selected writings-第6部分

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

wall　where　its　owner　had　hidden　it；　gave　to　the　place　the　look　of

a　bandits'　resort；　where　they　were　supping　after　committing　a

robbery。　The　captain　was　radiant；　he　took　hold　of　the　women　as　if

he　were　familiar　with　them；　appraising　them；　kissing　them；

valuing　them　for　what　they　were　worth　as　LADIES　OF　PLEASURE；　and

when　the　three　young　men　wanted　to　appropriate　one　each；　he

opposed　them　authoritatively；　reserving　to　himself　the　right　to

apportion　them　justly；　according　to　their　several　ranks；　so　as

not　to　wound　the　hierarchy。　Therefore；　so　as　to　avoid　all

discussion；　jarring；　and　suspicion　of　partiality；　he　placed　them

all　in　a　line　according　to　height；　and　addressing　the　tallest；　he

said　in　a　voice　of　command：



〃What　is　your　name？〃



〃Pamela；〃　she　replied；　raising　her　voice。



Then　he　said：　〃Number　One；　called　Pamela；　is　adjudged　to　the

commandant。〃



Then；　having　kissed　Blondina；　the　second；　as　a　sign　of

proprietorship；　he　proffered　stout　Amanda　to　Lieutenant　Otto！

Eva；　〃the　Tomato；〃　to　Sub…lieutenant　Fritz；　and　Rachel；　the

shortest　of　them　all；　a　very　young；　dark　girl；　with　eyes　as　black

as　ink；　a　Jewess；　whose　snub　nose　confirmed　by　exception　the　rule

which　allots　hooked　noses　to　all　her　race；　to　the　youngest

officer；　frail　Count　Wilhelm　von　Eyrick。



They　were　all　pretty　and　plump；　without　any　distinctive　features；

and　all　were　very　much　alike　in　look　and　person；　from　their　daily

dissipation；　and　the　life　common　to　houses　of　public

accommodation。



The　three　younger　men　wished　to　carry　off　their　women

immediately；　under　the　pretext　of　finding　them　brushes　and　soap；

but　the　captain　wisely　opposed　this；　for　he　said　they　were　quite

fit　to　sit　down　to　dinner；　and　that　those　who　went　up　would　wish

for　a　change　when　they　came　down；　and　so　would　disturb　the　other

couples；　and　his　experience　in　such　matters　carried　the　day。

There　were　only　many　kisses；　expectant　kisses。



Suddenly　Rachel　choked；　and　began　to　cough　until　the　tears　came

into　her　eyes；　while　smoke　came　through　her　nostrils。　Under

pretense　of　kissing　her；　the　count　had　blown　a　whiff　of　tobacco

into　her　mouth。　She　did　not　fly　into　a　rage；　and　did　not　say　a

word；　but　she　looked　at　her　possessor　with　latent　hatred　in　her

dark　eyes。



They　sat　down　to　dinner。　The　commandant　seemed　delighted；　he　made

Pamela　sit　on　his　right；　and　Blondina　on　his　left；　and　said；　as

he　unfolded　his　table　napkin：　〃That　was　a　delightful　idea　of

yours；　captain。〃



Lieutenants　Otto　and　Fritz；　who　were　as　polite　as　if　they　had

been　with　fashionable　ladies；　rather　intimidated　their　neighbors；

but　Baron　von　Kelweinstein　gave　the　reins　to　all　his　vicious

propensities；　beamed；　made　doubtful　remarks；　and　seemed　on　fire

with　his　crown　of　red　hair。　He　paid　them　compliments　in　French

from　the　other　side　of　the　Rhine；　and　sputtered　out　gallant

remarks；　only　fit　for　a　low　pot…house；　from　between　his　two

broken　teeth。



They　did　not　understand　him；　however；　and　their　intelligence　did

not　seem　to　be　awakened　until　he　uttered　nasty　words　and　broad

expressions；　which　were　mangled　by　his　accent。　Then　all　began　to

laugh　at　once；　like　mad　women；　and　fell　against　each　other；

repeating　the　words；　which　the　baron　then　began　to　say　all　wrong；

in　order　that　he　might　have　the　pleasure　of　hearing　them　say

doubtful　things。　They　gave　him　as　much　of　that　stuff　as　he

wanted；　for　they　were　drunk　after　the　first　bottle　of　wine；　and；

becoming　themselves　once　more；　and　opening　the　door　to　their

usual　habits；　they　kissed　the　mustaches　on　the　right　and　left　of

them；　pinched　their　arms；　uttered　furious　cries；　drank　out　of

every　glass；　and　sang　French　couplets；　and　bits　of　German　songs；

which　they　had　picked　up　in　their　daily　intercourse　with　the

enemy。



Soon　the　men　themselves；　intoxicated　by　that　which　was　displayed

to　their　sight　and　touch；　grew　very　amorous；　shouted　and　broke

the　plates　and　dishes；　while　the　soldiers　behind　them　waited　on

them　stolidly。　The　commandant　was　the　only　one　who　put　any

restraint　upon　himself。



Mademoiselle　Fifi　had　taken　Rachel　on　to　his　knees；　and；　getting

excited；　at　one　moment　kissed　the　little　black　curls　on　her　neck；

inhaling　the　pleasant　warmth　of　her　body；　and　all　the　savor　of

her　person；　through　the　slight　space　there　was　between　her　dress

and　her　skin；　and　at　another　pinched　her　furiously　through　the

material；　and　made　her　scream；　for　he　was　seized　with　a　species

of　ferocity；　and　tormented　by　his　desire　to　hurt　her。　He　often

held　her　close　to　him；　as　if　to　make　her　part　of　himself；　and　put

his　lips　in　a　long　kiss　on　the　Jewess's　rosy　mouth；　until　she

lost　her　breath；　and　at　last　he　bit　her　until　a　stream　of　blood

ran　down　her　chin　and　on　to　her　bodice。



For　the　second　time；　she　looked　him　full　in　the　face；　and　as　she

bathed　the　wound；　she　said：　〃You　will　have　to　pay　for　that！〃



But　he　merely　laughed　a　hard　laugh；　and　said：　〃I　will　pay。〃



At　dessert；　champagne　was　served；　and　the　commandant　rose；　and　in

the　same　voice　in　which　he　would　have　drunk　to　the　health　of　the

Empress　Augusta；　he　drank：　〃To　our　ladies！〃　Then　a　series　of

toasts　began；　toasts　worthy　of　the　lowest　soldiers　and　of

drunkards；　mingled　with　filthy　jokes；　which　were　made　still　more

brutal　by　their　ignorance　of　the　language。　They　got　up；　one　after

the　other；　trying　to　say　something　witty；　forcing　themselves　to

be　funny；　and　the　women；　who　were　so　drunk　that　they　almost　fell

off　their　chairs；　with　vacant　looks　and　clammy　tongues；　applauded

madly　each　time。



The　captain；　who　no　doubt　wished　to　impart　an　appearance　of

gallantry　to　the　orgy；　raised　his　glass　again；　and　said：　〃To　our

victories　over　hearts！〃　Thereupon　Lieutenant　Otto；　who　was　a

species　of　bear　from　the　Black　Forest；　jumped　up；　inflamed　and

saturated　with　drink；　and　seized　by　an　access　of　alcoholic

patriotism；　cried：　〃To　our　victories　over　France！〃



Drunk　as　they　were；　the　women　were　silent；　and　Rachel　turned

round　with　a　shudder；　and　said：　〃Look　here；　I　know　some

Frenchmen；　in　whose　presence　you　would　not　dare　to　say　that。〃　But

the　little　count；　still　holding　her　on　his　knees；　began　to　laugh；

for　the　wine　had　made　him　very　merry；　and　said：　〃Ha！　ha！　ha！　I

have　never　met　any　of　them；　myself。　As　soon　as　we　show　ourselves；

they　run　away！〃



The　girl；　who　was　in　a　terrible　rage；　shouted　into　his　face：　〃You

are　lying；　you　dirty　scoundrel！〃



For　a　moment；　he　looked　at　her　steadily；　with　his　bright　eyes

upon　her；　as　he　had　looked　at　the　portrait　before　he　destroyed　it

with　revolver　bullets；　and　then　he　began　to　laugh：　〃Ah！　yes；　talk

about　them；　my　dear！　Should　we　be　here　now；　if　they　were　brave？〃

Then　getting　excited；　he　exclaimed：　〃We　are　the　masters！　France

belongs　to　us！〃　She　jumped　off　his　knees　with　a　bound；　and　threw

herself　into　her　chair；　while　he　rose；　held　out　his　glass　over

the　table；　and　repeated：　〃France　and　the　French；　the　woods；　the

fields；　and　the　houses　of　France　belong　to　us！〃



The　others；　who　were　quite　drunk；　and　who　were　suddenly　seized　by

military　enthusiasm；　the　enthusiasm　of　brutes；　seized　their

glasses；　and　shouting；　〃Long　live　Prussia！〃　emptied　them　at　a

draught。



The　girls　did　not　protest；　for　they　were　reduced　to　silence；　and

were　afraid。　Even　Rachel　did　not　say　a　word；　as　she　had　no　reply

to　make；　and　then　the　little　count　put　his　champagne　glass；　which

had　just　been　refilled；　on　to　the　head　of　the　Jewess；　and

exclaimed：　〃All　the　women　in　France　belong　to　us；　also！〃



At　that　she　got　up　so　quickly　that　the　glass　upset；　spilling　the

amber　colored　wine　on　to　her　black　hair　as　if　to　baptize　her；　and

broke　into　a　hundred　fragments　as　it　fell　on　to　the　floor。　With

trembling　lips；　she　defied　the　looks　of　the　officer；　who　was

still　laughing；　and　she　stammered　out；　in　a　voice　choked　with

rage：　〃Thatthatthatis　not　true；for　you　shall　certainly

not　have　any　French　women。〃



He　sat　down　again；　so　as　to　laugh　at　his　ease；　and　trying

ineffectually　to　speak　in　the　Parisian　accent；　he　said：　〃That　is

good；　very　good！　Then　what　did　you　come　here　for；　my　dear？〃



She　was　thunderstruck；　and　made　no　reply　for　a　moment；　for　in　her

agitation　she　did　not　understand　him　at　first；　but　as　soon　as　she

grasped　his　meaning；　she　said　to　him　indignantly　and　vehemently：

〃I！　I！　I　am　not　a　woman；　I　am　only　a　strumpet；　and　that　is　all

that　Prussians　want。〃



Almost　before　she　had　finished；　he　slapped　her　full　in　her　face；

but　as　he　was　raising　his　hand　again　as　if　he　would　strike　her；

she；　almost　mad　with　passion；　took　up　a　small　dessert　knife　from

the　table；　and　stabbed　him　right　in　the　neck；　just　above　the

breastbone。　Something　that　he　was　going　to　say；　was　cut　short　in

his　throat；　and　he　sat　there；　with　his　mouth　half　open；　and　a

terrible　look　in　his　eyes。



All　the　officers　shouted　in　horror；　and　leaped　up　tumultuously；

but　throwing　her　chair　between　Lieutenant　Otto's　legs；　who　fell

down　at　full　length；　she　ran　to　the　window；　opened　it　before　they

could　seize　her；　and　jumped　out　into　the　night　and　pouring　rain。



In　two　minutes；　Mademoiselle　Fifi　was　dead。　Fritz　and　Otto　drew

their　swords　and　wanted　to　kill　the　women；　who　threw　themselves

at　their　feet　and　clung　to　their　knees。　With　some　difficulty　the

major　stopped　the　slaughter；　and　had　the　four　terrified　girls

locked　up　in　a　room　under　the　care　of　two　soldiers。　Then　he

organized　the　pursuit　of　the　fugitive；　as　carefully　as　if　he　were

about　to　engage　in　a　skirmish；　feeling　quite　sure　that　she　would

be　caught。



The　table；　which　had　been　cleared　immediately；　now　served　as　a

bed　on　which　to　lay　Fifi　out；　and　the　four　officers　made　for　the

window；　rigid　and　sobered；　with　the　stern　faces　of　soldiers　on

duty；　and　tried　to　pierce　through　the　darkness　of　the　night；　amid

the　steady　torrent　of　rain。　Suddenly；　a　shot　was　heard