original short stories-8-第8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！



He　invariably　replied；　in　a　quiet；　weary　tone：

〃Why；　nothing　ails　me；　aunt！〃

And　when　she　persisted：

〃Ah！　　my　child；　answer　me；　answer　me　when　I　speak　to　you。　　If　you　knew
what　grief　you　caused　me；　you　would　always　answer；　and　you　would　not　look
at　me　that　way。　　Have　you　any　trouble？　　Tell　me！　　I'll　comfort　you！〃

He　went　away；　with　a　tired　air；　murmuring：

〃But　there　is　nothing　the　matter　with　me；　I　assure　you。〃

He　had　not　grown　much；　having　always　a　childish　look；　although　his
features　were　those　of　a　man。　　They　were；　however；　hard　and　badly　cut。
He　seemed　incomplete；　abortive；　only　half　finished；　and　disquieting　as　a
mystery。　　He　was　a　self…contained；　unapproachable　being；　in　whom　there
seemed　always　to　be　some　active；　dangerous　mental　labor　going　on。
Mademoiselle　Source　was　quite　conscious　of　all　this；　and　she　could　not
sleep　at　night；　so　great　was　her　anxiety。　　Frightful　terrors；　dreadful
nightmares　assailed　her。　　She　shut　herself　up　in　her　own　room；　and
barricaded　the　door；　tortured　by　fear。

What　was　she　afraid　of？　　She　could　not　tell。

She　feared　everything；　the　night；　the　walls；　the　shadows　thrown　by　the
moon　on　the　white　curtains　of　the　windows；　and；　above　all；　she　feared
him。

Why？

What　had　she　to　fear？　　Did　she　know　what　it　was？

She　could　live　this　way　no　longer！　　She　felt　certain　that　a　misfortune
threatened　her；　a　frightful　misfortune。

She　set　forth　secretly　one　morning；　and　went　into　the　city　to　see　her
relatives。　　She　told　them　about　the　matter　in　a　gasping　voice。　　The　two
women　thought　she　was　going　mad　and　tried　to　reassure　her。

She　said：

〃If　you　knew　the　way　he　looks　at　me　from　morning　till　night。　　He　never
takes　his　eyes　off　me！　　At　times；　I　feel　a　longing　to　cry　for　help；　to
call　in　the　neighbors；　so　much　am　I　afraid。　　But　what　could　I　say　to
them？　　He　does　nothing　but　look　at　me。〃

The　two　female　cousins　asked：

〃Is　he　ever　brutal　to　you？　　Does　he　give　you　sharp　answers？〃

She　replied：

〃No；　never；　he　does　everything　I　wish；　he　works　hard：　he　is　steady；　but　I
am　so　frightened　that　I　care　nothing　for　that。　　He　is　planning　something；
I　am　certain　of　thatquite　certain。　　I　don't　care　to　remain　all　alone
like　that　with　him　in　the　country。〃

The　relatives；　astonished　at　her　words；　declared　that　people　would　be
amazed；　would　not　understand；　and　they　advised　her　to　keep　silent　about
her　fears　and　her　plans；　without；　however；　dissuading　her　from　coming　to
reside　in　the　city；　hoping　in　that　way　that　the　entire　inheritance　would
eventually　fall　into　their　hands。

They　even　promised　to　assist　her　in　selling　her　house；　and　in　finding
another；　near　them。

Mademoiselle　Source　returned　home。　　But　her　mind　was　so　much　upset　that
she　trembled　at　the　slightest　noise；　and　her　hands　shook　whenever　any
trifling　disturbance　agitated　her。

Twice　she　went　again　to　consult　her　relatives；　quite　determined　now　not
to　remain　any　longer　in　this　way　in　her　lonely　dwelling。　　At　last；　she
found　a　little　cottage　in　the　suburbs；　which　suited　her；　and　she
privately　bought　it。

The　signature　of　the　contract　took　place　on　a　Tuesday　morning；　and
Mademoiselle　Source　devoted　the　rest　of　the　day　to　the　preparations　for
her　change　of　residence。

At　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening　she　got　into　the　diligence　which　passed
within　a　few　hundred　yards　of　her　house；　and　she　told　the　conductor　to
put　her　down　in　the　place　where　she　usually　alighted。　　The　man　called　out
to　her　as　he　whipped　his　horses：

〃Good　evening；　Mademoiselle　Sourcegood　night！〃

She　replied　as　she　walked　on：

〃Good　evening；　Pere　Joseph。〃　　Next　morning；　at　half…past　seven；　the
postman　who　conveyed　letters　to　the　village　noticed　at　the　cross…road；
not　far　from　the　high　road；　a　large　splash　of　blood　not　yet　dry。　　He　said
to　himself：　〃Hallo！　some　boozer　must　have　had　a　nose　bleed。〃

But　he　perceived　ten　paces　farther　on　a　pocket　handkerchief　also　stained
with　blood。　　He　picked　it　up。　　The　linen　was　fine；　and　the　postman；　in
alarm；　made　his　way　over　to　the　ditch；　where　he　fancied　he　saw　a　strange
object。

Mademoiselle　Source　was　lying　at　the　bottom　on　the　grass；　her　throat　cut
with　a　knife。

An　hour　later；　the　gendarmes；　the　examining　magistrate；　and　other
authorities　made　an　inquiry　as　to　the　cause　of　death。

The　two　female　relatives；　called　as　witnesses；　told　all　about　the　old
maid's　fears　and　her　last　plans。

The　orphan　was　arrested。　　After　the　death　of　the　woman　who　had　adopted
him；　he　wept　from　morning　till　night；　plunged；　at　least　to　all
appearance；　in　the　most　violent　grief。

He　proved　that　he　had　spent　the　evening　up　to　eleven　o'clock　in　a　cafe。
Ten　persons　had　seen　him；　having　remained　there　till　his　departure。

The　driver　of　the　diligence　stated　that　he　had　set　down　the　murdered
woman　on　the　road　between　half…past　nine　and　ten　o'clock。

The　accused　was　acquitted。　　A　will；　drawn　up　a　long　time　before；　which
had　been　left　in　the　hands　of　a　notary　in　Rennes；　made　him　sole　heir。
So　he　inherited　everything。

For　a　long　time；　the　people　of　the　country　boycotted　him；　as　they　still
suspected　him。　　His　house；　that　of　the　dead　woman；　was　looked　upon　as
accursed。　　People　avoided　him　in　the　street。

But　he　showed　himself　so　good…natured；　so　open；　so　familiar；　that
gradually　these　horrible　doubts　were　forgotten。　　He　was　generous；
obliging；　ready　to　talk　to　the　humblest　about　anything；　as　long　as　they
cared　to　talk　to　him。

The　notary；　Maitre　Rameau；　was　one　of　the　first　to　take　his　part；
attracted　by　his　smiling　loquacity。　　He　said　at　a　dinner；　at　the　tax
collector's　house：

〃A　man　who　speaks　with　such　facility　and　who　is　always　in　good　humor
could　not　have　such　a　crime　on　his　conscience。〃

Touched　by　his　argument；　the　others　who　were　present　reflected；　and　they
recalled　to　mind　the　long　conversations　with　this　man　who　would　almost
compel　them　to　stop　at　the　road　corners　to　listen　to　his　ideas；　who
insisted　on　their　going　into　his　house　when　they　were　passing　by　his
garden；　who　could　crack　a　joke　better　than　the　lieutenant　of　the
gendarmes　himself；　and　who　possessed　such　contagious　gaiety　that；　in
spite　of　the　repugnance　with　which　he　inspired　them；　they　could　not　keep
from　always　laughing　in　his　company。

All　doors　were　opened　to　him　after　a　time。

He　is　to…day　the　mayor　of　his　township。






THE　BEGGAR

He　had　seen　better　days；　despite　his　present　misery　and　infirmities。

At　the　age　of　fifteen　both　his　legs　had　been　crushed　by　a　carriage　on　the
Varville　highway。　　From　that　time　forth　he　begged；　dragging　himself　along
the　roads　and　through　the　farmyards；　supported　by　crutches　which　forced
his　shoulders　up　to　his　ears。　　His　head　looked　as　if　it　were　squeezed　in
between　two　mountains。

A　foundling；　picked　up　out　of　a　ditch　by　the　priest　of　Les　Billettes　on
the　eve　of　All　Saints'　Day　and　baptized；　for　that　reason；　Nicholas
Toussaint；　reared　by　charity；　utterly　without　education；　crippled　in
consequence　of　having　drunk　several　glasses　of　brandy　given　him　by　the
baker　（such　a　funny　story！）　and　a　vagabond　all　his　life　afterwardthe
only　thing　he　knew　how　to　do　was　to　hold　out　his　hand　for　alms。

At　one　time　the　Baroness　d'Avary　allowed　him　to　sleep　in　a　kind　of　recess
spread　with　straw；　close　to　the　poultry　yard　in　the　farm　adjoining　the
chateau；　and　if　he　was　in　great　need　he　was　sure　of　getting　a　glass　of
cider　and　a　crust　of　bread　in　the　kitchen。　　Moreover；　the　old　lady　often
threw　him　a　few　pennies　from　her　window。　　But　she　was　dead　now。

In　the　villages　people　gave　him　scarcely　anythinghe　was　too　well　known。
Everybody　had　grown　tired　of　seeing　him；　day　after　day　for　forty　years；
dragging　his　deformed　and　tattered　person　from　door　to　door　on　his　wooden
crutches。　　But　he　could　not　make　up　his　mind　to　go　elsewhere；　because　he
knew　no　place　on　earth　but　this　particular　corner　of　the　country；　these
three　or　four　villages　where　he　had　spent　the　whole　of　his　miserable
existence。　　He　had　limited　his　begging　operations　and　would　not　for
worlds　have　passed　his　accustomed　bounds。

He　did　not　even　know　whether　the　world　extended　for　any　distance　beyond
the　trees　which　had　always　bounded　his　vision。　　He　did　not　ask　himself
the　question。　　And　when　the　peasants；　tired　of　constantly　meeting　him　in
their　fields　or　along　their　lanes；　exclaimed：　〃Why　don't　you　go　to　other
villages　instead　of　always　limping　about　here？〃　he　did　not　answer；　but
slunk　away；　possessed　with　a　vague　dread　of　the　unknownthe　dread　of　a
poor　wretch　who　fears　confusedly　a　thousand　thingsnew　faces；　taunts；
insults；　the　suspicious　glances　of　people　who　do　not　know　him　and　the
policemen　walking　in　couples　on　the　roads。　　These　last　he　always
instinctively　avoided；　taking　refuge　in　the　bushes　or　behind　heaps　of
stones　when　he　saw　them　coming。

When　he　perceived　them　in　the　distance；　'With　uniforms　gleaming　in　the
sun；　he　was　suddenly　possessed　with　unwonted　agilitythe　agility　of　a
wild　animal　seeking　its　lair。　　He　threw　aside　his　crutches；　fell　to　the
ground　like　a　limp　rag；　made　himself　as　small　as　possible　and　crouched
like　a　bare　under　cover；　his　tattered　vestments　blending　in　hue　with　the
earth　on　which　he　cowered。

He　had　never　had　any　tr