original short stories-6-第17部分

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Madame　Maramballe　continued：　〃I　married　him；　it　is　only　just　and　natural
that　I　should　bear　his　injustice；　but　what　I　do　not　understand　is　why　you
also　should　have　supported　it；　my　good　Alexandre！〃

He　merely　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　answered：　〃Oh！　　Imadame。〃

She　added：　〃Really。　　I　have　often　wondered。　　When　I　married　him　you　were
his　orderly　and　you　could　hardly　do　otherwise　than　endure　him。　　But　why
did　you　remain　with　us；　who　pay　you　so　little　and　who　treat　you　so　badly；
when　you　could　have　done　as　every　one　else　does；　settle　down；　marry；　have
a　family？〃

He　answered：　〃Oh；　madame！　with　me　it's　different。〃

Then　he　was　silent；　but　he　kept　pulling　his　beard　as　if　he　were　ringing　a
bell　within　him；　as　if　he　were　trying　to　pull　it　out；　and　he　rolled　his
eyes　like　a　man　who　is　greatly　embarrassed。

Madame　Maramballe　was　following　her　own　train　of　thought：　〃You　are　not　a
peasant。　　You　have　an　education〃

He　interrupted　her　proudly：　〃I　studied　surveying；　madame。〃

〃Then　why　did　you　stay　with　us；　and　blast　your　prospects？〃

He　stammered：　〃That's　it！　that's　it！　it's　the　fault　of　my　dispositton。〃

〃How　so；　of　your　disposition？〃

〃Yes；　when　I　become　attached　to　a　person　I　become　attached　to　him；　that's
all。〃

She　began　to　laugh：　〃You　are　not　going　to　try　to　tell　me　that
Maramballe's　sweet　disposition　caused　you　to　become　attached　to　him　for
life。〃

He　was　fidgeting　about　on　his　bench　visibly　embarrassed；　and　he　muttered
behind　his　long　beard：

〃It　was　not　he；　it　was　you！〃

The　old　lady；　who　had　a　sweet　face；　with　a　snowy　line　of　curly　white　hair
between　her　forehead　and　her　bonnet；　turned　around　in　her　chair　and
observed　her　servant　with　a　surprised　look；　exclaiming：　〃I；　my　poor
Alexandre！　　How　so？〃

He　began　to　look　up　in　the　air；　then　to　one　side；　then　toward　the
distance；　turning　his　head　as　do　timid　people　when　forced　to　admit
shameful　secrets。　　At　last　he　exclaimed；　with　the　courage　of　a　trooper
who　is　ordered　to　the　line　of　fire：　〃You　see；　it's　this　waythe　first
time　I　brought　a　letter　to　mademoiselle　from　the　lieutenant；　mademoiselle
gave　me　a　franc　and　a　smile；　and　that　settled　it。〃

Not　understanding　well；　she　questioned　him　〃Explain　yourself。〃

Then　he　cried　out；　like　a　malefactor　who　is　admitting　a　fatal　crime：
〃I　had　a　sentiment　for　madame！　　There！〃

She　answered　nothing；　stopped　looking　at　him；　hung　her　head；　and　thought。
She　was　good；　full　of　justice；　gentleness；　reason；　and　tenderness。　　In　a
second　she　saw　the　immense　devotion　of　this　poor　creature；　who　had　given
up　everything　in　order　to　live　beside　her；　without　saying　anything。　　And
she　felt　as　if　she　could　cry。　　Then；　with　a　sad　but　not　angry　expression；
she　said：　〃Let　us　return　home。〃

He　rose　and　began　to　push　the　wheeled　chair。

As　they　approached　the　village　they　saw　Captain　Maramballe　coming　toward
them。　　As　soon　as　he　joined　them　he　asked　his　wife；　with　a　visible　desire
of　getting　angry：　〃What　have　we　for　dinner？〃

〃Some　chicken　with　flageolets。〃

He　lost　his　temper：　〃Chicken！　　chicken！　　always　chicken！　　By　all　that's
holy；　I've　had　enough　chicken！　　Have　you　no　ideas　in　your　head；　that　you
make　me　eat　chicken　every　day？〃

She　answered；　in　a　resigned　tone：　〃But；　my　dear；　you　know　that　the　doctor
has　ordered　it　for　you。　　It's　the　best　thing　for　your　stomach。　　If　your
stomach　were　well；　I　could　give　you　many　things　which　I　do　not　dare　set
before　you　now。〃

Then；　exasperated；　he　planted　himself　in　front　of　Alexandre；　exclaiming：
〃Well；　if　my　stomach　is　out　of　order　it's　the　fault　of　that　brute。　　For
thirty…five　years　he　has　been　poisoning　me　with　his　abominable　cooking。〃

Madame　Maramballe　suddenly　turned　about　completely；　in　order　to　see　the
old　domestic。　　Their　eyes　met；　and　in　this　single　glance　they　both　said
〃Thank　you！〃　to　each　other。






THE　LOG

The　drawing…room　was　small；　full　of　heavy　draperies　and　discreetly
fragrant。　　A　large　fire　burned　in　the　grate　and　a　solitary　lamp　at　one
end　of　the　mantelpiece　threw　a　soft　light　on　the　two　persons　who　were
talking。

She；　the　mistress　of　the　house；　was　an　old　lady　with　white　hair；　but　one
of　those　old　ladies　whose　unwrinkled　skin　is　as　smooth　as　the　finest
paper；　and　scented；　impregnated　with　perfume；　with　the　delicate　essences
which　she　had　used　in　her　bath　for　so　many　years。

He　was　a　very　old　friend；　who　had　never　married；　a　constant　friend；　a
companion　in　the　journey　of　life；　but　nothing　more。

They　had　not　spoken　for　about　a　minute；　and　were　both　looking　at　the
fire；　dreaming　of　no　matter　what；　in　one　of　those　moments　of　friendly
silence　between　people　who　have　no　need　to　be　constantly　talking　in　order
to　be　happy　together；　when　suddenly　a　large　log；　a　stump　covered　with
burning　roots；　fell　out。　　It　fell　over　the　firedogs　into　the　drawing…room
and　rolled　on　to　the　carpet；　scattering　great　sparks　around　it。　　The　old
lady；　with　a　little　scream；　sprang　to　her　feet　to　run　away；　while　he
kicked　the　log　back　on　to　the　hearth　and　stamped　out　all　the　burning
sparks　with　his　boots。

When　the　disaster　was　remedied；　there　was　a　strong　smell　of　burning；　and；
sitting　down　opposite　to　his　friend；　the　man　looked　at　her　with　a　smile
and　said；　as　he　pointed　to　the　log：

〃That　is　the　reason　why　I　never　married。〃

She　looked　at　him　in　astonishment；　with　the　inquisitive　gaze　of　women　who
wish　to　know　everything；　that　eye　which　women　have　who　are　no　longer　very
young；in　which　a　complex；　and　often　roguish；　curiosity　is　reflected；
and　she　asked：

〃How　so？〃

〃Oh；　it　is　a　long　story；〃　he　replied；　〃a　rather　sad　and　unpleasant　story。

〃My　old　friends　were　often　surprised　at　the　coldness　which　suddenly
sprang　up　between　one　of　my　best　friends　whose　Christian　name　was　Julien；
and　myself。　　They　could　not　understand　how　two　such　intimate　and
inseparable　friends；　as　we　had　been；　could　suddenly　become　almost
strangers　to　one　another；　and　I　will　tell　you　the　reason　of　it。

〃He　and　I　used　to　live　together　at　one　time。　　We　were　never　apart；　and
the　friendship　that　united　us　seemed　so　strong　that　nothing　could　break
it。

〃One　evening　when　he　came　home；　he　told　me　that　he　was　going　to　get
married；　and　it　gave　me　a　shock　as　if　he　had　robbed　me　or　betrayed　me。
When　a　man's　friend　marries；　it　is　all　over　between　them。　　The　jealous
affection　of　a　woman；　that　suspicious；　uneasy　and　carnal　affection；　will
not　tolerate　the　sturdy　and　frank　attachment；　that　attachment　of　the
mind；　of　the　heart；　and　that　mutual　confidence　which　exists　between　two
men。

〃You　see；　however　great　the　love　may　be　that　unites　them　a　man　and　a
woman　are　always　strangers　in　mind　and　intellect；　they　remain
belligerents；　they　belong　to　different　races。　　There　must　always　be　a
conqueror　and　a　conquered；　a　master　and　a　slave；　now　the　one；　now　the
otherthey　are　never　two　equals。　　They　press　each　other's　hands；　those
hands　trembling　with　amorous　passion；　but　they　never　press　them　with　a
long；　strong；　loyal　pressure；　with　that　pressure　which　seems　to　open
hearts　and　to　lay　them　bare　in　a　burst　of　sincere；　strong；　manly
affection。　　Philosophers　of　old；　instead　of　marrying；　and　procreating　as
a　consolation　for　their　old　age　children；　who　would　abandon　them；　sought
for　a　good；　reliable　friend；　and　grew　old　with　him　in　that　communion　of
thought　which　can　only　exist　between　men。

〃Well；　my　friend　Julien　married。　　His　wife　was　pretty；　charming；　a
little；　curly…haired　blonde；　plump　and　lively；　who　seemed　to　worship　him。
At　first　I　went　but　rarely　to　their　house；　feeling　myself　de　trop。　　But；
somehow；　they　attracted　me　to　their　home；　they　were　constantly　inviting
me；　and　seemed　very　fond　of　me。　　Consequently；　by　degrees；　I　allowed
myself　to　be　allured　by　the　charm　of　their　life。　　I　often　dined　with
them；　and　frequently；　when　I　returned　home　at　night；　thought　that　I　would
do　as　he　had　done；　and　get　married；　as　my　empty　house　now　seemed　very
dull。

〃They　appeared　to　be　very　much　in　love；　and　were　never　apart。

〃Well；　one　evening　Julien　wrote　and　asked　me　to　go　to　dinner；　and　I
naturally　went。

〃'My　dear　fellow；'　he　said；　'I　must　go　out　directly　afterward　on
business；　and　I　shall　not　be　back　until　eleven　o'clock；　but　I　shall　be
back　at　eleven　precisely；　and　I　reckon　on　you　to　keep　Bertha　company。'

〃The　young　woman　smiled。

〃'It　was　my　idea；'　she　said；　'to　send　for　you。'

〃I　held　out　my　hand　to　her。

〃'You　are　as　nice　as　ever；　I　said；　and　I　felt　a　long；　friendly　pressure
of　my　fingers；　but　I　paid　no　attention　to　it；　so　we　sat　down　to　dinner；
and　at　eight　o'clock　Julien　went　out。

〃As　soon　as　he　had　gone；　a　kind　of　strange　embarrassment　immediately
seemed　to　arise　between　his　wife　and　me。　　We　had　never　been　alone
together　yet；　and　in　spite　of　our　daily　increasing　intimacy；　this　tete
…a…tete　placed　us　in　a　new　position。　　At　first　I　spoke　vaguely　of　those
indifferent　matters　with　which　one　fills　up　an　embarrassing　silence；　but
she　did　not　reply；　and　remained　opposite　to　me　with　her　head　down　in　an
undecided　manner；　as　if　she　were　thinking　over　some　difficult　subject；
and　as　I　was　at　a　loss　for　small　talk；　I　held　my　tongue。　　It　is
surprising　how　hard　it　is　at　times　to　find　anything　to　say。

〃And　then　also　I　felt　something　in　the　air；　something　I　could　not
express；　one　of　those　mysterious　premonitions　that　warn　one　of　another
person's　secret　intentions　in　regard　to　yourself；　whether　they　be　good　or
evil。

〃That　painful　silence　lasted　some　time；　and　then　Bertha　said　to　me：

〃'Will　you　kindly　put　a　log　on　the　fire　for　it　is　going　out。'

〃So　I　opened　the　box　where　the　wood　was　kept；　which　was　placed　just　where
yours　is；　took　out　the　largest　log　and　put　it　on　top　of　the　others；　which
were　three　parts　burned；　and　then　silence　again　reigned　in　the　room。

〃In　a　few　minutes　the　log　was　burning　so　brightly　that　it　scorched　our
faces；　and　the　young　woman　raised　her　eyes　to　mineeyes　that　had　a
strange　look　to　me。

〃'It　is　too　hot　now；'　she　said；　'let　us　go　and　sit　on　the　sofa　over
there。'

〃So　we　went　and　sat　on　the　sofa；　and　then　she　said　suddenly；　looking　me
full　in　the　face：

〃'What　would　you　do　if　a　woman　were　to　tell　you　that　she　was　in　love　with
you？'

〃'Upon　my　word；'　I　replied；　very　much