selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第35部分

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By　a　searching　glance　I　detected　a　place　where　I　would　not　be　too
much　crowded。　So　I　went　and　sat　down　by　the　side　of　a　man　who
seemed　to　me　to　be　old；　and　who　smoked　a　half…penny　clay　pipe；
which　　had　become　as　black　as　coal。　From　six　to　eight　beer
saucers　were　piled　up　on　the　table　in　front　of　him；　indicating
the　number　of　〃bocks〃　he　had　already　absorbed。　With　that　same
glance　I　had　recognized　in　him　a　〃regular　toper；〃　one　of　those
frequenters　of　beer…houses；　who　come　in　the　morning　as　soon　as
the　place　is　open；　and　only　go　away　in　the　evening　when　it　is
about　to　close。　He　was　dirty；　bald　to　about　the　middle　of　the
cranium；　while　his　long　gray　hair　fell　over　the　neck　of　his　frock
coat。　His　clothes；　much　too　large　for　him；　appeared　to　have　been
made　for　him　at　a　time　when　he　was　very　stout。　One　could　guess
that　his　pantaloons　were　not　held　up　by　braces；　and　that　this　man
could　not　take　ten　paces　without　having　to　pull　them　up　and
readjust　them。　Did　he　wear　a　vest？　The　mere　thought　of　his　boots
and　the　feet　they　enveloped　filled　me　with　horror。　The　frayed
cuffs　were　as　black　at　the　edges　as　were　his　nails。

As　soon　as　I　had　sat　down　near　him；　this　queer　creature　said　to
me　in　a　tranquil　tone　of　voice：

〃How　goes　it　with　you？〃

I　turned　sharply　round　to　him　and　closely　scanned　his　features；
whereupon　he　continued：

〃I　see　you　do　not　recognize　me。〃

〃No；　I　do　not。〃

〃Des　Barrets。〃


I　was　stupefied。　It　was　Count　Jean　des　Barrets；　my　old　college
chum。

I　seized　him　by　the　hand；　so　dumfounded　that　I　could　find　nothing
to　say。　I；　at　length；　managed　to　stammer　out：

〃And　you；　how　goes　it　with　you？〃

He　responded　placidly：

〃With　me？　Just　as　I　like。〃

He　became　silent。　I　wanted　to　be　friendly；　and　I　selected　this
phrase：

〃What　are　you　doing　now？〃

〃You　see　what　I　am　doing；〃　he　answered；　quite　resignedly。

I　felt　my　face　getting　red。　I　insisted：

〃But　every　day？〃

〃Every　day　is　alike　to　me；〃　was　his　response；　accompanied　with　a
thick　puff　of　tobacco　smoke。

He　then　tapped　on　the　top　of　the　marble　table　with　a　sou；　to
attract　the　attention　of　the　waiter；　and　called　out：

〃Waiter；　two　'bocks。'　〃

A　voice　in　the　distance　repeated：

〃Two　'bocks；'　instead　of　four。〃

Another　voice；　more　distant　still；　shouted　out：

〃Here　they　are；　sir；　here　they　are。〃

Immediately　there　appeared　a　man　with　a　white　apron；　carrying　two
'bocks；'　which　he　set　down　foaming　on　the　table；　the　foam　running
over　the　edge；　on　to　the　sandy　floor。

Des　Barrets　emptied　his　glass　at　a　single　draught　and　replaced　it
on　the　table；　sucking　in　the　drops　of　beer　that　had　been　left　on
his　mustache。　He　next　asked：

〃What　is　there　new？〃

〃I　know　of　nothing　new；　worth　mentioning；　really；〃　I　stammered：
〃But　nothing　has　grown　old　for　me；　I　am　a　commercial　man。〃

In　an　equable　tone　of　voice；　he　said：

〃Indeeddoes　that　amuse　you？〃

〃No；　but　what　do　you　mean　by　that？　Surely　you　must　do　something！〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃

〃I　only　mean；　how　do　you　pass　your　time！〃

〃What's　the　use　of　occupying　myself　with　anything。　For　my　part；　I
do　nothing　at　all；　as　you　see；　never　anything。　When　one　has　not
got　a　sou　one　can　understand　why　one　has　to　go　to　work。　What　is
the　good　of　working？　Do　you　work　for　yourself；　or　for　others？　If
you　work　for　yourself　you　do　it　for　your　own　amusement；　which　is
all　right；　if　you　work　for　others；　you　reap　nothing　but
ingratitude。〃

Then　sticking　his　pipe　into　his　mouth；　he　called　out　anew：

〃Waiter；　a　'bock。'　It　makes　me　thirsty　to　keep　calling　so。　I　am
not　accustomed　to　that　sort　of　thing。　Yes；　I　do　nothing；　I　let
things　slide；　and　I　am　growing　old。　In　dying　I　shall　have　nothing
to　regret。　If　so；　I　should　remember　nothing；　outside　this
public…house。　I　have　no　wife；　no　children；　no　cares；　no　sorrows；
nothing。　That　is　the　very　best　thing　that　could　happen　to　one。〃

He　then　emptied　the　glass　which　had　been　brought　him；　passed　his
tongue　over　his　lips；　and　resumed　his　pipe。

I　looked　at　him　stupefied　and　asked　him：

〃But　you　have　not　always　been　like　that？〃

〃Pardon　me；　sir；　ever　since　I　left　college。〃

〃It　is　not　a　proper　life　to　lead；　my　dear　sir；　it　is　simply
horrible。　Come；　you　must　indeed　have　done　something；　you　must
have　loved　something；　you　must　have　friends。〃

〃No；　I　get　up　at　noon；　I　come　here；　I　have　my　breakfast；　I　drink
my　'bock'；　I　remain　until　the　evening；　I　have　my　dinner；　I　drink
'bock。'　Then　about　one　in　the　morning；　I　return　to　my　couch；
because　the　place　closes　up。　And　it　is　this　latter　that　embitters
me　more　than　anything。　For　the　last　ten　years；　I　have　passed
six…tenths　of　my　time　on　this　bench；　in　my　corner；　and　the　other
four…tenths　in　my　bed；　never　changing。　I　talk　sometimes　with　the
habitues。〃

〃But　on　arriving　in　Paris　what　did　you　do　at　first？〃

〃I　paid　my　devoirs　to　the　Cafe　de　Medicis。〃

〃What　next？〃

〃Next？　I　crossed　the　water　and　came　here。〃

〃Why　did　you　take　even　that　trouble？〃

〃What　do　you　mean？　One　cannot　remain　all　one's　life　in　the　Latin
Quarter。　The　students　make　too　much　noise。　But　I　do　not　move
about　any　longer。　Waiter；　a　'bock。'　〃

I　now　began　to　think　that　he　was　making　fun　of　me；　and　I
continued：

〃Come　now；　be　frank。　You　have　been　the　victim　of　some　great
sorrow；　despair　in　love；　no　doubt！　It　is　easy　to　see　that　you　are
a　man　whom　misfortune　has　hit　hard。　What　age　are　you？〃

〃I　am　thirty　years　of　age；　but　I　look　to　be　forty…five　at　least。〃

I　looked　him　straight　in　the　face。　His　shrunken　figure；　badly
cared　for；　gave　one　the　impression　that　he　was　an　old　man。　On　the
summit　of　his　cranium；　a　few　long　hairs　shot　straight　up　from　a
skin　of　doubtful　cleanness。　He　had　enormous　eyelashes；　a　large
mustache；　and　a　thick　beard。　Suddenly　I　had　a　kind　of　vision；　I
know　not　whythe　vision　of　a　basin　filled　with　noisome　water；
the　water　which　should　have　been　applied　to　that　poll。　I　said　to
him：

〃Verily；　you　look　to　be　more　than　that　age。　Of　a　certainty　you
must　have　experienced　some　great　disappointment。〃

He　replied：

〃I　tell　you　that　I　have　not。　I　am　old　because　I　never　take　air。
There　is　nothing　that　vitiates　the　life　of　a　man　more　than　the
atmosphere　of　a　cafe。〃　I　could　not　believe　him。

〃You　must　surely　have　been　married　as　well？　One　could　not　get　as
baldheaded　as　you　are　without　having　been　much　in　love。〃

He　shook　his　head；　sending　down　his　back　little　hairs　from　the
scalp：

〃No；　I　have　always　been　virtuous。〃

And　raising　his　eyes　toward　the　luster；　which　beat　down　on　our
heads；　he　said：

〃If　I　am　baldheaded；　it　is　the　fault　of　the　gas。　It　is　the　enemy
of　hair。　Waiter；　a　'bock。'　You　must　be　thirsty　also？〃

〃No；　thank　you。　But　you　certainly　interest　me。　When　did　you　have
your　first　discouragement？　Your　life　is　not　normal；　is　not
natural。　There　is　something　under　it　all。〃

〃Yes；　and　it　dates　from　my　infancy。　I　received　a　heavy　blow　when
I　was　very　young。　It　turned　my　life　into　darkness；　which　will
last　to　the　end。〃

〃How　did　it　come　about？〃

〃You　wish　to　know　about　it？　Well；　then；　listen。　You　recall；　of
course；　the　castle　in　which　I　was　brought　up；　seeing　that　you
used　to　visit　it　for　five　or　six　months　during　the　vacations？　You
remember　that　large；　gray　building　in　the　middle　of　a　great　park；
and　the　long　avenues　of　oaks；　which　opened　toward　the　four
cardinal　points！　You　remember　my　father　and　my　mother；　both　of
whom　were　ceremonious；　solemn；　and　severe。

〃I　worshiped　my　mother；　I　was　suspicious　of　my　father；　but　I
respected　both；　accustomed　always　as　I　was　to　see　everyone　bow
before　them。　In　the　country；　they　were　Monsieur　le　Comte　and
Madame　la　Comtesse；　and　our　neighbors；　the　Tannemares；　the
Ravelets；　the　Brennevilles；　showed　the　utmost　consideration　for
them。

〃I　was　then　thirteen　years　old；　happy；　satisfied　with　everything；
as　one　is　at　that　age；　and　full　of　joy　and　vivacity。

〃Now　toward　the　end　of　September；　a　few　days　before　entering　the
Lycee；　while　I　was　enjoying　myself　in　the　mazes　of　the　park；
climbing　the　trees　and　swinging　on　the　branches；　I　saw　crossing
an　avenue　my　father　and　mother；　who　were　walking　together。

〃I　recall　the　thing　as　though　it　were　yesterday。　It　was　a　very
windy　day。　The　whole　line　of　trees　bent　under　the　pressure　of　the
wind；　moaned　and　seemed　to　utter　criescries　dull；　yet　deepso
that　the　whole　forest　groaned　under　the　gale。

〃Evening　had　come　on；　and　it　was　dark　in　the　thickets。　The
agitation　of　the　wind　and　the　branches　excited　me；　made　me　skip
about　like　an　idiot；　and　howl　in　imitation　of　the　wolves。

〃As　soon　as　I　perceived　my　parents；　I　crept　furtively　toward
them；　under　the　branches；　in　order　to　surprise　them；　as　though　I
had　been　a　veritable　wolf。　But　suddenly　seized　with　fear；　I
stopped　a　few　paces　from　them。　My　father；　a　prey　to　the　most
violent　passion；　cried：

〃　'Your　mother　is　a　fool；　moreover；　it　is　not　your　mother　that　is
the　question；　it　is　you。　I　tell　you　that　I　want　money；　and　I　will
make　you　sign　this。'

〃My　mother　responded　in　a　firm　voice：

〃　'I　will　not　sign　it。　It　is　Jean's　fortune；　I　shall　guard　it　for
him　and　I　will　not　allow　you　to　devour　it　with　strange　women；　as
you　have　your　own　heritage。'

〃Then　my　father；　full　of　rage；　wheeled　round　and　seized　his　wife
by　the　throat；　and　began　to　slap　her　full　in　the　face　with　the
disengaged　hand。

〃My　mother's　hat　fell　off；　her　hair　became　disheveled　and　fell
down　her　back：　she　essayed　to　parry　the　blows；　but　could　not
escape　from　them。　And　my　father；　like　a　madman；　banged　and　banged
at　her。　My　mother　rolled　over　on　the　ground；　covering　her　face　in
both　her　hands。　Then　he　turned　her　over　on　her　back　in　order　to
batter　her　still　more；　pulling　away　the　hands　which　were　covering
her　face。

〃As　for　me；　my　friend；　it　seemed　as　though　the　world　had　come　to
an　end；　that　the　eternal　laws　had　changed。　I　experienced　the
overwhelming　dread　that　one　has　in　presence　of　things
supernatural；　in　presence　of　irreparable　disaster。　My　boyish　head
whirled　round　and　soared。　I　began　to　cry　with　all　my　might；
without　knowing　why；　a　prey　to　terror；　to　grief；　to　a　dreadful
bewilderment。　My　father　heard　me；　turned　round；　and；　on　seeing
me；　made　as　though　he　would　rush　at　me。　I　believed　that　he　wanted
t