original short stories-13-第6部分

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white　bones　could　be　seen　the　traces　of　dried　blood。

The　food　was　a　riddle　which　I　could　not　solve。　　Was　it　good？　　Was　it　bad？
I　could　not　say。　　Some　roast　monkey　took　away　all　desire　to　make　a　steady
diet　of　this　animal；　and　the　great　monkey　who　roamed　about　among　us　at
large　and　playfully　pushed　his　head　into　my　glass　when　I　wished　to　drink
cured　me　of　any　desire　I　might　have　to　take　one　of　his　brothers　as　a
companion　for　the　rest　of　my　days。

As　for　the　two　men；　they　gave　me　the　impression　of　two　strange；　original；
remarkable　minds；　belonging　to　that　peculiar　race　of　talented　madmen　from
among　whom　have　arisen　Poe；　Hoffmann　and　many　others。

If　genius　is；　as　is　commonly　believed；　a　sort　of　aberration　of　great
minds；　then　Algernon　Charles　Swinburne　is　undoubtedly　a　genius。

Great　minds　that　are　healthy　are　never　considered　geniuses；　while　this
sublime　qualification　is　lavished　on　brains　that　are　often　inferior　but
are　slightly　touched　by　madness。

At　any　rate；　this　poet　remains　one　of　the　first　of　his　time；　through　his
originality　and　polished　form。　　He　is　an　exalted　lyrical　singer　who
seldom　bothers　about　the　good　and　humble　truth；　which　French　poets　are
now　seeking　so　persistently　and　patiently。　　He　strives　to　set　down
dreams；　subtle　thoughts；　sometimes　great；　sometimes　visibly　forced；　but
sometimes　magnificent。


Two　years　later　I　found　the　house　closed　and　its　tenants　gone。　　The
furniture　was　being　sold。　　In　memory　of　them　I　bought　the　hideous　flayed
hand。　　On　the　grass　an　enormous　square　block　of　granite　bore　this　simple
word：　〃Nip。〃　　Above　this　a　hollow　stone　offered　water　to　the　birds。　　It
was　the　grave　of　the　monkey；　who　had　been　hanged　by　a　young；　vindictive
negro　servant。　　It　was　said　that　this　violent　domestic　had　been　forced　to
flee　at　the　point　of　his　exasperated　master's　revolver。　　After　wandering
about　without　home　or　food　for　several　days；　he　returned　and　began　to
peddle　barley…sugar　in　the　streets。　　He　was　expelled　from　the　country
after　he　had　almost　strangled　a　displeased　customer。

The　world　would　be　gayer　if　one　could　often　meet　homes　like　that。

　　　　　This　story　appeared　in　the　〃Gaulois；〃　November　29；　1882。　　It　was　the
　　　　　original　sketch　for　the　introductory　study　of　Swinburne；　written　by
　　　　　Maupassant　for　the　French　translation　by　Gabriel　Mourey　of　〃Poems
　　　　　and　Ballads。〃






MAGNETISM

It　was　a　men's　dinner　party；　and　they　were　sitting　over　their　cigars　and
brandy　and　discussing　magnetism。　　Donato's　tricks　and　Charcot's
experiments。　　Presently；　the　sceptical；　easy…going　men；　who　cared　nothing
for　religion　of　any　sort；　began　telling　stories　of　strange　occurrences；
incredible　things　which；　nevertheless；　had　really　occurred；　so　they　said；
falling　back　into　superstitious　beliefs；　clinging　to　these　last　remnants
of　the　marvellous；　becoming　devotees　of　this　mystery　of　magnetism；
defending　it　in　the　name　of　science。　　There　was　only　one　person　who
smiled；　a　vigorous　young　fellow；　a　great　ladies'　man　who　was　so
incredulous　that　he　would　not　even　enter　upon　a　discussion　of　such
matters。

He　repeated　with　a　sneer：

〃Humbug！　humbug！　humbug！　　We　need　not　discuss　Donato；　who　is　merely　a
very　smart　juggler。　　As　for　M。　Charcot；　who　is　said　to　be　a　remarkable
man　of　science；　he　produces　on　me　the　effect　of　those　story…tellers　of
the　school　of　Edgar　Poe；　who　end　by　going　mad　through　constantly
reflecting　on　queer　cases　of　insanity。　　He　has　authenticated　some　cases
of　unexplained　and　inexplicable　nervous　phenomena；　he　makes　his　way　into
that　unknown　region　which　men　are　exploring　every　day；　and　unable　always
to　understand　what　he　sees；　he　recalls；　perhaps；　the　ecclesiastical
interpretation　of　these　mysteries。　　I　should　like　to　hear　what　he　says
himself。〃

The　words　of　the　unbeliever　were　listened　to　with　a　kind　of　pity；　as　if
he　had　blasphemed　in　an　assembly　of　monks。

One　of　these　gentlemen　exclaimed：

〃And　yet　miracles　were　performed　in　olden　times。〃

〃I　deny　it；〃　replied　the　other：　〃Why　cannot　they　be　performed　now？〃

Then；　each　mentioned　some　fact；　some　fantastic　presentiment　some　instance
of　souls　communicating　with　each　other　across　space；　or　some　case　of　the
secret　influence　of　one　being　over　another。　　They　asserted　and　maintained
that　these　things　had　actually　occurred；　while　the　sceptic　angrily
repeated：

〃Humbug！　humbug！　humbug！〃

At　last　he　rose；　threw　away　his　cigar；　and　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；
said：　〃Well；　I　also　have　two　stories　to　tell　you；　which　I　will　afterwards
explain。　　Here　they　are：

〃In　the　little　village　of　Etretat；　the　men；　who　are　all　seafaring　folk；
go　every　year　to　Newfoundland　to　fish　for　cod。　　One　night　the　little　son
of　one　of　these　fishermen　woke　up　with　a　start；　crying　out　that　his
father　was　dead。　　The　child　was　quieted；　and　again　he　woke　up　exclaiming
that　his　father　was　drowned。　　A　month　later　the　news　came　that　his　father
had；　in　fact；　been　swept　off　the　deck　of　his　smack　by　a　billow。　　The
widow　then　remembered　how　her　son　had　woke　up　and　spoken　of　his　father's
death。　　Everyone　said　it　was　a　miracle；　and　the　affair　caused　a　great
sensation。　　The　dates　were　compared；　and　it　was　found　that　the　accident
and　the　dream　were　almost　coincident；　whence　they　concluded　that　they　had
happened　on　the　same　night　and　at　the　same　hour。　　And　there　is　a　mystery
of　magnetism。〃

The　story…teller　stopped　suddenly。

Thereupon；　one　of　those　who　had　heard　him；　much　affected　by　the
narrative；　asked：

〃And　can　you　explain　this？〃

〃Perfectly；　monsieur。　　I　have　discovered　the　secret。　　The　circumstance
surprised　me　and　even　perplexed　me　very　much；　but　you　see；　I　do　not
believe　on　principle。　　Just　as　others　begin　by　believing；　I　begin　by
doubting；　and　when　I　cannot　understand；　I　continue　to　deny　that　there　can
be　any　telepathic　communication　between　souls；　certain　that　my　own
intelligence　will　be　able　to　explain　it。　　Well；　I　kept　on　inquiring　into
the　matter；　and　by　dint　of　questioning　all　the　wives　of　the　absent
seamen；　I　was　convinced　that　not　a　week　passed　without　one　of　them；　or
one　of　their　children　dreaming　and　declaring　when　they　woke　up　that　the
father　was　drowned。　　The　horrible　and　continual　fear　of　this　accident
makes　them　always　talk　about　it。　　Now；　if　one　of　these　frequent
predictions　coincides；　by　a　very　simple　chance；　with　the　death　of　the
person　referred　to；　people　at　once　declare　it　to　be　a　miracle；　for　they
suddenly　lose　sight　of　all　the　other　predictions　of　misfortune　that　have
remained　unfulfilled。　　I　have　myself　known　fifty　cases　where　the　persons
who　made　the　prediction　forgot　all　about　it　a　week　after　wards。　　But；　if；
then　one　happens　to　die；　then　the　recollection　of　the　thing　is
immediately　revived；　and　people　are　ready　to　believe　in　the　intervention
of　God；　according　to　some；　and　magnetism；　according　to　others。〃

One　of　the　smokers　remarked：

〃What　you　say　is　right　enough；　but　what　about　your　second　story？〃

〃Oh！　　my　second　story　is　a　very　delicate　matter　to　relate。　　It　happened
to　myself；　and　so　I　don't　place　any　great　value　on　my　own　view　of　the
matter。　　An　interested　party　can　never　give　an　impartial　opinion。
However；　here　it　is：

〃Among　my　acquaintances　was　a　young　woman　on　whom　I　had　never　bestowed　a
thought；　whom　I　had　never　even　looked　at　attentively；　never　taken　any
notice　of。

〃I　classed　her　among　the　women　of　no　importance；　though　she　was　not　bad…
looking；　she　appeared；　in　fact；　to　possess　eyes；　a　nose；　a　mouth；　some
sort　of　hairjust　a　colorless　type　of　countenance。　　She　was　one　of　those
beings　who　awaken　only　a　chance；　passing　thought；　but　no　special
interest；　no　desire。

〃Well；　one　night；　as　I　was　writing　some　letters　by　my　fireside　before
going　to　bed；　I　was　conscious；　in　the　midst　of　that　train　of　sensuous
visions　that　sometimes　pass　through　one's　brain　in　moments　of　idle
reverie；　of　a　kind　of　slight　influence；　passing　over　me；　a　little　flutter
of　the　heart；　and　immediately；　without　any　cause；　without　any　logical
connection　of　thought；　I　saw　distinctly；　as　if　I　were　touching　her；　saw
from　head　to　foot；　and　disrobed；　this　young　woman　to　whom　I　had　never
given　more　that　three　seconds'　thought　at　a　time。　　I　suddenly　discovered
in　her　a　number　of　qualities　which　I　had　never　before　observed；　a　sweet
charm；　a　languorous　fascination；　she　awakened　in　me　that　sort　of　restless
emotion　that　causes　one　to　pursue　a　woman。　　But　I　did　not　think　of　her
long。　　I　went　to　bed　and　was　soon　asleep。　　And　I　dreamed。

〃You　have　all　had　these　strange　dreams　which　make　you　overcome　the
impossible；　which　open　to　you　double…locked　doors；　unexpected　joys；
tightly　folded　arms？

〃Which　of　us　in　these　troubled；　excising；　breathless　slumbers；　has　not
held；　clasped；　embraced　with　rapture；　the　woman　who　occupied　his
thoughts？　　And　have　you　ever　noticed　what　superhuman　delight　these　happy
dreams　give　us？　　Into　what　mad　intoxication　they　cast　you！　with　what
passionate　spasms　they　shake　you！　and　with　what　infinite；　caressing；
penetrating　tenderness　they　fill　your　heart　for　her　whom　you　hold　clasped
in　your　arms　in　that　adorable　illusion　that　is　so　like　reality！

〃All　this　I　felt　with　unforgettable　violence。　　This　woman　was　mine；　so
much　mine　that　the　pleasant　warmth　of　her　skin　remained　in　my　fingers；
the　odor　of　her　skin；　in　my　brain；　the　taste　of　her　kisses；　on　my　lips；
the　sound　of　her　voice　lingered　in　my　ears；　the　touch　of　her　clasp　still
clung　to　me；　and　the　burning　charm　of　her　tenderness　still　gratified　my
senses　long　after　the　delight　but　disillusion　of　my　awakening。

〃And　three　times　that　night　I　had　the　same　dream。

〃When　the　day　dawned　she　haunted　me；　possessed　me；　filled　my　senses　to
such　an　extent　that　I　was　not　one　second　without　thinking　of　her。

〃At　last；　not　knowing　what　to　do；　I　dressed　myself　and　went　to　call　on
her。　　As　I　went　upstairs　to　her　apartment；　I　was　so　overcome　by　emotion
that　I　trembled；　and　my　heart　beat　rapidly。

〃I　entered　the　apartment。　　She　rose　the　moment　she　heard　my　name
mentioned；　and　suddenly　our　eyes　met　in　a　peculiar　fixed　gaze。

〃I　sat　down。　　I　stammered　out　some　commonplaces　which　she　seemed　not　to
hear。　　I　did　not　know　what　to　say　or　do。　　Then；　abruptly；　clasping　my
a