selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第25部分

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through　the　town；　a　dull；　sleepy；　gloomy　town　where　nothing　was
moving　in　the　streets　save　a　few　dogs　and　two　or　three
maidservants。　Here　and　there　a　shopkeeper　standing　at　his　door
took　off　his　hat；　and　Simon　returned　the　salute　and　told　me　the
man's　nameno　doubt　to　show　me　that　he　knew　all　the　inhabitants
personally。　The　thought　struck　me　that　he　was　thinking　of
becoming　a　candidate　for　the　Chamber　of　Deputies；　that　dream　of
all　who　have　buried　themselves　in　the　provinces。

We　were　soon　out　of　the　town；　the　carriage　turned　into　a　garden
which　had　some　pretensions　to　a　park；　and　stopped　in　front　of　a
turreted　house；　which　tried　to　pass　for　a　chateau。

〃That　is　my　den；〃　Simon　said；　so　that　he　might　be　complimented　on
it；　and　I　replied　that　it　was　delightful。

A　lady　appeared　on　the　steps；　dressed　up　for　a　visitor；　her　hair
done　for　a　visitor；　and　with　phrases　ready　prepared　for　a
visitor。　She　was　no　longer　the　light…haired；　insipid　girl　I　had
seen　in　church　fifteen　years　previously；　but　a　stout　lady　in
curls　and　flounces；　one　of　those　ladies　of　uncertain　age；　without
intellect；　without　any　of　those　things　which　constitute　a　woman。
In　short　she　was　a　mother；　a　stout；　commonplace　mother；　a　human
layer　and　brood　mare；　a　machine　of　flesh　which　procreates；
without　mental　care　save　for　her　children　and　her　housekeeping
book。

She　welcomed　me；　and　I　went　into　the　hall；　where　three　children；
ranged　according　to　their　height；　were　ranked　for　review；　like
firemen　before　a　mayor。　〃Ah！　ah！　so　there　are　the　others？〃　said
I。　And　Simon；　who　was　radiant　with　pleasure；　named　them：　〃Jean；
Sophie；　and　Gontran。〃

The　door　of　the　drawing…room　was　open。　I　went　in；　and　in　the
depths　of　an　easy…chair　I　saw　something　trembling；　a　man；　an　old；
paralyzed　man。　Madame　Radevin　came　forward　and　said：　〃This　is　my
grandfather；　Monsieur；　he　is　eighty…seven。〃　And　then　she　shouted
into　the　shaking　old　man's　ears：　〃This　is　a　friend　of　Simon's；
grandpapa。〃

The　old　gentleman　tried　to　say　〃Good　day〃　to　me；　and　he　muttered：
〃Oua；　oua；　oua；〃　and　waved　his　hand。

I　took　a　seat　saying：　〃You　are　very　kind；　Monsieur。〃

Simon　had　just　come　in；　and　he　said　with　a　laugh：　〃So！　You　have
made　grandpapa's　acquaintance。　He　is　priceless；　is　that　old　man。
He　is　the　delight　of　the　children；　and　he　is　so　greedy　that　he
almost　kills　himself　at　every　meal。　You　have　no　idea　what　he
would　eat　if　he　were　allowed　to　do　as　he　pleased。　But　you　will
see；　you　will　see。　He　looks　all　the　sweets　over　as　if　they　were
so　many　girls。　You　have　never　seen　anything　funnier；　you　will　see
it　presently。〃

I　was　then　shown　to　my　room　to　change　my　dress　for　dinner；　and
hearing　a　great　clatter　behind　me　on　the　stairs；　I　turned　round
and　saw　that　all　the　children　were　following　me　behind　their
fatherto　do　me　honor；　no　doubt。

My　windows　looked　out　on　to　a　plain；　a　bare；　interminable　plain；
an　ocean　of　grass；　of　wheat；　and　of　oats；　without　a　clump　of
trees　or　any　rising　ground；　a　striking　and　melancholy　picture　of
the　life　which　they　must　be　leading　in　that　house。

A　bell　rang；　it　was　for　dinner；　and　so　I　went　downstairs。　Madame
Radevin　took　my　arm　in　a　ceremonious　manner；　and　we　went　into　the
dining…room。　A　footman　wheeled　in　the　old　man's　arm…chair；　who
gave　a　greedy　and　curious　look　at　the　dessert；　as　with　difficulty
he　turned　his　shaking　head　from　one　dish　to　the　other。

Simon　rubbed　his　hands；　saying：　〃You　will　be　amused。〃　All　the
children　understood　that　I　was　going　to　be　indulged　with　the
sight　of　their　greedy　grandfather　and　they　began　to　laugh
accordingly；　while　their　mother　merely　smiled　and　shrugged　her
shoulders。　Simon；　making　a　speaking　trumpet　of　his　hands；　shouted
at　the　old　man：　〃This　evening　there　is　sweet　rice…cream；〃　and　the
wrinkled　face　of　the　grandfather　brightened；　he　trembled
violently　all　over；　showing　that　he　had　understood　and　was　very
pleased。　The　dinner　began。

〃Just　look！〃　Simon　whispered。　The　grandfather　did　not　like　the
soup；　and　refused　to　eat　it；　but　he　was　made　to；　on　account　of
his　health。　The　footman　forced　the　spoon　into　his　mouth；　while
the　old　man　blew　energetically；　so　as　not　to　swallow　the　soup；
which　was　thus　scattered　like　a　stream　of　water　on　to　the　table
and　over　his　neighbors。　The　children　shook　with　delight　at　the
spectacle；　while　their　father；　who　was　also　amused；　said：　〃Isn't
the　old　man　funny？〃

During　the　whole　meal　they　were　all　taken　up　solely　with　him。
With　his　eyes　he　devoured　the　dishes　which　were　put　on　the　table；
and　with　trembling　hands　tried　to　seize　them　and　pull　them　to
him。　They　put　them　almost　within　his　reach　to　see　his　useless
efforts。　his　trembling　clutches　at　them；　the　piteous　appeal　of
his　whole　nature；　of　his　eyes；　of　his　mouth；　and　of　his　nose　as
he　smelled　them。　He　slobbered　on　to　his　table　napkin　with
eagerness；　while　uttering　inarticulate　grunts；　and　the　whole
family　was　highly　amused　at　this　horrible　and　grotesque　scene。

Then　they　put　a　tiny　morsel　on　to　his　plate；　which　he　ate　with
feverish　gluttony；　in　order　to　get　something　more　as　soon　as
possible。　When　the　rice…cream　was　brought　in；　he　nearly　had　a
fit；　and　groaned　with　greediness。　Gontran　called　out　to　him：　〃You
have　eaten　too　much　already；　you　will　have　no　more。〃　And　they
pretended　not　to　give　him　any。　Then　he　began　to　crycry　and
tremble　more　violently　than　ever；　while　all　the　children　laughed。
At　last；　however；　they　gave　him　his　helping；　a　very　small　piece。
As　he　ate　the　first　mouthful　of　the　pudding；　he　made　a　comical
and　greedy　noise　in　his　throat；　and　a　movement　with　his　neck　like
ducks　do；　when　they　swallow　too　large　a　morsel；　and　then；　when　he
had　done；　he　began　to　stamp　his　feet；　so　as　to　get　more。

I　was　seized　with　pity　for　this　pitiable　and　ridiculous　Tantalus；
and　interposed　on　his　behalf：　〃Please；　will　you　not　give　him　a
little　more　rice？〃

But　Simon　replied：　〃Oh！　no　my　dear　fellow；　if　he　were　to　eat　too
much；　it　might　harm　him　at　his　age。〃

I　held　my　tongue；　and　thought　over　these　words。　Oh！　ethics！　Oh！
logic！　Oh！　wisdom！　At　his　age！　So　they　deprived　him　of　his　only
remaining　pleasure　out　of　regard　for　his　health！　His　health！　What
would　he　do　with　it；　inert　and　trembling　wreck　that　he　was？　They
were　taking　care　of　his　life；　so　they　said。　His　life？　How　many
days？　Ten；　twenty；　fifty；　or　a　hundred？　Why？　For　his　own　sake？　Or
to　preserve　for　some　time　longer；　the　spectacle　of　his　impotent
greediness　in　the　family。

There　was　nothing　left　for　him　to　do　in　this　life；　nothing
whatever。　He　had　one　single　wish　left；　one　sole　pleasure；　why　not
grant　him　that　last　solace　constantly；　until　he　died？

After　playing　cards　for　a　long　time；　I　went　up　to　my　room　and　to
bed：　I　was　low…spirited　and　sad；　sad；　sad！　I　sat　at　my　window；
but　I　heard　nothing　but　the　beautiful　warbling　of　a　bird　in　a
tree；　somewhere　in　the　distance。　No　doubt　the　bird　was　singing
thus　in　a　low　voice　during　the　night；　to　lull　his　mate；　who　was
sleeping　on　her　eggs。

And　I　thought　of　my　poor　friend's　five　children；　and　to　myself
pictured　him　snoring　by　the　side　of　his　ugly　wife；



BELLFLOWER＇1＇

＇1＇　Clochette。

How　strange　are　those　old　recollections　which　haunt　us；　without
our　being　able　to　get　rid　of　them！

This　one　is　so　very　old　that　I　cannot　understand　how　it　has　clung
so　vividly　and　tenaciously　to　my　memory。　Since　then　I　have　seen
so　many　sinister　things；　either　affecting　or　terrible；　that　I　am
astonished　at　not　being　able　to　pass　a　single　day　without　the
face　of　Mother　Bellflower　recurring　to　my　mind's　eye；　just　as　I
knew　her　formerly；　long；　long　ago；　when　I　was　ten　or　twelve　years
old。

She　was　an　old　seamstress　who　came　to　my　parents'　house　once　a
week；　every　Thursday；　to　mend　the　linen。　My　parents　lived　in　one
of　those　country　houses　called　chateaux；　which　are　merely　old
houses　with　pointed　roofs；　to　which　are　attached　three　or　four
adjacent　farms。

The　village；　a　large　village；　almost　a　small　market　town；　was　a
few　hundred　yards　off；　and　nestled　round　the　church；　a　red　brick
church；　which　had　become　black　with　age。

Well；　every　Thursday　Mother　Bellflower　came　between　half　past　six
and　seven　in　the　morning；　and　went　immediately　into　the
linen…room　and　began　to　work。　She　was　a　tall；　thin；　bearded　or
rather　hairy　woman；　for　she　had　a　beard　all　over　her　face；　a
surprising；　an　unexpected　beard；　growing　in　improbable　tufts；　in
curly　bunches　which　looked　as　if　they　had　been　sown　by　a　madman
over　that　great　face；　the　face　of　a　gendarme　in　petticoats。　She
had　them　on　her　nose；　under　her　nose；　round　her　nose；　on　her
chin；　on　her　cheeks；　and　her　eyebrows；　which　were　extraordinarily
thick　and　long；　and　quite　gray；　bushy　and　bristling；　looked
exactly　like　a　pair　of　mustaches　stuck　on　there　by　mistake。

She　limped；　but　not　like　lame　people　generally　do；　but　like　a
ship　pitching。　When　she　planted　her　great；　bony；　vibrant　body　on
her　sound　leg；　she　seemed　to　be　preparing　to　mount　some　enormous
wave；　and　then　suddenly　she　dipped　as　if　to　disappear　in　an
abyss；　and　buried　herself　in　the　ground。　Her　walk　reminded　one　of
a　ship　in　a　storm；　and　her　head；　which　was　always　covered　with　an
enormous　white　cap；　whose　ribbons　fluttered　down　her　back；　seemed
to　traverse　the　horizon　from　North　to　South　and　from　South　to
North；　at　each　limp。

I　adored　Mother　Bellflower。　As　soon　as　I　was　up　I　used　to　go　into
the　linen…room；　where　I　found　her　installed　at　work；　with　a
foot…warmer　under　her　feet。　As　soon　as　I　arrived；　she　made　me
take　the　foot…warmer　and　sit　upon　it；　so　that　I　might　not　catch
cold　in　that　large；　chilly　room　under　the　roof。

〃That　draws　the　blood　from　your　head；〃　she　would　say　to　me。

She　told　me　stories；　while　mending　the　linen　with　her　long；
crooked；　nimble　fingers；　behind　her　magnifying　spectacles；　for
age　had　impaired　her　sight；　her　eyes　appeared　enormous　to　me；
strangely　profound；　double。

As　far　as　I　can　remember　from　the　things　which　she　told　me　and　by
which　my　childish　heart　was　moved；　she　had　the　large　heart　of　a
poor　woman。　She　told　me　what　had　happened　in　the　village；　how　a
cow　had　escaped　from　the　cowhouse　and　had　been　found　the　next
morning　in　front　of　Prosper　Malet's　mill；　looking　at　the　sails
turning；　or　about　a