original short stories-8-第15部分

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who　is　exasperated　at　last　by　an　oft…repeated　trick：　〃They　all　say　that；
these　scamps。　　I　know　all　about　it。〃　　And　then　he　continued：　〃Have　you
any　papers？〃　〃Yes；　I　have　some。〃　　〃Give　them　to　me。〃

Randel　took　his　papers　out　of　his　pocket；　his　certificates；　those　poor；
worn…out；　dirty　papers　which　were　falling　to　pieces；　and　gave　them　to　the
soldier；　who　spelled　them　through；　hemming　and　hawing；　and　then；　having
seen　that　they　were　all　in　order；　he　gave　them　back　to　Randel　with　the
dissatisfied　look　of　a　man　whom　some　one　cleverer　than　himself　has
tricked。

After　a　few　moments'　further　reflection；　he　asked　him：　〃Have　you　any
money　on　you？〃　〃No。〃　　〃None　whatever？〃　　〃None。〃　　〃Not　even　a　sou？〃　〃Not
even　a　son！〃　〃How　do　you　live　then？〃　〃On　what　people　give　me。〃　　〃Then　you
beg？〃　　And　Randel　answered　resolutely：　〃Yes；　when　I　can。〃

Then　the　gendarme　said：　〃I　have　caught　you　on　the　highroad　in　the　act　of
vagabondage　and　begging；　without　any　resources　or　trade；　and　so　I　command
you　to　come　with　me。〃　　The　carpenter　got　up　and　said：　〃Wherever　you
please。〃　　And；　placing　himself　between　the　two　soldiers；　even　before　he
had　received　the　order　to　do　so；　he　added：　〃Well；　lock　me　up；　that　will
at　any　rate　put　a　roof　over　my　head　when　it　rains。〃

And　they　set　off　toward　the　village；　the　red　tiles　of　which　could　be　seen
through　the　leafless　trees；　a　quarter　of　a　league　off。　　Service　was　about
to　begin　when　they　went　through　the　village。　　The　square　was　full　of
people；　who　immediately　formed　two　lines　to　see　the　criminal　pass。
He　was　being　followed　by　a　crowd　of　excited　children。　　Male　and　female
peasants　looked　at　the　prisoner　between　the　two　gendarmes；　with　hatred　in
their　eyes　and　a　longing　to　throw　stones　at　him；　to　tear　his　skin　with
their　nails；　to　trample　him　under　their　feet。　　They　asked　each　other
whether　he　had　committed　murder　or　robbery。　　The　butcher；　who　was　an　ex…
'spahi'；　declared　that　he　was　a　deserter。　　The　tobacconist　thought　that
he　recognized　him　as　the　man　who　had　that　very　morning　passed　a　bad　half…
franc　piece　off　on　him；　and　the　ironmonger　declared　that　he　was　the
murderer　of　Widow　Malet；　whom　the　police　had　been　looking　for　for　six
months。

In　the　municipal　court；　into　which　his　custodians　took　him；　Randel　saw
the　mayor　again；　sitting　on　the　magisterial　bench；　with　the　schoolmaster
by　his　side。　　〃Aha！　aha！〃　the　magistrate　exclaimed；　〃so　here　you　are
again；　my　fine　fellow。　　I　told　you　I　should　have　you　locked　up。　　Well；
brigadier；　what　is　he　charged　with？〃

〃He　is　a　vagabond　without　house　or　home；　Monsieur　le　Maire；　without　any
resources　or　money；　so　he　says；　who　was　arrested　in　the　act　of　begging；
but　he　is　provided　with　good　testimonials；　and　his　papers　are　all　in
order。〃

〃Show　me　his　papers；〃　the　mayor　said。　　He　took　them；　read　them；　reread；
returned　them　and　then　said：　〃Search　him。〃　　So　they　searched　him；　but
found　nothing；　and　the　mayor　seemed　perplexed；　and　asked　the　workman：

〃What　were　you　doing　on　the　road　this　morning？〃　〃I　was　looking　for　work。〃
〃Work？　　On　the　highroad？〃　　〃How　do　you　expect　me　to　find　any　if　I　hide　in
the　woods？〃

They　looked　at　each　other　with　the　hatred　of　two　wild　beasts　which　belong
to　different　hostile　species；　and　the　magistrate　continued：　〃I　am　going
to　have　you　set　at　liberty；　but　do　not　be　brought　up　before　me　again。〃
To　which　the　carpenter　replied：　〃I　would　rather　you　locked　me　up；　I　have
had　enough　running　about　the　country。〃　　But　the　magistrate　replied
severely：　〃be　silent。〃　　And　then　he　said　to　the　two　gendarmes：　〃You　will
conduct　this　man　two　hundred　yards　from　the　village　and　let　him　continue
his　journey。〃

〃At　any　rate；　give　me　something　to　eat；〃　the　workman　said；　but　the　other
grew　indignant：　〃Have　we　nothing　to　do　but　to　feed　you？　　Ah！　ah！　ah！
that　is　rather　too　much！〃　　But　Randel　went　on　firmly：　〃If　you　let　me
nearly　die　of　hunger　again；　you　will　force　me　to　commit　a　crime；　and
then；　so　much　the　worse　for　you　other　fat　fellows。〃

The　mayor　had　risen　and　he　repeated：　〃Take　him　away　immediately　or　I
shall　end　by　getting　angry。〃

The　two　gendarmes　thereupon　seized　the　carpenter　by　the　arms　and　dragged
him　out。　　He　allowed　them　to　do　it　without　resistance；　passed　through　the
village　again　and　found　himself　on　the　highroad　once　more；　and　when　the
men　had　accompanied　him　two　hundred　yards　beyond　the　village；　the
brigadier　said：　〃Now　off　with　you　and　do　not　let　me　catch　you　about　here
again；　for　if　I　do；　you　will　know　it。〃

Randel　went　off　without　replying　or　knowing　where　he　was　going。　　He
walked　on　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　or　twenty　minutes；　so　stupefied　that
he　no　longer　thought　of　anything。　　But　suddenly；　as　he　was　passing　a
small　house；　where　the　window　was　half　open；　the　smell　of　the　soup　and
boiled　meat　stopped　him　suddenly；　and　hunger；　fierce；　devouring；
maddening　hunger；　seized　him　and　almost　drove　him　against　the　walls　of
the　house　like　a　wild　beast。

He　said　aloud　in　a　grumbling　voice：　〃In　Heaven's　name！　they　must　give　me
some　this　time！〃　　And　he　began　to　knock　at　the　door　vigorously　with　his
stick；　and　as　no　one　came　he　knocked　louder　and　called　out：　〃Hey！　hey！
you　people　in　there；　open　the　door！〃　　And　then；　as　nothing　stirred；　he
went　up　to　the　window　and　pushed　it　wider　open　with　his　hand；　and　the
close　warm　air　of　the　kitchen；　full　of　the　smell　of　hot　soup；　meat　and
cabbage；　escaped　into　the　cold　outer　air；　and　with　a　bound　the　carpenter
was　in　the　house。　　Two　places　were　set　at　the　table；　and　no　doubt　the
proprietors　of　the　house；　on　going　to　church；　had　left　their　dinner　on
the　fire；　their　nice　Sunday　boiled　beef　and　vegetable　soup；　while　there
was　a　loaf　of　new　bread　on　the　chimney…piece；　between　two　bottles　which
seemed　full。

Randel　seized　the　bread　first　of　all　and　broke　it　with　as　much　violence
as　if　he　were　strangling　a　man；　and　then　he　began　to　eat　voraciously；
swallowing　great　mouthfuls　quickly。　　But　almost　immediately　the　smell　of
the　meat　attracted　him　to　the　fireplace；　and；　having　taken　off　the　lid　of
the　saucepan；　he　plunged　a　fork　into　it　and　brought　out　a　large　piece　of
beef　tied　with　a　string。　　Then　he　took　more　cabbage；　carrots　and　onions
until　his　plate　was　full；　and；　having　put　it　on　the　table；　he　sat　down
before　it；　cut　the　meat　into　four　pieces；　and　dined　as　if　he　had　been　at
home。　　When　he　had　eaten　nearly　all　the　meat；　besides　a　quantity　of
vegetables；　he　felt　thirsty　and　took　one　of　the　bottles　off　the
mantelpiece。

Scarcely　had　he　poured　the　liquor　into　his　glass　when　he　saw　it　was
brandy。　　So　much　the　better；　it　was　warming　and　would　instill　some　fire
into　his　veins；　and　that　would　be　all　right；　after　being　so　cold；　and　he
drank　some。　　He　certainly　enjoyed　it；　for　he　had　grown　unaccustomed　to
it；　and　he　poured　himself　out　another　glassful；　which　he　drank　at　two
gulps。　　And　then　almost　immediately　he　felt　quite　merry　and　light…hearted
from　the　effects　of　the　alcohol；　just　as　if　some　great　happiness　filled
his　heart。

He　continued　to　eat；　but　more　slowly；　and　dipping　his　bread　into　the
soup。　　His　skin　had　become　burning；　and　especially　his　forehead；　where
the　veins　were　throbbing。　　But　suddenly　the　church　bells　began　to　ring。
Mass　was　over；　and　instinct　rather　than　fear；　the　instinct　of　prudence；
which　guides　all　beings　and　makes　them　clear…sighted　in　danger；　made　the
carpenter　get　up。　　He　put　the　remains　of　the　loaf　into　one　pocket　and　the
brandy　bottle　into　the　other；　and　he　furtively　went　to　the　window　and
looked　out　into　the　road。　　It　was　still　deserted；　so　he　jumped　out　and
set　off　walking　again；　but　instead　of　following　the　highroad　he　ran
across　the　fields　toward　a　wood　he　saw　a　little　way　off。

He　felt　alert；　strong；　light…hearted；　glad　of　what　he　had　done；　and　so
nimble　that　he　sprang　over　the　enclosure　of　the　fields　at　a　single　bound；
and　as　soon　as　he　was　under　the　trees　he　took　the　bottle　out　of　his
pocket　again　and　began　to　drink　once　more；　swallowing　it　down　as　lie
walked；　and　then　his　ideas　began　to　get　confused；　his　eyes　grew　dim；　and
his　legs　as　elastic　as　springs；　and　he　started　singing　the　old　popular
song：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Oh！　what　joy；　what　joy　it　is；
　　　　　　　　　　To　pick　the　sweet；　wild　strawberries。〃

He　was　now　walking　on　thick；　damp；　cool　moss；　and　that　soft　carpet　under
his　feet　made　him　feel　absurdly　inclined　to　turn　head　over　heels　as　he
used　to　do　when　a　child；　so　he　took　a　run；　turned　a　somersault；　got　up
and　began　over　again。　　And　between　each　time　he　began　to　sing　again：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Oh！　what　joy；　what　joy　it　is；
　　　　　　　　　　To　pick　the　sweet；　wild　strawberries。〃

Suddenly　he　found　himself　above　a　deep　road；　and　in　the　road　he　saw　a
tall　girl；　a　servant；　who　was　returning　to　the　village　with　two　pails　of
milk。　　He　watched；　stooping　down；　and　with　his　eyes　as　bright　as　those　of
a　dog　who　scents　a　quail；　but　she　saw　him　raised　her　head　and　said：　〃Was
that　you　singing　like　that？〃　　He　did　not　reply；　however；　but　jumped　down
into　the　road；　although　it　was　a　fall　of　at　least　six　feet　and　when　she
saw　him　suddenly　standing　in　front　of　her；　she　exclaimed：　〃Oh！　dear；　how
you　frightened　me！〃

But　he　did　not　hear　her；　for　he　was　drunk；　he　was　mad；　excited　by　another
requirement　which　was　more　imperative　than　hunger；　more　feverish　than
alcohol；　by　the　irresistible　fury　of　the　man　who　has　been　deprived　of
everything　for　two　months；　and　who　is　drunk；　who　is　young；　ardent　and
inflamed　by　all　the　appetites　which　nature　has　implanted　in　the　vigorous
flesh　of　men。

The　girl　started　back　from　him；　frightened　at　his　face；　his　eyes；　his
half…open　mouth；　his　outstretched　hands；　but　he　seized　her　by　the
shoulders；　and　without　a　word；　threw　her　down　in　the　road。

She　let　her　two　pails　fall；　and　they　rolled　over　noisily；　and　all　the
milk　was　spilt；　and　then　she　screamed　lustily；　but　it　was　of　no　avail　in
that　lonely　spot。

When　she　got　up　the　thought　of　her　overturned　pails　suddenly　filled　her
with　fury；　and；　taking　off　one　of　her　wooden　sabots；　she　threw　it　at　the
man　to　break　his　head　if　he　did　not　pay　her　for　her　milk。

But　he；　mistaking　the　reason　of　this　sudden　violent　attack；　somewhat
sobered；　and　frightened　at　what　he　had　done；　ran　off　as　fast　as　he　could；
while　she　threw　sto