original short stories-3-第3部分

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descended　toward　the　horizon。　　Far　off　in　the　distance　a　three…master　in
full　sail　was　outlined　on　the　blood…red　sky　and　a　steamship；　somewhat
nearer；　passed　along；　leaving　behind　it　a　trail　of　smoke　on　the　horizon。
The　red　sun　globe　sank　slowly　lower　and　lower　and　presently　touched　the
water　just　behind　the　motionless　vessel；　which；　in　its　dazzling
effulgence；　looked　as　though　framed　in　a　flame　of　fire。　　We　saw　it
plunge；　grow　smaller　and　disappear；　swallowed　up　by　the　ocean。

〃Miss　Harriet　gazed　in　rapture　at　the　last　gleams　of　the　dying　day。　　She
seemed　longing　to　embrace　the　sky；　the　sea；　the　whole　landscape。

〃She　murmured：　'Aoh！　　I　loveI　love'　I　saw　a　tear　in　her　eye。　　She
continued：　'I　wish　I　were　a　little　bird；　so　that　I　could　mount　up　into
the　firmament。'

〃She　remained　standing　as　I　had　often　before　seen　her；　perched　on　the
cliff；　her　face　as　red　as　her　shawl。　　I　should　have　liked　to　have
sketched　her　in　my　album。　　It　would　have　been　a　caricature　of　ecstasy。

〃I　turned　away　so　as　not　to　laugh。

〃I　then　spoke　to　her　of　painting　as　I　would　have　done　to　a　fellow　artist；
using　the　technical　terms　common　among　the　devotees　of　the　profession。
She　listened　attentively；　eagerly　seeking　to　divine　the　meaning　of　the
terms；　so　as　to　understand　my　thoughts。　　From　time　to　time　she　would
exclaim：

'Oh！　I　understand；　I　understand。　　It　is　very　interesting。'

〃We　returned　home。

〃The　next　day；　on　seeing　me；　she　approached　me；　cordially　holding　out　her
hand；　and　we　at　once　became　firm　friends。

〃She　was　a　good　creature　who　had　a　kind　of　soul　on　springs；　which　became
enthusiastic　at　a　bound。　　She　lacked　equilibrium　like　all　women　who　are
spinsters　at　the　age　of　fifty。　　She　seemed　to　be　preserved　in　a　pickle　of
innocence；　but　her　heart　still　retained　something　very　youthful　and
inflammable。　　She　loved　both　nature　and　animals　with　a　fervor；　a　love
like　old　wine　fermented　through　age；　with　a　sensuous　love　that　she　had
never　bestowed　on　men。

〃One　thing　is　certain；　that　the　sight　of　a　bitch　nursing　her　puppies；　a
mare　roaming　in　a　meadow　with　a　foal　at　its　side；　a　bird's　nest　full　of
young　ones；　screaming；　with　their　open　mouths　and　their　enormous　heads；
affected　her　perceptibly。

〃Poor；　solitary；　sad；　wandering　beings！　　I　love　you　ever　since　I　became
acquainted　with　Miss　Harriet。

〃I　soon　discovered　that　she　had　something　she　would　like　to　tell　me；　but
dare　not；　and　I　was　amused　at　her　timidity。　　When　I　started　out　in　the
morning　with　my　knapsack　on　my　back；　she　would　accompany　me　in　silence　as
far　as　the　end　of　the　village；　evidently　struggling　to　find　words　with
which　to　begin　a　conversation。　　Then　she　would　leave　me　abruptly　and　walk
away　quickly　with　her　springy　step。

〃One　day；　however；　she　plucked　up　courage：

〃I　would　like　to　see　how　you　paint　pictures。　　Are　you　willing？　　I　have
been　very　curious。'

〃And　she　blushed　as　if　she　had　said　something　very　audacious。

〃I　conducted　her　to　the　bottom　of　the　Petit…Val；　where　I　had　begun　a
large　picture。

〃She　remained　standing　behind　me；　following　all　my　gestures　with
concentrated　attention。　　Then；　suddenly；　fearing　perhaps　that　she　was
disturbing　me；　she　said：　'Thank　you；'　and　walked　away。

〃But　she　soon　became　more　friendly；　and　accompanied　me　every　day；　her
countenance　exhibiting　visible　pleasure。　　She　carried　her　camp　stool
under　her　arm；　not　permitting　me　to　carry　it。　　She　would　remain　there　for
hours；　silent　and　motionless；　following　with　her　eyes　the　point　of　my
brush；　in　its　every　movement。　　When　I　obtained　unexpectedly　just　the
effect　I　wanted　by　a　dash　of　color　put　on　with　the　palette　knife；　she
involuntarily　uttered　a　little　'Ah！'　of　astonishment；　of　joy；　of
admiration。　　She　had　the　most　tender　respect　for　my　canvases；　an　almost
religious　respect　for　that　human　reproduction　of　a　part　of　nature's　work
divine。　　My　studies　appeared　to　her　a　kind　of　religious　pictures；　and
sometimes　she　spoke　to　me　of　God；　with　the　idea　of　converting　me。

〃Oh；　he　was　a　queer；　good…natured　being；　this　God　of　hers！　　He　was　a　sort
of　village　philosopher　without　any　great　resources　and　without　great
power；　for　she　always　figured　him　to　herself　as　inconsolable　over
injustices　committed　under　his　eyes；　as　though　he　were　powerless　to
prevent　them。

〃She　was；　however；　on　excellent　terms　with　him；　affecting　even　to　be　the
confidante　of　his　secrets　and　of　his　troubles。　　She　would　say：

〃'God　wills'　or　'God　does　not　will；'　just　like　a　sergeant　announcing　to　a
recruit：　'The　colonel　has　commanded。'

〃At　the　bottom　of　her　heart　she　deplored　my　ignorance　of　the　intentions
of　the　Eternal；　which　she　endeavored　to　impart　to　me。

〃Almost　every　day　I　found　in　my　pockets；　in　my　hat　when　I　lifted　it　from
the　ground；　in　my　paintbox；　in　my　polished　shoes；　standing　in　front　of　my
door　in　the　morning；　those　little　pious　tracts　which　she　no　doubt；
received　directly　from　Paradise。

〃I　treated　her　as　one　would　an　old　friend；　with　unaffected　cordiality。
But　I　soon　perceived　that　she　had　changed　somewhat　in　her　manner；　though；
for　a　while；　I　paid　little　attention　to　it。

〃When　I　was　painting；　whether　in　my　valley　or　in　some　country　lane；　I
would　see　her　suddenly　appear　with　her　rapid；　springy　walk。　　She　would
then　sit　down　abruptly；　out　of　breath；　as　though　she　had　been　running　or
were　overcome　by　some　profound　emotion。　　Her　face　would　be　red；　that
English　red　which　is　denied　to　the　people　of　all　other　countries；　then；
without　any　reason；　she　would　turn　ashy　pale　and　seem　about　to　faint
away。　　Gradually；　however；　her　natural　color　would　return　and　she　would
begin　to　speak。

〃Then；　without　warning；　she　would　break　off　in　the　middle　of　a　sentence；
spring　up　from　her　seat　and　walk　away　so　rapidly　and　so　strangely　that　I
was　at　my　wits'　ends　to　discover　whether　I　had　done　or　said　anything　to
displease　or　wound　her。

〃I　finally　came　to　the　conclusion　that　those　were　her　normal　manners；
somewhat　modified　no　doubt　in　my　honor　during　the　first　days　of　our
acquaintance。

〃When　she　returned　to　the　farm；　after　walking　for　hours　on　the　windy
coast；　her　long　curls　often　hung　straight　down；　as　if　their　springs　had
been　broken。　　This　had　hitherto　seldom　given　her　any　concern；　and　she
would　come　to　dinner　without　embarrassment　all　dishevelled　by　her　sister；
the　breeze。

But　now　she　would　go　to　her　room　and　arrange　the　untidy　locks；　and　when　I
would　say；　with　familiar　gallantry；　which；　however；　always　offended　her
〃'You　are　as　beautiful　as　a　star　to…day；　Miss　Harriet；'　a　blush　would
immediately　rise　to　her　cheeks；　the　blush　of　a　young　girl；　of　a　girl　of
fifteen。

〃Then　she　would　suddenly　become　quite　reserved　and　cease　coming　to　watch
me　paint。　　I　thought；　'This　is　only　a　fit　of　temper；　it　will　blow　over。'
But　it　did　not　always　blow　over；　and　when　I　spoke　to　her　she　would　answer
me　either　with　affected　indifference　or　with　sullen　annoyance。

〃She　became　by　turns　rude；　impatient　and　nervous。　　I　never　saw　her　now
except　at　meals；　and　we　spoke　but　little。　　I　concluded　at　length　that　I
must　have　offended　her　in　some　way；　and；　accordingly；　I　said　to　her　one
evening：

〃'Miss　Harriet；　why　is　it　that　you　do　not　act　toward　me　as　formerly？
What　have　I　done　to　displease　you？　　You　are　causing　me　much　pain！'

〃She　replied　in　a　most　comical　tone　of　anger：

〃'I　am　just　the　same　with　you　as　formerly。　　It　is　not　true；　not　true；'
and　she　ran　upstairs　and　shut　herself　up　in　her　room。

〃Occasionally　she　would　look　at　me　in　a　peculiar　manner。　　I　have　often
said　to　myself　since　then　that　those　who　are　condemned　to　death　must　look
thus　when　they　are　informed　that　their　last　day　has　come。　　In　her　eye
there　lurked　a　species　of　insanity；　an　insanity　at　once　mystical　and
violent；　and　even　more；　a　fever；　an　aggravated　longing；　impatient　and
impotent；　for　the　unattained　and　unattainable。

〃Nay；　it　seemed　to　me　there　was　also　going　on　within　her　a　struggle　in
which　her　heart　wrestled　with　an　unknown　force　that　she　sought　to　master；
and　even；　perhaps；　something　else。　　But　what　do　I　know？　　What　do　I　know？

〃It　was　indeed　a　singular　revelation。

〃For　some　time　I　had　commenced　to　work；　as　soon　as　daylight　appeared；　on
a　picture　the　subject　of　which　was　as　follows：

〃A　deep　ravine；　enclosed；　surmounted　by　two　thickets　of　trees　and　vines；
extended　into　the　distance　and　was　lost；　submerged　in　that　milky　vapor；
in　that　cloud　like　cotton　down　that　sometimes　floats　over　valleys　at
daybreak。　　And　at　the　extreme　end　of　that　heavy；　transparent　fog　one　saw；
or；　rather；　surmised；　that　a　couple　of　human　beings　were　approaching；　a
human　couple；　a　youth　and　a　maiden；　their　arms　interlaced；　embracing　each
other；　their　heads　inclined　toward　each　other；　their　lips　meeting。

〃A　first　ray　of　the　sun；　glistening　through　the　branches；　pierced　that
fog　of　the　dawn；　illuminated　it　with　a　rosy　reflection　just　behind　the
rustic　lovers；　framing　their　vague　shadows　in　a　silvery　background。　　It
was　well　done；　yes；　indeed；　well　done。

〃I　was　working　on　the　declivity　which　led　to　the　Valley　of　Etretat。　　On
this　particular　morning　I　had；　by　chance；　the　sort　of　floating　vapor
which　I　needed。　　Suddenly　something　rose　up　in　front　of　me　like　a
phantom；　it　was　Miss　Harriet。　　On　seeing　me　she　was　about　to　flee。　　But　I
called　after　her；　saying：　'Come　here；　come　here；　mademoiselle。　　I　have　a
nice　little　picture　for　you。'

〃She　came　forward；　though　with　seeming　reluctance。　　I　handed　her　my
sketch。　　She　said　nothing；　but　stood　for　a　long　time；　motionless；　looking
at　it；　and　suddenly　she　burst　into　tears。　　She　wept　spasmodically；　like
men　who　have　striven　hard　to　restrain　their　tears；　but　who　can　do　so　no
longer　and　abandon　themselves　to　grief；　though　still　resisting。　　I　sprang
to　my　feet；　moved　at　the　sight　of　a　sorrow　I　did　not　comprehend；　and　I
took　her　by　the　hand　with　an　impulse　of　brusque　affection；　a　true　French
impulse　which　acts　before　it　reflects。

〃She　let　her　hands　rest　in　mine　for　a　few　seconds；　and　I　felt　them　quiver
as　if　all　her　nerves　were　being　wrenched。　　Then　she　withdrew　her　hands
abruptly；　or；　rather；　snatched　them　away。

〃I　recognized　that　tremor；　for　I　had　felt　it；　and　I　could　not　be
deceived。　　Ah！　the　love　tremor