original short stories-3-第13部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


hear　her　protesting　indignantly　and　cursing　as　she　went　her　way。

Maillochon　held　out　the　gun　to　his　comrade；　saying：　〃It's　your　turn；
Chicot。〃

Labouise　aimed　and　fired。　　The　donkey　received　the　charge　in　his　thighs；
but　the　shot　was　so　small　and　came　from　such　a　distance　that　he　thought
he　was　being　stung　by　flies；　for　he　began　to　thrash　himself　with　his
tail。

Labouise　sat　down　to　laugh　more　comfortably；　while　Maillochon　reloaded
the　weapon；　so　happy　that　he　seemed　to　sneeze　into　the　barrel。　　He
stepped　forward　a　few　paces；　and；　aiming　at　the　same　place　that　his
friend　had　shot　at；　he　fired　again。　　This　time　the　beast　started；　tried
to　kick　and　turned　its　head。　　At　last　a　little　blood　was　running。　　It　had
been　wounded　and　felt　a　sharp　pain；　for　it　tried　to　run　away　with　a　slow；
limping；　jerky　gallop。

Both　men　darted　after　the　beast；　Maillochon　with　a　long　stride；　Labouise
with　the　short；　breathless　trot　of　a　little　man。　　But　the　donkey；　tired
out；　had　stopped；　and；　with　a　bewildered　look；　was　watching　his　two
murderers　approach。　　Suddenly　he　stretched　his　neck　and　began　to　bray。

Labouise；　out　of　breath；　had　taken　the　gun。　　This　time　he　walked　right　up
close；　as　he　did　not　wish　to　begin　the　chase　over　again。

When　the　poor　beast　had　finished　its　mournful　cry；　like　a　last　call　for
help；　the　man　called：　〃Hey；　Mailloche！　　Come　here；　sister；　I'm　going　to
give　him　some　medicine。〃　　And　while　the　other　man　was　forcing　the
animal's　mouth　open；　Chicot　stuck　the　barrel　of　his　gun　down　its　throat；
as　if　he　were　trying　to　make　it　drink　a　potion。　　Then　he　said：　〃Look　out；
sister；　here　she　goes！〃

He　pressed　the　trigger。　　The　donkey　stumbled　back　a　few　steps；　fell　down；
tried　to　get　up　again　and　finally　lay　on　its　side　and　closed　its　eyes：
The　whole　body　was　trembling；　its　legs　were　kicking　as　if　it　were；　trying
to　run。　　A　stream　of　blood　was　oozing　through　its　teeth。　　Soon　it　stopped
moving。　　It　was　dead。

The　two　men　went　along；　laughing。　　It　was　over　too　quickly；　they　had　not
had　their　money's　worth。　　Maillochon　asked：　〃Well；　what　are　we　going　to
do　now？〃

Labouise　answered：　〃Don't　worry；　sister。　　Get　the　thing　on　the　boat；
we're　going　to　have　some　fun　when　night　comes。〃

They　went　and　got　the　boat。　　The　animal's　body　was　placed　on　the　bottom；
covered　with　fresh　grass；　and　the　two　men　stretched　out　on　it　and　went　to
sleep。

Toward　noon　Labouise　drew　a　bottle　of　wine；　some　bread　and　butter　and　raw
onions　from　a　hiding　place　in　their　muddy；　worm…eaten　boat；　and　they
began　to　eat。

When　the　meal　was　over　they　once　more　stretched　out　on　the　dead　donkey
and　slept。　　At　nightfall　Labouise　awoke　and　shook　his　comrade；　who　was
snoring　like　a　buzzsaw。　　〃Come　on；　sister；〃　he　ordered。

Maillochon　began　to　row。　　As　they　had　plenty　of　time　they　went　up　the
Seine　slowly。　　They　coasted　along　the　reaches　covered　with　water…lilies；
and　the　heavy；　mud…covered　boat　slipped　over　the　lily　pads　and　bent　the
flowers；　which　stood　up　again　as　soon　as　they　had　passed。

When　they　reached　the　wall　of　the　Eperon；　which　separates　the　Saint…
Germain　forest　from　the　Maisons…Laffitte　Park；　Labouise　stopped　his
companion　and　explained　his　idea　to　him。　　Maillochon　was　moved　by　a
prolonged；　silent　laugh。

They　threw　into　the　water　the　grass　which　had　covered　the　body；　took　the
animal　by　the　feet　and　hid　it　behind　some　bushes。　　Then　they　got　into
their　boat　again　and　went　to　Maisons…Laffitte。

The　night　was　perfectly　black　when　they　reached　the　wine　shop　of　old　man
Jules。　　As　soon　as　the　dealer　saw　them　he　came　up；　shook　hands　with　them
and　sat　down　at　their　table。　　They　began　to　talk　of　one　thing　and
another。　　By　eleven　o'clock　the　last　customer　had　left　and　old　man　Jules
winked　at　Labouise　and　asked：　〃Well；　have　you　got　any？〃

Labouise　made　a　motion　with　his　head　and　answered：　〃Perhaps　so；　perhaps
not！〃

The　dealer　insisted：　〃Perhaps　you've　not　nothing　but　gray　ones？〃

Chicot　dug　his　hands　into　his　flannel　shirt；　drew　out　the　ears　of　a
rabbit　and　declared：　〃Three　francs　a　pair！〃

Then　began　a　long　discussion　about　the　price。　　Two　francs　sixty…five　and
the　two　rabbits　were　delivered。　　As　the　two　men　were　getting　up　to　go；
old　man　Jules；　who　had　been　watching　them；　exclaimed：

〃You　have　something　else；　but　you　won't　say　what。〃

Labouise　answered：　〃Possibly；　but　it　is　not　for　you；　you're　too　stingy。〃

The　man；　growing　eager；　kept　asking：　〃What　is　it？　　Something　big？
Perhaps　we　might　make　a　deal。〃

Labouise；　who　seemed　perplexed；　pretended　to　consult　Maillochon　with　a
glance。　　Then　he　answered　in　a　slow　voice：　〃This　is　how　it　is。　　We　were
in　the　bushes　at　Eperon　when　something　passed　right　near　us；　to　the　left；
at　the　end　of　the　wall。　　Mailloche　takes　a　shot　and　it　drops。　　We　skipped
on　account　of　the　game　people。　　I　can't　tell　you　what　it　is；　because　I
don't　know。　　But　it's　big　enough。　　But　what　is　it？　　If　I　told　you　I'd　be
lying；　and　you　know；　sister；　between　us　everything's　above…board。〃

Anxiously　the　man　asked：　〃Think　it's　venison？〃

Labouise　answered：　〃Might　be　and　then　again　it　might　not！　　Venison？uh！
uh！might　be　a　little　big　for　that！　　Mind　you；　I　don't　say　it's　a　doe；
because　I　don't　know；　but　it　might　be。〃

Still　the　dealer　insisted：　〃Perhaps　it's　a　buck？〃

Labouise　stretched　out　his　hand；　exclaiming：　〃No；　it's　not　that！　　It's
not　a　buck。　　I　should　have　seen　the　horns。　　No；　it's　not　a　buck！〃

〃Why　didn't　you　bring　it　with　you？〃　asked　the　man。

〃Because；　sister；　from　now　on　I　sell　from　where　I　stand。　　Plenty　of
people　will　buy。　　All　you　have　to　do　is　to　take　a　walk　over　there；　find
the　thing　and　take　it。　　No　risk　for　me。〃

The　innkeeper；　growing　suspicious；　exclaimed　〃Supposing　he　wasn't　there！〃

Labouise　once　more　raised　his　hand　and　said：

〃He's　there；　I　swear！first　bush　to　the　left。　　What　it　is；　I　don't　know。
But　it's　not　a　buck；　I'm　positive。　　It's　for　you　to　find　out　what　it　is。
Twenty…five　francs；　cash　down！〃

Still　the　man　hesitated：　〃Couldn't　you　bring　it？〃

Maillochon　exclaimed：　〃No；　indeed！　　You　know　our　price！　　Take　it　or　leave
it！〃

The　dealer　decided：　〃It's　a　bargain　for　twenty　francs！〃

And　they　shook　hands　over　the　deal。

Then　he　took　out　four　big　five…franc　pieces　from　the　cash　drawer；　and　the
two　friends　pocketed　the　money。　　Labouise　arose；　emptied　his　glass　and
left。　　As　he　was　disappearing　in　the　shadows　he　turned　round　to　exclaim：
〃It　isn't　a　buck。　　I　don't　know　what　it　is！but　it's　there。　　I'll　give
you　back　your　money　if　you　find　nothing！〃

And　he　disappeared　in　the　darkness。　　Maillochon；　who　was　following　him；
kept　punching　him　in　the　back　to　express　his　joy。






MOIRON

As　we　were　still　talking　about　Pranzini；　M。　Maloureau；　who　had　been
attorney　general　under　the　Empire；　said：　〃Oh！　I　formerly　knew　a　very
curious　affair；　curious　for　several　reasons；　as　you　will　see。

〃I　was　at　that　time　imperial　attorney　in　one　of　the　provinces。　　I　had　to
take　up　the　case　which　has　remained　famous　under　the　name　of　the　Moiron
case。

〃Monsieur　Moiron；　who　was　a　teacher　in　the　north　of　France；　enjoyed　an
excellent　reputation　throughout　the　whole　country。　　He　was　a　person　of
intelligence；　quiet；　very　religious；　a　little　taciturn；　he　had　married　in
the　district　of　Boislinot；　where　he　exercised　his　profession。　　He　had　had
three　children；　who　had　died　of　consumption；　one　after　the　other。　　From
this　time　he　seemed　to　bestow　upon　the　youngsters　confided　to　his　care
all　the　tenderness　of　his　heart。　　With　his　own　money　he　bought　toys　for
his　best　scholars　and　for　the　good　boys；　he　gave　them　little　dinners　and
stuffed　them　with　delicacies；　candy　and　cakes：　Everybody　loved　this　good
man　with　his　big　heart；　when　suddenly　five　of　his　pupils　died；　in　a
strange　manner；　one　after　the　other。　　It　was　supposed　that　there　was　an
epidemic　due　to　the　condition　of　the　water；　resulting　from　drought；　they
looked　for　the　causes　without　being　able　to　discover　them；　the　more　so
that　the　symptoms　were　so　peculiar。　　The　children　seemed　to　be　attacked
by　a　feeling　of　lassitude；　they　would　not　eat；　they　complained　of　pains
in　their　stomachs；　dragged　along　for　a　short　time；　and　died　in　frightful
suffering。

〃A　post…mortem　examination　was　held　over　the　last　one；　but　nothing　was
discovered。　　The　vitals　were　sent　to　Paris　and　analyzed；　and　they
revealed　the　presence　of　no　toxic　substance。

〃For　a　year　nothing　new　developed；　then　two　little　boys；　the　best
scholars　in　the　class；　Moiron's　favorites；　died　within　four　days　of　each
other。　　An　examination　of　the　bodies　was　again　ordered；　and　in　both　of
them　were　discovered　tiny　fragments　of　crushed　glass。　　The　conclusion
arrived　at　was　that　the　two　youngsters　must　imprudently　have　eaten　from
some　carelessly　cleaned　receptacle。　　A　glass　broken　over　a　pail　of　milk
could　have　produced　this　frightful　accident；　and　the　affair　would　have
been　pushed　no　further　if　Moiron's　servant　had　not　been　taken　sick　at
this　time。　　The　physician　who　was　called　in　noticed　the　same　symptoms　he
had　seen　in　the　children。　　He　questioned　her　and　obtained　the　admission
that　she　had　stolen　and　eaten　some　candies　that　had　been　bought　by　the
teacher　for　his　scholars。

〃On　an　order　from　the　court　the　schoolhouse　was　searched；　and　a　closet
was　found　which　was　full　of　toys　and　dainties　destined　for　the　children。
Almost　all　these　delicacies　contained　bits　of　crushed　glass　or　pieces　of
broken　needles！

〃Moiron　was　immediately　arrested；　but　he　seemed　so　astonished　and
indignant　at　the　suspicion　hanging　over　him　that　he　was　almost　released。
How　ever；　indications　of　his　guilt　kept　appearing；　and　baffled　in　my　mind
my　first　conviction；　based　on　his　excellent　reputation；　on　his　whole
life；　on　the　complete　absence　of　any　motive　for　such　a　crime。

〃Why　should　this　good；　simple；　religious　man　have　killed　little　children；
and　the　very　children　whom　he　seemed　to　love　the　most；　whom　he　spoiled
and　stuffed　with　sweet　things；　for　whom　he　spent　half　his　salary　in
buying　toys　and　bonbons？

〃One　must　consider　him　insane　to　believe　him　guilty　of　this　act。　　Now；
Moiron　seemed　so　normal；　so　quiet；　so　rational　and　sensible　that　it
seemed　impossible　to　adjudge　him　insane。

〃However；　the　proofs　kept　growing！