selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第34部分

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placed　himself　on　his　knees　and　said　his　prayers　as　before　going
to　bed。　But　he　was　unable　to　finish　them；　for　such　hurried　and
violent　sobs　overtook　him　that　he　was　completely　overwhelmed。　He
thought　no　more；　he　no　longer　heeded　anything　around　him　but　was
wholly　given　up　to　tears。

Suddenly　a　heavy　hand　was　placed　upon　his　shoulder；　and　a　rough
voice　asked　him：

〃What　is　it　that　causes　you　so　much　grief；　my　fine　fellow？〃

Simon　turned　round。　A　tall　workman；　with　a　black　beard　and　hair
all　curled；　was　staring　at　him　good…naturedly。　He　answered　with
his　eyes　and　throat　full　of　tears：

〃They　have　beaten　me　becauseII　have　no　papano　papa。　〃

〃What！〃　said　the　man　smiling；　〃why；　everybody　has　one。〃

The　child　answered　painfully　amid　his　spasms　of　grief：

〃But　III　have　none。〃

Then　the　workman　became　serious。　He　had　recognized　La
Blanchotte's　son；　and　although　a　recent　arrival　to　the
neighborhood　he　had　a　vague　idea　of　her　history。

〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃console　yourself；　my　boy；　and　come　with　me　home
to　your　mother。　She　will　give　you　a　papa。〃

And　so　they　started　on　the　way；　the　big　one　holding　the　little
one　by　the　hand。　The　man　smiled　afresh；　for　he　was　not　sorry　to
see　this　Blanchotte；　who　by　popular　report　was　one　of　the
prettiest　girls　in　the　country…sideand；　perhaps；　he　said　to
himself；　at　the　bottom　of　his　heart；　that　a　lass　who　had　erred
once　might　very　well　err　again。

They　arrived　in　front　of　a　very　neat　little　white　house。

〃There　it　is；〃　exclaimed　the　child；　and　he　cried：　〃Mamma。〃

A　woman　appeared；　and　the　workman　instantly　left　off　smiling；　for
he　at　once　perceived　that　there　was　no　more　fooling　to　be　done
with　the　tall　pale　girl；　who　stood　austerely　at　her　door　as
though　to　defend　from　one　man　the　threshold　of　that　house　where　she
had　already　been　betrayed　by　another。　Intimidated；　his　cap　in　his
hand；　he　stammered　out：

〃See；　Madame；　I　have　brought　you　back　your　little　boy；　who　had
lost　himself　near　the　river。〃

But　Simon　flung　his　arms　about　his　mother's　neck　and　told　her；　as
he　again　began　to　cry：

〃No；　mamma；　I　wished　to　drown　myself；　because　the　others　had
beaten　mehad　beaten　mebecause　I　have　no　papa。〃

A　burning　redness　covered　the　young　woman's　cheeks；　and；　hurt　to
the　quick；　she　embraced　her　child　passionately；　while　the　tears
coursed　down　her　face。　The　man；　much　moved；　stood　there；　not
knowing　how　to　get　away。　But　Simon　suddenly　ran　to　him　and　said：

〃Will　you　be　my　papa？〃

A　deep　silence　ensued。　La　Blanchotte；　dumb　and　tortured　with
shame；　leaned　against　the　wall；　her　hands　upon　her　heart。　The
child；　seeing　that　no　answer　was　made　him；　replied：

〃If　you　do　not　wish　it；　I　shall　return　to　drown　myself。〃

The　workman　took　the　matter　as　a　jest　and　answered　laughing：

〃Why；　yes；　I　wish　it　certainly。〃

〃What　is　your　name；　then；〃　went　on　the　child；　〃so　that　I　may　tell
the　others　when　they　wish　to　know　your　name？〃

〃Philip；〃　answered　the　man。

Simon　was　silent　a　moment　so　that　he　might　get　the　name　well　into
his　memory；　then　he　stretched　out　his　arms；　quite　consoled；　and
said：

〃Well；　then；　Philip；　you　are　my　papa。〃

The　workman；　lifting　him　from　the　ground；　kissed　him　hastily　on
both　cheeks；　and　then　strode　away　quickly。

When　the　child　returned　to　school　next　day　he　was　received　with　a
spiteful　laugh；　and　at　the　end　of　school；　when　the　lads　were　on
the　point　of　recommencing；　Simon　threw　these　words　at　their　heads
as　he　would　have　done　a　stone：　〃He　is　named　Philip；　my　papa。〃

Yells　of　delight　burst　out　from　all　sides。

〃Philip　who？　Philip　what？　What　on　earth　is　Philip？　Where　did　you
pick　up　your　Philip？〃

Simon　answered　nothing；　and　immovable　in　faith　he　defied　them
with　his　eye；　ready　to　be　martyred　rather　than　fly　before　them。
The　schoolmaster　came　to　his　rescue　and　he　returned　home　to　his
mother。

For　a　space　of　three　months；　the　tall　workman；　Philip；　frequently
passed　by　La　Blanchotte's　house；　and　sometimes　made　bold　to　speak
to　her　when　he　saw　her　sewing　near　the　window。　She　answered　him
civilly；　always　sedately；　never　joking　with　him；　nor　permitting
him　to　enter　her　house。　Notwithstanding　this；　being；　like　all
men；　a　bit　of　a　coxcomb；　he　imagined　that　she　was　often　rosier
than　usual　when　she　chatted　with　him。

But　a　fallen　reputation　is　so　difficult　to　recover；　and　always
remains　so　fragile　that；　in　spite　of　the　shy　reserve　La
Blanchotte　maintained；　they　already　gossiped　in　the　neighborhood。

As　for　Simon；　he　loved　his　new　papa　much；　and　walked　with　him
nearly　every　evening　when　the　day's　work　was　done。　He　went
regularly　to　school　and　mixed　in　a　dignified　way　with　his
schoolfellows　without　ever　answering　them　back。

One　day；　however；　the　lad　who　had　first　attacked　him　said　to　him：

〃You　have　lied。　You　have　not　a　papa　named　Philip。〃

〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃　demanded　Simon；　much　disturbed。

The　youth　rubbed　his　hands。　He　replied：

〃Because　if　you　had　one　he　would　be　your　mamma's　husband。〃

Simon　was　confused　by　the　truth　of　this　reasoning；　nevertheless
he　retorted：

〃He　is　my　papa　all　the　same。〃

〃That　can　very　well　be；〃　exclaimed　the　urchin　with　a　sneer；　〃but
that　is　not　being　your　papa　altogether。〃

La　Blanchotte's　little　one　bowed　his　head　and　went　off　dreaming
in　the　direction　of　the　forge　belonging　to　old　Loizon；　where
Philip　worked。

This　forge　was　entombed　in　trees。　It　was　very　dark　there；　the　red
glare　of　a　formidable　furnace　alone　lit　up　with　great　flashes
five　blacksmiths；　who　hammered　upon　their　anvils　with　a　terrible
din。　Standing　enveloped　in　flame；　they　worked　like　demons；　their
eyes　fixed　on　the　red…hot　iron　they　were　pounding；　and　their　dull
ideas　rising　and　falling　with　their　hammers。

Simon　entered　without　being　noticed　and　quietly　plucked　his
friend　by　the　sleeve。　Philip　turned　round。　All　at　once　the　work
came　to　a　standstill　and　the　men　looked　on　very　attentively。
Then；　in　the　midst　of　this　unaccustomed　silence；　rose　the　little
slender　pipe　of　Simon：

〃Philip；　explain　to　me　what　the　lad　at　La　Michande　has　just　told
me；　that　you　are　not　altogether　my　papa。〃

〃And　why　that？〃　asked　the　smith。

The　child　replied　in　all　innocence：

〃Because　you　are　not　my　mamma's　husband。〃

No　one　laughed。　Philip　remained　standing；　leaning　his　forehead
upon　the　back　of　his　great　hands；　which　held　the　handle　of　his
hammer　upright　upon　the　anvil。　He　mused。　His　four　companions
watched　him；　and；　like　a　tiny　mite　among　these　giants；　Simon
anxiously　waited。　Suddenly；　one　of　the　smiths；　voicing　the
sentiment　of　all；　said　to　Philip：

〃All　the　same　La　Blanchotte　is　a　good　and　honest　girl；　stalwart
and　steady　in　spite　of　her　misfortune；　and　one　who　would　make　a
worthy　wife　for　an　honest　man。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　remarked　the　three　others。　The　smith　continued：

〃Is　it　the　girl's　fault　if　she　has　fallen？　She　had　been　promised
marriage；　and　I　know　more　than　one　who　is　much　respected　to…day
and　has　sinned　every　bit　as　much。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　responded　the　three　men　in　chorus。

He　resumed：

〃How　hard　she　has　toiled；　poor　thing；　to　educate　her　lad　all
alone；　and　how　much　she　has　wept　since　she　no　longer　goes　out；
save　to　church；　God　only　knows。〃

〃That　also　is　true；〃　said　the　others。

Then　no　more　was　heard　save　the　roar　of　the　bellows　which　fanned
the　fire　of　the　furnace。　Philip　hastily　bent　himself　down　to
Simon：

〃Go　and　tell　your　mamma　that　I　shall　come　to　speak　to　her。〃

Then　he　pushed　the　child　out　by　the　shoulders。　He　returned　to　his
work　and　in　unison　the　five　hammers　again　fell　upon　their　anvils。
Thus　they　wrought　the　iron　until　nightfall；　strong；　powerful；
happy；　like　Vulcans　satisfied。　But　as　the　great　bell　of　a
cathedral　resounds　upon　feast　days　above　the　jingling　of　the
other　bells；　so　Philip's　hammer；　dominating　the　noise　of　the
others；　clanged　second　after　second　with　a　deafening　uproar。　His
eye　on　the　fire；　he　plied　his　trade　vigorously；　erect　amid　the
sparks。

The　sky　was　full　of　stars　as　he　knocked　at　La　Blanchotte's　door。
He　had　his　Sunday　blouse　on；　a　fresh　shirt；　and　his　beard　was
trimmed。　The　young　woman　showed　herself　upon　the　threshold　and
said　in　a　grieved　tone：

〃It　is　ill　to　come　thus　when　night　has　fallen；　Mr。　Philip。〃

He　wished　to　answer；　but　stammered　and　stood　confused　before　her。

She　resumed：

〃And　you　understand　quite　well　that　it　will　not　do　that　I　should
be　talked　about　any　more。〃

Then　he　said　all　at　once：

〃What　does　that　matter　to　me；　if　you　will　be　my　wife！〃

No　voice　replied　to　him；　but　he　believed　that　he　heard　in　the
shadow　of　the　room　the　sound　of　a　body　falling。　He　entered　very
quickly；　and　Simon；　who　had　gone　to　his　bed；　distinguished　the
sound　of　a　kiss　and　some　words　that　his　mother　said　very　softly。
Then　he　suddenly　found　himself　lifted　up　by　the　hands　of　his
friend；　who；　holding　him　at　the　length　of　his　herculean　arms；
exclaimed　to　him：

〃You　will　tell　your　school…fellows　that　your　papa　is　Philip　Remy；
the　blacksmith；　and　that　he　will　pull　the　ears　of　all　who　do　you
any　harm。〃

On　the　morrow；　when　the　school　was　full　and　lessons　were　about　to
begin；　little　Simon　stood　up　quite　pale　with　trembling　lips：

〃My　papa；〃　said　he　in　a　clear　voice；　〃is　Philip　Remy；　the
blacksmith；　and　he　has　promised　to　box　the　ears　of　all　who　do　me
any　harm。〃

This　time　no　one　laughed　any　longer；　for　he　was　very　well　known；
was　Philip　Remy；　the　blacksmith；　and　he　was　a　papa　of　whom　anyone
in　the　world　would　be　proud。



WAITER；　A　〃BOCK〃＇1＇

＇1＇　Bavarian　beer。

Why　on　this　particular　evening；　did　I　enter　a　certain　beer　shop？
I　cannot　explain　it。　It　was　bitterly　cold。　A　fine　rain；　a　watery
mist　floated　about；　veiling　the　gas　jets　in　a　transparent　fog；
making　the　pavements　under　the　shadow　of　the　shop　fronts　glitter；
which　revealed　the　soft　slush　and　the　soiled　feet　of　the
passers…by。

I　was　going　nowhere　in　particular；　was　simply　having　a　short　walk
after　dinner。　I　had　passed　the　Credit　Lyonnais；　the　Rue　Vivienne；
and　several　other　streets。　Suddenly　I　descried　a　large　cafe；
which　was　more　than　half　full。　I　walked　inside；　with　no　object　in
mind。　I　was　not　the　least　thirsty。

By　a　searching　glance　I　detected　a　place　where　I　would　not　be　too
much　crowded。　So　I　went　and