original short stories-3-第4部分

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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　of　a　woman；　whether　she　be　fifteen　or
fifty　years　of　age；　whether　she　be　of　the　people　or　of　society；　goes　so
straight　to　my　heart　that　I　never　have　any　hesitation　in　understanding
it！

〃Her　whole　frail　being　had　trembled；　vibrated；　been　overcome。　　I　knew　it。
She　walked　away　before　I　had　time　to　say　a　word；　leaving　me　as　surprised
as　if　I　had　witnessed　a　miracle　and　as　troubled　as　if　I　had　committed　a
crime。

〃I　did　not　go　in　to　breakfast。　　I　went　to　take　a　turn　on　the　edge　of　the
cliff；　feeling　that　I　would　just　as　lief　weep　as　laugh；　looking　on　the
adventure　as　both　comic　and　deplorable　and　my　position　as　ridiculous；
believing　her　unhappy　enough　to　go　insane。

〃I　asked　myself　what　I　ought　to　do。　　It　seemed　best　for　me　to　leave　the
place；　and　I　immediately　resolved　to　do　so。

〃Somewhat　sad　and　perplexed；　I　wandered　about　until　dinner　time　and
entered　the　farmhouse　just　when　the　soup　had　been　served　up。

〃I　sat　down　at　the　table　as　usual。　　Miss　Harriet　was　there；　eating　away
solemnly；　without　speaking　to　any　one；　without　even　lifting　her　eyes。
Her　manner　and　expression　were；　however；　the　same　as　usual。

〃I　waited　patiently　till　the　meal　had　been　finished；　when；　turning　toward
the　landlady；　I　said：　'Well；　Madame　Lecacheur；　it　will　not　be　long　now
before　I　shall　have　to　take　my　leave　of　you。'

〃The　good　woman；　at　once　surprised　and　troubled；　replied　in　her　drawling
voice：　'My　dear　sir；　what　is　it　you　say？　　You　are　going　to　leave　us　after
I　have　become　so　accustomed　to　you？'

〃I　glanced　at　Miss　Harriet　out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye。　　Her　countenance
did　not　change　in　the　least。　　But　Celeste；　the　little　servant；　looked　up
at　me。　　She　was　a　fat　girl；　of　about　eighteen　years　of　age；　rosy；　fresh；
as　strong　as　a　horse；　and　possessing　the　rare　attribute　of　cleanliness。
I　had　kissed　her　at　odd　times　in　out…of…the…way　corners；　after　the　manner
of　travellersnothing　more。

〃The　dinner　being　at　length　over；　I　went　to　smoke　my　pipe　under　the　apple
trees；　walking　up　and　down　from　one　end　of　the　enclosure　to　the　other。
All　the　reflections　which　I　had　made　during　the　day；　the　strange
discovery　of　the　morning；　that　passionate　and　grotesque　attachment　for
me；　the　recollections　which　that　revelation　had　suddenly　called　up；
recollections　at　once　charming　and　perplexing；　perhaps　also　that　look
which　the　servant　had　cast　on　me　at　the　announcement　of　my　departureall
these　things；　mixed　up　and　combined；　put　me　now　in　a　reckless　humor；　gave
me　a　tickling　sensation　of　kisses　on　the　lips　and　in　my　veins　a　something
which　urged　me　on　to　commit　some　folly。

〃Night　was　coming　on；　casting　its　dark　shadows　under　the　trees；　when　I
descried　Celeste；　who　had　gone　to　fasten　up　the　poultry　yard　at　the　other
end　of　the　enclosure。　　I　darted　toward　her；　running　so　noiselessly　that
she　heard　nothing；　and　as　she　got　up　from　closing　the　small　trapdoor　by
which　the　chickens　got　in　and　out；　I　clasped　her　in　my　arms　and　rained　on
her　coarse；　fat　face　a　shower　of　kisses。　　She　struggled；　laughing　all　the
time；　as　she　was　accustomed　to　do　in　such　circumstances。　　Why　did　I
suddenly　loose　my　grip　of　her？　　Why　did　I　at　once　experience　a　shock？
What　was　it　that　I　heard　behind　me？

〃It　was　Miss　Harriet；　who　had　come　upon　us；　who　had　seen　us　and　who　stood
in　front　of　us　motionless　as　a　spectre。　　Then　she　disappeared　in　the
darkness。

〃I　was　ashamed；　embarrassed；　more　desperate　at　having　been　thus　surprised
by　her　than　if　she　had　caught　me　committing　some　criminal　act。

〃I　slept　badly　that　night。　　I　was　completely　unnerved　and　haunted　by　sad
thoughts。　　I　seemed　to　hear　loud　weeping；　but　in　this　I　was　no　doubt
deceived。　　Moreover；　I　thought　several　times　that　I　heard　some　one
walking　up　and　down　in　the　house　and　opening　the　hall　door。

〃Toward　morning　I　was　overcome　by　fatigue　and　fell　asleep。　　I　got　up　late
and　did　not　go　downstairs　until　the　late　breakfast；　being　still　in　a
bewildered　state；　not　knowing　what　kind　of　expression　to　put　on。

〃No　one　had　seen　Miss　Harriet。　　We　waited　for　her　at　table；　but　she　did
not　appear。　　At　length　Mother　Lecacheur　went　to　her　room。　　The　English
woman　had　gone　out。　　She　must　have　set　out　at　break　of　day；　as　she　was
wont　to　do；　in　order　to　see　the　sun　rise。

〃Nobody　seemed　surprised　at　this；　and　we　began　to　eat　in　silence。

〃The　weather　was　hot；　very　hot；　one　of　those　broiling；　heavy　days　when
not　a　leaf　stirs。　　The　table　had　been　placed　out　of　doors；　under　an　apple
tree；　and　from　time　to　time　Sapeur　had　gone　to　the　cellar　to　draw　a　jug
of　cider；　everybody　was　so　thirsty。　　Celeste　brought　the　dishes　from　the
kitchen；　a　ragout　of　mutton　with　potatoes；　a　cold　rabbit　and　a　salad。
Afterward　she　placed　before　us　a　dish　of　strawberries；　the　first　of　the
season。

〃As　I　wished　to　wash　and　freshen　these；　I　begged　the　servant　to　go　and
draw　me　a　pitcher　of　cold　water。

〃In　about　five　minutes　she　returned；　declaring　that　the　well　was　dry。
She　had　lowered　the　pitcher　to　the　full　extent　of　the　cord　and　had
touched　the　bottom；　but　on　drawing　the　pitcher　up　again　it　was　empty。
Mother　Lecacheur；　anxious　to　examine　the　thing　for　herself；　went　and
looked　down　the　hole。　　She　returned；　announcing　that　one　could　see
clearly　something　in　the　well；　something　altogether　unusual。　　But　this　no
doubt　was　bundles　of　straw；　which　a　neighbor　had　thrown　in　out　of　spite。

〃I　wished　to　look　down　the　well　also；　hoping　I　might　be　able　to　clear　up
the　mystery；　and　I　perched　myself　close　to　the　brink。　　I　perceived
indistinctly　a　white　object。　　What　could　it　be？　　I　then　conceived　the
idea　of　lowering　a　lantern　at　the　end　of　a　cord。　　When　I　did　so　the
yellow　flame　danced　on　the　layers　of　stone　and　gradually　became　clearer。
All　four　of　us　were　leaning　over　the　opening；　Sapeur　and　Celeste　having
now　joined　us。　　The　lantern　rested　on　a　black…and…white　indistinct　mass；
singular；　incomprehensible。　　Sapeur　exclaimed：

〃'It　is　a　horse。　　I　see　the　hoofs。　　It　must　have　got　out　of　the　meadow
during　the　night　and　fallen　in　headlong。'

〃But　suddenly　a　cold　shiver　froze　me　to　the　marrow。　　I　first　recognized　a
foot；　then　a　leg　sticking　up；　the　whole　body　and　the　other　leg　were
completely　under　water。

〃I　stammered　out　in　a　loud　voice；　trembling　so　violently　that　the　lantern
danced　hither　and　thither　over　the　slipper：

〃'It　is　a　woman！　　Who…who…can　it　be？　　It　is　Miss　Harriet！'

〃Sapeur　alone　did　not　manifest　horror。　　He　had　witnessed　many　such　scenes
in　Africa。

〃Mother　Lecacheur　and　Celeste　began　to　utter　piercing　screams　and　ran
away。

〃But　it　was　necessary　to　recover　the　corpse　of　the　dead　woman。　　I
attached　the　young　man　securely　by　the　waist　to　the　end　of　the　pulley
rope　and　lowered　him　very　slowly；　watching　him　disappear　in　the　darkness。
In　one　hand　he　held　the　lantern　and　a　rope　in　the　other。　　Soon　I
recognized　his　voice；　which　seemed　to　come　from　the　centre　of　the　earth；
saying：

'Stop！'

〃I　then　saw　him　fish　something　out　of　the　water。　　It　was　the　other　leg。
He　then　bound　the　two　feet　together　and　shouted　anew：

〃'Haul　up！'

〃I　began　to　wind　up；　but　I　felt　my　arms　crack；　my　muscles　twitch；　and　I
was　in　terror　lest　I　should　let　the　man　fall　to　the　bottom。　　When　his
head　appeared　at　the　brink　I　asked：

〃'Well？'　as　if　I　expected　he　had　a　message　from　the　drowned　woman。

〃We　both　got　on　the　stone　slab　at　the　edge　of　the　well　and　from　opposite
sides　we　began　to　haul　up　the　body。

〃Mother　Lecacheur　and　Celeste　watched　us　from　a　distance；　concealed　from
view　behind　the　wall　of　the　house。　　When　they　saw　issuing　from　the　hole
the　black　slippers　and　white　stockings　of　the　drowned　person　they
disappeared。

〃Sapeur　seized　the　ankles；　and　we　drew　up　the　body　of　the　poor　woman。
The　head　was　shocking　to　look　at；　being　bruised　and　lacerated；　and　the
long　gray　hair；　out　of　curl　forevermore；　hanging　down　tangled　and
disordered。

〃'In　the　name　of　all　that　is　holy！　　how　lean　she　is；'　exclaimed　Sapeur　in
a　contemptuous　tone。

〃We　carried　her　into　the　room；　and　as　the　women　did　not　put　in　an
appearance　I；　with　the　assistance　of　the　stable　lad；　dressed　the　corpse
for　burial。

〃I　washed　her　disfigured　face。　　Under　the　touch　of　my　finger　an　eye　was
slightly　opened　and　regarded　me　with　that　pale；　cold　look；　that　terrible
look　of　a　corpse　which　seems　to　come　from　the　beyond。　　I　braided　as　well
as　I　could　her　dishevelled　hair　and　with　my　clumsy　hands　arranged　on　her
head　a　novel　and　singular　coiffure。　　Then　I　took　off　her　dripping　wet
garments；　baring；　not　without　a　feeling　of　shame；　as　though　I　had　been
guilty　of　some　profanation；　her　shoulders　and　her　chest　and　her　long
arms；　as　slim　as　the　twigs　of　a　tree。

〃I　next　went　to　fetch　some　flowers；　poppies；　bluets；　marguerites　and
fresh；　sweet…smelling　grass　with　which　to　strew　her　funeral　couch。

〃I　then　had　to　go　through　the　usual　formalities；　as　I　was　alone　to　attend
to　everything。　　A　letter　found　in　her　pocket；　written　at　the　last　moment；
requested　that　her　body　be　buried　in　the　village　in　which　she　had　passed
the　last　days　of　her　life。　　A　sad　suspicion　weighed　on　my　heart。　　Was　it
not　on　my　account　that　she　wished　to　be　laid　to　rest　in　this　place？

〃Toward　evening　all　the　female　gossips　of　the　locality　came　to　view　the
remains　of　the　defunct；　but　I　would　not　allow　a　single　person　to　enter。
I　wanted　to　be　alone；　and　I　watched　beside　her　all　night。

〃I　looked　at　the　corpse　by　the　flickering　light　of　the　candles；　at　this
unhappy　woman；　unknown　to　us　all；　who　had　died　in　such　a　lamentable
manner　and　so　far　away　from　home。　　Had　she　left　no　friends；　no　relations
behind　her？　　What　had　her　infancy　been？　　What　had　been　her　life？　　Whence
had　she　come　thither　alone；　a　wanderer；　lost　like　a　dog　driven　from　home？
What　secrets　of　sufferings　and　of　despair　were　sealed　up　in　that
unprepossessing　body；　in　that　poor　body　whose　outward　appearance　had
driven　from　her　all　affection；　all　love？

〃How　many　unhappy　beings　there　are！　　I　felt　that　there　weighed　upon　that
human　creature　the　eternal　injustice　of　implacable　nature！　　It　was　all
over　with　her；　without　her　ever　hav