original short stories-8-第4节

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〃Why；〃　he　stammered；　〃thisthisthis　overcoat　has　got　the　ribbon　in
it！〃

In　a　second；　his　wife　threw　herself　on　him；　and；　taking　it　from　his
hands；　she　said：

〃No！　you　have　made　a　mistakegive　it　to　me。〃

But　he　still　held　it　by　one　of　the　sleeves；　without　letting　it　go；
repeating　in　a　half…dazed　manner：

〃Oh！　　Why？　　Just　explain　Whose　overcoat　is　it？　　It　is　not　mine；　as　it
has　the　Legion　of　Honor　on　it。〃

She　tried　to　take　it　from　him；　terrified　and　hardly　able　to　say：

〃Listenlisten！　　Give　it　to　me！　　I　must　not　tell　you！　　It　is　a　secret。
Listen　to　me！〃

But　he　grew　angry　and　turned　pale。

〃I　want　to　know　how　this　overcoat　comes　to　be　here？　　It　does　not　belong
to　me。〃

Then　she　almost　screamed　at　him：

〃Yes；　it　does；　listen！　　Swear　to　mewellyou　are　decorated！〃

She　did　not　intend　to　joke　at　his　expense。

He　was　so　overcome　that　he　let　the　overcoat　fall　and　dropped　into　an
armchair。

〃I　amyou　say　I　amdecorated？〃

〃Yes；　but　it　is　a　secret；　a　great　secret。〃

She　had　put　the　glorious　garment　into　a　cupboard；　and　came　to　her　husband
pale　and　trembling。

〃Yes；〃　she　continued；　〃it　is　a　new　overcoat　that　I　have　had　made　for　you。
But　I　swore　that　I　would　not　tell　you　anything　about　it；　as　it　will　not
be　officially　announced　for　a　month　or　six　weeks；　and　you　were　not　to
have　known　till　your　return　from　your　business　journey。　　M。　Rosselin
managed　it　for　you。〃

〃Rosselin！〃　he　contrived　to　utter　in　his　joy。　　〃He　has　obtained　the
decoration　for　me？　　HeOh！〃

And　he　was　obliged　to　drink　a　glass　of　water。

A　little　piece　of　white　paper　fell　to　the　floor　out　of　the　pocket　of　the
overcoat。　　Caillard　picked　it　up；　it　was　a　visiting　card；　and　he　read
out：

〃Rosselin…Deputy。〃

〃You　see　how　it　is；〃　said　his　wife。

He　almost　cried　with　joy；　and；　a　week　later；　it　was　announced　in　the
Journal　Officiel　that　M。　Caillard　had　been　awarded　the　Legion　of　Honor　on
account　of　his　exceptional　services。






THE　TEST

The　Bondels　were　a　happy　family；　and　although　they　frequently　quarrelled
about　trifles；　they　soon　became　friends　again。

Bondel　was　a　merchant　who　had　retired　from　active　business　after　saving
enough　to　allow　him　to　live　quietly；　he　had　rented　a　little　house　at
Saint…Germain　and　lived　there　with　his　wife。　　He　was　a　quiet　man　with
very　decided　opinions；　he　had　a　certain　degree　of　education　and　read
serious　newspapers；　nevertheless；　he　appreciated　the　gaulois　wit。
Endowed　with　a　logical　mind；　and　that　practical　common　sense　which　is　the
master　quality　of　the　industrial　French　bourgeois；　he　thought　little；　but
clearly；　and　reached　a　decision　only　after　careful　consideration　of　the
matter　in　hand。　　He　was　of　medium　size；　with　a　distinguished　look；　and
was　beginning　to　turn　gray。

His　wife；　who　was　full　of　serious　qualities；　had　also　several　faults。
She　had　a　quick　temper　and　a　frankness　that　bordered　upon　violence。　　She
bore　a　grudge　a　long　time。　　She　had　once　been　pretty；　but　had　now　become
too　stout　and　too　red；　but　in　her　neighborhood　at　Saint…Germain　she　still
passed　for　a　very　beautiful　woman；　who　exemplified　health　and　an
uncertain　temper。

Their　dissensions　almost　always　began　at　breakfast；　over　some　trivial
matter；　and　they　often　continued　all　day　and　even　until　the　following
day。　　Their　simple；　common；　limited　life　imparted　seriousness　to　the　most
unimportant　matters；　and　every　topic　of　conversation　became　a　subject　of
dispute。　　This　had　not　been　so　in　the　days　when　business　occupied　their
minds；　drew　their　hearts　together；　and　gave　them　common　interests　and
occupation。

But　at　Saint…Germain　they　saw　fewer　people。　　It　had　been　necessary　to
make　new　acquaintances；　to　create　for　themselves　a　new　world　among
strangers；　a　new　existence　devoid　of　occupations。　　Then　the　monotony　of
loneliness　had　soured　each　of　them　a　little；　and　the　quiet　happiness
which　they　had　hoped　and　waited　for　with　the　coming　of　riches　did　not
appear。

One　June　morning；　just　as　they　were　sitting　down　to　breakfast；　Bondel
asked：

〃Do　you　know　the　people　who　live　in　the　little　red　cottage　at　the　end　of
the　Rue　du　Berceau？〃

Madame　Bondel　was　out　of　sorts。　　She　answered：

〃Yes　and　no；　I　am　acquainted　with　them；　but　I　do　not　care　to　know　them。〃

〃Why　not？　　They　seem　to　be　very　nice。〃

〃Because〃

〃This　morning　I　met　the　husband　on　the　terrace　and　we　took　a　little　walk
together。〃

Seeing　that　there　was　danger　in　the　air；　Bendel　added：　〃It　was　he　who
spoke　to　me　first。〃

His　wife　looked　at　him　in　a　displeased　manner。　　She　continued：　〃You　would
have　done　just　as　well　to　avoid　him。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　there　are　rumors　about　them。〃

〃What　kind？〃

〃Oh！　rumors　such　as　one　often　hears！〃

M。　Bondel　was；　unfortunately；　a　little　hasty。　　He　exclaimed：

〃My　dear；　you　know　that　I　abhor　gossip。　　As　for　those　people；　I　find　them
very　pleasant。〃

She　asked　testily：　〃The　wife　also？〃

〃Why；　yes；　although　I　have　barely　seen　her。〃

The　discussion　gradually　grew　more　heated；　always　on　the　same　subject　for
lack　of　others。　　Madame　Bondel　obstinately　refused　to　say　what　she　had
heard　about　these　neighbors；　allowing　things　to　be　understood　without
saying　exactly　what　they　were。　　Bendel　would　shrug　his　shoulders；　grin；
and　exasperate　his　wife。　　She　finally　cried　out：　〃Well！　that　gentleman　is
deceived　by　his　wife；　there！〃

The　husband　answered　quietly：　〃I　can't　see　how　that　affects　the　honor　of
a　man。〃

She　seemed　dumfounded：　〃What！　you　don't　see？　you　don't　see？　well；
that's　too　much！　　You　don't　see！　why；　it's　a　public　scandal！　he　is
disgraced！〃

He　answered：　〃Ah！　by　no　means！　　Should　a　man　be　considered　disgraced
because　he　is　deceived；　because　he　is　betrayed；　robbed？　　No；　indeed！
I'll　grant　you　that　that　may　be　the　case　for　the　wife；　but　as　for　him〃

She　became　furious；　exclaiming：　〃For　him　as　well　as　for　her。　　They　are
both　in　disgrace；　it's　a　public　shame。〃

Bondel；　very　calm；　asked：　〃First　of　all；　is　it　true？　　Who　can　assert　such
a　thing　as　long　as　no　one　has　been　caught　in　the　act？〃

Madame　Bondel　was　growing　uneasy；　she　snapped：　〃What？　　Who　can　assert　it？
Why；　everybody！　　everybody！　　it's　as　clear　as　the　nose　on　your　face。
Everybody　knows　it　and　is　talking　about　it。　　There　is　not　the　slightest
doubt。〃

He　was　grinning：　〃For　a　long　time　people　thought　that　the　sun　revolved
around　the　earth。　　This　man　loves　his　wife　and　speaks　of　her　tenderly　and
reverently。　　This　whole　business　is　nothing　but　lies！〃

Stamping　her　foot；　she　stammered：　〃Do　you　think　that　that　fool；　that
idiot；　knows　anything　about　it？〃

Bondel　did　not　grow　angry；　he　was　reasoning　clearly：　〃Excuse　me。　　This
gentleman　is　no　fool。　　He　seemed　to　me；　on　the　contrary；　to　be　very
intelligent　and　shrewd；　and　you　can't　make　me　believe　that　a　man　with
brains　doesn't　notice　such　a　thing　in　his　own　house；　when　the　neighbors；
who　are　not　there；　are　ignorant　of　no　detail　of　this　liaisonfor　I'll
warrant　that　they　know　everything。〃

Madame　Bondel　had　a　fit　of　angry　mirth；　which　irritated　her　husband's
nerves。　　She　laughed：　〃Ha！　ha！　ha！　they're　all　the　same！　　There's　not　a
man　alive　who　could　discover　a　thing　like　that　unless　his　nose　was　stuck
into　it！〃

The　discussion　was　wandering　to　other　topics　now。　　She　was　exclaiming
over　the　blindness　of　deceived　husbands；　a　thing　which　he　doubted　and
which　she　affirmed　with　such　airs　of　personal　contempt　that　he　finally
grew　angry。　　Then　the　discussion　became　an　angry　quarrel；　where　she　took
the　side　of　the　women　and　he　defended　the　men。　　He　had　the　conceit　to
declare：　〃Well；　I　swear　that　if　I　had　ever　been　deceived；　I　should　have
noticed　it；　and　immediately；　too。　　And　I　should　have　taken　away　your
desire　for　such　things　in　such　a　manner　that　it　would　have　taken　more
than　one　doctor　to　set　you　on　foot　again！〃

Boiling　with　anger；　she　cried　out　to　him：　〃You！　you！　why；　you're　as　big　a
fool　as　the　others；　do　you　hear！〃

He　still　maintained：　〃I　can　swear　to　you　that　I　am　not！〃

She　laughed　so　impertinently　that　he　felt　his　heart　beat　and　a　chill　run
down　his　back。　　For　the　third　time　he　said：

〃I　should　have　seen　it！〃

She　rose；　still　laughing　in　the　same　manner。　　She　slammed　the　door　and
left　the　room；　saying：　〃Well！　if　that　isn't　too　much！〃

Bondel　remained　alone；　ill　at　ease。　　That　insolent；　provoking　laugh　had
touched　him　to　the　quick。　　He　went　outside；　walked；　dreamed。　　The
realization　of　the　loneliness　of　his　new　life　made　him　sad　and　morbid。
The　neighbor；　whom　he　had　met　that　morning；　came　to　him　with　outstretched
hands。　　They　continued　their　walk　together。　　After　touching　on　various
subjects　they　came　to　talk　of　their　wives。　　Both　seemed　to　have　something
to　confide；　something　inexpressible；　vague；　about　these　beings　associated
with　their　lives；　their　wives。　　The　neighbor　was　saying：

〃Really；　at　times；　one　might　think　that　they　bear　some　particular　ill…
will　toward　their　husband；　just　because　he　is　a　husband。　　I　love　my　wife
I　love　her　very　much；　I　appreciate　and　respect　her；　well！　there　are
times　when　she　seems　to　have　more　confidence　and　faith　in　our　friends
than　in　me。〃

Bondel　immediately　thought：　〃There　is　no　doubt；　my　wife　was　right！〃

When　he　left　this　man　he　began　to　think　things