selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第17部分

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at　the　moment　when；　holding　out　my　canvas　at　arm's　length；　I　was
exhibiting　it　to　the　female　innkeeper。　The　'demoniac'　could　not
help　but　see　it；　for　I　took　care　to　exhibit　the　thing　in　such　a
way　that　it　could　not　escape　her　notice。　She　stopped　abruptly　and
stood　motionless；　stupefied。　It　was　her　rock　which　was　depicted；
the　one　which　she　usually　climbed　to　dream　away　her　time
undisturbed。

〃She　uttered　a　British　'Oh；'　which　was　at　once　so　accentuated　and
so　flattering；　that　I　turned　round　to　her；　smiling；　and　said：

〃This　is　my　last　work；　Mademoiselle。'

〃She　murmured　ecstatically；　comically；　and　tenderly：

〃　'Oh！　Monsieur；　you　must　understand　what　it　is　to　have　a
palpitation。'

〃I　colored　up；　of　course；　and　was　more　excited　by　that　compliment
than　if　it　had　come　from　a　queen。　I　was　seduced；　conquered；
vanquished。　I　could　have　embraced　herupon　my　honor。

〃I　took　my　seat　at　the　table　beside　her；　as　I　had　always　done。
For　the　first　time；　she　spoke；　drawling　out　in　a　loud　voice：

〃　'Oh！　I　love　nature　so　much。'

〃I　offered　her　some　bread；　some　water；　some　wine。　She　now
accepted　these　with　the　vacant　smile　of　a　mummy。　I　then　began　to
converse　with　her　about　the　scenery。

〃After　the　meal；　we　rose　from　the　table　together　and　walked
leisurely　across　the　court；　then；　attracted　by　the　fiery　glow
which　the　setting　sun　cast　over　the　surface　of　the　sea；　I　opened
the　outside　gate　which　faced　in　the　direction　of　the　Falaise；　and
we　walked　on　side　by　side；　as　satisfied　as　any　two　persons　could
be　who　have　just　learned　to　understand　and　penetrate　each　other's
motives　and　feelings。

〃It　was　a　misty；　relaxing　evening；　one　of　those　enjoyable
evenings　which　impart　happiness　to　mind　and　body　alike。　All　is
joy；　all　is　charm。　The　luscious　and　balmy　air；　loaded　with　the
perfumes　of　herbs；　with　the　perfumes　of　grass…wrack；　with　the
odor　of　the　wild　flowers；　caresses　the　soul　with　a　penetrating
sweetness。　We　were　going　to　the　brink　of　the　abyss　which
overlooked　the　vast　sea　and　rolled　past　us　at　the　distance　of
less　than　a　hundred　meters。

〃We　drank　with　open　mouth　and　expanded　chest；　that　fresh　breeze
from　the　ocean　which　glides　slowly　over　the　skin；　salted　as　it　is
by　long　contact　with　the　waves。

〃Wrapped　up　in　her　square　shawl；　inspired　by　the　balmy　air　and
with　teeth　firmly　set；　the　English…woman　gazed　fixedly　at　the
great　sun…ball；　as　it　descended　toward　the　sea。　Soon　its　rim
touched　the　waters；　just　in　rear　of　a　ship　which　had　appeared　on
the　horizon；　until；　by　degrees；　it　was　swallowed　up　by　the　ocean。
We　watched　it　plunge；　diminish；　and　finally　disappear。

〃Miss　Harriet　contemplated　with　passionate　regard　the　last
glimmer　of　the　flaming　orb　of　day。

〃She　muttered：　'Oh！　I　loveI　love'　I　saw　a　tear　start　in　her
eye。　She　continued：　'I　wish　I　were　a　little　bird；　so　that　I　could
mount　up　into　the　firmament。'

〃She　remained　standing　as　I　had　often　before　seen　her；　perched　on
the　river　bank；　her　face　as　red　as　her　flaming　shawl。　I　should
have　liked　to　have　sketched　her　in　my　album。　It　would　have　been
an　ecstatic　caricature。　I　turned　my　face　away　from　her　so　as　to
be　able　to　laugh。

〃I　then　spoke　to　her　of　painting；　as　I　would　have　done　to　a
fellow…artist；　using　the　technical　terms　common　among　the
devotees　of　the　profession。　She　listened　attentively　to　me；
eagerly　seeking　to　divine　the　sense　of　the　obscure　words；　so　as
to　penetrate　my　thoughts。　From　time　to　time；　she　would　exclaim：
'Oh！　I　understand；　I　understand。　This　is　very　interesting。'　We
returned　home。

〃The　next　day；　on　seeing　me；　she　approached　me　eagerly；　holding
out　her　hand；　and　we　became　firm　friends　immediately。

〃She　was　a　brave　creature；　with　an　elastic　sort　of　a　soul；　which
became　enthusiastic　at　a　bound。　She　lacked　equilibrium；　like　all
women　who　are　spinsters　at　the　age　of　fifty。　She　seemed　to　be
pickled　in　vinegary　innocence；　though　her　heart　still　retained
something　of　youth　and　of　girlish　effervescence。　She　loved　both
nature　and　animals　with　a　fervent　ardor；　a　love　like　old　wine；
mellow　through　age；　with　a　sensual　love　that　she　had　never
bestowed　on　men。

〃One　thing　is　certain：　a　mare　roaming　in　a　meadow　with　a　foal　at
its　side；　a　bird's　nest　full　of　young　ones；　squeaking；　with　their
open　mouths　and　enormous　heads；　made　her　quiver　with　the　most
violent　emotion。

〃Poor　solitary　beings！　Sad　wanderers　from　table　d'hote　to　table
d'hote；　poor　beings；　ridiculous　and　lamentable；　I　love　you　ever
since　I　became　acquainted　with　Miss　Harriet！

〃I　soon　discovered　that　she　had　something　she　would　like　to　tell
me；　but　dared　not；　and　I　was　amused　at　her　timidity。　When　I
started　out　in　the　morning　with　my　box　on　my　back；　she　would
accompany　me　as　far　as　the　end　of　the　village；　silent；　but
evidently　struggling　inwardly　to　find　words　with　which　to　begin　a
conversation。　Then　she　would　leave　me　abruptly；　and；　with　jaunty
step；　walk　away　quickly。

〃One　day；　however；　she　plucked　up　courage：

〃　'I　would　like　to　see　how　you　paint　pictures？　Will　you　show　me？
I　have　been　very　curious。'

〃And　she　colored　up　as　though　she　had　given　utterance　to　words
extremely　audacious。

〃I　conducted　her　to　the　bottom　of　the　Petit…Val；　where　I　had
commenced　a　large　picture。

〃She　remained　standing　near　me；　following　all　my　gestures　with
concentrated　attention。　Then；　suddenly；　fearing；　perhaps；　that
she　was　disturbing　me；　she　said　to　me：　'Thank　you；'　and　walked
away。

〃But　in　a　short　time　she　became　more　familiar；　and　accompanied　me
every　day；　her　countenance　exhibiting　visible　pleasure。　She
carried　her　folding　stool　under　her　arm；　would　not　consent　to　my
carrying　it；　and　she　sat　always　by　my　side。　She　would　remain
there　for　hours　immovable　and　mute；　following　with　her　eye　the
point　of　my　brush　in　its　every　movement。　When　I　would　obtain；　by
a　large　splatch　of　color　spread　on　with　a　knife；　a　striking　and
unexpected　effect；　she　would；　in　spite　of　herself；　give　vent　to　a
half…suppressed　'Oh！'　of　astonishment；　of　joy；　of　admiration。　She
had　the　most　tender　respect　for　my　canvases；　an　almost　religious
respect　for　that　human　reproduction　of　a　part　of　nature's　work
divine。　My　studies　appeared　to　her　to　be　pictures　of　sanctity；
and　sometimes　she　spoke　to　me　of　God；　with　the　idea　of　converting
me。

〃Oh！　He　was　a　queer　good…natured　being；　this　God　of　hers。　He　was
a　sort　of　village　philosopher　without　any　great　resources；　and
without　great　power；　for　she　always　figured　him　to　herself　as　a
being　quivering　over　injustices　committed　under　his　eyes；　and
helpless　to　prevent　them。

〃She　was；　however；　on　excellent　terms　with　him；　affecting　even　to
be　the　confidant　of　his　secrets　and　of　his　whims。　She　said：

〃　'God　wills；　or　God　does　not　will；'　just　like　a　sergeant
announcing　to　a　recruit：　'The　colonel　has　commanded。'

〃At　the　bottom　of　her　heart　she　deplored　my　ignorance　of　the
intentions　of　the　Eternal；　which　she　strove；　nay；　felt　herself
compelled；　to　impart　to　me。

〃Almost　every　day；　I　found　in　my　pockets；　in　my　hat　when　I　lifted
it　from　the　ground；　in　my　box　of　colors；　in　my　polished　shoes；
standing　in　the　mornings　in　front　of　my　door；　those　little　pious
brochures；　which　she；　no　doubt；　received　directly　from　Paradise。

〃I　treated　her　as　one　would　an　old　friend；　with　unaffected
cordiality。　But　I　soon　perceived　that　she　had　changed　somewhat　in
her　manner；　but；　for　a　while；　I　paid　little　attention　to　it。

〃When　I　walked　about；　whether　to　the　bottom　of　the　valley；　or
through　some　country　lanes；　I　would　see　her　suddenly　appear；　as
though　she　were　returning　from　a　rapid　walk。　She　would　then　sit
down　abruptly；　out　of　breath；　as　though　she　had　been　running　or
overcome　by　some　profound　emotion。　Her　face　would　be　red；　that
English　red　which　is　denied　to　the　people　of　all　other　countries；
then；　without　any　reason；　she　would　grow　pale；　become　the　color
of　the　ground；　and　seem　ready　to　faint　away。　Gradually；　however；
I　would　see　her　regain　her　ordinary　color；　whereupon　she　would
begin　to　speak。

〃Then；　without　warning；　she　would　break　off　in　the　middle　of　a
sentence；　spring　up　from　her　seat；　and　march　off　so　rapidly　and
so　strangely；　that　it　would；　sometimes；　put　me　to　my　wits'　end　to
try　and　discover　whether　I　had　done　or　said　anything　to　displease
or　offend　her。

〃I　finally　came　to　the　conclusion　that　this　arose　from　her　early
habits　and　training；　somewhat　modified；　no　doubt；　in　honor　of　me；
since　the　first　days　of　our　acquaintanceship。

〃When　she　returned　to　the　farm；　after　walking　for　hours　on　the
wind…beaten　coast；　her　long　curled　hair　would　be　shaken　out　and
hanging　loose；　as　though　it　had　broken　away　from　its　bearings。　It
was　seldom　that　this　gave　her　any　concern；　though　sometimes　she
looked　as　though　she　had　been　dining　sans　ceremonie；　her　locks
having　become　disheveled　by　the　breezes。

〃She　would　then　go　up　to　her　room　in　order　to　adjust　what　I
called　her　glass　lamps。　When　I　would　say　to　her；　in　familiar
gallantry；　which；　however；　always　offended　her：

〃　'You　are　as　beautiful　as　a　planet　to…day；　Miss　Harriet；'　a
little　blood　would　immediately　mount　into　her　cheeks；　the　blood
of　a　young　maiden；　the　blood　of　sweet　fifteen。

〃Then　she　would　become　abruptly　savage　and　cease　coming　to　watch
me　paint。　But　I　always　thought：

〃　'This　is　only　a　fit　of　temper　she　is　passing　through。'

〃But　it　did　not　always　pass　away。　When　I　spoke　to　her　sometimes；
she　would　answer　me；　either　with　an　air　of　affected　indifference；
or　in　sullen　anger；　and　she　became　by　turns　rude；　impatient；　and
nervous。　For　a　time　I　never　saw　her　except　at　meals；　and　we　spoke
but　little。　I　concluded；　at　length；　that　I　must　have　offended　her
in　something：　and；　accordingly；　I　said　to　her　one　evening：

〃　'Miss　Harriet；　why　is　it　that　you　do　not　act　toward　me　as
formerly？　What　have　I　done　to　displease　you？　You　are　causing　me
much　pain！'

〃She　responded；　in　an　angry　tone；　in　a　manner　altogether　sui
generis：

〃　'I　am　always　with　you　the　same　as　formerly。　It　is　not　true；　not
true；'　and　she　ran　upstairs　and　shut　herself　up　in　her　room。

〃At　times　she　would　look　upon　me　with　strange　eyes。　Since　that
time　I　have　often　said　to　myself　that　those　condemned　to　death
must　look　thus　when　informed