original short stories-8-第3部分

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group　of　white…haired　old　gentlemen　standing　together　in　the　middle　of
the　pavement；　interfering　with　the　traffic；　he　used　to　say　to　himself：

〃They　are　officers　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；〃　and　he　felt　inclined　to　take
off　his　hat　to　them。

He　had　often　remarked　that　the　officers　had　a　different　bearing　to　the
mere　knights。　　They　carried　their　head　differently；　and　one　felt　that
they　enjoyed　a　higher　official　consideration　and　a　more　widely　extended
importance。

Sometimes；　however；　the　worthy　man　would　be　seized　with　a　furious　hatred
for　every　one　who　was　decorated；　he　felt　like　a　Socialist　toward　them。

Then；　when　he　got　home；　excited　at　meeting　so　many　crossesjust　as　a
poor；　hungry　wretch　might　be　on　passing　some　dainty　provision　shophe
used　to　ask　in　a　loud　voice：

〃When　shall　we　get　rid　of　this　wretched　government？〃

And　his　wife　would　be　surprised；　and　ask：

〃What　is　the　matter　with　you　to…day？〃

〃I　am　indignant；〃　he　replied；　〃at　the　injustice　I　see　going　on　around　us。
Oh；　the　Communards　were　certainly　right！〃

After　dinner　he　would　go　out　again　and　look　at　the　shops　where　the
decorations　were　sold；　and　he　examined　all　the　emblems　of　various　shapes
and　colors。　　He　would　have　liked　to　possess　them　all；　and　to　have　walked
gravely　at　the　head　of　a　procession；　with　his　crush　hat　under　his　arm　and
his　breast　covered　with　decorations；　radiant　as　a　star；　amid　a　buzz　of
admiring　whispers　and　a　hum　of　respect。

But；　alas！　　he　had　no　right　to　wear　any　decoration　whatever。

He　used　to　say　to　himself：　〃It　is　really　too　difficult　for　any　man　to
obtain　the　Legion　of　Honor　unless　he　is　some　public　functionary。　　Suppose
I　try　to　be　appointed　an　officer　of　the　Academy！〃

But　he　did　not　know　how　to　set　about　it；　and　spoke　on　the　subject　to　his
wife；　who　was　stupefied。

〃Officer　of　the　Academy！　　What　have　you　done　to　deserve　it？〃

He　got　angry。　　〃I　know　what　I　am　talking　about。　　I　only　want　to　know　how
to　set　about　it。　　You　are　quite　stupid　at　times。〃

She　smiled。　　〃You　are　quite　right。　　I　don't　understand　anything　about
it。〃

An　idea　struck　him：　〃Suppose　you　were　to　speak　to　M。　Rosselin；　the
deputy；　he　might　be　able　to　advise　me。　　You　understand　I　cannot　broach
the　subject　to　him　directly。　　It　is　rather　difficult　and　delicate；　but
coming　from　you　it　might　seem　quite　natural。〃

Mme。　Caillard　did　what　he　asked　her；　and　M。　Rosselin　promised　to　speak　to
the　minister　about　it；　and　then　Caillard　began　to　worry　him；　till　the
deputy　told　him　he　must　make　a　formal　application　and　put　forward　his
claims。

〃What　were　his　charms？〃　he　said。　　〃He　was　not　even　a　Bachelor　of　Arts。〃
However；　he　set　to　work　and　produced　a　pamphlet；　with　the　title；　〃The
People's　Right　to　Instruction；〃　but　he　could　not　finish　it　for　want　of
ideas。

He　sought　for　easier　subjects；　and　began　several　in　succession。　　The
first　was；　〃The　Instruction　of　Children　by　Means　of　the　Eye。〃　　He　wanted
gratuitous　theatres　to　be　established　in　every　poor　quarter　of　Paris　for
little　children。　　Their　parents　were　to　take　them　there　when　they　were
quite　young；　and；　by　means　of　a　magic　lantern；　all　the　notions　of　human
knowledge　were　to　be　imparted　to　them。　　There　were　to　be　regular　courses。
The　sight　would　educate　the　mind；　while　the　pictures　would　remain
impressed　on　the　brain；　and　thus　science　would；　so　to　say；　be　made
visible。　　What　could　be　more　simple　than　to　teach　universal　history；
natural　history；　geography；　botany；　zoology；　anatomy；　etc。；　etc。；　in　this
manner？

He　had　his　ideas　printed　in　pamphlets；　and　sent　a　copy　to　each　deputy；
ten　to　each　minister；　fifty　to　the　President　of　the　Republic；　ten　to　each
Parisian；　and　five　to　each　provincial　newspaper。

Then　he　wrote　on　〃Street　Lending…Libraries。〃　　His　idea　was　to　have　little
pushcarts　full　of　books　drawn　about　the　streets。　　Everyone　would　have　a
right　to　ten　volumes　a　month　in　his　home　on　payment　of　one　sou。

〃The　people；〃　M。　Caillard　said；　〃will　only　disturb　itself　for　the　sake　of
its　pleasures；　and　since　it　will　not　go　to　instruction；　instruction　must
come　to　it；〃　etc。；　etc。

His　essays　attracted　no　attention；　but　he　sent　in　his　application；　and　he
got　the　usual　formal　official　reply。　　He　thought　himself　sure　of　success；
but　nothing　came　of　it。

Then　he　made　up　his　mind　to　apply　personally。　　He　begged　for　an　interview
with　the　Minister　of　Public　Instruction；　and　he　was　received　by　a　young
subordinate；　who　was　very　grave　and　important；　and　kept　touching　the
knobs　of　electric　bells　to　summon　ushers；　and　footmen；　and　officials
inferior　to　himself。　　He　declared　to　M。　Caillard　that　his　matter　was
going　on　quite　favorably；　and　advised　him　to　continue　his　remarkable
labors；　and　M。　Caillard　set　at　it　again。

M。　Rosselin；　the　deputy；　seemed　now　to　take　a　great　interest　in　his
success；　and　gave　him　a　lot　of　excellent；　practical　advice。　　He；　himself；
was　decorated；　although　nobody　knew　exactly　what　he　had　done　to　deserve
such　a　distinction。

He　told　Caillard　what　new　studies　he　ought　to　undertake；　he　introduced
him　to　learned　societies　which　took　up　particularly　obscure　points　of
science；　in　the　hope　of　gaining　credit　and　honors　thereby；　and　he　even
took　him　under　his　wing　at　the　ministry。

One　day；　when　he　came　to　lunch　with　his　friendfor　several　months　past
he　had　constantly　taken　his　meals　therehe　said　to　him　in　a　whisper　as
he　shook　hands：　〃I　have　just　obtained　a　great　favor　for　you。　　The
Committee　of　Historical　Works　is　going　to　intrust　you　with　a　commission。
There　are　some　researches　to　be　made　in　various　libraries　in　France。〃

Caillard　was　so　delighted　that　he　could　scarcely　eat　or　drink；　and　a　week
later　he　set　out。　　He　went　from　town　to　town；　studying　catalogues；
rummaging　in　lofts　full　of　dusty　volumes；　and　was　hated　by　all　the
librarians。

One　day；　happening　to　be　at　Rouen；　he　thought　he　should　like　to　go　and
visit　his　wife；　whom　he　had　not　seen　for　more　than　a　week；　so　he　took　the
nine　o'clock　train；　which　would　land　him　at　home　by　twelve　at　night。

He　had　his　latchkey；　so　he　went　in　without　making　any　noise；　delighted　at
the　idea　of　the　surprise　he　was　going　to　give　her。　　She　had　locked
herself　in。　　How　tiresome！　　However；　he　cried　out　through　the　door：

〃Jeanne；　it　is　I！〃

She　must　have　been　very　frightened；　for　he　heard　her　jump　out　of　her　bed
and　speak　to　herself；　as　if　she　were　in　a　dream。　　Then　she　went　to　her
dressing　room；　opened　and　closed　the　door；　and　went　quickly　up　and　down
her　room　barefoot　two　or　three　times；　shaking　the　furniture　till　the
vases　and　glasses　sounded。　　Then　at　last　she　asked：

〃Is　it　you；　Alexander？〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　replied；　〃make　haste　and　open　the　door。〃

As　soon　as　she　had　done　so；　she　threw　herself　into　his　arms；　exclaiming：

〃Oh；　what　a　fright！　　What　a　surprise！　　What　a　pleasure！〃

He　began　to　undress　himself　methodically；　as　he　did　everything；　and　took
from　a　chair　his　overcoat；　which　he　was　in　the　habit　of　hanging　up　in　the
hall。　　But　suddenly　he　remained　motionless；　struck　dumb　with
astonishmentthere　was　a　red　ribbon　in　the　buttonhole：

〃Why；〃　he　stammered；　〃thisthisthis　overcoat　has　got　the　ribbon　in
it！〃

In　a　second；　his　wife　threw　herself　on　him；　and；　taking　it　from　his
hands；　she　said：

〃No！　you　have　made　a　mistakegive　it　to　me。〃

But　he　still　held　it　by　one　of　the　sleeves；　without　letting　it　go；
repeating　in　a　half…dazed　manner：

〃Oh！　　Why？　　Just　explain　Whose　overcoat　is　it？　　It　is　not　mine；　as　it
has　the　Legion　of　Honor　on　it。〃

She　tried　to　take　it　from　him；　terrified　and　hardly　able　to　say：

〃Listenlisten！　　Give　it　to　me！　　I　must　not　tell　you！　　It　is　a　secret。
Listen　to　me！〃

But　he　grew　angry　and　turned　pale。

〃I　want　to　know　how　this　overcoat　comes　to　be　here？　　It　does　not　belong
to　me。〃

Then　she　almost　screamed　at　him：

〃Yes；　it　does；　listen！　　Swear　to　mewellyou　are　decorated！〃

She　did　not　intend　to　joke　at　his　expense。

He　was　so　overcome　that　he　let　the　overcoat　fall　and　dropped　into　an
armchair。

〃I　amyou　say　I　amdecorated？〃

〃Yes；　but　it　is　a　secret；　a　great　secret。〃

She　had　put　the　glorious　garment　into　a　cupboard；　and　came　to　her　husband
pale　and　trembling。

〃Yes；〃　she　continued；　〃it　is　a　new　overcoat　that　I　have　had　made　for　you。
But　I　swore　that　I　would　not　tell　you　anything　about　it；　as　it　will　not
be　officially　announced　for　a　month　or　six　weeks；　and　you　were　not　to
have　known　till　your　return　from　your　business　journey。　　M。　Rosselin
managed　it　for　you。〃

〃Rosselin！〃　he　contrived　to　utter　in　his　joy。　　〃He　has　obtained　the
decoration　for　me？　　HeOh！〃

And　he　was　obliged　to　drink　a　glass　of　water。

A　little　piece　of　white　paper　fell　to　the　floor　out　of　the　pocket　of　the
overcoat。　　Caillard　picked　it　up；　it　was　a　visiting　card；　and　he　read
out：

〃Rosselin…Deputy。〃

〃You　see　how　it　is；〃　said　his　wife。

He　almost　cried　with　joy；　and；　a　week　later；　it　was　announced　in　the
Journal　Officiel　that　M。　Caillard　had　been　awarded　the　Legion　of　Honor　on
account　of　his　exceptional　services。






THE　TEST

The　Bondels　were　a　happy　family；　and　although　they　frequently　quarrelled
about　trifles；　they　soon　became　friends　again。

Bondel　was　a　merchant　who　had　retired　from　active　business　after　saving
enough　to　allow　him　to　live　quietly；　he　had　rented　a　little　house　at
Saint…Germain　and　lived　there　with　his　wife。　　He　was　a　quiet　man　with
very　decided　opinions；　he　had　a　certain　degree　of　education　and　read
serious　newspapers；　nevertheless；　he　appreciated　the　gaulois　wit。
Endowed　with　a　logical　mind；　and　that　practical　common　sense　which　is　the
master　quality　of　the　industrial　French　bourgeois；　he　thought　little；　but
clearly；　and　reached　a　decision　only　after　careful　consideration　of　the
matter　in　hand。　　He　was　of　medium　size；　with　a　distinguished　look；　and
was　beginning　to　turn　gray。

His　wife；　who　was　full　of　serious　qualities；　had　also　several　faults。
She　had　a　quick　temper　and　a　frankness　that　bordered　upon　violence。　　She
bore　a　grudge　a　long　time。　　She　had　once　been　pretty；　but　had　now　become
too　stout　and　too　red；　but　in　her　neighborhood　at　Saint…Germain　she　still
passed　for　a　very　beautiful　woman；　who　exemplified　health　and　an
uncertain　temper。

Their　dissensions　almo