original short stories-8-第9节

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like　a　bare　under　cover；　his　tattered　vestments　blending　in　hue　with　the
earth　on　which　he　cowered。

He　had　never　had　any　trouble　with　the　police；　but　the　instinct　to　avoid
them　was　in　his　blood。　　He　seemed　to　have　inherited　it　from　the　parents
he　had　never　known。

He　had　no　refuge；　no　roof　for　his　head；　no　shelter　of　any　kind。　　In
summer　he　slept　out　of　doors　and　in　winter　he　showed　remarkable　skill　in
slipping　unperceived　into　barns　and　stables。　　He　always　decamped　before
his　presence　could　be　discovered。　　He　knew　all　the　holes　through　which
one　could　creep　into　farm　buildings；　and　the　handling　of　his　crutches
having　made　his　arms　surprisingly　muscular　he　often　hauled　himself　up
through　sheer　strength　of　wrist　into　hay…lofts；　where　he　sometimes
remained　for　four　or　five　days　at　a　time；　provided　he　had　collected　a
sufficient　store　of　food　beforehand。

He　lived　like　the　beasts　of　the　field。　　He　was　in　the　midst　of　men；　yet
knew　no　one；　loved　no　one；　exciting　in　the　breasts　of　the　peasants　only　a
sort　of　careless　contempt　and　smoldering　hostility。　　They　nicknamed　him
〃Bell；〃　because　he　hung　between　his　two　crutches　like　a　church　bell
between　its　supports。

For　two　days　he　had　eaten　nothing。　　No　one　gave　him　anything　now。　　Every
one's　patience　was　exhausted。　　Women　shouted　to　him　from　their　doorsteps
when　they　saw　him　coming：

〃Be　off　with　you；　you　good…for…nothing　vagabond！　　Why；　I　gave　you　a　piece
of　bread　only　three　days　ago！

And　he　turned　on　his　crutches　to　the　next　house；　where　he　was　received　in
the　same　fashion。

The　women　declared　to　one　another　as　they　stood　at　their　doors：

〃We　can't　feed　that　lazy　brute　all　the　year　round！〃

And　yet　the　〃lazy　brute〃　needed　food　every　day。

He　had　exhausted　Saint…Hilaire；　Varville　and　Les　Billettes　without
getting　a　single　copper　or　so　much　as　a　dry　crust。　　His　only　hope　was　in
Tournolles；　but　to　reach　this　place　he　would　have　to　walk　five　miles
along　the　highroad；　and　he　felt　so　weary　that　he　could　hardly　drag
himself　another　yard。　　His　stomach　and　his　pocket　were　equally　empty；　but
he　started　on　his　way。

It　was　December　and　a　cold　wind　blew　over　the　fields　and　whistled　through
the　bare　branches　of　the　trees；　the　clouds　careered　madly　across　the
black；　threatening　sky。　　The　cripple　dragged　himself　slowly　along；
raising　one　crutch　after　the　other　with　a　painful　effort；　propping
himself　on　the　one　distorted　leg　which　remained　to　him。

Now　and　then　he　sat　down　beside　a　ditch　for　a　few　moments'　rest。　　Hunger
was　gnawing　his　vitals；　and　in　his　confused；　slow…working　mind　he　had
only　one　idea…to　eat…but　how　this　was　to　be　accomplished　he　did　not　know。
For　three　hours　he　continued　his　painful　journey。　　Then　at　last　the　sight
of　the　trees　of　the　village　inspired　him　with　new　energy。

The　first　peasant　he　met；　and　of　whom　he　asked　alms；　replied：

〃So　it's　you　again；　is　it；　you　old　scamp？　　Shall　I　never　be　rid　of　you？〃

And　〃Bell〃　went　on　his　way。　　At　every　door　he　got　nothing　but　hard　words。
He　made　the　round　of　the　whole　village；　but　received　not　a　halfpenny　for
his　pains。

Then　he　visited　the　neighboring　farms；　toiling　through　the　muddy　land；　so
exhausted　that　he　could　hardly　raise　his　crutches　from　the　ground。　　He
met　with　the　same　reception　everywhere。　　It　was　one　of　those　cold；　bleak
days；　when　the　heart　is　frozen　and　the　temper　irritable；　and　hands　do　not
open　either　to　give　money　or　food。

When　he　had　visited　all　the　houses　he　knew；　〃Bell〃　sank　down　in　the
corner　of　a　ditch　running　across　Chiquet's　farmyard。　　Letting　his
crutches　slip　to　the　ground；　he　remained　motionless；　tortured　by　hunger；
but　hardly　intelligent　enough　to　realize　to　the　full　his　unutterable
misery。

He　awaited　he　knew　not　what；　possessed　with　that　vague　hope　which
persists　in　the　human　heart　in　spite　of　everything。　　He　awaited　in　the
corner　of　the　farmyard　in　the　biting　December　wind；　some　mysterious　aid
from　Heaven　or　from　men；　without　the　least　idea　whence　it　was　to　arrive。
A　number　of　black　hens　ran　hither　and　thither；　seeking　their　food　in　the
earth　which　supports　all　living　things。　　Ever　now　and　then　they　snapped
up　in　their　beaks　a　grain　of　corn　or　a　tiny　insect；　then　they　continued
their　slow；　sure　search　for　nutriment。

〃Bell〃　watched　them　at　first　without　thinking　of　anything。　　Then　a
thought　occurred　rather　to　his　stomach　than　to　his　mindthe　thought　that
one　of　those　fowls　would　be　good　to　eat　if　it　were　cooked　over　a　fire　of
dead　wood。

He　did　not　reflect　that　he　was　going　to　commit　a　theft。　　He　took　up　a
stone　which　lay　within　reach；　and；　being　of　skillful　aim；　killed　at　the
first　shot　the　fowl　nearest　to　him。　　The　bird　fell　on　its　side；　flapping
its　wings。　　The　others　fled　wildly　hither　and　thither；　and　〃Bell；〃
picking　up　his　crutches；　limped　across　to　where　his　victim　lay。

Just　as　he　reached　the　little　black　body　with　its　crimsoned　head　he
received　a　violent　blow　in　his　back　which　made　him　let　go　his　hold　of　his
crutches　and　sent　him　flying　ten　paces　distant。　　And　Farmer　Chiquet；
beside　himself　with　rage；　cuffed　and　kicked　the　marauder　with　all　the
fury　of　a　plundered　peasant　as　〃Bell〃　lay　defenceless　before　him。

The　farm　hands　came　up　also　and　joined　their　master　in　cuffing　the　lame
beggar。　　Then　when　they　were　tired　of　beating　him　they　carried　him　off
and　shut　him　up　in　the　woodshed；　while　they　went　to　fetch　the　police。

〃Bell；〃　half　dead；　bleeding　and　perishing　with　hunger；　lay　on　the　floor。
Evening　camethen　nightthen　dawn。　　And　still　he　had　not　eaten。

About　midday　the　police　arrived。　　They　opened　the　door　of　the　woodshed
with　the　utmost　precaution；　fearing　resistance　on　the　beggar's　part；　for
Farmer　Chiquet　asserted　that　he　had　been　attacked　by　him　and　had　had
great；　difficulty　in　defending　himself。

The　sergeant　cried：

〃Come；　get　up！〃

But　〃Bell〃　could　not　move。　　He　did　his　best　to　raise　himself　on　his
crutches；　but　without　success。　　The　police；　thinking　his　weakness
feigned；　pulled　him　up　by　main　force　and　set　him　between　the　crutches。

Fear　seized　himhis　native　fear　of　a　uniform；　the　fear　of　the　game　in
presence　of　the　sportsman；　the　fear　of　a　mouse　for　a　cat…and　by　the
exercise　of　almost　superhuman　effort　he　succeeded　in　remaining　upright。

〃Forward！〃　said　the　sergeant。　　He　walked。　　All　the　inmates　of　the　farm
watched　his　departure。　　The　women　shook　their　fists　at　him　the　men
scoffed　at　and　insulted　him。　　He　was　taken　at　last！　　Good　riddance！
He　went　off　between　his　two　guards。　　He　mustered　sufficient　energythe
energy　of　despairto　drag　himself　along　until　the　evening；　too　dazed　to
know　what　was　happening　to　him；　too　frightened　to　understand。

People　whom　he　met　on　the　road　stopped　to　watch　him　go　by　and　peasants
muttered：

〃It's　some　thief　or　other。〃

Toward　evening　he　reached　the　country　town。　　He　had　never　been　so　far
before。　　He　did　not　realize　in　the　least　what　he　was　there　for　or　what
was　to　become　of　him。　　All　the　terrible　and　unexpected　events　of　the　last
two　days；　all　these　unfamiliar　faces　and　houses　struck　dismay　into　his
heart。

He　said　not　a　word；　having　nothing　to　say　because　he　understood　nothing。
Besides；　he　had　spoken　to　no　one　for　so　many　years　past　that　he　had
almost　lost　the　use　of　his　tongue；　and　his　thoughts　were　too
indeterminate　to　be　put　into　words。

He　was　shut　up　in　the　town　jail。　　It　did　not　occur　to　the　police　that　he
might　need　food；　and　he　was　left　alone　until　the　following　day。
But　when　in　the　early　morning　they　came　to　examine　him　he　was　found　dead
on　the　floor。　　Such　an　astonishing　thing！






THE　RABBIT

Old　Lecacheur　appeared　at　the　door　of　his　house　between　five　and　a
quarter　past　five　in　the　morning；　his　usual　hour；　to　watch　his　men　going
to　work。

He　was　only　half　awake；　his　face　was　red；　and　with　his　right　eye　open　and
the　left　nearly　closed；　he　was　buttoning　his　braces　over　his　fat　stomach
with　some　difficulty；　at　the　same　time　looking　into　every　corner　of　the
farmyard　with　a　searching　glance。　　The　sun　darted　its　oblique　rays
through　the　beech　trees　by　the　side　of　the　ditch　and　athwart　the　apple
trees　outside；　and　was　making　the　cocks　crow　on　the　dunghill；　and　the
pigeons　coo　on　the　roof。　　The　smell　of　the　cow　stable　came　through　the
open　door；　and　blended　in　the　fresh　morning　air　with　the　pungent　odor　of
the　stable；　where　the　horses　were　neighing；　with　their　heads　turned
toward　the　light。

As　soon　as　his　trousers　were　properly　fastened；　Lecacheur　came　out；　and
went；　first　of　all；　toward　the　hen　house　to　count　the　morning's　eggs；　for
he　had　been　afraid　of　thefts　for　some　time；　but　the　servant　girl　ran　up
to　him　with　lifted　arms　and　cried：

〃Master！　master！　they　have　stolen　a　rabbit　during　the　night。〃

〃A　rabbit？〃

〃Yes；　master；　the　big　gray　rabbit；　from　the　hutch　on　the　left〃；　whereupon
the　farmer　completely　opened　his　left　eye；　and　said；　simply：

〃I　must　see　about　that。〃

And　off　he　went　to　inspect　it。　　The　hutch　had　been　broken　open　and　the
rabbit　was　gone。　　Then　he　became　thoughtful；　closed　his　right　eye　again；
and　scratched　his　nose；　and　after　a　little　consideration；　he　said　to　the
frightened　girl；　who　was　standing　stupidly　before　her　master：

〃Go　and　fetch　the　ge