selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第18部分

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time　I　have　often　said　to　myself　that　those　condemned　to　death
must　look　thus　when　informed　that　their　last　day　has　come。　In　her
eye　there　lurked　a　species　of　folly；　a　folly　at　once　mysterious
and　violenteven　more；　a　fever；　an　exasperated　desire；
impatient；　at　once　incapable　of　being　realized　and　unrealizable！

〃Nay；　it　seemed　to　me　that　there　was　also　going　on　within　her　a
combat；　in　which　her　heart　struggled　against　an　unknown　force
that　she　wished　to　overcomeperhaps；　even；　something　else。　But
what　could　I　know？　What　could　I　know？

III。

〃This　was　indeed　a　singular　revelation。

〃For　some　time　I　had　commenced　to　work；　as　soon　as　daylight
appeared；　on　a　picture；　the　subject　of　which　was　as　follows：

〃A　deep　ravine；　steep　banks　dominated　by　two　declivities；　lined
with　brambles　and　long　rows　of　trees；　hidden；　drowned　in　milky
vapor；　clad　in　that　misty　robe　which　sometimes　floats　over
valleys　at　break　of　day。　At　the　extreme　end　of　that　thick　and
transparent　fog；　you　see　coming；　or　rather　already　come；　a　human
couple；　a　stripling　and　a　maiden　embraced；　interlaced；　she；　with
head　leaning　on　him；　he；　inclined　toward　hers　and　lip　to　lip。

〃A　ray　of　the　sun；　glistening　through　the　branches；　has　traversed
the　fog　of　dawn　and　illuminated　it　with　a　rosy　reflection；　just
behind　the　rustic　lovers；　whose　vague　shadows　are　reflected　on　it
in　clear　silver。　It　was　well　done；　yes；　indeed；　well　done。

〃I　was　working　on　the　declivity　which　led　to　the　Val　d'Etretat。
This　particular　morning；　I　had；　by　chance；　the　sort　of　floating
vapor　which　was　necessary　for　my　purpose。　Suddenly；　an　object
appeared　in　front　of　me；　a　kind　of　phantom；　it　was　Miss　Harriet。
On　seeing　me；　she　took　to　flight。　But　I　called　after　her　saying：
'Come　here；　come　here；　Mademoiselle；　I　have　a　nice　little　picture
for　you。'

〃She　came　forward；　though　with　seeming　reluctance。　I　handed　her
my　sketch。　She　said　nothing；　but　stood　for　a　long　time
motionless；　looking　at　it。　Suddenly　she　burst　into　tears。　She
wept　spasmodically；　like　men　who　have　been　struggling　hard
against　shedding　tears；　but　who　can　do　so　no　longer；　and　abandon
themselves　to　grief；　though　unwillingly。　I　got　up；　trembling；
moved　myself　by　the　sight　of　a　sorrow　I　did　not　comprehend；　and　I
took　her　by　the　hand　with　a　gesture　of　brusque　affection；　a　true
French　impulse　which　impels　one　quicker　than　one　thinks。

〃She　let　her　hands　rest　in　mine　for　a　few　seconds；　and　I　felt
them　quiver；　as　if　her　whole　nervous　system　was　twisting　and
turning。　Then　she　withdrew　her　hands　abruptly；　or；　rather；　tore
them　out　of　mine。

〃I　recognized　that　shiver　as　soon　as　I　had　felt　it：　I　was
deceived　in　nothing。　Ah！　the　love　shudder　of　a　woman；　whether　she
is　fifteen　or　fifty　years　of　age；　whether　she　is　one　of　the
people　or　one　of　the　monde；　goes　so　straight　to　my　heart　that　I
never　had　any　difficulty　in　understanding　it！

〃Her　whole　frail　being　trembled；　vibrated；　yielded。　I　knew　it。
She　walked　away　before　I　had　time　to　say　a　word；　leaving　me　as
surprised　as　if　I　had　witnessed　a　miracle；　and　as　troubled　as　if
I　had　committed　a　crime。

〃I　did　not　go　in　to　breakfast。　I　took　a　walk　on　the　banks　of　the
Falaise；　feeling　that　I　could　just　as　soon　weep　as　laugh；　looking
on　the　adventure　as　both　comic　and　deplorable；　and　my　position　as
ridiculous；　fain　to　believe　that　I　had　lost　my　head。

〃I　asked　myself　what　I　ought　to　do。　I　debated　whether　I　ought　not
to　take　my　leave　of　the　place　and　almost　immediately　my
resolution　was　formed。

〃Somewhat　sad　and　perplexed；　I　wandered　about　until　dinner　time；
and　entered　the　farmhouse　just　when　the　soup　had　been　served　up。

〃I　sat　down　at　the　table；　as　usual。　Miss　Harriet　was　there；
munching　away　solemnly；　without　speaking　to　anyone；　without　even
lifting　her　eyes。　She　wore；　however；　her　usual　expression；　both
of　countenance　and　manner。

〃I　waited；　patiently；　till　the　meal　had　been　finished。　Then；
turning　toward　the　landlady；　I　said：　'Madame　Lecacheur；　it　will
not　be　long　now　before　I　shall　have　to　take　my　leave　of　you。'

〃The　good　woman；　at　once　surprised　and　troubled；　replied　in　a
quivering　voice：　'My　dear　sir；　what　is　it　I　have　just　heard　you
say？　Are　you　going　to　leave　us；　after　I　have　become　so　much
accustomed　to　you？'

〃I　looked　at　Miss　Harriet　from　the　corner　of　my　eye。　Her
countenance　did　not　change　in　the　least；　but　the　under…servant
came　toward　me　with　eyes　wide　open。　She　was　a　fat　girl；　of　about
eighteen　years　of　age；　rosy；　fresh；　strong　as　a　horse；　yet
possessing　a　rare　attribute　in　one　in　her　positionshe　was　very
neat　and　clean。　I　had　kissed　her　at　odd　times；　in　out　of　the　way
corners；　in　the　manner　of　a　mountain　guide；　nothing　more。

〃The　dinner　being　over；　I　went　to　smoke　my　pipe　under　the
apple…trees；　walking　up　and　down　at　my　ease；　from　one　end　of　the
court　to　the　other。　All　the　reflections　which　I　had　made　during
the　day；　the　strange　discovery　of　the　morning；　that　grotesque　and
passionate　attachment　for　me；　the　recollections　which　that
revelation　had　suddenly　called　up；　recollections　at　once　charming
and　perplexing；　perhaps；　also；　that　look　which　the　servant　had
cast　on　me　at　the　announcement　of　my　departureall　these　things；
mixed　up　and　combined；　put　me　now　in　an　excited　bodily　state；
with　the　tickling　sensation　of　kisses　on　my　lips；　and　in　my　veins
something　which　urged　me　on　to　commit　some　folly。

〃Night　having　come　on；　casting　its　dark　shadows　under　the　trees；
I　descried　Celeste；　who　had　gone　to　shut　the　hen…coops；　at　the
other　end　of　the　inclosure。　I　darted　toward　her；　running　so
noiselessly　that　she　heard　nothing；　and　as　she　got　up　from
closing　the　small　traps　by　which　the　chickens　went　in　and　out；　I
clasped　her　in　my　arms　and　rained　on　her　coarse；　fat　face　a
shower　of　kisses。　She　made　a　struggle；　laughing　all　the　same；　as
she　was　accustomed　to　do　in　such　circumstances。　What　made　me
suddenly　loose　my　grip　of　her？　Why　did　I　at　once　experience　a
shock？　What　was　it　that　I　heard　behind　me？

〃It　was　Miss　Harriet　who　had　come　upon　us；　who　had　seen　us；　and
who　stood　in　front　of　us；　as　motionless　as　a　specter。　Then　she
disappeared　in　the　darkness。

〃I　was　ashamed；　embarrassed；　more　annoyed　at　having　been
surprised　by　her　than　if　she　had　caught　me　committing　some
criminal　act。

〃I　slept　badly　that　night；　I　was　worried　and　haunted　by　sad
thoughts。　I　seemed　to　hear　loud　weeping；　but　in　this　I　was　no
doubt　deceived。　Moreover；　I　thought　several　times　that　I　heard
some　one　walking　up　and　down　in　the　house；　and　that　some　one
opened　my　door　from　the　outside。

〃Toward　morning；　I　was　overcome　by　fatigue；　and　sleep　seized　on
me。　I　got　up　late　and　did　not　go　downstairs　until　breakfast　time；
being　still　in　a　bewildered　state；　not　knowing　what　kind　of　face
to　put　on。

〃No　one　had　seen　Miss　Harriet。　We　waited　for　her　at　table；　but
she　did　not　appear。　At　length；　Mother　Lecacheur　went　to　her　room。
The　English…woman　had　gone　out。　She　must　have　set　out　at　break　of
day；　as　she　was　wont　to　do；　in　order　to　see　the　sun　rise。

〃Nobody　seemed　astonished　at　this　and　we　began　to　eat　in　silence。

〃The　weather　was　hot；　very　hot；　one　of　those　still　sultry　days
when　not　a　leaf　stirs。　The　table　had　been　placed　out　of　doors；
under　an　apple…tree；　and　from　time　to　time　Sapeur　had　gone　to　the
cellar　to　draw　a　jug　of　cider；　everybody　was　so　thirsty。　Celeste
brought　the　dishes　from　the　kitchen；　a　ragout　of　mutton　with
potatoes；　a　cold　rabbit；　and　a　salad。　Afterward　she　placed　before
us　a　dish　of　strawberries；　the　first　of　the　season。

〃As　I　wanted　to　wash　and　freshen　these；　I　begged　the　servant　to
go　and　bring　a　pitcher　of　cold　water。〃

〃In　about　five　minutes　she　returned；　declaring　that　the　well　was
dry。　She　had　lowered　the　pitcher　to　the　full　extent　of　the　cord；
and　had　touched　the　bottom；　but　on　drawing　the　pitcher　up　again；
it　was　empty。　Mother　Lecacheur；　anxious　to　examine　the　thing　for
herself；　went　and　looked　down　the　hole。　She　returned　announcing
that　one　could　see　clearly　something　in　the　well；　something
altogether　unusual。　But　this；　no　doubt；　was　pottles　of　straw；
which；　out　of　spite；　had　been　cast　down　it　by　a　neighbor。

〃I　wished　also　to　look　down　the　well；　hoping　to　clear　up　the
mystery；　and　perched　myself　close　to　its　brink。　I　perceived；
indistinctly；　a　white　object。　What　could　it　be？　I　then　conceived
the　idea　of　lowering　a　lantern　at　the　end　of　a　cord。　When　I　did
so；　the　yellow　flame　danced　on　the　layers　of　stone　and　gradually
became　clearer。　All　four　of　us　were　leaning　over　the　opening；
Sapeur　and　Celeste　having　now　joined　us。　The　lantern　rested　on　a
black　and　white；　indistinct　mass；　singular；　incomprehensible。
Sapeur　exclaimed：

〃　'It　is　a　horse。　I　see　the　hoofs。　It　must　have　escaped　from　the
meadow；　during　the　night；　and　fallen　in　headlong。'

〃But；　suddenly；　a　cold　shiver　attacked　my　spine；　I　first
recognized　a　foot；　then　a　clothed　limb；　the　body　was　entire；　but
the　other　limb　had　disappeared　under　the　water。

〃I　groaned　and　trembled　so　violently　that　the　light　of　the　lamp
danced　hither　and　thither　over　the　object；　discovering　a　slipper。

〃　'It　is　a　woman！　whowhocan　it　be？　It　is　Miss　Harriet。'

〃Sapeur　alone　did　not　manifest　horror。　He　had　witnessed　many　such
scenes　in　Africa。

〃Mother　Lecacheur　and　Celeste　began　to　scream　and　to　shriek；　and
ran　away。

〃But　it　was　necessary　to　recover　the　corpse　of　the　dead。　I
attached　the　boy　securely　by　the　loins　to　the　end　of　the
pulley…rope；　then　I　lowered　him　slowly；　and　watched　him　disappear
in　the　darkness。　In　the　one　hand　he　had　a　lantern；　and　held　on　to
the　rope　with　the　other。　Soon　I　recognized　his　voice；　which
seemed　to　come　from　the　center　of　the　earth；　crying：

〃　'Stop。'

〃I　then　saw　him　fish　something　out　of　the　water。　It　was　the　other
limb。　He　bound　the　two　feet　together；　and　shouted　anew：

〃　'Haul　up。'

〃I　commenced　to　wind　him　up；　but　I　felt　my　arms　strain；　my
muscles　twitch；　and　was　in　terror　lest　I　should　let　the　boy　fall
to　the　bottom。　When　his　head　appeared　over　the　brink；　I　asked：

〃　'What　is　it？'　as　though　I　only　expected　that　he　would　tell　me
what　he　had　discovered　at　the　bottom。

〃We　both　got　on　to　the　stone　slab　at　the　edge　of　the　well；　and；
face　to　face；　hois