original short stories-3-第18部分

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possiblewould　it　be　possible　for　Bertha　to　marry？'

〃'Bertha　to　marry！　　Why；　it　is　quite　impossible！'

〃'Yes；　I　know；　I　know；'　he　replied。　　'But　reflect；　doctor。　　Don't　you
thinkperhapswe　hopedif　she　had　childrenit　would　be　a　great　shock
to　her；　but　a　great　happiness；　andwho　knows　whether　maternity　might　not
rouse　her　intellect？'

〃I　was　in　a　state　of　great　perplexity。　　He　was　right；　and　it　was　possible
that　such　a　new　situation；　and　that　wonderful　instinct　of　maternity；
which　beats　in　the　hearts　of　the　lower　animals　as　it　does　in　the　heart　of
a　woman；　which　makes　the　hen　fly　at　a　dog's　jaws　to　defend　her　chickens；
might　bring　about　a　revolution；　an　utter　change　in　her　vacant　mind；　and
set　the　motionless　mechanism　of　her　thoughts　in　motion。　　And　then；
moreover；　I　immediately　remembered　a　personal　instance。　　Some　years
previously　I　had　owned　a　spaniel　bitch　who　was　so　stupid　that　I　could　do
nothing　with　her；　but　when　she　had　had　puppies　she　became；　if　not　exactly
intelligent；　yet　almost　like　many　other　dogs　who　had　not　been　thoroughly
broken。

〃As　soon　as　I　foresaw　the　possibility　of　this；　the　wish　to　get　Bertha
married　grew　in　me；　not　so　much　out　of　friendship　for　her　and　her　poor
parents　as　from　scientific　curiosity。　　What　would　happen？　　It　was　a
singular　problem。　　I　said　in　reply　to　her　father：

〃'Perhaps　you　are　right。　　You　might　make　the　attempt；　but　you　will　never
find　a　man　to　consent　to　marry　her。'

〃'I　have　found　somebody；'　he　said；　in　a　low　voice。

〃I　was　dumfounded；　and　said：　'Somebody　really　suitable？　　Some　one　of　your
own　rank　and　position　in　society？'

〃'Decidedly；'　he　replied。

〃'Oh！　　And　may　I　ask　his　name？'

〃'I　came　on　purpose　to　tell　you；　and　to　consult　you。　　It　is　Monsieur
Gaston　du　Boys　de　Lucelles。'

〃I　felt　inclined　to　exclaim：　'The　wretch！'　but　I　held　my　tongue；　and
after　a　few　moments'　silence　I　said：

〃'Oh！　　Very　good。　　I　see　nothing　against　it。'

〃The　poor　man　shook　me　heartily　by　the　hand。

〃'She　is　to　be　married　next　month；'　he　said。


〃Monsieur　Gaston　du　Boys　de　Lucelles　was　a　scapegrace　of　good　family；
who；　after　having　spent　all　that　he　had　inherited　from　his　father；　and
having　incurred　debts　in　all　kinds　of　doubtful　ways；　had　been　trying　to
discover　some　other　means　of　obtaining　money；　and　he　had　discovered　this
method。　　He　was　a　good…looking　young　fellow；　and　in　capital　health；　but
fast；　one　of　that　odious　race　of　provincial　fast　men；　and　he　appeared　to
me　to　be　as　suitable　as　anyone；　and　could　be　got　rid　of　later　by　making
him　an　allowance。　　He　came　to　the　house　to　pay　his　addresses　and　to　strut
about　before　the　idiot　girl；　who；　however；　seemed　to　please　him。　　He
brought　her　flowers；　kissed　her　hands；　sat　at　her　feet；　and　looked　at　her
with　affectionate　eyes；　but　she　took　no　notice　of　any　of　his　attentions；
and　did　not　make　any　distinction　between　him　and　the　other　persons　who
were　about　her。

〃However；　the　marriage　took　place；　and　you　may　guess　how　my　curiosity　was
aroused。　　I　went　to　see　Bertha　the　next　day　to　try　and　discover　from　her
looks　whether　any　feelings　had　been　awakened　in　her；　but　I　found　her　just
the　same　as　she　was　every　day；　wholly　taken　up　with　the　clock　and　dinner；
while　he；　on　the　contrary；　appeared　really　in　love；　and　tried　to　rouse
his　wife's　spirits　and　affection　by　little　endearments　and　such　caresses
as　one　bestows　on　a　kitten。　　He　could　think　of　nothing　better。

〃I　called　upon　the　married　couple　pretty　frequently；　and　I　soon　perceived
that　the　young　woman　knew　her　husband；　and　gave　him　those　eager　looks
which　she　had　hitherto　only　bestowed　on　sweet　dishes。

〃She　followed　his　movements；　knew　his　step　on　the　stairs　or　in　the
neighboring　rooms；　clapped　her　hands　when　he　came　in；　and　her　face　was
changed　and　brightened　by　the　flames　of　profound　happiness　and　of　desire。

〃She　loved　him　with　her　whole　body　and　with　all　her　soul　to　the　very
depths　of　her　poor；　weak　soul；　and　with　all　her　heart；　that　poor　heart　of
some　grateful　animal。　　It　was　really　a　delightful　and　innocent　picture　of
simple　passion；　of　carnal　and　yet　modest　passion；　such　as　nature　had
implanted　in　mankind；　before　man　had　complicated　and　disfigured　it　by　all
the　various　shades　of　sentiment。　　But　he　soon　grew　tired　of　this　ardent；
beautiful；　dumb　creature；　and　did　not　spend　more　than　an　hour　during　the
day　with　her；　thinking　it　sufficient　if　he　came　home　at　night；　and　she
began　to　suffer　in　consequence。　　She　used　to　wait　for　him　from　morning
till　night　with　her　eyes　on　the　clock；　she　did　not　even　look　after　the
meals　now；　for　he　took　all　his　away　from　home；　Clermont；　Chatel…Guyon；
Royat；　no　matter　where；　as　long　as　he　was　not　obliged　to　come　home。

〃She　began　to　grow　thin；　every　other　thought；　every　other　wish；　every
other　expectation；　and　every　confused　hope　disappeared　from　her　mind；　and
the　hours　during　which　she　did　not　see　him　became　hours　of　terrible
suffering　to　her。　　Soon　he　ceased　to　come　home　regularly　of　nights；　he
spent　them　with　women　at　the　casino　at　Royat　and　did　not　come　home　until
daybreak。　　But　she　never　went　to　bed　before　he　returned。　　She　remained
sitting　motionless　in　an　easy…chair；　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　hands　of
the　clock；　which　turned　so　slowly　and　regularly　round　the　china　face　on
which　the　hours　were　painted。

〃She　heard　the　trot　of　his　horse　in　the　distance　and　sat　up　with　a　start；
and　when　he　came　into　the　room　she　got　up　with　the　movements　of　an
automaton　and　pointed　to　the　clock；　as　if　to　say：　'Look　how　late　it　is！'

〃And　he　began　to　be　afraid　of　this　amorous　and　jealous；　half…witted
woman；　and　flew　into　a　rage；　as　brutes　do；　and　one　night　he　even　went　so
far　as　to　strike　her；　so　they　sent　for　me。　　When　I　arrived　she　was
writhing　and　screaming　in　a　terrible　crisis　of　pain；　anger；　passion；　how
do　I　know　what？　　Can　one　tell　what　goes　on　in　such　undeveloped　brains？

〃I　calmed　her　by　subcutaneous　injections　of　morphine；　and　forbade　her　to
see　that　man　again；　for　I　saw　clearly　that　marriage　would　infallibly　kill
her　by　degrees。

〃Then　she　went　mad！　　Yes；　my　dear　friend；　that　idiot　went　mad。　　She　is
always　thinking　of　him　and　waiting　for　him；　she　waits　for　him　all　day　and
night；　awake　or　asleep；　at　this　very　moment；　ceaselessly。　　When　I　saw　her
getting　thinner　and　thinner；　and　as　she　persisted　in　never　taking　her
eyes　off　the　clocks；　I　had　them　removed　from　the　house。　　I　thus　made　it
impossible　for　her　to　count　the　hours；　and　to　try　to　remember；　from　her
indistinct　reminiscences；　at　what　time　he　used　to　come　home　formerly。　　I
hope　to　destroy　the　recollection　of　it　in　time；　and　to　extinguish　that
ray　of　thought　which　I　kindled　with　so　much　difficulty。

〃The　other　day　I　tried　an　experiment。　　I　offered　her　my　watch；　she　took
it　and　looked　at　it　for　some　time；　then　she　began　to　scream　terribly；　as
if　the　sight　of　that　little　object　had　suddenly　awakened　her　memory；
which　was　beginning　to　grow　indistinct。　　She　is　pitiably　thin　now；　with
hollow　and　glittering　eyes；　and　she　walks　up　and　down　ceaselessly；　like　a
wild　beast　in　its　cage；　I　have　had　gratings　put　on　the　windows；　boarded
them　up　half　way；　and　have　had　the　seats　fixed　to　the　floor　so　as　to
prevent　her　from　looking　to　see　whether　he　is　coming。

〃Oh！　　her　poor　parents！　　What　a　life　they　must　lead！〃

We　had　got　to　the　top　of　the　hill；　and　the　doctor　turned　round　and　said
to　me：

〃Look　at　Riom　from　here。〃

The　gloomy　town　looked　like　some　ancient　city。　　Behind　it　a　green；　wooded
plain　studded　with　towns　and　villages；　and　bathed　in　a　soft　blue　haze；
extended　until　it　was　lost　in　the　distance。　　Far　away；　on　my　right；　there
was　a　range　of　lofty　mountains　with　round　summits；　or　else　cut　off　flat；
as　if　with　a　sword；　and　the　doctor　began　to　enumerate　the　villages；　towns
and　hills；　and　to　give　me　the　history　of　all　of　them。　　But　I　did　not
listen　to　him；　I　was　thinking　of　nothing　but　the　madwoman；　and　I　only　saw
her。　　She　seemed　to　be　hovering　over　that　vast　extent　of　country　like　a
mournful　ghost；　and　I　asked　him　abruptly：

〃What　has　become　of　the　husband？〃

My　friend　seemed　rather　surprised；　but　after　a　few　moments'　hesitation；
he　replied：

〃He　is　living　at　Royat；　on　an　allowance　that　they　made　him；　and　is　quite
happy；　he　leads　a　very　fast　life。〃

As　we　were　slowly　going　back；　both　of　us　silent　and　rather　low…spirited；
an　English　dogcart；　drawn　by　a　thoroughbred　horse；　came　up　behind　us　and
passed　us　rapidly。　　The　doctor　took　me　by　the　arm。

〃There　he　is；〃　he　said。

I　saw　nothing　except　a　gray　felt　hat；　cocked　over　one　ear　above　a　pair　of
broad　shoulders；　driving　off　in　a　cloud　of　dust。






THE　PATRON

We　never　dreamed　of　such　good　fortune！　　The　son　of　a　provincial　bailiff；
Jean　Marin　had　come；　as　do　so　many　others；　to　study　law　in　the　Quartier
Latin。　　In　the　various　beer…houses　that　he　had　frequented　he　had　made
friends　with　several　talkative　students　who　spouted　politics　as　they
drank　their　beer。　　He　had　a　great　admiration　for　them　and　followed　them
persistently　from　cafe　to　cafe；　even　paying　for　their　drinks　when　he　had
the　money。

He　became　a　lawyer　and　pleaded　causes；　which　he　lost。　　However；　one
morning　he　read　in　the　papers　that　one　of　his　former　comrades　of　the
Quartier　had　just　been　appointed　deputy。

He　again　became　his　faithful　hound；　the　friend　who　does　the　drudgery；　the
unpleasant　tasks；　for　whom　one　sends　when　one　has　need　of　him　and　with
whom　one　does　not　stand　on　ceremony。　　But　it　chanced　through　some
parliamentary　incident　that　the　deputy　became　a　minister。　　Six　months
later　Jean　Marin　was　appointed　a　state　councillor。

He　was　so　elated　with　pride　at　first　that　he　lost　his　head。　　He　would
walk　through　the　streets　just　to　show　himself　off；　as　though　one　could
tell　by　his　appearance　what　position　he　occupied。　　He　managed　to　say　to
the　shopkeepers　as　soon　as　he　entered　a　store；　bringing　it　in　somehow　in
the　course　of　the　most　insignificant　remarks　and　even　to　the　news　vendors
and　the　cabmen：

〃I；　who　am　a　state　councillor〃

Then；　in　consequence　of　his　position　as　well　as　for　professional　reasons
and　as　in　duty　bound　through　being　an　influential　and　generous　man；　he
felt　an　imperious　need　of　patronizing　others。　　He　offered　his　support