original short stories-8-第6部分

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the　lapping　of　the　water　as　it　flowed　on　made　around　us　a　kind　of
confused　murmur　almost　imperceptible；　disquieting；　and　gave　us　a　vague
sensation　of　mysterious　fear。

The　sweet　charm　of　warm　nights　and　of　streams　glittering　in　the　moonlight
penetrated　us。　　It　was　delightful　to　be　alive　and　to　float　along　thus；
and　to　dream　and　to　feel　at　one's　side　a　sympathetic　and　beautiful　young
woman。

I　was　somewhat　affected；　somewhat　agitated；　somewhat　intoxicated　by　the
pale　brightness　of　the　night　and　the　consciousness　of　my　proximity　to　a
lovely　woman。

〃Come　and　sit　beside　me；〃　she　said。

I　obeyed。

She　went　on：

〃Recite　some　poetry　for　me。〃

This　appeared　to　be　rather　too　much。　　I　declined；　she　persisted。　　She
certainly　wanted　to　play　the　game；　to　have　a　whole　orchestra　of
sentiment；　from　the　moon　to　the　rhymes　of　poets。　　In　the　end　I　had　to
yield；　and；　as　if　in　mockery；　I　repeated　to　her　a　charming　little　poem　by
Louis　Bouilhet；　of　which　the　following　are　the　last　verses：

　　　　　〃I　hate　the　poet　who　with　tearful　eye
　　　　　Murmurs　some　name　while　gazing　tow'rds　a　star；
　　　　　Who　sees　no　magic　in　the　earth　or　sky；
　　　　　Unless　Lizette　or　Ninon　be　not　far。

　　　　　〃The　bard　who　in　all　Nature　nothing　sees
　　　　　Divine；　unless　a　petticoat　he　ties
　　　　　Amorously　to　the　branches　of　the　trees
　　　　　Or　nightcap　to　the　grass；　is　scarcely　wise。

　　　　　〃He　has　not　heard　the　Eternal's　thunder　tone；
　　　　　The　voice　of　Nature　in　her　various　moods；
　　　　　Who　cannot　tread　the　dim　ravines　alone；
　　　　　And　of　no　woman　dream　mid　whispering　woods。〃

I　expected　some　reproaches。　　Nothing　of　the　sort。　　She　murmured：

〃How　true　it　is！〃

I　was　astonished。　　Had　she　understood？

Our　boat　had　gradually　approached　the　bank　and　become　entangled　in　the
branches　of　a　willow　which　impeded　its　progress。　　I　placed　my　arm　round
my　companion's　waist；　and　very　gently　approached　my　lips　towards　her
neck。　　But　she　repulsed　me　with　an　abrupt；　angry　movement。

〃Have　done；　pray！　　How　rude　you　are！〃

I　tried　to　draw　her　toward　me。　　She　resisted；　caught　hold　of　the　tree；
and　was　near　flinging　us　both　into　the　water。　　I　deemed　it　prudent　to
cease　my　importunities。

She　said：

〃I　would　rather　capsize　you。　　I　feel　so　happy。　　I　want　to　dream。　　This　is
so　delightful。〃　　Then；　in　a　slightly　malicious　tone；　she　added：

〃Have　you　already　forgotten　the　verses　you　repeated　to　me　just　now？〃

She　was　right。　　I　became　silent。

She　went　on：

〃Come；　now！〃

And　I　plied　the　oars　once　more。

I　began　to　think　the　night　long　and　my　position　ridiculous。

My　companion　said　to　me：

〃Will　you　make　me　a　promise？〃

〃Yes。　　What　is　it？〃

〃To　remain　quiet；　well…behaved　and　discreet；　if　I　permit　you〃

〃What？　　Say　what　you　mean！〃

〃Here　is　what　I　mean：　I　want　to　lie　down　on　my　back　at　the　bottom　of　the
boat　with　you　by　my　side。　　But　I　forbid　you　to　touch　me；　to　embrace　me
in　shortto　caress　me。〃

I　promised。　　She　said　warningly：

〃If　you　move；　'I'll　capsize　the　boat。〃

And　then　we　lay　down　side　by　side；　our　eyes　turned　toward　the　sky；　while
the　boat　glided　slowly　through　the　water。　　We　were　rocked　by　its　gentle
motion。　　The　slight　sounds　of　the　night　came　to　us　more　distinctly　in　the
bottom　of　the　boat；　sometimes　causing　us　to　start。　　And　I　felt　springing
up　within　me　a　strange；　poignant　emotion；　an　infinite　tenderness；
something　like　an　irresistible　impulse　to　open　my　arms　in　order　to
embrace；　to　open　my　heart　in　order　to　love；　to　give　myself；　to　give　my
thoughts；　my　body；　my　life；　my　entire　being　to　some　one。

My　companion　murmured；　like　one　in　a　dream：

〃Where　are　we；　Where　are　we　going？　　It　seems　to　me　that　I　am　leaving　the
earth。　　How　sweet　it　is！　　Ah；　if　you　loved　mea　little！！！〃

My　heart　began　to　throb。　　I　had　no　answer　to　give。　　It　seemed　to　me　that
I　loved　her。　　I　had　no　longer　any　violent　desire。　　I　felt　happy　there　by
her　side；　and　that　was　enough　for　me。

And　thus　we　remained　for　a　long；　long　time　without　stirring。　　We　had
clasped　each　other's　hands；　some　delightful　force　rendered　us　motionless；
an　unknown　force　stronger　than　ourselves；　an　alliance；　chaste；　intimate；
absolute；　of　our　beings　lying　there　side　by　side；　belonging　to　each　other
without　contact。　　What　was　this？　　How　do　I　know？　　Love；　perhaps？

Little　by　little　the　dawn　appeared。　　It　was　three　o'clock　in　the　morning。
Slowly　a　great　brightness　spread　over　the　sky。　　The　boat　knocked　up
against　something。　　I　rose　up。　　We　had　come　close　to　a　tiny　islet。

But　I　remained　enchanted；　in　an　ecstasy。　　Before　us　stretched　the
firmament；　red；　pink；　violet；　spotted　with　fiery　clouds　resembling　golden
vapor。　　The　river　was　glowing　with　purple　and　three　houses　on　one　side　of
it　seemed　to　be　burning。

I　bent　toward　my　companion。　　I　was　going　to　say；　〃Oh！　look！〃　But　I　held
my　tongue；　quite　dazed；　and　I　could　no　longer　see　anything　except　her。
She；　too；　was　rosy；　with　rosy　flesh　tints　with　a　deeper　tinge　that　was
partly　a　reflection　of　the　hue　of　the　sky。　　Her　tresses　were　rosy；　her
eyes　were　rosy；　her　teeth　were　rosy；　her　dress；　her　laces；　her　smile；　all
were　rosy。　　And　in　truth　I　believed；　so　overpowering　was　the　illusion；
that　the　dawn　was　there　in　the　flesh　before　me。

She　rose　softly　to　her　feet；　holding　out　her　lips　to　me；　and　I　moved
toward　her；　trembling；　delirious　feeling　indeed　that　I　was　going　to　kiss
Heaven；　to　kiss　happiness；　to　kiss　a　dream　that　had　become　a　woman；　to
kiss　the　ideal　which　had　descended　into　human　flesh。

She　said　to　me：　〃You　have　a　caterpillar　in　your　hair。〃　　And；　suddenly；　I
felt　as　sad　as　if　I　had　lost　all　hope　in　life。

That　is　all；　madame。　　It　is　puerile；　silly；　stupid。　　But　I　am　sure　that
since　that　day　it　would　be　impossible　for　me　to　love。　　And　yetwho　can
tell？

＇The　young　man　upon　whom　this　letter　was　found　was　yesterday　taken　out　of
the　Seine　between　Bougival　and　Marly。　　An　obliging　bargeman；　who　had
searched　the　pockets　in　order　to　ascertain　the　name　of　the　deceased；
brought　this　paper　to　the　author。＇






THE　ORPHAN

Mademoiselle　Source　had　adopted　this　boy　under　very　sad　circumstances。
She　was　at　the　time　thirty…six　years　old。　　Being　disfigured　through
having　as　a　child　slipped　off　her　nurse's　lap　into　the　fireplace　and
burned　her　face　shockingly；　she　had　determined　not　to　marry；　for　she　did
not　want　any　man　to　marry　her　for　her　money。

A　neighbor　of　hers；　left　a　widow　just　before　her　child　was　born；　died　in
giving　birth；　without　leaving　a　sou。　　Mademoiselle　Source　took　the　new…
born　child；　put　him　out　to　nurse；　reared　him；　sent　him　to　a　boarding…
school；　then　brought　him　home　in　his　fourteenth　year；　in　order　to　have　in
her　empty　house　somebody　who　would　love　her；　who　would　look　after　her；
and　make　her　old　age　pleasant。

She　had　a　little　country　place　four　leagues　from　Rennes；　and　she　now
dispensed　with　a　servant；　her　expenses　having　increased　to　more　than
double　since　this　orphan's　arrival；　her　income　of　three　thousand　francs
was　no　longer　sufficient　to　support　three　persons。

She　attended　to　the　housekeeping　and　cooking　herself；　and　sent　out　the
boy　on　errands；　letting　him　also　occupy　himself　in　cultivating　the
garden。　　He　was　gentle；　timid；　silent；　and　affectionate。　　And　she
experienced　a　deep　happiness；　a　fresh　happiness　when　he　kissed　her
without　surprise　or　horror　at　her　disfigurement。　　He　called　her　〃Aunt；〃
and　treated　her　as　a　mother。

In　the　evening　they　both　sat　down　at　the　fireside；　and　she　made　nice
little　dainties　for　him。　　She　heated　some　wine　and　toasted　a　slice　of
bread；　and　it　made　a　charming　little　meal　before　going　to　bed。　　She　often
took　him　on　her　knees　and　covered　him　with　kisses；　murmuring　tender　words
in　his　ear。　　She　called　him：　〃My　little　flower；　my　cherub；　my　adored
angel；　my　divine　jewel。〃　　He　softly　accepted　her　caresses；　hiding　his
head　on　the　old　maid's　shoulder。　　Although　he　was　now　nearly　fifteen；　he
had　remained　small　and　weak；　and　had　a　rather　sickly　appearance。

Sometimes　Mademoiselle　Source　took　him　to　the　city；　to　see　two　married
female　relatives　of　hers；　distant　cousins；　who　were　living　in　the
suburbs；　and　who　were　the　only　members　of　her　family　in　existence。　　The
two　women　had　always　found　fault　with　her；　for　having　adopted　this　boy；
on　account　of　the　inheritance；　but　for　all　that；　they　gave　her　a　cordial
welcome；　having　still　hopes　of　getting　a　share　for　themselves；　a　third；
no　doubt；　if　what　she　possessed　were　only　equally　divided。

She　was　happy；　very　happy；　always　occupied　with　her　adopted　child。　　She
bought　books　for　him　to　improve　his　mind；　and　he　became　passionately　fond
of　reading。

He　no　longer　climbed　on　her　knee　to　pet　her　as　he　had　formerly　done；　but；
instead；　would　go　and　sit　down　in　his　little　chair　in　the　chimney…corner
and　open　a　volume。　　The　lamp　placed　at　the　edge　of　the　Tittle　table　above
his　head　shone　on　his　curly　hair；　and　on　a　portion　of　his　forehead；　he
did　not　move；　he　did　not　raise　his　eyes　or　make　any　gesture。　　He　read　on；
interested；　entirely　absorbed　in　the　story　he　was　reading。

Seated　opposite　to　him；　she　would　gaze　at　him　earnestly；　astonished　at
his　studiousness；　often　on　the　point　of　bursting　into　tears。

She　said　to　him　occasionally：　〃You　will　fatigue　yourself；　my　treasure！〃
hoping　that　he　would　raise　his　head；　and　come　across　to　embrace　her；　but
he　did　not　even　answer　her；　he　had　not　heard　or　understood　what　she　was
saying；　he　paid　no　attention　to　anything　save　what　he　read　in　those
pages。

For　two　years　he　devoured　an　incalculable　number　of　volumes。　　His
character　changed。

After　this；　he　asked　Mademoiselle　Source　several　times　for　money；　which
she　gave　him。　　As　he　always　wanted　more；　she　ended　by　refusing；　for　she
was　both　methodical　and　decided；　and　knew　how　to　act　rationally　when　it
was　necessary　to　do　so。　　By　dint　of　entreaties　he　obtained　a　large　sum
from　her　one　night；　but　when　he　begged　her　for　more　a　few　days　later；　she
showed　herself　inflexible；　and　did　not　give　way　to　him　further；　in　fact。

He　appeared　to　be　satisfied　with　her　decision。

He　again　became　quiet；　as　he　had　formerly　been；　remaining　seated　for
entire　hours；　without　moving；　plunged　in　deep　reverie。　　He　now　did　not
even　talk　to　Madame　Source；　merely　answering　her