selected writings-第51部分

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she　were　intoxicated。　She　had　become　very　flushed；　and　breathed

pantingly。　The　effect　of　the　wine；　increased　by　the　extreme　heat；

made　all　the　trees　on　the　bank　seem　to　bow；　as　she　passed。　A

vague　wish　for　enjoyment；　a　fermentation　of　her　blood；　seemed　to

pervade　her　whole　body；　and　she　was　also　a　little　agitated　by

this　tete…a…tete　on　the　water；　in　a　place　which　seemed

depopulated　by　the　heat；　with　this　young　man；　who　thought　her　so

pretty；　whose　looks　seemed　to　caress　her　skin；　and　whose　eyes

were　as　penetrating　and　exciting　as　the　sun's　rays。



Their　inability　to　speak　increased　their　emotion；　and　they　looked

about　them。　At　last　he　made　an　effort　and　asked　her　name；



〃Henriette；〃　she　said。



〃Why！　My　name　is　Henri；〃　he　replied。　The　sound　of　their　voices

calmed　them；　and　they　looked　at　the　banks。　The　other　skiff　had

gone　ahead　of　them；　and　seemed　to　be　waiting　for　them。　The　rower

called　out：



〃We　will　meet　you　in　the　wood；　we　are　going　as　far　as

Robinson's；＇1＇　because　Madame　Dufour　is　thirsty。〃　Then　he　bent

over　his　oars　again　and　rowed　off　so　quickly　that　he　was　soon　out

of　sight。



＇1＇　A　well…known　restaurant　on　the　banks　of　the　Seine；　much

frequented　by　the　bourgeoisie。



Meanwhile；　a　continual　roar；　which　they　had　heard　for　some　time；

came　nearer；　and　the　river　itself　seemed　to　shiver；　as　if　the

dull　noise　were　rising　from　its　depths。



〃What　is　that　noise？〃　she　asked。　It　was　the　noise　of　the　weir；

which　cut　the　river　in　two；　at　the　island。　He　was　explaining　it

to　her；　when　above　the　noise　of　the　waterfall　they　heard　the　song

of　a　bird；　which　seemed　a　long　way　off。



〃Listen！〃　he　said；　〃the　nightingales　are　singing　during　the　day；

so　the　females　must　be　sitting。〃



A　nightingale！　She　had　never　heard　one　before；　and　the　idea　of

listening　to　one　roused　visions　of　poetic　tenderness　in　her

heart。　A　nightingale！　That　is　to　say；　the　invisible　witness　of

the　lover's　interview　which　Juliette　invoked　on　her　balcony＇2＇；

that　celestial　music　which　is　attuned　to　human　kisses；　that

eternal　inspirer　of　all　those　languorous　romances　which　open

idealized　visions　to　the　poor；　tender；　little　hearts　of　sensitive

girls！



＇2＇　〃Romeo　and　Juliet；〃　Act　III。；　Scene　V。



She　wanted　to　hear　a　nightingale。



〃We　must　not　make　a　noise；〃　her　companion　said；　〃and　then　we　can

go　into　the　wood；　and　sit　down　close　to　it。〃



The　skiff　seemed　to　glide。　They　saw　the　trees　on　the　island；　the

banks　of　which　were　so　low　that　they　could　look　into　the　depths

of　the　thickets。　They　stopped；　he　made　the　boat　fast；　Henriette

took　hold　of　Henri's　arm；　and　they　went　beneath　the　trees。



〃Stoop；〃　he　said；　so　she　bent　down；　and　they　went　into　an

inextricable　thicket　of　creepers；　leaves；　and　reed…grass；　which

formed　an　impenetrable　retreat；　and　which　the　young　man

laughingly　called　〃his　private　room。〃



Just　above　their　heads；　perched　in　one　of　the　trees　which　hid

them；　the　bird　was　still　singing。　He　uttered　shakes　and　roulades；

and　then　long；　vibrating　sounds　that　filled　the　air　and　seemed　to

lose　themselves　in　the　distance；　across　the　level　country；

through　that　burning　silence　which　hung　low　upon　the　whole

country　round。　They　did　not　speak　for　fear　of　frightening　the

bird　away。　They　were　sitting　close　together；　and　slowly　Henri's

arm　stole　round　the　girl's　waist　and　squeezed　it　gently。　She　took

that　daring　hand；　but　without　anger；　and　kept　removing　it

whenever　he　put　it　round　her；　not；　however；　feeling　at　all

embarrassed　by　this　caress；　just　as　if　it　had　been　something

quite　natural　which　she　was　resisting　just　as　naturally。



She　was　listening　to　the　bird　in　ecstasy。　She　felt　an　infinite

longing　for　happiness；　for　some　sudden　demonstration　of

tenderness；　for　a　revelation　of　divine　poesy。　She　felt　such　a

softening　at　her　heart；　and　such　a　relaxation　of　her　nerves；　that

she　began　to　cry；　without　knowing　why。　The　young　man　was　now

straining　her　close　to　him；　and　she　did　not　remove　his　arm；　she

did　not　think　of　it。　Suddenly　the　nightingale　stopped；　and　a

voice　called　out　in　the　distance：



〃Henriette！〃



〃Do　not　reply；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃you　will　drive　the　bird

away。〃



But　she　had　no　idea　of　doing　so；　and　they　remained　in　the　same

position　for　some　time。　Madame　Dufour　had　sat　down　somewhere　or

other；　for　from　time　to　time　they　heard　the　stout　lady　break　out

into　little　bursts　of　laughter。



The　girl　was　still　crying；　she　was　filled　with　strange

sensations。　Henri's　head　was　on　her　shoulder；　and　suddenly　he

kissed　her　on　the　lips。　She　was　surprised　and　angry；　and；　to

avoid　him；　she　stood　up。



They　were　both　very　pale　when　they　quitted　their　grassy　retreat。

The　blue　sky　looked　dull　to　them；　the　ardent　sun　was　clouded　over

to　their　eyes；　they　perceived　not　the　solitude　and　the　silence。

They　walked　quickly　side　by　side；　without　speaking　or　touching

each　other；　appearing　to　be　irreconcilable　enemies；　as　if　disgust

had　sprung　up　between　them；　and　hatred　between　their　souls。　From

time　to　time　Henriette　called　out：　〃Mamma！〃



By　and　by　they　heard　a　noise　in　a　thicket；　and　Madame　Dufour

appeared；　looking　rather　confused；　and　her　companion's　face　was

wrinkled　with　smiles　that　he　could　not　check。



Madame　Dufour　took　his　arm；　and　they　returned　to　the　boats。　Henri

went　on　first；　still　without　speaking；　by　the　girl's　side；　and　at

last　they　got　back　to　Bezons。　Monsieur　Dufour；　who　had　sobered

up；　was　waiting　for　them　very　impatiently；　while　the　youth　with

the　yellow　hair　was　having　a　mouthful　of　something　to　eat　before

leaving　the　inn。　The　carriage　was　in　the　yard；　with　the　horse　in；

and　the　grandmother；　who　had　already　got　in；　was　frightened　at

the　thought　of　being　overtaken　by　night；　before　they　got　back　to

Paris；　the　outskirts　not　being　safe。



The　young　men　shook　hands　with　them；　and　the　Dufour　family　drove

off。



〃Good…bye；　until　we　meet　again！〃　the　oarsmen　cried；　and　the

answers　they　got　were　a　sigh　and　a　tear。



　*　*　*　*　*　*　*



Two　months　later；　as　Henri　was　going　along　the　Rue　des　Martyrs；

he　saw　〃Dufour；　Ironmonger；〃　over　a　door。　So　he　went　in；　and　saw

the　stout　lady　sitting　at　the　counter。　They　recognized　each　other

immediately；　and　after　an　interchange　of　polite　greetings；　he

inquired　after　them　all。



〃And　how　is　Mademoiselle　Henriette？〃　he　inquired；　specially。



〃Very　well；　thank　you；　she　is　married。〃



〃Ah！〃　Mastering　his　feelings；　he　added：　〃To　whom　was　she

married？〃



〃To　that　young　man　who　went　with　us；　you　know；　he　has　joined　us

in　business。〃



〃I　remember　him；　perfectly。〃



He　was　going　out；　feeling　unhappy；　though　scarcely　knowing　why；

when　Madame　called　him　back。



〃And　how　is　your　friend？〃　she　asked；　rather　shyly。



〃He　is　very　well；　thank　you。〃



〃Please　give　him　our　compliments；　and　beg　him　to　come　and　call

when　he　is　in　the　neighborhood。〃　She　then　added：　〃Tell　him　it

will　give　me　great　pleasure。〃



〃I　will　be　sure　to　do　so。　Adieu！〃



〃I　will　not　say　that；　come　again；　very　soon。〃



　*　*　*　*　*　*　*



The　next　year；　one　very　hot　Sunday；　all　the　details　of　that

memorable　adventure　suddenly　came　back　to　him　so　clearly　that　he

revisited　the　〃private　room〃　in　the　wood；　and　was　overwhelmed

with　astonishment　when　he　went　in。　She　was　sitting　on　the　grass；

looking　very　sad；　while　by　her　side；　again　in　his　shirt…sleeves；

the　young　man　with　the　yellow　hair　was　sleeping　soundly；　like

some　brute。



She　grew　so　pale　when　she　saw　Henri；　that　at　first　he　thought　she

was　going　to　faint；　then；　however；　they　began　to　talk　quite

naturally。　But　when　he　told　her　that　he　was　very　fond　of　that

spot；　and　went　there　very　often　on　Sundays；　she　looked　into　his

eyes　for　a　long　time。　〃I；　too；　often　think　of　it；〃　she　replied。



〃Come；　my　dear；〃　her　husband　said；　with　a　yawn；　〃I　think　it　is

time　for　us　to　be　going。〃











End