original short stories-6-第9部分

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knew　of　some　work　of　art　which　might　suit　them。

Men　of　the　best　society　had　had　recourse　to　him　in　times　of　difficulty；
either　to　find　money　for　gambling；　or　to　pay　off　a　debt；　or　to　sell　a
picture；　a　family　jewel；　or　a　tapestry。

It　was　said　that　he　never　refused　his　services　when　he　saw　a　chance　of
gain。

Boisrene　seemed　very　intimate　with　this　strange　merchant。　　They　must　have
worked　together　in　many　a　deal。　　I　observed　the　man　with　great　interest。

He　was　tall；　thin；　bald；　and　very　elegant。　　His　soft；　insinuating　voice
had　a　peculiar；　tempting　charm　which　seemed　to　give　the　objects　a　special
value。　　When　he　held　anything　in　his　hands；　he　turned　it　round　and　round；
looking　at　it　with　such　skill；　refinement；　and　sympathy　that　the　object
seemed　immediately　to　be　beautiful　and　transformed　by　his　look　and　touch。
And　its　value　increased　in　one's　estimation；　after　the　object　had　passed
from　the　showcase　into　his　hands。

〃And　your　Crucifix；〃　said　Boisrene；　〃that　beautiful　Renaissance　Crucifix
which　you　showed　me　last　year？〃

The　man　smiled　and　answered：

〃It　has　been　sold；　and　in　a　very　peculiar　manner。　　There　is　a　real
Parisian　story　for　you！　　Would　you　like　to　hear　it？〃

〃With　pleasure。〃

〃Do　you　know　the　Baroness　Samoris？〃

〃Yes　and　no。　　I　have　seen　her　once；　but　I　know　what　she　is！〃

〃You　knoweverything？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Would　you　mind　telling　me；　so　that　I　can　see　whether　you　are　not
mistaken？〃

〃Certainly。　　Mme。　Samoris　is　a　woman　of　the　world　who　has　a　daughter；
without　anyone　having　known　her　husband。　　At　any　rate；　she　is　received　in
a　certain　tolerant；　or　blind　society。　　She　goes　to　church　and　devoutly
partakes　of　Communion；　so　that　everyone　may　know　it；　and　she　never
compromises　herself。　　She　expects　her　daughter　to　marry　well。　　Is　that
correct？〃

〃Yes；　but　I　will　complete　your　information。　　She　is　a　woman　who　makes
herself　respected　by　her　admirers　in　spite　of　everything。　　That　is　a　rare
quality；　for　in　this　manner　she　can　get　what　she　wishes　from　a　man。　　The
man　whom　she　has　chosen　without　his　suspecting　it　courts　her　for　a　long
time；　longs　for　her　timidly；　wins　her　with　astonishment　and　possesses　her
with　consideration。　　He　does　not　notice　that　he　is　paying；　she　is　so
tactful；　and　she　maintains　her　relations　on　such　a　footing　of　reserve　and
dignity　that　he　would　slap　the　first　man　who　dared　doubt　her　in　the
least。　　And　all　this　in　the　best　of　faith。

〃Several　times　I　have　been　able　to　render　little　services　to　this　woman。
She　has　no　secrets　from　me。

〃Toward　the　beginning　of　January　she　came　to　me　in　order　to　borrow　thirty
thousand　francs。　　Naturally；　I　did　not　lend　them　to　her；　but；　as　I　wished
to　oblige　her；　I　told　her　to　explain　her　situation　to　me　completely；　so
that　I　might　see　whether　there　was　not　something　I　could　do　for　her。

〃She　told　me　her　troubles　in　such　cautious　language　that　she　could　not
have　spoken　more　delicately　of　her　child's　first　communion。　　I　finally
managed　to　understand　that　times　were　hard；　and　that　she　was　penniless。

〃The　commercial　crisis；　political　unrest；　rumors　of　war；　had　made　money
scarce　even　in　the　hands　of　her　clients。　　And　then；　of　course；　she　was
very　particular。

〃She　would　associate　only　with　a　man　in　the　best　of　society；　who　could
strengthen　her　reputation　as　well　as　help　her　financially。　　A　reveller；
no　matter　how　rich；　would　have　compromised　her　forever；　and　would　have
made　the　marriage　of　her　daughter　quite　doubtful。

〃She　had　to　maintain　her　household　expenses　and　continue　to　entertain；　in
order　not　to　lose　the　opportunity　of　finding；　among　her　numerous
visitors；　the　discreet　and　distinguished　friend　for　whom　she　was　waiting；
and　whom　she　would　choose。

〃I　showed　her　that　my　thirty　thousand　francs　would　have　but　little
likelihood　of　returning　to　me；　for；　after　spending　them　all；　she　would
have　to　find　at　least　sixty　thousand　more；　in　a　lump；　to　pay　me　back。

〃She　seemed　very　disheartened　when　she　heard　this。　　I　did　not　know　just
what　to　do；　when　an　idea；　a　really　fine　idea；　struck　me。

〃I　had　just　bought　this　Renaissance　Crucifix　which　I　showed　you；　an
admirable　piece　of　workmanship；　one　of　the　finest　of　its　land　that　I　have
ever　seen。

〃'My　dear　friend；'　I　said　to　her；　'I　am　going　to　send　you　that　piece　of
ivory。　　You　will　invent　some　ingenious；　touching；　poetic　story；　anything
that　you　wish；　to　explain　your　desire　for　parting　with　it。　　It　is；　of
course；　a　family　heirloom　left　you　by　your　father。

〃'I　myself　will　send　you　amateurs；　or　will　bring　them　to　you。　　The　rest
concerns　you。　　Before　they　come　I　will　drop　you　a　line　about　their
position；　both　social　and　financial。　　This　Crucifix　is　worth　fifty
thousand　francs；　but　I　will　let　it　go　for　thirty　thousand。　　The
difference　will　belong　to　you。'

〃She　considered　the　matter　seriously　for　several　minutes；　and　then
answered：　'Yes；　it　is；　perhaps；　a　good　idea。　　I　thank　you　very…much。'

〃The　next　day　I　sent　her　my　Crucifix；　and　the　same　evening　the　Baron　de
Saint…Hospital。

〃For　three　months　I　sent　her　my　best　clients；　from　a　business　point　of
view。　　But　I　heard　nothing　more　from　her。

〃One　day　I　received　a　visit　from　a　foreigner　who　spoke　very　little
French。　　I　decided　to　introduce　him　personally　to　the　baroness；　in　order
to　see　how　she　was　getting　along。

〃A　footman　in　black　livery　received　us　and　ushered　us　into　a　quiet　little
parlor；　furnished　with　taste；　where　we　waited　for　several　minutes。　　She
appeared；　charming　as　usual；　extended　her　hand　to　me　and　invited　us　to　be
seated；　and　when　I　had　explained　the　reason　of　my　visit；　she　rang。

〃The　footman　appeared。

〃'See　if　Mlle。　Isabelle　can　let　us　go　into　her　oratory。'　　The　young　girl
herself　brought　the　answer。　　She　was　about　fifteen　years　of　age；　modest
and　good　to　look　upon　in　the　sweet　freshness　of　her　youth。　　She　wished　to
conduct　us　herself　to　her　chapel。

〃It　was　a　kind　of　religious　boudoir　where　a　silver　lamp　was　burning
before　the　Crucifix；　my　Crucifix；　on　a　background　of　black　velvet。　　The
setting　was　charming　and　very　clever。　　The　child　crossed　herself　and　then
said：

〃'Look；　gentlemen。　　Isn't　it　beautiful？'

〃I　took　the　object；　examined　it　and　declared　it　to　be　remarkable。　　The
foreigner　also　examined　it；　but　he　seemed　much　more　interested　in　the　two
women　than　in　the　crucifix。

〃A　delicate　odor　of　incense；　flowers　and　perfume　pervaded　the　whole
house。　　One　felt　at　home　there。　　This　really　was　a　comfortable　home；
where　one　would　have　liked　to　linger。

〃When　we　had　returned　to　the　parlor　I　delicately　broached　the　subject　of
the　price。　　Mme。　Samoris；　lowering　her　eyes；　asked　fifty　thousand　francs。

〃Then　she　added：　'If　you　wish　to　see　it　again；　monsieur；　I　very　seldom　go
out　before　three　o'clock；　and　I　can　be　found　at　home　every　day。'

〃In　the　street　the　stranger　asked　me　for　some　details　about　the　baroness；
whom　he　had　found　charming。　　But　I　did　not　hear　anything　more　from　either
of　them。

〃Three　months　passed　by。

〃One　morning；　hardly　two　weeks　ago；　she　came　here　at　about　lunch　time；
and；　placing　a　roll　of　bills　in　my　hand；　said：　'My　dear；　you　are　an
angel！　　Here　are　fifty　thousand　francs；　I　am　buying　your　crucifix；　and　I
am　paying　twenty　thousand　francs　more　for　it　than　the　price　agreed　upon；
on　condition　that　you　alwaysalways　send　your　clients　to　mefor　it　is
sill　for　sale。'〃






MOTHER　AND　SON

A　party　of　men　were　chatting　in　the　smoking　room　after　dinner。　　We　were
talking　of　unexpected　legacies；　strange　inheritances。　　Then　M。　le
Brument；　who　was　sometimes　called　〃the　illustrious　judge〃　and　at　other
times　〃the　illustrious　lawyer；〃　went　and　stood　with　his　back　to　the　fire。

〃I　have；〃　said　he；　〃to　search　for　an　heir　who　disappeared　under
peculiarly　distressing　circumstances。　　It　is　one　of　those　simple　and
terrible　dramas　of　ordinary　life；　a　thing　which　possibly　happens　every
day；　and　which　is　nevertheless　one　of　the　most　dreadful　things　I　know。
Here　are　the　facts：

〃Nearly　six　months　ago　I　was　called　to　the　bedside　of　a　dying　woman。　　She
said　to　me：

〃'Monsieur；　I　want　to　intrust　to　you　the　most　delicate；　the　most
difficult；　and　the　most　wearisome　mission　that　can　be　conceived。　　Be　good
enough　to　notice　my　will；　which　is　there　on　the　table。　　A　sum　of　five
thousand　francs　is　left　to　you　as　a　fee　if　you　do　not　succeed；　and　of　a
hundred　thousand　francs　if　you　do　succeed。　　I　want　you　to　find　my　son
after　my　death。'

〃She　asked　me　to　assist　her　to　sit　up　in　bed；　in　order　that　she　might
talk　with　greater　ease；　for　her　voice；　broken　and　gasping；　was　whistling
in　her　throat。

〃It　was　a　very　wealthy　establishment。　　The　luxurious　apartment；　of　an
elegant　simplicity；　was　upholstered　with　materials　as　thick　as　walls；
with　a　soft　inviting　surface。

〃The　dying　woman　continued：

〃'You　are　the　first　to　hear　my　horrible　story。　　I　will　try　to　have
strength　；enough　to　finish　it。　　You　must　know　all；　in　order　that　you；
whom　I　know　to　be　a　kind…hearted　man　as　well　as　a　man　of　the　world；　may
have　a　sincere　desire　to　aid　me　with　all　your　power。

〃'Listen　to　me：

〃'Before　my　marriage；　I　loved　a　young　man；　whose　suit　was　rejected　by　my
family　because　he　was　not　rich　enough。　　Not　long　afterward；　I　married　a
man　of　great　wealth。　　I　married　him　through　ignorance；　through　obedience；
through　indifference；　as　young　girls　do　marry。

〃'I　had　a　child；　a　boy。　　My　husband　died　in　the　course　of　a　few　years。

〃'He　whom　I　had　loved　had　married；　in　his　turn。　　When　he　saw　that　I　was
a　widow；　he　was　crushed　by　grief　at　knowing　he　was　not　free。　　He　came　to
see　me；　he　wept　and　sobbed　so　bitterly；　that　it　was　enough　to　break　my
heart。　　He　came　to　see　me　at　first　as　a　friend。　　Perhaps　I　ought　not　to
have　received　him。　　What　could　I　do？　　I　was　alone；　so　sad；　so　solitary；
so　hopeless！　　And　I　loved　him　still。　　What　sufferings　we　women　have
sometimes　to　endure！

〃'I　had　only　him　in　the　world；　my　parents　being　dead。　　He　came
frequently；　he　spent　whole　evenings　with　me。　　I　should　not　have　let　him
come　so　often；　seeing　that　he　was　married。　　But　I　had　not　enough　will…
power　to　prevent　him　from　coming。

〃'How　can　I　tell　it？he　became　my　lover。　　How　did　this　come　about？　　Can
I　explain　it？　　Can　any　one　explain　such