selected writings-第31部分

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know　that　I　am　not　rich；　and　I　cannot　even　afford　to　keep　a

servant…girl。　It　is　just　that　which　has　brought　my　poor　mother　to

this　state；　too　much　work　and　fatigue！　She　used　to　work　for　ten；

in　spite　of　her　ninety…two　years。　You　don't　find　any　made　of　that

stuff　nowadays！〃



La　Rapet　answered　gravely：　〃There　are　two　prices。　Forty　sous　by

day　and　three　francs　by　night　for　the　rich；　and　twenty　sous　by

day；　and　forty　by　night　for　the　others。　You　shall　pay　me　the

twenty　and　forty。〃　But　the　peasant　reflected；　for　he　knew　his

mother　well。　He　knew　how　tenacious　of　life；　how　vigorous　and

unyielding　she　was。　He　knew；　too；　that　she　might　last　another

week；　in　spite　of　the　doctor's　opinion；　and　so　he　said

resolutely：　〃No；　I　would　rather　you　would　fix　a　price　until　the

end。　I　will　take　my　chance；　one　way　or　the　other。　The　doctor　says

she　will　die　very　soon。　If　that　happens；　so　much　the　better　for

you；　and　so　much　the　worse　for　me；　but　if　she　holds　out　till

to…morrow　or　longer；　so　much　the　better　for　me　and　so　much　the

worse　for　you！〃



The　nurse　looked　at　the　man　in　astonishment；　for　she　had　never

treated　a　death　as　a　speculative　job；　and　she　hesitated；　tempted

by　the　idea　of　the　possible　gain。　But　almost　immediately　she

suspected　that　he　wanted　to　juggle　her。　〃I　can　say　nothing　until

I　have　seen　your　mother；〃　she　replied。



〃Then　come　with　me　and　see　her。〃



She　washed　her　hands；　and　went　with　him　immediately。　They　did　not

speak　on　the　road；　she　walked　with　short；　hasty　steps；　while　he

strode　on　with　his　long　legs；　as　if　he　were　crossing　a　brook　at

every　step。　The　cows　lying　down　in　the　fields；　overcome　by　the

heat；　raised　their　heads　heavily　and　lowed　feebly　at　the　two

passers…by；　as　if　to　ask　them　for　some　green　grass。



When　they　got　near　the　house；　Honore　Bontemps　murmured：　〃Suppose

it　is　all　over？〃　And　the　unconscious　wish　that　it　might　be　so

showed　itself　in　the　sound　of　his　voice。



But　the　old　woman　was　not　dead。　She　was　lying　on　her　back；　on　her

wretched　bed；　her　hands　covered　with　a　pink　cotton　counterpane；

horribly　thin；　knotty　paws；　like　some　strange　animal's；　or　like

crabs'　claws；　hands　closed　by　rheumatism；　fatigue；　and　the　work

of　nearly　a　century　which　she　had　accomplished。



La　Rapet　went　up　to　the　bed　and　looked　at　the　dying　woman；　felt

her　pulse；　tapped　her　on　the　chest；　listened　to　her　breathing；

and　asked　her　questions；　so　as　to　hear　her　speak：　then；　having

looked　at　her　for　some　time　longer；　she　went　out　of　the　room；

followed　by　Honore。　His　decided　opinion　was；　that　the　old　woman

would　not　last　out　the　night；　and　he　asked：　〃Well？〃　And　the

sick…nurse　replied：　〃Well；　she　may　last　two　days；　perhaps　three。

You　will　have　to　give　me　six　francs；　everything　included。〃



〃Six　francs！　six　francs！〃　he　shouted。　〃Are　you　out　of　your　mind？

I　tell　you　that　she　cannot　last　more　than　five　or　six　hours！〃　And

they　disputed　angrily　for　some　time；　but　as　the　nurse　said　she

would　go　home；　as　the　time　was　slipping　away；　and　as　his　wheat

would　not　come　to　the　farmyard　of　its　own　accord；　he　agreed　to

her　terms　at　last：



〃Very　well；　then；　that　is　settled；　six　francs　including

everything；　until　the　corpse　is　taken　out。〃



〃That　is　settled；　six　francs。〃



And　he　went　away；　with　long　strides；　to　his　wheat；　which　was

lying　on　the　ground　under　the　hot　sun　which　ripens　the　grain；

while　the　sick…nurse　returned　to　the　house。



She　had　brought　some　work　with　her；　for　she　worked　without

stopping　by　the　side　of　the　dead　and　dying；　sometimes　for

herself；　sometimes　for　the　family；　who　employed　her　as　seamstress

also；　paying　her　rather　more　in　that　capacity。　Suddenly　she

asked：



〃Have　you　received　the　last　sacrament；　Mother　Bontemps？〃



The　old　peasant　woman　said　〃No〃　with　her　head；　and　La　Rapet；　who

was　very　devout；　got　up　quickly：　〃Good　heavens；　is　it　possible？　I

will　go　and　fetch　the　cure〃；　and　she　rushed　off　to　the　parsonage

so　quickly；　that　the　urchins　in　the　street　thought　some　accident

had　happened；　when　they　saw　her　trotting　off　like　that。



The　priest　came　immediately　in　his　surplice；　preceded　by　a

choir…boy；　who　rang　a　bell　to　announce　the　passage　of　the　Host

through　the　parched　and　quiet　country。　Some　men；　working　at　a

distance；　took　off　their　large　hats　and　remained　motionless　until

the　white　vestment　had　disappeared　behind　some　farm　buildings；

the　women　who　were　making　up　the　sheaves　stood　up　to　make　the

sign　of　the　cross；　the　frightened　black　hens　ran　away　along　the

ditch　until　they　reached　a　well…known　hole　through　which　they

suddenly　disappeared；　while　a　foal；　which　was　tied　up　in　a

meadow；　took　fright　at　the　sight　of　the　surplice　and　began　to

gallop　round　at　the　length　of　its　rope；　kicking　violently。　The

choir…boy；　in　his　red　cassock；　walked　quickly；　and　the　priest；

the　square　biretta　on　his　bowed　head；　followed　him；　muttering

some　prayers。　Last　of　all　came　La　Rapet；　bent　almost　double；　as

if　she　wished　to　prostrate　herself；　she　walked　with　folded　hands；

as　if　she　were　in　church。



Honore　saw　them　pass　in　the　distance；　and　he　asked：　〃Where　is　our

priest　going　to？〃　And　his　man；　who　was　more　acute；　replied：　〃He

is　taking　the　sacrament　to　your　mother；　of　course！〃



The　peasant　was　not　surprised　and　said：　〃That　is　quite　possible；〃

and　went　on　with　his　work。



Mother　Bontemps　confessed；　received　absolution　and　extreme

unction；　and　the　priest　took　his　departure；　leaving　the　two　women

alone　in　the　suffocating　cottage。　La　Rapet　began　to　look　at　the

dying　woman；　and　to　ask　herself　whether　it　could　last　much

longer。



The　day　was　on　the　wane；　and　a　cooler　air　came　in　stronger　puffs；

making　a　view　of　Epinal；　which　was　fastened　to　the　wall　by　two

pins；　flap　up　and　down。　The　scanty　window　curtains；　which　had

formerly　been　white；　but　were　now　yellow　and　covered　with

fly…specks；　looked　as　it　they　were　going　to　fly　off；　and　seemed

to　struggle　to　get　away；　like　the　old　woman's　soul。



Lying　motionless；　with　her　eyes　open；　the　old　mother　seemed　to

await　the　death　which　was　so　near；　and　which　yet　delayed　its

coming；　with　perfect　indifference。　Her　short　breath　whistled　in

her　throat。　It　would　stop　altogether　soon；　and　there　would　be　one

woman　less　in　the　world；　one　whom　nobody　would　regret。



At　nightfall　Honore　returned；　and　when　he　went　up　to　the　bed　and

saw　that　his　mother　was　still　alive　he　asked：　〃How　is　she？〃　just

as　he　had　done　formerly；　when　she　had　been　sick。　Then　he　sent　La

Rapet　away；　saying　to　her：　〃To…morrow　morning　at　five　o'clock；

without　fail。〃　And　she　replied：　〃To…morrow　at　five　o'clock。〃



She　came　at　daybreak；　and　found　Honore　eating　his　soup；　which　he

had　made　himself；　before　going　to　work。



〃Well；　is　your　mother　dead？〃　asked　the　nurse。



〃She　is　rather　better；　on　the　contrary；〃　he　replied；　with　a

malignant　look　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eyes。　Then　he　went　out。



La　Rapet　was　seized　with　anxiety；　and　went　up　to　the　dying　woman；

who　was　in　the　same　state；　lethargic　and　impassive；　her　eyes　open

and　her　hands　clutching　the　counterpane。　The　nurse　perceived　that

this　might　go　on　thus　for　two　days；　four　days；　eight　days；　even；

and　her　avaricious　mind　was　seized　with　fear。　She　was　excited　to

fury　against　the　cunning　fellow　who　had　tricked　her；　and　against

the　woman　who　would　not　die。



Nevertheless；　she　began　to　sew　and　waited　with　her　eyes　fixed　on

the　wrinkled　face　of　Mother　Bontemps。　When　Honore　returned　to

breakfast　he　seemed　quite　satisfied；　and　even　in　a　bantering

humor；　for　he　was　carrying　in　his　wheat　under　very　favorable

circumstances。



La　Rapet　was　getting　exasperated；　every　passing　minute　now　seemed

to　her　so　much　time　and　money　stolen　from　her。　She　felt　a　mad

inclination　to　choke　this　old　ass；　this　headstrong　old　fool；　this

obstinate　old　wretchto　stop　that　short；　rapid　breath；　which　was

robbing　her　of　her　time　and　money；　by　squeezing　her　throat　a

little。　But　then　she　reflected　on　the　danger　of　doing　so；　and

other　thoughts　came　into　her　head；　so　she　went　up　to　the　bed　and

said　to　her：　〃Have　you　ever　seen　the　Devil？〃



Mother　Bontemps　whispered：　〃No。〃



Then　the　sick…nurse　began　to　talk　and　to　tell　her　tales　likely　to

terrify　her　weak　and　dying　mind。　〃Some　minutes　before　one　dies

the　Devil　appears；〃　she　said；　〃to　all。　He　has　a　broom　in　his

hand；　a　saucepan　on　his　head　and　he　utters　loud　cries。　When

anybody　had　seen　him；　all　was　over；　and　that　person　had　only　a

few　moments　longer　to　live〃；　and　she　enumerated　all　those　to　whom

the　Devil　had　appeared　that　year：　Josephine　Loisel；　Eulalie

Ratier；　Sophie　Padagnau；　Seraphine　Grospied。



Mother　Bontemps；　who　was　at　last　most　disturbed　in　mind；　moved

about；　wrung　her　hands；　and　tried　to　turn　her　head　to　look　at　the

other　end　of　the　room。　Suddenly　La　Rapet　disappeared　at　the　foot

of　the　bed。　She　took　a　sheet　out　of　the　cupboard　and　wrapped

herself　up　in　it；　then　she　put　the　iron　pot　on　to　her　head；　so

that　its　three　short　bent　feet　rose　up　like　horns；　took　a　broom

in　her　right　hand　and　a　tin　pail　in　her　left；　which　she　threw　up

suddenly；　so　that　it　might　fall　to　the　ground　noisily。



Certainly　when　it　came　down；　it　made　a　terrible　noise。　Then；

climbing　on　to　a　chair；　the　nurse　showed　herself；　gesticulating

and　uttering　shrill　cries　into　the　pot　which　covered　her　face；

while　she　menaced　the　old　peasant　woman；　who　was　nearly　dead；

with　her　broom。



Terrified；　with　a　mad　look　on　her　face；　the　dying　woman　made　a

superhuman　effort　to　get　up　and　escape；　she　even　got　her

shoulders　and　chest　out　of　bed；　then　she　fell　back　with　a　deep

sigh。　All　was　over；　and　La　Rapet　calmly　put　everything　back　into

its　place；　the　broom　into　the　corner　by　the　cupboard；　the　sheet

inside　it；　the　pot　on　to　the　hearth；　the　pail　on　to　the　floor；

and　the　chair　against　the　wall。　Then　with　a　professional　air；　she

closed　the　dead　woman's　enormous　eyes；　put　a　plate　on　the　bed　and

poured　some