selected writings-第15部分

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is；　how　mean　and　wretchedgrudgingly　given；　poorly　invented；

clumsily　made！　Ah！　the　elephant　and　the　hippopotamus；　what　power！

And　the　camel；　what　suppleness！



But　the　butterfly；　you　will　say；　a　flying　flower！　I　dream　of　one

that　should　be　as　large　as　a　hundred　worlds；　with　wings　whose

shape；　beauty；　colors；　and　motion　I　cannot　even　express。　But　I

see　itit　flutters　from　star　to　star；　refreshing　them　and

perfuming　them　with　the　light　and　harmonious　breath　of　its

flight！　And　the　people　up　there　gaze　at　it　as　it　passes　in　an

ecstasy　of　delight！



What　is　the　matter　with　me？　It　is　He；　the　Horla　who　haunts　me；

and　who　makes　me　think　of　these　foolish　things！　He　is　within　me；

He　is　becoming　my　soul；　I　shall　kill　him！



August　20。　I　shall　kill　Him。　I　have　seen　Him！　Yesterday　I　sat

down　at　my　table　and　pretended　to　write　very　assiduously。　I　knew

quite　well　that　He　would　come　prowling　round　me；　quite　close　to

me；　so　close　that　I　might　perhaps　be　able　to　touch　him；　to　seize

him。　And　thenthen　I　should　have　the　strength　of　desperation；　I

should　have　my　hands；　my　knees；　my　chest；　my　forehead；　my　teeth

to　strangle　him；　to　crush　him；　to　bite　him；　to　tear　him　to

pieces。　And　I　watched　for　him　with　all　my　overexcited　nerves。



I　had　lighted　my　two　lamps　and　the　eight　wax　candles　on　my

mantelpiece；　as　if；　by　this　light　I　should　discover　Him。



My　bed；　my　old　oak　bed　with　its　columns；　was　opposite　to　me；　on

my　right　was　the　fireplace；　on　my　left　the　door；　which　was

carefully　closed；　after　I　had　left　it　open　for　some　time；　in

order　to　attract　Him；　behind　me　was　a　very　high　wardrobe　with　a

looking…glass　in　it；　which　served　me　to　dress　by　every　day；　and

in　which　I　was　in　the　habit　of　inspecting　myself　from　head　to

foot　every　time　I　passed　it。



So　I　pretended　to　be　writing　in　order　to　deceive　Him；　for　He　also

was　watching　me；　and　suddenly　I　felt；　I　was　certain；　that　He　was

reading　over　my　shoulder；　that　He　was　there；　almost　touching　my

ear。



I　got　up　so　quickly；　with　my　hands　extended；　that　I　almost　fell。

Horror！　It　was　as　bright　as　at　midday；　but　I　did　not　see　myself

in　the　glass！　It　was　empty；　clear；　profound；　full　of　light！　But

my　figure　was　not　reflected　in　itand　I；　I　was　opposite　to　it！　I

saw　the　large；　clear　glass　from　top　to　bottom；　and　I　looked　at　it

with　unsteady　eyes。　I　did　not　dare　advance；　I　did　not　venture　to

make　a　movement；　feeling　certain；　nevertheless；　that　He　was

there；　but　that　He　would　escape　me　again；　He　whose　imperceptible

body　had　absorbed　my　reflection。



How　frightened　I　was！　And　then　suddenly　I　began　to　see　myself

through　a　mist　in　the　depths　of　the　looking…glass；　in　a　mist　as

it　were；　or　through　a　veil　of　water；　and　it　seemed　to　me　as　if

this　water　were　flowing　slowly　from　left　to　right；　and　making　my

figure　clearer　every　moment。　It　was　like　the　end　of　an　eclipse。

Whatever　hid　me　did　not　appear　to　possess　any　clearly　defined

outlines；　but　was　a　sort　of　opaque　transparency；　which　gradually

grew　clearer。



At　last　I　was　able　to　distinguish　myself　completely；　as　I　do

every　day　when　I　look　at　myself。



I　had　seen　Him！　And　the　horror　of　it　remained　with　me；　and　makes

me　shudder　even　now。



August　21。　How　could　I　kill　Him；　since　I　could　not　get　hold　of

Him？　Poison？　But　He　would　see　me　mix　it　with　the　water；　and　then；

would　our　poisons　have　any　effect　on　His　impalpable　body？

Nonono　doubt　about　the　matter。　Then？then？



August　22。　I　sent　for　a　blacksmith　from　Rouen　and　ordered　iron

shutters　of　him　for　my　room；　such　as　some　private　hotels　in　Paris

have　on　the　ground　floor；　for　fear　of　thieves；　and　he　is　going　to

make　me　a　similar　door　as　well。　I　have　made　myself　out　a　coward；

but　I　do　not　care　about　that！



September　10。　Rouen；　Hotel　Continental。　It　is　done；　it　is

donebut　is　He　dead？　My　mind　is　thoroughly　upset　by　what　I　have

seen。



Well　then；　yesterday；　the　locksmith　having　put　on　the　iron

shutters　and　door；　I　left　everything　open　until　midnight；

although　it　was　getting　cold。



Suddenly　I　felt　that　He　was　there；　and　joy；　mad　joy　took

possession　of　me。　I　got　up　softly；　and　I　walked　to　the　right　and

left　for　some　time；　so　that　He　might　not　guess　anything；　then　I

took　off　my　boots　and　put　on　my　slippers　carelessly；　then　I

fastened　the　iron　shutters　and　going　back　to　the　door　quickly　I

double…locked　it　with　a　padlock；　putting　the　key　into　my　pocket。



Suddenly　I　noticed　that　He　was　moving　restlessly　round　me；　that

in　his　turn　He　was　frightened　and　was　ordering　me　to　let　Him　out。

I　nearly　yielded；　though　I　did　not　quite；　but　putting　my　back　to

the　door；　I　half　opened　it；　just　enough　to　allow　me　to　go　out

backward；　and　as　I　am　very　tall；　my　head　touched　the　lintel。　I

was　sure　that　He　had　not　been　able　to　escape；　and　I　shut　Him　up

quite　alone；　quite　alone。　What　happiness！　I　had　Him　fast。　Then　I

ran　downstairs　into　the　drawing…room　which　was　under　my　bedroom。

I　took　the　two　lamps　and　poured　all　the　oil　on　to　the　carpet；　the

furniture；　everywhere；　then　I　set　fire　to　it　and　made　my　escape；

after　having　carefully　double　locked　the　door。



I　went　and　hid　myself　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　in　a　clump　of

laurel　bushes。　How　long　it　was！　how　long　it　was！　Everything　was

dark；　silent；　motionless；　not　a　breath　of　air　and　not　a　star；　but

heavy　banks　of　clouds　which　one　could　not　see；　but　which　weighed；

oh！　so　heavily　on　my　soul。



I　looked　at　my　house　and　waited。　How　long　it　was！　I　already　began

to　think　that　the　fire　had　gone　out　of　its　own　accord；　or　that　He

had　extinguished　it；　when　one　of　the　lower　windows　gave　way　under

the　violence　of　the　flames；　and　a　long；　soft；　caressing　sheet　of

red　flame　mounted　up　the　white　wall；　and　kissed　it　as　high　as　the

roof。　The　light　fell　on　to　the　trees；　the　branches；　and　the

leaves；　and　a　shiver　of　fear　pervaded　them　also！　The　birds　awoke；

a　dog　began　to　howl；　and　it　seemed　to　me　as　if　the　day　were

breaking！　Almost　immediately　two　other　windows　flew　into

fragments；　and　I　saw　that　the　whole　of　the　lower　part　of　my　house

was　nothing　but　a　terrible　furnace。　But　a　cry；　a　horrible；

shrill；　heart…rending　cry；　a　woman's　cry；　sounded　through　the

night；　and　two　garret　windows　were　opened！　I　had　forgotten　the

servants！　I　saw　the　terror…struck　faces；　and　the　frantic　waving

of　their　arms！



Then；　overwhelmed　with　horror；　I　ran　off　to　the　village；

shouting：　〃Help！　help！　fire！　fire！〃　Meeting　some　people　who　were

already　coming　on　to　the　scene；　I　went　back　with　them　to　see！



By　this　time　the　house　was　nothing　but　a　horrible　and　magnificent

funeral　pile；　a　monstrous　pyre　which　lit　up　the　whole　country；　a

pyre　where　men　were　burning；　and　where　He　was　burning　also；　He；

He；　my　prisoner；　that　new　Being；　the　new　Master；　the　Horla！



Suddenly　the　whole　roof　fell　in　between　the　walls；　and　a　volcano

of　flames　darted　up　to　the　sky。　Through　all　the　windows　which

opened　on　to　that　furnace；　I　saw　the　flames　darting；　and　I

reflected　that　He　was　there；　in　that　kiln；　dead。



Dead？　Perhaps？　His　body？　Was　not　his　body；　which　was　transparent；

indestructible　by　such　means　as　would　kill　ours？



If　He　were　not　dead？　Perhaps　time　alone　has　power　over　that

Invisible　and　Redoubtable　Being。　Why　this　transparent；

unrecognizable　body；　this　body　belonging　to　a　spirit；　if　it　also

had　to　fear　ills；　infirmities；　and　premature　destruction？



Premature　destruction？　All　human　terror　springs　from　that！　After

man　the　Horla。　After　him　who　can　die　every　day；　at　any　hour；　at

any　moment；　by　any　accident；　He　came；　He　who　was　only　to　die　at

his　own　proper　hour　and　minute；　because　He　had　touched　the　limits

of　his　existence！



Nonothere　is　no　doubt　about　itHe　is　not　dead。　ThenthenI

suppose　I　must　kill　MYSELF！







MISS　HARRIET



There　were　seven　of　us　in　a　four…in…hand；　four　women　and　three

men；　one　of　whom　was　on　the　box　seat　beside　the　coachman。　We　were

following；　at　a　foot　pace；　broad　highway　which　serpentines　along

the　coast。



Setting　out　from　Etretat　at　break　of　day；　in　order　to　visit　the

ruins　of　Tancarville；　we　were　still　asleep；　chilled　by　the　fresh

air　of　the　morning。　The　women；　especially；　who　were　but　little

accustomed　to　these　early　excursions；　let　their　eyelids　fall　and

rise　every　moment；　nodding　their　heads　or　yawning；　quite

insensible　to　the　glory　of　the　dawn。



It　was　autumn。　On　both　sides　of　the　road　the　bare　fields

stretched　out；　yellowed　by　the　corn　and　wheat　stubble　which

covered　the　soil　like　a　bristling　growth　of　beard。　The　spongy

earth　seemed　to　smoke。　Larks　were　singing　high　up　in　the　air；

while　other　birds　piped　in　the　bushes。



At　length　the　sun　rose　in　front　of　us；　a　bright　red　on　the　plane

of　the　horizon；　and　as　it　ascended；　growing　clearer　from　minute

to　minute；　the　country　seemed　to　awake；　to　smile；　to　shake　and

stretch　itself；　like　a　young　girl　who　is　leaving　her　bed　in　her

white　airy　chemise。　The　Count　d'Etraille；　who　was　seated　on　the

box；　cried：



〃Look！　look！　a　hare！〃　and　he　pointed　toward　the　left；　indicating

a　piece　of　hedge。　The　leveret　threaded　its　way　along；　almost

concealed　by　the　field；　only　its　large　ears　visible。　Then　it

swerved　across　a　deep　rut；　stopped；　again　pursued　its　easy

course；　changed　its　direction；　stopped　anew；　disturbed；　spying

out　every　danger；　and　undecided　as　to　the　route　it　should　take。

Suddenly　it　began　to　run；　with　great　bounds　from　its　hind　legs；

disappearing　finally　in　a　large　patch　of　beet…root。　All　the　men

had　woke　up　to　watch　the　course　of　the　beast。



Rene　Lemanoir　then　exclaimed



〃We　are　not　at　all　gallant　this　morning；〃　and　looking　at　his

neighbor；　the　little　Baroness　of　Serennes；　who　was　struggling

with　drowsiness；　he　said　to　her　in　a　subdued　voice：　〃You　are

thinking　of　your　husband；　Baroness。　Reassure　yourself；　he　will

not　return　before　Saturday；　so　you　have　still　four　days。〃



She　responded　to　him　with　a　sleepy　smile。



〃How　rude　you　are。