth　in　a　jerky
voice；　pausing　in　the　wrong　places：

〃Be　it　known　to　the　inhabitants　of　Goderville　and　in　general　to　all
persons　present　at　the　market　that　there　has　been　lost　this　morning　on
the　Beuzeville　road；　between　nine　and　ten　o'clock；　a　black　leather
pocketbook　containing　five　hundred　francs　and　business　papers。　　You　are
requested　to　return　it　to　the　mayor's　office　at　once　or　to　Maitre　Fortune
Houlbreque；　of　Manneville。　　There　will　be　twenty　francs　reward。〃

Then　the　man　went　away。　　They　heard　once　more　at　a　distance　the　dull
beating　of　the　drum　and　the　faint　voice　of　the　crier。　　Then　they　all
began　to　talk　of　this　incident；　reckoning　up　the　chances　which　Maitre
Houlbreque　had　of　finding　or　of　not　finding　his　pocketbook　again。

The　meal　went　on。　　They　were　finishing　their　coffee　when　the　corporal　of
gendarmes　appeared　on　the　threshold。

He　asked：

〃Is　Maitre　Hauchecorne；　of　Breaute；　here？〃

Maitre　Hauchecorne；　seated　at　the　other　end　of　the　table　answered：

〃Here　I　am；　here　I　am。〃

And　he　followed　the　corporal。

The　mayor　was　waiting　for　him；　seated　in　an　armchair。　　He　was　the　notary
of　the　place；　a　tall；　grave　man　of　pompous　speech。

〃Maitre　Hauchecorne；〃　said　he；　〃this　morning　on　the　Beuzeville　road；　you
were　seen　to　pick　up　the　pocketbook　lost　by　Maitre　Houlbreque；　of
Manneville。〃

The　countryman　looked　at　the　mayor　in　amazement　frightened　already　at
this　suspicion　which　rested　on　him；　he　knew　not　why。

〃II　picked　up　that　pocketbook？〃

〃Yes；　YOU。〃

〃I　swear　I　don't　even　know　anything　about　it。〃

〃You　were　seen。〃

〃I　was　seenI？　　Who　saw　me？〃

〃M。　Malandain；　the　harness…maker。〃

Then　the　old　man　remembered；　understood；　and；　reddening　with　anger；　said：

〃Ah！　he　saw　me；　did　he；　the　rascal？　　He　saw　me　picking　up　this　string
here；　M'sieu　le　Maire。〃

And　fumbling　at　the　bottom　of　his　pocket；　he　pulled　out　of　it　the　little
end　of　string。

But　the　mayor　incredulously　shook　his　head：

〃You　will　not　make　me　believe；　Maitre　Hauchecorne；　that　M。　Malandain；　who
is　a　man　whose　word　can　be　relied　on；　has　mistaken　this　string　for　a
pocketbook。〃

The　peasant；　furious；　raised　his　hand　and　spat　on　the　ground　beside　him
as　if　to　attest　his　good　faith；　repeating：

〃For　all　that；　it　is　God's　truth；　M'sieu　le　Maire。　　There！　　On　my　soul's
salvation；　I　repeat　it。〃

The　mayor　continued：

〃After　you　picked　up　the　object　in　question；　you　even　looked　about　for
some　time　in　the　mud　to　see　if　a　piece　of　money　had　not　dropped　out　of
it。〃

The　good　man　was　choking　with　indignation　and　fear。

〃How　can　they　tellhow　can　they　tell　such　lies　as　that　to　slander　an
honest　man！　　How　can　they？〃

His　protestations　were　in　vain；　he　was　not　believed。

He　was　confronted　with　M。　Malandain；　who　repeated　and　sustained　his
testimony。　　They　railed　at　one　another　for　an　hour。　　At　his　own　request
Maitre　Hauchecorne　was　searched。　　Nothing　was　found　on　him。

At　last　the　mayor；　much　perplexed；　sent　him　away；　warning　him　that　he
would　inform　the　public　prosecutor　and　ask　for　orders。

The　news　had　spread。　　When　he　left　the　mayor's　office　the　old　man　was
surrounded；　interrogated　with　a　curiosity　which　was　serious　or　mocking；
as　the　case　might　be；　but　into　which　no　indignation　entered。　　And　he
began　to　tell　the　story　of　the　string。　　They　did　not　believe　him。　　They
laughed。

He　passed　on；　buttonholed　by　every　one；　himself　buttonholing　his
acquaintances；　beginning　over　and　over　again　his　tale　and　his
protestations；　showing　his　pockets　turned　inside　out　to　prove　that　he　had
nothing　in　them。

They　said　to　him：

〃You　old　rogue！〃

He　grew　more　and　more　angry；　feverish；　in　despair　at　not　being　believed；
and　kept　on　telling　his　story。

The　night　came。　　It　was　time　to　go　home。　　He　left　with　three　of　his
neighbors；　to　whom　he　pointed　out　the　place　where　he　had　picked　up　the
string；　and　all　the　way　he　talked　of　his　adventure。

That　evening　he　made　the　round　of　the　village　of　Breaute　for　the　purpose
of　telling　every　one。　　He　met　only　unbelievers。

He　brooded　over　it　all　night　long。

The　next　day；　about　one　in　the　afternoon；　Marius　Paumelle；　a　farm　hand　of
Maitre　Breton；　the　market　gardener　at　Ymauville；　returned　the　pocketbook
and　its　contents　to　Maitre　Holbreque；　of　Manneville。

This　man　said；　indeed；　that　he　had　found　it　on　the　road；　but　not　knowing
how　to　read；　he　had　carried　it　home　and　given　it　to　his　master。

The　news　spread　to　the　environs。　　Maitre　Hauchecorne　was　informed。　　He
started　off　at　once　and　began　to　relate　his　story　with　the　denoument。　　He
was　triumphant。

〃What　grieved　me；〃　said　he；　〃was　not　the　thing　itself；　do　you　understand；
but　it　was　being　accused　of　lying。　　Nothing　does　you　so　much　harm　as
being　in　disgrace　for　lying。〃

All　day　he　talked　of　his　adventure。　　He　told　it　on　the　roads　to　the
people　who　passed；　at　the　cabaret　to　the　people　who　drank　and　next　Sunday
when　they　came　out　of　church。　　He　even　stopped　strangers　to　tell　them
about　it。　　He　was　easy　now；　and　yet　something　worried　him　without　his
knowing　exactly　what　it　was。　　People　had　a　joking　manner　while　they
listened。　　They　did　not　seem　convinced。　　He　seemed　to　feel　their　remarks
behind　his　back。

On　Tuesday　of　the　following　week　he　went　to　market　at　Goderville；
prompted　solely　by　the　need　of　telling　his　story。

Malandain；　standing　on　his　doorstep；　began　to　laugh　as　he　saw　him　pass。
Why？

He　accosted　a　farmer　of　Criquetot；　who　did　not　let　hire　finish；　and
giving　him　a　punch　in　the　pit　o