original short stories-6-第21部分

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did　not　do　it　elegantly。　　She　had　spread　her　pocket…handkerchief　on　her
knees；　and　the　way　in　which　she　tore　off　the　peel　and　opened　her　mouth　to
put　in　the　pieces；　and　then　spat　the　pips　out　of　the　window；　showed　that
her　training　had　been　decidedly　vulgar。

She　seemed；　also；　more　put　out　than　ever；　and　swallowed　the　fruit　with　an
exceedingly　comic　air　of　rage。

Paul　devoured　her　with　his　eyes；　and　tried　to　attract　her　attention　and
excite　her　curiosity；　but　in　spite　of　his　talk；　and　of　the　manner　in
which　he　brought　in　well…known　names；　she　did　not　pay　the　least　attention
to　him。

After　passing　Frejus　and　St。　Raphael；　the　train　passed　through　a
veritable　garden；　a　paradise　of　roses；　and　groves　of　oranges　and　lemons
covered　with　fruits　and　flowers　at　the　same　time。　　That　delightful　coast
from　Marseilles　to　Genoa　is　a　kingdom　of　perfumes　in　a　home　of　flowers。

June　is　the　time　to　see　it　in　all　its　beauty；　when　in　every　narrow　valley
and　on　every　slope；　the　most　exquisite　flowers　are　growing　luxuriantly。
And　the　roses！　fields；　hedges；　groves　of　roses。　　They　climb　up　the　walls；
blossom　on　the　roofs；　hang　from　the　trees；　peep　out　from　among　the
bushes；　they　are　white；　red；　yellow；　large　and　small；　single；　with　a
simple　self…colored　dress；　or　full　and　heavy　in　brilliant　toilettes。

Their　breath　makes　the　air　heavy　and　relaxing；　and　the　still　more
penetrating　odor　of　the　orange　blossoms　sweetens　the　atmosphere　till　it
might　almost　be　called　the　refinement　of　odor。

The　shore；　with　its　brown　rocks；　was　bathed　by　the　motionless
Mediterranean。　　The　hot　summer　sun　stretched　like　a　fiery　cloth　over　the
mountains；　over　the　long　expanses　of　sand；　and　over　the　motionless；
apparently　solid　blue　sea。　　The　train　went　on　through　the　tunnels；　along
the　slopes；　above　the　water；　on　straight；　wall…like　viaducts；　and　a　soft；
vague；　saltish　smell；　a　smell　of　drying　seaweed；　mingled　at　times　with
the　strong；　heavy　perfume　of　the　flowers。

But　Paul　neither　saw；　looked　at；　nor　smelled　anything；　for　our　fellow
traveller　engrossed　all　his　attention。

When　we　reached　Cannes；　as　he　wished　to　speak　to　me　he　signed　to　me　to
get　out；　and　as　soon　as　I　did　so；　he　took　me　by　the　arm。

〃Do　you　know；　she　is　really　charming。　　Just　look　at　her　eyes；　and　I　never
saw　anything　like　her　hair。〃

〃Don't　excite　yourself；〃　I　replied；　〃or　else　address　her；　if　you　have　any
intentions　that　way。　　She　does　not　look　unapproachable；　I　fancy；　although
she　appear　to　be　a　little　bit　grumpy。〃

〃Why　don't　you　speak　to　her？〃　he　said。

〃I　don't　know　what　to　say；　for　I　am　always　terribly　stupid　at　first；　I
can　never　make　advances　to　a　woman　in　the　street。　　I　follow　them；　go
round　and　round　them；　and　quite　close　to　them；　but　never　know　what　to　say
at　first。　　I　only　once　tried　to　enter　into　conversation　with　a　woman　in
that　way。　　As　I　clearly　saw　that　she　was　waiting　for　me　to　make
overtures；　and　as　I　felt　bound　to　say　something；　I　stammered　out；　'I　hope
you　are　quite　well；　madame？'　　She　laughed　in　my　face；　and　I　made　my
escape。〃

I　promised　Paul　to　do　all　I　could　to　bring　about　a　conversation；　and　when
we　had　taken　our　places　again；　I　politely　asked　our　neighbor：

〃Have　you　any　objection　to　the　smell　of　tobacco；　madame？〃

She　merely　replied；　〃Non　capisco。〃

So　she　was　an　Italian！　　I　felt　an　absurd　inclination　to　laugh。　　As　Paul
did　not　understand　a　word　of　that　language；　I　was　obliged　to　act　as　his
interpreter；　so　I　said　in　Italian：

〃I　asked　you；　madame；　whether　you　had　any　objection　to　tobacco　smoke？〃

With　an　angry　look　she　replied；　〃Che　mi　fa！〃

She　had　neither　turned　her　head　nor　looked　at　me；　and　I　really　did　not
know　whether　to　take　this　〃What　do　I　care〃　for　an　authorization；　a
refusal；　a　real　sign　of　indifference；　or　for　a　mere　〃Let　me　alone。〃

〃Madame；〃　I　replied；　〃if　you　mind　the　smell　of　tobacco　in　the　least〃

She　again　said；　〃Mica；〃　in　a　tone　which　seemed　to　mean；　〃I　wish　to
goodness　you　would　leave　me　alone！〃　　It　was；　however；　a　kind　of
permission；　so　I　said　to　Paul：

〃You　may　smoke。〃

He　looked　at　me　in　that　curious　sort　of　way　that　people　have　when　they
try　to　understand　others　who　are　talking　in　a　strange　language　before
them；　and　asked　me：

〃What　did　you　say　to　her？〃

〃I　asked　whether　we　might　smoke；　and　she　said　we　might　do　whatever　we
liked。〃

Whereupon　I　lighted　my　cigar。

〃Did　she　say　anything　more？〃

〃If　you　had　counted　her　words　you　would　have　noticed　that　she　used
exactly　six；　two　of　which　gave　me　to　understand　that　she　knew　no　French；
so　four　remained；　and　much　can　be　said　in　four　words。〃

Paul　seemed　quite　unhappy；　disappointed；　and　at　sea；　so　to　speak。

But　suddenly　the　Italian　asked　me；　in　that　tone　of　discontent　which
seemed　habitual　to　her；　〃Do　you　know　at　what　time　we　shall　get　to　Genoa？〃

〃At　eleven　o'clock；〃　I　replied。　　Then　after　a　moment　I　went　on：

〃My　friend　and　I　are　also　going　to　Genoa；　and　if　we　can　be　of　any　service
to　you；　we　shall　be　very　happy；　as　you　are　quite　alone。〃　　But　she
interrupted　with　such　a　〃Mica！〃　that　I　did　not　venture　on　another　word。

〃What　did　she　say？〃　Paul　asked。

〃She　said　she　thought　you　were　charming。〃

But　he　was　in　no　humor　for　joking；　and　begged　me　dryly　not　to　make　fun　of
him；　so　I　translated　her　question　and　my　polite　offer；　which　had　been　so
rudely　rejected。

Then　he　really　became　as　restless　as　a　caged　squirrel。

〃If　we　only　knew；〃　he　said；　〃what　hotel　she　was　going　to；　we　would　go　to
the　same。　　Try　to　find　out　so　as　to　have　another　opportunity　to　make　her
talk。〃

It　was　not　particularly　easy；　and　I　did　not　know　what　pretext　to　invent；
desirous　as　I　was　to　make　the　acquaintance　of　this　unapproachable　person。

We　passed　Nice；　Monaco；　Mentone；　and　the　train　stopped　at　the　frontier
for　the　examination　of　luggage。

Although　I　hate　those　ill…bred　people　who　breakfast　and　dine　in　railway…
carriages；　I　went　and　bought　a　quantity　of　good　things　to　make　one　last
attack　on　her　by　their　means。　　I　felt　sure　that　this　girl　must；
ordinarily；　be　by　no　means　inaccessible。　　Something　had　put　her　out　and
made　her　irritable；　but　very　little　would　suffice；　a　mere　word　or　some
agreeable　offer；　to　decide　her　and　vanquish　her。

We　started　again；　and　we　three　were　still　alone。　　I　spread　my　eatables　on
the　seat。　　I　cut　up　the　fowl；　put　the　slices　of　ham　neatly　on　a　piece　of
paper；　and　then　carefully　laid　out　our　dessert；　strawberries；　plums；
cherries　and　cakes；　close　to　the　girl。

When　she　saw　that　we　were　about　to　eat　she　took　a　piece　of　chocolate　and
two　little　crisp　cakes　out　of　her　pocket　and　began　to　munch　them。

〃Ask　her　to　have　some　of　ours；〃　Paul　said　in　a　whisper。

〃That　is　exactly　what　I　wish　to　do；　but　it　is　rather　a　difficult　matter。〃

As　she；　however；　glanced　from　time　to　time　at　our　provisions；　I　felt　sure
that　she　would　still　be　hungry　when　she　had　finished　what　she　had　with
her；　so；　as　soon　as　her　frugal　meal　was　over；　I　said　to　her：

〃It　would　be　very　kind　of　you　if　you　would　take　some　of　this　fruit。〃

Again　she　said　〃Mica！〃　but　less　crossly　than　before。

〃Well；　then；〃　I　said；　〃may　I　offer　you　a　little　wine？　　I　see　you　have　not
drunk　anything。　　It　is　Italian　wine；　and　as　we　are　now　in　your　own
country；　we　should　be　very　pleased　to　see　such　a　pretty　Italian　mouth
accept　the　offer　of　its　French　neighbors。〃

She　shook　her　head　slightly；　evidently　wishing　to　refuse；　but　very
desirous　of　accepting；　and　her　mica　this　time　was　almost　polite。　　I　took
the　flask；　which　was　covered　with　straw　in　the　Italian　fashion；　and
filling　the　glass；　I　offered　it　to　her。

〃Please　drink　it；〃　I　said；　〃to　bid　us　welcome　to　your　country。〃

She　took　the　glass　with　her　usual　look；　and　emptied　it　at　a　draught；　like
a　woman　consumed　with　thirst；　and　then　gave　it　back　to　me　without　even
saying　〃Thank　you。〃

I　then　offered　her　the　cherries。　　〃Please　take　some；〃　I　said；　〃we　shall
be　so　glad　if　you　will。〃

Out　of　her　corner　she　looked　at　all　the　fruit　spread　out　beside　her；　and
said　so　rapidly　that　I　could　scarcely　follow　her：　〃A　me　non　piacciono　ne
le　ciriegie　ne　le　susine；　amo　soltano　le　fragole。〃

〃What　does　she　say？〃　Paul　asked。

〃That　she　does　riot　care　for　cherries　or　plums；　but　only　for
strawberries。〃

I　put　a　newspaper　full　of　wild　strawberries　on　her　lap；　and　she　ate　them
quickly；　tossing　them　into　her　mouth　from　some　distance　in　a　coquettish
and　charming　manner。

When　she　had　finished　the　little　red　heap；　which　soon　disappeared　under
the　rapid　action　of　her　hands；　I　asked　her：

〃What　may　I　offer　you　now？〃

〃I　will　take　a　little　chicken；〃　she　replied。

She　certainly　devoured　half　of　it；　tearing　it　to　pieces　with　the　rapid
movements　of　her　jaws　like　some　carnivorous　animal。　　Then　she　made　up　her
mind　to　have　some　cherries；　which　she　〃did　not　like；〃　and　then　some
plums；　then　some　little　cakes。　　Then　she　said；　〃I　have　had　enough；〃　and
sat　back　in　her　corner。

I　was　much　amused；　and　tried　to　make　her　eat　more；　insisting；　in　fact；
till　she　suddenly　flew　into　a　rage；　and　flung　such　a　furious　mica　at　me；
that　I　would　no　longer　run　the　risk　of　spoiling　her　digestion。

I　turned　to　my　friend。　　〃My　poor　Paul；〃　I　said；　〃I　am　afraid　we　have　had
our　trouble　for　nothing。〃

The　night　came　on；　one　of　those　hot　summer　nights　which　extend　their　warm
shade　over　the　burning　and　exhausted　earth。　　Here　and　there；　in　the
distance；　by　the　sea；　on　capes　and　promontories；　bright　stars；　which　I
was；　at　times；　almost　inclined　to　confound　with　lighthouses；　began　to
shine　on　the　dark　horizon：

The　scent　of　the　orange　trees　became　more　penetrating；　and　we　breathed
with　delight；　distending　our　lungs　to　inhale　it　more　deeply。　　The　balmy
air　was　soft；　delicious；　almost　divine。

Suddenly　I　noticed　something　like　a　shower　of　stars　under　the　dense　shade
of　the　trees　along　the　line；　where　it　was　quite　dark。　　It　might　have　been
taken　for　drops　of　light；　leaping；　flying；　playing　and　running　among　the
leaves；　or　for　small　stars　fallen　from　the　skies　in　order　to　have　an
excursion　on　the　earth；　but　they　were　only　fireflies　dancing　a　strange
fiery　ballet　in　the　perfumed　air。

One　of　them　happened　to　come　into　our　carriage；　and　shed　its　intermittent
light；　which　seemed　to　be　extinguis