original short stories-3-第15部分

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wheelwright　and　his　wife　noticed　that　their　son　was　not　in　the　house。
They　looked　for　him　in　the　garden；　and　as　they　did　not　find　him；　his
father　went　out　into　the　road　and　shouted　at　the　top　of　his　voice；
〃Jean！〃

Night　came　on。　　A　brown　vapor　arose　making　distant　objects　look　still
farther　away　and　giving　them　a　dismal；　weird　appearance。　　Three　tall
pines；　close　at　hand；　seemed　to　be　weeping。　　Still　there　was　no　reply；
but　the　air　appeared　to　be　full　of　indistinct　sighing。　　The　father
listened　for　some　time；　thinking　he　heard　a　sound　first　in　one　direction；
then　in　another；　and；　almost　beside　himself；　he　ran；　out　into　the　night；
calling　incessantly　〃Jean！　　Jean！〃

He　ran　along　thus　until　daybreak；　filling　the；　darkness　with　his　shouts；
terrifying　stray　animals；　torn　by　a　terrible　anguish　and　fearing　that　he
was　losing　his　mind。　　His　wife；　seated　on　the　stone　step　of　their　home；
sobbed　until　morning。

They　did　not　find　their　son。　　They　both　aged　rapidly　in　their
inconsolable　sorrow。　　Finally　they　sold　their　house　and　set　out　to　search
together。

They　inquired　of　the　shepherds　on　the　hillsides；　of　the　tradesmen　passing
by；　of　the　peasants　in　the　villages　and　of　the　authorities　in　the　towns。
But　their　boy　had　been　lost　a　long　time　and　no　one　knew　anything　about
him。　　He　had　probably　forgotten　his　own　name　by　this　time　and　also　the
name　of　his　village；　and　his　parents　wept　in　silence；　having　lost　hope。

Before　long　their　money　came　to　an　end；　and　they　worked　out　by　the　day　in
the　farms　and　inns；　doing　the　most　menial　work；　eating　what　was　left　from
the　tables；　sleeping　on　the　ground　and　suffering　from　cold。　　Then　as　they
became　enfeebled　by　hard　work　no　one　would　employ　them　any　longer；　and
they　were　forced　to　beg　along　the　high　roads。　　They　accosted　passers…by
in　an　entreating　voice　and　with　sad；　discouraged　faces；　they　begged　a
morsel　of　bread　from　the　harvesters　who　were　dining　around　a　tree　in　the
fields　at　noon；　and　they　ate　in　silence　seated　on　the　edge　of　a　ditch。
An　innkeeper　to　whom　they　told　their　story　said　to　them　one　day：

〃I　know　some　one　who　had　lost　their　daughter；　and　they　found　her　in
Paris。〃

They　at　once　set　out　for　Paris。

When　they　entered　the　great　city　they　were　bewildered　by　its　size　and　by
the　crowds　that　they　saw。　　But　they　knew　that　Jean　must　be　in　the　midst
of　all　these　people；　though　they　did　not　know　how　to　set　about　looking
for　him。　　Then　they　feared　that　they　might　not　recognize　him；　for　he　was
only　five　years　old　when　they　last　saw　him。

They　visited　every　place；　went　through　all　the　streets；　stopping　whenever
they　saw　a　group　of　people；　hoping　for　some　providential　meeting；　some
extraordinary　luck；　some　compassionate　fate。

They　frequently　walked　at　haphazard　straight　ahead；　leaning　one　against
the　other；　looking　so　sad　and　poverty…stricken　that　people　would　give
them　alms　without　their　asking。

They　spent　every　Sunday　at　the　doors　of　the　churches；　watching　the　crowds
entering　and　leaving；　trying　to　distinguish　among　the　faces　one　that
might　be　familiar。　　Several　times　they　thought　they　recognized　him；　but
always　found　they　had　made　a　mistake。

In　the　vestibule　of　one　of　the　churches　which　they　visited　the　most
frequently　there　was　an　old　dispenser　of　holy　Water　who　had　become　their
friend。　　He　also　had　a　very　sad　history；　and　their　sympathy　for　him　had
established　a　bond　of　close　friendship　between　them。　　It　ended　by　them
all　three　living　together　in　a　poor　lodging　on　the　top　floor　of　a　large
house　situated　at　some　distance；　quite　on　the　outskirts　of　the　city；　and
the　wheelwright　would　sometimes　take　his　new　friend's　place　at　the　church
when　the　latter　was　ill。

Winter　came；　a　very　severe　winter。　　The　poor　holy　water　sprinkler　died
and　the　parish　priest　appointed　the　wheelwright；　whose　misfortunes　had
come　to　his　knowledge；　to　replace　him。　　He　went　every　morning　and　sat　in
the　same　place；　on　the　same　chair；　wearing　away　the　old　stone　pillar　by
continually　leaning　against　it。　　He　would　gaze　steadily　at　every　man　who
entered　the　church　and　looked　forward　to　Sunday　with　as　much　impatience
as　a　schoolboy；　for　on　that　day　the　church　was　filled　with　people　from
morning　till　night。

He　became　very　old；　growing　weaker　each　day　from　the　dampness　of　the
church；　and　his　hope　oozed　away　gradually。

He　now　knew　by　sight　all　the　people　who　came　to　the　services；　he　knew
their　hours；　their　manners；　could　distinguish　their　step　on　the　stone
pavement。

His　interests　had　become　so　contracted　that　the　entrance　of　a　stranger　in
the　church　was　for　him　a　great　event。　　One　day　two　ladies　came　in；　one
was　old；　the　other　younga　mother　and　daughter　probably。　　Behind　them
came　a　man　who　was　following　them。　　He　bowed　to　them　as　they　came　out；
and　after　offering　them　some　holy　water；　he　took　the　arm　of　the　elder
lady。

〃That　must　be　the　fiance　of　the　younger　one；〃　thought　the　wheelwright。
And　until　evening　he　kept　trying　to　recall　where　he　had　formerly　seen　a
young　man　who　resembled　this　one。　　But　the　one　he　was　thinking　of　must　be
an　old　man　by　this　time；　for　it　seemed　as　if　he　had　known　him　down　home
in　his　youth。

The　same　man　frequently　came　again　to　walk　home　with　the　ladies；　and　this
vague；　distant；　familiar　resemblance　which　he　could　not　place　worried　the
old　man　so　much　that　he　made　his　wife　come　with　him　to　see　if　she　could
help　his　impaired　memory。

One　evening　as　it　was　growing　dusk　the　three　strangers　entered　together。
When　they　had　passed　the　old　man　said：

〃Well；　do　you　know　him？〃

His　wife　anxiously　tried　to　ransack　her　memory。　　Suddenly　she　said　in　a
low　tone：

〃Yesyesbut　he　is　darker；　taller；　stouter　and　is　dressed　like　a
gentleman；　but；　father；　all　the　same；　it　is　your　face　when　you　were
young！〃

The　old　man　started　violently。

It　was　true。　　He　looked　like　himself　and　also　like　his　brother　who　was
dead；　and　like　his　father；　whom　he　remembered　while　he　was　yet　young。
The　old　couple　were　so　affected　that　they　could　not　speak。　　The　three
persons　came　out　and　were　about　to　leave　the　church。

The　man　touched　his　finger　to　the　holy　water　sprinkler。　　Then　the　old
man；　whose　hand　was　trembling　so　that　he　was　fairly　sprinkling　the　ground
with　holy　water；　exclaimed：

〃Jean！〃

The　young　man　stopped　and　looked　at　him。

He　repeated　in　a　lower　tone：

〃Jean！〃

The　two　women　looked　at　them　without　understanding。

He　then　said　for　the　third　time；　sobbing　as　he　did　so：

〃Jean！〃

The　man　stooped　down；　with　his　face　close　to　the　old　man's；　and　as　a
memory　of　his　childhood　dawned　on　him　he　replied：

〃Papa　Pierre；　Mamma　Jeanne！〃

He　had　forgotten　everything；　his　father's　surname　and　the　name　of　his
native　place；　but　he　always　remembered　those　two　words　that　he　had　so
often　repeated：　〃Papa　Pierre；　Mamma　Jeanne。〃

He　sank　to　the　floor；　his　face　on　the　old　man's　knees；　and　he　wept；
kissing　now　his　father　and　then　his　mother；　while　they　were　almost
breathless　from　intense　joy。

The　two　ladies　also　wept；　understanding　as　they　did　that　some　great
happiness　had　come　to　pass。

Then　they　all　went　to　the　young　man's　house　and　he　told　them　his　history。
The　circus　people　had　carried　him　off。　　For　three　years　he　traveled　with
them　in　various　countries。　　Then　the　troupe　disbanded；　and　one　day　an　old
lady　in　a　chateau　had　paid　to　have　him　stay　with　her　because　she　liked
his　appearance。　　As　he　was　intelligent；　he　was　sent　to　school；　then　to
college；　and　the　old　lady　having　no　children；　had　left　him　all　her　money。
He；　for　his　part；　had　tried　to　find　his　parents；　but　as　he　could　remember
only　the　two　names；　〃Papa　Pierre；　Mamma　Jeanne；〃　he　had　been　unable　to　do
so。　　Now　he　was　about　to　be　married；　and　he　introduced　his　fiancee；　who
was　very　good　and　very　pretty。

When　the　two　old　people　had　told　their　story　in　their　turn　he　kissed　them
once　more。　　They　sat　up　very　late　that　night；　not　daring　to　retire　lest
the　happiness　they　had　so　long　sought　should　escape　them　again　while　they
were　asleep。

But　misfortune　had　lost　its　hold　on　them　and　they　were　happy　for　the　rest
of　their　lives。






A　PARRICIDE

The　lawyer　had　presented　a　plea　of　insanity。　　How　could　anyone　explain
this　strange　crime　otherwise？

One　morning；　in　the　grass　near　Chatou；　two　bodies　had　been　found；　a　man
and　a　woman；　well　known；　rich；　no　longer　young　and　married　since　the
preceding　year；　the　woman　having　been　a　widow　for　three　years　before。

They　were　not　known　to　have　enemies；　they　had　not　been　robbed。　　They
seemed　to　have　been　thrown　from　the　roadside　into　the　river；　after　having
been　struck；　one　after　the　other；　with　a　long　iron　spike。

The　investigation　revealed　nothing。　　The　boatmen；　who　had　been
questioned；　knew　nothing。　　The　matter　was　about　to　be　given　up；　when　a
young　carpenter　from　a　neighboring　village；　Georges　Louis；　nicknamed　〃the
Bourgeois；〃　gave　himself　up。

To　all　questions　he　only　answered　this：

〃I　had　known　the　man　for　two　years；　the　woman　for　six　months。　　They　often
had　me　repair　old　furniture　for　them；　because　I　am　a　clever　workman。〃

And　when　he　was　asked：

〃Why　did　you　kill　them？〃

He　would　obstinately　answer：

〃I　killed　them　because　I　wanted　to　kill　them。〃

They　could　get　nothing　more　out　of　him。

This　man　was　undoubtedly　an　illegitimate　child；　put　out　to　nurse　and　then
abandoned。　　He　had　no　other　name　than　Georges　Louis；　but　as　on　growing　up
he　became　particularly　intelligent；　with　the　good　taste　and　native
refinement　which　his　acquaintances　did　not　have；　he　was　nicknamed　〃the
Bourgeois；〃　and　he　was　never　called　otherwise。　　He　had　become　remarkably
clever　in　the　trade　of　a　carpenter；　which　he　had　taken　up。　　He　was　also
said　to　be　a　socialist　fanatic；　a　believer　in　communistic　and　nihilistic
doctrines；　a　great　reader　of　bloodthirsty　novels；　an　influential
political　agitator　and　a　clever　orator　in　the　public　meetings　of　workmen
or　of　farmers。

His　lawyer　had　pleaded　insanity。

Indeed；　how　could　one　imagine　that　this　workman　should　kill　his　best
customers；　rich　and　generous　（as　he　knew）；　who　in　two　years　had　enabled
him　to　earn　three　thousand　francs　（his　books　showed　it）？　　Only　one
explanation　could　be　offered：　insanity；　the　fixed　idea　of　the　uncl