original short stories-3-第20部分

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love　adventures。　　She　pleased　me　with　her　wit；　and　I　believe　that　I
pleased　her　also。　　I　courted　her；　a　trial　courting　to　which　she　answered
with　evident　provocations。　　Soon　we　got　to　tender　glances；　hand
pressures；　all　the　little　gallantries　which　precede　the　final　attack。

〃Nevertheless；　I　hesitated。　　I　consider　that；　as　a　rule；　the　majority　of
society　intrigues；　however　short　they　may　be；　are　not　worth　the　trouble
which　they　give　us　and　the　difficulties　which　may　arise。　　I　therefore
mentally　compared　the　advantages　and　disadvantages　which　I　might　expect；
and　I　thought　I　noticed　that　the　husband　suspected　me。

〃One　evening；　at　a　ball；　as　I　was　saying　tender　things　to　the　young　woman
in　a　little　parlor　leading　from　the　big　hall　where　the　dancing　was　going
on；　I　noticed　in　a　mirror　the　reflection　of　some　one　who　was　watching　me。
It　was　he。　　Our　looks　met　and　then　I　saw　him　turn　his　head　and　walk　away。

〃I　murmured：　'Your　husband　is　spying　on　us。'

〃She　seemed　dumbfounded　and　asked：　'My　husband？'

〃'Yes；　he　has　been　watching　us　for　some　time：

〃'Nonsense！　　Are　you　sure？'

〃'Very　sure。'

〃'How　strange！　　He　is　usually　extraordinarily　pleasant　to　all　my。
friends。'

〃'Perhaps　he　guessed　that　I　love　you！'

〃'Nonsense！　　You　are　not　the　first　one　to　pay　attention　to　me。　　Every
woman　who　is　a　little　in　view　drags　behind　her　a　herd　of　admirers。'

〃'Yes。　　But　I　love　you　deeply。'

〃'Admitting　that　that　is　true；　does　a　husband　ever　guess　those　things？'

〃'Then　he　is　not　jealous？'

〃'No…no！'

〃She　thought　for　an　instant　and　then　continued：　'No。　　I　do　not　think　that
I　ever　noticed　any　jealousy　on　his　part。'

〃'Has　he　never…watched　you？'

〃'No。　　As　I　said；　he　is　always　agreeable　to　my　friends。'

〃From　that　day　my　courting　became　much　more　assiduous。　　The　woman　did　not
please　me　any　more　than　before；　but　the　probable　jealousy　of　her　husband
tempted　me　greatly。

〃As　for　her；　I　judged　her　coolly　and　clearly。　　She　had　a　certain　worldly
charm；　due　to　a　quick；　gay；　amiable　and　superficial　mind；　but　no　real；
deep　attraction。　　She　was；　as　I　have　already　said；　an　excitable　little
being；　all　on　the　surface；　with　rather　a　showy　elegance。　　How　can　I
explain　myself？　　She　was　an　ornament；　not　a　home。

〃One　day；　after　taking　dinner　with　her；　her　husband　said　to　me；　just　as　I
was　leaving：　'My　dear　friend'　（he　now　called　me　'friend'）；　'we　soon　leave
for　the　country。　　It　is　a　great　pleasure　to　my　wife　and　myself　to
entertain　people　whom　we　like。　　We　would　be　very　pleased　to　have　you
spend　a　month　with　us。　　It　would　be　very　nice　of　you　to　do　so。'

〃I　was　dumbfounded；　but　I　accepted。

〃A　month　later　I　arrived　at　their　estate　of　Vertcresson；　in　Touraine。
They　were　waiting　for　me　at　the　station；　five　miles　from　the　chateau。
There　were　three　of　them；　she；　the　husband　and　a　gentleman　unknown　to　me；
the　Comte　de　Morterade；　to　whom　I　was　introduced。　　He　appeared　to　be
delighted　to　make　my　acquaintance；　and　the　strangest　ideas　passed　through
my　mind　while　we　trotted　along　the　beautiful　road　between　two　hedges。
I　was　saying　to　myself：　'Let's　see；　what　can　this　mean？　　Here　is　a
husband　who　cannot　doubt　that　his　wife　and　I　are　on　more　than　friendly
terms；　and　yet　he　invites　me　to　his　house；　receives　me　like　an　old　friend
and　seems　to　say：　〃Go　ahead；　my　friend；　the　road　is　clear！〃

〃'Then　I　am　introduced　to　a　very　pleasant　gentleman；　who　seems　already　to
have　settled　down　in　the　house；　andand　who　is　perhaps　trying　to　get　out
of　it；　and　who　seems　as　pleased　at　my　arrival　as　the　husband　himself。

〃'Is　it　some　former　admirer　who　wishes　to　retire？　　One　might　think　so。
But；　then；　would　these　two　men　tacitly　have　come　to　one　of　these　infamous
little　agreements　so　common　in　society？　　And　it　is　proposed　to　me　that　I
should　quietly　enter　into　the　pact　and　carry　it　out。　　All　hands　and　arms
are　held　out　to　me。　　All　doors　and　hearts　are　open　to　me。

〃'And　what　about　her？　　An　enigma。　　She　cannot　be　ignorant　of　everything。
Howeverhowever　　Well；　I　cannot　understand　it。'

〃The　dinner　was　very　gay　and　cordial。　　On　leaving　the　table　the　husband
and　his　friend　began　to　play　cards；　while　I　went　out　on　the　porch　to　look
at　the　moonlight　with　madame。　　She　seemed　to　be　greatly　affected　by
nature；　and　I　judged　that　the　moment　for　my　happiness　was　near。　　That
evening　she　was　really　delightful。　　The　country　had　seemed　to　make　her
more　tender。　　Her　long；　slender　waist　looked　pretty　on　this　stone　porch
beside　a　great　vase　in　which　grew　some　flowers。　　I　felt　like　dragging　her
out　under　the　trees；　throwing　myself　at　her　feet　and　speaking　to　her
words　of　love。

〃Her　husband's　voice　called　'Louise！'

〃'Yes；　dear。'

〃'You　are　forgetting　the　tea。'

〃'I'll　go　and　see　about　it；　my　friend。'

〃We　returned　to　the　house；　and　she　gave　us　some　tea。　　When　the　two　men
had　finished　playing　cards；　they　were　visibly　tired。　　I　had　to　go　to　my
room。　　I　did　not　get　to　sleep　till　late；　and　then　I　slept　badly。

〃An　excursion　was　decided　upon　for　the　following　afternoon；　and　we　went
in　an　open　carriage　to　visit　some　ruins。　　She　and　I　were　in　the　back　of
the　vehicle　and　they　were　opposite　us；　riding　backward。　　The　conversation
was　sympathetic　and　agreeable。　　I　am　an　orphan；　and　it　seemed　to　me　as
though　I　had　just　found　my　family；　I　felt　so　at　home　with　them。

〃Suddenly；　as　she　had　stretched　out　her　foot　between　her　husband's　legs；
he　murmured　reproachfully：　'Louise；　please　don't　wear　out　your　old　shoes
yourself。　　There　is　no　reason　for　being　neater　in　Paris　than　in　the
country。'

〃I　lowered　my　eyes。　　She　was　indeed　wearing　worn…out　shoes；　and　I　noticed
that　her　stockings　were　not　pulled　up　tight。

〃She　had　blushed　and　hidden　her　foot　under　her　dress。　　The　friend　was
looking　out　in　the　distance　with　an　indifferent　and　unconcerned　look。

〃The　husband　offered　me　a　cigar；　which　I　accepted。　　For　a　few　days　it　was
impossible　for　me　to　be　alone　with　her　for　two　minutes；　he　was　with　us
everywhere。　　He　was　delightful　to　me；　however。

〃One　morning　he　came　to　get　me　to　take　a　walk　before　breakfast；　and　the
conversation　happened　to　turn　on　marriage。　　I　spoke　a　little　about
solitude　and　about　how　charming　life　can　be　made　by　the　affection　of　a
woman。　　Suddenly　he　interrupted　me；　saying：　'My　friend；　don't　talk　about
things　you　know　nothing　about。　　A　woman　who　has　no　other　reason　for
loving　you　will　not　love　you　long。　　All　the　little　coquetries　which　make
them　so　exquisite　when　they　do　not　definitely　belong　to　us　cease　as　soon
as　they　become　ours。　　And　thenthe　respectable　womenthat　is　to　say　our
wivesareare　notin　fact　do　not　understand　their　profession　of　wife。
Do　you　understand？'

〃He　said　no　more；　and　I　could　not　guess　his　thoughts。

〃Two　days　after　this　conversation　he　called　me　to　his　room　quite　early；
in　order　to　show　me　a　collection　of　engravings。　　I　sat　in　an　easy　chair
opposite　the　big　door　which　separated　his　apartment　from　his　wife's；　and
behind　this　door　I　heard　some　one　walking　and　moving；　and　I　was　thinking
very　little　of　the　engravings；　although　I　kept　exclaiming：　'Oh；　charming！
delightful！　　exquisite！'

〃He　suddenly　said：　'Oh；　I　have　a　beautiful　specimen　in　the　next　room。
I'll　go　and　get　it。'

〃He　ran　to　the　door　quickly；　and　both　sides　opened　as　though　for　a
theatrical　effect。

〃In　a　large　room；　all　in　disorder；　in　the　midst　of　skirts；　collars；
waists　lying　around　on　the　floor；　stood　a　tall；　dried…up　creature。　　The
lower　part　of　her　body　was　covered　with　an　old；　worn…out　silk　petticoat；
which　was　hanging　limply　on　her　shapeless　form；　and　she　was　standing　in
front　of　a　mirror　brushing　some　short；　sparse　blond　hairs。　　Her　arms
formed　two　acute　angles；　and　as　she　turned　around　in　astonishment　I　saw
under　a　common　cotton　chemise　a　regular　cemetery　of　ribs；　which　were
hidden　from　the　public　gaze　by　well…arranged　pads。

〃The　husband　uttered　a　natural　exclamation　and　came　back；　closing　the
doors；　and　said：　'Gracious！　　how　stupid　I　am！　　Oh；　how　thoughtless！　　My
wife　will　never　forgive　me　for　that！'

〃I　already　felt　like　thanking　him。　　I　left　three　days　later；　after
cordially　shaking　hands　with　the　two　men　and　kissing　the　lady's　fingers。
She　bade　me　a　cold　good…by。〃

Karl　Massouligny　was　silent。　　Some　one　asked：　〃But　what　was　the　friend？〃

〃I　don't　knowhoweverhowever　he　looked　greatly　distressed　to　see　me
leaving　so　soon。〃






A　SALE

The　defendants；　Cesaire…Isidore　Brument　and　Prosper…Napoleon　Cornu；
appeared　before　the　Court　of　Assizes　of　the　Seine…Inferieure；　on　a　charge
of　attempted　murder；　by　drowning；　of　Mme。　Brument；　lawful　wife　of　the
first　of　the　aforenamed。

The　two　prisoners　sat　side　by　side　on　the　traditional　bench。　　They　were
two　peasants；　the　first　was　small　and　stout；　with　short　arms；　short　legs；
and　a　round　head　with　a　red　pimply　face；　planted　directly　on　his　trunk；
which　was　also　round　and　short；　and　with　apparently　no　neck。　　He　was　a
raiser　of　pigs　and　lived　at　Cacheville…la…Goupil；　in　the　district　of
Criquetot。

Cornu　（Prosper…Napoleon）　was　thin；　of　medium　height；　with　enormously　long
arms。　　His　head　was　on　crooked；　his　jaw　awry；　and　he　squinted。　　A　blue
blouse；　as　long　as　a　shirt；　hung　down　to　his　knees；　and　his　yellow　hair；
which　was　scanty　and　plastered　down　on　his　head；　gave　his　face　a　worn…
out；　dirty　look；　a　dilapidated　look　that　was　frightful。　　He　had　been
nicknamed　〃the　cure〃　because　he　could　imitate　to　perfection　the　chanting
in　church；　and　even　the　sound　of　the　serpent。　　This　talent　attracted　to
his　cafefor　he　was　a　saloon　keeper　at　Criquetota　great　many　customers
who　preferred　the　〃mass　at　Cornu〃　to　the　mass　in　church。

Mme。　Brument；　seated　on　the　witness　bench；　was　a　thin　peasant　woman　who
seemed　to　be　always　asleep。　　She　sat　there　motionless；　her　hands　crossed
on　her　knees；　gazing　fixedly　before　her　with　a　stupid　expression。

The　judge　continued　his　interrogation。

〃Well；　then；　Mme。　Brument；　they　came　into　your　house　and　threw　you　into　a
barrel　full　of　water。　　Tell　us　the　details。　　Stand　up。〃

She　rose。　　She　looked　as　tall　as　a　flag　pole　with　her　cap　which　looked
like　a　white　skull　cap。　　She　said　in　a　drawling　tone：

〃I　was　shelling　beans。　　Just　then　they　came　in。　　I　said　to　myself；　'What
is　the