original short stories-8-第18部分

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〃Could　you　not；　monsieur；　tell　us　of　a　nice　walk　to　take；　short；　pretty；
and　not　steep；　and　pardon　my　troubling　you？〃

I　offered　to　show　them　the　way　toward　the　valley　through　which　the　little
river　flowed；　a　deep　valley　forming　a　gorge　between　two　tall；　craggy；
wooded　slopes。

They　gladly　accepted　my　offer。

And　we　talked；　naturally；　about　the　virtue　of　the　waters。

〃Oh；〃　he　said；　〃my　daughter　has　a　strange　malady；　the　seat　of　which　is
unknown。　　She　suffers　from　incomprehensible　nervous　attacks。　　At　one　time
the　doctors　think　she　has　an　attack　of　heart　disease；　at　another　time
they　imagine　it　is　some　affection　of　the　liver；　and　at　another　they
declare　it　to　be　a　disease　of　the　spine。　　To…day　this　protean　malady；
that　assumes　a　thousand　forms　and　a　thousand　modes　of　attack；　is
attributed　to　the　stomach；　which　is　the　great　caldron　and　regulator　of
the　body。　　This　is　why　we　have　come　here。　　For　my　part；　I　am　rather
inclined　to　think　it　is　the　nerves。　　In　any　case　it　is　very　sad。〃

Immediately　the　remembrance　of　the　violent　spasmodic　movement　of　his　hand
came　back　to　my　mind；　and　I　asked　him：

〃But　is　this　not　the　result　of　heredity？　　Are　not　your　own　nerves
somewhat　affected？〃

He　replied　calmly：

〃Mine？　　Oh；　no…my　nerves　have　always　been　very　steady。〃

Then；　suddenly；　after　a　pause；　he　went　on：

〃Ah！　　You　were　alluding　to　the　jerking　movement　of　my　hand　every　time　I
try　to　reach　for　anything？　　This　arises　from　a　terrible　experience　which
I　had。　　Just　imagine；　this　daughter　of　mine　was　actually　buried　alive！〃

I　could　only　utter；　〃Ah！〃　so　great　were　my　astonishment　and　emotion。

He　continued：

〃Here　is　the　story。　　It　is　simple。　　Juliette　had　been　subject　for　some
time　to　serious　attacks　of　the　heart。　　We　believed　that　she　had　disease
of　that　organ；　and　were　prepared　for　the　worst。

〃One　day　she　was　carried　into　the　house　cold；　lifeless；　dead。　　She　had
fallen　down　unconscious　in　the　garden。　　The　doctor　certified　that　life
was　extinct。　　I　watched　by　her　side　for　a　day　and　two　nights。　　I　laid　her
with　my　own　hands　in　the　coffin；　which　I　accompanied　to　the　cemetery；
where　she　was　deposited　in　the　family　vault。　　It　is　situated　in　the　very
heart　of　Lorraine。

〃I　wished　to　have　her　interred　with　her　jewels；　bracelets；　necklaces；
rings；　all　presents　which　she　had　received　from　me；　and　wearing　her　first
ball　dress。

〃You　may　easily　imagine　my　state　of　mind　when　I　re…entered　our　home。
She　was　the　only　one　I　had；　for　my　wife　had　been　dead　for　many　years。
I　found　my　way　to　my　own　apartment　in　a　half…distracted　condition；
utterly　exhausted；　and　sank　into　my　easy…chair；　without　the　capacity　to
think　or　the　strength　to　move。　　I　was　nothing　better　now　than　a
suffering；　vibrating　machine；　a　human　being　who　had；　as　it　were；　been
flayed　alive；　my　soul　was　like　an　open　wound。

〃My　old　valet；　Prosper；　who　had　assisted　me　in　placing　Juliette　in　her
coffin；　and　aided　me　in　preparing　her　for　her　last　sleep；　entered　the
room　noiselessly；　and　asked：

〃'Does　monsieur　want　anything？'

〃I　merely　shook　my　head　in　reply。

〃'Monsieur　is　wrong；'　he　urged。　　'He　will　injure　his　health。　　Would
monsieur　like　me　to　put　him　to　bed？'

〃I　answered：　'No；　let　me　alone！'

〃And　he　left　the　room。

〃I　know　not　how　many　hours　slipped　away。　　Oh；　what　a　night；　what　a　night！
It　was　cold。　　My　fire　had　died　out　in　the　huge　grate；　and　the　wind；　the
winter　wind；　an　icy　wind；　a　winter　hurricane；　blew　with　a　regular；
sinister　noise　against　the　windows。

〃How　many　hours　slipped　away？　　There　I　was　without　sleeping；　powerless；
crushed；　my　eyes　wide　open；　my　legs　stretched　out；　my　body　limp；
inanimate；　and　my　mind　torpid　with　despair。　　Suddenly　the　great　doorbell；
the　great　bell　of　the　vestibule；　rang　out。

〃I　started　so　that　my　chair　cracked　under　me。　　The　solemn；　ponderous
sound　vibrated　through　the　empty　country　house　as　through　a　vault。
I　turned　round　to　see　what　the　hour　was　by　the　clock。　　It　was　just　two　in
the　morning。　　Who　could　be　coming　at　such　an　hour？

〃And；　abruptly；　the　bell　again　rang　twice。　　The　servants；　without　doubt；
were　afraid　to　get　up。　　I　took　a　wax　candle　and　descended　the　stairs。
I　was　on　the　point　of　asking：　'Who　is　there？'

〃Then　I　felt　ashamed　of　my　weakness；　and　I　slowly　drew　back　the　heavy
bolts。　　My　heart　was　throbbing　wildly。　　I　was　frightened。　　I　opened　the
door　brusquely；　and　in　the　darkness　I　distinguished　a　white　figure；
standing　erect；　something　that　resembled　an　apparition。

〃I　recoiled　petrified　with　horror；　faltering：

〃'Who…who…who　are　you？'

〃A　voice　replied：

〃'It　is　I；　father。'

〃It　was　my　daughter。

〃I　really　thought　I　must　be　mad；　and　I　retreated　backward　before　this
advancing　spectre。　　I　kept　moving　away；　making　a　sign　with　my　hand；'　as
if　to　drive　the　phantom　away；　that　gesture　which　you　have　noticedthat
gesture　which　has　remained　with　me　ever　since。

〃'Do　not　be　afraid；　papa；'　said　the　apparition。　　'I　was　not　dead。
Somebody　tried　to　steal　my　rings　and　cut　one　of　my　fingers；　the　blood
began　to　flow；　and　that　restored　me　to　life。'

〃And；　in　fact；　I　could　see　that　her　hand　was　covered　with　blood。

〃I　fell　on　my　knees；　choking　with　sobs　and　with　a　rattling　in　my　throat。

〃Then；　when　I　had　somewhat　collected　my　thoughts；　though　I　was　still　so
bewildered　that　I　scarcely　realized　the　awesome　happiness　that　had
befallen　me；　I　made　her　go　up　to　my　room　and　sit　dawn　in　my　easy…chair；
then　I　rang　excitedly　for　Prosper　to　get　him　to　rekindle　the　fire　and　to
bring　some　wine；　and　to　summon　assistance。

〃The　man　entered；　stared　at　my　daughter；　opened　his　mouth　with　a　gasp　of
alarm　and　stupefaction；　and　then　fell　back　dead。

〃It　was　he　who　had　opened　the　vault；　who　had　mutilated　and　then　abandoned
my　daughter；　for　he　could　not　efface　the　traces　of　the　theft。　　He　had　not
even　taken　the　trouble　to　put　back　the　coffin　into　its　place；　feeling
sure；　besides；　that　he　would　not　be　suspected　by　me；　as　I　trusted　him
absolutely。

〃You　see；　monsieur；　that　we　are　very　unfortunate　people。〃

He　was　silent。

The　night　had　fallen；　casting　its　shadows　over　the　desolate；　mournful
vale；　and　a　sort　of　mysterious　fear　possessed　me　at　finding　myself　by　the
side　of　those　strange　beings；　of　this　young　girl　who　had　come　back　from
the　tomb；　and　this　father　with　his　uncanny　spasm。

I　found　it　impossible　to　make　any　comment　on　this　dreadful　story。　　I　only
murmured：

〃What　a　horrible　thing！〃

Then；　after　a　minute's　silence；　I　added：

〃Let　us　go　indoors。　　I　think　it　is　growing　cool。〃

And　we　made　our　way　back　to　the　hotel。






IN　THE　WOOD

As　the　mayor　was　about　to　sit　down　to　breakfast；　word　was　brought　to　him
that　the　rural　policeman；　with　two　prisoners；　was　awaiting　him　at　the
Hotel　de　Ville。　　He　went　there　at　once　and　found　old　Hochedur　standing
guard　before　a　middle…class　couple　whom　he　was　regarding　with　a　severe
expression　on　his　face。

The　man；　a　fat　old　fellow　with　a　red　nose　and　white　hair；　seemed　utterly
dejected；　while　the　woman；　a　little　roundabout　individual　with　shining
cheeks；　looked　at　the　official　who　had　arrested　them；　with　defiant　eyes。

〃What　is　it？　　What　is　it；　Hochedur？〃

The　rural　policeman　made　his　deposition：　He　had　gone　out　that　morning　at
his　usual　time；　in　order　to　patrol　his　beat　from　the　forest　of　Champioux
as　far　as　the　boundaries　of　Argenteuil。　　He　had　not　noticed　anything
unusual　in　the　country　except　that　it　was　a　fine　day；　and　that　the　wheat
was　doing　well；　when　the　son　of　old　Bredel；　who　was　going　over　his　vines；
called　out　to　him：　〃Here；　Daddy　Hochedur；　go　and　have　a　look　at　the
outskirts　of　the　wood。　　In　the　first　thicket　you　will　find　a　pair　of
pigeons　who　must　be　a　hundred　and　thirty　years　old　between　them！〃

He　went　in　the　direction　indicated；　entered　the　thicket；　and　there　he
heard　words　which　made　him　suspect　a　flagrant　breach　of　morality。
Advancing；　therefore；　on　his　hands　and　knees　as　if　to　surprise　a　poacher；
he　had　arrested　the　couple　whom　he　found　there。

The　mayor　looked　at　the　culprits　in　astonishment；　for　the　man　was
certainly　sixty；　and　the　woman　fifty…five　at　least；　and　he　began　to
question　them；　beginning　with　the　man；　who　replied　in　such　a　weak　voice
that　he　could　scarcely　be　heard。

〃What　is　your　name？〃

〃Nicholas　Beaurain。〃

〃Your　occupation？〃

〃Haberdasher；　in　the　Rue　des　Martyrs；　in　Paris。〃

〃What　were　you　doing　in　the　wood？〃

The　haberdasher　remained　silent；　with　his　eyes　on　his　fat　paunch；　and　his
hands　hanging　at　his　sides；　and　the　mayor　continued：

〃Do　you　deny　what　the　officer　of　the　municipal　authorities　states？〃

〃No；　monsieur。〃

〃So　you　confess　it？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃What　have　you　to　say　in　your　defence？〃

〃Nothing；　monsieur。〃

〃Where　did　you　meet　the　partner　in　your　misdemeanor？〃

〃She　is　my　wife；　monsieur。〃

〃Your　wife？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃Thenthenyou　do　not　live　together…in　Paris？〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　monsieur；　but　we　are　living　together！〃

〃But　in　that　caseyou　must　be　mad；　altogether　mad；　my　dear　sir；　to　get
caught　playing　lovers　in　the　country　at　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning。〃

The　haberdasher　seemed　ready　to　cry　with　shame；　and　he　muttered：　〃It　was
she　who　enticed　me！　　I　told　her　it　was　very　stupid；　but　when　a　woman　once
gets　a　thing　into　her　headyou　knowyou　cannot　get　it　out。〃

The　mayor；　who　liked　a　joke；　smiled　and　replied：　〃In　your　case；　the
contrary　ought　to　have　happened。　　You　would　not　be　here；　if　she　had　had
the　idea　only　in　her　head。〃

Then　Monsieur　Beauain　was　seized　with　rage　and　turning　to　his　wife；　he
said：　〃Do　you　see　to　what　you　have　brought　us　with　your　poetry？　　And　now
we　shall　have　to　go　before　the　courts　at　our　age；　for　a　breach　of　morals！
And　we　shall　have　to　shut　up　the　shop；　sell　our　good　will；　and　go　to　some
other　neighborhood！　　That's　what　it　has　come　to。〃

Madame　Beaurain　got　up；　and　without　looking　at　her　husband；　she　explained
herself　without　embarrassment；　without　useless　modesty；　and　almost
without　hesitation。

〃Of　course；　monsieur；　I　know　that　we　have　made　ourselves　ridiculous。
Will　you　allow　me　to　plead　my　cause　like　an　advocate；　or　rather　like　a
poor　woman？　　And　I　hope　that　you　will　be　kind　enough　to　send　us　home；　and
to　spare　us　the　di