original short stories-3-第14部分

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seemed　impossible　to　adjudge　him　insane。

〃However；　the　proofs　kept　growing！　　In　none　of　the　candies　that　were
bought　at　the　places　where　the　schoolmaster　secured　his　provisions　could
the　slightest　trace　of　anything　suspicious　be　found。

〃He　then　insisted　that　an　unknown　enemy　must　have　opened　his　cupboard
with　a　false　key　in　order　to　introduce　the　glass　and　the　needles　into　the
eatables。　　And　he　made　up　a　whole　story　of　an　inheritance　dependent　on
the　death　of　a　child；　determined　on　and　sought　by　some　peasant；　and
promoted　thus　by　casting　suspicions　on　the　schoolmaster。　　This　brute；　he
claimed；　did　not　care　about　the　other　children　who　were　forced　to　die　as
well。

〃The　story　was　possible。　　The　man　appeared　to　be　so　sure　of　himself　and
in　such　despair　that　we　should　undoubtedly　have　acquitted　him；
notwithstanding　the　charges　against　him；　if　two　crushing　discoveries　had
not　been　made；　one　after　the　other。

〃The　first　one　was　a　snuffbox　full　of　crushed　glass；　his　own　snuffbox；
hidden　in　the　desk　where　he　kept　his　money！

〃He　explained　this　new　find　in　an　acceptable　manner；　as　the　ruse　of　the
real　unknown　criminal。　　But　a　mercer　from　Saint…Marlouf　came　to　the
presiding　judge　and　said　that　a　gentleman　had　several　times　come　to　his
store　to　buy　some　needles；　and　he　always　asked　for　the　thinnest　needles
he　could　find；　and　would　break　them　to　see　whether　they　pleased　him。　　The
man　was　brought　forward　in　the　presence　of　a　dozen　or　more　persons；　and
immediately　recognized　Moiron。　　The　inquest　revealed　that　the
schoolmaster　had　indeed　gone　into　Saint…Marlouf　on　the　days　mentioned　by
the　tradesman。

〃I　will　pass　over　the　terrible　testimony　of　children　on　the　choice　of
dainties　and　the　care　which　he　took　to　have　them　eat　the　things　in　his
presence；　and　to　remove　the　slightest　traces。

〃Public　indignation　demanded　capital　punishment；　and　it　became　more　and
more　insistent；　overturning　all　objections。

〃Moiron　was　condemned　to　death；　and　his　appeal　was　rejected。　　Nothing　was
left　for　him　but　the　imperial　pardon。　　I　knew　through　my　father　that　the
emperor　would　not　grant　it。

〃One　morning；　as　I　was　working　in　my　study；　the　visit　of　the　prison
almoner　was　announced。　　He　was　an　old　priest　who　knew　men　well　and
understood　the　habits　of　criminals。　　He　seemed　troubled；　ill　at　ease；
nervous。　　After　talking　for　a　few　minutes　about　one　thing　and　another；　he
arose　and　said　suddenly：　'If　Moiron　is　executed；　monsieur；　you　will　have
put　an　innocent　man　to　death。'

〃Then　he　left　without　bowing；　leaving　me　behind　with　the　deep　impression
made　by　his　words。　　He　had　pronounced　them　in　such　a　sincere　and　solemn
manner；　opening　those　lips；　closed　and　sealed　by　the　secret　of
confession；　in　order　to　save　a　life。

〃An　hour　later　I　left　for　Paris；　and　my　father　immediately　asked　that　I
be　granted　an　audience　with　the　emperor。

〃The　following　day　I　was　received。　　His　majesty　was　working　in　a　little
reception　room　when　we　were　introduced。　　I　described　the　whole　case；　and
I　was　just　telling　about　the　priest's　visit　when　a　door　opened　behind　the
sovereign's　chair　and　the　empress；　who　supposed　he　was　alone；　appeared。
His　majesty；　Napoleon；　consulted　her。　　As　soon　as　she　had　heard　the
matter；　she　exclaimed：　'This　man　must　be　pardoned。　　He　must；　since　he　is
innocent。'

〃Why　did　this　sudden　conviction　of　a　religious　woman　cast　a　terrible
doubt　in　my　mind？

〃Until　then　I　had　ardently　desired　a　change　of　sentence。　　And　now　I
suddenly　felt　myself　the　toy；　the　dupe　of　a　cunning　criminal　who　had
employed　the　priest　and　confession　as　a　last　means　of　defence。

〃I　explained　my　hesitancy　to　their　majesties。　　The　emperor　remained
undecided；　urged　on　one　side　by　his　natural　kindness　and　held　back　on　the
other　by　the　fear　of　being　deceived　by　a　criminal；　but　the　empress；　who
was　convinced　that　the　priest　had　obeyed　a　divine　inspiration；　kept
repeating：　'Never　mind！　　It　is　better　to　spare　a　criminal　than　to　kill　an
innocent　man！'　Her　advice　was　taken。　　The　death　sentence　was　commuted　to
one　of　hard　labor。

〃A　few　years　later　I　heard　that　Moiron　had　again　been　called　to　the
emperor's　attention　on　account　of　his　exemplary　conduct　in　the　prison　at
Toulon　and　was　now　employed　as　a　servant　by　the　director　of　the
penitentiary。

〃For　a　long　time　I　heard　nothing　more　of　this　man。　　〃But　about　two　years
ago；　while　I　was　spending　a　summer　near　Lille　with　my　cousin；　De
Larielle；　I　was　informed　one　evening；　just　as　we　were　sitting　down　to
dinner；　that　a　young　priest　wished　to　speak　to　me。

〃I　had　him　shown　in　and　he　begged　me　to　come　to　a　dying　man　who　desired
absolutely　to　see　me。　　This　had　often　happened　to　me　in　my　long　career　as
a　magistrate；　and；　although　I　had　been　set　aside　by　the　Republic；　I　was
still　often　called　upon　in　similar　circumstances。　　I　therefore　followed
the　priest；　who　led　me　to　a　miserable　little　room　in　a　large　tenement
house。

〃There　I　found　a　strange…looking　man　on　a　bed　of　straw；　sitting　with　his
back　against　the　wall；　in　order　to　get　his　breath。　　He　was　a　sort　of
skeleton；　with　dark；　gleaming　eyes。

〃As　soon　as　he　saw　me；　he　murmured：　'Don't　you　recognize　me？'

〃'No。'

〃'I　am　Moiron。'

〃I　felt　a　shiver　run　through　me；　and　I　asked　'The　schoolmaster？'

〃'Yes。'

〃'How　do　you　happen　to　be　here？'

〃'The　story　is　too　long。　　I　haven't　time　to　tell　it。　　I　was　going　to　die
and　that　priest　was　brought　to　meand　as　I　knew　that　you　were　here　I
sent　for　you。　　It　is　to　you　that　I　wish　to　confesssince　you　were　the
one　who　once　saved　my　life。'

〃His　hands　clutched　the　straw　of　his　bed　through　the　sheet　and　he
continued　in　a　hoarse；　forcible　and　low　tone：　'You　seeI　owe　you　the
truthI　owe　it　to　youfor　it　must　be　told　to　some　one　before　I　leave
this　earth。

〃'It　is　I　who　killed　the　childrenall　of　them。　　I　did　itfor　revenge！

〃'Listen。　　I　was　an　honest；　straightforward；　pure　manadoring　Godthis
good　Fatherthis　Master　who　teaches　us　to　love；　and　not　the　false　God；
the　executioner；　the　robber；　the　murderer　who　governs　the　earth。　　I　had
never　done　any　harm；　I　had　never　committed　an　evil　act。　　I　was　as　good　as
it　is　possible　to　be；　monsieur。

〃'I　married　and　had　children；　and　I　loved　them　as　no　father　or　mother
ever　loved　their　children。　　I　lived　only　for　them。　　I　was　wild　about
them。　　All　three　of　them　died！　　Why？　　why？　　What　had　I　done？　　I　was
rebellious；　furious；　and　suddenly　my　eyes　were　opened　as　if　I　were　waking
up　out　of　a　sleep。　　I　understood　that　God　is　bad。　　Why　had　He　killed　my
children？　　I　opened　my　eyes　and　saw　that　He　loves　to　kill。　　He　loves　only
that；　monsieur。　　He　gives　life　but　to　destroy　it！　　God；　monsieur；　is　a
murderer！　　He　needs　death　every　day。　　And　He　makes　it　of　every　variety；
in　order　the　better　to　be　amused。　　He　has　invented　sickness　and　accidents
in　order　to　give　Him　diversion　all　through　the　months　and　the　years；　and
when　He　grows　tired　of　this；　He　has　epidemics；　the　plague；　cholera；
diphtheria；　smallpox；　everything　possible！　　But　this　does　not　satisfy
Him；　all　these　things　are　too　similar；　and　so　from　time　to　time　He　has
wars；　in　order　to　see　two　hundred　thousand　soldiers　killed　at　once；
crushed　in　blood　and　in　the　mud；　blown　apart；　their　arms　and　legs　torn
off；　their　heads　smashed　by　bullets；　like　eggs　that　fall　on　the　ground。

〃'But　this　is　not　all。　　He　has　made　men　who　eat　each　other。　　And　then；　as
men　become　better　than　He；　He　has　made　beasts；　in　order　to　see　men　hunt
them；　kill　them　and　eat　them。　　That　is　not　all。　　He　has　made　tiny　little
animals　which　live　one　day；　flies　who　die　by　the　millions　in　one　hour；
ants　which　we　are　continually　crushing　under　our　feet；　and　so　many；　many
others　that　we　cannot　even　imagine。　　And　all　these　things　are　continually
killing　each　other　and　dying。　　And　the　good　Lord　looks　on　and　is　amused；
for　He　sees　everything；　the　big　ones　as　well　as　the　little　ones；　those
who　are　in　the　drops　of　water　and　those　in　the　other　firmaments。　　He
watches　them　and　is　amused。　　Wretch！

〃'Then；　monsieur；　I　began　to　kill　children　played　a　trick　on　Him。　　He　did
not　get　those。　　It　was　not　He；　but　I！　　And　I　would　have　killed　many
others；　but　you　caught　me。　　There！

〃'I　was　to　be　executed。　　I！　　How　He　would　have　laughed！　　Then　I　asked　for
a　priest；　and　I　lied。　　I　confessed　to　him。　　I　lied　and　I　lived。

〃'Now；　all　is　over。　　I　can　no　longer　escape　from　Him。　　I　no　longer　fear
Him；　monsieur；　I　despise　Him　too　much。'

〃This　poor　wretch　was　frightful　to　see　as　he　lay　there　gasping；　opening
an　enormous　mouth　in　order　to　utter　words　which　could　scarcely　be　heard；
his　breath　rattling；　picking　at　his　bed　and　moving　his　thin　legs　under　a
grimy　sheet　as　though　trying　to　escape。

〃Oh！　　The　mere　remembrance　of　it　is　frightful！

〃'You　have　nothing　more　to　say？'　I　asked。

〃'No；　monsieur。'

〃'Then；　farewell。'

〃'Farewell；　monsieur；　till　some　day'

〃I　turned　to　the　ashen…faced　priest；　whose　dark　outline　stood　out　against
the　wall；　and　asked：　'Are　you　going　to　stay　here；　Monsieur　l'Abbe？'

〃'Yes。'

〃Then　the　dying　man　sneered：　'Yes；　yes；　He　sends　His　vultures　to　the
corpses。'

〃I　had　had　enough　of　this。　　I　opened　the　door　and　ran　away。〃






THE　DISPENSER　OF　HOLY　WATER

We　lived　formerly　in　a　little　house　beside　the　high　road　outside　the
village。　　He　had　set　up　in　business　as　a　wheelwright；　after　marrying　the
daughter　of　a　farmer　of　the　neighborhood；　and　as　they　were　both
industrious；　they　managed　to　save　up　a　nice　little　fortune。　　But　they　had
no　children；　and　this　caused　them　great　sorrow。　　Finally　a　son　was　born；
whom　they　named　Jean。　　They　both　loved　and　petted　him；　enfolding　him　with
their　affection；　and　were　unwilling　to　let　him　be　out　of　their　sight。

When　he　was　five　years　old　some　mountebanks　passed　through　the　country
and　set　up　their　tent　in　the　town　hall　square。

Jean；　who　had　seen　them　pass　by；　made　his　escape　from　the　house；　and
after　his　father　had　made　a　long　search　for　him；　he　found　him　among　the
learned　goats　and　trick　dogs；　uttering　shouts　of　laughter　and　sitting　on
the　knees　of　an　old　clown。

Three　days　later；　just　as　they　were　sitting　down　to　dinner；　the
wheelwright　and　his　wife　noticed　that　their　son　was　not　in　the　house。
They　looked　for　him　in　the　ga