selected writings-第32部分

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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　holy　water　into　it；　dipped　the　twig　of　boxwood　into

it；　and　kneeling　down；　she　fervently　repeated　the　prayers　for　the

dead；　which　she　knew　by　heart；　as　a　matter　of　business。



When　Honore　returned　in　the　evening；　he　found　her　praying。　He

calculated　immediately　that　she　had　made　twenty　sous　out　of　him；

for　she　had　only　spent　three　days　and　one　night　there；　which　made

five　francs　altogether；　instead　of　the　six　which　he　owed　her。







EPIPHANY



〃Ah！〃　said　Captain　the　Count　de　Garens；　〃I　should　rather　think

that　I　do　remember　that　Epiphany　supper；　during　the　war！



〃At　the　time　I　was　quarter…master　of　cavalry；　and　for　a　fort

night；　I　had　been　lurking　about　as　a　scout　in　front　of　the　German

advanced　guard。　The　evening　before　we　had　cut　down　a　few　Uhlans

and　had　lost　three　men；　one　of　whom　was　that　poor　little

Raudeville。　You　remember　Joseph　de　Raudeville　well；　of　course。



〃Well；　on　that　day　my　captain　ordered　me　to　take　six　troopers　and

occupy　the　village　of　Porterin；　where　there　had　been　five　fights

in　three　weeks；　and　to　hold　it　all　night。　There　were　not　twenty

houses　left　standing；　nay；　not　a　dozen；　in　that　wasp's　nest。　So　I

took　ten　troopers；　and　set　out　at　about　four　o'clock；　at　five

o'clock；　while　it　was　still　pitch　dark；　we　reached　the　first

houses　of　Porterin。　I　halted　and　ordered　Marchasyou　know　Pierre

de　Marchas；　who　afterward　married　little　Martel…Auvelin；　the

daughter　of　the　Marquis　de　Martel…Auvelinto　go　alone　into　the

village　and　to　report　to　me　what　he　saw。



〃I　had　chosen　nothing　but　volunteers；　and　all　of　good　family。

When　on　service　it　is　pleasant　not　to　be　forced　into　intimacy

with　unpleasant　fellows。　This　Marchas　was　as　sharp　as　possible；

as　cunning　as　a　fox；　and　as　supple　as　a　serpent。　He　could　scent

the　Prussians　as　well　as　a　dog　can　scent　a　hare；　could　find

victuals　where　we　should　have　died　of　hunger　without　him；　and

could　obtain　information　from　everybodyinformation　which　was

always　reliablewith　incredible　cleverness。



〃In　ten　minutes　he　returned。　'All　right；'　he　said；　'there　have

been　no　Prussians　here　for　three　days。　It　is　a　sinister　place；　is

this　village。　I　have　been　talking　to　a　Sister　of　Mercy；　who　is

attending　to　four　or　five　wounded　men　in　an　abandoned　convent。'



〃I　ordered　them　to　ride　on；　and　we　penetrated　into　the　principal

street。　On　the　right　and　left　we　could　vaguely　see　roofless

walls；　hardly　visible　in　the　profound　darkness。　Here　and　there　a

light　was　burning　in　a　room；　some　family　had　remained　to　keep　its

house　standing　as　long　as　they　were　able；　a　family　of　brave；　or

of　poor；　people。　The　rain　began　to　fall；　a　fine；　icy…cold　rain；

which　froze　us　before　it　wetted　us　through；　by　merely　touching

our　cloaks。　The　horses　stumbled　against　stones；　against　beams；

against　furniture。　Marchas　guided　us；　going　before　us　on　foot；

and　leading　his　horse　by　the　bridle。



〃　'Where　are　you　taking　us　to？'　I　asked　him。　And　he　replied：　'I

have　a　place　for　us　to　lodge　in；　and　a　rare　good　one。'　And　soon

we　stopped　before　a　small　house；　evidently　belonging　to　some

person　of　the　middle　class；　completely　shut　up；　built　on　to　the

street　with　a　garden　in　the　rear。



〃Marchas　broke　open　the　lock　by　means　of　a　big　stone；　which　he

picked　up　near　the　garden　gate；　then　he　mounted　the　steps；

smashed　in　the　front　door　with　his　feet　and　shoulders；　lighted　a

bit　of　wax　candle；　which　he　was　never　without；　and　preceded　us

into　the　comfortable　apartments　of　some　rich　private　individual；

guiding　us　with　admirable　assurance；　just　as　if　he　had　lived　in

this　house　which　he　now　saw　for　the　first　time。



〃Two　troopers　remained　outside　to　take　care　of　our　horses；　then

Marchas　said　to　stout　Ponderel；　who　followed　him：　'The　stables

must　be　on　the　left；　I　saw　that　as　we　came　in；　go　and　put　the

animals　up　there；　for　we　do　not　want　them；'　and　then　turning　to

me　he　said：　'Give　your　orders；　confound　it　all！'



〃Marchas　always　astonished　me；　and　I　replied　with　a　laugh：　'I

shall　post　my　sentinels　at　the　country　approaches　and　I　will

return　to　you　here。'



〃　'How　many　men　are　you　going　to　take？'



〃　'Five。　The　others　will　relieve　them　at　five　o'clock　in　the

evening。'



〃　'Very　well。　Leave　me　four　to　look　after　provisions；　to　do　the

cooking；　and　to　set　the　table。　I　will　go　and　find　out　where　the

wine　is　hidden　away。'



〃I　went　off　to　reconnoiter　the　deserted　streets；　until　they　ended

in　the　open　country；　so　as　to　post　my　sentries　there。



〃Half　an　hour　later　I　was　back；　and　found　Marchas　lounging　in　a

great　armchair；　the　covering　of　which　he　had　taken　off；　from　love

of　luxury　as　he　said。　He　was　warming　his　feet　at　the　fire　and

smoking　an　excellent　cigar；　whose　perfume　filled　the　room。　He　was

alone；　his　elbows　resting　on　the　arms　of　the　chair；　his　cheeks

flushed；　his　eyes　bright；　and　looking　delighted。



〃I　heard　the　noise　of　plates　and　dishes　in　the　next　room；　and

Marchas　said　to　me；　smiling　in　a　beatific　manner：　'This　is

famous；　I　found　the　champagne　under　the　flight　of　steps　outside；

the　brandyfifty　bottles　of　the　very　finestin　the　kitchen

garden　under　a　pear…tree；　which　did　not　look　to　me　to　be　quite

straight；　when　I　looked　at　it　by　the　light　of　my　lantern。　As　for

solids；　we　have　two　fowls；　a　goose；　a　duck；　and　three　pigeons。

They　are　being　cooked　at　this　moment。　It　is　a　delightful　part　of

the　country。'



〃I　had　sat　down　opposite　to　him；　and　the　fire　in　the　grate　was

burning　my　nose　and　cheeks。



〃　'Where　did　you　find　this　wood？'　I　asked。



〃　'Splendid　wood；'　he　replied。　'The　owner's　carriage。　It　is　the

paint　which　is　causing　all　this　flame；　an　essence　of　alcohol　and

varnish。　A　capital　house！'



〃I　laughed；　for　I　found　the　creature　was　funny；　and　he　went　on：

'Fancy　this　being　the　Epiphany！　I　have　had　a　bean　put　into　the

goose；　but　there　is　no　queen；　it　is　really　very　annoying！'　And　I

repeated　like　an　echo：　'It　is　annoying；　but　what　do　you　want　me

to　do　in　the　matter？'



〃　'To　find　some；　of　course。'



〃　'Some　women。　Women？you　must　be　mad！'



〃　'I　managed　to　find　the　brandy　under　the　pear…tree；　and　the

champagne　under　the　steps；　and　yet　there　was　nothing　to　guide　me；

while　as　for　you；　a　petticoat　is　a　sure　sign。　Go　and　look；　old

fellow。'



〃He　looked　so　grave；　so　convinced；　that　I　could　not　tell　whether

he　was　joking　or　not。　So　I　replied：　'Look　here；　Marchas；　are　you

having　a　joke　with　me？'



〃　'I　never　joke　on　duty。'



〃　'But　where　the　devil　do　you　expect　me　to　find　any　women？'



〃　'Where　you　like；　there　must　be　two　or　three　remaining　in　the

neighborhood；　so　ferret　them　out　and　bring　them　here。'



〃I　got　up；　for　it　was　too　hot　in　front　of　the　fire；　and　Marchas

went　on：　'Do　you　want　an　idea？'



〃　'Yes。'



〃　'Go　and　see　the　priest。'



〃　'The　priest？　What　for？'



〃　'Ask　him　to　supper；　and　beg　him　to　bring　a　woman　with　him。'



〃　'The　priest！　A　woman！　Ha！　ha！　ha！'



〃But　Marchas　continued　with　extraordinary　gravity：　'I　am　not

laughing；　go　and　find　the　priest　and　tell　him　how　we　are

situated；　and；　as　he　must　be　horribly　dull；　he　will　come。　But

tell　him　that　we　want　one　woman　at　least；　a　lady；　of　course；

since　we　are　all　men　of　the　world。　He　is　sure　to　have　the　names

of　his　female　parishioners　on　the　tips　of　his　fingers；　and　if

there　is　one　to　suit　us；　and　you　manage　it　well；　he　will　indicate

her　to　you。'



〃　'Come；　come；　Marchas；　what　are　you　thinking　of？'



〃　'My　dear　Garens；　you　can　do　this　quite　well。　It　will　be　very

funny。　We　are　well　bred；　by　Jove！　and　we　will　put　on　our　most

distinguished　manners　and　our　grandest　style。　Tell　the　abbe　who

we　are；　make　him　laugh；　soften　him；　seduce　him；　and　persuade

him！'



〃　'No；　it　is　impossible。'



〃He　drew　his　chair　close　to　mine；　and　as　he　knew　my　weak　side；

the　scamp　continued：　'Just　think　what　a　swagger　thing　it　will　be

to　do；　and　how　amusing　to　tell　about；　the　whole　army　will　talk

about　it；　and　it　will　give　you　a　famous　reputation。'



〃I　hesitated；　for　the　adventure　rather　tempted　me。　He　persisted：

'Come；　my　little　Garens。　You　are　in　command　of　this　detachment；

and　you　alone　can　go　and　call　on　the　head　of　the　church　in　this

neighborhood。　I　beg　of　you　to　go；　and　I　promise　you　that　after

the　war；　I　will　relate　the　whole　affair　in　verse　in　the　〃Revue

des　Deux　Mondes。〃　You　owe　this　much　to　your　men；　for　you　have

made　them　march　enough　during　the　last　month。'



〃I　got　up　at　last　and　asked：　'Where　is　the　parsonage？'



〃　'Take　the　second　turning　at　the　end　of　the　street；　you　will

then　see　an　avenue；　and　at　the　end　of　the　avenue　you　will　find

the　church。　The　parsonage　is　beside　it。'　As　I　departed　he　called

out：　'Tell　him　the　bill　of　fare；　to　make　him　hungry！'



〃I　discovered　the　ecclesiastic's　little　house　without　any

difficulty；　it　was　by　the　side　of　a　large；　ugly；　brick　church。　As

there　was　neither　bell　nor　knocker；　I　knocked　at　the　door　with　my

fist；　and　a　loud　voice　from　inside　asked：　'Who　is　there？'　to

which　I　replied：　'A　quartermaster　of　hussars。'



〃I　heard　the　noise　of　bolts；　and　of　a　key　being　turned。　Then　I

found　myself　face　to　face　with　a　tall　priest　with　a　large

stomach；　the　chest　of　a　prize…fighter；　formidable　hands

projecting　from　turned…up　sleeves；　a　red　face；　and　the　looks　of　a

kind　man。　I　gave　him　a　military　salute　and　said：　'Good　day；

Monsieur　le　Cure。'



〃He　had　feared　a　surprise；　some　marauders'　ambush；　and　he　smiled

as　he　replied：　'Good　day；　my　friend；　come　in。'　I　followed　him

into　a　small　room；　with　a　red　tiled　floor；　in　which　a　small　fire

was　burning；　very　different　to　Marchas's　furnace。　He　gave　me　a

chair　and　said：　'What　can　I　do　for　you？'



〃　'Monsieur；　allow　me　first　of　all　to　introduce　myself'；　and　I

gave　him　my　card；　which　he　took　and　read　half　aloud：　'The