original short stories-13-第15部分

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into　the　sea。　　The　finders　carefully　placed　these　various　fragments　in
their　pocketbooks。　　But　not　one　of　them　possesses　a　true　particle　of　the
Indian　prince。

That　very　night　a　deputy　sent　by　the　government　came　to　hold　an　inquest。
He；　however；　formed　an　estimate　of　this　singular　case　like　a　man　of
intelligence　and　good　sense。　　But　what　should　he　say　in　his　report？

The　East　Indians　declared　that　if　they　had　been　prevented　in　France　from
cremating　their　dead　they　would　have　taken　him　to　a　freer　country　where
they　could　have　carried　out　their　customs。

Thus；　I　have　seen　a　man　cremated　on　a　funeral　pile；　and　it　has　given　me　a
wish　to　disappear　in　the　same　manner。

In　this　way　everything　ends　at　once。　　Man　expedites　the　slow　work　of
nature；　instead　of　delaying　it　by　the　hideous　coffin　in　which　one
decomposes　for　months。　　The　flesh　is　dead；　the　spirit　has　fled。　　Fire
which　purifies　disperses　in　a　few　hours　all　that　was　a　human　being；　it
casts　it　to　the　winds；　converting　it　into　air　and　ashes；　and　not　into
ignominious　corruption。

This　is　clean　and　hygienic。　　Putrefaction　beneath　the　ground　in　a　closed
box　where　the　body　becomes　like　pap；　a　blackened；　stinking　pap；　has　about
it　something　repugnant　and　disgusting。　　The　sight　of　the　coffin　as　it
descends　into　this　muddy　hole　wrings　one's　heart　with　anguish。　　But　the
funeral　pyre　which　flames　up　beneath　the　sky　has　about　it　something
grand；　beautiful　and　solemn。






MISTI

I　was　very　much　interested　at　that　time　in　a　droll　little　woman。　　She　was
married；　of　course；　as　I　have　a　horror　of　unmarried　flirts。　　What
enjoyment　is　there　in　making　love　to　a　woman　who　belongs　to　nobody　and
yet　belongs　to　any　one？　　And；　besides；　morality　aside；　I　do　not
understand　love　as　a　trade。　　That　disgusts　me　somewhat。

The　especial　attraction　in　a　married　woman　to　a　bachelor　is　that　she
gives　him　a　home；　a　sweet；　pleasant　home　where　every　one　takes　care　of
you　and　spoils　you；　from　the　husband　to　the　servants。　　One　finds
everything　combined　there；　love；　friendship；　even　fatherly　interest；　bed
and　board；　all；　in　fact；　that　constitutes　the　happiness　of　life；　with
this　incalculable　advantage；　that　one　can　change　one's　family　from　time
to　time；　take　up　one's　abode　in　all　kinds　of　society　in　turn：　in　summer；
in　the　country　with　the　workman　who　rents　you　a　room　in　his　house；　in
winter　with　the　townsfolk；　or　even　with　the　nobility；　if　one　is
ambitious。

I　have　another　weakness；　it　is　that　I　become　attached　to　the　husband　as
well　as　the　wife。　　I　acknowledge　even　that　some　husbands；　ordinary　or
coarse　as　they　may　be；　give　me　a　feeling　of　disgust　for　their　wives；
however　charming　they　may　be。　　But　when　the　husband　is　intellectual　or
charming　I　invariably　become　very　much　attached　to　him。　　I　am　careful　if
I　quarrel　with　the　wife　not　to　quarrel　with　the　husband。　　In　this　way　I
have　made　some　of　my　best　friends；　and　have　also　proved　in　many　cases　the
incontestable　superiority　of　the　male　over　the　female　in　the　human
species。　　The　latter　makes　all　sorts　of　trouble…scenes；　reproaches；　etc。；
while　the　former；　who　has　just　as　good　a　right　to　complain；　treats　you；
on　the　contrary；　as　though　you　were　the　special　Providence　of　his　hearth。

Well；　my　friend　was　a　quaint　little　woman；　a　brunette；　fanciful；
capricious；　pious；　superstitious；　credulous　as　a　monk；　but　charming。
She　had　a　way　of　kissing　one　that　I　never　saw　in　any　one　elsebut　that
was　not　the　attractionand　such　a　soft　skin！　　It　gave　me　intense　delight
merely　to　hold　her　hands。　　And　an　eyeher　glance　was　like　a　slow　caress；
delicious　and　unending。　　Sometimes　I　would　lean　my　head　on　her　knee　and
we　would　remain　motionless；　she　leaning　over　me　with　that　subtle；
enigmatic；　disturbing　smile　that　women　have；　while　my　eyes　would　be
raised　to　hers；　drinking　sweetly　and　deliciously　into　my　heart；　like　a
form　of　intoxication；　the　glance　of　her　limpid　blue　eyes；　limpid　as
though　they　were　full　of　thoughts　of　love；　and　blue　as　though　they　were　a
heaven　of　delights。

Her　husband；　inspector　of　some　large　public　works；　was　frequently　away
from　home　and　left　us　our　evenings　free。　　Sometimes　I　spent　them　with　her
lounging　on　the　divan　with　my　forehead　on　one　of　her　knees；　while　on　the
other　lay　an　enormous　black　cat　called　〃Misti；〃　whom　she　adored。　　Our
fingers　would　meet　on　the　cat's　back　and　would　intertwine　in　her　soft
silky　fur。　　I　felt　its　warm　body　against　my　cheek；　trembling　with　its
eternal　purring；　and　occasionally　a　paw　would　reach　out　and　place　on　my
mouth；　or　my　eyelid；　five　unsheathed　claws　which　would　prick　my　eyelids；
and　then　be　immediately　withdrawn。

Sometimes　we　would　go　out　on　what　we　called　our　escapades。　　They　were
very　innocent；　however。　　They　consisted　in　taking　supper　at　some　inn　in
the　suburbs；　or　else；　after　dining　at　her　house　or　at　mine；　in　making　the
round　of　the　cheap　cafes；　like　students　out　for　a　lark。

We　would　go　into　the　common　drinking　places　and　take　our　seats　at　the　end
of　the　smoky　den　on　two　rickety　chairs；　at　an　old　wooden　table。　　A　cloud
of　pungent　smoke；　with　which　blended　an　odor　of　fried　fish　from　dinner；
filled　the　room。　　Men　in　smocks　were　talking　in　loud　tones　as　they　drank
their　petits　verres；　and　the　astonished　waiter　placed　before　us　two
cherry　brandies。

She；　trembling；　charmingly　afraid；　would　raise　her　double　black　veil　as
far　as　her　nose；　and　then　take　up　her　glass　with　the　enjoyment　that　one
feels　at　doing　something　delightfully　naughty。　　Each　cherry　she　swallowed
made　her　feel　as　if　she　had　done　something　wrong；　each　swallow　of　the
burning　liquor　had　on　her　the　affect　of　a　delicate　and　forbidden
enjoyment。

Then　she　would　say　to　me　in　a　low　tone：　〃Let　us　go。〃　　And　we　would　leave；
she　walking　quickly　with　lowered　head　between　the　drinkers　who　watched
her　going　by　with　a　look　of　displeasure。　　And　as　soon　as　we　got　into　the
street　she　would　give　a　great　sigh　of　relief；　as　if　we　had　escaped　some
terrible　danger。

Sometimes　she　would　ask　me　with　a　shudder：

〃Suppose　they；　should　say　something　rude　to　me　in　those　places；　what
would　you　do？〃　　〃Why；　I　would　defend　you；　parbleu！〃　　I　would　reply　in　a
resolute　manner。　　And　she　would　squeeze　my　arm　for　happiness；　perhaps
with　a　vague　wish　that　she　might　be　insulted　and　protected；　that　she
might　see　men　fight　on　her　account；　even　those　men；　with　me！

One　evening　as　we　sat　at　a　table　in　a　tavern　at　Montmartre；　we　saw　an　old
woman　in　tattered　garments　come　in；　holding　in　her　hand　a　pack　of　dirty
cards。　　Perceiving　a　lady；　the　old　woman　at　once　approached　us　and
offered　to　tell　my　friend's　fortune。　　Emma；　who　in　her　heart　believed　in
everything；　was　trembling　with　longing　and　anxiety；　and　she　made　a　place
beside　her　for　the　old　woman。

The　latter；　old；　wrinkled；　her　eyes　with　red　inflamed　rings　round　them；
and　her　mouth　without　a　single　tooth　in　it；　began　to　deal　her　dirty　cards
on　the　table。　　She　dealt　them　in　piles；　then　gathered　them　up；　and　then
dealt　them　out　again；　murmuring　indistinguishable　words。　　Emma；　turning
pale；　listened　with　bated　breath；　gasping　with　anxiety　and　curiosity。

The　fortune…teller　broke　silence。　　She　predicted　vague　happenings：
happiness　and　children；　a　fair　young　man；　a　voyage；　money；　a　lawsuit；　a
dark　man；　the　return　of　some　one；　success；　a　death。　　The　mention　of　this
death　attracted　the　younger　woman's　attention。　　〃Whose　death？　　When？　　In
what　manner？〃

The　old　woman　replied：　〃Oh；　as　to　that；　these　cards　are　not　certain
enough。　　You　must　come　to　my　place　to…morrow；　I　will　tell　you　about　it
with　coffee　grounds　which　never　make　a　mistake。〃

Emma　turned　anxiously　to　me：

〃Say；　let　us　go　there　to…morrow。　　Oh；　please　say　yes。　　If　not；　you　cannot
imagine　how　worried　I　shall　be。〃

I　began　to　laugh。

〃We　will　go　if　you　wish　it；　dearie。〃

The　old　woman　gave　us　her　address。　　She　lived　on　the　sixth　floor；　in　a
wretched　house　behind　the　Buttes…Chaumont。　　We　went　there　the　following
day。

Her　room；　an　attic　containing　two　chairs　and　a　bed；　was　filled　with
strange　objects；　bunches　of　herbs　hanging　from　nails；　skins　of　animals；
flasks　and　phials　containing　liquids　of　various　colors。　　On　the　table　a
stuffed　black　cat　looked　out　of　eyes　of　glass。　　He　seemed　like　the　demon
of　this　sinister　dwelling。

Emma；　almost　fainting　with　emotion；　sat　down　on　a　chair　and　exclaimed：

〃Oh；　dear；　look　at　that　cat；　how　like　it　is　to　Misti。〃

And　she　explained　to　the　old　woman　that　she　had　a　cat　〃exactly　like　that；
exactly　like　that！〃

The　old　woman　replied　gravely：

〃If　you　are　in　love　with　a　man；　you　must　not　keep　it。〃

Emma；　suddenly　filled　with　fear；　asked：

〃Why　not？〃

The　old　woman　sat　down　familiarly　beside　her　and　took　her　hand。

〃It　was　the　undoing　of　my　life；〃　she　said。

My　friend　wanted　to　hear　about　it。　　She　leaned　against　the　old　woman；
questioned　her；　begged　her　to　tell。　　At　length　the　woman　agreed　to　do　so。

〃I　loved　that　cat；〃　she　said；　〃as　one　would　love　a　brother。　　I　was　young
then　and　all　alone；　a　seamstress。　　I　had　only　him；　Mouton。　　One　of　the
tenants　had　given　it　to　me。　　He　was　as　intelligent　as　a　child；　and　gentle
as　well；　and　he　worshiped　me；　my　dear　lady；　he　worshiped　me　more　than　one
does　a　fetish。　　All　day　long　he　would　sit　on　my　lap　purring；　and　all
night　long　on　my　pillow；　I　could　feel　his　heart　beating；　in　fact。

〃Well；　I　happened　to　make　an　acquaintance；　a　fine　young　man　who　was
working　in　a　white…goods　house。　　That　went　on　for　about　three　months　on　a
footing　of　mere　friendship。　　But　you　know　one　is　liable　to　weaken；　it　may
happen　to　any　one；　and；　besides；　I　had　really　begun　to　love　him。　　He　was
so　nice；　so　nice；　and　so　good。　　He　wanted　us　to　live　together；　for
economy's　sake。　　I　finally　allowed　him　to　come　and　see　me　one　evening。　　I
had　not　made　up　my　mind　to　anything　definite；　oh；　no！　　But　I　was　pleased
at　the　idea　that　we　should　spend　an　hour　together。

〃At　first　he　behaved　very　well；　said　nice　things　to　me　that　made　my　heart
go　pit…a…pat。　　And　then　he　kissed　me；　madame；　kissed　me　as　one　does　when
they　love。　　I　remained　motionless；　my　eyes　closed；　in　a　paroxysm　of
happiness。　　But；　suddenly；　I　felt　him　start　violently　and　he　gave　a
scream；　a　scream　that　I　shall　never　forget。