original short stories-3-第24部分

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in　the　evening　dress；　with　the　child　in　his　arms。

After　he　had　left　her　alone　the　young　wife　had　waited；　calmly　enough　at
first；　in　the　little　Japanese　boudoir。　　Then；　as　she　did　not　see　him
return；　she　went　back　to　the　parlor　with　an　indifferent　and　calm
appearance；　but　terribly　anxious。　　When　her　mother　saw　her　alone　she
asked：　〃Where　is　your　husband？〃　She　answered：　〃In　his　room；　he　is　coming
right　back。〃

After　an　hour；　when　everybody　had　questioned　her；　she　told　about　the
letter；　Jacques'　upset　appearance　and　her　fears　of　an　accident。

Still　they　waited。　　The　guests　left；　only　the　nearest　relatives　remained。
At　midnight　the　bride　was　put　to　bed；　sobbing　bitterly。　　Her　mother　and
two　aunts；　sitting　around　the　bed；　listened　to　her　crying；　silent　and　in
despair。　　The　father　had　gone　to　the　commissary　of　police　to　see　if　he
could　obtain　some　news。

At　five　o'clock　a　slight　noise　was　heard　in　the　hall。　　A　door　was　softly
opened　and　closed。　　Then　suddenly　a　little　cry　like　the　mewing　of　a　cat
was　heard　throughout　the　silent　house。

All　the　women　started　forward　and　Berthe　sprang　ahead　of　them　all；
pushing　her　way　past　her　aunts；　wrapped　in　a　bathrobe。

Jacques　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　pale　and　out　of　breath；　holding
an　infant　in　his　arms。　　The　four　women　looked　at　him；　astonished；　but
Berthe；　who　had　suddenly　become　courageous；　rushed　forward　with　anguish
in　her　heart；　exclaiming：　〃What　is　it？　　What's　the　matter？〃

He　looked　about　him　wildly　and　answered　shortly：

〃II　have　a　child　and　the　mother　has　just　died。〃

And　with　his　clumsy　hands　he　held　out　the　screaming　infant。

Without　saying　a　word；　Berthe　seized　the　child；　kissed　it　and　hugged　it
to　her。　　Then　she　raised　her　tear…filled　eyes　to　him；　asking：　〃Did　you
say　that　the　mother　was　dead？〃　　He　answered：　〃Yesjust　nowin　my　arms。
I　had　broken　with　her　since　summer。　　I　knew　nothing。　　The　physician　sent
for　me。〃

Then　Berthe　murmured：　〃Well；　we　will　bring　up　the　little　one。〃






THE　RELIC

〃To　the　Abbe　Louis　d'Ennemare；　at　Soissons。

My　Dear　Abbe。

〃My　marriage　with　your　cousin　is　broken　off　in　the　most　stupid　way；　all
on　account　of　an　idiotic　trick　which　I　almost　involuntarily　played　my
intedded。　　In　my　perplexity　I　turn　to　you；　my　old　school　chum；　for　you
may　be　able　to　help　me　out　of　the　difficulty。　　If　you　can；　I　shall　be
grateful　to　you　until　I　die。

〃You　know　Gilberte；　or；　rather；　you　think　you　know　her；　but　do　we　ever
understand　women？　　All　their　opinions；　their　ideas；　their　creeds；　are　a
surprise　to　us。　　They　are　all　full　of　twists　and　turns；　cf　the
unforeseen；　of　unintelligible　arguments；　of　defective　logic　and　of
obstinate　ideas；　which　seem　final；　but　which　they　alter　because　a　little
bird　came　and　perched　on　the　window　ledge。

〃I　need　not　tell　you　that　your　cousin　is　very　religious；　as　she　was
brought　up　by　the　White　（or　was　it　the　Black？）　Ladies　at　Nancy。　　You　know
that　better　than　I　do；　but　what　you　perhaps　do　not　know　is；　that　she　is
just　as　excitable　about　other　matters　as　she　is　about　religion。　　Her　head
flies　away；　just　as　a　leaf　is　whirled　away　by　the　wind；　and　she　is　a　true
woman；　or；　rather；　girl；　for　she　is　moved　or　made　angry　in　a　moment；
starting　off　at　a　gallop　in　affection；　just　as　she　does　in　hatred；　and
returning　in　the　same　manner；　and　she　is　prettyas　you　know；　and　more
charming　than　I　can　sayas　you　will　never　know。

〃Well；　we　became　engaged；　and　I　adored　her；　as　I　adore　her　still；　and　she
appeared　to　love　me。

〃One　evening；　I　received　a　telegram　summoning　me　to　Cologne　for　a
consultation；　which　might　be　followed　by　a　serious　and　difficult
operation；　and　as　I　had　to　start　the　next　morning；　I　went　to　wish
Gilberte　good…by；　and　tell　her　why　I　could　not　dine　with　them　on
Wednesday；　but　would　do　so　on　Friday；　the　day　of　my　return。　　Ah！　　Beware
of　Fridays；　for　I　assure　you　they　are　unlucky！

〃When　I　told　her　that　I　had　to　go　to　Germany；　I　saw　that　her　eyes　filled
with　tears；　but　when　I　said　I　should　be　back　very　soon；　she　clapped　her
hands；　and　said：

〃'I　am　very　glad　you　are　going；　then！　　You　must　bring　me　back　something；
a　mere　trifle；　just　a　souvenir；　but　a　souvenir　that　you　have　chosen　for
me。　　You　must　guess　what　I　should　like　best；　do　you　hear？　　And　then　I
shall　see　whether　you　have　any　imagination。'

〃She　thought　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　added：

〃'I　forbid　you　to　spend　more　than　twenty　francs　on　it。　　I　want　it　for　the
intention；　and　for　a　remembrance　of　your　penetration；　and　not　for　its
intrinsic　value：

〃And　then；　after　another　moment's　silence；　she　said；　in　a　low　voice；　and
with　downcast　eyes：

〃'If　it　costs　you　nothing　in　money；　but　is　something　very　ingenious　and
pretty；　I　willI　will　kiss　you。'

〃The　next　day　I　was　in　Cologne。　　It　was　a　case　of　a　terrible　accident；
which　had　plunged　a　whole　family　into　despair；　and　a　difficult　amputation
was　necessary。　　They　lodged　me　in　the　house；　I　might　say；　they　almost
locked　me　up；　and　I　saw　nobody　but　people　in　tears；　who　almost　deafened
me　with　their　lamentations；　I　operated　on　a　man　who　appeared　to　be　in　a
moribund　state；　and　who　nearly　died　under　my　hands；　and　with　whom　I
remained　two　nights；　and　then；　when　I　saw　that　there　was　a　chance　of　his
recovery；　I　drove　to　the　station。　　I　had；　however；　made　a　mistake　in　the
trains；　and　I　had　an　hour　to　wait；　and　so　I　wandered　about　the　streets；
still　thinking　of　my　poor　patient；　when　a　man　accosted　me。　　I　do　not　know
German；　and　he　was　totally　ignorant　of　French；　but　at　last　I　made　out
that　he　was　offering　me　some　relics。　　I　thought　of　Gilberte；　for　I　knew
her　fanatical　devotion；　and　here　was　my　present　ready　to　hand；　so　I
followed　the　man　into　a　shop　where　religious　objects　were　for　sale；　and　I
bought　a　small　piece　of　a　bone　of　one　of　the　Eleven　Thousand　Virgins。

〃The　pretended　relic　was　inclosed　in　a　charming　old　silver　box；　and　that
determined　my　choice；　and；　putting　my　purchase　into　my　pocket；　I　went　to
the　railway　station；　and　so　on　to　Paris。

〃As　soon　as　I　got　home；　I　wished　to　examine　my　purchase　again；　and　on
taking　hold　of　it；　I　found　that　the　box　was　open；　and　the　relic　missing！
I　searched　in　vain　in　my　pocket；　and　turned　it　inside　out；　the　small　bit
of　bone；　which　was　no　bigger　than　half　a　pin；　had　disappeared。

〃You　know；　my　dear　little　Abbe；　that　my　faith　is　not　very　fervent；　but；
as　my　friend；　you　are　magnanimous　enough　to　put　up　with　my　lukewarmness；
and　to　leave　me　alone；　and　to　wait　for　the　future；　so　you　say。　　But　I
absolutely　disbelieve　in　the　relics　of　secondhand　dealers　in　piety；　and
you　share　my　doubts　in　that　respect。　　Therefore；　the　loss　of　that　bit　of
sheep's　carcass　did　not　grieve　me；　and　I　easily　procured　a　similar
fragment；　which　I　carefully　fastened　inside　my　jewel…box；　and　then　I　went
to　see　my　intended。

〃As　soon　as　she　saw　me；　she　ran　up　to　me；　smiling　and　eager；　and；　said　to
me：

〃'What　have　you　brought　me？'

〃I　pretended　to　have　forgotten；　but　she　did　not　believe　me；　and　I　made
her　beg；　and　even　beseech　me。　　But　when　I　saw　that　she　was　devoured　by
curiosity；　I　gave　her　the　sacred　silver　box。　　She　appeared　overjoyed。

〃'A　relic！　　Oh！　　A　relic！'

〃And　she　kissed　the　box　passionately；　so　that　I　was　ashamed　of　my
deception。　　She　was　not　quite　satisfied；　however；　and　her　uneasiness　soon
turned　to　terrible　fear；　and　looking　straight　into　my　eyes；　she　said：

〃'Are　you　sure…that　it　is　genuine？'

〃'Absolutely　certain。'

〃'How　can　you　be　so　certain？'

〃I　was　trapped；　for　to　say　that　I　had　bought　it　of　a　man　in　the　streets
would　be　my　destruction。　　What　was　I　to　say？　　A　wild　idea　struck　me；　and
I　said；　in　a　low；　mysterious　voice：

〃'I　stole　it　for　you。'

〃She　looked　at　me　with　astonishment　and　delight　in　her　large　eyes。

〃'Oh！　　You　stole　it？　　Where？'

〃'In　the　cathedral；　in　the　very　shrine　of　the　Eleven　Thousand　Virgins。'

〃Her　heart　beat　with　pleasure；　and　she　murmured：

〃'Oh！　　Did　you　really　do　that…for　me？　　Tell　me…all　about　it！'

〃That　was　the　climax；　I　could　not　retract　what　I　had　said。　　I　made　up　a
fanciful　story；　with　precise　details：　I　had　given　the　custodian　of　the
building　a　hundred　francs　to　be　allowed　to　go　about　the　building　by
myself；　the　shrine　was　being　repaired；　but　I　happened　to　be　there　at　the
breakfast　hour　of　the　workmen　and　clergy；　by　removing　a　small　panel；　I
had　been　enabled　to　seize　a　small　piece　of　bone　（oh！　　so　small）；　among　a
quantity　of　others　（I　said　a　quantity；　as　I　thought　of　the　amount　that
the　remains　of　the　skeletons　of　eleven　thousand　virgins　must　produce）。
Then　I　went　to　a　goldsmith's　and　bought　a　casket　worthy　of　the　relic；　and
I　was　not　sorry　to　let　her　know　that　the　silver　box　cost　me　five　hundred
francs。

〃But　she　did　not　think　of　that；　she　listened　to　me；　trembling；　in　an
ecstasy；　and　whispering：　'How　I　love　you！'　she　threw　herself　into　my
arms。

〃Just　note　this：　I　had　committed　sacrilege　for　her　sake。　　I　had　committed
a　theft；　I　had　violated　a　church；　I　had　violated　a　shrine；　violated　and
stolen　holy　relics；　and　for　that　she　adored　me；　thought　me　perfect；
tender；　divine。　　Such　is　woman；　my　dear　Abbe；　every　woman。

〃For　two　months　I　was　the　most　admirable　of　lovers。　　In　her　room；　she　had
made　a　kind　of　magnificent　chapel　in　which　to　keep　this　bit　of　mutton
chop；　which；　as　she　thought；　had　made　me　commit　that　divine　love…crime；
and　she　worked　up　her　religious　enthusiasm　in　front　of　it　every　morning
and　evening。　　I　had　asked　her　to　keep　the　matter　secret；　for　fear；　as　I
said；　that　I　might　be　arrested；　condemned；　and　given　over　to　Germany；　and
she　kept　her　promise。

〃Well；　at　the　beginning　of　the　summer；　she　was　seized　with　an
irresistible　desire　to　see　the　scene　of　my　exploit；　and　she　teased　her
father　so　persistently　（without　telling　him　her　secret　reason）；　that　he
took　her　to　Cologne；　but　without　telling　me　of　their　trip；　according　to
his　daughter's　wish。

〃I　need　not　tell　you　that　I　had　not　seen　the　interior　of　the　cathedral。
I　do　not　know　where　the　tomb　（if　there　be　a　tomb）　of　the　Eleven　Thousand
Virgins　is；　and　then；　it　appears；　it　is　unapproachable；　alas！

〃A　week　afterward；　I　received　ten　lines；　breaking　off　our　engagement；　and
then　an　explanatory　letter　from　her　father；　whom　she