selected writings-第35部分

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with　his　hand；　some　one　shouted　at　him：



〃Go　and　tell　your　papa。〃



He　then　felt　a　great　sinking　in　his　heart。　They　were　stronger

than　he；　they　had　beaten　him　and　he　had　no　answer　to　give　them；

for　he　knew　it　was　true　that　he　had　no　papa。　Full　of　pride　he

tried　for　some　moments　to　struggle　against　the　tears　which　were

suffocating　him。　He　had　a　choking　fit；　and　then　without　cries　he

began　to　weep　with　great　sobs　which　shook　him　incessantly。　Then　a

ferocious　joy　broke　out　among　his　enemies；　and；　just　like　savages

in　fearful　festivals；　they　took　one　another　by　the　hand　and

danced　in　a　circle　about　him　as　they　repeated　in　refrain：



〃No　papa！　No　papa！〃



But　suddenly　Simon　ceased　sobbing。　Frenzy　overtook　him。　There

were　stones　under　his　feet；　he　picked　them　up　and　with　all　his

strength　hurled　them　at　his　tormentors。　Two　or　three　were　struck

and　ran　away　yelling；　and　so　formidable　did　he　appear　that　the

rest　became　panic…stricken。　Cowards；　like　a　jeering　crowd　in　the

presence　of　an　exasperated　man；　they　broke　up　and　fled。　Left

alone；　the　little　thing　without　a　father　set　off　running　toward

the　fields；　for　a　recollection　had　been　awakened　which　nerved　his

soul　to　a　great　determination。　He　made　up　his　mind　to　drown

himself　in　the　river。



He　remembered；　in　fact；　that　eight　days　ago　a　poor　devil　who

begged　for　his　livelihood　had　thrown　himself　into　the　water

because　he　had　no　more　money。　Simon　had　been　there　when　they

fished　him　out　again；　and　the　sight　of　the　fellow；　who　had　seemed

to　him　so　miserable　and　ugly；　had　then　impressed　himhis　pale

cheeks；　his　long　drenched　beard；　and　his　open　eyes　being　full　of

calm。　The　bystanders　had　said：



〃He　is　dead。〃



And　some　one　had　added：



〃He　is　quite　happy　now。〃



So　Simon　wished　to　drown　himself　also　because　he　had　no　father；

just　as　the　wretched　being　did　who　had　no　money。



He　reached　the　water　and　watched　it　flowing。　Some　fishes　were

rising　briskly　in　the　clear　stream　and　occasionally　made　little

leaps　and　caught　the　flies　on　the　surface。　He　stopped　crying　in

order　to　watch　them；　for　their　feeding　interested　him　vastly。

But；　at　intervals；　as　in　the　lulls　of　a　tempest；　when　tremendous

gusts　of　wind　snap　off　trees　and　then　die　away；　this　thought

would　return　to　him　with　intense　pain：



〃I　am　about　to　drown　myself　because　I　have　no　papa。〃



It　was　very　warm　and　fine　weather。　The　pleasant　sunshine　warmed

the　grass；　the　water　shone　like　a　mirror；　and　Simon　enjoyed　for

some　minutes　the　happiness　of　that　languor　which　follows　weeping；

desirous　even　of　falling　asleep　there　upon　the　grass　in　the

warmth　of　noon。



A　little　green　frog　leaped　from　under　his　feet。　He　endeavored　to

catch　it。　It　escaped　him。　He　pursued　it　and　lost　it　three　times

following。　At　last　he　caught　it　by　one　of　its　hind　legs　and　began

to　laugh　as　he　saw　the　efforts　the　creature　made　to　escape。　It

gathered　itself　up　on　its　large　legs　and　then　with　a　violent

spring　suddenly　stretched　them　out　as　stiff　as　two　bars。



Its　eyes　stared　wide　open　in　their　round；　golden　circle；　and　it

beat　the　air　with　its　front　limbs；　using　them　as　though　they　were

hands。　It　reminded　him　of　a　toy　made　with　straight　slips　of　wood

nailed　zig…zag　one　on　the　other；　which　by　a　similar　movement

regulated　the　exercise　of　the　little　soldiers　fastened　thereon。

Then　he　thought　of　his　home　and　of　his　mother；　and　overcome　by

great　sorrow　he　again　began　to　weep。　His　limbs　trembled；　and　he

placed　himself　on　his　knees　and　said　his　prayers　as　before　going

to　bed。　But　he　was　unable　to　finish　them；　for　such　hurried　and

violent　sobs　overtook　him　that　he　was　completely　overwhelmed。　He

thought　no　more；　he　no　longer　heeded　anything　around　him　but　was

wholly　given　up　to　tears。



Suddenly　a　heavy　hand　was　placed　upon　his　shoulder；　and　a　rough

voice　asked　him：



〃What　is　it　that　causes　you　so　much　grief；　my　fine　fellow？〃



Simon　turned　round。　A　tall　workman；　with　a　black　beard　and　hair

all　curled；　was　staring　at　him　good…naturedly。　He　answered　with

his　eyes　and　throat　full　of　tears：



〃They　have　beaten　me　becauseII　have　no　papano　papa。　〃



〃What！〃　said　the　man　smiling；　〃why；　everybody　has　one。〃



The　child　answered　painfully　amid　his　spasms　of　grief：



〃But　III　have　none。〃



Then　the　workman　became　serious。　He　had　recognized　La

Blanchotte's　son；　and　although　a　recent　arrival　to　the

neighborhood　he　had　a　vague　idea　of　her　history。



〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃console　yourself；　my　boy；　and　come　with　me　home

to　your　mother。　She　will　give　you　a　papa。〃



And　so　they　started　on　the　way；　the　big　one　holding　the　little

one　by　the　hand。　The　man　smiled　afresh；　for　he　was　not　sorry　to

see　this　Blanchotte；　who　by　popular　report　was　one　of　the

prettiest　girls　in　the　country…sideand；　perhaps；　he　said　to

himself；　at　the　bottom　of　his　heart；　that　a　lass　who　had　erred

once　might　very　well　err　again。



They　arrived　in　front　of　a　very　neat　little　white　house。



〃There　it　is；〃　exclaimed　the　child；　and　he　cried：　〃Mamma。〃



A　woman　appeared；　and　the　workman　instantly　left　off　smiling；　for

he　at　once　perceived　that　there　was　no　more　fooling　to　be　done

with　the　tall　pale　girl；　who　stood　austerely　at　her　door　as

though　to　defend　from　one　man　the　threshold　of　that　house　where　she

had　already　been　betrayed　by　another。　Intimidated；　his　cap　in　his

hand；　he　stammered　out：



〃See；　Madame；　I　have　brought　you　back　your　little　boy；　who　had

lost　himself　near　the　river。〃



But　Simon　flung　his　arms　about　his　mother's　neck　and　told　her；　as

he　again　began　to　cry：



〃No；　mamma；　I　wished　to　drown　myself；　because　the　others　had

beaten　mehad　beaten　mebecause　I　have　no　papa。〃



A　burning　redness　covered　the　young　woman's　cheeks；　and；　hurt　to

the　quick；　she　embraced　her　child　passionately；　while　the　tears

coursed　down　her　face。　The　man；　much　moved；　stood　there；　not

knowing　how　to　get　away。　But　Simon　suddenly　ran　to　him　and　said：



〃Will　you　be　my　papa？〃



A　deep　silence　ensued。　La　Blanchotte；　dumb　and　tortured　with

shame；　leaned　against　the　wall；　her　hands　upon　her　heart。　The

child；　seeing　that　no　answer　was　made　him；　replied：



〃If　you　do　not　wish　it；　I　shall　return　to　drown　myself。〃



The　workman　took　the　matter　as　a　jest　and　answered　laughing：



〃Why；　yes；　I　wish　it　certainly。〃



〃What　is　your　name；　then；〃　went　on　the　child；　〃so　that　I　may　tell

the　others　when　they　wish　to　know　your　name？〃



〃Philip；〃　answered　the　man。



Simon　was　silent　a　moment　so　that　he　might　get　the　name　well　into

his　memory；　then　he　stretched　out　his　arms；　quite　consoled；　and

said：



〃Well；　then；　Philip；　you　are　my　papa。〃



The　workman；　lifting　him　from　the　ground；　kissed　him　hastily　on

both　cheeks；　and　then　strode　away　quickly。



When　the　child　returned　to　school　next　day　he　was　received　with　a

spiteful　laugh；　and　at　the　end　of　school；　when　the　lads　were　on

the　point　of　recommencing；　Simon　threw　these　words　at　their　heads

as　he　would　have　done　a　stone：　〃He　is　named　Philip；　my　papa。〃



Yells　of　delight　burst　out　from　all　sides。



〃Philip　who？　Philip　what？　What　on　earth　is　Philip？　Where　did　you

pick　up　your　Philip？〃



Simon　answered　nothing；　and　immovable　in　faith　he　defied　them

with　his　eye；　ready　to　be　martyred　rather　than　fly　before　them。

The　schoolmaster　came　to　his　rescue　and　he　returned　home　to　his

mother。



For　a　space　of　three　months；　the　tall　workman；　Philip；　frequently

passed　by　La　Blanchotte's　house；　and　sometimes　made　bold　to　speak

to　her　when　he　saw　her　sewing　near　the　window。　She　answered　him

civilly；　always　sedately；　never　joking　with　him；　nor　permitting

him　to　enter　her　house。　Notwithstanding　this；　being；　like　all

men；　a　bit　of　a　coxcomb；　he　imagined　that　she　was　often　rosier

than　usual　when　she　chatted　with　him。



But　a　fallen　reputation　is　so　difficult　to　recover；　and　always

remains　so　fragile　that；　in　spite　of　the　shy　reserve　La

Blanchotte　maintained；　they　already　gossiped　in　the　neighborhood。



As　for　Simon；　he　loved　his　new　papa　much；　and　walked　with　him

nearly　every　evening　when　the　day's　work　was　done。　He　went

regularly　to　school　and　mixed　in　a　dignified　way　with　his

schoolfellows　without　ever　answering　them　back。



One　day；　however；　the　lad　who　had　first　attacked　him　said　to　him：



〃You　have　lied。　You　have　not　a　papa　named　Philip。〃



〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃　demanded　Simon；　much　disturbed。



The　youth　rubbed　his　hands。　He　replied：



〃Because　if　you　had　one　he　would　be　your　mamma's　husband。〃



Simon　was　confused　by　the　truth　of　this　reasoning；　nevertheless

he　retorted：



〃He　is　my　papa　all　the　same。〃



〃That　can　very　well　be；〃　exclaimed　the　urchin　with　a　sneer；　〃but

that　is　not　being　your　papa　altogether。〃



La　Blanchotte's　little　one　bowed　his　head　and　went　off　dreaming

in　the　direction　of　the　forge　belonging　to　old　Loizon；　where

Philip　worked。



This　forge　was　entombed　in　trees。　It　was　very　dark　there；　the　red

glare　of　a　formidable　furnace　alone　lit　up　with　great　flashes

five　blacksmiths；　who　hammered　upon　their　anvils　with　a　terrible

din。　Standing　enveloped　in　flame；　they　worked　like　demons；　their

eyes　fixed　on　the　red…hot　iron　they　were　pounding；　and　their　dull

ideas　rising　and　falling　with　their　hammers。



Simon　entered　without　being　noticed　and　quietly　plucked　his

friend　by　the　sleeve。　Philip　turned　round。　All　at　once　the　work

came　to　a　standstill　and　the　men　looked　on　very　attentively。

Then；　in　the　midst　of　this　unaccustomed　silence；　rose　the　little

slender　pipe　of　Simon：



〃Philip；　explain　to　me　what　the　lad　at　La　Michande　has　just　told

me；　that　you　are　not　altogether　my　papa。〃



〃And　why　that？〃　asked　the　smith。



The　child　replied　in　all　innocence：



〃Because　you　are　not　my　mamma's　husband。〃



No　one　laughed。　Philip　remained　standing；　leaning　his　forehead

upon　the　back　of　his　great　hands；　which　he