selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第4部分

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lest　it　be　profaned；　but　for　which　his　whole　being　yearned。　How
acutely　he　felt　his　failure　to　attain　his　deliverance　may　be
drawn　from　his　wail　that　mankind　has　no　UNIVERSAL　measure　of
happiness。

〃Each　one　of　us；〃　writes　De　Maupassant；　〃forms　for　himself　an
illusion　through　which　he　views　the　world；　be　it　poetic；
sentimental；　joyous；　melancholy；　or　dismal；　an　illusion　of
beauty；　which　is　a　human　convention；　of　ugliness；　which　is　a
matter　of　opinion；　of　truth；　which；　alas；　is　never　immutable。〃
And　he　concludes　by　asserting　that　the　happiest　artist　is　he　who
approaches　most　closely　to　the　truth　of　things　as　he　sees　them
through　his　own　particular　illusion。

Salient　points　in　De　Maupassant's　genius　were　that　he　possessed
the　rare　faculty　of　holding　direct　communion　with　his　gifts；　and
of　writing　from　their　dictation　as　it　was　interpreted　by　his
senses。　He　had　no　patience　with　writers　who　in　striving　to
present　life　as　a　whole　purposely　omit　episodes　that　reveal　the
influence　of　the　senses。　〃As　well；〃　he　says；　〃refrain　from
describing　the　effect　of　intoxicating　perfumes　upon　man　as　omit
the　influence　of　beauty　on　the　temperament　of　man。〃

De　Maupassant's　dramatic　instinct　was　supremely　powerful。　He
seems　to　select　unerringly　the　one　thing　in　which　the　soul　of　the
scene　is　prisoned；　and；　making　that　his　keynote；　gives　a　picture
in　words　which　haunt　the　memory　like　a　strain　of　music。　The
description　of　the　ride　of　Madame　Tellier　and　her　companions　in　a
country　cart　through　a　Norman　landscape　is　an　admirable　example。
You　smell　the　masses　of　the　colza　in　blossom；　you　see　the　yellow
carpets　of　ripe　corn　spotted　here　and　there　by　the　blue　coronets
of　the　cornflower；　and　rapt　by　the　red　blaze　of　the　poppy　beds
and　bathed　in　the　fresh　greenery　of　the　landscape；　you　share　in
the　emotions　felt　by　the　happy　party　in　the　country　cart。　And　yet
with　all　his　vividness　of　description；　De　Maupassant　is　always
sober　and　brief。　He　had　the　genius　of　condensation　and　the
reserve　which　is　innate　in　power；　and　to　his　reader　could　convey
as　much　in　a　paragraph　as　could　be　expressed　in　a　page　by　many　of
his　predecessors　and　contemporaries；　Flaubert　not　excepted。

Apart　from　his　novels；　De　Maupassant's　tales　may　be　arranged
under　three　heads：　Those　that　concern　themselves　with　Norman
peasant　life；　those　that　deal　with　Government　employees
（Maupassant　himself　had　long　been　one）　and　the　Paris　middle
classes；　and　those　that　represent　the　life　of　the　fashionable
world；　as　well　as　the　weird　and　fantastic　ideas　of　the　later
years　of　his　career。　Of　these　three　groups　the　tales　of　the
Norman　peasantry　perhaps　rank　highest。　He　depicts　the　Norman
farmer　in　surprisingly　free　and　bold　strokes；　revealing　him　in
all　his　caution；　astuteness；　rough　gaiety；　and　homely　virtue。

The　tragic　stage　of　De　Maupassant's　life　may；　I　think；　be　set
down　as　beginning　just　before　the　drama　of　〃Musotte〃　was　issued；
in　conjunction　with　Jacques　Normand；　in　1891。　He　had　almost　given
up　the　hope　of　interpreting　his　puzzles；　and　the　struggle　between
the　falsity　of　the　life　which　surrounded　him　and　the　nobler
visions　which　possessed　him　was　wearing　him　out。　Doubtless　he
resorted　to　unwise　methods　for　the　dispelling　of　physical
lassitude　or　for　surcease　from　troubling　mental　problems。　To　this
period　belong　such　weird　and　horrible　fancies　as　are　contained　in
the　short　stories　known　as　〃He〃　and　〃The　Diary　of　a　Madman。〃　Here
and　there；　we　know；　were　rising　in　him　inklings　of　a　finer　and
less　sordid　attitude　'twixt　man　and　woman　throughout　the　world
and　of　a　purer　constitution　of　existing　things　which　no　exterior
force　should　blemish　or　destroy。　But　with　these　yearningly
prophetic　gleams　came　a　period　of　mental　death。　Then　the　physical
veil　was　torn　aside　and　for　Guy　de　Maupassant　the　riddle　of
existence　was　answered。　　　　　　　　　　　｛signature｝







MADEMOISELLE　FIFI

The　Major　Graf＇1＇　von　Farlsberg；　the　Prussian　commandant；　was
reading　his　newspaper；　lying　back　in　a　great　armchair；　with　his
booted　feet　on　the　beautiful　marble　fireplace；　where　his　spurs
had　made　two　holes；　which　grew　deeper　every　day；　during　the　three
months　that　he　had　been　in　the　chateau　of　Urville。

＇1＇　Count。

A　cup　of　coffee　was　smoking　on　a　small　inlaid　table；　which　was
stained　with　liquors　burnt　by　cigars；　notched　by　the　penknife　of
the　victorious　officer；　who　occasionally　would　stop　while
sharpening　a　pencil；　to　jot　down　figures；　or　to　make　a　drawing　on
it；　just　as　it　took　his　fancy。

When　he　had　read　his　letters　and　the　German　newspapers；　which　his
baggage…master　had　brought　him；　he　got　up；　and　after　throwing
three　or　four　enormous　pieces　of　green　wood　on　to　the　firefor
these　gentlemen　were　gradually　cutting　down　the　park　in　order　to
keep　themselves　warmhe　went　to　the　window。　The　rain　was
descending　in　torrents；　a　regular　Normandy　rain；　which　looked　as
if　it　were　being　poured　out　by　some　furious　hand；　a　slanting
rain；　which　was　as　thick　as　a　curtain；　and　which　formed　a　kind　of
wall　with　oblique　stripes；　and　which　deluged　everything；　a
regular　rain；　such　as　one　frequently　experiences　in　the
neighborhood　of　Rouen；　which　is　the　watering…pot　of　France。

For　a　long　time　the　officer　looked　at　the　sodden　turf；　and　at　the
swollen　Andelle　beyond　it；　which　was　overflowing　its　banks；　and
he　was　drumming　a　waltz　from　the　Rhine　on　the　window…panes；　with
his　fingers；　when　a　noise　made　him　turn　round；　it　was　his　second
in　command；　Captain　Baron　von　Kelweinstein。

The　major　was　a　giant；　with　broad　shoulders；　and　a　long；　fair
beard；　which　hung　like　a　cloth　on　to　his　chest。　His　whole；　solemn
person　suggested　the　idea　of　a　military　peacock；　a　peacock　who
was　carrying　his　tail　spread　out　on　to　his　breast。　He　had　cold；
gentle；　blue　eyes；　and　the　scar　from　a　sword…cut；　which　he　had
received　in　the　war　with　Austria；　he　was　said　to　be　an　honorable
man；　as　well　as　a　brave　officer。

The　captain；　a　short；　red…faced　man；　who　was　tightly　girthed　in
at　the　waist；　had　his　red　hair　cropped　quite　close　to　his　head；
and　in　certain　lights　almost　looked　as　if　he　had　been　rubbed　over
with　phosphorus。　He　had　lost　two　front　teeth　one　night；　though　he
could　not　quite　remember　how。　This　defect　made　him　speak　so　that
he　could　not　always　be　understood；　and　he　had　a　bald　patch　on　the
top　of　his　head；　which　made　him　look　rather　like　a　monk；　with　a
fringe　of　curly；　bright；　golden　hair　round　the　circle　of　bare
skin。

The　commandant　shook　hands　with　him；　and　drank　his　cup　of　coffee
（the　sixth　that　morning）　at　a　draught；　while　he　listened　to　his
subordinate's　report　of　what　had　occurred；　and　then　they　both
went　to　the　window；　and　declared　that　it　was　a　very　unpleasant
outlook。　The　major；　who　was　a　quiet　man；　with　a　wife　at　home；
could　accommodate　himself　to　everything；　but　the　captain；　who　was
rather　fast；　being　in　the　habit　of　frequenting　low　resorts；　and
much　given　to　women；　was　mad　at　having　been　shut　up　for　three
months　in　the　compulsory　chastity　of　that　wretched　hole。

There　was　a　knock　at　the　door；　and　when　the　commandant　said；
〃Come　in；〃　one　of　their　automatic　soldiers　appeared；　and　by　his
mere　presence　announced　that　breakfast　was　ready。　In　the　dining…
room；　they　met　three　other　officers　of　lower　rank：　a　lieutenant；
Otto　von　Grossling；　and　two　sub…lieutenants；　Fritz　Scheunebarg；
and　Count　von　Eyrick　a　very　short；　fair…haired　man；　who　was　proud
and　brutal　toward　men；　harsh　toward　prisoners；　and　very　violent。

Since　he　had　been　in　France；　his　comrades　had　called　him　nothing
but　〃Mademoiselle　Fifi。〃　They　had　given　him　that　nickname　on
account　of　his　dandified　style　and　small　waist；　which　looked　as
if　he　wore　stays；　from　his　pale　face；　on　which　his　budding
mustache　scarcely　showed；　and　on　account　of　the　habit　he　had
acquired　of　employing　the　French　expression；　fi；　fi　donc；　which
he　pronounced　with　a　slight　whistle；　when　he　wished　to　express
his　sovereign　contempt　for　persons　or　things。

The　dining…room　of　the　chateau　was　a　magnificent　long　room；　whose
fine　old　mirrors；　now　cracked　by　pistol　bullets；　and　Flemish
tapestry；　now　cut　to　ribbons　and　hanging　in　rags　in　places；　from
sword…cuts；　told　too　well　what　Mademoiselle　Fifi's　occupation　was
during　his　spare　time。

There　were　three　family　portraits　on　the　walls；　a　steel…clad
knight；　a　cardinal；　and　a　judge；　who　were　all　smoking　long
porcelain　pipes；　which　had　been　inserted　into　holes　in　the
canvas；　while　a　lady　in　a　long；　pointed　waist　proudly　exhibited
an　enormous　pair　of　mustaches；　drawn　with　a　piece　of　charcoal。

The　officers　ate　their　breakfast　almost　in　silence　in　that
mutilated　room；　which　looked　dull　in　the　rain；　and　melancholy
under　its　vanquished　appearance；　although　its　old；　oak　floor　had
become　as　solid　as　the　stone　floor　of　a　public…house。

When　they　had　finished　eating；　and　were　smoking　and　drinking；
they　began；　as　usual；　to　talk　about　the　dull　life　they　were
leading。　The　bottles　of　brandy　and　of　liquors　passed　from　hand　to
hand；　and　all　sat　back　in　their　chairs；　taking　repeated　sips　from
their　glasses；　and　scarcely　removing　the　long；　bent　stems；　which
terminated　in　china　bowls　painted　in　a　manner　to　delight　a
Hottentot；　from　their　mouths。

As　soon　as　their　glasses　were　empty；　they　filled　them　again；　with
a　gesture　of　resigned　weariness；　but　Mademoiselle　Fifi　emptied
his　every　minute；　and　a　soldier　immediately　gave　him　another。
They　were　enveloped　in　a　cloud　of　strong　tobacco　smoke；　they
seemed　to　be　sunk　in　a　state　of　drowsy；　stupid　intoxication；　in
that　dull　state　of　drunkenness　of　men　who　have　nothing　to　do；
when　suddenly；　the　baron　sat　up；　and　said：　〃By　heavens！　This
cannot　go　on；　we　must　think　of　something　to　do。〃　And　on　hearing
this；　Lieutenant　Otto　and　Sub…lieutenant　Fritz；　who　pre…eminently
possessed　the　grave；　heavy　German　countenance；　said：　〃What；
Captain？〃

He　thought　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　replied　〃What？　Well；　we
must　get　up　some　entertainment；　if　the　commandant　will　allow　us。〃

〃What　sort　of　an　entertainment；　captain？〃　the　major　asked；　taking
his　pipe　out　of　his　mouth。

〃I　will　arrange　all　that；　commandant；〃　the　baron　said。　〃I　will
send　Le　Devoir　to　Rouen；　who　will　bring　us　some　ladies。　I　know
where　they　can