selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第48部分

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of　about　eighteen；　one　of　those　women　who　suddenly　excite　your
desire　when　you　meet　them　in　the　street；　and　who　leave　you　with　a
vague　feeling　of　uneasiness　and　of　excited　senses。　She　was　tall；
had　a　small　waist　and　large　hips；　with　a　dark　skin；　very　large
eyes；　and　very　black　hair。　Her　dress　clearly　marked　the　outlines
of　her　firm；　full　figure；　which　was　accentuated　by　the　motion　of
her　hips　as　she　tried　to　swing　herself　higher。　Her　arms　were
stretched　over　her　head　to　hold　the　rope；　so　that　her　bosom　rose
at　every　movement　she　made。　Her　hat；　which　a　gust　of　wind　had
blown　off；　was　hanging　behind　her；　and　as　the　swing　gradually
rose　higher　and　higher；　she　showed　her　delicate　limbs　up　to　the
knees　each　time；　and　the　wind　from　the　perfumed　petticoats；　more
heady　than　the　fumes　of　wine；　blew　into　the　faces　of　her　father
and　friend；　who　were　looking　at　her　in　admiration。

Sitting　in　the　other　swing；　Madame　Dufour　kept　saying　in　a
monotonous　voice：

〃Cyprian；　come　and　swing　me；　do　come　and　swing　me；　Cyprian！〃

At　last　he　complied；　and　turning　up　his　shirt…sleeves；　
as　if　he　intended　to　work　very　hard；　with　much　difficulty　he　set
his　wife　in　motion。　She　clutched　the　two　ropes；　and　held　her　legs
out　straight；　so　as　not　to　touch　the　ground。　She　enjoyed　feeling
giddy　from　the　motion　of　the　swing；　and　her　whole　figure　shook
like　a　jelly　on　a　dish；　but　as　she　went　higher　and　higher；　she
grew　too　giddy　and　got　frightened。　Every　time　she　was　coming
back；　she　uttered　a　shriek；　which　made　all　the　little　urchins
come　round；　and；　down　below；　beneath　the　garden　hedge；　she
vaguely　saw　a　row　of　mischievous　heads；　making　various　grimaces
as　they　laughed。

When　a　servant　girl　came　out；　they　ordered　lunch。

〃Some　fried　fish；　a　stewed　rabbit；　salad；　and　dessert；〃　Madame
Dufour　said；　with　an　important　air。

〃Bring　two　quarts　of　beer　and　a　bottle　of　claret；〃　her　husband
said。

〃We　will　have　lunch　on　the　grass；〃　the　girl　added。

The　grandmother；　who　had　an　affection　for　cats；　had　been　petting
one　that　belonged　to　the　house；　and　had　been　bestowing　the　most
affectionate　words　on　it；　for　the　last　ten　minutes。　The　animal；
no　doubt　secretly　pleased　by　her　attentions；　kept　close　to　the
good　woman；　but　just　out　of　reach　of　her　hand；　and　quietly　walked
round　the　trees；　against　which　she　rubbed　herself；　with　her　tail
up；　purring　with　pleasure。

〃Hallo！〃　exclaimed　the　youth　with　the　yellow　hair；　who　was
ferreting　about；　〃here　are　two　swell　boats！〃　They　all　went　to
look　at　them；　and　saw　two　beautiful　skiffs　in　a　wooden　boathouse；
which　were　as　beautifully　finished　as　if　they　had　been　objects　of
luxury。　They　were　moored　side　by　side；　like　two　tall；　slender
girls；　in　their　narrow　shining　length；　and　aroused　in　one　a　wish
to　float　in　them　on　warm　summer　mornings　and　evenings；　along
flower…covered　banks　of　the　river；　where　the　trees　dip　their
branches　into　the　water；　where　the　rushes　are　continually
rustling　in　the　breeze；　and　where　the　swift　kingfishers　dart
about　like　flashes　of　blue　lightning。

The　whole　family　looked　at　them　with　great　respect。

〃They　are　indeed　two　swell　boats；〃　Monsieur　Dufour　repeated
gravely；　and　he　examined　them　closely；　commenting　on　them　like　a
connoisseur。　He　had　been　in　the　habit　of　rowing　in　his　younger
days；　he　said；　and　when　he　had　that　in　his　handsand　he　went
through　the　action　of　pulling　the　oarshe　did　not　care　a　fig　for
anybody。　He　had　beaten　more　than　one　Englishman　formerly　at　the
Joinville　regattas。　He　grew　quite　excited　at　last；　and　offered　to
make　a　bet　that　in　a　boat　like　that　he　could　row　six　miles　an
hour；　without　exerting　himself。

〃Lunch　is　ready；〃　said　the　waitress；　appearing　at　the　entrance　to
the　boathouse。　They　all　hurried　off；　but　two　young　men　were
already　lunching　at　the　best　place；　which　Madame　Dufour　had
chosen　in　her　mind　as　her　seat。　No　doubt　they　were　the　owners　of
the　skiffs；　for　they　were　dressed　in　boating　costume。　They　were
stretched　out；　almost　lying　on　chairs；　and　were　sunburned；　and
had　on　flannel　trousers　and　thin　cotton　jerseys；　with　short
sleeves；　which　showed　their　bare　arms；　which　were　as　strong　as
blacksmiths'。　They　were　two　strong　young　fellows；　who　thought　a
great　deal　of　their　vigor；　and　who　showed　in　all　their　movements
that　elasticity　and　grace　of　limb　which　can　only　be　acquired　by
exercise；　and　which　is　so　different　to　the　awkwardness　with　which
the　same　continual　work　stamps　the　mechanic。

They　exchanged　a　rapid　smile　when　they　saw　the　mother；　and　then　a
look　on　seeing　the　daughter。

〃Let　us　give　up　our　place；〃　one　of　them　said；　〃it　will　make　us
acquainted　with　them。〃

The　other　got　up　immediately；　and　holding　his　black　and　red
boating…cap　in　his　hand；　he　politely　offered　the　ladies　the　only
shady　place　in　the　garden。　With　many　excuses　they　accepted；　and
so　that　it　might　be　more　rural；　they　sat　on　the　grass；　without
either　tables　or　chairs。

The　two　young　men　took　their　plates；　knives；　forks；　etc。；　to　a
table　a　little　way　off；　and　began　to　eat　again。　Their　bare　arms；
which　they　showed　continually；　rather　embarrassed　the　young　girl；
who　even　pretended　to　turn　her　head　aside；　and　not　to　see　them。
But　Madame　Dufour；　who　was　rather　bolder；　tempted　by　feminine
curiosity；　looked　at　them　every　moment；　and　no　doubt　compared
them　with　the　secret　unsightliness　of　her　husband。　She　had
squatted　herself　on　the　ground　with　her　legs　tucked　under　her；
after　the　manner　of　tailors；　and　kept　wriggling　about
continually；　under　the　pretext　that　ants　were　crawling　about　her
somewhere。　Monsieur　Dufour；　whom　the　politeness　of　the　strangers
had　put　into　rather　a　bad　temper；　was　trying　to　find　a
comfortable　position；　which　he　did　not；　however；　succeed　in
doing；　while　the　youth　with　the　yellow　hair　was　eating　as
silently　as　an　ogre。

〃It　is　lovely　weather；　Monsieur；〃　the　stout　lady　said　to　one　of
the　boating…men。　She　wished　to　be　friendly；　because　they　had
given　up　their　place。

〃It　is；　indeed；　Madame；〃　he　replied；　〃do　you　often　go　into　the
country？〃

〃Oh！　Only　once　or　twice　a　year；　to　get　a　little　fresh　air；　and
you；　Monsieur？〃

〃I　come　and　sleep　here　every　night。〃

〃Oh！　That　must　be　very　nice？〃

〃Certainly　it　is；　Madame。〃　And　he　gave　them　such　a　practical
account　of　his　daily　life；　that　in　the　hearts　of　these
shopkeepers；　who　were　deprived　of　the　meadows；　and　who　longed　for
country　walks；　it　roused　that　innate　love　of　nature；　which　they
all　felt　so　strongly　the　whole　year　round；　behind　the　counter　in
their　shop。

The　girl　raised　her　eyes　and　looked　at　the　oarsman　with
emotion；　and　Monsieur　Dufour　spoke　for　the　first　time。

〃It　is　indeed　a　happy　life；〃　he　said。　And　then　he　added：　〃A
little　more　rabbit；　my　dear？〃

〃No；　thank　you；〃　she　replied；　and　turning　to　the　young　men　again；
and　pointing　to　their　arms；　asked　　〃Do　you　never　feel　cold　like
that？〃

They　both　laughed；　and　amazed　the　family　by　telling　of　the
enormous　fatigue　they　could　endure；　of　bathing　while　in　a　state
of　tremendous　perspiration；　of　rowing　in　the　fog　at　night；　and
they　struck　their　chests　violently；　to　show　how　they　sounded。

〃Ah！　You　look　very　strong；〃　the　husband　said　and　he　did　not　talk
any　more　of　the　time　when　he　used　to　beat　the　English。　The　girl
was　looking　at　them　askance　now；　and　the　young　fellow　with　the
yellow　hair；　as　he　had　swallowed　some　wine　the　wrong　way；　and　was
coughing　violently；　bespattered　Madame　Dufour's　sherry…colored
silk　dress。　Madame　got　angry；　and　sent　for　some　water　to　wash　the
spots。

Meanwhile　it　had　grown　unbearably　hot；　the　sparkling　river　looked
like　a　blaze　of　fire　and　the　fumes　of　the　wine　were　getting　into
their　heads。　Monsieur　Dufour；　who　had　a　violent　hiccough；　had
unbuttoned　his　waistcoat　and　the　top　of　his　trousers；　while　his
wife；　who　felt　choking；　was　gradually　unfastening　her　dress。　The
youth　was　shaking　his　yellow　wig　in　a　happy　frame　of　mind；　and
kept　helping　himself　to　wine；　and　as　the　old　grandmother　felt
drunk；　she　endeavored　to　be　very　stiff　and　dignified。　As　for　the
girl；　she　showed　nothing　except　a　peculiar　brightness　in　her
eyes；　while　the　brown　skin　on　the　cheeks　became　more　rosy。

The　coffee　finished　them　off；　they　spoke　of　singing；　and　each　of
them　sang；　or　repeated　a　couplet；　which　the　others　repeated
enthusiastically。　Then　they　got　up　with　some　difficulty；　and
while　the　two　women；　who　were　rather　dizzy；　were　getting　some
fresh　air；　the　two　males；　who　were　altogether　drunk；　were
performing　gymnastic　tricks。　Heavy；　limp；　and　with　scarlet　faces；
they　hung　awkwardly　on　to　the　iron　rings；　without　being　able　to
raise　themselves；　while　their　shirts　were　continually　threatening
to　part　company　with　their　trousers；　and　to　flap　in　the　wind　like
flags。

Meanwhile；　the　two　boating…men　had　got　their　skiffs　into　the
water。　They　came　back；　and　politely　asked　the　ladies　whether　they
would　like　a　row。

〃Would　you　like　one；　Monsieur　Dufour？〃　his　wife　exclaimed。
〃Please　come！〃

He　merely　gave　her　a　drunken　look；　without　understanding　what　she
said。　Then　one　of　the　rowers　came　up；　with　two　fishing…rods　in
his　hand；　and　the　hope　of　catching　a　gudgeon；　that　great　aim　of
the　Parisian　shopkeeper；　made　Dufour's　dull　eyes　gleam。　He
politely　allowed　them　to　do　whatever　they　liked；　while　he　sat　in
the　shade；　under　the　bridge；　with　his　feet　dangling　over　the
river；　by　the　side　of　the　young　man　with　the　yellow　hair；　who　was
sleeping　soundly　close　to　him。

One　of　the　boating…men　made　a　martyr　of　himself；　and　took　the
mother。

〃Let　us　go　to　the　little　wood　on　the　Ile　aux　Anglais！〃　he　called
out；　as　he　rowed　off。　The　other　skiff　went　slower；　for　the　rower
was　looking　at　his　companion　so　intently；　that　he　thought　of
nothing　else。　His　emotion　paralyzed　his　strength；　while　the　girl；
who　was　sitting　on　the　steerer's　seat；　gave　herself　up　to　the
enjoyment　of　being　on　the　water。　She　felt　disinclined　to　think；
felt　a　lassitude　in　her　limbs　a　complete　self…relaxation；　as　if
she　were　intoxicated。　She　had　become　very　flushed；　and　breathed
pantingly。　The　effect　of　the　wine；　increased　by　the　extreme　heat；
made　all　the　trees　on　the　bank　seem　to　bow；　as　she　passed。　A
vague　wish　for　enjoyment；　a　fermentation　of　her　blood；　seemed　to
pervade　her　whol