original short stories-3-第16部分

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him　to　earn　three　thousand　francs　（his　books　showed　it）？　　Only　one
explanation　could　be　offered：　insanity；　the　fixed　idea　of　the　unclassed
individual　who　reeks　vengeance　on　two　bourgeois；　on　all　；the　bourgeoisie；
and　the　lawyer　made　a　clever　allusion　to　this　nickname　of　〃The
Bourgeois；〃　given　throughout　the　neighborhood　to　this　poor　wretch。
He　exclaimed：

〃Is　this　irony　not　enough　to　unbalance　the　mind　of　this　poor　wretch；　who
has　neither　father　nor　mother？　　He　is　an　ardent　republican。　　What　am　I
saying？　　He　even　belongs　to　the　same　political　party；　the　members　of
which；　formerly　shot　or　exiled　by　the　government；　it　now　welcomes　with
open　arms　this　party　to　which　arson　is　a　principle　and　murder　an　ordinary
occurrence。

〃These　gloomy　doctrines；　now　applauded　in　public　meetings；　have　ruined
this　man。　　He　has　heard　republicanseven　women；　yes；　women…ask　for　the
blood　of　M。　Gambetta；　the　blood　of　M。　Grevy；　his　weakened　mind　gave　way；
he　wanted　blood；　the　blood　of　a　bourgeois！

〃It　is　not　he　whom　you　should　condemn；　gentlemen；　it　is　the　Commune！〃

Everywhere　could　be　heard　murmurs　of　assent。　　Everyone　felt　that　the
lawyer　had　won　his　case。　　The　prosecuting　attorney　did　not　oppose　him。

Then　the　presiding　judge　asked　the　accused　the　customary　question：

〃Prisoner；　is　there　anything　that　you　wish　to　add　to　your　defense？〃

The　man　stood　up。

He　was　a　short；　flaxen　blond；　with　calm；　clear；　gray　eyes。　　A　strong；
frank；　sonorous　voice　came　from　this　frail…looking　boy　and；　at　the　first
words；　quickly　changed　the　opinion　which　had　been　formed　of　him。

He　spoke　loud　in　a　declamatory　manner；　but　so　distinctly　that　every　word
could　be　understood　in　the　farthest　corners　of　the　big　hall：

〃Your　honor；　as　I　do　not　wish　to　go　to　an　insane　asylum；　and　as　I　even
prefer　death　to　that；　I　will　tell　everything。

〃I　killed　this　man　and　this　woman　because　they　were　my　parents。

〃Now；　listen；　and　judge　me。

〃A　woman；　having　given　birth　to　a　boy；　sent　him　out；　somewhere；　to　a
nurse。　　Did　she　even　know　where　her　accomplice　carried　this　innocent
little　being；　condemned　to　eternal　misery；　to　the　shame　of　an
illegitimate　birth；　to　more　than　thatto　death；　since　he　was　abandoned
and　the　nurse；　no　longer　receiving　the　monthly　pension；　might；　as　they
often　do；　let　him　die　of　hunger　and　neglect！

〃The　woman　who　nursed　me　was　honest；　better；　more　noble；　more　of　a　mother
than　my　own　mother。　　She　brought　me　up。　　She　did　wrong　in　doing　her　duty。
It　is　more　humane　to　let　them　die；　these　little　wretches　who　are　cast
away　in　suburban　villages　just　as　garbage　is　thrown　away。

〃I　grew　up　with　the　indistinct　impression　that　I　was　carrying　some　burden
of　shame。　　One　day　the　other　children　called　me　a　'b…'。　　They　did　not
know　the　meaning　of　this　word；　which　one　of　them　had　heard　at　home。
I　was　also　ignorant　of　its　meaning；　but　I　felt　the　sting　all　the　same。

〃I　was；　I　may　say；　one　of　the　cleverest　boys　in　the　school。　　I　would　have
been　a　good　man；　your　honor；　perhaps　a　man　of　superior　intellect；　if　my
parents　had　not　committed　the　crime　of　abandoning　me。

〃This　crime　was　committed　against　me。　　I　was　the　victim；　they　were　the
guilty　ones。　　I　was　defenseless；　they　were　pitiless。　　Their　duty　was　to
love　me；　they　rejected　me。

〃I　owed　them　lifebut　is　life　a　boon？　　To　me；　at　any　rate；　it　was　a
misfortune。　　After　their　shameful　desertion；　I　owed　them　only　vengeance。
They　committed　against　me　the　most　inhuman；　the　most　infamous；　the　most
monstrous　crime　which　can　be　committed　against　a　human　creature。

〃A　man　who　has　been　insulted；　strikes；　a　man　who　has　been　robbed；　takes
back　his　own　by　force。　　A　man　who　has　been　deceived；　played　upon；
tortured；　kills；　a　man　who　has　been　slapped；　kills；　a　man　who　has　been
dishonored；　kills。　　I　have　been　robbed；　deceived；　tortured；　morally
slapped；　dishonored；　all　this　to　a　greater　degree　than　those　whose　anger
you　excuse。

〃I　revenged　myself；　I　killed。　　It　was　my　legitimate　right。　　I　took　their
happy　life　in　exchange　for　the　terrible　one　which　they　had　forced　on　me。

〃You　will　call　me　parricide！　　Were　these　people　my　parents；　for　whom　I
was　an　abominable　burden；　a　terror；　an　infamous　shame；　for　whom　my　birth
was　a　calamity　and　my　life　a　threat　of　disgrace？　　They　sought　a　selfish
pleasure；　they　got　an　unexpected　child。　　They　suppressed　the　child。　　My
turn　came　to　do　the　same　for　them。

〃And　yet；　up　to　quite　recently；　I　was　ready　to　love　them。

〃As　I　have　said；　this　man；　my　father；　came　to　me　for　the　first　time　two
years　ago。　　I　suspected　nothing。　　He　ordered　two　pieces　of　furniture。
I　found　out；　later　on；　that；　under　the　seal　of　secrecy；　naturally；　he　had
sought　information　from　the　priest。

〃He　returned　often。　　He　gave　me　a　lot　of　work　and　paid　me　well。
Sometimes　he　would　even　talk　to　me　of　one　thing　or　another。　　I　felt　a
growing　affection　for　him。

〃At　the　beginning　of　this　year　he　brought　with　him　his　wife；　my　mother。
When　she　entered　she　was　trembling　so　that　I　thought　her　to　be　suffering
from　some　nervous　disease。　　Then　she　asked　for　a　seat　and　a　glass　of
water。　　She　said　nothing；　she　looked　around　abstractedly　at　my　work　and
only　answered　'yes'　and　'no；'　at　random；　to　all　the　questions　which　he
asked　her。　　When　she　had　left　I　thought　her　a　little　unbalanced。

〃The　following　month　they　returned。　　She　was　calm；　self…controlled。　　That
day　they　chattered　for　a　long　time；　and　they　left　me　a　rather　large
order。　　I　saw　her　three　more　times；　without　suspecting　anything。　　But　one
day　she　began　to　talk　to　me　of　my　life；　of　my　childhood；　of　my　parents。
I　answered：　'Madame；　my　parents　were　wretches　who　deserted　me。'　　Then　she
clutched　at　her　heart　and　fell；　unconscious。　　I　immediately　thought：　'She
is　my　mother！'　but　I　took　care　not　to　let　her　notice　anything。　　I　wished
to　observe　her。

〃I；　in　turn；　sought　out　information　about　them。　　I　learned　that　they　had
been　married　since　last　July；　my　mother　having　been　a　widow　for　only
three　years。　　There　had　been　rumors　that　they　had　loved　each　other　during
the　lifetime　of　the　first　husband；　but　there　was　no　proof　of　it。　　I　was
the　proofthe　proof　which　they　had　at　first　hidden　and　then　hoped　to
destroy。

〃I　waited。　　She　returned　one　evening；　escorted　as　usual　by　my　father。
That　day　she　seemed　deeply　moved；　I　don't　know　why。　　Then；　as　she　was
leaving；　she　said　to　me：　'I　wish　you　success；　because　you　seem　to　me　to
be　honest　and　a　hard　worker；　some　day　you　will　undoubtedly　think　of
getting　married。　　I　have　come　to　help　you　to　choose　freely　the　woman　who
may　suit　you。　　I　was　married　against　my　inclination　once　and　I　know　what
suffering　it　causes。　　Now　I　am　rich；　childless；　free；　mistress　of　my
fortune。　　Here　is　your　dowry。'

〃She　held　out　to　me　a　large；　sealed　envelope。

〃I　looked　her　straight　in　the　eyes　and　then　said：　'Are　you　my　mother？'

〃She　drew　back　a　few　steps　and　hid　her　face　in　her　hands　so　as　not　to　see
me。　　He；　the　man；　my　father；　supported　her　in　his　arms　and　cried　out　to
me：　'You　must　be　crazy！'

〃I　answered：　'Not　in　the　least。　　I　know　that　you　are　my　parents。　　I
cannot　be　thus　deceived。　　Admit　it　and　I　will　keep　the　secret；　I　will
bear　you　no　ill　will；　I　will　remain　what　I　am；　a　carpenter。'

〃He　retreated　towards　the　door；　still　supporting　his　wife　who　was
beginning　to　sob。　　Quickly　I　locked　the　door；　put　the　key　in　my　pocket
and　continued：　'Look　at　her　and　dare　to　deny　that　she　is　my　mother。'

〃Then　he　flew　into　a　passion；　very　pale；　terrified　at　the　thought　that
the　scandal；　which　had　so　far　been　avoided；　might　suddenly　break　out；
that　their　position；　their　good　name；　their　honor　might　all　at　once　be
lost。　　He　stammered　out：　'You　are　a　rascal；　you　wish　to　get　money　from
us！　　That's　the　thanks　we　get　for　trying　to　help　such　common　people！'

〃My　mother；　bewildered；　kept　repeating：　'Let's　get　out　of　here；　let's　get
out！'

〃Then；　when　he　found　the　door　locked；　he　exclaimed　：　'If　you　do　not　open
this　door　immediately；　I　will　have　you　thrown　into　prison　for　blackmail
and　assault！'

〃I　had　remained　calm；　I　opened　the　door　and　saw　them　disappear　in　the
darkness。

〃Then　I　seemed　to　have　been　suddenly　orphaned；　deserted；　pushed　to　the
wall。　　I　was　seized　with　an　overwhelming　sadness；　mingled　with　anger；
hatred；　disgust；　my　whole　being　seemed　to　rise　up　in　revolt　against　the
injustice；　the　meanness；　the　dishonor；　the　rejected　love。　　I　began　to
run；　in　order　to　overtake　them　along　the　Seine；　which　they　had　to　follow
in　order　to　reach　the　station　of　Chaton。

〃I　soon　caught　up　with　them。　　It　was　now　pitch　dark。　　I　was　creeping　up
behind　them　softly；　that　they　might　not　hear　me。　　My　mother　was　still
crying。　　My　father　was　saying：　'It's　all　your　own　fault。　　Why　did　you
wish　to　see　him？　　It　was　absurd　in　our　position。　　We　could　have　helped
him　from　afar；　without　showing　ourselves。　　Of　what　use　are　these
dangerous　visits；　since　we　can't　recognize　him？'

〃Then　I　rushed　up　to　them；　beseeching。　　I　cried：

'You　see！　　You　are　my　parents。　　You　have　already　rejected　me　once；　would
you　repulse　me　again？'

〃Then；　your　honor；　he　struck　me。　　I　swear　it　on　my　honor；　before　the　law
and　my　country。　　He　struck　me；　and　as　I　seized　him　by　the　collar；　he　drew
from　his　pocket　a　revolver。

〃The　blood　rushed　to　my　head；　I　no　longer　knew　what　I　was　doing；　I　had　my
compass　in　my　pocket；　I　struck　him　with　it　as　often　as　I　could。

〃Then　she　began　to　cry：　'Help！　　murder！'　and　to　pull　my　beard。　　It　seems
that　I　killed　her　also。　　How　do　I　know　what　I　did　then？

〃Then；　when　I　saw　them　both　lying　on　the　ground；　without　thinking；　I
threw　them　into　the　Seine。

〃That's　all。　　Now　sentence　me。〃

The　prisoner　sat　down。　　After　this　revelation　the　case　was　carried　over
to　the　following　session。　　It　comes　up　very　soon。　　If　we　were　jurymen；
what　would　we　do　with　this　parricide？






BERTHA

Dr。　Bonnet；　my　old　friendone　sometimes　has　friends　older　than　one's
selfhad　often　invited　me　to　spend　some　time　with　him　at　Riom；　and；　as　I
did　not　know　Auvergne；　I　made　up　my　mind　to　visit　him　in　the　summer　of
1876。

I　arrived　by　the　morning　train；　and　the　first　person　I　saw　on　the
platform　was　the　doctor。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　gray　suit；　and　wore　a　soft；
black；　wide…brimmed