original short stories-8-第22部分

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of　twenty…five　years。

He　went　home　to　reflect　on　this　strange　and　terrible　thing；　and　to　think
what　he　should　do。

But；　as　he　was　passing；　with　a　wax　candle　in　his　hand；　before　the　glass；
the　large　glass　in　which　he　had　contemplated　himself　and　admired　himself
before　he　started；　he　saw　reflected　there　an　elderly；　gray…haired　man；
and　suddenly　he　recollected　what　he　had　been　in　olden　days；　in　the　days
of　little　Lise。　　He　saw　himself　charming　and　handsome；　as　he　had　been
when　he　was　loved！　　Then；　drawing　the　light　nearer；　he　looked　at　himself
more　closely；　as　one　inspects　a　strange　thing　with　a　magnifying　glass；
tracing　the　wrinkles；　discovering　those　frightful　ravages；　which　he　had
not　perceived　till　now。

And　he　sat　down；　crushed　at　the　sight　of　himself；　at　the　sight　of　his
lamentable　image；　murmuring：

〃All　over；　Lormerin！〃






THE　PARROT

Everybody　in　Fecamp　knew　Mother　Patin's　story。　　She　had　certainly　been
unfortunate　with　her　husband；　for　in　his　lifetime　he　used　to　beat　her；
just　as　wheat　is　threshed　in　the　barn。

He　was　master　of　a　fishing　bark　and　had　married　her；　formerly；　because
she　was　pretty；　although　poor。

Patin　was　a　good　sailor；　but　brutal。　　He　used　to　frequent　Father　Auban's
inn；　where　he　would　usually　drink　four　or　five　glasses　of　brandy；　on
lucky　days　eight　or　ten　glasses　and　even　more；　according　to　his　mood。
The　brandy　was　served　to　the　customers　by　Father　Auban's　daughter；　a
pleasing　brunette；　who　attracted　people　to　the　house　only　by　her　pretty
face；　for　nothing　had　ever　been　gossiped　about　her。

Patin；　when　he　entered　the　inn；　would　be　satisfied　to　look　at　her　and　to
compliment　her　politely　and　respectfully。　　After　he　had　had　his　first
glass　of　brandy　he　would　already　find　her　much　nicer；　at　the　second　he
would　wink；　at　the　third　he　would　say。　　〃If　you　were　only　willing；
Mam'zelle　Desiree〃　without　ever　finishing　his　sentence；　at　the　fourth
he　would　try　to　hold　her　back　by　her　skirt　in　order　to　kiss　her；　and　when
he　went　as　high　as　ten　it　was　Father　Auban　who　brought　him　the　remaining
drinks。

The　old　innkeeper；　who　knew　all　the　tricks　of　the　trade；　made　Desiree
walk　about　between　the　tables　in　order　to　increase　the　consumption　of
drinks；　and　Desiree；　who　was　a　worthy　daughter　of　Father　Auban；　flitted
around　among　the　benches　and　joked　with　them；　her　lips　smiling　and　her
eyes　sparkling。

Patin　got　so　well　accustomed　to　Desiree's　face　that　he　thought　of　it　even
while　at　sea；　when　throwing　out　his　nets；　in　storms　or　in　calms；　on
moonlit　or　dark　evenings。　　He　thought　of　her　while　holding　the　tiller　in
the　stern　of　his　boat；　while　his　four　companions　were　slumbering　with
their　heads　on　their　arms。　　He　always　saw　her；　smiling；　pouring　out　the
yellow　brandy　with　a　peculiar　shoulder　movement　and　then　exclaiming　as
she　turned　away：　〃There；　now；　are　you　satisfied？〃

He　saw　her　so　much　in　his　mind's　eye　that　he　was　overcome　by　an
irresistible　desire　to　marry　her；　and；　not　being　able　to　hold　out　any
longer；　he　asked　for　her　hand。

He　was　rich；　owned　his　own　vessel；　his　nets　and　a　little　house　at　the
foot　of　the　hill　on　the　Retenue；　whereas　Father　Auban　had　nothing。　　The
marriage　was　therefore　eagerly　agreed　upon　and　the　wedding　took　place　as
soon　as　possible；　as　both　parties　were　desirous　for　the　affair　to　be
concluded　as　early　as　convenient。

Three　days　after　the　wedding　Patin　could　no　longer　understand　how　he　had
ever　imagined　Desiree　to　be　different　from　other　women。　　What　a　fool　he
had　been　to　encumber　himself　with　a　penniless　creature；　who　had
undoubtedly　inveigled　him　with　some　drug　which　she　had　put　in　his　brandy！

He　would　curse　all　day　lung；　break　his　pipe　with　his　teeth　and　maul　his
crew。　　After　he　had　sworn　by　every　known　term　at　everything　that　came　his
way　he　would　rid　himself　of　his　remaining　anger　on　the　fish　and　lobsters；
which　he　pulled　from　the　nets　and　threw　into　the　baskets　amid　oaths　and
foul　language。　　When　he　returned　home　he　would　find　his　wife；　Father
Auban's　daughter；　within　reach　of　his　mouth　and　hand；　and　it　was　not　long
before　he　treated　her　like　the　lowest　creature　in　the　world。　　As　she
listened　calmly；　accustomed　to　paternal　violence；　he　grew　exasperated　at
her　quiet；　and　one　evening　he　beat　her。　　Then　life　at　his　home　became
unbearable。

For　ten　years　the　principal　topic　of　conversation　on　the　Retenue　was
about　the　beatings　that　Patin　gave　his　wife　and　his　manner　of　cursing　at
her　for　the　least　thing。　　He　could；　indeed；　curse　with　a　richness　of
vocabulary　in　a　roundness　of　tone　unequalled　by　any　other　man　in　Fecamp。
As　soon　as　his　ship　was　sighted　at　the　entrance　of　the　harbor；　returning
from　the　fishing　expedition；　every　one　awaited　the　first　volley　he　would
hurl　from　the　bridge　as　soon　as　he　perceived　his　wife's　white　cap。

Standing　at　the　stern　he　would　steer；　his　eye　fixed　on　the　bows　and　on
the　sail；　and；　notwithstanding　the　difficulty　of　the　narrow　passage　and
the　height　of　the　turbulent　waves；　he　would　search　among　the　watching
women　and　try　to　recognize　his　wife；　Father　Auban's　daughter；　the　wretch！

Then；　as　soon　as　he　saw　her；　notwithstanding　the　noise　of　the　wind　and
waves；　he　would　let　loose　upon　her　with　such　power　and　volubility　that
every　one　would　laugh；　although　they　pitied　her　greatly。　　When　he　arrived
at　the　dock　he　would　relieve　his　mind；　while　unloading　the　fish；　in　such
an　expressive　manner　that　he　attracted　around　him　all　the　loafers　of　the
neighborhood。　　The　words　left　his　mouth　sometimes　like　shots　from　a
cannon；　short　and　terrible；　sometimes　like　peals　of　thunder；　which　roll
and　rumble　for　five　minutes；　such　a　hurricane　of　oaths　that　he　seemed　to
have　in　his　lungs　one　of　the　storms　of　the　Eternal　Father。

When　he　left　his　ship　and　found　himself　face　to　face　with　her；　surrounded
by　all　the　gossips　of　the　neighborhood；　he　would　bring　up　a　new　cargo　of
insults　and　bring　her　back　to　their　dwelling；　she　in　front；　he　behind；
she　weeping；　he　yelling　at　her。

At　last；　when　alone　with　her　behind　closed　doors；　he　would　thrash　her　on
the　slightest　pretext。　　The　least　thing　was　sufficient　to　make　him　raise
his　hand；　and　when　he　had　once　begun　he　did　not　stop；　but　he　would　throw
into　her　face　the　true　motive　for　his　anger。　　At　each　blow　he　would　roar：
〃There；　you　beggar！　　There；　you　wretch！　　There；　you　pauper！　　What　a
bright　thing　I　did　when　I　rinsed　my　mouth　with　your　rascal　of　a　father's
apology　for　brandy。

The　poor　woman　lived　in　continual　fear；　in　a　ceaseless　trembling　of　body
and　soul；　in　everlasting　expectation　of　outrageous　thrashings。

This　lasted　ten　years。　　She　was　so　timorous　that　she　would　grow　pale
whenever　she　spoke　to　any　one；　and　she　thought　of　nothing　but　the　blows
with　which　she　was　threatened；　and　she　became　thinner；　more　yellow　and
drier　than　a　smoked　fish。


II

One　night；　when　her　husband　was　at　sea；　she　was　suddenly　awakened　by　the
wild　roaring　of　the　wind！

She　sat　up　in　her　bed；　trembling；　but；　as　she　hear　nothing　more；　she　lay
down　again；　almost　immediately　there　was　a　roar　in　the　chimney　which
shook　the　entire　house；　it　seemed　to　cross　the　heavens　like　a　pack　of
furious　animals　snorting　and　roaring。

Then　she　arose　and　rushed　to　the　harbor。　　Other　women　were　arriving　from
all　sides；　carrying　lanterns。　　The　men　also　were　gathering；　and　all　were
watching　the　foaming　crests　of　the　breaking　wave。

The　storm　lasted　fifteen　hours。　　Eleven　sailors　never　returned；　Patin　was
among　them。

In　the　neighborhood　of　Dieppe　the　wreck　of　his　bark；　the　Jeune…Amelie；
was　found。　　The　bodies　of　his　sailors　were　found　near　Saint…Valery；　but
his　body　was　never　recovered。　　As　his　vessel　seemed　to　have　been　cut　in
two；　his　wife　expected　and　feared　his　return　for　a　long　time；　for　if
there　had　been　a　collision　he　alone　might　have　been　picked　up　and　carried
afar　off。

Little　by　little　she　grew　accustomed　to　the　thought　that　she　was　rid　of
him；　although　she　would　start　every　time　that　a　neighbor；　a　beggar　or　a
peddler　would　enter　suddenly。

One　afternoon；　about　four　years　after　the　disappearance　of　her　husband；
while　she　was　walking　along　the　Rue　aux　Juifs；　she　stopped　before　the
house　of　an　old　sea　captain　who　had　recently　died　and　whose　furniture　was
for　sale。　　Just　at　that　moment　a　parrot　was　at　auction。　　He　had　green
feathers　and　a　blue　head　and　was　watching　everybody　with　a　displeased
look。　　〃Three　francs！〃　cried　the　auctioneer。　　〃A　bird　that　can　talk　like
a　lawyer；　three　francs！〃

A　friend　of　the　Patin　woman　nudged　her　and　said：

〃You　ought　to　buy　that；　you　who　are　rich。　　It　would　be　good　company　for
you。　　That　bird　is　worth　more　than　thirty　francs。　　Anyhow；　you　can　always
sell　it　for　twenty　or　twenty…five！〃

Patin's　widow　added　fifty　centimes；　and　the　bird　was　given　her　in　a
little　cage；　which　she　carried　away。　　She　took　it　home；　and；　as　she　was
opening　the　wire　door　in　order　to　give　it　something　to　drink；　he　bit　her
finger　and　drew　blood。

〃Oh；　how　naughty　he　is！〃　she　said。

Nevertheless　she　gave　it　some　hemp…seed　and　corn　and　watched　it　pruning
its　feathers　as　it　glanced　warily　at　its　new　home　and　its　new　mistress。
On　the　following　morning；　just　as　day　was　breaking；　the　Patin　woman
distinctly　heard　a　loud；　deep；　roaring　voice　calling：　〃Are　you　going　to
get　up；　carrion？〃

Her　fear　was　so　great　that　she　hid　her　head　under　the　sheets；　for　when
Patin　was　with　her　as　soon　as　he　would　open　his　eyes　he　would　shout　those
well…known　words　into　her　ears。

Trembling；　rolled　into　a　ball；　her　back　prepared　for　the　thrashing　which
she　already　expected；　her　face　buried　in　the　pillows；　she　murmured：　〃Good
Lord！　　he　is　here！　　Good　Lord！　　he　is　here！　　Good　Lord！　　he　has　come
back！〃

Minutes　passed；　no　noise　disturbed　the　quiet　room。　　Then；　trembling；　she
stuck　her　head　out　of　the　bed；　sure　that　he　was　there；　watching；　ready　to
beat　her。　　Except　for　a　ray　of　sun　shining　through　the　window；　she　saw
nothing；　and　she　said　to　her　self：　〃He　must　be　hidden。〃

She　waited　a　long　time　and　then；　gaining　courage；　she　said　to　herself：　〃I
must　have　dreamed　it；　seeing　there　is　nobody　here。〃

A　little　reassured；　she　closed。　　her　eyes；　when　from　quite　near　a　furious
voice；　the　thunderous　voice　of　the　drowne