selected writings-第5部分

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under　its　vanquished　appearance；　although　its　old；　oak　floor　had

become　as　solid　as　the　stone　floor　of　a　public…house。



When　they　had　finished　eating；　and　were　smoking　and　drinking；

they　began；　as　usual；　to　talk　about　the　dull　life　they　were

leading。　The　bottles　of　brandy　and　of　liquors　passed　from　hand　to

hand；　and　all　sat　back　in　their　chairs；　taking　repeated　sips　from

their　glasses；　and　scarcely　removing　the　long；　bent　stems；　which

terminated　in　china　bowls　painted　in　a　manner　to　delight　a

Hottentot；　from　their　mouths。



As　soon　as　their　glasses　were　empty；　they　filled　them　again；　with

a　gesture　of　resigned　weariness；　but　Mademoiselle　Fifi　emptied

his　every　minute；　and　a　soldier　immediately　gave　him　another。

They　were　enveloped　in　a　cloud　of　strong　tobacco　smoke；　they

seemed　to　be　sunk　in　a　state　of　drowsy；　stupid　intoxication；　in

that　dull　state　of　drunkenness　of　men　who　have　nothing　to　do；

when　suddenly；　the　baron　sat　up；　and　said：　〃By　heavens！　This

cannot　go　on；　we　must　think　of　something　to　do。〃　And　on　hearing

this；　Lieutenant　Otto　and　Sub…lieutenant　Fritz；　who　pre…eminently

possessed　the　grave；　heavy　German　countenance；　said：　〃What；

Captain？〃



He　thought　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　replied　〃What？　Well；　we

must　get　up　some　entertainment；　if　the　commandant　will　allow　us。〃



〃What　sort　of　an　entertainment；　captain？〃　the　major　asked；　taking

his　pipe　out　of　his　mouth。



〃I　will　arrange　all　that；　commandant；〃　the　baron　said。　〃I　will

send　Le　Devoir　to　Rouen；　who　will　bring　us　some　ladies。　I　know

where　they　can　be　found。　We　will　have　supper　here；　as　all　the

materials　are　at　hand；　and；　at　least；　we　shall　have　a　jolly

evening。〃



Graf　von　Farlsberg　shrugged　his　shoulders　with　a　smile：　〃You　must

surely　be　mad；　my　friend。〃



But　all　the　other　officers　got　up；　surrounded　their　chief；　and

said：　〃Let　the　captain　have　his　own　way；　commandant；　it　is

terribly　dull　here。〃



And　the　major　ended　by　yielding。　〃Very　well；〃　he　replied；　and　the

baron　immediately　sent　for　Le　Devoir。



The　latter　was　an　old　corporal　who　had　never　been　seen　to　smile；

but　who　carried　out　all　the　orders　of　his　superiors　to　the

letter；　no　matter　what　they　might　be。　He　stood　there；　with　an

impassive　face　while　he　received　the　baron's　instructions；　and

then　went　out；　five　minutes　later　a　large　wagon　belonging　to　the

military　train；　covered　with　a　miller's　tilt；　galloped　off　as

fast　as　four　horses　could　take　it；　under　the　pouring　rain；　and

the　officers　all　seemed　to　awaken　from　their　lethargy；　their

looks　brightened；　and　they　began　to　talk。



Although　it　was　raining　as　hard　as　ever；　the　major　declared　that

it　was　not　so　dull；　and　Lieutenant　von　Grossling　said　with

conviction；　that　the　sky　was　clearing　up；　while　Mademoiselle　Fifi

did　not　seem　to　be　able　to　keep　in　his　place。　He　got　up；　and　sat

down　again；　and　his　bright　eyes　seemed　to　be　looking　for

something　to　destroy。　Suddenly；　looking　at　the　lady　with　the

mustaches；　the　young　fellow　pulled　out　his　revolver；　and　said：

〃You　shall　not　see　it。〃　And　without　leaving　his　seat　he　aimed；

and　with　two　successive　bullets　cut　out　both　the　eyes　of　the

portrait。



〃Let　us　make　a　mine！〃　he　then　exclaimed；　and　the　conversation　was

suddenly　interrupted；　as　if　they　had　found　some　fresh　and

powerful　subject　of　interest。　The　mine　was　his　invention；　his

method　of　destruction；　and　his　favorite　amusement。



When　he　left　the　chateau；　the　lawful　owner；　Count　Fernand　d'Amoys

d'Urville；　had　not　had　time　to　carry　away　or　to　hide　anything；

except　the　plate；　which　had　been　stowed　away　in　a　hole　made　in

one　of　the　walls；　so　that；　as　he　was　very　rich　and　had　good

taste；　the　large　drawing…room；　which　opened　into　the　dining…room；

had　looked　like　the　gallery　in　a　museum；　before　his　precipitate

flight。



Expensive　oil…paintings；　water…colors；　and　drawings　hung　upon　the

walls；　while　on　the　tables；　on　the　hanging　shelves；　and　in

elegant　glass　cupboards；　there　were　a　thousand　knickknacks：　small

vases；　statuettes；　groups　in　Dresden　china；　grotesque　Chinese

figures；　old　ivory；　and　Venetian　glass；　which　filled　the　large

room　with　their　precious　and　fantastical　array。



Scarcely　anything　was　left　now；　not　that　the　things　had　been

stolen；　for　the　major　would　not　have　allowed　that；　but

Mademoiselle　Fifi　WOULD　HAVE　A　MINE；　and　on　that　occasion　all　the

officers　thoroughly　enjoyed　themselves　for　five　minutes。　The

little　marquis　went　into　the　drawing…room　to　get　what　he　wanted；

and　he　brought　back　a　small；　delicate　china　teapot；　which　he

filled　with　gunpowder；　and　carefully　introduced　a　piece　of　German

tinder　into　it；　through　the　spout。　Then　he　lighted　it；　and　took

this　infernal　machine　into　the　next　room；　but　he　came　back

immediately　and　shut　the　door。　The　Germans　all　stood　expectantly；

their　faces　full　of　childish；　smiling　curiosity；　and　as　soon　as

the　explosion　had　shaken　the　chateau；　they　all　rushed　in　at　once。



Mademoiselle　Fifi；　who　got　in　first；　clapped　his　hands　in　delight

at　the　sight　of　a　terra…cotta　Venus；　whose　head　had　been　blown

off；　and　each　picked　up　pieces　of　porcelain；　and　wondered　at　the

strange　shape　of　the　fragments；　while　the　major　was　looking　with

a　paternal　eye　at　the　large　drawing…room　which　had　been　wrecked

in　such　a　Neronic　fashion；　and　which　was　strewn　with　the

fragments　of　works　of　art。　He　went　out　first；　and　said；　with　a

smile：　〃He　managed　that　very　well！〃



But　there　was　such　a　cloud　of　smoke　in　the　dining…room；　mingled

with　the　tobacco　smoke；　that　they　could　not　breathe；　so　the

commandant　opened　the　window；　and　all　the　officers；　who　had　gone

into　the　room　for　a　glass　of　cognac；　went　up　to　it。



The　moist　air　blew　into　the　room；　and　brought　a　sort　of　spray

with　it；　which　powdered　their　beards。　They　looked　at　the　tall

trees　which　were　dripping　with　the　rain；　at　the　broad　valley

which　was　covered　with　mist；　and　at　the　church　spire　in　the

distance；　which　rose　up　like　a　gray　point　in　the　beating　rain。



The　bells　had　not　rung　since　their　arrival。　That　was　the　only

resistance　which　the　invaders　had　met　with　in　the　neighborhood。

The　parish　priest　had　not　refused　to　take　in　and　to　feed　the

Prussian　soldiers；　he　had　several　times　even　drunk　a　bottle　of

beer　or　claret　with　the　hostile　commandant；　who　often　employed

him　as　a　benevolent　intermediary；　but　it　was　no　use　to　ask　him

for　a　single　stroke　of　the　bells；　he　would　sooner　have　allowed

himself　to　be　shot。　That　was　his　way　of　protesting　against　the

invasion；　a　peaceful　and　silent　protest；　the　only　one；　he　said；

which　was　suitable　to　a　priest；　who　was　a　man　of　mildness；　and

not　of　blood；　and　everyone；　for　twenty…five　miles　round；　praised

Abbe　Chantavoine's　firmness　and　heroism；　in　venturing　to　proclaim

the　public　mourning　by　the　obstinate　silence　of　his　church　bells。



The　whole　village　grew　enthusiastic　over　his　resistance；　and　was

ready　to　back　up　their　pastor　and　to　risk　anything；　as　they

looked　upon　that　silent　protest　as　the　safeguard　of　the　national

honor。　It　seemed　to　the　peasants　that　thus　they　had　deserved

better　of　their　country　than　Belfort　and　Strassburg；　that　they

had　set　an　equally　valuable　example；　and　that　the　name　of　their

little　village　would　become　immortalized　by　that；　but　with　that

exception；　they　refused　their　Prussian　conquerors　nothing。



The　commandant　and　his　officers　laughed　among　themselves　at　that

inoffensive　courage；　and　as　the　people　in　the　whole　country　round

showed　themselves　obliging　and　compliant　toward　them；　they

willingly　tolerated　their　silent　patriotism。　Only　little　Count

Wilhelm　would　have　liked　to　have　forced　them　to　ring　the　bells。

He　was　very　angry　at　his　superior's　politic　compliance　with　the

priest's　scruples；　and　every　day　he　begged　the　commandant　to

allow　him　to　sound　〃ding…dong；　ding…dong；〃　just　once；　only　just

once；　just　by　way　of　a　joke。　And　he　asked　it　like　a　wheedling

woman；　in　the　tender　voice　of　some　mistress　who　wishes　to　obtain

something；　but　the　commandant　would　not　yield；　and　to　console

HERSELF；　Mademoiselle　Fifi　made　A　MINE　in　the　chateau。



The　five　men　stood　there　together　for　some　minutes；　inhaling　the

moist　air；　and　at　last；　Lieutenant　Fritz　said；　with　a　laugh：　〃The

ladies　will　certainly　not　have　fine　weather　for　their　drive。〃

Then　they　separated；　each　to　his　own　duties；　while　the　captain

had　plenty　to　do　in　seeing　about　the　dinner。



When　they　met　again；　as　it　was　growing　dark；　they　began　to　laugh

at　seeing　each　other　as　dandified　and　smart　as　on　the　day　of　a

grand　review。　The　commandant's　hair　did　not　look　as　gray　as　it

did　in　the　morning；　and　the　captain　had　shavedhad　only　kept　his

mustache　on；　which　made　him　look　as　if　he　had　a　streak　of　fire

under　his　nose。



In　spite　of　the　rain；　they　left　the　window　open；　and　one　of　them

went　to　listen　from　time　to　time。　At　a　quarter　past　six　the　baron

said　he　heard　a　rumbling　in　the　distance。　They　all　rushed　down；

and　soon　the　wagon　drove　up　at　a　gallop　with　its　four　horses；

splashed　up　to　their　backs；　steaming　and　panting。　Five　women　got

out　at　the　bottom　of　the　steps；　five　handsome　girls　whom　a

comrade　of　the　captain；　to　whom　Le　Dervoir　had　taken　his　card；

had　selected　with　care。



They　had　not　required　much　pressing；　as　they　were　sure　of　being

well　treated；　for　they　had　got　to　know　the　Prussians　in　the　three

months　during　which　they　had　had　to　do　with　them。　So　they

resigned　themselves　to　the　men　as　they　did　to　the　state　of

affairs。　〃It　is　part　of　our　business；　so　it　must　be　done；〃　they

said　as　they　drove　along；　no　doubt　to　allay　some　slight；　secret

scruples　of　conscience。



They　went　into　the　dining…room　immediately；　which　looked　still

more　dismal　in　its　dilapidated　state；　when　it　was　lighted　up；

while　the　table　covered　with　choice　dishes；　the　beautiful　china

and　glass；　and　the　plate；　which　had　been　found　in　the　hole　in　the

wall　where　its　owner　had　hidden　it；　gave